Patent Publication Number: US-7210816-B2

Title: Automatically rotatable lamp ball

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to an automatically rotatable lamp ball, particularly to one provided with rollers and a lamp arm able to be rotated and give out bright lights at the same time. After the lamp ball is placed in the interior of a transparent outer casing, the whole outer casing can be driven by the rollers to roll and move forward freely, and LEDs arranged on the lamp arm can be controlled by the IC programs inside the lamp ball to give out flickering lights in sequence and at intervals. By rotation of the lamp arm and due to visual persistence, the automatically rolling stereoscopic lights will be seen, offering viewers an exclusively original and surprising visual feeling. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Nowadays, there are various kinds of automatically rolling spherical toys, such as disclosed in a Taiwan patent No. 277343, titled “Improved Structure For Rolling Toys”, and No. 294052, titled “Improved Structure For Rolling Toys (2)”. In general, some spherical toys are provided with a power unit and able to roll automatically, but unable to actuate the radial arms appended thereon to rotate and give out bright lights synchronously, while other spherical toys are able to be rolled and give out flickering lights, such as shining yo-yos, but unable to roll automatically and provided with no radial arms to rotate synchronously for increasing entertaining effect. For the present, technology has been developed and toys have become more manifold than ever; therefore, toys must be exclusively original, interesting and diversiform; otherwise, they cannot appeal to consumers, especially children. For instance, if automatically rotatable toys can be additionally provided with a device for giving out and controlling flickering lights, they can surely attract consumers. For avoiding monotony and achieving entertaining effect, automatically rotatable spherical toys, which are provided with LEDs inside and able to give out flickering lights, had better be able to present brilliant and changeable light patterns when the lamp ball rotate. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The objective of the invention is to offer an automatically rotatable lamp ball including a power unit, a lamp arm and a transmission unit with a conducting unit. The power unit is composed of a front half unit and a rear half unit, having its interior installed with batteries, a motor and a switch member for controlling power conduction of the batteries. The motor is provided with a downward shaft for driving two rollers assembled at one side of the power unit to rotate after reducing speed. The power unit has the other side assembled with a no-power roller. The motor is further provided with an upward shaft for driving a gear with a center shaft hole to rotate after reducing speed. The lamp arm is composed of a front half arm shell and a rear half arm shell and divided into a center arm body positioned above the power unit and two side arm bodies respectively extending downward from the center arm body to two opposite sides. The center arm body of the lamp arm is formed with a center chamber in the interior for receiving a circuit board and bored with a hollow shaft groove extending downward. The two side arm bodies have their interiors respectively formed with a side chamber for installing therein with a plurality of LEDs that are electrically connected with the circuit board. The transmission unit is provided with a conductive center shaft having a part of its outer side fitted around with an insulating sleeve mounted around with a conducting shaft tube. The center shaft, the insulating sleeve and the conducting shaft tube together make up a rod-shaped conducting unit to be inserted through the center shaft hole of the gear of the power unit and firmly positioned in the hollow shaft groove under the center chamber of the lamp arm for supporting and driving the lamp arm to rotate and serving as a rotation axis of the lamp arm. The power unit is disposed with two conducting brush members respectively positioned in its front and rear half unit. One end of the two conducting brush members serves as one electrode of electricity and the other end respectively contacts with the conducting center shaft and the conducting shaft tube, which are electrically connected with the circuit board in the main chamber of the lamp arm. The integral body of the power unit and the lamp arm is placed in the interior of a transparent outer casing and actuated to rotate therein for pushing the outer casing to roll freely. Thus, changeable flickering lights given out by the LEDs on the lamp arm can be seen through the transparent outer casing and, by visual persistence, the stereoscopic light patterns or letters can be presented before viewers, 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     This invention will be better understood by referring to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
       FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an automatically rotatable lamp ball in the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of the automatically rotatable lamp ball in the present invention: 
       FIG. 3  is a partial exploded perspective view of two half casings of the lamp ball, respectively provided with engage members in the present invention; 
       FIG. 4  is a front cross-sectional view of the automatically rotatable lamp ball in the present invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a rear cross-sectional view of the front half casing of the automatically rotatable lamp ball in the present invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a rear cross-sectional view of the automatically rotatable lamp ball in the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of the rear half casing with its inner components of the automatically rotatable lamp ball in the present invention; 
       FIG. 8  is a magnified view of a partial structure in  FIG. 7 ; and 
       FIG. 9  is a cross-sectional view of the rear half casing of the lamp ball in the present invention, showing that certain components in  FIG. 8  are altered. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   A preferred embodiment of an automatically rotatable lamp ball  1 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes a spherical outer casing  10  and a power-and-lamp arm unit  20 . 
   The spherical outer casing  10  made of transparent material is composed of two half casings  11  and  12  respectively and correspondingly provided with plural L-shaped engage slots  111  and projecting members  121 , as shown in  FIG. 3 . The mutually combining edges of the two half casings  11 ,  12  can be closely combined together by vertically engaging the projecting members  121  in the L-shaped engage slots  111  and then moving the projecting members  121  horizontally. The two half casings  11 ,  12  can be disengaged from each other by operating steps reverse to those mentioned above. Apart from this way of mutual engagement of the engage slots  111  and the projecting members  121 , the two half casings  11 ,  12  can also be combined together in another way of screwing or clasping. Alternate combinations of the two half casings having the same effect are within the scope of this invention. 
   The power-and-lamp arm unit  20  has a diameter within the range of a false spherical diameter that is a little smaller than the inner diameter of the spherical outer casing  10 . In using, the power-and-lamp unit  20  is positioned in either of the two half casings  11  or  12  and then the two half casings  11 ,  12  are combined together to make up an integral spherical outer casing  10  with the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  in its interior. 
   The power-and-lamp arm unit  20 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , includes a power unit  21  and a lamp arm  22 . The power unit  21 , as shown in  FIG. 4 , consists of a front and a rear half unit  211 ,  212 . The front half unit  211  is provided with a cover  2111  covered on the front side, having its interior formed with a recessed space for receiving two batteries, as shown in  FIG. 4 . Further, the front half unit  211  has one side provided with a no-power roller  23  and a sound switch  24 , which are positioned between the front and the rear half unit  211 ,  212 , and the other side provided with a roller  25  positioned at the front side and a sounder  26  facing sideward for giving out music or sounds preset. The lamp arm  22  is composed of a front half arm shell  221  and a rear half-arm shell  222 . The two half arm shells  221 ,  222  have their central portion formed with a circle center arm body  223  positioned above the power unit. 21  and a side arm body  224  respectively extending arcuate and downward from the center arm body  223 . 
   The rear half unit  212  of the power unit  21 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , has one side of its front covered with a cover  2121  and its interior formed with a recessed space for receiving a battery, which together with the two batteries in the front half unit  211  supplies the lamp ball with electricity. The rear half unit  212  has the other side of its front section provided with another roller  25 , so there are two rollers  25  positioned at the front side of the two half units  211 ,  212 . The rear half unit  212  of the power unit  21  further has its front side installed with a switch member  28 . The front half unit  211  is bored with threaded holes for bolts to be respectively screwed therein to combine the front half unit  211  together with the rear half unit  212 , and also formed with an accommodating groove  261  for receiving the sounder  26  and an accommodating groove  241  for installing the sound switch  24  therein and a balance weight chamber  271  for receiving a balance weight member  27  therein. Further, the front half unit  211  is disposed with two separating plates  2112  spaced apart to form a space therebetween. The space formed by the front and the rear half arm shell  221 ,  222  of the lamp arm  22  is divided into a center chamber  2231  in the center and two side chambers  2241  at the opposite sides, as shown in  FIGS. 5 and 7 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 7 , which shows the rear half unit  212  of the power unit  21  and the rear half arm shell  222  of the lamp arm  22  as well as the components assembled therein, a space defined by the two separating plates  2122  at the rear side of the rear half unit  212  and the two separating plates  2112  of the front half unit  211  of the power unit  21  is formed for receiving a motor  39  therein. The motor  29  has its downward shaft  291  fitted thereon with a driving gear  2911  for driving another gear  2912  engaging the driving gear  2911 . The gear  2912  is rotated to actuate a coaxial small gear  2913  to rotate synchronously and drive another gear  2914  to rotate. The gear  29 , 14  has the opposite end of its center shaft  251  respectively extending out of the front half unit  211  and the rear half unit  212  of the power unit  21  and respectively connected with the roller  25 . Therefore, the two rollers  25  are respectively positioned at the outer side of the front and the rear half unit  211 ,  212 , as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , but the no-power roller  23  is clamped by the front and the rear half unit  211 ,  212  and positioned on their junction line. The motor  29 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , has its upward shaft  292  fixed with a belt pulley  2921  for driving another belt pulley  2922  on another shaft so that the two pulleys  2911  and  2922  are driven by a belt to actuate a coaxial gear  2923  to rotate synchronously and drive a gear  2924  subsequently. The gear  2924 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , is rotated to drive a transmission unit  30  to operate and actuate the lamp arm  22  located above to rotate, also to transmit the electricity supplied by the batteries to the lamp arm  22  for use. 
   The transmission unit  30 , as shown in  FIGS. 7 and 8 , is disposed with a metal conducting center shaft  31  having a part of its upper outer side firmly fitted around with an insulating sleeve  32  and the rest outer side stably fitted around with a conducting bushing  33 . The insulating sleeve  32  has its outer side fitted around with a conducting shaft tube  34  and its lower end formed with a disc-shaped bottom rim positioned between the conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting bushing  33  to insulate the both  33 ,  34 . The center shaft  31 , the insulating sleeve  32 , the conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting bushing  33  together make up a rod-shaped conductive unit to be firmly inserted in the center shaft hole of the gear  2924 . The lamp arm  22  is formed under its center arm body  223  with a hollow shaft groove  2232  defined by the lower walls of the front and the rear half arm shell  221 ,  222 , or formed by the front half arm shell  221  or by the rear half arm shell  222  independently. 
   The rod-shaped conductive unit is inserted from under and firmly positioned in the hollow shaft groove  2232  by mutual engagement of the outer wall of the conducting shaft tube  34  and the inner wall of the hollow shaft groove  2232  for supporting the center arm body  223  of the lamp arm  22  and serving as a rotating axle of the lamp arm  22 . Therefore, when the gear  2924  is rotated, it will actuate the rod-shaped conductive unit and the whole lamp arm  22  (including the center arm body  223  and the two side arm bodies. 224 ) to rotate synchronously, that is, the transmission unit  30  transmits the power to the lamp arm  22  so that the lamp arm  22  can rotate. 
   In addition, the transmission unit  30  is provided with two conducting brush members  35 ,  36  respectively having one end fixed in position and connected with an electric wire that conducts the electricity of the batteries. The two conducting brush members  35 ,  36  have the other ends respectively contacting with the conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting bushing  33 . The conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting bushing  33  could be respectively fitted thereon with a spring ring to let the conducting brush member  35 ,  36  closely contact with the spring ring for enhancing conductivity, thus the spring ring becoming a part of the conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting busing  33 . The conducting brush member  35 ,  36  with bending elasticity can respectively always contact with the conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting bushing  33 ; therefore, the two conducting brush member  35 ,  36  can serve as two electrodes of electricity to the conducting shaft tube  34  and the conducting bushing  34 . Simultaneously, the conducting shaft tube  33  will conduct electricity to the center shaft  31  and then the electricity is transmitted to a circuit board  2233  through the conducting shaft tube  34  and the center shaft  31 , which can be connected with the circuit board  2233  by electric wires or connected directly with each other. 
   The circuit board  2233  is fixedly positioned in the center arm body  223  of the lamp arm  22 . Since the center arm body  223  and the side arm bodies  224  are actuated to rotate by the center shaft  31  and the insulating sleeve  32  as well as the conducting shaft tube  34 ; therefore, the circuit board  2233  positioned in the center arm body  223  can be rotated synchronously and electricity can be transmitted to the circuit board  2233 . 
   Further, the two opposite arm bodies  224  have their inner spaces respectively firmly installed with a circuit board  2242 . The circuit board  2242  of one side arm body  224 , as shown at the left side in  FIG. 7 , is provided at a comparatively high level, while the circuit  2242  of the other side arm body  224 , as shown at the right side in  FIG. 7 , is provided at a comparatively low level. The two circuit boards  2242  are electrically connected with the circuit board  2233  by electric wires so that electricity can be transmitted to the two circuit boards  2242 . The two circuit boards  2242  are respectively installed thereon with a plurality of LEDs  2243  having their front ends respectively extending out of notches  2244  formed after combining the front and the near half arm shell  221 ,  222  together. 
   The circuit board  2233  is provided with a time series control circuit (control IC) for controlling the flickering sequence and time of the LEDs  2243 , and a centrifugal starting switch for controlling starting of the time series control circuit, that is, as soon as the center arm body  223  and the side arm bodies  224  are rotated, the centrifugal starting switch, by its centrifugal force, will start the time series control circuit to control the flickering sequence and time of the LEDs  2243   
   The switch member  28  of the power unit  21  functions to control the electricity of the batteries. If the switch member  28  is turned off, there is no electricity for use. After the switch member  28  is turned on, the electricity of the batteries can be available, but this doesn&#39;t mean that the electric force has already been transmitted to the motor  29  and the two conducting brush members  35 ,  36 . Only after the sound switch  24  is started, can the electricity be transmitted to the motor  29  and the two conducting brush members  35 ,  36 . 
   To play with the lamp ball of this invention, firstly, the switch member  28  has to be started, but at this time the lamp ball is still motionless and gives out no light. Next, the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  is put in the interior of the spherical outer casing  10  and the integral body is placed on a flat surface. Then, clap hands or give off sounds to start the sound switch  24  to let the motor  29  and the two conducting brush members  35 ,  36  receive electricity and then the sounder  26  gives out music or sounds for elevating entertaining effect. Thus, the motor  29  can be started to rotate its upper and lower shaft  291 ,  292 , and in the meantime, the lower shaft  291  will actuate the two rollers  25  to rotate and the no-power roller  23  will also be actuated to push against the inner wall of the spherical outer casing  10  and rotate, letting the whole power-and-lamp arm unit  20  produce a force for pushing the spherical outer casing  10  to roll freely. Additionally, the balance weight member  27  for balancing the center of gravity of the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  can always keep the lamp arm  22  positioned at the upper side of the power-and-the lamp arm unit  20 . 
   The upper shaft  292  of the motor  29 , through interaction, can actuate the lamp arm  22  to rotate; therefore, as soon as the centrifugal starting switch on the circuit board  2233  is started, the time series control circuit will start to control the flickering sequence and time of the LEDs  2243 . Thus, by rotation of the lamp arm  22  and various flickering sequence of the LEDs  2243 , the changeable light patterns or letters inside can be seen through the transparent outer casing  10 , and that especially is clearly due to the effect of visual persistence. 
   As mentioned above, the circuit board  2242  of one side arm body  224  is positioned higher than the circuit board  2242  of the other side arm body  224 . By so designing, when the two side arm bodies  224  are rotated at the same time, the two circuit boards  2242  positioned at different levels will be actuated to rotate together, forming an arc-shaped track, and the LEDs  2243  on the two circuit boards  2242  will flicker on this arc-shaped track. Thus, due to visual persistence, when people see and enjoy the lamp ball of this invention, they will be unaware that there are two different side arm bodies  224  and that the two circuit boards  2242  are positioned at different levels. 
   In addition, the lamp ball of this invention can be additionally provided with a time control circuit for setting and controlling time of power supply, that is, power supply is to be stopped when the time set by the time control circuit is up, and the motor  29  and the LEDs  2243  will be stopped in operating. At this time, a player has to give off sounds to start the sound switch  24  again to let the motor  29  operate and make the LEDs  2243  give out light. If the lamp ball is provided with no time control circuit and when a player would not like to play with the lamp ball any longer, the player has to pick up the spherical outer casing  10  and quickly disconnect the two half casing  11 ,  12 , and take out the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  and turn off the switch member  28  immediately. 
   For the convenience of use, a remote-controlled switch can be provided to take the place of the sound switch  24  for controlling the motor  29  and the LEDs  2243  to operate. In this case, after the switch member  28  is started, the remote-controlled switch has to be started to enable the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  to function. The remote-controlled switch can also stop the operation of the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  from outside of the spherical outer casing  10 ; therefore, the foresaid time-control circuit is needless. The remote-controlled switch can be operated by ultra-red ray or by wireless, that is, an ultra-red ray receiver or a wireless receiver is to be provided in the power unit  21  for receiving the ultra-red rays or high frequency waves emitted by a remote-controller for starting the power unit  21  and the lamp arm  22  to operate. 
   If the lamp ball of this invention is provided with neither the sound switch  24  nor the remote-controlled switch, the lamp ball still can be actuated to rotate, only that a player has to quickly put the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  into the spherical outer casing  10  and combine the two half casings  11 ,  12  together after the switch member  28  is started and the power device  21  begins to function. On the other hand, in case no sound switch  24  or no remote-controlled switch is used, a delay starting switch can be installed on the circuit. Thus, although the switch member  28  is started, yet the power unit  21  and the lamp arm  22  cannot be started to operate until the time (5 second or 10 seconds) set by the delay starting switch is up. Therefore, within this delayed time, a player can put the power-and-lamp arm unit  20  into the spherical outer casing  10 . 
   Substantially, some parts of the structure mentioned above can be altered without affecting its operating effect. For example, the conducting bushing  33 , as shown in  FIG. 8 , can be omitted and the conducting brush member  36  can be curvedly enlarged to let it always contact with the center shaft  31 , and the conducting shaft tube  34 , as shown in  FIG. 9 , can be fitted thereon with an angle bushing  37 , and the hollow shaft groove  2232 ′ of the center arm body  223  is formed into an angle portion for the angle bushing  37  to be stably fitted thereon. In addition, the circuit board  2233  and the circuit boards  2242  can be installed separately or combined together. Additionally, the circuit boards  2242  on which the LEDs  2243  are assembled can also be omitted, and the electricity of the circuit board  2232  is connected with the LEDs  2243  installed inside the arm body  24  of the lamp arm  22  by means of electric wires. The equivalent alteration mentioned above is within the scope of this invention. 
   Evidently, the power unit  21  provided in the lamp ball of this invention enables the spherical outer casing  10  of the lamp ball to roll and move forward freely, and the lamp arm  22  positioned inside the spherical outer casing  10  can be actuated to rotate and give off flickering lights at the same time, exclusively original and innovative in structure. 
   While the preferred embodiment of the invention has been described above, it will be recognized and understood that various modification may be made therein and the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications that may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention.