Abstract:
An angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system includes an electrical plug unit, a lamp socket unit, a collar coupled to a front coupling neck of the housing of the electrical plug unit and affixed to the housing of the lamp socket unit for allowing rotation of the lamp socket unit relative to the electrical lug unit within a predetermined angle, a spring-supported latch installed in the housing of the electrical plug unit to lock the electrical plug unit to the collar in one of a series of angular position, and a lampshade coupled to the lamp socket unit around the lamp bulb in the lamp socket unit and holding a fluid aroma substance for heating by the radiation heat from the lamp bulb into vapor.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates aroma diffusing night lamp system and more particularly, to an angle-adjustable aroma diffusing night lamp system that allows easy adjustment of the electrical plug relative to the lamp socket to one of a series of angular positions within a predetermined range. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional night lamp does not allow adjustment of the angular position of the two parallel metal prongs of their electric plugs to fit different indoor installation requirements. 
     There are night lamps with an added aroma diffusing function. These night lamps combine an angle-adjustable night lamp unit and an aroma diffuser unit. When the night lamp unit of a night lamp is connected to a city power supply outlet, the radiating heat from the night lamp unit heats an aromatic substance, for example, essential oil in the aroma diffuser unit into vapor, providing a romantic atmosphere and enhancing the value of use of the night lamp. 
     Although conventional aroma diffusing night lamps allow adjustment of the installation angle of the night lamp unit, their angle-adjustable structure wears quickly with use or is difficult to be adjusted to the accurate angle. After installation, the applied essential oil may fall from the lampshade accidentally. 
     Further, regular aroma diffusing night lamps commonly use an incandescent lamp bulb to emit light and to heat the supplied aromatic substance. The heating efficiency of an incandescent lamp is low. Further, the aroma diffuser unit of a regular aroma diffusing night lamp is less stable. In consequence, a gap may be produced in the electric conducting structure, affecting the performance of electric conductivity. Further, regular aroma diffusing night lamps have no means to seal the electric conducting component parts. If the aromatic fluid leaks out, a short circuit accident may occur. 
     U.S. Ser. No. 12/698,610 discloses an adjustable night lamp system, issued to the present inventor, entitled “AROMA DIFFUSING NIGHT LAMP SYSTEM HAVING AN ANGLE-ADJUSTABLE ELECTRIC PLUG”, which comprises an electrical plug unit, which includes housing having a stepped rear coupling portion and an electrically insulative locating block tightly fitted into a front opening of the electrically insulative plug housing to hold first and second metal conducting blades and a grounding prong, a lamp socket unit for holding a lamp bulb and transferring electric current from the electrical plug unit to the lamp bulb for causing the lamp bulb to emit light, and a collar configured subject to the configuration of the stepped rear coupling portion of the electrically insulative plug housing and coupled to the stepped rear coupling portion and affixed to the lamp socket unit to secure the lamp socket unit to the electrical plug unit and to allow adjustment of the angle of the lamp socket unit relative to the electrical plug unit. 
     U.S. Ser. No. 12/911,939 discloses an adjustable night lamp system, issued to the present inventor, entitled “ANGLE-ADJUSTABLE NIGHT LAMP ASSEMBLY FOR AROMA DIFFUSING NIGHT LAMP SYSTEM”, which comprises a lamp socket, a light emitting device mounted in the top side of the lamp socket, an electric plug rotatably coupled to the lamp socket and a lampshade surrounding the light emitting device and having a top trough that holds an aromatic substance that gives off a pleasant smell when heated by heat energy from the light emitting device during its operation”. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide an angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system, which allows easy adjustment of the electrical plug relative to the lamp socket to one of a series of angular positions within a predetermined range. It is another object of the present invention to provide an angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system, which is safe in use. 
     To achieve these and other objects of the present invention, an angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system comprises an electrical plug unit, a lamp socket unit, a collar coupled to a front coupling neck of the housing of the electrical plug unit and affixed to the housing of the lamp socket unit for allowing rotation of the lamp socket unit relative to the electrical lug unit within a predetermined angle, a spring-supported latch installed in the housing of the electrical plug unit to lock the electrical plug unit to the collar in one of a series of angular position, and a lampshade coupled to the lamp socket unit around the lamp bulb in the lamp socket unit and holding a fluid aroma substance for heating by the radiation heat from the lamp bulb into vapor. 
     Further, the electrical plug unit comprises a grounding prong arranged in a parallel manner relative to the positive contact blade and the negative contact blade for grounding. 
     Further, the housing of the housing of the lamp socket unit consists of an upper socket housing cover shell and a lower socket housing cover shell that are fastened together with a self-tapping screw. 
     Further, the collar comprises a plurality of equiangularly spaced latch holes; the electrical plug unit further comprises a spring member mounted in the housing thereof, and a latch supported on the spring member and selectively engaged into one of the latch holes to lock the electrical plug unit to the lamp socket unit and the collar. 
     Further, the lampshade is made of light-transmissive ceramic or glass, having a bottom coupling hole located on a bottom side thereof and coupled to the coupling socket. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention (the lampshade excluded). 
         FIG. 2  corresponds to  FIG. 1  when viewed from another angle (the lampshade excluded). 
         FIGS. 3A˜3C  illustrate the structure of the collar for angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
         FIG. 4A  is a side view of the angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention (the lampshade excluded). 
         FIG. 4B  is an end view of the angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention (the lampshade excluded). 
         FIG. 5  is a sectional view taken along line A-A of  FIG. 4B . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken along line B-B of  FIG. 4B . 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view taken along line C-C of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 8  illustrates the outer appearance of the angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention when viewed from different angles after removal of the lampshade (I). 
         FIG. 9  illustrates the outer appearance of the angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention when viewed from different angles after removal of the lampshade (I). 
         FIG. 10  is an exploded view of an angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIG. 4 , an angle-adjustable aroma-diffusing night lamp system in accordance with the present invention is shown comprising an electrical plug unit A for connection to an electrical outlet for power input, a lamp socket unit B for holding a lamp bulb (not shown) and transferring electric current from the electrical plug unit A to the lamp bulb for causing the lamp bulb to emit light, and a collar C, which is coupled to one end of the electrical plug unit A and affixed to the lamp socket unit B to secure the lamp socket unit B to the electrical plug unit A, allowing adjustment of the angle of the lamp socket unit B relative to the electrical plug unit A. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1˜3  and  5 ˜ 7  and  FIG. 4  again, the electrical plug unit A comprises an electrically insulative plug housing  13 , an electrically insulative cover plate  1  affixed to the bottom side of the electrically insulative plug housing  13  with a screw  15 , a grounding prong  101  perpendicularly affixed to the electrically insulative cover plate  1  with a screw  14 , and a positive contact blade  23  and a negative contact blade  19  mounted in the electrically insulative plug housing  13  and inserted through the electrically insulative cover plate  1  in a parallel manner relative to the grounding prong  101 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1˜7  again, the lamp socket unit B comprises an electrically insulative socket housing consisting of an upper socket housing cover shell  8  and a lower socket housing cover shell  5  that are fixedly fastened together with a self-tapping screw  7 , a positive copper strip  17  and a negative copper strip  18  mounted in the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5 , a coupling socket  6  rotatably coupled to one end of the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5 , a first spring member  20  mounted in the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5  at the center and at one side relative to the positive copper strip  17  and negative copper strip  18 , a center contact  22  mounted in the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5  and supported on the first spring member  20  for contacting the positive copper strip  17 , a plurality of second spring members  11  mounted in the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5  and equiangularly spaced around the first spring member  20 , a ring contact  21  supported on the second spring members  11  and spaced around the center contact  22  and electrically connected to the negative copper strip  18 , a third spring member  10  mounted in the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5  at one opposite side relative to the positive copper strip  17  and negative copper strip  18  and a push button  9  supported on the third spring member  10  and operable to control contact between the enter contact  22  and the positive copper strip  17 . Subject to the effect of the first spring member  20  and the second spring members  11 , the center contact  22  and the ring contact  21  are respectively kept in positive contact with the positive contact blade  23  and the negative contact blade  19 . 
     A lamp bulb (not shown) can be inserted into the coupling socket  6  and threaded into the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5  to keep the ring contact and tip contact of the lamp bulb into contact with the positive copper strip  17  and negative copper strip  18  respectively. After installation of a lamp bulb (not shown) in the electrically insulative socket housing  8 ; 5  of the lamp socket unit B, the user can operate the push button  9  to switch on/off the lamp bulb. 
     Referring to  FIG. 10 , a lampshade  24  has a shadow fluid trough (not shown) defined in the top side thereof for holding a fluid aromatic substance (such as essential oil, fragrant wax or the like), and a bottom coupling hole  240  located on the bottom side thereof. By means of the bottom coupling hole  240 , the lampshade  24  is coupled to the coupling socket  6  around the lamp bulb (not shown)._Further, the coupling socket  6  has two mounting blocks  61  radially protruded from the periphery thereof at two opposite sides. After insertion of the coupling socket  6  into the bottom coupling hole  240  of the lampshade  24  to move the mounting blocks  61  through a respective notch  242  on the border of the bottom coupling hole  240 , the lampshade  24  is rotated through, for example, 90° angle, to let the two mounting blocks  61  be stopped at the inner surface of the bottom wall of the lampshade  24  and then a screw  16  is mounted in a screw hole  25  in the upper socket housing cover shell  8  and lower socket housing cover shell  5  and inserted into one notch  242  to stop the lampshade  24  from rotation relative to the upper socket housing cover shell  8  and lower socket housing cover shell  5 , avoiding a child from touching the lamp bulb and assuring a high level of safety of the use of the product. Further, the lampshade  24  is made of light-transmissive ceramic or glass. When switched on the lamp bulb, radiating heat is transferred to the shadow fluid trough to heat the fluid aromatic substance (such as essential oil, fragrant wax or the like), causing evaporation of the fluid aromatic substance. 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 1-6  again, the collar C is formed of a left collar half  12  and a right collar half  4 . During installation, the left collar half  12  and the right collar half  4  are attached to the front coupling neck  130  and abutted against each other, and then fixedly fastened to the lower socket housing cover shell  5  of the lamp socket unit B with screws  7  to keep the positive contact blade  23  and negative contact blade  19  of the electrical plug unit A in contact with the center contact  22  and the ring contact  21  respectively and to secure the electrical plug unit A to the lamp socket unit B, allowing rotation of the electrical plug unit A relative to the lamp socket unit B. The angle of rotation of the electrical plug unit A relative to the lamp socket unit B is preferably limited to 270° angle, avoiding accidental falling of the fluid aromatic substance out of the shadow fluid trough of the lampshade  24 . To achieve this function, the collar C is made having an arched stop block  120  that is located on the inside of, for example, the left collar half  12 ; the electrically insulative plug housing  13  comprising a peg  131  located on the periphery of the front coupling neck  130 . Thus, when rotating the electrical plug unit A relative to the lamp socket unit B and the collar C, the peg  131  will be stopped at one of two distal ends of the arched stop block  120  to limit the angle of rotation. 
     Referring also to  FIGS. 1˜6  again, the collar C further comprises a plurality of equiangularly spaced latch holes  121 . Further, the electrical plug unit A further comprises a spring member  3  mounted in the electrically insulative plug housing  13 , and a latch  2  supported on the spring member  3  and selectively engaged into one of the latch holes  121  to lock the electrical plug unit A to the lamp socket unit B and the collar C. The latch  2  has a beveled front tip  200 , facilitating engagement into one latch hole  121 . The spring member  3  imparts a pressure to the latch  2 , forcing the latch  2  into engagement with one latch hole  121 . When wishing to adjust the angular position of the electrical plug unit A relative to the lamp socket unit B and the collar C, press the latch  2  against the spring member  3  to disengage the beveled front tip  200  from the latch hole  121 , and then rotate the electrical plug unit A relative to the lamp socket unit B and the collar C to the desired angle, and then release the hand from the latch  2 , enabling the latch  2  to be moved back to force the beveled front tip  200  from another latch hole  121 . Further, the number of the latch holes  121  is not limited. By means of increasing the number of the latch holes  121 , more angular positions can be provided for selection. 
     Although a particular embodiment of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, the invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims.