Patent Application
20120275169
The present invention relates to an improved lamp shade and in particular, to a lamp shade that is collapsible and formed of a number of parts that can easily and quickly be assembled.
There are wide range of different lighting products including desk lamps and floor lamps, as well as track lighting fixtures and the like. Desk lamps have been used for desks, offices and studies so as to provide illumination for reading or other purposes and so that one's eyesight is not weakened by the insufficiency of illumination. Hence, these types of lighting products are useful and needed.
Traditional lamp shades structures are constructed from rigid frames surrounded in fabric. One type of lamp shade is made from an upper ring and a lower ring connected by a rigid fabric or by flexible fabric held with supporting rods. The supporting rods usually accept a compression force and the flexible fabric usually accepts a tensile force. The construction of a lamp shade having supporting rods often requires the rods to be connected to the fabric. The fabric is sometimes sewn around the rod. As a result of the structure being constructed as a unit, the lamp shade requires substantial volume.
It would therefore be advantageous to provide a lamp shade that is collapsible so as to reduce the space needed.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, a collapsible lamp shade includes a bottom ring having a first periphery and three pairs of bottom clips affixed to the bottom ring. Each bottom clip has respective legs extending from a central base so as to define a c-shaped receptacle having an opening. The opening of the bottom clip is oriented both upwardly and outwardly and one of the legs of each bottom clip is affixed within the first periphery of the bottom ring at a union of the base and one leg thereof. The other leg of each bottom clip extends inwardly and is free of attachment to the bottom ring. Each pairs of bottom clips are affixed to the bottom ring is substantially uniformly spaced from the other pairs of bottom clips that are affixed to the bottom ring.
The lamp shade further includes a top ring having a second periphery that is smaller than the first periphery and three top clips affixed to the top ring. Each top clip has respective legs extending from a central base so as to define a c-shaped receptacle having an opening. The opening of the top-clip is oriented both downwardly and outwardly. One of the legs of each top clip is affixed within the second periphery of the top ring at a union of the base and one leg thereof. The other leg of each top clip extends inwardly and is free of attachment to the top ring. The top clips are substantially uniformly spaced from one another along the top ring.
The lamp shade also includes a fabric shade attached to the top and bottom rings. Three frame members are provided and each has a lower segment, an upper segment and first and second arms each having a length extending therebetween. The lower segment of each frame member extends between the first and second arms and has at least a portion sized to be seatable in one pair of the bottom clips. Similarly, the upper segment of each frame member extends between the first and second arms and has at least a portion sized to be seatable in one of the top clips.
The length of the first and second arms of each frame member is just sufficient to tautly extend the fabric shade between the bottom and top rings when the lower and upper segments are seated in respective bottom and top clips.
These and other aspects, features and advantages shall be apparent from the accompanying Drawings and description of certain embodiments of the invention.
When the lamp shade 100 is cylindrical in shape, the upper rigid structure 110 is in the form of an upper ring and the lower rigid structure 150 is in the form of a lower ring. The upper rigid structure 110 and the lower rigid structure 150 are thus both continuous structures. It will be appreciated that the upper ring 110 has a first periphery (e.g., a first diameter) and the lower ring 150 has a second periphery (e.g., a second diameter), with the first periphery being less than the second periphery.
The upper ring 110 includes an upper surface 112 and an opposing lower surface 114 and the lower ring 150 includes an upper surface 152 and an opposing lower surface 154. The upper surface 152 faces the lower surface 114 in the assembled lamp shade 100. The upper ring 110 also preferably includes an inner support structure 250 in the form of a center hub 252. The center hub 252 is attached to the upper ring 110 by means of a plurality of spokes 255 that extend radially outward from the center hub 252 and attach to the upper ring 110. The center hub 252 can be a disk-shaped member with a center opening or bore 254 formed therein for receiving mounting hardware that is often associated with a socket and base of a lamp.
The upper ring 110 and lower ring 150 can be formed of any number of different, including but not limited to metal. In the illustrated embodiment, the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 150 comprise round metal wire-like structures. It will be appreciated that the rings 110, 150 do not have to have round (circular) shapes but instead, the rings 110, 150 can have one or more flat surface.
The upper ring 110 includes a plurality of first (top) clips 300 that extend outwardly therefrom. In particular, the first clips 300 extend outwardly (downwardly) from the lower surface 114 and define a clip opening 310 that receives a portion of one frame member 200 for coupling the frame member 200 to the upper ring 110.
In one embodiment, each top clip 300 has a C-shape and is defined by a pair of spaced legs 320 that extend radially outward from the top clip 300. The opening 310 is defined between the legs 320. In one embodiment, a portion of the upper ring 110 that is between the two legs 320 represents a base of the clip 300. In other words, the legs 320 are integrally formed within the upper ring 110 as a part thereof.
Alternatively, as shown in the figures (e.g.,
The clip 300 can be formed and positioned so that the opening 310 not only is oriented downwardly but is also oriented outwardly as best shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, there is one top clip 300 for each frame member 200. When the upper ring 110 includes the support structure 250, the top clips 300 are spaced from and offset from the spokes 255. The illustrated embodiment includes three top clips 300 that can be uniformly spaced about the upper ring 110. Each top clip 300 can be disposed centrally between adjacent, spaced spokes 255.
The base portion 330 is complimentary to the shape of the frame member 200 and thus can be a rounded surface to accommodate a round frame member 200.
The lower ring 150 can have a similar construction to the upper ring 110. In particular, the lower ring 150 can have a plurality of second (bottom) clips 400 that extend outwardly therefrom. In particular, the second clips 400 extend outwardly (downwardly) from the upper surface 152 and define a clip opening 410 that receives a portion of one frame member 200 for coupling the frame member 200 to the lower ring 150.
In one embodiment (
Alternatively, as shown in the figures, the bottom clip 400 includes a base portion 430 that extends between the legs 420 and defines in part the opening 410. In other words, the bottom clip 400 can be a separate structure (C-shaped or U-shaped) that is attached to the upper surface 152 of the lower ring 150 so that the legs 420 extend downwardly therefrom as illustrated. Any number of different types of bonding or attachment techniques can be used to attach the bottom clip 400 to the bottom ring 150. For example, the bottom clip 400 can be welded to the lower ring 150 when both the clip 400 and the lower ring 150 are formed of metal.
The clip 400 can be formed and positioned so that the opening 410 not only is oriented upwardly but is also oriented outwardly as best shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, there is a pair of bottom clips 400 for each frame member 200. The illustrated embodiment includes three pairs of bottom clips 400 that can be uniformly spaced about the lower ring 150.
The lengths of the arms 230 of each frame member 200 is just sufficient to tautly extend the shade material (e.g., fabric material) between the upper ring 110 and the lower ring 150 when the upper and lower segments 210, 220, respectively, are seated in respective top and bottom clips 300, 400.
In the illustrated embodiment, there are three sets of bottom clips 400. The pairs of bottom clips 400 can be uniformly disposed about the periphery of the lower ring 150. Each set of bottom clips 400 is designed to engage and capture the lower segment 220 and therefore, the pair of bottom clips 400 are spaced apart a distance that is less than the length of the lower segment 220.
As shown in
As shown in
The assembly of the lamp shade 100 is now described. To assemble the lamp shade 100, the upper ring 110 and lower ring 150 and frame members 200 are assembled to form the structure shown in
While the invention has been described in connection with certain embodiments thereof, the invention is capable of being practiced in other forms and using other materials and structures. Accordingly, the invention is defined by the recitations in the claims appended hereto and equivalents thereof.
