Attachable Battery-Powered Light Assembly for Illuminating a Bottle and Method for Illuminating a Bottle with a Light Assembly

Abstract

A battery-powered light can be installed in a punt of a bottle during manufacture and then turned on at use. The battery-powered light includes a skid pad that is free of adhesive. A battery insulator pull tab overlies the skid pad and can be removed even after adhering the light assembly to the bottle. The battery insulator pull tab prevents the battery of the light assembly from discharging before being needed. The skid pad prevents adhesive from sticking to the insulator pull tab, thereby making it otherwise unremovable.

Claims

1. A light assembly for illuminating a bottle, comprising: an electrical light for generating light, said electrical light having a light anode and a light cathode; a backing having a backing perimeter and a backing top, said backing top supporting said electrical light; a battery having a battery cathode and a battery anode, said battery being supported by said backing; an anode battery contact for connecting to said battery anode; a cathode battery contact for connecting to said battery cathode; an anode lead interconnecting said anode battery contact and said light anode; a cathode lead interconnecting said cathode battery contact and said light cathode; an insulator tab being interposed between one of, said battery cathode and said cathode battery contact, and said battery anode and said anode battery contact, said insulator tab having a strip width, said insulator tab being removable; and adhesive for adhering to a bottle bottom of the bottle, said adhesive; being disposed on said backing top; said backing having a skid pad running between said battery and said backing perimeter, said skid pad being free of said adhesive, said skid pad having a skid pad width greater than said strip width; and said insulator tab overlying said skid pad, extending beyond said backing perimeter, and remaining removable when said backing is adhered to the bottle.

2. An illuminated bottle assembly, comprising: a bottle; and a light assembly according to claim 1 being adhered to said bottle.

3. A light assembly for illuminating a bottle, comprising: an electrical light for generating light; a backing having a backing perimeter and a backing top, said backing top supporting said electrical light; a battery being connected electrically to said electrical light to form a circuit, said battery providing electricity to illuminate said electrical light when said circuit is connected; a break point in said circuit for interrupting and completing said circuit; an insulator tab being inserted in said circuit at said break point, said insulator tab interrupting said circuit when being inserted at said break point, and said insulator tab allowing said circuit to be completed when said insulator tab is removed from said break point, said insulator tab having a strip width; and adhesive for adhering to a bottom of the bottle, said adhesive; being disposed on said backing top; said backing top having a skid pad running between said break point and said backing perimeter, said skid pad being free of said adhesive, said skid pad having a skid pad width greater than said strip width; and said insulator tab overlying said skid pad, extending beyond said backing perimeter, and remaining removable by outwardly pulling when said backing is adhered to the bottle.

4. The light assembly according to claim 3, wherein: said break point includes a circuit electrode in said circuit; said battery includes a battery electrode; said break point includes said circuit electrode and said battery electrode; and said insulator tab is removably inserted between said circuit electrode and said battery electrode.

5. A method of lighting bottles, which comprises: providing the light assembly according to claim 1; adhering said light to a bottle; and after adhering said light to said bottle, pulling said insulator tab to allow an electrical connection between said battery cathode and said cathode battery contact and between said battery anode and said anode battery contact.

6. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises: adhering said electrical light to said bottle before delivering said bottle to a retailer; and pulling said insulator tab before delivering said bottle to the retailer.

7. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises: adhering said electrical light to said bottle before delivering said bottle to a retailer; and pulling said insulator tab after delivering said bottle to the retailer.

8. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises: adhering said electrical light to said bottle before delivering said bottle to a drinking establishment; and pulling said insulator tab before delivering said bottle to the drinking establishment.

9. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises: adhering said electrical light to said bottle before delivering said bottle to a drinking establishment; and pulling said insulator tab after delivering said bottle to the drinking establishment.

10. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises: adhering said electrical light to said bottle before drinking contents of said bottle; and pulling said insulator tab before drinking contents of said bottle.

11. The method according to claim 5, which further comprises: adhering said electrical light to said bottle before drinking contents of said bottle; and pulling said insulator tab before selling said bottle.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0024] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan view of a light assembly for bottles according to the invention.

[0025] FIG. 2 is a top front left perspective view of the light assembly shown in FIG. 1.

[0026] FIG. 3 is a top front right perspective view of an illuminated bottle assembly having the light assembly shown in FIG. 1 when attached to a bottom of a bottle.

[0027] FIG. 4 is a front side sectional view of the light assembly shown in FIG. 1 taken along section line IV-IV in FIG. 1.

[0028] FIG. 5 is a front side section view of the light assembly attached to the bottle as shown in FIG. 5, but with the tab shown in its initial, inserted position.

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a top front left exploded view of the light assembly shown in FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0030] FIGS. 1-6 show a preferred embodiment of a light assembly 1. The light assembly 1 includes a backing 10 (which is shown in FIG. 6) made from a circular piece of cardboard. The backing 10 is preferably no wider than a bottom of a bottle 6. More preferably, the backing 10 is preferably no wider than a punt of the bottle 6. Adhesive 12 is disposed on a backing top 13 of the backing 10. A circuit board 2 is adhered to the backing top 13. The circuit board 2 has a circuit board top 20. The circuit board 2 has a narrower diameter than the backing 10. The circuit board 2 is disposed in the center of the backing 10. A skid pad 100 is an area on the backing top 13 that is free of adhesive 12. The skid pad 100 is smooth and the strip 41 can slide along the skid pad 100 without breaking. A preferred embodiment of the skid pad 100 is smooth cardboard. As shown in FIG. 6, the skid pad 100 has a right edge 101 and a left edge 102. A skid pad width w.sub.100 of the skid pad 100 is defined between the right edge 101 and the left edge 102. The skid pad 100 runs from the backing perimeter 14 to a circuit board perimeter 23. A liner 11 is placed around the circuit board 2 and is removably adhered to the backing 10 with the adhesive 12. The liner 11 is preferably C-shaped. The liner 11 is preferably polyolefin coated paper. The liner 11 has a right edge 110 and a left edge 111. The right edge 110 of the liner 11 is aligned with the right edge 101 of the skid pad 100. The left edge 111 of the liner 11 is aligned with the left edge 102 of the skid pad 100.

[0031] The circuit board 2 has four light emitting diodes (also referred to as LEDs) 3 disposed on the circuit board top 20. When powered and switched on, LEDs 3 emit light. Batteries 5 are held on the circuit board top 20. Each battery 5 has a battery anode 50 on its top and a battery cathode 51 (FIG. 4). Examples of circuit electrodes include circuit anode 21 and circuit cathode 22. When operable, a respective circuit anode 21 contacts each battery anode 50; a respective circuit cathode 22 contacts each battery cathode 51. An LED anode 31 is electrically connected to the circuit anode 21. An LED cathode 32 is electrically connected to the circuit cathode 22. A switch 7 is disposed on the circuit board top 20. The switch 7 turns LEDs 3 on and off.

[0032] FIGS. 1, 2, and 4 show details of an insulator tab 4. To prevent battery discharge, the insulator tab 4 is inserted between the battery cathode 51 and circuit cathode 22. The insulator tab 4 is made of an electrical insulator, preferably polypropylene. The insulator tab 4 has a grip 40 and a strip 41. The strip 41 has a width w.sub.41 that is no wider than the width w.sub.100 of the skid pad. The strip 41 overlies the skid pad 100 when inserted between the battery cathode 51 and the circuit cathode 22.

[0033] FIG. 3 shows a bottle 6. The bottle 6 has a wall 61 and a bottle bottom 60. The bottle bottom 60 forms a punt of the bottle. A bottom edge 62 of the bottle 6 is defined where the wall 61 joins the bottle bottom 60. To adhere the light assembly 1 to the bottle 6, the liner 11 is peeled from the backing 10 to expose the adhesive 12. The adhesive 12 is pressed against the bottle bottom 60 of the bottle to dispose the circuit board 2 within the punt of the bottle. After adhering the light assembly 1 to the bottle 6, the insulator tab 4 is removed by pulling the grip 40 outwardly. After the insulator tab 4 is removed, the battery cathode 51 and circuit cathode 22 contact each other to complete the circuit with the LEDs 3, provided that the switch 7 is turned on.

[0034] FIG. 4 shows the light assembly 1 with the strip 41 disposed between the circuit cathode 22 and the battery cathode 51. While still inserted, the strip 41 prevents the battery cathode 51 from electrically connecting to the circuit cathode 22.

[0035] FIG. 5 shows the light assembly 1 adhered to the bottle 6 with the insulator tab 4 installed. The strip 41 is beneath the battery 5. The backing 10 is adhered to the bottle bottom 60.

[0036] FIG. 6 shows the light assembly. A backing 10 is circular. Adhesive 12 is disposed on the backing top 13 in a c-shape. A liner 11 is removable and covers the adhesive 12 until the adhesive is to be adhered to a bottle bottom. A circuit board 2 is adhered to the backing top 13. The circuit board top 20 supports circuit anodes 22. Batteries 5 are secured to the circuit board top 20. An insulator tab 4 with a grip 40 and strip 41 is disposed between one of the batteries 5 and its respective circuit cathode 22.

[0037] A preferred method for illuminating bottles includes the following steps. Obtaining a light assembly like one shown in FIGS. 1-6. The next is peeling the liner 11 from the backing 10 to expose the adhesive 12. Placing the light assembly 1 onto the bottle bottom 60 with the adhesive 12 facing the bottle bottom 60, so the circuit board 2 is centered on the bottle bottom 60 and the circuit board is nested with the punt of the bottle. Pressing the backing 10 against the bottle bottom 60 to contact the adhesive 12 to the bottom bottle.

[0038] In the next step, when it is time to illuminate the bottle, the method includes removing the insulator tab 4. To remove the insulator tab 4, the steps of pulling the insulator tab 4 outward by pulling on the grip 40.

[0039] In a first preferred embodiment of the method, the light assembly 1 is adhered to the bottle 6 during the manufacturing process, before delivering the bottle 6 to a retailer. The light can be attached by the bottle manufacturer, the bottler, or the distributor.

[0040] In a second preferred embodiment of the method, the light assembly 1 is adhered to the bottle 6 by a retailer. When the retailer wants to attract customers to the bottle 6, the retailer pulls the insulator tab 4 to active the LEDs 3. The retailer pulls the insulator tab 4 after a wholesaler delivers the bottle 6 to the retailer.

[0041] In a third preferred embodiment, a worker at a nightclub or bar pulls the insulator tab to active the LEDs when serving the bottle 6. The light assembly 1 can be attached to the bottle 6 at the nightclub or bar.

[0042] Alternatively, the light assembly 1 can arrive already attached to the bottle 6. In other words, a wholesaler or manufacturer adheres the light assembly 1 to the bottle 6 before delivering the bottle 6 and adhered light assembly 1 to the retailer. Subsequent to the delivery to the retailer, the retailer or purchaser pulls the insulator tab 4 before drinking contents of the bottle 6.

[0043] In a fourth preferred embodiment, an end consumer pulls the insulator tab 4. The consumer can attach the light assembly 1 to the bottle before pulling the insulator tab 4. Alternatively, the consumer can buy a bottle 6 with the light assembly 1 already attached to the bottle.