Lamp shade assembly and the method of forming same

• US 5,868,492 A
• Filed: 09/30/1996
• Issued: 02/09/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mastercraft International Limited, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Partner Investments Incorporated
• Inventors: Strickland, Jerry D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LEE, DAVID B
• Application Number:
  US08/724,552
• Time in Patent Office: 862 Days
• Field of Search: 362/352, 362/357, 362/358
• US Class Current: 362/352
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 1/10 Rotary retorts
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/30 in rotary ovens or retorts
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 1/06 foldable or collapsible
• CPC Class Codes: F27B 7/08 externally heated

Abstract

A lampshade assembly that includes only three parts, namely, a pleated lamp shade formed as a continuous resilient band having a plurality of notches in the pleat folds that extend inwardly towards the center of the band, a flexible member extending through apertures adjacent one end of the band, and a rigid support including a ring. The method of forming the lampshade assembly by the customer includes the one step procedure of moving the rigid support into the interior of the band and towards the flexible member until the ring of the support snaps into place in the notches. In the formed lampshade assembly, the ring pushes outwardly against the opposing inwardly directed force of the resilient band to hold the band, in conjunction with the flexible member, in a position in which the lampshade flares downwardly and outwardly.

Claims

1. A lampshade assembly, said lampshade assembly comprising:

(a) a lampshade including a length of resilient pleated material formed as a continuous resilient band having a first end, a second end, a first edge and a second edge joined to said first edge to establish said band, an inner side defining an open center portion of the band, and an outer side remote from said center portion, said band when expanded outwardly from said open center portion by an outside force having the characteristics of exerting an opposite and inward force towards said open center portion, said pleated material including a plurality of folds having inner edges extending inwardly towards said open center portion and outer edges extending outwardly away from said open center portion, a plurality of spaced apertures extending through said folds, a plurality of notches provided in said inner edges of said folds;

(b) a flexible member extending through said apertures in said folds to limit the expansion of said band at said flexible member to a given diameter; and

(c) a rigid support including a ring of larger diameter than said given diameter, said ring extending into said notches in said inner edges of said folds holding said band at said ring outwardly against the opposing inwardly directed force of said band to hold said band in conjunction with said flexible member in a position in which said lampshade flares outwardly from said first end to said second ends;

said ring being forcibly received into said notches and said lampshade being held onto said ring by said opposite and inward force caused by the resilience of said pleated material.

2. The lampshade assembly of claim 1 in which said plurality of apertures extend along a first level spaced from said first end of said band, and in which said plurality of notches extend along a second level which is spaced from said first end of said band a greater distance than the spacing of said apertures from said first end of said band.

3. The lampshade assembly of claim 2 in which said ring holds said band in a substantially frusto-conical disposition.

4. The lampshade assembly of claim 3 in which said folds extend lengthwise from said first end of said band to the second end thereof.

5. A method of forming a lamp shade assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a lampshade including a length of resilient pleated material formed as a continuous resilient band having a first end, a second end, an inner side defining an open center portion of the band, said band when expanded outwardly from said open center portion by an outside force having the characteristics of exerting an opposite and inward force towards said open center portion, said pleated material including a plurality of folds having inner edges extending inwardly towards said open center portion and outer edges extending outwardly away from said open center portion, said folds extending lengthwise from said first end of said band to said second end of said band;

said lamp shade having a plurality of apertures extending through said folds at a first level adjacent but spaced from said first end of said band, and having a plurality of notches in said inner edges of said folds at a second level which is spaced from said first end of said band a greater distance than the spacing of said apertures from said first end;

(b) providing a continuous flexible member extending through said apertures in said folds to limit the expansion of said first end of said band at said flexible member to a given diameter;

(c) providing a rigid support including a ring of larger diameter than said given diameter; and

(d) inserting said ring into said open center through said second end of said band and moving said ring towards said first end while pushing said ring against said inner edges to exert an outward force against the opposing inwardly directed force of said resilient pleated material until said ring snaps into place in said notches, said ring being forcibly received into said notches and said lampshade being held onto said ring by said opposite and inward force caused by the resilience of said pleated material, and said band being held in a position in which, in conjunction with said flexible member, causes said lampshade to flare outwardly from said first end towards said second end of said band.

6. A method of forming a lamp shade assembly comprising the steps of:

(a) providing a lampshade including a length of resilient pleated material formed as a continuous resilient band having a first end, a second end, a first edge and a second edge joined to said first edge to establish said band, an inner side defining an open center portion of the band, and an outer side remote from said center portion, said band when expanded outwardly from said open center portion by an outside force having the characteristics of exerting an opposite and inward force towards said open center portion, said pleated material including a plurality of folds having inner edges extending inwardly towards said open center portion and outer edges extending outwardly away from said open center portion, said folds extending lengthwise from said first end of said band to said second end of said band;

(b) forming a plurality of apertures extending through said folds at a first level adjacent but spaced from said first end of said band,

(c) forming a plurality of notches in said inner edges of said folds at a second level which is spaced from said first end of said band a greater distance than the spacing of said apertures from said first end;

(d) providing a flexible member having opposite ends;

(e) inserting said flexible member through said apertures in said folds and fixedly joining the opposite ends thereof to limit the expansion of said first end of said band at said flexible member to a given diameter;

(f) providing a rigid support including a ring of larger diameter than said given diameter; and

(g) inserting said ring into said open center through said second end of said band and moving said ring towards said first end while pushing said ring against said inner edges to exert an outward force against the opposing inwardly directed force of said resilient pleated material until said ring snaps into place in said notches, said ring being forcibly received into said notches and said lampshade being held onto said ring by said opposite and inward force caused by the resilience of said pleated material, and said band being held in a position in which, in conjunction with said flexible member, causes said lampshade to flare outwardly from said first end towards said second end of said band.

7. The method of claim 6 in which said plurality of apertures extend along a substantially horizontal level, and in which said plurality of notches extend along a substantially horizontal level.

8. The method of claim 7 in which said ring holds said band in a substantially frusto-conical disposition.