Patent Publication Number: US-2012038890-A1

Title: Illuminated device possessing a floating image

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a kind of illuminated device which possesses a floating image. Specifically, a kind of illuminated device which can simultaneously provide illumination and a floating image. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     A decorative item constructed of a cavity  11 , another cavity  12  and a transparent object (as shown in  FIG. 6 ). Located in the middle of cavity&#39;s  11  and  12 , each has a hole  111  and  121 . On the inside sides of cavity&#39;s  11  and  12 , are mirrored sides  112  and  122 . 
     The transparent object  13  is placed on top of the hole in cavity  11 , the cavity hole having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of transparent object  13 . When the second cavity  12  closes on top of cavity  11 , it results in mirrors  122  and  112  reflecting corresponding images. 
     When an external light source  2  is shone through the other hole  121  into the interior of the decorative item and illuminates the transparent object  13 , this illuminated image  13  utilizes the mirror image principle to be projected from mirror  122  to mirror  112 . After being reflected onto mirror  112 , the image will be focused onto the other hole  121 , resulting in hole  121  forming a floating image  131  identical to the transparent object  13  (as shown in  FIG. 7 ). 
     Since this decorative item&#39;s floating image is formed by projecting an external light source  2  into the decorative item, there are certain drawbacks caused when changes in the external light source (such as interference) cause the light to become insufficiently strong. This interference results in the image of the transparent object  13  failing to adhere to the mirror image principle, thus being unable to focus on the hole  121  and form the floating image  131 . This is the first drawback. In addition, the second cavity  12  of the present existing decorative item is a non-transparent structure with the second mirror  122 , resulting in this decorative item being unable to be used as a device which projects light. This is the second drawback. Furthermore, this decorative item is solely for decorative use and unable to provide additional functions, such as an ON/OFF timer, rotation of the floating real image  131  and wireless controls, etc. This is the third drawback. 
     Therefore, how to provide an illuminated device simultaneously capable of projecting light and displaying a floating image, is a subject for industry to solve. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a device capable of providing illumination and a floating image. A light emitting module is set in the centre of a reflective cavity and an object is placed on the light emitting module, a light reflector is placed at the opening of the reflective cavity, and a hole is located in the center of this lamp reflector, resulting in the hole, the light emitting module and the object all corresponding. The light reflector and the reflective surface in the cavity are facing each other. When a power supply module connected to the light emitting module is turned on, the light source shines onto and through the object, and the image from this object is reflected from the lamp reflector onto the mirror in the cavity, where the image is reflected to the hole, resulting in a focused form which is a floating image identical to the object. Thereby ultimately reaching the goal of being simultaneously illuminated and showing a floating image. 
     To achieve the abovementioned objective, the present invention adopts the following technical measures. An opening is set at one end of a reflective cavity, the inside has a mirrored surface, located in the centre of this reflective cavity is a light emitting module for producing light An object is placed on the light emitting module, a light reflector is placed at the opening of this reflective cavity and the two mirrored surfaces in the cavities face each other. A hole is located in the centre of the light reflector which corresponds to the light emitting module and the object. A power supply module is provided for supplying electric power to the light emitting module to generate the light source. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention, as well as its many advantages, may be further understood by the following detailed description and drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded view of an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a first cross-sectional view of an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a second cross-sectional view of an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a schematic view of an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is an exploded view of a conventional decorative item; and 
         FIG. 7  is a cross-sectional view of a conventional decorative item. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1 to 4  for an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the illumination device  3  comprises a reflective cavity  31 , a light emitting module  32 , an object  33 , a light reflector  34  and a power supply module  35 . 
     An opening  311  is set at the end of the reflective cavity  31 , the inside of which has a mirrored surface  312 . The light emitting module  32  is installed at a central position in the reflective cavity  31  for generating a light source  4 . The object  33  is placed on the light emitting module  32 . The light reflector  34  is located at the opening  311  of the reflective cavity  31 , such that the light reflector  34  is arranged opposite and facing the mirror  312  of the reflective cavity  31 . A hole  341  is located at a central position of the light reflector  34  and corresponds to the light emitting module  32  and the object  33 . Finally the power supply module  35  is provided for supplying electric power to the light emitting module  32  to generate the light source  4 . 
     The power supply module  35  is installed in the reflective cavity  31  (as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 ). It is connected to an external power source (as shown in  FIG. 4 ) for supplying the electric power to the light emitting module  32  to operate the illumination device  3 . 
     The light emitting module  32  can be a monochrome LED element or a three-color LED element, so that the illumination device  3  can have diversified light sources. Unlike conventional decorative items, the illumination device  3  of this invention not only provides a monochrome light source but also a multi-color light source. 
     The object  33  can be a transparent object or a semi-transparent object. When the light source  4  projects onto the object  33 , it can refract through the object  33 , letting the level of brightness from the light source show different brightness levels. 
     The light reflector  34  can be semi-transparent or transparent. It has a smooth internal surface. This smooth internal surface can be constructed in a choice of a parabolic, non-spherical or a flat shape. Reflecting the light source off these different surfaces maximizes the effectiveness of the projection from the light source. 
     Mirrored surfaces  312  can be constructed to be parabolic, non-spherical or flat. These different surfaces allow the light source  4  to be reflected from the light reflector  34  to the hole  341  more effectively, thereby focusing into the form of a floating image  5 , which is identical to the image of object  33  (as shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Object  33  is placed on the light emitting module  32 . Light reflector  34  is installed at the opening  311  of the reflective cavity  31 , thereby light reflector  34  and the reflective cavity  31  are opposite and facing. The power supply module  35  is provided for supplying the electric power to the light emitting module  32  to generate the light source  4 . 
     When the light source  4  is shone through from the bottom of the object  33 , (as shown in  FIG. 2 ), and the light is refracted through the object  33 , the light source  4  will project onto the light reflector  34 , the light reflector  34  then reflecting onto the mirrored surface  312  of cavity  31 . Finally the mirrored surface  312  will reflect light source  4 , resulting in light source  4  focusing on hole  341 , thus forming a floating object  5  identical to object  33 . 
     The floating image  5  is produced by placing the transparent or semi-transparent object  33  on the light emitting module  32  which is situated at a central position in the reflective cavity  3 . The power supply module  35  is provided for supplying the electric power to the light emitting module  32  to generate the light source  4 , such that the light source  4  is projected and passed through the object  33  to produce an image of the object  33 . The light source  4  is further reflected from the lamp reflector  34  to the mirror  312  of the reflective cavity  31 , and then from the mirror  312  to the hole  341 . Finally, the light source  4  is focused at the hole  341  to form the floating image  5  which has a shape identical to the object  33 . 
     The light emitting module  32  can be designed with a function to rotate. During operation of the illumination device  3 , the light emitting module  32  rotates axially to drive and rotate the object  33 , such that the floating image  5  focused and formed at the hole  341  can rotate accordingly. 
     In addition to the formation of the floating image  5  by the light source  4 , the illumination device also can serve as a mini night lamp by using the light source  4  of the light emitting module  32 . 
     In addition, by adding multiple light emitting modules  36  around the reflective cavity  31  of the illumination device  3  (as shown in  FIG. 3 ), the brightness level of the illumination device  3  can be increased, enabling the illumination device to not only have a floating image, but also to be used as a lamp for illumination. The illumination device  3  further includes: a remote control module  37  with a control unit  371  installed therein for controlling a timer to turn the illumination device  3  on or off. This control module also controls axial rotation, frequency of blinking, the color temperature level, the illumination brightness as well as music playback. The colors indicating the color temperature of the light emitting module  32  is composed of white and amber colors. 
     With reference to  FIG. 5  for an illumination device capable of producing a floating image in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, the illumination device  3  comes with a design that substitutes the light emitting module  32  and the object  33  by a self-luminous element  39 . The self-luminous element  39  is provided for generating a light source, a message or an image. With the structure of the illumination device  3 , the light source, message or image generated by the self-luminous element  39  is reflected and focused at the hole  341  to form the floating image  5 . 
     This illumination device  3  includes elements identical to the aforementioned elements, and thus will not be described here again. 
     In summation of the description above, the present invention has the following advantages over the prior art: 
     1. The invention can effectively overcome the drawbacks of the conventional decorative item which is limited by the external light source by installing the light emitting module  32  at the central position of the reflective cavity  31 , and generating the light source  4  in the reflective cavity  31  by using a light emitting module  32 . As a result, the image of the object  33  can be reflected from the light reflector  34  onto the mirror  312  of reflective cavity  31  and focused at the hole  341  to form the floating image  5  without the issue of interference in the light source resulting from insufficient light intensity. 
     2. The invention can be applied to illumination lamps, since the light emitting module  32  is installed in the reflecting cavity  31 , and the lamp reflector  34  has a form of being semi-transparent or transparent. The internal surface of the lamp reflector  34  can be a parabolic, non-spherical or a flat surface. The invention can be used for illumination lamps, in addition to the application of forming the floating image  5 . To increase the brightness of the illumination lamps, the invention can add more light emitting modules  36  around the periphery of the reflecting cavity  31  to improve the light intensity. 
     3. The invention provides other functions by adding a control module  37  for controlling a timer for turning the illumination device  3  on or off, as well as controlling its axial rotation, brightness, and its music playing function. Control module  37  also generates the wireless control signal to control the operation of the illumination device  3 . 
     Obviously, the present invention complies with patent application requirements, and thus is duly filed for patent application. 
     Many changes and modifications in the above described embodiment of the invention can, of course, be carried out without departing from the scope thereof. Accordingly, to promote the progress in science and the useful arts, the invention is disclosed and is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.