Fiber optically lighted food dispenser valve handle assembly
AssigneeGlo-Max Fiber Optic Systems, Inc.
InventorDavid H. Stone
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fiber optically lighted food dispenser valve handle assembly (10) with at least one fiber optic filament (12) with an elongate body extending between a pair of opposite ends (14, 16) means for illuminating (18) including a light source (26) with one of the pair of opposed ends (16) of at least one fiber optic filament (12), a handle grip (20) with an outer surface (22), means at the outer surface (22) such as adhesive material for holding another one of the pair of opposed ends (14) of at least a fiber optic filament (12) to provide end point illumination at the outer surface (22) of the handle grip (20).
Claims18
A fiber optically lighted food dispenser valve handle assembly, comprising:
- at least one fiber optic filament with an elongate body extending between a pair of opposed ends;
- means for illuminating one of the pair of opposed ends of the at least one fiber optic filament;
- a handle grip with an outer surface;
- means at the outer surface for holding another of the pair of opposed ends of the at least one fiber optic filament to provide end point illumination at the outer surface of the handle grip;
- means for holding including a handle body connectable with the handle grip at one end of the handle body and connectable to a valve at another end of the handle body opposite the one end;
- and
- means for mounting at least a part of the elongate fiber optic body extending between the filament end holding means and the illuminating means to the handle body for movement with the handle body and handle grip.
A method of back lighting a food dispenser valve assembly, comprising the steps of:
- mounting a handle to the valve assembly with one end of fiber optic filaments attached to back light at least a portion of the handle from light entering distal ends of the filaments;
- mounting a source of illumination at a location spaced from the valve assembly;
- and
- connecting the distal end of the fiber optic filament adjacent the source of illumination to receive and convey light from the source of illumination, to the handle grip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.