Illumination – With container
Reexamination Certificate
1998-06-01
2001-10-23
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
With container
C362S084000, C362S101000, C362S194000, C362S800000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305817
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to holders for containers—particularly beverage containers—which include self-contained illumination systems for displaying messages, designs, detecting conditions of the container or holder, etc.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Representative prior art U.S. patents in the relevant art include U.S. Pat. No. 4,886,183 (Keith A. Fleming) issued Dec. 12, 1989; U.S. Pat. No. 49,922,355 (Dietz and Silver) issued May 1, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,699 (Tipton) issued May 18, 1993; U.S. Pat. No. 5,307,250 (Pearson) issued Apr. 26, 1994; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,504,663 (Tucker) issued Apr. 2, 1996.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A holder for a container of a beverage (or other substance) according to the present invention includes a housing that encloses a compartment. The housing is, at least in part, of light transmitting material (preferably transparent) so that light can be transmitted to and from the compartment through the light-transmitting material. As used in this specification, the term “light-transmitting” is generic to “transparent” and “translucent”.
A container can be detachably secured to the holder by a container-gripping means on the body of the holder, externally of the compartment, in such a manner that the holder will remain attached (such as by friction) to the container when it is lifted by the user, but can be separated, when desired, with relative ease by overcoming the friction.
A light emitter, is received in the compartment that can be selectively activated and deactivated to emit, and not emit, light from the compartment through the light transmitting material.
The light emitter is activated and deactivated by a light emission circuit that is also housed within the compartment, and is responsive to a pre-selected condition, e.g., when the holder is in an upright position, to activate the light emitter, and is responsive to the absence of the pre-selected condition to deactivate the light emitter; i.e., when the holder is on its side or upside down, the light is off.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4086733 (1978-05-01), Strawick
patent: 4556932 (1985-12-01), Lehrer et al.
patent: 4771911 (1988-09-01), Morony et al.
patent: 5119279 (1992-06-01), Makowsky
patent: 5211699 (1993-05-01), Tipton
patent: 5785407 (1998-07-01), Ratcliffe et al.
patent: 5856031 (1999-01-01), Burrows
Chopra Aakash C.
Johnston Kent E.
O'Shea Sandra
Perry Owen E.
Ward John Anthony
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