Surface lighting system

• US 6,416,200 B1
• Filed: 06/13/2000
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/25/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Permlight Products Inc
• Original Assignee: Permlight Products Inc
• Inventors: George, Ben
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/592,632
• Time in Patent Office: 756 Days
• Field of Search: 362/145, 362/146, 362/147, 362/227, 362/235, 362/236, 362/240, 362/244, 362/246, 362/248, 362/249, 362/355, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/146
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/166 with means for fixing a separate edging strip
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/032 the surface being a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/027 for indicating kerbs, steps or stairs
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A tread area and step edge illumination system is disclosed which comprises a base member configured for attachment to an exposed edge or surface of a step or stair. The base member has a downwardly projecting rearward wall and a forwardly and downwardly extending forward wall portion, a downwardly facing opening being defined between the rearward and forward walls. A light strip assembly having an elongate light strip with a number of longitudinally spaced-apart miniature lights, for example prefocused LED'"'"'s, mounted to the strip. The light strip assembly is detachably mounted to the base member so that light from the miniature lights on the light strip is directed downwardly through the downwardly facing opening when the lights are lit, the light strip assembly being mounted to the base member so that the light strip assembly can be selectively adjusted through an angle of about 60° to enable selective adjustment of the direction of light from the light strip assembly. A diffuser lens may be detachably mounted to the base member so that the lens is in the path of light from the light strip assembly when the lights are lit.

Claims

1. An illumination apparatus for attachment to a substantially vertical surface, comprising:

a support member comprising a generally vertical wall having a rear side, a front side opposite said rear side, and a projection extending transversely from an upper portion of said front side of said wall and downwardly in spaced relation to said front side, said support member including a cavity between said front side and said projection, said cavity having an opening comprised of an edge portion of said projection;

a light source assembly mounted on the support member, said assembly having a series of miniature lights comprised of light emitting diodes (LEDs), said miniature lights being spaced apart from each other and electrically interconnected, said projection oriented such that light from said LEDs passes out of said cavity opening in a generally downward direction towards a substantially horizontal surface that is below said cavity opening and extends perpendicular to said vertical surface, said miniature lights being prefocused to focus light from said LEDs to confine the light to a predetermined angle, the prefocused LEDs providing respective light beams which, when combined, illuminate said horizontal surface that extends perpendicularly from said vertical surface, said light source assembly mounted on said support member such that all of said miniature lights are disposed substantially at or above said edge portion of said cavity opening, whereby the miniature lights are substantially hidden from direct view when said apparatus is viewed in the direction of the front side.

2. The illumination apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a diffuser extending across said opening.

3. The illumination apparatus of claim 1, wherein the projection has an arcuate cross-sectional shape.