Patent Publication Number: US-2022221131-A1

Title: Floor lamp with floating light reflecting member

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates generally to lamps and more particularly, to a floor lamp with a floating light reflecting member. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     The conventional floor lamps usually have a vertical standing structure and one or more lights fixed on the top and/or the section near the top of the vertical standing structure. Such lamps are monotonous in function and light-emitting effect thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to provide a floor lamp with a floating light reflecting member, wherein the position of the light is changeable between the top and the bottom of the floor lamp. 
     To attain the above objective, the present invention provides a floor lamp which includes a base, a light-permeable pipe extending upwardly from the base, a light reflecting member movably disposed in the light-permeable pipe, a light source disposed in the base for emitting light toward the light reflecting member, and an air blower disposed in the base for blowing air toward the light reflecting member to float the light reflecting member in the light-permeable pipe. 
     As a result, the light source can emit light to the light reflecting member to cause the light reflecting member to glow and be visible through the light-permeable pipe, and the air blower can cause the light reflecting member to floatingly move upwardly or downwardly in the light-permeable pipe by increasing or decreasing an air flow rate or cause the light reflecting member to stay at any position (height) in the light-permeable pipe by keeping a constant air flow rate. Therefore, the light reflected from the light reflecting member is movably and visibly floating in the air between the top and the bottom of the light-permeable pipe and the light reflecting member appears to be lit without any attached wires. 
     The floor lamp of the present invention may additionally include an ambient light located on the top of the light-permeable pipe, so that the floor lamp provides not only the above-described magic floating light for decoration, but also the ambient light for illumination. 
     Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description given herein below and the accompanying drawings which are given by way of illustration only, and thus are not limitative of the present invention, and wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is an assembled perspective view of a floor lamp according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an assembled perspective view of a bottom part of the floor lamp in a condition that a covering pipe, a covering plate and a light-permeable pipe are removed; 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the structure shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is an assembled perspective view of a part of the structure shown in  FIG. 3 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded perspective view of the structure shown in  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a top part of the floor lamp; 
         FIG. 7  is an assembled perspective view of a part of the structure shown in  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8A  is a sectional view of the structure shown in  FIG. 6  and a light reflecting member, showing the widest part of the light reflecting member floats above a retaining plate; 
         FIG. 8B  is a schematically enlarged view of a part of  FIG. 8A ; 
         FIG. 9  is similar to  FIG. 8B , but showing the light reflecting member is retained at the top of the light-permeable pipe; 
         FIG. 10  is similar to  FIG. 1 , but showing the light reflecting member floating in the light-permeable pipe; and 
         FIG. 11  is another assembled perspective view of the floor lamp. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIG. 1 , a floor lamp  10  according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention includes a base  12 , a light-permeable pipe  14  made of translucent or transparent glass or plastics and extending upwardly from the base  12 , a light reflecting member  16  movably disposed in the light-permeable pipe  14 , and a retaining device  18  disposed on the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14 . Referring to  FIG. 10 , the light reflecting member  16  is shaped as a bulb, but it is actually a non-electronic component having a metal screw base and a plastic translucent or transparent dome-shaped body. The shape of the light reflecting member  16  is unlimited, which may be a sphere or any other shape which has a shape profile conducive to floating in a column of air. The light reflecting member  16  is configured to be lighted up by receiving and reflecting light emitted from a light source  30  contained within the base  12  as shown in  FIG. 5 , which will be detailed described below. Besides, the floor lamp  10  includes a hollow connecting pole  40  connecting the base  12  and the retaining device  18 . The electric wires (not shown) of the floor lamp  10  extends from the base  12  to the retaining device  18  through the connecting pole  40 . 
     The floor lamp  10  further includes other members located in a covering pipe  122  and a covering plate  124  of the base  12 . Referring to  FIGS. 2-3 , the floor lamp  10  includes an air blower  20  fixedly disposed on a bottom plate  126  of the base  12 , a control device  22  fixedly disposed on the bottom plate  126  of the base  12 , an annular supporting plate  24  fixedly disposed on the top of the air blower  20 , a light channel device  26  disposed on the annular supporting plate  24 , a position sensor  28  disposed in the light channel device  26 , and a dust filter  29  surrounding the air blower  20  for preventing dust from entering the central region of the base  12 . The light channel device  26  is disposed in a bottom section of the light-permeable pipe  14  located in the covering pipe  122  of the base  12 . The light reflecting member  16  is located above the light channel device  26  and the position sensor  28 . Referring to  FIGS. 4-5 , at the bottom of the light channel device  26 , the floor lamp  10  further includes a light source  30  disposed on the annular supporting plate  24 , a lens bracket  32  disposed on the light source  30 , and four lens  34  disposed on the lens bracket  32 . 
     The air blower  20  is arranged to blow air toward the light reflecting member  16  through the light channel device  26  to cause the light reflecting member  16  to float in the light-permeable pipe  14 , as shown in  FIG. 10 . Specifically, the outer diameter of the dome-shaped body is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the light-permeable pipe  14  and light enough to be floatingly lifted up by an air flow. As such, the ambient air in the base  12  will be sucked into the air blower  20  and blown toward the light reflecting member  16  to float the light reflecting member  16  and then escape out of the light-permeable pipe  14  via the retaining device  18 . When the air flow rate of the air blower  20  increases, the light reflecting member  16  moves upwardly in the light-permeable pipe  14 . When the air flow rate of the air blower  20  decreases, the light reflecting member  16  moves downwardly in the light-permeable pipe  14 . When the air flow rate of the air blower  20  is kept at a constant value, the light reflecting member  16  stationarily floats in the light-permeable pipe  14  at a specific height. 
     The position sensor  28  is an ultrasonic sensor module including an emitter and a receiver for sensing the position (height) of the light reflecting member  16 . The control device  22  is a printed circuit board assembly, on which electronic components, such as a microcontroller unit (MCU), Bluetooth module, a pulse width modulation (PWM) IC are mounted, for controlling the air flow rate of the air blower  20  according to the position of the light reflecting member  16  detected by the position sensor. For example, the user uses a remote control  36  having a display screen (as shown in  FIG. 1 ), in which a Bluetooth module and a G-sensor are built, to turn on the floor lamp  10  via Bluetooth technology. By means of changing the posture of the remote control  36  to incline upward or downward, the posture of the remote control  36  is sensed by the G-sensor and then a wireless signal responsive to the posture of the remote control  36  will be transmitted to the control device  22  to command the air blow  20  to increase or decrease the air flow rate so as to blow the light reflecting member  16  to move in the light-permeable pipe  14  upward or downward. With this technical feature, the light reflecting member  16  may be floatingly positioned at any desired height level or dynamically moved in the light-permeable pipe  14  by regulating the air flow rate generated by the air blow  20  according to a real-time detection of the height of the light reflecting member  16  contributed by the position sensor  28 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5 , the light source  30  includes an annular circuit board  302  surrounding the air outlet  202  of the air blower  20 , and RGBW (red, green, blue and white) LEDs  304  disposed on the annular circuit board  302 , so that the light source  30  can emit light with any color toward the light reflecting member  16  to light up the light reflecting member  16  with any light color. In other words, the user can use the remote control  36  to change the light color of the reflecting light of the light reflecting member  16 . The four lenses  34  are located above the RGBW (red, green, blue and white) LEDs  304  respectively for focusing the lights of the LEDs  304 , and the light channel device  26  serves to guide light emitted from the LEDs  304  to stream, with minimal outward light spill, along the axial direction of the light-permeable pipe  14  to then being reflected by the light reflecting member  16 , such that the light reflecting member  16  will be shining like a light source and visible via the light-permeable pipe  14 . 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6-9 , the retaining device  18  primarily includes a fixed seat  182  fixedly disposed on the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14 , a transparent retaining plate  184  moveably disposed in the fixed seat  182 , and a driving unit  186  disposed in the fixed seat  182  for driving the retaining plate  184  to move relative to the fixed seat  182 . The fixed seat  182  is provided on the bottom thereof with a transparent window  182   a  which has a first opening  182   b  communicating with the light-permeable pipe  14 . The diameter of the first opening  182   b  is equal to the inner diameter of the light-permeable pipe  14 . The retaining plate  184  has a second opening  184   a  communicating with the first opening  182   b  and the light-permeable pipe  14 . The diameter of the second opening  184   a  is equal to the diameter of the first opening  182   b . The driving unit  186  includes a motor  186   a , a threaded shaft  186   b  connected with the motor  186   a  and drivable by the motor  186   a  to rotate, and a linear moving seat  186   c  screwingly sleeved onto the shaft  186   b , such that the linear moving seat  186   c  can move along the threaded shaft  186   b  back and forth when the threaded shaft  186   b  is driven by the motor  186   a  to rotate. The linear moving seat  186   c  has an end fixed to the retaining plate  184  for driving the retaining plate  184  to move linearly. In the normal condition, as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B , the first and second openings  182   b  and  184   a  are concentric with each other and with the opening on the top of the light-permeable pipe  14 . In such condition, when the light reflecting member  16  is moved to the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14 , the light reflecting member  16  can freely continue to move upward through the first and second openings  182   b  and  184   a . Because of the increased escape of air all around the light reflecting member  16  when it reaches the top edge of the opening  184   a  in the retaining plate  184 , the light reflecting member  16  will float freely inside the opening  184   a  with the widest diameter of the light reflecting member  16  forced by the escaping air to float above the level of the top edge of the opening  184   a  in the retaining plate  184 , as shown in  FIGS. 8A and 8B . If the user wants the light reflecting member  16  to stay at the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14 , the user can control the driving unit  186  via the remote control  36  to move the retaining plate  184  horizontally, such that the first and second openings  182   b  and  184   a  become eccentric with each other and thus too small for the full diameter of light reflecting member  16  to pass downward through them, as shown in  FIG. 9 . In such condition, a part of the inner edge of the retaining plate  184  pushes against the light reflecting member  16  and effectively narrows the hole of the combination of the first and second openings  182   b  and  184   a , thereby retaining the light reflecting member  16 . The other part of the inner edge of the retaining plate  184  moves away from the light reflecting member  16  but does not move past the outer diameter of the pipe  14 , so that the inner edge cannot be seen from below. Note also that the light reflecting member  16  actually shifts very slightly to the side in position during this retaining function. After that, the air blower  20  and the light source  30  can be turned off by the user or will be automatically turned off according to the logic program in the MCU for saving energy, and the light reflecting member  16  will be still retained at the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14 . Because the retaining plate  184  and the transparent window  182   a  are both transparent, and because the first and second openings  182   b  and  184   a  are colinear with the top edge of the light-permeable pipe  14 , the horizontal movement of the retaining plate  184  cannot be easily detected by the casual observer. This allows the transition from the light reflecting member  16  floating at the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14  with the air blower  20  turned on to the light reflecting member  16  being retained at the top of the light-permeable pipe  14  with the air blower  20  turned off to be virtually undetected by the casual observer. 
     As shown in  FIGS. 6-7 , the floor lamp  10  includes another light source  38  disposed in the fixed seat  182  of the retaining device  18 , so that the retaining device  18  also serves as an ambient light. The light source  38  includes an annular circuit board  382  surrounding the top end of the light-permeable pipe  14  and the first and second openings  182   b  and  184   a , and a plurality of LEDs  384  comprised of both RGB (red, green, blue) LEDs and white-only LEDs disposed on the annular circuit board  382 . Therefore, the floor lamp  10  can provide ambient illumination by the white-only LEDs  384  and also emits light of various colors by the RGB LEDs  384  through a transparent top cover  188  of the retaining device  18 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 6 , the retaining device  18  further includes a top transparent dome  181 , an air exhaust ring  183  and a light guard  185 . When the air exits the light-permeable pipe  14 , it goes up and out of the air exhaust ring  183 . Because the transparent dome  181  covers the air exhaust ring  183 , and the air exhaust holes are located under the transparent dome  181 , this keeps dust from entering the unit at the top. And because of this design, the exhaust of air and noise from this is on top of the unit and not as obvious to the user. The light guard  185  prevents the LEDs  384  from leaking light toward the center and illuminating the light reflecting member  16  when the light reflecting member  16  is at the top. The light guard  185  also acts as the support for the mounting of the air exhaust ring  183  and the top transparent dome  181 . 
     In addition to the user being able to selectively and individually control various functions of the floor lamp  10  using the remote control  36  as described above, the user can also use the remote control  36  to select from a variety of automatically running preset routines in the logic program in the MCU that don&#39;t require the user&#39;s intervention. These would include routines where the light reflecting member  16  moves at varying speeds to various positions in the light-permeable pipe  14  and holds these positions for various amounts of time. And these movements of the light reflecting member  16  would occur simultaneously with varying changes of color and brightness of both the light source  30  in the base  12  and the light source  38  in the retaining device  18 . Another type of preset routine would involve a series of various functions that are run in a specific sequence. An example of such a routine might occur when the user turns on the lamp. The light source  30  in the base  12  would first turn on at a low level and then increase in brightness until the light reflecting member  16 , lit by the light source  30 , reaches full illumination. Then the air blower  20  would turn on and float the glowing light reflecting member  16  upwards through the light-permeable pipe  14 . As the light reflecting member  16  begins to approach the top of the light-permeable pipe  14  then the light source  38  disposed inside the fixed seat  182  would begin to increase in brightness to create the effect that the light reflecting member  16  is “lighting” the ambient light source  38 . Then when the light reflecting member  16  reaches the very top of the light-permeable pipe  14 , and the light source  38  has now reached full brightness, the motor  186  moves the retaining plate  184  horizontally and as such retains the light reflecting member  16  before the air blower  20  is then shut off. 
     In addition to the remote control  36 , a switch panel  42  as shown in  FIG. 11  is also provided for control of the floor lamp  10 . The switch panel  42  is disposed on the back of the connecting pole  40 . The switch panel  42  includes a center button  421  for master on, off and brightness, and four outer buttons  422  for running saved preset routines. Through the switch panel  42 , the floor lamp  10  can be operated for very basic functions without the remote control  36 . 
     In addition to the remote control  36  and switch panel  42 , a mobile app capable of running on all major mobile operating systems and stored in a mobile device  36 ′, such as smart phone, tablet, etc., as shown in  FIG. 11  might also be provided for control of the floor lamp  10 . Since most all mobile devices have built in Bluetooth modules and G-sensor technology, a mobile device running the app would be able to include all functionality of the remote control  36 , but might also include additional features which the full operating system and connectivity of a mobile device can provide. These might include, but not be limited to, the ability for the user to create, save and run custom routines for the floor lamp  10 , or create and save custom color change collections, and for the user to be able the share or download such routines and collections from the Internet.