Illumination – With fluid distributer
Reexamination Certificate
2001-02-23
2002-09-10
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
With fluid distributer
C362S101000, C362S086000, C362S318000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06447138
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
This invention relates generally to aquariums, and specifically, to a decorative aquarium with water dance effect, in which the intensity of the bubbles and colors of light are controlled by, and varied with, the melody of a music so as to achieve both visual and audio entertaining effect.
A conventional decorative aquarium includes a case and a base seat for protecting the case. Partitioning boards are disposed in the case at a certain height to divide the case into multiple chambers. A pump, a thermostat, a filter, and a fish tank are placed in the chambers. A viewing board, which can be a mirror or a board material that is designed and modified by a user, is arranged above the partitioning boards. A bottom rack is disposed under the viewing board. Such conventional decorative aquarium can achieve a decorative effect. However, the case is shallow and narrow that fish may jump out of the case.
Another conventional decorative aquarium, as may be disclosed by Wen-Yung Lin in his “Decorative Lamp in Aquarium Tank,” U.S. Pat. No. 5,993,021 (“'021 patent”), illustrates an attempt to improve upon the aforementioned conventional decorative aquarium. Such decorative aquarium has a transparent tubular main body containing a liquid, an air pump being disposed on the bottom thereof, and fake fish that floats in the liquid. However, the fake fish can only move along a fixed path of the bubbles generated by the air pump, and such decorative aquarium does not appear realistic.
Yet another conventional decorative aquarium illustrates an attempt to improve upon the aforementioned conventional decorative aquarium. In his “Submerged Luminaire” patent, Japanese Patent No. 8077807 (“JP '807 patent”), Norihiro Shinya discusses a submerged luminaire having various lighting effects for lighting from inside a water tank and having stereoscopic effect. Such luminaire consists of a light source and an optical fiber light guide coupled at an incident end to the light source and an outgoing end is arranged in the water tank. The outgoing end is arranged in a line and is adjacent to an air diffuser having bubble generating holes and the outgoing end and the air diffuser are is integrally formed by an integral member. An air compressor is connected to the air diffuser through an air pipe and compressed air is fed from the compressor. However, the lighting effect, at most, is coordinated with the generated air bubbles and not with any other effect, such as a melody of music.
Yet another conventional decorative aquarium, as may be disclosed by Hitoshi Ando in his Japanese Patent No. 10085460 (“JP '460 patent”), entitled “Air Bubble Generator by Musical Sound,” illustrates another attempt to improve upon the aforementioned conventional decorative aquarium. Ando's air bubble generator is provided with a water tank housing a liquid and provided with multiple air bubble generation ports, an air bubble generation mechanism for generating air bubbles from multiple air bubble generation ports, and a control part for controlling the air bubble generation mechanism corresponding to musical sound information and controlling the generation of the air bubbles from the air bubble generation ports. The air bubbles are generated from the air bubble generation ports corresponding the musical sound information. However, Ando's air bubble generator lacks additional decorative effect such as lighting effect that is also coordinated with the musical sound information.
Therefore, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide a decorative aquarium with water dance effect. The decorative aquarium can be switched into a sonic frequency-controlled mode in which the intensity of the bubbles and colors of light are controlled by, and varied with, the frequency of music.
Further object of the present invention is to provide the above decorative aquarium by which a user can at the same time enjoy the music and watch the water dance for both visual and audio pleasures.
SUMMARY
The present invention satisfies these needs.
The decorative aquarium with water dance effect of the present invention comprises a transparent main body, a base seat, a controlling circuit, a single chip, an electrical air pump, and multiple light emitting sources. The transparent main body, detacheably engages the base seat for support. The single chip, the electrical pump, and the light emitting sources are connected to the controlling circuit, and they are disposed in the base seat. The amount of air and the rate of discharge of the air pumped out by the air pump, as well as the color of light emitted by the light emitting sources can be varied according to the music melody generated by the single chip to create the water dance effect.
The controlling circuit may further include a controlling switch for activating the decorative aquarium into a water dance effect mode to produce such water dance effect. Therefore, a user can simultaneously enjoy the music and watch the water dance for both visual and audio pleasures.
The controlling circuit may further include a controlling switch capable of switching the decorative aquarium into a common function mode to disable the water dance effect, in which case the size, and the discharge rate of air pumped out by the air pump, and the flickering color of light emitted by the light emitting sources remain constant.
In another embodiment of the present invention, the main body further comprises a plurality of floating decorative articles located therein for further visual entertainment effect.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the light emitting sources are vertically placed in the base seat.
REFERENCES:
patent: 5951146 (1999-09-01), Lin
patent: 5967639 (1999-10-01), Shih
patent: 5993021 (1999-11-01), Lin
patent: 6135604 (2000-10-01), Lin
patent: 6241359 (2001-06-01), Lin
patent: 8077807 (1996-01-01), None
patent: 10085460 (1997-09-01), None
Hashimoto Takashi
Intellectual Property Law Group LLP
Lee Otto O.
Sember Thomas M.
LandOfFree
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