Patent Publication Number: US-2010117542-A1

Title: Led light pipe ornament

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
     The present the present application claims priority under 35 USC 119(e) from co-pending U.S. Divisional patent application Ser. No. 61/112,750 filed on Nov. 8, 2008 by Victoria Jean Van Dyn Hoven and entitled LED LIGHT PIPE ORNAMENT, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND 
     Ornaments are sometimes lit and supported by an incandescent light bulb. Such ornaments consume large amounts of energy and may require that ornament be discarded when the light bulb burns out. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of an ornament kit having an ornament assembly and an exchangeable ornament according to an example embodiment. 
         FIG. 2  is a fragmentary sectional view of the ornament assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is an exploded perspective view of the ornament assembly of  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EXAMPLE EMBODIMENTS 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  illustrate an ornament assembly  20  according to an example embodiment.  FIG. 1  is a top perspective view of ornament assembly  20 .  FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of ornament  20 . Ornament assembly  20  includes base  22 , frame and  24 , light emitting diode assembly  26 , power source  28 , switch  30 , housing  32 , light pipe  34  and ornament  36 . As will be described hereafter, ornament assembly  22  illuminates and supports ornament  36  in a more efficient manner, allowing ornament  36  to be more easily exchanged or replaced. 
     Base  22  supports ornament assembly  20 . In one embodiment, base  22  is formed from wood. In another embodiment, base  22  may be formed other materials may be formed from other materials or from more than one structure. In yet other embodiments where ornament assembly  20  is supported or mounted to a surface in other fashions, such as by a clip or the like, base  22  may be omitted. 
     Frame  24  comprises one or more structures configured to support housing  32  with respect to base  22  and to further support portions of the power source  28  and light emitting diode assembly  26 . In the example illustrated, frame  24  is fastened to base  22  using fasteners  40  and  42  comprising a threaded bushing and a lock washer, respectively. In other embodiments, frame  24  may be secured to base  22  in other fashions. 
     Light emitting diode assembly  26  comprises a printed circuit board  44  supporting one or more light emitting diodes  46 . Light emitting diode assembly  26  is mounted onto and supported by frame  24  within housing  32 . In other embodiments, light emitting diode assembly  26  or at least its one or more lightning diodes  46  may at least partially project beyond housing  32 . 
     Power source  28  comprises a source of power for the one or more light emitting diodes  46 . In the example illustrated, power source  28  comprises a rechargeable battery  50  wired to light emitting diode assembly  26  and a power jack  52 . Battery  50  is configured to be recharged using power jack  52 . In the example illustrated, power jack  52  comprises a 6 V DC jack. In other embodiments, power jack  52  may comprise other ports or couplings for recharging battery  50 . In yet other embodiments, rechargeable battery  50  and jack  52  may be replaced with one or more disposable non-rechargeable batteries. For example, base  22  may include an opening allowing insertion of one or more such disposal batteries in an end-to-end fashion. In such embodiments, such batteries may be contained within housing  32 . 
     Switch  30  comprises a mechanism by which power is controllably supplied to light emitting diode assembly  26 . In one embodiment, switch  30  includes a manual switch component  58  and a photodetector switch element  60 . Manual switch component  58  enables a person to manually turn the one of more light emitting diodes  46  on or off. In some embodiments, component  58  may have additional positions, allowing diodes  46  to be actuated between two different light emitting colors or light emitting brightnesses or states, such as a dim state and a bright state. 
     Photodetector switch element  60  comprises a photo transistor or other device which senses ambient light and which automatically actuates the one or more light emitting diodes  46  to different states. For example, in one embodiment, photodetector switch element  60  may automatically turn light emitting diodes  46  on in response to ambient light falling below low light thresholds. Switch element  60  may further automatically turn off light emitting diodes  46  in response to ambient light exceeding certain light thresholds. In one embodiment, manual switch component  58  may be used to override the automatic operation provided by photo detector  60 . In other embodiments, switch  30  may comprise other light emitting diode actuation mechanisms or may omit either of component  58  or detector  60 . 
     Housing  32  comprises a body configured to support light type  34  and ornament  36 . In the example illustrated, housing  32  comprises an elongate tube, providing the appearance of a candle shaft or candle body. In one embodiment, housing  32  comprises a tube formed from one or more heat resistant materials such as a cardboard or paperboard material. Housing  32  receives and encloses frame  24 , light emitting diode assembly  26  and battery  50 . 
     Printed circuit board  44  and light emitting diodes  46  are all completely surrounded and contained within the tube of housing  32 . Light emitted by light emitting diodes  46  is directed through the tube of housing  32  to light pipe  34 . Housing  32  serves as an opaque shroud about a portion of light pipe  34  and about the one or more light emitting diodes  46 . In other embodiments, housing  32  may have other configurations. In the example illustrated in which ornament is to represent or depict a candle having an illuminated ornament at its top, assembly  20  additionally includes a flower  64  which simulates a corrugated drip holder. In other embodiments, flower  64  may be omitted. 
     Light pipe  34  comprises one or more structures configured to transmit light from light emitting diode  46  and to disperse such light throughout ornament  36 . At the same time, light pipe  34  is configured to provide a mounting surface upon which ornament  36  may be mounted and supported. In the example illustrated, light pipe  34  if configured (shaped and dimensioned) such that ornament  36  may removably slide onto and off of light pipe  34  without damage to ornament  36  or light pipe  34 . As a result, ornament  36  may be exchanged with other ornaments having other configurations, providing assembly  20  with greater versatility. In the example illustrated, ornament  36  is removably mounted on light pipe  34  by friction. In the example illustrated, light pipe  34  comprises a rod of transparent light conducting material, such as Lucite. In the example illustrated, light pipe  34  includes a shoulder  68  facilitate in retention of light pipe  34  with respect to housing  32 . In other embodiments, light type  34  may have other configurations and maybe far from other light conducting or transmitting materials. 
     In the example illustrated, light pipe  34  is mounted or supported at an end of housing  32  and receives light that is passed through housing  32  from the one or more light emitting diodes  46 . Light pipe  34  projects beyond a center point of ornament  36  for faster solution of light throughout ornament  36 . In other embodiments, light pipe  34  may alternatively include a cavity or opening that receives the one of more light emitting diodes  46 , wherein light pipe  34  disperses, distributes and transmits the light from diodes  46  to and throughout ornament  36 . In still other embodiments, light pipe  34  may be omitted, wherein the one of more lightning diodes  46  are located within an interior of ornament  36 . 
     Ornament  36  comprises a translucent ornament configured to radiate light received from light pipe  34 . Ornament  36  may be formed from a generally heat resistant material. In the example illustrated, ornament  36  is configured to be removably mounted onto light pipe  34 . For purposes of this disclosure, the term “removably” means that the ornament may be completely separated from light pipe  34  without damaging or permanently altering the ornament  36  or the light pipe  34 . According to one embodiment, ornament  36  is integrally formed as a single unitary body from silicone. In particular embodiments, ornament  36  may be colored, may be scented or may include embedded particulates or other objects. 
     In the example illustrated, ornament  36  includes an interior cavity  70  configured to receive a connecting portion  72  of light pipe  34 . In one embodiments, cavity  70  is dimensioned or sized slightly smaller than portion  72 , wherein ornament  36  is formed from a resiliently flexible material, such as silicone, enabling a mouth of the cavity  70  to resiliently stretch and widen when receiving portion  72 . This resilient nature of cavity  70  retains ornament  36  on light pipe  34  but allows ornament  36  to be removed without damaging ornament  36 . 
     In other embodiments, ornament  36  may be permanently fixed, mounted, glued, bonded or welded to light pipe  34 . In yet other embodiments, ornament  36  may be removably mounted to housing  32  in lieu being mounted to light pipe  34 . In still other embodiments, ornament  36  may be permanently fixed, mounted, glued, bonded or welded to housing  32 /to receive light transmitted through housing  32  or so as to at least partially enclose the one or more diodes  46 . 
     As shown by  FIG. 1 , additional ornaments  136  may also be provided with assembly  22  form a kit  200 . Ornaments  136  are similar to ornament  36  except ornaments  136  have different shapes extending from cavity  70 . As a result, a person may remove ornament  36  and instead mount one of ornaments  136  to light pipe  34 . A person may exchange ornament  36  and ornaments  136  as desired to accommodate different seasons, holidays or preferences. The remaining portions of assembly  20  can be used for both displays provided by the different ornaments.