Illumination – With static structure – Wall or ceiling
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-01
2001-05-22
Sember, Thomas M. (Department: 2875)
Illumination
With static structure
Wall or ceiling
C362S290000, C362S291000, C362S147000, C362S240000, C362S237000, C362S241000, C362S247000, C362S260000, C362S364000, C362S342000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06234643
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture that provides for multi-focus (direct and indirect) lighting to a ceiling, walls and a floor within a room, using straight, curved, segmented, stippled or parabolic reflectors having direct/indirect reflectors thereon. More particularly, the direct/indirect reflectors provide for a reduction in glare, give more even lighting and an elimination of shadows on walls and the ceiling within a room.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Lay-in/recessed lighting fixtures having parabolic reflector louvers for direct room lighting and pendant mounted suspended fixtures having indirect or direct/indirect distribution are well known in the art. These types of lighting fixtures have one or more of the following disadvantages with their use:
1. An uneven illumination of light within a room which produces a cave or shadow effect and darkspots on the walls and ceiling of the room;
2. A glare effect caused by the direct and/or indirect fluorescent lighting off of the reflected surface;
3. This glare effect causes eye strain on the computer operator as the light reflects off of the video display terminal (VDT) on a computer monitor;
4. These lay-in/recessed parabolic lighting fixtures use a deep recess depth and conflict with HVAC ducting which takes a lot of space in the ceiling cavity or plenum above the lighting fixtures;
5. These lighting fixtures have high energy consumption levels;
6. These pendant mounted lighting fixtures have high installation costs; and
7. These parabolic lighting fixtures decrease work productivity as the light from the fixtures cause eye strain and headaches as the user's eyes are continually focusing and defocusing because of the contrast between high illuminance on horizontal and low vertical planes and low illuminance on ceilings and high vertical planes.
There remains a need for a direct/indirect lighting fixture that provides multi-focus lighting to walls, ceiling and floor areas within a room using straight, curved, segmented, stippled or parabolic reflectors having indirect reflectors thereon. Additionally, the indirect reflectors will provide for a uniformity of illumination within a room by eliminating darkspots and shadow effects to the room and reducing glare of the fluorescent lamps within the lighting fixture.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
Lighting fixtures having straight, curved or parabolic reflectors within a louvered grid of various designs, styles and materials of construction have been disclosed in the prior art.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,272,607 discloses a lighting fixture suspendable from a ceiling with two fixture parts. A reflector is placed above the fixture parts so that upwardly radiating light is downwardly directed by the reflector. The glass reflector may be slightly concave or parabolic. The light gets reflected primarily obliquely and downwardly to provide direct downlight in a non-glaring manner. This prior art patent does not disclose a lighting fixture having indirect reflectors thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,344,111 discusses a lighting fixture using eight curved reflectors surrounding a light bulb, to allow the upward projection of light for downward reflection from a ceiling onto a work area or work surface below. The eight interrelated curved reflectors include two side segments, two end segments, and four corner segments. The light is reflected in a generally circular pattern of even intensity. The unit can also be used to project light downwardly or horizontally, if desired. This prior art structure is different than the structure of the present invention of a lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,751,626 discloses first and second reflectors which each possess reflecting surfaces that are parabolic. A cross baffle is placed above and between the reflectors to prevent bright spots above the cut-off angle of light being projected. This patent does not disclose the structure or features of the present invention of a lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon for giving off upwardly radiating light combined with downlighting.
None of the aforementioned prior art patents disclose the lighting fixture of the present invention having direct/indirect reflectors thereon for reducing glare and eliminating darkspots on walls and the ceiling of a room, and for providing more uniform room illumination.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture that gives multi-focus (direct and indirect) lighting to a ceiling, a floor and walls within a room using straight, curved, segmented, stippled or parabolic reflectors having direct/indirect reflectors thereon.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon for reducing energy consumption, for increasing lighting efficiency and for further reducing systems installation costs.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that produces uniform lighting within a room.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that eliminates a cave or shadow effect and/or darkspots on the walls, ceiling or floor of a room.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that reduces the glare effect caused by the direct and indirect lighting of the fluorescent lamps from conventional parabolic reflectors and indirect pendant mounted light fixtures.
Another object of the present invention is to provide lay-in/recessed fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon for increasing work productivity by eliminating the glare on VDT of computer monitors which reduces eye strain and headaches due to the continually focusing and defocusing of the user's eyes on the VDT screen via the cut-off angles and uniformity of the reflective (indirect) light that is given off by the indirect reflectors.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that reduces purchase costs over pendant mounted indirect or direct/indirect lighting fixtures.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that reduces plenum depth encroachment, as current HVAC systems utilize a large portion of the above ceiling space which conflicts with conventional lighting fixture placement within the ceiling space area.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that is compatible with the latest technology in lamp and ballast combinations using tubular fluorescent lamps such as T-8/magnetic and electronic; T-5/electronic; bi-axial/magnetic and electronic; compact fluorescent/magnetic and electronic; circular fluorescent/magnetic and electronic; and high intensity discharge/magnetic and electronic.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a lay-in/recessed lighting fixture having direct/indirect reflectors thereon that can be mass produced in automated and economical manner, and is cost efficient for the user.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a lighting fixture for reducing glare and darkspots on ceilings and walls. The lighting fixture includes a louver housing for supporting a plurality of fluorescent or high intensity discharge lamps.
The lighting fixture further includes a first set of direct focusing, elongated, parallel, and spaced-apart reflectors; and a second set of elongated, parallel, and spaced-apart reflectors intersecting the first set of reflectors at a 90° degree angle for forming an open reflector grid therein. The open parabolic reflector grid includes four outer side walls. The open reflector grid
Sember Thomas M.
Sutton Ezra
Ton Anabel
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