Apparatus for illuminating a portable electronic device. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

050 741 U

DESCRIPTION

Apparatus for illuminating a portable electronic device.

The present application for a Utility Model consists, as indicated in its statement, of an "Apparatus to illuminate a portable electronic device", whose new construction, conformation and design characteristics fulfill the mission for which it has been specifically designed, with a safety and maximum efficacy and providing numerous benefits as will be detailed herein.

The present invention is in the field of lighting devices for electronic or portable computer devices.

Compact electronic devices with a screen or display panel have become very common and quite popular. Such devices have been popular for a number of years alongside battery powered portable gaming devices. A well-known example of such a device, of which millions of units have been sold, is the GAME BOY device.¹® marketed by Nintendo. More recently, other electronic devices have also included display screens, such as portable video cameras and mobile phones. And, of course, notebook computers have long incorporated display screens. Although the complexity and cost of such devices can vary widely, it is common for these devices to use a flat liquid crystal display screen.

Liquid crystal flat panel displays work very well in a well-lit area. However, when these devices are used in poorly lit areas, or at night, it can be difficult, if not impossible, for a user to see anything on the display screen. This problem increases when said screen has to be portable, and especially when it is a small device.

If it is a sufficiently complex portable device, and generally more expensive, for example a laptop, the device can include lighting within the device itself. An example of such lighting is backlit laptop computers. However, this solution is not always economically practical, nor does it necessarily solve the problem in smaller devices. Also, if the electronic device does not have a display screen, then this option is not even available.

To solve this problem, especially in battery-powered portable gaming devices, a number of solutions have been proposed. Such solutions have typically included devices equipped with their own electrical power source. These devices may be designed to be mounted on the electronic device or designed to be used in connection with the electronic device. However, because such devices use their own electrical power source, they tend to be quite bulky and heavy. In addition, the second source of electrical power increases the cost and creates the possibility of another source of power failure.

Consequently, there is a need for a simple, inexpensive device that can illuminate portable electronic devices or computers without the drawbacks associated with prior lighting devices.

The present invention refers, in a general way, to an apparatus for illuminating a portable electronic device that is connected to the electronic device and is powered by the power supply of the electronic device by means of an electrical connection to a power socket of the electronic device. . The present invention is also generally directed to an apparatus for illuminating a portable computing device with a display screen that is connected to the computing device and is controlled by the power supply of the computing device through an electronic connection to a connected port. with a power supply.

In a first aspect of the present invention, the lighting device can be controlled by a voltage regulator. The lighting device may use a light emitting diode and a white light diode is especially preferred.

In another aspect of the present invention, the lighting apparatus includes a connector having a second utility outlet or port adapted to receive a second connector that is in electrical communication with the utility outlet or port. The connector contains one or more support fins. These support tabs can be used to prevent movement of the body in a certain direction, especially when they are located at opposite ends of the connector.

In another aspect of the present invention, the lighting device can include a flexible arm. This flexible arm can be adjusted to adjust the height or angle of the lighting device relative to the electronic device or laptop. In addition, other devices, such as a diffuser, an amplifier, a reflector, a voltage regulator or regulator, can also be added to the lighting apparatus to vary the intensity of the light.

Consequently, it is a main object of the present invention to provide an improved, low-cost and practical lighting apparatus for a portable electroanic device that is powered by a service outlet of the electroanic device.

It is also a main objective of the present invention to provide an improved, low-cost and practical lighting apparatus for a portable computing device that is powered by a connection port of the computing device.

These and other objectives and advantages will become clearer to the person skilled in the art in combination with the drawing and the detailed description of the preferred embodiment set out below.

Figure n ° 1 is a schematic representation2

It is the ethics of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

Said figure 1 illustrates how a preferred embodiment of the present invention can be used with a portable electronic gaming device, such as a GAME BOY device.¹®. Although the drawing shows an electronic gaming device, the invention is adaptable to any portable electronic device that has an electrical outlet in electrical connection with a power source, such as a mobile phone or a video camera.

In the preferred embodiment shown in figure n^° 1, the electronic device (1) has a display screen (2), a power supply and a service socket. The power supply and connection sockets are not visible and are shown together as (3 and 4), because their position and configuration will vary depending on the design of a given portable electronic device. The power supply (3) can be incorporated, for example batteries arranged in a battery compartment. The power supply (3) may or may not be increased by a connector that can be connected to a non-portable power supply, such as a wall socket.

The lighting fixture, shown as a whole by (5), includes a connector, shown as a whole by (6), for connecting the lighting fixture (5) to the electrical outlet (4) of the electronic device (1 ). The exact configuration of the connector (6) should be designed to match the electrical outlet (4) and create an electrical and mechanical connection between the outlet (4) and the connector (6) when the appliance (5 ) is connected to the electronic device (1).

The lighting apparatus (5) also includes a body (7) and a lighting device (8). The body (7) connects the lighting device (8) to the connector (6), and the body preferably incorporates a flexible arm. The lighting device (8) is electrically connected to the power socket (4) through the connector (6) and the body (7) so that the lighting device (8) is powered by the power supply (3 ) when the lighting apparatus (5) was connected to the electronic device (1). The electrical connection between the lighting device (8) and the connector (6) can be by any suitable means, such as a cable (not shown). It is especially preferable that the body (7) can be adjusted, when the lighting device (5) is connected to the power socket (4), to adjust the height and / or angle of the lighting device (8) with respect to the electronic device (1). To avoid movement of the apparatus in a direction that moves it away from the electronic device, it is especially preferable to attach one or more support fins (16) to the connector (6). These support fins (16) stabilize the connector (6) by providing abutting surfaces with the electronic device (1) and thereby prevent rocking of the connector (6) in a plane of the support fins (16). They also make the connector less likely

741 U 4 (6) is disconnected from the electronic device (1) at the location of the support wings (16), thereby stabilizing the connection of the connector (6) to the electronic device (1).

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the lighting device (8) was formed by a light emitting diode (LED) (9) housed in a housing (10). The housing (10) may also include suitable electronics, such as a resistor (11), or a regulator (not shown) to vary the intensity of the light emitted by the LED. In an especially preferred embodiment, the LED (9) is a white light diode. The housing may also include additional features, such as a diffuser (14). The diffuser (14) can alternatively be replaced by an amplifier (14). Another additional feature that can be included is a reflector (13). The reflector (13) helps to concentrate the light towards the object to be illuminated while helping to avoid the reflections of light generated by the lighting device (8). The reflector includes a mirror surface at the bottom of the reflector to reflect light away from the user. The housing (10) may also include an opaque surface at its end away from the desired path of light so as to minimize undesirable reflections of light towards the user's eye. It is especially preferred that the housing (10) includes a dimmer switch (15). The dimmer switch (15) can be a variable resistor, or a potentiometer, connected to a user control device, such as a dial.

When the connector (6) of the lighting apparatus (5) is connected to the socket (4) of the electronic device (1), it necessarily occupies the connection that the socket (4) would otherwise provide to a user of the electronic device (1). Since a user of the electronic device (1) may need to connect some other device to the socket (4), it is especially preferred that the connector (6) is configured to include a second service socket (12 ). The second service outlet (12) is adapted to receive a second connector and provide a mechanical and electrical connection for the second connector equivalent to that provided by the outlet (4). In this way, the second outlet (12) will provide electrical communication for the second connector with the outlet (4) when the second connector is connected to the connector (6) and the connector (6) is connected to the outlet. current (4).

The present invention can also be adapted to a portable computer with a display screen that is not illuminated by the portable computer. In one embodiment, the lighting apparatus (5) is connected to a socket of the portable computer in electrical connection with a power supply instead of the service socket (4) of the electronic device (1). In such a device, the connection port can be any port that allows the connection of additional products or communication devices, or cables, or any accessory or additional product. The lighting fixture

ES 1 050 741 U can have a second connection port adapted to receive a second connector that was in electrical communication with the power outlet when the second connector is connected to the connector and the connector is connected to the connection port. For the rest, the structure and function of the lighting device would be the same as for the lighting device (5) described above with respect to the electronic device (1).

It will be apparent to the person skilled in the art that further changes and modifications can be made to the current concepts that have been described without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the following claims.