Patent Publication Number: US-2012037081-A1

Title: Led lamp and aquarium using same

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to aquariums and more particularly, to an aquarium carrying a LED lamp. The invention relates also to a LED lamp for use in an aquarium. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Aquarium is a water container for keeping fish and other water animals and plants. To enhance the design of an aquarium, a lamp may be used to emit light toward the inside of the aquarium. Conventionally, lamp tubes and bulbs are commonly used in aquariums. Nowadays, subject to energy saving and carbon reduction requirements, LEDs (light emitting diodes) are intensively used to substitute for lamp tubes or bulbs. 
       FIGS. 1˜3  show three different designs of LED lamp-equipped aquariums. Basically, these designs commonly comprise a rectangular transparent casing  91  for holding water and water animals and plants, and a LED lamp  92  arranged on the top side of the transparent casing  91 . Further, a power adapter cable  93  is used to obtain electricity for the LED lamp  92 . The use of the power adapter cable  93  complicates the installation and arrangement of the aquarium. 
     Further, in either of the aforesaid prior designs shown in  FIGS. 1˜3 , the LED lamp  92  is neither detachable nor adjustable to any other direction after its installation in the top side of the transparent casing  91 . These limitations narrow the application. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is one object of the present invention to provide an aquarium with a LED lamp, which allows the LED lamp can be selectively mounted in the top or bottom side to emit light downwardly or upwardly toward the inside of the transparent casing that holds water and water animals and plants, or separately used as a mobile lighting tool. 
     To achieve this and other objects of the present invention, an aquarium comprises a transparent casing for holding water and water animals and plants, the transparent casing having a top opening located on the top side thereof and a plurality of rounded protrusions raised from the top surface of the bottom wall thereof; a top cover adapted for closing the top opening of the transparent casing; a base member attached to the bottom surface of the bottom wall of the transparent casing and defining an open space corresponding to the rounded protrusions of the transparent casing; and a LED lamp detachably mounted in the open space in the base member, the LED lamp comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes respectively kept in vertical alignment with the rounded protrusions of the transparent casing, a set of battery cells, a switch electrically connected between the light emitting diodes and the set of battery cells and controllable to switch on/off the light emitting diodes. 
     Further, the LED lamp comprises a USB socket for the insertion of an external USB cable to charge/discharge the set of battery cells. 
     Further, the top cover comprises a plurality of ribs raised from a top side thereof for securing the LED lamp to the top cover after removable of the LED lamp from the base member, enabling the light emitting diodes to emit light downwardly toward the inside of the transparent casing. 
     Further, the transparent casing has a semi-cylindrical shape; the top cover is shaped like a semi-circular plate fitting the cross section of the transparent casing; the base member is shaped like a semi-cylindrical block fitting the semi-cylindrical shape of the transparent casing; the open space extends vertically through top and bottom sides of the base member so that the LED lamp is kept in contact with the bottom wall of the transparent casing after insertion into the open space. 
     Further, the LED lamp comprises a heat plate adapted to generate a heat energy and provide the generated heat energy to the transparent casing to warm up a liquid in the transparent casing. 
     Because the LED lamp is detachably mounted in the base member of the aquarium, the user can selectively set the LED lamp in the bottom or top side of the transparent casing to emit light from the bottom or top side of the transparent casing toward the inside of the transparent casing. Alternatively, the user can remove the LED lamp from the base member for use as a mobile lighting tool. Further, because the LED lamp uses the battery cells to provide the necessary working voltage, no any cable is necessary, facilitating the use. Therefore, the invention shows advantages over the prior art designs. 
     The invention also provides a LED lamp detachably mountable in an aquarium comprising a transparent casing having a top opening and a plurality of rounded protrusions raised from the top surface of the bottom wall thereof, a top cover for closing the top opening of the transparent casing and a base member attached to the bottom wall of the transparent casing on the outside and defining an open space corresponding to the rounded protrusions of the transparent casing. The LED lamp comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes, which are respectively kept in vertical alignment with the rounded protrusions of the transparent casing after insertion of the LED lamp in the open space of the base member of the aquarium; a set of battery cells; and a switch electrically connected between the light emitting diodes and the set of battery cells and controllable to switch on/off the light emitting diodes. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an aquarium with a LED lamp according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2  illustrates another design of aquarium with a LED lamp according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 2A  is a perspective bottom view of the LED lamp shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  illustrates still another design of aquarium with a LED lamp according to the prior art. 
         FIG. 3A  is an oblique bottom elevation of the LED lamp shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is an elevational view of an aquarium in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the aquarium in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a schematic side view of the first embodiment of the present invention, showing an application example of the LED lamp. 
         FIG. 7  illustrates another application example of the LED lamp of the aquarium in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 8  is an exploded view of an aquarium in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 9  is an elevational assembly view of the aquarium in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to  FIGS. 4˜6 , an aquarium in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown comprising a transparent casing  1 , a top cover  20 , a base member  30  and a LED lamp  40 . 
     The transparent casing  10  is a semi-cylindrical container for holding water and water animals and plants, having a top opening  11  and a plurality of rounded protrusions  12  raised from the top surface of the bottom wall thereof. 
     The top cover  20  is a semi-circular plate adapted for closing the top opening  11  of the transparent casing  10 , having a plurality of ribs  21  raised from the top wall thereof. 
     The base member  30  is a semi-circular block attached to the bottom side of the transparent casing  10 , defining an open space  31  corresponding to the rounded protrusions  12  of the transparent casing  10  for accommodating the LED lamp  40  to kept the LED lamp  40  in close contact with the bottom wall of the of the transparent casing  10 . 
     The LED lamp  40  is mounted in the open space  31  in the base member  30 , comprising a plurality of LEDs  41  respectively kept in vertical alignment with the rounded protrusions  12  of the transparent casing  10 , a set of battery cells  42 , a switch  43  electrically connected between the LEDs  41  and the set of battery cells  42  and controllable to switch on/off the LEDs  41 , a USB socket  44  for the insertion of an external USB cable (not shown) to charge the set of battery cells  42  with an external power source, and a battery lid  45  located on the bottom side thereof. When switched on the switch  43 , the LEDs  41  are turned on to emit light through the rounded protrusions  12  into the space inside the transparent casing  10 , as shown in  FIG. 6 . When opened the battery lid  45 , the user can replace the set of battery cells  42 . 
     Normally, as shown in  FIG. 4 , the LED lamp  40  is fitted into the open space  31  in the base member  30 , and controlled to emit light through the rounded protrusions  12  into the space inside the transparent casing  10 . In case of power failure, the user can remove the LED lamp  40  from the open space  31  of the base member  30  for use as a mobile lighting fixture. 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , the LED lamp  40  can be removed from the open space  31  of the base member  30  and attached to the top side of the top cover  20  and secured in place by the ribs  21 , and then the LEDs  41  can be switched on to emit light downwardly toward the inside of the transparent casing  10 , illuminating the sands and other decorative elements set in the transparent casing  10 . 
       FIGS. 8 and 9  show an aquarium in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the LED lamp  40  of this second embodiment further comprises a heat plate  46  located on the top side thereof. After installation of the LED lamp  40  in the open space  31  in the base member  30 , the heat plate  46  is kept in contact with or in proximity to the bottom wall of the transparent casing  10  and adapted to generate a heat energy and to provide the generated heat energy to the transparent casing  10 , warming the water in the transparent casing  10 . The heat plate  46  can also be used in any other pet box to give warm. 
     As stated above, the LED lamp  40  is detachably mounted in the base member  30  of the aquarium. The user can selectively set the LED lamp  40  in the bottom or top side of the transparent casing  10  to emit light from the bottom or top side of the transparent casing  10  toward the inside of the transparent casing  10 . Alternatively, the user can remove the LED lamp  40  from the base member  30  for use as a mobile lighting tool. Further, because the LED lamp  40  uses the battery cells  42  to provide the necessary working voltage, no any cable is necessary, facilitating the use. Therefore, the invention shows advantages over the prior art designs. 
     Although particular embodiments of the invention have 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.