Sleeve for a light element

• US 4,991,070 A
• Filed: 07/12/1989
• Issued: 02/05/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated Zeeland Ottawa Michigan
• Original Assignee: Herman Miller Incorporated
• Inventors: Stob, Henry R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ostrager, Allen M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cole, Richard R.
• Application Number:
  US07/379,330
• Time in Patent Office: 573 Days
• Field of Search: 362/217, 362/223, 362/266, 362/255, 362/277, 362/319, 362/320, 362/329, 362/376, 362/348, 362/268, 362/282, 362/283
• US Class Current: 362/223
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/04 the fastening being onto or by the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/00 Safety devices structurally associated with lighting devices gas- tight or water-tight arrangements F21V31/00; in general F16P; protective circuit arrangements per se H02H7/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes

Abstract

A protective, reflective, light diffusing sleeve is adapted to mount on a light element to protect the element and intercept light emitted therefrom. The sleeve comprises a tube adapted to telescopically receive the element and a reflecting member carried by the tube for reflecting light emitted from the element. The tube is adapted to mount on the element for free rotation relative thereto to move the reflecting member about the element to control the direction of reflective light. The sleeve further comprises an element carried by the tube opposite the reflecting member for diffusing light reflected therefrom. The diffusing element comprises a field of prisms formed on and extending along a longitudinally extending portion of the tube.

Claims

1. In a sleeve adapted to be mounted on a light element to protect said element and intercept light emitted therefrom, said sleeve comprising a tube adapted to telescopically receive said element and means carried by said tube for reflecting light emitted from said element, the improvement wherein:

said tube is adapted to be mounted on and supported by said element for free rotation relative thereto to permit adjustment of said reflecting means about said element thereby to control the direction of reflected light, and further comprising means carried by said tube opposite said reflecting means for diffusing light reflected therefrom.

2. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said tube has inner and outer surfaces and said reflecting means comprises a flexible reflective sheet positioned within said tube and mounted on said inner surface thereof.

3. A sleeve according to claim 6, wherein said reflective sheet is formed of aluminum covered paper.

4. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said tube has inner and outer surfaces and said reflecting means comprises a flexible sheet mounted on said outer surface of said tube.

5. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said diffusing means comprises a field of prisms formed on and extending along a longitudinally extending portion of said tube.

6. A sleeve according to claim 1, wherein said tube further comprises opposite open ends and means for covering said open ends to enclose said element within said tube.

7. A sleeve according to claim 6, wherein said element further comprises electrical prongs at opposite ends thereof, said covering means comprising a pair of end caps rotatably mounted on said open opposite ends, each cap comprising a rim removably and slidably engaging the respective tube open end and a face supported by said rim and having an opening therein for receiving the respective electrical prongs therethrough, said rim being formed to permit rotation of said tube relative to said element.

8. A sleeve according to claim 7, wherein said end caps are formed from molded plastic.

9. A sleeve according to claim 1, and, wherein said light diffusing means a second tube having a greater cross-sectional area than that of and telescopically receiving said first-mentioned tube for rotation relative thereto, said second tube further having means for providing alternative light diffusing properties;

whereby said tubes can be independently rotated relative to said element to adjust the direction of light emitted therefrom and the quality of light reflected from said reflecting means.

10. A sleeve according to claim 9, wherein said second tube has a length less than that of said first-mentioned tube to facilitate independent rotation of said tubes about said element.

11. A sleeve according to claim 9, wherein said light diffusing means comprises at least two fields of prisms extending along at least two longitudinally extending portions of said second tube, the prisms of one of said two fields differing in geometry and light diffusing properties from the prisms of the other of said two fields;

whereby said second tube can be rotated independently of said first-mentioned tube to position a selected one of said fields of prisms opposite said reflecting means to alter the character of reflected light.

12. A sleeve according to claim 11, wherein said first-mentioned tube further comprises opposite open ends and means for covering said open ends to substantially enclose said element within said firstmentioned tube.

13. A sleeve according to claim 12, wherein said element further comprises electrical prongs at opposite ends thereof, said covering means comprising a pair of end caps rotatably mounted on said ends of said first-mentioned tube, each cap comprising a rim removably and slidably engaging the respective end of said first-mentioned tube and a face supported by said rim and having an opening therein adapted to receive the respective electrical prongs therethrough, said rim being formed to permit rotation of said first-mentioned tube relative to said element.

14. A sleeve according to claim 11, wherein said first-mentioned tube has inner and outer surfaces and said reflecting means comprises a flexible reflective sheet positioned within said tube and mounted on said inner surface thereof.

15. A sleeve according to claim 14, wherein said reflective sheet is formed of aluminum covered paper.

16. In a sleeve adapted to be mounted on a light element to protect said element and intercept light emitted therefrom, said sleeve comprising a tube adapted to telescopically receive said element and means carried by said tube for reflecting light emitted from said element, the improvement wherein:

said tube is adapted to be mounted on and supported by said element for free rotation relative thereto to permit adjustment of said reflecting means about said element thereby to control the direction of reflected light,

and further comprising means carried by said tube opposite said reflecting means for diffusing light reflected therefrom; and

said tube is flexible and is split along a longitudinal axis of said tube to form first and second longitudinal edges thereof so that said tube can be stored in a relatively flat configuration.

17. In a sleeve adapted to be mounted on a light element to protect said element and intercept light emitted therefrom, said sleeve comprising:

a tube adapted to telescopically receive said element and means carried by said tube for reflecting light emitted from said element;

said tube adapted to be mounted on and supported by said element for free rotation relative thereto to permit adjustment of said reflecting means about said element thereby to control the direction of reflected light;

said tube being flexible and split along a longitudinal axis of said tube to form first and second longitudinal edges thereof so that said tube can be stored in a relatively flat configuration; and

locking means for removably setting said first and second longitudinal edges in locking engagement so as to maintain said tube in a cylindrical configuration.

18. A sleeve according to claim 17, wherein said locking means comprises said second longitudinal edge, said second longitudinal edge being configured to form a depression in said tube, and a flange formed integral with and extending outwardly relative to said first longitudinal edge, said flange being adapted to be set in engagement with said second longitudinal edge within said depression to removably set said first and second longitudinal edges in locking engagement so as to maintain said cylindrical configuration of said tube.

19. In a sleeve adapted to be mounted on a light element to protect said element and intercept light emitted therefrom, said sleeve comprising:

a tube adapted to telescopically receive said element and a reflective on said tube for reflecting light emitted from said element;

said tube adapted to be mounted on and supported by said element for free rotation relative thereto to permit adjustment of said reflective sheet about said element thereby to control the direction of reflected light;

said reflective sheet comprising a plurality of longitudinally extending zones having different light reflecting characteristics so that rotation of said reflective sheet through rotation of said tube permits alteration of character of reflected light.