Step illumination apparatus

• US 6,554,446 B1
• Filed: 01/03/2000
• Issued: 04/29/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tivoli LLC (Tsinghua Tongfang Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Targetti-Tivoli, Inc.
• Inventors: Walsh, Terrence C., Valparaiso, Randy G.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGIZZI, RONALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US09/476,951
• Time in Patent Office: 1,212 Days
• Field of Search: 362/146, 362/145, 362/131, 362/282, 362/800, 521/79, 521/82
• US Class Current: 362/146
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/166 with means for fixing a separate edging strip
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1048 with lighting means
• 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: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A step lighting apparatus comprising a coextrusion of a light reflective gray strip with a dark plastic body. The apparatus is mountable to the nose of a stair step where the reflective strip is located at the edge of the step. The strip is made from a material that will reflect low level ambient light to indicate the step'"'"'s edge.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a first extruded portion shaped to mount on the nose of a stair step; and

,

a second extruded portion coextruded with said first portion and mounted on top of the first portion so as to be above the nose of the stair step, said second portion comprising a material inert to light and selected to have a reflectance factor greater than or equal to light gray polyvinyl chloride.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said first portion and second portion each comprise a plastic material.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said second portion comprises a strip positioned by said first portion to be disposed along the edge of a step.

4. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a first extruded portion shaped to mount on the nose of a stair step; and

,

a second extruded portion coextruded with said first portion, said second portion having a light gray polyvinyl chloride strip positioned by said first portion to be disposed along the edge of the stair step.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said strip comprises PVC material #291 as available from A&

B Plastics.

6. A lighting apparatus mountable in connection with a step of a staircase and comprising:

a first plastic extruded portion providing a step plate surface and a riser surface mounted at a right angle with respect to one another and dimensioned to be mounted on a nose portion of a stair step;

a second plastic light reflective strip made from a material that is inert to light and coextruded with said first portion, located so as to be disposed at and visible along an edge of said step; and

,

a lamp mounted on a portion of a seat, said seat being located adjacent to said step, where the lamp is positioned to cast light on the second plastic light reflective strip for reflection by the strip.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said lamp includes at least one LED arranged to illuminate said step.

8. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said lamp includes a plurality of LEDs located beneath a shield, the shield being shaped and disposed to direct light from said plurality of LEDs onto said step.

9. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a first extruded portion shaped to mount on a nose of a stair step; and

,

a second strip portion coextruded with said first portion from a reflective material inert to light;

said strip mounted on top of the first portion and located so as to be disposed at and visible along an edge of said step in a darkened environment without connecting the strip to a power source.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 9 further including a lamp mounted on a portion of a seat, said seat being located adjacent to said step.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 9 wherein said lamp includes at least one LED arranged to illuminate said step.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 9 wherein said lamp includes a plurality of LEDs located beneath a shield, the shield being shaped and disposed to direct light from said plurality of LEDs onto said step.

13. A lighting apparatus comprising:

a first extruded component shaped to mount on the nose of a stair step, said first component is made from a material inert to light and selected to have a reflectance factor less than light gray polyvinyl chloride;

a second extruded component coextruded with said first component and mounted on the first component above the nose of a stair step;

said second component comprising a material inert to light and selected to have a reflectance factor greater than or equal to light gray polyvinyl chloride; and

,

a lamp mounted above the second component such that light from the lamp is directed to the second component and reflected by the second component so that the nose of the stair step is illuminated by the second component.