Case light assembly system

• US 6,109,757 A
• Filed: 04/05/1999
• Issued: 08/29/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Owen Stephens
• Original Assignee: Owen Stephens
• Inventors: Stephens, Owen
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US09/286,058
• Time in Patent Office: 512 Days
• Field of Search: 362/11, 362/16, 362/18, 362/216, 362/225, 362/235, 362/236, 362/240, 362/241, 362/21, 362/210
• US Class Current: 362/11
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/03 Combinations of cameras with lighting apparatus; Flash units
• CPC Class Codes: G03B 15/06 Special arrangements of screening, diffusing, or reflecting devices, e.g. in studio

Abstract

A case light assembly system with alternate illumination sources. A case has a lower plate with an upper supporting surface and a lower surface and with upstanding peripheral side walls to define a reception area therewithin. A plate is formed to overlie the lower plate, the plate having a central downwardly extending articulated mounting adapter. A harness-retaining frame is formed of two long parallel side walls and two parallel end walls in a rectangular configuration. A ballast assembly includes a removable ballast carrier with an open top and chamber therewithin, a switch plate thereabove, and a heat exchange plate to one side of the switch plate. The ballast assembly has a plug fixture therebeneath for coupling with the source of electrical potential.

Claims

1. A case light assembly system with alternate illumination sources to allow for rapid changes of lighting during photography, video, television and motion picture production as necessitated by ambient lighting conditions comprising, in combination:

a case in a generally rectilinear configuration having a lower plate with an upper supporting surface and a lower surface and with upstanding peripheral side walls to define a reception area therewithin, the base plate having a central rectangular opening and an plurality of spaced apertures adjacent to the edges thereof;

a spider plate formed with a central rectangular section and outstanding arms with apertures at the ends thereof to overlie the apertures of the lower plate, the spider plate having a central downwardly extending articulated mounting adapter;

a harness-retaining frame formed of two long parallel side walls and two parallel end walls in a rectangular configuration adapted to fit within the reception area of the case, the frame having upper edges with hinges pivotally coupled therealong with generally rectangular reflective plates constituting an intensifier array and having lower edges secured to the hinges for coupling to the frame and movable between an inoperative position in an essentially common plane and an operative position extending upwardly and outwardly from the frame, the frame having downwardly extending legs adjacent to the corners with apertures therethrough aligned with the apertures of the supporting plate and the case with bolts coupling the supporting plate of the case and the frame together during operation and use, one end of the frame having a downwardly extending harness-retaining latch and an associated safety interlock switch to provide for interruption of electrical power in the event that the reversible harness is not latched in place;

a ballast assembly including a removable ballast carrier in a generally rectilinear configuration with an open top and chamber therewithin with six individual ballast modules therein, a switch plate thereabove, and a heat exchange plate to one side of the switch plate, the ballast assembly having a hubble plug fixture therebeneath for coupling with the source of electrical potential; and

a reversible fluorescent lighting harness including a pair of spacing harness frame pieces, each frame piece having a horizontal plate with apertures therethrough and inwardly facing spacers with apertures for supporting the harness frames in spaced relationship with each other, each harness frame having an outwardly facing parabolic backing reflector formed of arcuate sections coupled along their lengths, each reflector having outwardly extending Y-shaped bulb retainer clips and six U-shaped bulbs secured within the clips, the bulb assembly on one side containing T-5 bulb sets for daylight use and the other side with T-5 bulb sets of tungsten for other than daylight use, each bulb having an electrical connector at its end in alignment for coupling with the source of potential.

2. A case light assembly system with alternate illumination sources comprising:

a case having a lower plate with an upper supporting surface and a lower surface and with upstanding peripheral side walls to define a reception area therewithin;

a plate formed to overlie the lower plate, the plate having a central downwardly extending articulated mounting adapter;

a harness-retaining frame formed of two long parallel side walls and two parallel end walls in a rectangular configuration adapted to fit within the reception area of the case, the frame having upper edges with hinges pivotally coupled therealong with generally rectangular reflective plates having lower edges secured to the hinges for coupling to the frame, the frame having downwardly extending legs adjacent to the corners, one end of the frame having a downwardly extending harness-retaining latch and an associated safety interlock switch to provide for interruption of electrical power in the event that the reversible harness is not latched in place;

a ballast assembly including a removable ballast carrier with an open top and chamber therewithin with a plurality of individual ballast modules therein, a switch plate thereabove, and a heat exchange plate to one side of the switch plate, the ballast assembly having a plug fixture therebeneath for coupling with the source of electrical potential; and

a reversible fluorescent lighting harness including a pair of spacing harness frame pieces, each frame piece having a horizontal plate, each harness frame having an outwardly facing parabolic backing reflector formed of arcuate sections coupled along their lengths, each reflector having outwardly extending bulb retainer clips and a plurality of U-shaped bulbs secured within the clips, the bulb assembly on one side containing a first bulb set for daylight use and the other side with a second bulb set, each bulb having an electrical connector at its end in alignment for coupling with the source of potential.

3. The case light assembly system as set forth in claim 2 wherein one bulb set is of tungsten for other than daylight use.

4. The case light assembly system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the harness has two sets of bulbs with bulbs in each set.