Light shades and lighting systems

• US 20060158888A1
• Filed: 01/19/2005
• Published: 07/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Jessica Wang
• Original Assignee: Jessica Wang
• Inventors: Wang, Jessica
• Granted Patent: US 7,303,312 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/351
• CPC Class Codes: A47G 33/0836 comprising means for attaching to a lamp or candle holder, e.g. reflectors, lamp shades
• CPC Class Codes: B44C 5/005 comprising inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B44F 1/06 produced by transmitted light, e.g. transparencies, imitations of glass paintings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/10 with light sources attached to loose electric cables, e.g. Christmas tree lights
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0824 Ground spikes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/807 Star
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/808 Figure

Abstract

Light shades and lighting systems that create a spectral effect when a lighting element is illuminated within the shade, and features that reflect light originating within the shade. Embodiments of the invention incorporate hollow body having a diffraction grating thereon and an internal cavity to retain one or more lighting elements, and in some instances, to also retain one or more lengths of conductor.

Claims

1. A shade for use with at least one lighting element, the shade comprising:

a body having an internal cavity large enough for at least one lighting element to be positioned therein, at least a portion of the body being configured to allow light from inside the body to escape therefrom, at least a portion of the body having features thereon for breaking up light to create a spectral effect, and the body having an opening therein configured to allow a conductor to be routed to the at least one lighting element when the at least one lighting element is positioned in the internal cavity.

2. The shade of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the body has a reflective finish configured to reflect light originating within the body back into the body, and the features for breaking up light are located on a second portion of the body.

3. The shade of claim 2 wherein the reflective finish is located on a sheet of material affixed to an external surface of the body.

4. The shade of claim 1 wherein a first portion of the body has a reflective finish, and the features for breaking up light are located on a second portion of the body.

5. The shade of claim 1 wherein at least some of the features for breaking up light are located on a sheet of material affixed to a surface of the body.

6. The shade of claim 1 wherein the body comprises a pair of complementary portions adjoined by a hinging means.

7. The shade of claim 1 wherein the body is an assembly of a plurality of parts.

8. The shade of claim 1 wherein the body is an assembly of two complementary parts.

9. The shade of claim 1 wherein the body is an assembly of two complementary parts, at least one of the parts being formed in three dimensions.

10. The shade of claim 1 wherein the body comprises similarly-shaped parts with at least one frame member positioned between them.

11. The shade of claim 1 wherein the portion of the body configured to allow light to escape from the body comprises a translucent sheet of material.

12. The shade of claim 11 wherein the translucent sheet of material is transparent.

13. The shade of claim 1 wherein the portion of the body configured to allow light to escape from the body comprises a translucent sheet of material having light-refracting features thereon.

14. The shade of claim 1 wherein the cavity is large enough to hold a plurality of lighting elements and a conductor connecting the lighting elements together.

15. A lighting device comprising:

at least one lighting element;

a conductor configured to couple the at least one lighting element to a source of electricity; and

a light shade having a body with an internal cavity within which at least one lighting element is positioned, at least a portion of the body being configured to allow light from inside the body to escape therefrom, at least a portion of the body having features thereon for breaking up light to create a spectral effect, and the body having an opening therein configured to allow the conductor to be routed to the at least one lighting element in the internal cavity.

16. The lighting device of claim 15 wherein a plurality of lighting elements and lengths of conductor are located within the cavity in the body.

17. A light string comprising:

a plurality of lighting elements;

a conductor electrically coupling the lighting elements together and configured to couple the lighting elements to a source of electricity; and

a plurality of shades positioned at different locations along a length of the conductor, each of the shades comprising a body having an internal cavity within which at least one of the lighting elements is positioned, at least a portion of the body being configured to allow light from inside the body to escape therefrom, at least a portion of the body having features thereon for breaking up light to create a spectral effect, and the body having an opening therein configured to allow the at least one lighting element to be positioned within the body.