Abstract:
A novelty light device that provides a light assembly capable of adhesion to the bottom of a cup, vase or bottle connected to a switch-able power supply by a thin electrical conductor. The thin electrical conductor enhances the stability of the bottle by minimally interfering with the configuration of the bottom of the bottle. A power supply is also provided that may be adhered to the side of the bottle. Variations in the switching means allow the device to be turned on once only or repeatedly selectable to on and off.

Description:
Applicant hereby claims priority benefit of earlier filed provisional application by the same inventor having Ser. No. 61/279,829 filed on Oct. 26, 2009, which is incorporated herein, in its entirety, by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to party novelty accessories, and more particularly, to a light system adapted for use with transparent glass or plastic, for example, a bottle, a cup, or a window. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Several designs for lighted party novelties have been designed in the past. None of them, however, are known to include a switch, a power source and a light source that may be affixed to the bottom surface of a vessel, such as a bottle or cup, without affecting the usage or stability of that vessel and also producing a novel effect of illuminating the vessel using the vessel itself to disperse the light. 
     Other patents describing the closest subject matter provide for a number of more or less complicated features that fail to solve the problem in an efficient and economical way. None of these patents suggest the novel features of the present invention. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is one of the main objects of the present invention to provide a device that illuminates a vessel, such as a bottle or cup. 
     It is another object of this invention to provide a device that does not affect the safety or stability of the vessel. 
     Another object of the invention is to provide a light emitting device remote from its power source. 
     It is still another object of the present invention to provide an eye-catching novel device that will not inadvertently detach from the vessel to which it is affixed. 
     It is yet another object of this invention to provide such a device that is inexpensive to manufacture and maintain while retaining its effectiveness. 
     Further objects of the invention will be brought out in the following part of the specification, wherein detailed description is for the purpose of fully disclosing the invention without placing limitations thereon. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       With the above and other related objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction and combination of parts as will be more fully understood from the following description, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  represents a perspective view of a variation of the device attached to the underside of a common cup. 
         FIG. 2  shows a plan view of a version of the device. 
         FIG. 3  illustrates a perspective view of a variant of a light assembly. 
         FIG. 4  is a representation of perspective view of version of a battery assembly. 
         FIG. 5  is a depiction of a perspective cross section of a variant of a battery assembly. 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate tab. 
         FIG. 7  shows a perspective cross section view of a battery assembly showing functionality of a tab. 
         FIG. 8  illustrates a perspective cross section view of a battery assembly demonstrating an alternate tab position. 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective cross section view of a battery assembly similar to that shown in  FIG. 9  demonstrating an alternate tab position. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring now to the drawings, where the present invention is generally referred to with numeral  10 , it can be observed that it basically includes a battery assembly  12  and a light assembly  20 . The battery assembly  12  is further comprised of, inter alia, a case  14 , a tab  16  and a conductor  18 . A vessel  11  is also shown for context but is not present in every contemplated use of the device. Elements of the vessel  11  further comprise a planar foot  13  forming the bottom of the vessel  11  and a sidewall  15  forming the side of the vessel. 
     The vessel  11  shown in the variation of the invention depicted in  FIG. 1  may be a common cup made of glass, plastic or other commonly available material. Preferably the vessel  11  is constructed of a transparent or translucent material at least on the bottom of the foot  13  which may contact a table when the vessel  11  is in normal use. Other parts of the vessel  11  can have opacity of varying degrees. The vessel  11  can effectively also be in the form of a vase, bottle, jug or other similar structure. 
     As demonstrated in  FIG. 1  the light assembly  20  may be affixed to the outer surface of the foot  13 . The light assembly  20  can selectively produce light and emit the light into and through the foot  13  thereby illuminating the contents of the vessel  11  and the vessel  11  itself producing a lighted effect. 
     In use, the battery assembly  12  is preferably affixed to a sidewall  15  of the vessel  11 . The battery assembly  12  and the light assembly  20  are physically linked by the conductor  18 . In a preferred variation of the device the conductor  18  may take the form of a thin ribbon wire or flexible electronics also known as flex circuits or thin film flexible circuit boards. Other thin and flexible means of conducting electric current could also readily be used. 
     In a primary version of the device  10 , it is important that the conductor  18  is as thin as practicable. It is also important to have the light assembly  20  as thin as practicable. Since the light assembly  20 , in some applications of the device, is placed between the vessel  11  and a table (or other supportive surface), the vessel  11  could become unstable if the light assembly  20  is not thin enough. The stability of the vessel  11  may be increased by any or all of: dimensioning the light assembly  20  similar to that of the foot  13 , ensuring that the light assembly  20  has a uniform thickness and/or having the light assembly have as minimal a thickness as practicable, yet remaining effective in producing light and adhering to the foot  13 . 
     Flexible electronics, generally, is a technology for assembling electronic circuits by mounting electronic devices on flexible thin plastic substrates. These substrates could be, for example, a polyimide and/or PEEK Film. Other methods could include screen printed metal alloy circuits on polyester substrate. Other low profile electronic conductors could also be effectively used to transmit power from the battery assembly  12  to the light assembly  20 . 
     Alternatively, the conductor  18  could also be a fiber optic type conductor to conduct light produced at or near the battery assembly  12  to the light assembly  20  where the light is emitted into the foot  13  of the vessel  11 . In this embodiment the light assembly  20  may also include a lens feature to aid in light disbursement. 
     Now referring to  FIGS. 2 ,  3  and  4  where a device similar to that shown in  FIG. 1  is shown in more detail and further includes, inter alia, a pad  22 , a light  24 , a backing  26 , a substrate  28  and an aperture  30 . 
     Looking at a variation of the light assembly  20  in more detail it can be seen that the backing  26  is affixed onto the substrate  28 . Between the substrate  28  and the backing  26  is an adhesive means, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive. This adhesive is preferably water resistant. When preparing the device  10  for use the backing  26  is peeled away from the substrate  28  to expose the adhesive so that the light assembly  20  may be secured to a vessel, such as vessel  11  shown in  FIG. 1 , or other transparent or semi-transparent object. 
     The light  24  may be affixed to the substrate  28 . Although not depicted in  FIG. 3  there may optionally be a channel from the light  24  to the periphery of the pad where the conductor  18  may be positioned. This channel feature may aid in having a light assembly  20  of uniform thickness which can aid in stability of the vessel  11 . 
     In a preferred variation of the light assembly  20  the substrate  28  has applied to it a pressure sensitive adhesive which is temporarily covered by the backing  26  for storage and transport. When the device is prepared for use by combining it with, for example, a glass bottle, the backing  26  is removed and discarded. This adhesive would then permit the light assembly  20  to be adhered to a surface such as onto the foot  13  of the vessel  11  as shown on  FIG. 1  and described above. 
     The substrate  28  may provide a more robust structure and could also, for example, provide a reflective quality to aid in directing any luminescence away from the light  24  if made of a reflective material, such as for example, an aluminum film. Other reflective materials such a metalized polyethylene terephthalate (sometimes referred to as mylar) or other thin film alloys or polymer compositions may prove to be more or less effective. By directing the reflected light into the foot  13  of the vessel  11  the intensity of the perceived luminescence may be increased or a lower capacity battery may become suitable. 
     Now examining  FIG. 4  where a variation of the battery assembly  12  it is shown in more detail to include a pad  22  that includes a means, such as a pressure sensitive adhesive, to affix the battery assembly  12  to another object, such as the sidewall  15  of a vessel  11 . In a preferred variation the pad  22  is comprised of an adhesive and a release backing where the release backing is separable from the adhesive and is discarded immediately prior to use to expose the adhesive. Alternate means to affix the battery assembly  12  to an object are readily available and may include a bracket, sleeve, band, clip, non-pressure sensitive adhesive or other means. 
     By designing the battery assembly  12  to be remote from the light assembly  20  the battery assembly  12  may be located other than on the foot  13  of the vessel. Because the battery assembly  12  generally cannot be as flat as the light assembly  20  it is preferably not affixed to the foot  13  of the vessel  11 . Instead, the thin conductor  18  supplies the power from the battery assembly  12  to the light assembly  20  from a remote location, such as the sidewall  15  of a glass or bottle. 
     The tab  16  functions as switch. The aperture  30  is provided on the battery assembly  12  to permit a path of egress for the tab  16 . The tab  16  preferably is constructed of a material that does not conduct electricity, having a high electrical resistivity factor. A variety of thin film plastics and paper are effective materials and other materials have been contemplated. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 5 ,  6 ,  7 ,  8  and  9  where the battery assembly  12  is shown to further include a battery  32 , a conductor  38 , a conductor  40 , a terminal  42  and a terminal  44 . An alternate variation of a tab  34  is shown to include an aperture  36 . The functionality of the several iterations of the tab  16  and tab  34  are shown to function as a switch. 
     Generally,  FIGS. 5 and 7  show a single variation in different stages of operation. Generally,  FIGS. 6 ,  8  and  9  show an alternate variation emphasizing the switching means and tab  34 . 
     Note that the section plane is identified on  FIG. 4  with the numeral  5  and the section view is first shown in  FIG. 5 . The section view shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  are along a similar section plane. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 5 and 7 , when the battery assembly  12  is first assembled the tab  16  is inserted between a battery  32  and the terminal  42  of the conductor  18  so that a circuit between the light  24  and battery  32  is interrupted and so that no current can flow into the light  24  and the energy in the battery  32  is preserved for future use. 
     Typically the device  10  is transported and stored, as shown in  FIG. 7 , with the tab  16  physically between the battery  32  and the terminal  42  thereby impeding the current from flowing from the battery  32  into the light  24 . Prior to using the device  10 , the light assembly  20  is affixed to the foot  13  of a vessel  11  and the battery assembly  12  is affixed to the sidewall  15  of the vessel  11 . 
     When a user of the device  10  wants to illuminate the light  24  the tab  16  is removed, as demonstrated in  FIG. 5 , so that the current in the battery  32  can flow uninterrupted from the battery  32  through the terminal  42 , into the conductor  18  and into the light  24  thereby causing the light  24  to illuminate. The circuit is completed by the second conductive element in the conductor  18  that is connected to the terminal  44  and therefore the battery  32 . 
     An alternate style of battery assembly  12  is shown in  FIGS. 6 ,  8  and  9  and further includes an aperture  46  in addition to aperture  30  as well as an alternate tab  34  with integral aperture  36 . The principal difference in this variation is that the switching means may be selectively and repeatedly turned on and off. 
     The device may be stored and transported in a configuration similar to that shown in  FIG. 9 . It can be seen that the tab  34  is positioned so that it physically comes between the terminal  42  and the battery  32  thereby preventing completion of a circuit thus the device is in an “off” configuration. The tab  34  is preferably made from a thin flexible material that is not electrically conductive. 
     When the operator of the device desires to turn the device “on” and illuminate the light  24  the tab  34  is pulled and repositioned so that the aperture  36  comes between the terminal  42  and the battery  32  thereby completing the circuit. It should be noticed that the tab  34  is not necessarily removed from the battery assembly  12  in this variation of the device. The tab  34  may then subsequently be pulled and repositioned again so that the aperture  36  is moved away from terminal  42  and the tab  34  interrupts the flow of electricity from the battery  32  to the light assembly  20 . 
     As is now apparent, this variation of the device shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9  can be effectively selectively switched on and off repeatedly. Another enhancement not shown in the drawings is a feature at the both ends of the tab  34  that prevents the tab  34  from being pulled through either aperture  46  or aperture  30 . This will prevent the tab from being fully removed from the battery assembly  12  and retain the functionality as the switch. In some uses of the device it may be preferred to have the option to remove the tab  34  fully to permanently turn on the device. 
     A preferred version of the lighting device can be described as comprising a light assembly, a battery assembly and a conductor. Said light assembly comprising an adhesive layer, a substrate and a light source. Said adhesive layer and said light source affixed to said substrate of said light assembly. Said adhesive layer of the light assembly is adapted for attachment to an exterior bottom surface of a foot of a preselected vessel, such as a bottle, cup, vase or other transparent material. The light assembly is dimensioned to fit within the perimeter of the foot of said preselected vessel. Alternately the light assembly may be larger than the foot of the vessel but then preferably has a comparable shape to the foot of the vessel. Said light source of said light assembly adapted to emit light toward said foot of said preselected vessel thereby lighting the vessel. Said light assembly has a substantially uniform thickness between approximately 0.5 millimeters and 5.0 millimeters. Other thicknesses are possible so long as the stability of the vessel is maintained. Said battery assembly comprising a case, a power source, such as multiple batteries, and a switch means. Said battery assembly adapted to contain a power source. Said battery assembly has an adhesive surface adapted for attachment to a sidewall of said preselected vessel. A pressure sensitive adhesive with a removable backing to protect the adhesive during storage and transport is preferred but alternate means to affix the battery to the sidewall of the vessel are commonly known to exist. Said conductor adapted to electrically connect said light source to said power source creating an electrical circuit. Said electrical circuit has a switch means to selectively permit energy from the power source to be conducted to light source. Said conductor is as thick as or less thick than said light assembly. 
     The lighting device can be further characterized in that said power source is one or a multiplicity of batteries, a fuel cell, or other compact contained power supplies available in the art. 
     The lighting device could be further characterized in that said conductor is a thin film flexible circuit board, a ribbon wire or other thin electrical conductor. A fiber optic conductor could also be employed if the light source is contained in the battery assembly. The said light source is a light emitting diode or other available compact lamp. 
     The switch means may be integrated into said battery assembly and comprises a tab that is non-conducting, adapted so that the tab is physically between and interrupts said electrical circuit between said power source and said conductor further adapted so that said tab may be pulled out from between the power source and conductor thereby completing said electrical circuit and permitting the power source to supply power to the light source. This is a generally a one use switch in that there may be no provision to re-insert the tab to stop the flow of electricity from the batteries to the light source. 
     The lighting device might be optionally further characterized in that said switch means is integrated into said battery assembly and comprises a tab that is non-conducting and adapted so that when selectively placed in a first position the tab is physically between said power source and said conductor thereby interrupting said electrical circuit. Said tab is selectively moveable to a second position where said aperture is between said power source and said conductor thereby permitting completion of said electrical circuit. 
     Another important variation of the device may be described as a lighting device comprising a light assembly, a battery assembly and a thin film conductor. Said light assembly comprising an adhesive layer, a substrate and a lamp. Said adhesive layer and said lamp are affixed to said substrate of said light assembly. Said adhesive layer of said light assembly is adapted for attachment to an exterior bottom surface of a foot of a preselected vessel. Said light is assembly dimensioned to fit within the perimeter of the foot of said preselected vessel or slightly larger than the perimeter. Said lamp adapted to emit light toward and into said foot of said vessel. The vessel is not always part of the claimed invention but is included to show a primary use of the device. Said light assembly has a substantially uniform thickness between approximately 0.5 millimeters and 5.0 millimeters. Other appropriate thicknesses may be determined by trial and error based on the specific preselected vessel that a variation of the device is designed to work best with. Said battery assembly comprising a case, between one and four batteries and a switch means. Said battery assembly has an adhesive surface adapted for attachment to a sidewall of said preselected vessel. Said thin film conductor adapted to electrically connect said lamp to said batteries creating an electrical circuit. Said electrical circuit has a switch means to selectively permit energy from said batteries to be conducted to the lamp. Said thin film conductor is about as thick as or less thick than said light assembly to impart stability of the vessel when used with the invention. 
     This variation of the invention can be further characterized in that said switch means comprises a non-conducting tab that physically interrupts contact points between any two of said batteries or any one of said batteries and said conductor thereby preventing completion of said electrical circuit. Said tab is selectively removable from between said contact points thereby permitting completion of said electrical circuit. 
     It might be further characterized in that said switch means is integrated into said battery assembly and comprises a tab that is non-conducting and adapted so that when selectively placed in a first position the tab is physically between said power source and said conductor thereby interrupting said electrical circuit. Said tab is selectively moveable to a second position where said aperture is between said power source and said conductor thereby permitting completion of said electrical circuit. 
     In any of the variations of the device testing has shown that the light assembly is typically most effective when about one to three inches in diameter and about one to two millimeters thick. Effective conductor lengths are about one to four inches. These ranges are provided for guidance and understanding and may materially deviate from these dimensions and yet remain effective. 
     The foregoing description conveys the best understanding of the objectives and advantages of the present invention. Different embodiments may be made of the inventive concept of this invention. It is to be understood that all matter disclosed herein is to be interpreted merely as illustrative, and not in a limiting sense.