US3038060A - Child's night light - Google Patents

Description

June 5, 1962 P. DIEHL CHILDS NIGHT LIGHT Filed June 29, 1960 IDLUMMER L. D/fHL INVENTOR ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofitice 3,038,060 Patented June 5, 19 62 3,038,060 CHILDS NEGHT LIGHT Plummer L. Diehl, 822 Fireside Road, York, Pa. Filed June 29, 1960, Ser. No. 39,567 1 Claim. (Cl. 240-4) This invention relates to improvements in a childs night light and more particularly, in the switch means by which the illuminated portions of the light are controlled.

Various kinds of childrens night lights have been devised heretofore and some of the same have enjoyed limited success and then have disappeared from the market for various reasons, the principal one of which is due to mechanical failure arising principally from complicated mechanism, which, in addition to contributing to failure, also resulted in the light costing more to manufacture than otherwise, particularly if more simple control means were used.

It is a principal object of the present invention to provide a childs night light having a body resembling an object familiar to children and with which they feel at ease, such as a doll, a toy in the form of an animal, a toy of configuration other than an animal but which normally employs light means, such as a small lighthouse, a statue simulating the Statue of Liberty, or the like, and in which the illuminanted means is of relatively low capacity so as merely to produce a soft light in a childs bedroom, for example, and switch means capable not only of controlling the flow of current to the illuminated means but also controlling the period of time the illuminated means is energized and then, preferably, gradually extinguished after the passage of a reasonable amount of time and during which time the child will have dozed off to sleep.

Another object of the invention is to utilize a currentcontrolling switch which, preferably, is moisture-operated, the same being provided with a recess supported by the body of the night light but arranged at a convenient location, whereby current-conducting liquid, such as water, may be contained to establish current between two exposed portions of adjacent, but spaced, ends of wire comprising one conductor of a conventional plural-wire electric conductor extending between the illuminated means of the light and a source of current, such as a conventional electric outlet socket.

A further object of the invention is to provide several embodiments of illuminatable means, both of which are relatively simple and foolproof, as well as durable.

Details of the foregoing objects and of the invention, as well as other objects thereof, are set forth in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawing comprising a part thereof.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary childs night light embodying the principles of the present invention, the particular illustration of a toy dog not being intended to be restrictive but merely illustrative.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary vertical elevation, on a larger scale than employed in FIG. 1, and illustrating the lamp bulb supporting structure and illuminating means mounted on the interior of the head of the toy shown in FIG. 1 and comprising one embodiment of illuminating means provided in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vertical view, as seen on the line 33 of FIG. 2 and showing details of a suitable means for supporting the electric lamp bulb of the em bodiment shown in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary, horizontal sectional view, on a somewhat larger scale than that employed in FIG. 2, and showing the forward portion of the head of a toy animal, such as shown in FIG. 1, but within which diiferent illuminating means are shown, the same comprising a pair of electric lamp bulbs mounted to resemble the eyes of the toy animal.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary top plan View, on a larger scale than shown in FIG. 1, and illustrating and exemplary moisture-operated switch of the preferred type employed in the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional view of the switch means shown in FiG. 5, as seen on the line 6-6 of said figure.

Referring to PEG. 1, it will be seen that the exemplary childs night light 10 is illustrated in the form of a toy dog. The body of the dog may be of any desired size and, preferably, of such size that the illuminating means, which essentially comprises one or more, relatively low capacity, electric lamp bulbs, may be replaced without too great difficulty when the same has become burned out and no longer are suitable for use. The particular illustration of a dog in FIG. 1, is, by no means, intended to restrict the invention, but, rather, is merely intended to represent one suitable form in which the body of the lamp might be made, so as readily to appeal to children in that most children are fond of pets and feel at ease with them.

Rather than make the lamp in the form of a dog, it may be made in the form of a wide variety of other animals or toys, including dolls, and in which toys of such type the eyes are capable of being illuminated, in accordance with the principle of the present invention. Such illumination is of relatively low capacity, such as the order of 5 or 7 /2 watts, and operated on volts. In accordance with switch means contemplated to be employed in the night light, as described hereinafter, the illuminated means will be illuminated for a reasonable period of time, such as, possibly, one-half hour, and then the illumination will gradually be extinguished automatically. Under normal conditions, by that time, the child will be asleep. When the illuminating means are illuminated, however, a soft glow will be present in the room, such as frequently is desired by children at bedtime.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the childs night light has a body 12, formed from any suitable material, such as synthetic resin, papier mache, or, possibly, even cast fiom suitable metal, at least part of the interior of the body being hollow so as to afford a cavity 14 in the head 16 connected to the body when the lamp is in the form of an animal, for example.

Suitably positioned Within the cavity 14 of the head 16 is a bracket 18 which is connected by any appropriate means, such as rivets or screws 20, to opposite side walls of the head 16. In the preferred embodiment, screws 20 are employed in order that ready means may be afiorded for the temporary removal of the bracket 18 at times when the electric lamp bulb 22 is burned out and must be replaced, relative to the electric lamp socket 24. A conventional two-wire electric conductor means 26 extends from the body 12 and at one end has an electric plug 28 thereon for connection to a suitable source of current, such as a conventional electric outlet socket.

One wire of the two-wire electric conductor 26 extends to the lamp socket 24 to supply current thereto, while a second Wire 30 of said electric conductor extends to the switch 32, which comprises an important part of the present invention.

The switch 32, preferably, comprises an insulating base 34 into which closely arranged, but disconnected, ends of said second wire 30 of the electric conductor extend. The insulation has been removed from these ends of the wire 30 which extend into the base 34 and at least portions of the bare metallic wires are exposed in the bottom of an open-top socket 36. Preferably, the socket 36 and base 34 are cup-shaped to receive current-conducting liquid 38 therein, one appropriate type of which is water, particularly if a few grains of salt are placed within the socket at the time of placing the water therein. The liquid then establishes current between the tw exposed, separated ends of the wire 30 and a circuit thus is established between an electric source and the electric lamp bulb 22 so as to eliminate the same.

The switch 32, preferably, is connected suitably to the body 12 of the night light and the open top of the socket 36 is conveniently positioned whereby a small amount of water, or other current conducting liquid, readily may be placed within said socket. An eye dropper is convenient for this purpose, especially since a relatively small quantity of water is all that is required to maintain the electric lamp bulb 22 illuminated for a short period of time, such as one-half hour, or the like. The passage of current between the exposed metallic Wire members in the bottom of the socket 36, will result in the formation of a certain amount of heat and said heat will gradually evaporate the current-conducting liquid which is in the socket until a circuit no longer is established between the two exposed wires in the bottom of the socket 36. As the last small portion of the liquid is being evaporated, the illumination of the electric lamp bulb 22 will gradually become diminished and finally extinguished. The period during which the lamp bulb will be illuminated can be controlled somewhat, depending upon the amount of current-conducting liquid placed within the socket 36.

The structure described above is substantially common to several embodiments of the invention respectively illustrated in detail in FIGS. 2 and 4. However, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, it will be seen that the head 16 of the dog-simulating body 12 is providing with openings 40 which are suitably located to resemble the location of eyes in the head 16, and eye-simulating members 42, having extensions 44 extending into the head 16 therefrom terminate adjacent the electric lamp bulb 22. The eye-simulating members 42 and extensions 44, preferably, are light-conducting; one common form of material capable of accomplishing this is methyl methacrylate. This latter form of synthetic resin is capable of transmit ting light rays longitudinally of a rod or shaft thereof. One convenient form of mounting the eye-simulating members 42 is by pressing the same frictionally into openings 40 in the head 16, said openings, preferably, being of such size as to exert adequate friction to retain the eyesimulating members 42 readily in suitable position to transmit light from the lamp bulb 22.

Further, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, the pair of eye-simulating members 42 may be illuminated either from a single bulb 22, as shown in FIG. 3, for example, or a pair of bulbs may be utilized, in accordance with the illustration of FIG. 2, said bulbs respectively being associated with the terminal inner ends of the extensions 44 of the eye-simulating members 42.

Referring to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, rather than employ any additional eye-simulating members which extend to one or more electric lamp bulbs 22 mounted on the interior of the head 16, as in FIG. 2, the embodiment of PEG. 4 contemplates a bracket bar 46, which may be secured by suitable screws 48 to the interior of the head 16, for example, said bracket bar supporting a plurality of electric lamp sockets 50. In this embodiment, the head 16 is formed with a plurality of openings 52 which, respectively, receive eye-simulating electric lamp bulbs 54. The lamp bulbs 54 may either be connected in parallel or in series, as desired. In the specific illustration of FIG. 4, they are connected in series by a two-wire electric conductor means 26 which has a conventional electric plug on the outer end thereof similar to plug 28 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1. The series connection between the socket 50 is etfected by a jumper wire 56.

It will be understood that the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 is controlled by switch means similar to those shown and described in connection with the structure of the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 through 3, one example of such switch being shown specifically in FIGS. 5 and 6.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the present invention provides an extremely simple, yet highly effective and foolproof, childs night light operable to readily be illuminated for a limited period of time and then, automatically, become extinguished. No movable mechanical parts are necessary to effect the establishment and disconnection of a circuit through the illuminating means of the night light, said circuit being controlled entirely by the use of current-conducting liquid, such as water, placed within a suitable socket in the switch member. The switch member is located conveniently for the reception of such liquid and the operation of this type of switch means is safe, as well as foolproof.

The night light may take the form of a wide variety of objects familiar to a child and in the presence of which they feel at ease. Toy animals, birds, dolls, and the like, however, are among those objects most suitable for this type of use, but the invention is not intended to be restricted to the use of such specifically enumerated objects.

While the invention has been described and illustrated in its several preferred embodiments, it shouldbe understood that the invention is not to be limited to the precise details herein illustrated and described, since the same may be carried out in other ways falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

I claim:

A childs night light comprising, in combination, a body resembling an object familiar to children and in the presence of which they feel at ease, said body being at least partially hollow, an electric lamp bulb of relatively low capacity, socket means mounted within the hollow interior of said body detachably receiving said lamp bulb and positioning the same relative to the body so that the 'llumination therefrom extends to the exterior of said body, plural-Wire electric circuit and conductor means connected at one end to said socket means and the other end being connectable to an electric outlet socket to receive power therefrom, one of said wires being severed intermediately of its ends and the severed ends having portions free of insulation, an aqueous-operated switch supported by said body and receiving the severed ends of said one of said wires in closely spaced relationship, said switch thus being connected in said circuit and serving also as a variable timer capable of controlling the circuit to said electric lamp bulb for diiferent desired periods of time within a reasonable range and comprising a liquidtight cup member of limited capacity and having an open top conveniently exposed adjacent to and exterior of said body and said portions of said disconnected ends of said wire which are free of insulation extending into the lower portion of said cup member in liquid-tight manner and being exposed in the interior of the bottom portion of said socket, said cup member being capable of holding various desired quantities of current-conducting aqueous liquid corresponding to the length of time said lamp bulb is to be illuminated, and means within said cup member normally electrically insulating said exposed and disconnected ends of said Wire from each other when no liquid is in said cup member, whereby when current-conducting aqueous liquid is placed within said cup member a current is established between said electric lamp and electric 1,622,196 Howell Mar. 22, outlet socket, said moisture-operated switch being ca- 2,070,818 Winckler Feb. 16, pable of generating a limited amount of heat to evaporate 5 2,250,212 Suits July 22, 1941 said liquid after a predetermined amount of time com- 2,426,907 Walsh Sept. 2, mensurate with the amount of liquid to be evaporated 2,445,079 Petersdorf July 13, and thereby disconnect the circuit to said lamp bulb. 2,932,726 Hunter P References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS

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