Combination light assembly

• US 6,422,709 B1
• Filed: 03/28/2000
• Issued: 07/23/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Promark International Incorporated
• Original Assignee: George Panagiotou
• Inventors: Panagiotou, George
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Guiyoung
• Application Number:
  US09/536,816
• Time in Patent Office: 847 Days
• Field of Search: 362/16, 362/18, 362/298, 362/301, 362/346, 362/374, 362/7
• US Class Current: 362/16
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/104 using feather joints, e.g. tongues and grooves, with or without friction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes

Abstract

A combination light assembly includes a light source within a casing that is detachably mounted to a housing with a quick connect assembly. The housing has a curved rear wall and a front area having an upper opening and a lower opening. The casing is mounted to the housing so that the light source will emit light into the housing through the lower opening for reflection off the curved rear wall and out the upper opening. The quick connect assembly comprises posts extending from the casing and connector plates positioned behind attachment openings in a framework that encloses a portion of the front area. The connector plates have flex openings that expand to engage the posts. The casing is attached by moving the posts through the attachment openings and into the flex openings.

Claims

1. An assembly for illuminating an object comprising:

a housing having a curved rear wall and a front area with an upper opening and a lower opening; and

,

a casing having a light source and being detachably mounted external to and directly against said front area whereby light emitted from said light source will pass through said lower opening and be reflected out through said upper opening for indirect illumination of said object when said casing is mounted to said housing.

2. The assembly of claim 1 further comprising a quick connect means having at least one post component attached to either one of said casing and said housing and at least one fastener component attached to the other one of said casing and said housing.

3. The assembly of claim 2 wherein said post component is attached to said casing and comprises a base part that merges into a throat region from which extends a head portion.

4. The assembly of claim 3 wherein said housing includes an attachment opening and said fastener component is attached adjacent to said attachment opening.

5. The assembly of claim 4 wherein said fastener component includes a flex opening which is in alignment with said attachment opening.

6. The assembly of claim 5 wherein said fastener component comprises a connector plate having a bent portion, said flex opening being located in said bent portion.

7. The assembly of claim 6 wherein said connector plate includes two opposing flexible legs extending toward each other and terminating at respective free ends, said free ends being spaced-apart at said bent portion to define said flex opening.

8. The assembly of claim 7 wherein each of said free ends includes an upturned tab.

9. The assembly of claim 7 wherein said free ends engage said throat region when said head portion extends through said flex opening.

10. The assembly of claim 1 wherein said curved rear wall has an inner surface, said inner surface including a reflective layer.

11. A lighting system for illuminating an object comprising:

a light emitting means mounted within a casing for directly illuminating an object, said casing having an attachment panel;

a reflector means having a frame with a front area defining an-upper opening and a lower opening, said light emitting means being selectively engageable with said front area;

said front area contacting said attachment panel when said light. emitting means is engaged therewith; and

,

said reflector means receiving light from said light emitting means through said lower opening and reflecting said light through said upper opening for indirect lighting of said object when said front area is engaged with said casing.

12. The system of claim 11 wherein said reflector means includes a housing with a curved surface in alignment with said lower opening.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said upper opening is in alignment with said curved surface.

14. The system of claim 13 including a quick connect means having selected components fixed to each of said housing and casing for releasably connecting together said housing and casing.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein said components comprise a post component and a fastener component which releasably interfit with each other.

16. A method for selectively illuminating an object which comprises the steps of:

providing a housing having a light reflective curved rear wall and a front area with a defined upper opening and a lower opening;

providing a light emitting source fixed within a casing and having a light outlet;

positioning said light emitting source so that said light outlet is adjacent said front area for illumination into said lower opening;

releasably securing said light emitting source to said housing so that said casing contacts said front area;

activating said light emitting source to emit light; and

,

directing said light through said light outlet and lower opening and against said curved rear wall.

17. The method of claim 16 including the step of aligning said curved rear wall to reflect said light out through said upper opening.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein said securing step further comprises the steps of:

attaching a post component to either of said light emitting source or said housing;

fixing a fastener component to the other of said housing or said light emitting source; and

,

selectively engaging said post component with said fastener component.

19. The method of claim 17 including the steps of:

connecting said light emitting source to a light support means, said connecting step to be accomplished subsequent to said aligning step; and

,

using said light support means to direct said light in a selected direction.