Lighting apparatus for incorporation into walls, panels, ceilings, floors or similar structures

• US 20050060949A1
• Filed: 09/17/2002
• Published: 03/24/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/17/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Donald Stephen Fraser Mcnaught
• Original Assignee: Donald Stephen Fraser Mcnaught
• Inventors: McNaught, Donald Stephen Fraser
• Granted Patent: US 7,494,258 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 52/28
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/022 intended to be recessed in a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement or false floor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols

Abstract

A lighting apparatus (10) is described for incorporation into a tiled wall, panel, ceiling, floor or similar structure (38,40). The apparatus comprises: a reflector unit (12, 14) that has at least one reflective surface (24, 26) for location behind the surface of the structure and an external light-transmissive face (14) for location generally flush with the surface of the structure; and means (28) for coupling an end of a fibre-optic cable (32) having a multiplicity of optical fibres (34) to the reflector unit behind the surface of the structure so that light projecting from the ends of the fibres enters the reflector unit and is reflected by the reflective surface(s) so as to provide substantially uniform illumination across the light-transmissive face. The reflector unit is formed with an external flange (20) generally parallel to the light-transmissive face. This facilitates positive fixing of the apparatus to the substrate of the wall or ceiling, for example using tile cement, and enables repositioning of the apparatus and surrounding tiles until the cement is dry.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus (10;

50) for incorporation into a wall, panel, ceiling, floor or similar structure (38,40), the apparatus comprising;

a reflector unit (12,14;

52,54) that has at least one reflective surface (24,26) for location behind the surface of the structure and an external light-transmissive face (14;

52) for location generally flush with the surface of the structure;

means (28) for coupling an end of a fibre-optic cable (32) having a multiplicity of optical fibres (34) to the reflector unit behind the surface of the structure so that light projecting from the ends of the fibres enters the reflector unit and is reflected by the reflective surface(s) so as to provide substantially uniform illumination across the light-transmissive face; and

,

the coupling means is arranged to locate the ends of the fibres so that their overall cross-section is as a ribbon.

2. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the coupling means is arranged to locate the ends of the fibres in a single row or relatively few rows.

3. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the depth (D) of the reflector unit behind the surface of the structure is substantially less than any dimension of the light-transmissive face across the face.

4. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflector unit (52,54) comprises a solid block (52) of light-transmissive material, one surface of the block providing the light-transmissive face, at least one other surface of the block providing the reflective surface(s) by internal reflection within the block, and a further surface of the block being arranged to receive light from the ends of the optical fibres.

5. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the reflector unit is formed with an external flange (20) generally parallel to the light-transmissive face.

18. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein one reflective surface of the reflector unit is opposite said external light-transmissive face of the reflector unit.

19. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein one reflective surface of the reflector unit is smooth.

20. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein one reflective surface of the reflector unit is concave.

21. An apparatus as claimed in claim 18, wherein one reflective surface of the reflector unit is opaque.

22. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light-transmissive face is smooth.

23. An apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the block has first and second layers of different shapes.

6. A lighting apparatus (10;

50;

70) for incorporation into a wall, panel, ceiling, floor or similar structure (38,40), the apparatus comprising;

a reflector unit (12,14;

52,54) that has at least one reflective surface (24,26) for location behind the surface of the structure and an external light-transmissive face (14;

52) for location generally flush with the surface of the structure;

means (28;

80) for coupling an end of a fibre-optic cable (32) having a multiplicity of optical fibres (34) to the reflector unit behind the surface of the structure so that light projecting from the ends of the fibres enters the reflector unit and is reflected by the reflective surface(s) so as to provide substantially uniform illumination across the light-transmissive face; and

,

the reflector unit is formed with an external flange (20) generally parallel to the light-transmissive face.

7. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the flange lies behind the light-transmissive face.

8. An apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reflector unit (12,14) comprises:

a hollow box (12), the box having at least one wall (24,26) providing the reflective surface(s), an opening (28) arranged to receive light from the optical fibres, and an open side (16); and

a light-transmissive plate (14) closing the open side of the box and providing the light-transmissive face.

9. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further including a light-transmissive element (30) extending across and sealing the opening.

10. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light-transmissive plate seals the open side of the box.

11. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the flange is provided by a marginal edge of the light-transmissive plate extending beyond the sides of the box,

12. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a mounting frame (84) having an opening (86) sized and shaped to receive the outline of the reflector unit behind the flange.

24. An apparatus as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light-transmissive plate has first end second layers of different shapes.

13. A wall, panel, ceiling, floor or similar structure having:

a substrate (40);

a lighting apparatus (10;

50;

70) embedded in the substrate;

an arrangement of tiles (38) affixed to the substrate and surrounding and generally flush with the light-transmissive face;

a fibre-optic cable (32) having a multiplicity of optical fibres (34) coupled at one end to the coupling means; and

a light source for shining light into the other end of the fibre-optic cable.

14. A structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein the fibre optic cable extends as a ribbon between the substrate and at least one of the tiles adjacent the light-transmissive face.

15. A structure as claimed in claim 13, wherein a reflector unit is disposed in an opening (42) or recess in the substrate, and the rear of a flange is affixed to the substrate around the opening or recess.

16. A structure as claimed in claim 15, wherein the reflector unit (70) is disposed in an opening (42) or recess in the substrate, the mounting frame is disposed between the rear of the flange and the substrate around the opening 15 or recess.

17. A panel having:

a hole therethrough;

a lighting apparatus (10;

50;

70) mounted behind the panel and having the light-transmissive face filling the hole, the front face of the flange or frame being secured to the rear of the panel around the opening;

a fibre-optic cable (32) having a multiplicity of optical fibres (34) coupled at one end to the coupling means; and

a light source for shining light into the other end of the fibre-optic cable.