Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems – Time-controlled
Reexamination Certificate
2000-05-15
2002-10-29
Philogene, Haissa (Department: 2821)
Electric lamp and discharge devices: systems
Time-controlled
C315S071000, C315S072000, C315S297000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06472831
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
This invention relates to a light timing system that is portable and removable. Preprogramming light timing has been accomplished through the intervention of devices that control a light fixture at the wall receptacle through a lamp cord. One such design is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 4,575,659 issued to Pezzolo et al, on Mar. 11, 1986. Light timing has also been accomplished through the invention of devices that control a light fixture at the wall switch device, that either replaces the traditional conventional wall switch or a device that assists the wall switch to provide programming features. One such design is disclosed for example in U.S. Pat. No. 5,264,761 issued to Samuel Johnson, on Nov. 23, 1993.
One of the several disadvantages of the operation of the electrical control assemblies disclosed above is that in Pezzolo assembly designed to work only with fixtures that can be plugged into a wall receptacle. Eliminating the ability of circuit wired wall and ceiling fixtures from benefiting from a timed event sequence. A disadvantage of Johnson switch control device is that fixtures without a wall switch would not benefit from a timed event programming for light fixture control, examples would be considered traditional floor and table lamp fixtures with traditional power supply provided by plug cord wiring into a conventional wall receptacle, and inline circuit wired ceiling and wall fixtures that are operated by a simply pull chain that turn the power on and off at the fixture socket. Both Johnson and Pezzolo assemblies control their attached fixtures as a single unit, regardless of how many bulbs are contained and controlled in that said attached fixture. Whereas the general purpose and principal object of the present invention is to provide still further improvements in the art and technology of lighting fixture bulb control of the type described above. Another object of this invention is to provide a format, where all light fixtures that use screw type bulbs can have preprogrammed timed on/off lighting and can be preprogrammed for a special lighting effect by using the invention timer device attached to the bulb it controls, said device at the bulb attachment site would allow fixtures with multiple bulbs to have separate timed events for each bulb in a single fixture
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a light timing, event timing and light effects device that can control a single bulb (invention can accommodate a range of screw type bulb formats, e.g. Incandescent, fluorescent, halogen, etc. referred herein as “bulb”) at the fixture bulb position, (i.e. fixture bulb socket). That is, whereas the invention provides timed lighting control at the fixture bulb socket, control is provided after the power has passed through the fixture. That is, the invention positioned after the power is through the fixture provides for operation independent of the kind and type of power source, delivery line to the fixture, such as circuit wired fixtures, (i.e. hard wired ceiling and wall light fixtures) or temporary and movable fixtures such as, but not limited to table and floor lamps, said lamps are provided power through a conventional lamp cord plugged into an electrical wall receptacle as their power delivery line. Wherein, said power delivery lines can support a wide range of switch types, such as but not limited to a conventional wall toggle switch, wall push button switch, ceiling and wall pull chain switch, lamp turn switch, lamp pull chain switch and lamp post switch, to operate the lighting fixture, that is the invention with said at the bulb position will also operate independent of the above mentioned switch types. It is an additional object of the invention to provide a simple device for home or office that will provide an inline in-socket type timing device, said device provides a safe format for preprogrammed timed lighting in an electrical lighting fixtures. That is, said preprogrammed feature of the invention is controlled by an onboard time keeping assembly set like a conventional liquid crystal display watch, with two Timer modes that will turn a light on or off at a predetermined time. That is said time keeping assembly comprised of time circuits, time chip and rechargeable stored energy supply, said assembly is designed to maintain timing programs If power is interrupted to the light fixture, whereas the invention will continue to provide sequenced events when the power is restored without requiring a resetting of time and timer modes. Said time keeping assembly in a power-on electrical fixture extends the onboard stored energy supply by receiving a small continual recharge (i.e. trickle charge), while the fixture is receiving power through the fixture to the invention. Another feature of the invention, is the timed sequence and event programming is powered by its onboard rechargeable power source (i.e. rechargeable lithium battery), when power is interrupted or the timing assembly is not connected to an electrical lighting fixture. Whereas the time keeping assembly controls the power bridge to the bulb, that is the power bridge is opened when the timer preprogrammed ‘timeon’ is reached the power circuit is completed and the bulb attached to the timing assembly of the invention is lit, when the timer preprogrammed ‘timeoff’ is reached the power bridge is closed and the power circuit is interrupted to the bulb installed in the invention and the light goes out. The system of the invention was designed to support two timer modes that provide two timed lighting events in the same twenty-four hour period. That is, conventional electrical lighting fixtures supporting one or multiple screw type bulb sockets, will use the invention in one, all, or a select number of bulb sockets in said fixture, to provide independent light timing events at each bulb socket supporting the invention. At is said invention timing operation requires each invention unit to be screwed into a standard electrical light socket, then to have a light bulb it will control screwed into the invention, therefore the invention provides timing control at each bulb in the fixture socket that contains the invention. For a better understanding of the structure of the invention and its function, further explanation is given below with reference to the attached drawings. The invention is not limited, however, to the particular arrangement portrayed in the subject drawing figures. That is, where a cylindrical configuration is preferred, the interior circuit assemblies of the invention need not be limited to cylindrical shape of the timing assembly and may, instead, be configured in a variety of alternate shapes.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4151426 (1979-04-01), Price
patent: 4171471 (1979-10-01), Boyles
patent: 4575659 (1986-03-01), Pezzolo et al.
patent: 4712019 (1987-12-01), Nilssen
patent: 5264761 (1993-11-01), Johnson
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