Patent Publication Number: US-7896515-B2

Title: Decorative object connectable to a connected object

Description:
This is a Continuation-In-Part application of applicant&#39;s former patent application with application Ser. No. 11/905,875 Oct. 5, 2007 now abandoned. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a decorative object connectable to a connected object, and more particularly to a decorative object that can be installed to and removed from the connected object. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     In general, a traditional decorative object is installed and fixed onto a connected object such as a shoe, a hat, a backpack, or a cloth for the decoration purpose. Although these decorative objects can provide a decorating effect, they also give rise to the following problems: 
     1. The decorative object cannot be replaced. Most of the traditional decorative objects installed on a connected object are fixed, and thus they cannot be replaced. For users who want to have new configurations or designs from time to time, the decorative object cannot meet this requirement of changing the connected object. 
     2. The decorative object does not provide a warning effect. In general, the decorative object installed on a connected object is used for decoration only, and usually does not provide any lighting effect, and thus the decorative object of this sort does not give any warning effect to users who walk at nighttime. 
     3. The decorative object does not have much fun. Since the traditional decorative object cannot be replaced, and does not come with a lighting effect, therefore its use is relatively monotonous. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a primary objective of the present invention to overcome the aforementioned shortcoming by providing a decorative object connectable to a connected object, and the decorative object can be installed onto a connected object for decoration or removed from the connected object to change for a different decorative object easily. 
     A secondary objective of the present invention is to provide a decorative object connectable to a connected object that gives a long life of battery. 
     To achieve the forgoing objectives, the present invention provides a decorative object connectable to a connected object, and the decorative object comprises a connecting member coupled to a connected object, a stylish decorative member fixed to an end of the connecting member, and a light emitting device installed inside the decorative object. 
     A fixing portion is disposed at an end of the connecting member, and a stop portion is disposed at another end of the fixing portion, and a connecting portion of the connecting member is disposed between the fixing portion and the stop portion, wherein the external diameter of the connecting portion is smaller than the external diameters of the fixing portion and the stop portion for forming a first stop surface at the joint of the fixing portion and the connecting portion, and a second stop surface at the joint of the stop portion and the connecting portion. 
     The stylish decorative member has a 3D appearance, and includes a closed space inside the stylish decorative member, a top surface, a bottom surface coupled to a fixing portion of the connecting member, and a contact portion disposed on an internal side of the top surface of the stylish decorative member. 
     At least one battery supplies electric power to the light emitting device. The light emitting device includes a light emitting element and an ON/OFF switch, and the ON/OFF switch is installed corresponding to the contact portion, such that when an external force is exerted onto the stylish decorative member, the contact portion to is forced to be in contact with the ON/OFF switch to turn on or off the power of the light emitting device. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an assembly of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic view of a using status showing that a force is exerted onto the stylish decorative member to contact the contact portion with the ON/OFF switch in accordance with the present invention; and 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of a using status showing that when the vibration sensor detects a vibration, the light emitting element blinks and emits light in accordance with the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , a decorative object connectable to a connected object in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention comprises a connecting member  11  coupled to the connected object  10 , a stylish decorative member  21  fixed to an end of the connecting member  11 , and a light emitting device  31  installed in the stylish decorative member  21 . 
     The connecting member  11  includes a fixing portion  12  at an end of the connecting member  11 , and the connecting member  11  includes a stop portion  13  at another end of the fixing portion  12 , and a connecting portion  14  between the fixing portion  12  and the stop portion  13 , wherein the connecting portion  14  is substantially a hollow pillar, and the external diameter of the connecting portion  14  is smaller than the external diameters of the fixing portion  12  and the stop portion  13  for forming a first stop surface  15  at the joint position of the fixing portion  12  and the connecting portion  14 , and a second stop surface  16  at the joint position of the stop portion  13  and the connecting portion  14 . The stop portion  13  is a sheet body, and the stop portion  13  corresponding to a lateral surface of the second stop surface  16  is an arc surface  17 , and a wall  18  is extended upward around the periphery of the fixing portion  12  of the connecting member  11  to form a hole  19  inside the wall  18 . 
     The stylish decorative member  21  is made of a soft material, and in a 3D transparent form, and the stylish decorative member  21  includes a closed space  24  therein, a top surface  26 , a bottom surface  22 , and an opening on the bottom surface  22  provided for embedding the wall  18  of the fixing portion  12  of the connecting member  11  into the stylish decorative member  21  from the opening  23 , such that the stylish decorative member  21  is coupled to the fixing portion  12  of the connecting member  11 , and a contact portion  25  substantially protruded downward is disposed on the top surface  26  of the stylish decorative member  21  and corresponding to an internal side of the wall  18 . 
     The light emitting device  31  is installed in hole  19  of the connecting member  11 , such that the light emitting device  31  is situated inside the stylish decorative member  21 . At least one battery  32  supplies electric power to the light emitting device  31 . The light emitting device  31  comprises a circuit control board  33 , a vibration sensor  34 , a light emitting element  35  and an ON/OFF switch  36 , and the circuit control board  33  includes a top surface  331  and a bottom surface  332 , and the light emitting element  35  and the ON/OFF switch  36  are installed at the top surface  331  of the circuit control board  33 , and the ON/OFF switch  36  is installed corresponding to the contact portion  25  of the closed space  24 , and the light emitting element  35  is controlled by the vibration sensor  34  to produce a light source. The battery  32  is installed at the bottom surface  332  of the circuit control board  33  and situated at the bottom of the hole  19 . The vibration sensor  34  is installed in the  25  connecting portion  14  to save space on the top surface  331  of the circuit control board  33 . 
     During use, the connecting member  11  is connected to a connected object  10 , and the connected object  10  is a shoe, a hat, a backpack or a cloth made of a soft material, and the connected object  10  includes a plurality of connecting holes  101  thereon, such that the stop portion  13  of the connecting member  11  can be passed through the connecting hole  101  (which is made of a soft material, and can be spread open slightly by its expandability) of the connected object  10 , so that the first stop surface  15  of the fixing portion  12  of the connecting member  11  and the second stop surface  16  of the stop portion  13  are blocked by both sides of the connecting hole  101 , and the connecting member  11  can be positioned onto the connected object  10  successfully. The stylish decorative member  21  is exposed from the surface of the connected object  10  to enhance the decorating effect, and several different shaped stylish decorative members  21  can be prepared for a decorative object and connected to the connected object  10  according to personal preference and the selected decorative object to give a better decorating effect. While a user is walking, the light emitting device  31  in the stylish decorative member  21  is vibrated, and a vibration sensor  34  of the light emitting device  31  detects the vibration to control the light emitting element  35  to blink and emit light for a better decorating effect of the decorative object as well as serving as a warning lamp for users who are walking at nighttime. The invention is practical and has fun in use. If a user needs to remove or change the decorative object on the connected object  10 , the user simply needs to separate the stop portion  13  of the connecting member  11  from the connecting hole  101  of the connected object  10  to remove the decorative object quickly or change for another decorative object with a different shaped stylish decorative member  21 . 
     With reference to  FIG. 3 , if a user wants to turn on the power of the light emitting device  31 , the user simply needs to apply an external force onto the top surface  26  of the stylish decorative member  21  to force the contact portion  25  of the stylish decorative member  21  to be in contact with the ON/OFF switch  36 , and turn on the power of the light emitting device  31 , since the contact portion  25  is extended in the direction towards the ON/OFF switch  36  and substantially in a protruding form. In  FIG. 4 , if the vibration sensor  34  detects a vibration, the light emitting element  35  is controlled to blink and emit light. Since the light emitting element  35  of the light emitting device  31  is installed inside the stylish decorative member  21  and the stylish decorative member  21  is transparent, the emission of a light source generated by the light emitting element  35  of the light emitting device  31  can be emitted. 
     With the design of the ON/OFF switch  36  and the contact portion  25 , the present invention allows users to select an ON/OFF state of the battery  32 , so that the power of the light emitting device  31  can be turned off during transportations or a selling process to extend the life of the battery  32  effectively. 
     In summation of the description above, the present invention has the following advantages. The connected object  10  of the invention can be installed to or removed from the decorative object easily and thus allowing users to make changes for the decoration purpose to give more fun to the design of the light emitting device  31 , as well as providing a warning lamp for users who walk at nighttime. The present invention allows users to select the ON/OFF state of the battery  32 , so as to extend the life of the battery  32  effectively.