The inventor's prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,926,440, 6,158,868, 6,170,958, 6,171,117, 6,280,053 disclose arrangements for the conductive means of a night light and multiple function night light incorporated with a time piece. Other prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,947,291, 5,495,402, 5,662,408, 5,713,655, 5,803,579, 5,816,682, 5,833,350, 5,893,626, 5,998,928, 6,000,807, 6,010,228, 6,031,958, 6,033,087, 6,056,420, 6,132,072, 6,160,948, 6,161,910, 6,183,101, 6,190,017, 6,290,368, 6,337,946, 6,386,730, 6,390,647, 6,00,104, 6,411,524, 6,431,719, 6,509,832, 6,523,976, 6,550,949, 6,609,812, 6,623,416, 6,641,289, 6,648,496, 6,709,126 show different light sources and applications, but none teaches a night light incorporated with a receptacle(s) means. These patents also do not teach a swivel, rotating, or twisted prong means of such a night light. The multiple function night light of the current invention includes a receptacle(s) and built-in night light to offer at least two of the functions as a basic model. The up-grade model can have additional functions which may selected from an air freshener, insect repelling device, time piece, remote control device, emergency light, bluetooth device, infrared device, sensor device, deodorizing device, and combination light source(s) etc. U.S. Pat. No. 6,862,403 issued on Mar. 1, 2005, discloses a plug assembly rotatable over 90 degrees, but in which only the three sides of the outer housing have an opening(s) to receive the other device's plug. The current invention has an opening(s) on each of four sides of the outer housing to receive the other device's plug, and furthermore provides space at top and lower portions of the conductive means to install a desired light means such as an LED, gas filled bulb, neon bulb, OEL, EL, OLED, or other conventional light means to enable the unit to emit light to a viewer in preferred directions ranging from one to multiple directions. The current invention also may include a housing with partial transparent or translucent material to provide a desired area with light emissions to the viewer. The current invention's rotating unit has the light means built-in, conductive means between the light means and the prong means, prong means, and circuit means (if needed for some light source), and each receptacle may be oriented in an opposite direction which allows other devices' prong means to be connected in 180 degree openings at the top and bottom or right and left relative to the wall outlet position.
The multiple function night light includes a light source(s) and receptacle(s) built together inside of night light. The current invention includes the receptacle(s) to prevent the wall outlet receptacle(s) from being occupied by a single night light and cause people to have to use other receptacle means such as an extension cord or multiple receptacle(s) set to connect other electric devices with home electricity. The current invention provides at least one receptacle inside the night light to provide two functions, one for night time illumination and one for the receptacle(s) to connect with other electric devices.
The current invention preferably includes more than one receptacle(s) built inside of the said night light. The number of receptacle(s) can be designed to be anywhere from 1 to N (N means any number from 1 to 2, 3, 4, 5, . . . ). The number of the receptacles can be made by proper design of the copper means to meet the same or similar safety standard as a conventional market place available model.
The current invention further incorporates swivel or rotating prong means to allow people to make a preferred installation for the illumination and electric connection.
The light source may selected from the group including an EL Element, LED, gas filled bulb, black tube, fluorescent tube, or neon bulb with related circuit means to provide proper illumination with desired orientation and direction.
The night light may be a slim model or a standard model. The slim model preferably uses an EL element as a light source since the slim model only has less than 3 mm space to install the light source. The standard model can use any conventional light source since the space available is enough to install an LED, gas filled bulb, black tube, fluorescent tube, neon bulb, OEL, or conventional light source.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds