Illumination – Supports – Standard-type support
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-19
2001-04-17
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Supports
Standard-type support
C362S276000, C362S802000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217199
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a lamp generally, and more particularly to an improved torchiere-style lamp having safety features to prevent risk of fire and injury to persons.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Many improvements have been made to enhance the safety of halogen lamps and particularly halogen torchiere-style floor lamps. For example, various different types of guards which extend over the halogen bulb to prevent flammable material from coming in close contact therewith are known and described in several U.S. patents, including commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,863,111. Also disclosed in the '111 patent is the use of a thermostatic switch positioned within the lamp shade which terminates power to the bulb should a predetermined temperature be reached. In this way, fires can be avoided should a flammable material get draped across the shade opening preventing heat generated by the halogen bulb from escaping the lamp shade.
Another prior art patent describing a fire-safe halogen torchiere lamp is U.S. Pat. No. 5,801,490. The '490 patent discloses use of a shielded thermostatic switch within the lamp having a function similar to that described in the '111 patent. As illustrated in FIG. 2 of the '490 patent, a prior art halogen torchiere lamp includes a domed or convex wire guard extending over the lampshade opening to keep combustible materials a safe distance from the heat source, i.e., the halogen bulb. Such a convex shaped grill makes the lamp less appealing by making the grill visible.
Underwriters Laboratory (U.L.) has been instrumental in making halogen torchiere-style floor lamps safer to use. U.L. has revised its testing parameters several times to ensure that the lamps will operate safely in a consumer's home. The latest suggested revision to halogen torchiere-style lamp design, U.L. 153, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference, proposes several changes including requiring the halogen bulb be a minimum of 3 inches (76 mm) from a midpoint on the length of the bulb, measured from the top of the bulb containment barrier to the wire guard which extends across the shade opening that combustibles are able to contact. Furthermore, the distance from the ends of the lamp containment barrier to any point on the wire guard that combustibles are able to contact shall be a minimum 2⅜ inches (60 mm). Yet another proposed requirement to gain U.L. approval will be the installation of a tip-over switch which would de-energize the unit when tipped beyond the angle that the unit would right itself. Accordingly, the present invention is directed to providing improved safety features for the halogen torchiere-style lamps in an effort to reduce the risk of fire and injury to persons without degrading either the appearance of the lamp or the light cast by the lamp.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp which meets or exceeds all proposed U.L. requirements.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp in which a wire guard extends substantially across the entire shade opening.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp having a substantially flat wire guard with relatively small openings hingedly affixed to the shade opening.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp which includes a safety thermostat and/or a tip-over switch to terminate power to the unit should an unsafe condition exist.
It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp design in which the distance from a center point of the top surface of the halogen bulb containment barrier is at least three (3) inches (76 mm) to any point on the protective guard which extends across the opening of the lamp shade that combustibles are able to contact.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp design in which the distance from an end of a lamp containment barrier to any point on the protective guard that combustibles are able to contact is at least 2{fraction (
3
/
8
)} inches (60 mm).
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp having a shade assembly including an upper shade portion and a lower shade portion and further including a safety switch to terminate power to the unit if the upper and lower shade portions are not properly assembled.
It is still a further object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp which is easy to assemble without the use of tools.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a torchiere-style floor lamp design having a required minimum distance between the bulb containment barrier and any point on the wire guard that combustibles are able to contact and substantially fit within the packaging (foam insert and box) currently being used with these types of prior art lamps.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
According to the lamp of the present invention, the lamp includes a base for supporting the lamp on a surface, a shade assembly, and a stem having a first end extending upwardly from the base and a second end attached to the shade assembly. The lamp further includes a light socket positioned within the shade assembly and an electrical circuit for providing power to the light socket. The shade assembly includes a lower shade portion or shade support and an upper shade portion attachable to the shade support and forming an interface therebetween. The lamp is provided with a means for determining whether the upper shade portion is properly positioned on the lower shade portion. The electrical circuit includes means responsive to the determining means for permitting power to flow to the light socket to illuminate the light bulb only when the shade assembly is properly assembled. The determining means and responsive means are preferably in the form of a safety interface device, such as a safety switch device or electrical connector device is provided at the interface of the shade support and the upper shade portion such that upon proper assembly of the shade assembly, power is permitted to flow through the electrical circuit and illuminate the light bulb. In the case of a push-button switch , the actuator of the switch is moved from its normal position to a closed position, i.e., from a normally open circuit to a closed circuit when the shade assembly is properly assembled. The switch device is provided within the electrical circuit such that power to the light socket is terminated or de-energized unless the upper shade portion is properly affixed to the shade support. In other words, power is supplied to illuminate the light bulb only if the shade assembly is properly assembled.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the safety switch is a push-button switch and, more particularly, a pressure-sensitive switch, although any type of switch device may be used. The pressure-sensitive switch requires a predetermined force to be applied to the actuator to effect a change of conductive state of the switch from its normal position i.e., an open circuit to its closed position, i.e., a closed circuit thereby permitting power to flow to the light socket to illuminate a bulb therein.
In an alternative embodiment, the shade assembly interface safety device is a connector having a male connector portion and a female connector portion affixed to the upper and lower shade portions. The connector is preferably a two-prong male plug connector and mating female receptacle such that when the plug connector is inserted into the female receptacle, power is permitted to flow through the connector and illuminate the light bulb. If the shade assembly is disassembled, i.e., the upper and lower shade portions are taken apart, the male plug is an open circuit and the light cannot be operated, thus ensuring that the shade assembly be properly assembled with the male plug and female recep
Lo David
Marino Francis E.
Hoffmann & Baron , LLP
Marino Francis E.
O'Shea Sandra
Sawhney Hargobind S.
The Holmes Group, Inc.
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