Patent Application
20070053193
“Let there be light”. One of man's early objectives in his attempt to control the forces of nature was to establish dominance over darkness. The first step in this quest was learning how to start a fire. As a result, this control led to the development of candles and oil lanterns. As the world moved into the realm of electricity, these innovations gave rise to the development of electric light or the electric light bulb. Although Thomas Edison of the United States is most widely recognized as the inventor of the light bulb, there were others quite involved in the process as well. As early as 1811, Sir Humphrey Davy discovered that passing an electrical arc between two poles produced light. This technology was actually incorporated into various experimental products what were used in the Place de la Concorde in Paris in 1841, as well as other European and American locations. However, this technology was unreliable in the operational life of the product was rather short. The next monumental step in this inventive process was discovering that electricity passing through a highly resistant conductor would glow white-hot as the heat energy turned into luminous energy. The only hurdle to be overcome was figuring out how to get the filament into an oxygen free environment—as the oxygen would result in allowing the filament to quickly burn up.
Sir Joseph Wilson Swan of England was the first to construct an electric light bulb that included an internal filament. However, Swan was unable to successfully maintain a vacuum in his bulb. As the oxygen was leak into the bulb, Swan's filaments were then consumed. Edison discovered how to successfully maintain a vacuum within a bulb and, on Oct. 21, 1879, he illuminated a carbon filament light bulb that glowed continuously for 40 hours.
Over the years, light has remained a fundamental necessity for modern civilization but, another remarkable development has been realized—the decorative or aesthetic appreciation for the various nuances and characteristics of light. Thus, we now have the appreciation for party lights, laser shows, Christmas lights, lava lamps and even the artistic aspects of lighting in photography, paintings and live art through modification and distortion of light and various light waves.
Another development in lighting technology has been in the ornamental or decorative aspects of light sources. Elaborate lamps chandeliers and light fixtures have been developed to further enhance the aesthetic pleasure in the delivery of light. However, a common problem with chandeliers and light fixtures is the harshness aesthetically displeasing appearance of the light bulb itself. To deliver an adequate amount of light, it is necessary for the light bulb to be visible to the casual observer. One technique that has been used to address this issue has been the development of decorative light bulbs, frosted light bulbs and even light bulbs that are partially opaque. Although this technique has somewhat alleviated the harshness that is apparent when the light bulb is directly visible as well as the aesthetically displeasing appearance, it has not fully addressed and alleviated the issue. Thus, there is a need in the art for a technique to enhance the aesthetic delivery of light.
The present invention solves the above-listed needs in the art, as well as other needs, through providing a system and method for providing indirect lighting that is based on deflecting and/or refracting light waves from a concealed, or at least partially concealed light source. Advantageously, the various embodiments of the present invention allow for an adequate amount of light is able to be delivered to a desired area, without diminishing the aesthetic attributes of the lighting fixture and limiting the harshness attributable to direct lighting.
In one embodiment of the present invention, a light source is embedded within a helmet which results in directing the light waves over light wave manipulation elements so that the light waves are deflected and/or refracted to disperse indirect lighting in proximity to the light source without having the harshness of the direct lighting, or the distraction of the light bulb's visibility. In another embodiment, the invention is incorporated into a light fixture that can be hung on the wall. In yet another embodiment, the invention is incorporated into a chandelier. The invention may also be embodied in a free standing component configuration in which the deflector/refractors are positioned in proximity to the light source but independent from the light source. Such embodiments can be used for providing decorative lighting over a large area, such a building, bill-boards, artwork, etc. Other embodiments can be used to simply light a pathway, or a front porch stoop. Other uses and embodiments of the present invention are also anticipated and will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
The present invention is directed towards a unique and novel approach to providing indirect lighting. One aspect of the present invention includes a concealed light source that directs lights over one or more light controlling or manipulating surfaces. Another aspect of the present invention is a light source that simply directs light waves upward to a light controlling or manipulating surface when then directs the light waves in a downward direction. Another aspect of the present invention is an array of light controlling and/or manipulating elements that can be fixed into position for a particularly desired lighting effect or, that can be manipulated by a user or designer to create varying effects. These and other specific aspects of the present invention will be more fully described with reference to the various figures in which like numerals represent like elements throughout the several views.
A light controlling or manipulation array 120 is placed within the line-of-site of the light waves exiting the helmet 110. The array 120 can consist of one or more surfaces or light wave manipulation elements that can be used to deflect, alter, filter, refract and/or otherwise manipulate the light waves. In the illustrated embodiment, the manipulation elements 121-126 are positioned below the opening 112. At least a portion of the light waves exiting the opening 112 strike the surface of a manipulation element and, depending on the physical characteristics of the manipulation element, the light waves are deflected and/or refracted in one or more directions as illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the array 120 is shown as consisting of a plurality of manipulation elements 121-126. It should be appreciated that the array 120 may take on a variety of shapes, sizes and characteristics. In one embodiment, each of the manipulation elements 121-126 can be moved and repositioned by bending the wire or rod (respectively 131-136) that connects them to a central branch 130. In addition, the central branch 130 or the manipulation elements 121-126 may also be bent or manipulated into various shapes. Thus, it will be appreciated that the array 120 can be adjusted in such a manner to have varying effects on the light waves from the light source 111. In alternative embodiments, the array 120 may be rigid or substantially rigid and forced into a particular configuration that is not readily alterable.
The light wave manipulation elements 121-126 may take on a variety of forms and the various manipulation elements in a single array unit may include uniformly shaped and constructed elements or drastically differing elements. As a non-limiting example, the manipulation elements may be made of materials including transparent material, translucent material and opaque material. The manipulation elements may be made from glass, crystal, gems, stones, plastic, metal, wood or any of a variety of natural or synthetic materials. In addition, each manipulation element may be made of a combination of one or more materials having one or more characteristics. The manipulation elements may also be implemented in a variety of shapes and sizes and be painted using a variety of techniques.
In one embodiment, the deflector/refractor is constructed of a metallic material. The manipulation elements can be formed in the shape of leaves and then painted with a dark color mixed with a lighter reflective color. In another embodiment, the deflector/refractor is constructed of rounded and tinted glass manipulation elements that are all tied together with wires or strings, such as in the shape of a cluster of grapes. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be applied to a variety of different forms for the deflector/refractor array and the present invention should not be limited to any particular configuration or the examples provided herein.
In general, the invention as illustrated in the above-described embodiments basically includes a concealed, or substantially concealed light source, and a deflector/refractor element that allows the light waves from a light source to be redirected in a manner to provide indirect lighting. Advantageously, this embodiment of the present invention allows for the harshness of the direct lighting to be alleviated, as well as the unsightliness of the light source.
The helmet 110 illustrated in
In fixture embodiments that incorporate glass panels, the glass panels may be of any of a variety of forms including, but not limited to clear, seedy, frosted, tinted, water, crackled, painted, beveled, leaded, etc. In fixture embodiments that incorporate solid, non-glass panels, the panels may be of any of a variety of materials including metal, wood, plastic etc. The panels may have holes in them, be partially translucent, include any of a variety of paints and textures, as well as any of a variety of reflective materials.
For embodiments of the present invention that are more component oriented, such as those illustrated in
It should be appreciated that the concealment of the light source is only one aspect of the present invention and other aspects of the invention can be utilized within embodiments that do not include the concealed lighting source aspect.
The present invention may be implemented in a variety of sizes and form factors. For instance, the invention may be incorporated into a multi-light bulb, ballroom chandelier or into a simple, plug in the wall night light.
Various embodiments of the present invention have been described. Examples have been provided for descriptive purposes and the described examples should not be used to limit the scope of the present invention. It is recognized that changes, variations and modifications may be made to the various embodiments of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof.
