Abstract:
An illuminated display apparatus comprising a frame member and a housing for containing a three-dimensional object is disclosed. The illuminated display apparatus further includes a light source mounted within the housing for illuminating the object contained within the housing of the apparatus. It is noted that this abstract is provided to comply with the rules requiring an abstract that will allow a searcher or other reader to ascertain quickly the subject matter of the technical disclosure and is not be used to interpret or limit the scope or meaning of the claims.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention relates generally to a lighted display apparatus and, more particularly, to a lighted display apparatus for containing and illuminating three-dimensional objects. 
   2. Background 
   Illuminating pictures displayed within a frame is often desired because illumination makes details of the pictures more pronounced, especially when lighting in the room where the pictures are displayed is insufficient. Framed pictures can be lighted externally by closely positioned or attached light fixtures or internally by light fixtures incorporated inside the picture frame itself. Frames are typically constructed to house such things as canvases, photographs, and paper, but not three-dimensional objects such as vases and figurines. Instead, display cases are normally used to exhibit three-dimensional objects. Display cases can also be internally illuminated by a light fixture, but the light fixture often insufficiently illuminates the objects maintained within the display case because the light fixture typically consists of a light bulb mounted above the objects, which causes top portions of the objects to receive direct light while bottom portions of the objects receive little or on light. 
   There is a need for an apparatus for displaying and sufficiently illuminating three-dimensional objects. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to a lighted display apparatus for containing and illuminating three-dimensional objects. One exemplary embodiment of the present invention comprises a frame including an interior side, an inner perimeter, and a center opening defined by the inner perimeter. The illuminated display apparatus also includes a housing mounted to the frame and extending outward from the interior side of the frame. The housing includes a rear wall, a side member having opposing ends, and a recessed area defined by the rear wall and the side member. The recessed area has a depth sufficient for containing a three-dimensional object. To protect the three-dimensional object, a transparent plate is located within the center opening of the frame. The illuminated display apparatus preferably further comprises a light source mounted within the housing and a power source conductively connected to the light source for illuminating the object. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of an illuminated display apparatus in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of an illuminated display apparatus in accordance with another embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2A  is an exploded perspective of the illuminated display apparatus comprising a frame, a transparent plate, a housing, a light source, and a power source; 
       FIG. 2B  is an exploded perspective of another embodiment of the illuminated display apparatus comprising a frame, a transparent plate, a housing, a light source, and a power source; 
       FIG. 3  is a front view of the illuminated display apparatus containing a three-dimensional object; 
       FIG. 3A  is a sectional view taken through lines  3 A— 3 A of  FIG. 3  comprising an alternative means for supporting the three-dimensional object; 
       FIG. 3B  is a sectional view taken through lines  3 B— 3 B of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view of an embodiment according to the invention; 
       FIG. 5  is an elevation of the illuminated display apparatus showing one corner in section in order to illustrate an alternative light source, while the main part includes the frame. 
       FIG. 6  is an elevation of the illuminated display apparatus showing one corner in section in order to illustrate an alternative light source, while the main part includes the frame. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The present invention is more particularly described in the following examples that are intended as illustrative only since numerous modifications and variations therein will be apparent to those skilled in the art. As used in the specification and in the claims, “a,” “an,” or “the” can mean one or more, depending upon the context in which it is used. The preferred embodiment is now described with reference to the figures, in which like numbers indicate like parts throughout the figures. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 1A , an illuminated display apparatus  10  according to the present invention is illustrated. One exemplary embodiment of the illuminated display apparatus  10  comprises a frame  20  and a housing  30 . A three-dimensional object  44  displayed within the apparatus  10  is illuminated by a light source which receives power from a power source  70 . 
   The frame  20  includes an ornate exterior side  22 , an interior side  24 , an inner perimeter  26 , and a center opening  27  defined by the inner perimeter  26 . The center opening  27  has a length and width sufficient to view the three-dimensional object  44  therethrough. The object  44  is contained within the housing  30  of the illuminated display apparatus  10 . 
   As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , the housing  30  includes a rear wall  32  that has an edge  33  extending around the perimeter of the rear wall  32 . The rear wall  32  is generally rectangular in shape, as illustrated in  FIGS. 1–6 , but it may be in a square, oval, circle, or any other shape if desirable. The rear wall  32  may also include a bracket attached to the back of the rear wall  32  for mounting the illuminated display apparatus  10  to a wall. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, however, a variety of conventional mounting means may be used to suspend the illuminated display apparatus  10  from a wall including hooks, chains, and adhesive materials. 
   The housing  30  further includes a side member  34  extending outward from the rear wall  32 . The side member  34  has a first end  35  mounted coextensively to the edge  33  of the rear wall  32  and an opposing second end  36  disposed adjacent the interior side  24  of the frame  20 . When mounted together, the rear wall  32  and the side member  34  define a recessed area  38  that has a depth sufficient to contain and display a three-dimensional object therein. The depth of the recessed area  38  may vary depending on the size and number of objects to be contained within the recessed area  38 . The housing  30  preferably includes means of supporting the object  44  within the recessed area  38 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 3A–3B , the object  44  may be supported by a shelf  40  extending outward from the rear wall  32 . The shelf  40  preferably has a depth less than the depth of the recessed area  38  of the housing  30 . Alternatively, an object  44 ′ may be supported by an adhesive material such as glue, Velcro, or tape which allows the object  44 ′ to be mounted directly to the rear wall  32 , as illustrated in  FIG. 3A . As one skilled in the art will appreciate, however, a variety of supporting means may be used to mount the object  44  within the recessed area  38  of the housing  30 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 2A , the housing  30  preferably includes a plurality of brackets  42  mounted to opposing portions of the side member  34 . The brackets  42  extend outward from the second end  36  of the side member  34  of the housing  30  and attach to the interior side  24  of the frame  20  such that the second end  36  of the side member  34  is disposed adjacent the interior side  24  of the frame  20 . Other designs are contemplated to couple the housing  30  to the frame  20  including nails, screws, or chemical adhesives. 
   The apparatus  10  further includes a light source mounted within the recessed area  38  of the housing  30  for illuminating the object  44 . As illustrated in  FIG. 2A , the light source may be a plurality of cylindrical illumination bulbs  52 , such as florescent lamps, having respective ends removably mounted within fittings  54  that are conductively connected in series. The fittings  54  are attached to the side member  34  of the housing within the recessed area  38  at locations that are selected to cause the bulbs  52  to extend around the side member  34  of the housing  30  adjacent the interior side  24  of the frame  20 . As best shown in  FIGS. 2A and 3 , mounting the bulbs  52  around the side member  34  adjacent the interior side  24  allows light from the bulbs  52  to fully encompass the object  44  without the bulbs  52  being visible to a viewer. Alternatively, the fittings  54  may be attached to the side member  34  at locations that cause the bulbs  52  to extend around the inner perimeter  26  adjacent the rear wall  32  of the housing  30 . The number of bulbs  52  needed to surround the inner perimeter  26  of the frame  20  will depend on the shape denoted by the rear wall  32 . 
   In another embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2B , the light source may be a flexible rope light  53  mounted within the recessed area  38  of the housing  30  adjacent to the interior side  24  of the frame  20  for illuminating the object  44 . The rope light  53  is secured within the recessed area  38  by a plurality of fasteners  77 . A power switch  78  for controlling the illumination of the light source may be positioned on the side member  34  of the housing  30  so that the power switch  78  is not visible to a viewer. 
   In further embodiments, the light source may be a flexible light strip  55  comprising a plurality of illumination bulbs  56  conductively connected to each other, as shown in  FIG. 5 . The illumination bulbs may include conventional light bulbs, light emitting diodes (LEDs), or halogen bulbs. Similarly, a flexible light tube  57  comprising a plurality of illumination bulbs  58  conductively connected to each other encased by a heat resistant material for absorbing heat generated by the plurality of illumination bulbs  58 , as illustrated in  FIG. 6 . Both the flexible light strip  55  and the flexible light tube  57  are preferably mounted to the side member  34  and extend around the side member  34  of the housing  30  adjacent to the interior side  24  of the frame  20 . 
   As shown in  FIG. 1A , a power source  70  for supplying electrical power to the light source may be mounted to the side member  34  of the housing  30  such that the power source  70  is not visible to a viewer. The power source  70  may include a battery compartment for holding at least one battery therein for supplying the electrical power. The power source may also contain an alternating current adaptor jack such that when an electrical cord  74  is conductively connected to the power source and a plug  72  is connected to a wall outlet, electric power is supplied to the light source therefrom, instead of from the at least one battery. Alternatively, as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , the power source may be contained within the housing  30  of the illuminated display apparatus  10  such that the power source is not visible to a viewer. When the electric cord  74  is conductively connected to a power outlet  75  located on the side member  34  and the plug  72  is connected to a wall outlet, electric power is supplied to the light source therefrom. 
   The illuminated display apparatus  10  also may include a transparent plate  60  located within the center opening  27  of the frame  20  to protect an object contained within the apparatus  10  from environmental impacts and viewers. The transparent plate  60  may be made from glass, acrylic, or another appropriate transparent material. To maintain the transparent plate  60  within the center opening  27 , the transparent plate  60  preferably has a width and length greater than the width and length of the center opening  27 . In a preferred embodiment, the transparent plate  60  has edges  62  that fit within a notch  28  that extends along the inner perimeter  26  of the frame  20 , as best illustrated in  FIG. 4 . When the housing  30  and frame  20  are coupled together by the plurality of brackets  42 , the transparent plate  60  is maintained within the notch  28  by the second end  36  of the side member  34  and by the fittings  54 . Other means of retaining the transparent plate  60  within the center  27  of the frame  20  are contemplated including sliding the edges  62  of the transparent plate  60  within a groove extending along the inner perimeter  26  of the frame  20 . 
   As described herein, an apparatus is provided for illuminating objects displayed within the apparatus. It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications or variations may be made in the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. Other embodiments of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art from consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein.