Claims
- 1. A lighting apparatus for receiving an elongated light source, comprising:
an elongated member having a cavity for receiving the elongated light source, the cavity being at least partially defined by a first material that is at least partially transparent and extends from the cavity to an outer surface of the elongated member, the elongated member having one or more legs that are adapted to secure the elongated member to a substrate.
- 2. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the elongated member includes a second material that is substantially non-transparent.
- 3. A lighting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first material and the second material are integrally formed.
- 4. A lighting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein the first material and the second material are formed separately and subsequently secured together.
- 5. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein selected legs include a tooth that extends laterally away from the leg.
- 6. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the elongated member includes two or more legs each having a tooth that extends laterally away form the leg, each tooth being adapted to engage a back side of the substrate after the two or more legs are inserted through a hole in the substrate.
- 7. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more legs extend continuously along the length of the elongated member.
- 8. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the one or more legs are spaced along the length of the elongated member.
- 9. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the elongated light source is an electro-luminescent wire.
- 10. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the elongated light source is a linear emitting fiber.
- 11. A lighting apparatus for receiving an elongated light source, comprising:
an elongated member having a cavity for receiving the elongated light source, the elongated member having one or more legs each with one or more substrate engagers, wherein the one or more substrate engagers are adapted to engage a back side of the substrate after the one or more legs are inserted through a hole in the substrate.
- 12. A lighting apparatus for receiving an elongated light source, comprising:
an elongated body having an upper surface and one or more other surfaces, the elongated body further having a cavity for receiving the elongated light source, wherein the cavity is at least partially defined by a material that is at least partially transparent which extends from the cavity to the upper surface of the elongated member; and one or more legs that extend out from one or more of the other surfaces of the elongated body.
- 13. A lighting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the one or more legs extend out into a substrate to help secure the elongated member to the substrate.
- 14. A lighting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the elongated body is made from a material having elastomeric properties.
- 15. A lighting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein the elongated body includes a removable portion that includes the cavity, the removable portion being adapted to be selectively removable from the remainder of the elongated body.
- 16. A lighting apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the removable portion includes a different material than the remainder of the elongated body.
- 17. A lighting apparatus according to claim 15 wherein the removable portion includes a material that is less elastomeric than the remainder of the elongated body.
- 18. A lighting apparatus for a substrate, comprising:
an elongated member positioned in the substrate, the elongated member having a cavity for receiving the elongated light source, and one or more legs that extend out into the substrate to help secure the elongated member to the substrate.
- 19. A lighting apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the cavity is at least partially defined by a material that is at least partially transparent which extends from the cavity to a first outer surface of the elongated member, wherein the first outer surface is visible from outside of the substrate.
- 20. A lighting apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the substrate includes a material that can be initially provided in a liquid or semi-liquid state, and then cured or hardened to a more solid state around the one or more legs of the elongated member.
- 21. A lighting apparatus according to claim 18 wherein the elongated light source is an electro-luminescent wire.
- 22. A lighting apparatus according to claim 18, wherein the elongated light source is a linear emitting fiber.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of co-pending U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/991,078, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/372,643, both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Continuation in Parts (2)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09991078 |
Nov 2001 |
US |
Child |
10075488 |
Feb 2002 |
US |
Parent |
09372643 |
Aug 1999 |
US |
Child |
09991078 |
Nov 2001 |
US |