Abstract:
An illuminated jewelry case comprising a base having a jewelry mounting location adapted for removably mounting a piece of jewelry; a lid pivotally connected to the base and movable between open and closed positions; at least one LED disposed on the lid for illuminating the jewelry mounting location when the lid is in the open position; and a ribbon cable in electrical communication with the at least one LED and a pair of battery contacts disposed on the base.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/738,127, filed Nov. 18, 2005; the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Technical Field 
   The invention relates generally to jewelry cases. More particularly, the invention relates to illuminated jewelry cases. Specifically, the invention relates to jewelry cases which are illuminated by LEDs. 
   2. Background Information 
   Illuminated jewelry cases are known in the art. However, there is still room for improvement with regard to both the configuration and operation of such jewelry cases. The present invention provides such improvements. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention provides an illuminated jewelry case comprising a base having a jewelry mounting location adapted for removably mounting a piece of jewelry; a lid pivotally connected to the base and movable between open and closed positions; and at least one LED disposed on the lid for illuminating the jewelry mounting location when the lid is in the open position. 
   The present invention further provides An illuminated jewelry case comprising a base having a jewelry mounting location adapted for removably mounting a piece of jewelry; a lid pivotally connected to the base and movable between open and closed positions; a light source disposed on the lid for illuminating the jewelry mounting location when the lid is in the open position; a first battery contact in electrical communication with the light source; a second battery contact; a switch having an open circuit position associated with the closed position of the lid and a closed circuit position associated with the open position of the lid to provide electrical communication between the second battery contact and the light source; and a ribbon cable in electrical communication with the light source, the switch and the battery contacts. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the illuminated jewelry case of the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the jewelry case with the lining and pillow removed and with portions cut away to show various features of the invention. 
       FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the base of the jewelry case showing the electrical configuration of the invention. 
       FIG. 4  is an enlarged view of the encircled portion of  FIG. 3 . 
       FIG. 5  is an electrical diagram of the electronic assembly of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a sectional view taken from the side of a jewelry case showing the jewelry case in the closed position with the LEDs turned off. 
       FIG. 7  is similar to  FIG. 6  and shows the jewelry case in an open position with the LEDs illuminating the ring disposed in the jewelry case. 
   

   Similar numbers refer to similar parts throughout the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The illuminated jewelry case of the present invention is indicated generally at  10  in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Case  10  includes a base  12  and a lid  14  which are pivotally or hingedly connected to one another via a hinge  16  ( FIG. 6 ). Case  10  is configured to illuminate a piece of jewelry such as a ring  18  with an LED assembly  20  when the case is in an open position, as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   Base  12  includes a bottom wall  22  ( FIG. 6 ), a front wall  24 , a rear wall  26 , and a pair of side walls  28  and  30 . Each of walls  22 ,  24 ,  28  and  30  extend upwardly from and are connected to bottom wall  22  to define an interior cavity  32  of base  12 . Lid  14  includes a top wall  34 , a front wall  36 , a rear wall  38  and a pair of side walls  40  and  42 . Walls  36 ,  38 ,  40  and  42  all extend downwardly from top wall  34  to define an interior cavity  44  of lid  14 . Front wall  36  includes an angled section  50  ( FIG. 2 ). A jewelry or ring pillow  46  is disposed in interior cavity  32  of base  12  and is covered by a liner or covering  48  which is typically made of velvet or the like. Covering  48  typically extends from within interior cavity  32  of base  12  into interior cavity  44  of lid  14  to line the inner surfaces of the various walls defining interior cavity  44 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 2 , case  10  further includes an insert  52  which is disposed within interior cavity  32  of base  12 . Insert  52  serves as a housing for a battery  52  and other electronic components as will be detailed further below. Insert  52  defines an upwardly opening central cavity  56  for receiving a portion of ring pillow  46 . Battery  54  is part of an electric circuit  58  which is selectively opened and closed by a switch  60  in order to turn three LEDs  62  of assembly  20  on and off when the case is respectively opened and closed. Switch  60  includes a magnet  64  mounted on rear wall  38  of lid  14  and a reed switch  66  mounted on rear wall  26  of base  12  in a position allowing magnet  64  to move away from reed switch  66  when case  10  is open and toward magnet  64  to move closely adjacent reed switch  66  when case  10  is closed. Reed switch  66  is in electrical communication with a ribbon cable  68  which is in part disposed closely adjacent the inner surfaces of rear wall  38 , top wall  34  and front wall  36  of lid  14  whereby ribbon cable  68  is in electrical communication with LEDs  62 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 3 , insert  52  defines a downwardly opening front cavity  70  or battery compartment in which battery  54  is disposed. Insert  52  further defines a downwardly opening rear cavity  72  in which a circuit board  74  is disposed. Battery  54  is in electrical communication with circuit board  74  via wires  76  and  78  which pass through various holes  80 A-D into and out of cavities  70  and  72 . Circuit board  74  is in electrical communication with ribbon cable  68  at an electrical connection  82  which may include a cable connector or simply be an integral connection. 
   With reference to  FIG. 4 , ribbon cable  68  includes an insulative sheath  84  which houses a plurality of conductors  86 A-E which are typically formed of copper, silver or carbon based trace conductor material. More particularly, sheath  84  is a substantially flat strip of insulative material such as Mylar®/kapton plastic. Referring to  FIG. 3 , ribbon cable  68  includes an elongated main segment  86 , a first arm  88 , a second arm  90  and a third arm  92  extending from segment  86 . More particularly, first arm  88  extends from main segment  86  to reed switch  66  and is in electrical communication with each of segment  86  and switch  66 . Switch  66  is mounted on first arm  88 . Second and third arms  90  and  92  extend from main segment  86  distal circuit board  74  and together with segment  86  form a T-shaped configuration. 
   Preferably, the material forming sheath  84  includes a magnet mounting section  94  on which magnet  64  is mounted and a leaf hinge  96  which extends between and is connected to magnet mounting section  94  and first arm  88 . The flexible nature of ribbon cable  68  conveniently allows cable  68  to be positioned closely adjacent the various inner surfaces of base  12  and lid  14  in order to position cable  68  behind covering  48  ( FIG. 1 ). In addition, the material forming sheath  84  may be utilized to form an integral one-piece member which includes segment  86 , first, second and third arms  88 ,  90  and  92 , section  94  and leaf hinge  96 . This configuration simplifies the assembly of the electrical circuit of case  10 . 
   With reference to  FIG. 5 , an electrical circuit which may be used with the present invention is described. The electrical circuit includes battery  54 , first and second capacitors C 1  and C 2 , resistors R 1  and R 2 , switch SW 1 , inductance L 1 , rectifier diode D 1 , LEDs  62  and an integrated circuit IC 1  which includes a source voltage VIN, a switch output SW, a shutdown SD, an LED cathode CA, a current programmer SET and a ground GND. Operation of the circuit shown in  FIG. 5  will be evident to one skilled in the art, and other electrical circuits may be used. 
     FIG. 6  shows case  10  in a closed position with LEDs  62  turned off. This corresponds to magnet  64  being disposed closely adjacent reed switch  66 .  FIG. 7  shows case  10  in the open position with LEDs  62  illuminating ring  18 . More particularly, angled section  50  of lid  14  is configured so that LEDs  62  primarily focus their light on ring  18  when lid  14  is open. 
   In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. 
   Moreover, the description and illustration of the invention is an example and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described.