Patent Application
20140268816
This present disclosure relates generally to lighting fixtures and methods for providing illumination.
Pendant lights are lighting devices that hang from a ceiling. Typically, a pendant light is supported from a ceiling mount by a cord, chain, or pipe with an upper end attached to the ceiling mount, and a lower end attached to the lighting device. Typically, the lighting device includes shade and a light such as a light bulb. The shade is often in the form of a bulbous glass shade, a cylindrical drum shade, or a conical shade.
There is a need for further lighting fixtures and methods for providing illumination.
In a first aspect, the present disclosure provides a lighting fixture suspendable below a ceiling. The lighting fixture includes an opaque cap disposed generally over a light source and operably attachable below the ceiling, an opaque shield spaced apart below the cap in which the shield comprises at least one aperture, and at least one translucent ornament disposed in the aperture of the shield. Light emitted from the light source is directed generally towards the translucent ornament.
In a second aspect, the present disclosure provides a lighting fixture suspendable below a ceiling. The lighting fixture includes an opaque cap disposed generally over a light source and operably attachable below the ceiling, an opaque shield, and a plurality of elongated members connected at one end to the cap and at a second end to the shield to support an upper portion of the shield spaced apart from a lower portion of the cap.
In a third aspect, the present disclosure provides a lighting fixture suspendable below a ceiling. The lighting fixture includes an opaque cap disposed generally over a light source and operably attachable below the ceiling, an opaque shield spaced apart below the cap, and wherein the shield comprises a plurality of openings therethrough defining a pattern in the shield and the pattern being illuminatable by the light source.
In a fourth aspect, the present disclosure provides a method for providing illumination. The method includes emitting light onto a translucent ornament disposed in an aperture in a shield from an opaque cap suspended from a ceiling and spaced above the opaque shield.
The subject matter which is regarded as the disclosure is particularly pointed out and distinctly claimed in the concluding portion of the specification. The disclosure, however, may best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of various embodiments and the accompanying drawings in which:
Lighting fixture 20 may generally include an opaque cap 30, an opaque shield 50, a plurality of elongated members 70 connecting the cap to the spaced-apart shield, and at least one translucent ornament 80. Opaque cap 30 may be attachable to elongated support 16, and opaque cap 30 may be disposed or extend generally over a light source 18. Opaque cap 30 may include an upper portion 32 for inhibiting transmission of light from light source 18 upwardly, and opaque cap 32 may include a lower portion 34. The light source may be disposed entirely within opaque cap 30 or a portion, such as the lower portion of the light source, may be disposed below lower portion 34.
Opaque shield 50 may be spaced apart below opaque cap 30. Opaque shield 50 may comprise therein an aperture 51. Translucent ornament 80 may be disposed in aperture 51 of shield 50. Light emitted from the light source may be directed generally downwardly towards translucent ornament 80. The ornament may be of any available size. In one example, the ornament may have a length of about 4.3 inched, a width of about 4.3 inches, and a height of about 2 inches. Translucent ornament 80 may comprise a crystal ornament. In addition, the ornament may be a plurality of translucent ornaments.
Plurality of elongated members 70 may include an upper end 72 connectable to cap 30 and a second end 74 connectable to shield 50 to support an upper portion 52 of shield 50 spaced apart from lower portion 34 of cap 30. Elongated members 70 may comprise a plurality of curved elongated member, and the elongated members may be disposed along a non-vertical angle between the cap and the shield.
With reference to
Cap 30 may have a height H1, shield 50 may have a height H2, and height H1 may be greater than such as about twice the height of height H2. Cap 30 may be spaced a vertical distance D from shield 50. Translucent ornament 80 may include a bottom portion 82 that extends a distance H3 below a bottom surface of shield 50. As shown in
With reference still to
As best shown in
The various features of the lighting fixture described above, may be incorporated into the method for providing illumination. For example, the ornament may comprise a crystal. The emitting light may comprise emitting light in a pattern around the translucent ornament, such as though a plurality of openings disposed in the shield as described above. The pattern may comprise a plurality of rays extending out from the translucent ornament, a plurality of generally crisscrossing rays extending out from the translucent ornament, or other patterns and/or combinations thereof.
With reference to the various disclosed embodiments, the shield may comprise a generally convex lower surface. It will be appreciated that the shield may have a box-like configuration, flat configuration, or other suitable configurations, and/or combinations thereof. The cap may comprise a generally convex upper surface. In addition, it will be appreciated that the cap may have a box-like configuration, flat configuration, or other suitable configurations, and/or combinations thereof. The cap, the shield, the ornament, and the light source may be aligned along a longitudinal axis of the lighting fixture.
In the above embodiments of the lighting fixture, light may be emitted downwardly from the ornament and the plurality of openings in the shield as noted by the arrows in the figures. In addition, light may emitted upwardly toward a ceiling by being reflected off the inside surface of the shield and of a top surface of the ornament as noted by the arrows in the figures. The lighting fixture may include one or more ornaments. The ornament or ornaments may refract, emit, and/or reflect light. The ornaments may comprise a plastic, stone, metal, or glass material. The translucent or transparent ornament may comprise a tint or color, for example, blue or red, but may typically be substantially clear. The ornaments may be solid, hollow, or have passageways therethrough, and combinations thereof. The ornaments may be of any available size. In one example, the ornament may have a length of about 4.3 inched, a width of about 4.3 inches, and a height of about 2 inches. The ornaments may be a monolithic structure or comprise a one-piece construction, or formed from several separate pieces. The ornaments may be double-pointed, tetrahedrons, polyhedrons, or have other faceted configurations. The ornament or ornaments may be observable to observers when the lighting fixture is viewed from below or from below and to the side. The light source may be or may not be observable to observers when the lighting fixture is viewed from below or from below and to the side.
In the above embodiments of the lighting fixture, the cap and the shield may be formed from a transparent, opaque or non-translucent material, portions which are transparent or opaque, and combination thereof. The cap and shield may have outer colored surfaces, such as black, white, grey, or other suitable colors, and combinations thereof. The cap and shield may have different colors. The cap and the shield may be a monolithic structure or comprise a one-piece construction, or formed from several separate pieces. The plurality of openings in the shield may be extend generally along the entire shield or extend along a portion of the shield, and may be elongated, have other configurations, and combinations thereof. The cap and shield may be formed from a metallic, plastic, other suitable materials, or combinations thereof. The cap and shield may be of any available size. In one example, the cap and the shield may be formed from a material generally having a thickness of about 0.04 inch. The shape of peripherally-extending edge of the cap and the shield may be generally square, or may be circular, oval, triangular, rectangular, polygonal, or other configuration, and combinations thereof. The peripherally-extending edge of the cap and the shield may comprise a similar shape or may be different. The light source may be an LED or light emitting diode light source, incandescent, florescent, or other suitable light sources, and combinations thereof.
The various embodiments of the lighting fixture may be suitable for installation in various environments such as in dining spaces, and above counters, bars and large tables. In one aspect, the square shape of the lighting fixture may compliment the ornaments such as a square crystal. In addition, different surface colorings or finish between the cap, the shield, and the ornament may provide contrast in the lighting fixtures.
It is to be understood that the above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. For example, the above-described embodiments and/or aspects thereof may be used in combination with each other. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the various embodiments without departing from their scope.
While the dimensions and types of materials described herein are intended to define the parameters of the various embodiments, they are by no means limiting and are merely exemplary. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reviewing the above description. The scope of the various embodiments should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.
In the appended claims, the terms “including” and “in which” are used as the plain-English equivalents of the respective terms “comprising” and “wherein.” Moreover, in the following claims, the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” etc. are used merely as labels, and are not intended to impose numerical requirements on their objects. Further, the limitations of the following claims are not written in means-plus-function format and are not intended to be interpreted based on 35 U.S.C. §112, sixth paragraph, unless and until such claim limitations expressly use the phrase “means for” followed by a statement of function void of further structure.
It is to be understood that not necessarily all such objects or advantages described above may be achieved in accordance with any particular embodiment. Thus, for example, those skilled in the art will recognize that the systems and techniques described herein may be embodied or carried out in a manner that achieves or optimizes one advantage or group of advantages as taught herein without necessarily achieving other objects or advantages as may be taught or suggested herein.
While the invention has been described in detail in connection with only a limited number of embodiments, it should be readily understood that the invention is not limited to such disclosed embodiments. Rather, the invention can be modified to incorporate any number of variations, alterations, substitutions, or equivalent arrangements not heretofore described, but which are commensurate with the spirit and scope of the invention. Additionally, while various embodiments of the invention have been described, it is to be understood that aspects of the disclosure may include only some of the described embodiments. Accordingly, the invention is not to be seen as limited by the foregoing description, but is only limited by the scope of the appended claims.
This written description uses examples to disclose the invention, and also to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, including making and using any devices or systems and performing any incorporated methods. The patentable scope of the invention is defined by the claims, and may include other examples that occur to those skilled in the art. Such other examples are intended to be within the scope of the claims if they have structural elements that do not differ from the literal language of the claims, or if they include equivalent structural elements with insubstantial differences from the literal language of the claims.
This application contains subject matter which is related to the subject matter of commonly assigned and co-filed U.S. Design patent application Ser. No. ______, entitled “Light Fixture” by Stefano Ricci, (atty. dock. no. 2350.3003), which is hereby incorporated in its entirety herein by reference.
