Illumination – Light source and modifier – Plural serial lens elements or components
Reexamination Certificate
1999-05-07
2001-06-12
O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Light source and modifier
Plural serial lens elements or components
C362S368000, C362S455000, C359S892000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06244730
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to lighting fixtures such as spotlights and floodlights. It relates more particularly to spotlights having removable light guides.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It has long been known to provide sources of artificial light (e.g., spotlights and floodlights) with light guiding devices, or light guides, such as louvers, lenses and color filters. While the term “spotlight” is used consistently below, it shall be understood to be a general reference to include floodlights and other similar light sources as well.
Such light guides are typically supported and positioned within an extender, a generally tubular member configured as an extension of a lens holder projecting outwardly from the region of a lens positioned in front of a lamp. In the past, light guides were generally installed in an extender through an open end of the extender opposite the lamp, preferably by carefully dropping the light guide (which may be, e.g., a delicate glass color filter) into the extender while the extender is vertically disposed, allowing the light guide to rest upon a support device (e.g., a flange or a retaining ring), and securing the light guide in place with a retaining device (e.g., a retaining ring or set of spaced-apart retaining tabs).
Removal of a light guide (e.g., to replace a color filter with another of a differing color) is performed in the reverse order. For spotlights having more than one light guide (e.g., a color filter, a louver for glare control, and a lens), the outermost light guides must first be removed to gain access to an innermost light guide (i.e., the light guide positioned nearest the lamp and farthest from the open end of the extender). Since most spotlights are placed in elevated positions, access to the spotlight for light guide removal or installation may be difficult to begin with, a situation which is greatly exacerbated by difficulties likely in removing and installing large light guides and retaining rings within the interior of an extender, particularly if the spotlight cannot be repositioned with the open end of the extender facing upward so gravity can assist in installation.
It would be advantageous to provide an extender for a spotlight which provides quick and easy access to light guides. It would also be advantageous to provide an extender for a spotlight which allows removal and installation of individual light guides without the need for handling or disturbing other light guides.
SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION
The present invention relates to a spotlight assembly, including a spotlight energizeable to transmit a beam of light and having a lens frame configured to support a lens, and a cylinder coupled to the lens frame and adapted to receive at least one light guide through an opening in a sidewall of the cylinder.
The present invention also relates to an extender for a spotlight configured to generate a beam of light, the spotlight having a first shell to support a reflector and a lamp and a light emitting opening, and a second shell for enclosing the opening, wherein the second shell has a transparent window through which the light beam is transmitted out of the first shell, the extender including a first shell configured to receive and support a plurality of light guides to be spaced along the light beam inside the first shell, and a mounting bracket affixed to the first shell and couplable to an outer surface of the transparent window, wherein the first shell has at least one opening disposed to receive at least one of said plurality of light guides for insertion into the first shell in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axis of the light beam.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4187534 (1980-02-01), Tichenor et al.
patent: 4519020 (1985-05-01), Little
patent: 5951137 (1999-09-01), Bortz
patent: 6092914 (2000-07-01), Esakoff et al.
Goldberg Richard D.
Yantz Rupert O.
Foley & Lardner
O'Shea Sandra
Phoenix Products Company, Inc.
Ward John Anthony
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