Light tube

• US 6,511,204 B2
• Filed: 12/16/1999
• Issued: 01/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Inventors: Miles, Lynette M., Emmel, John J., Japuntich, Daniel A., Nash, James E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US09/464,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20020101733A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,139 Days
• Field of Search: 362/217, 362/223, 362/255
• US Class Current: 362/223
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/04 the fastening being onto or by the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/08 for producing coloured light, e.g. monochromatic; for reducing intensity of light with provision for controlling the colour F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/14 for producing polarised light

Abstract

A light tube for use over a light element, wherein the light tube comprises an elongated, generally tubular body having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end, a longitudinal slot extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the body, the slot having a first side and a second side, and at least a first notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the first notch extends from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body on one of the sides of the longitudinal slot. The light tube may further comprise a second notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the second notch extends from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body on the other side of the longitudinal slot.

Claims

1. A light tube for use over a longitudinal light element, the light tube comprising:

an elongated, generally tubular body having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end;

a longitudinal slot extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the body, the slot having a first side edge and a second side edge, wherein the tubular body is disposable about the longitudinal light element such that the tubular body is retained over the longitudinal light element due to the contact between the tubular body and the longitudinal light element; and

at least a first notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the first notch comprises an angled edge of one of the first and second side edges of the longitudinal slot that is angled from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body.

2. The light tube of claim 1, further comprising a second notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the second notch comprises an angled edge of the other of the first and second side edges of the longitudinal slot that extends from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body.

3. The light tube of claim 2, wherein the first notch and second notch are symmetrical about the first and second side edges of the longitudinal slot.

4. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the first side edge of the slot is spaced from the second side edge of the slot.

5. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the tubular body further comprises an interior portion and a first flange extending from the first side edge of the slot toward the interior portion of the body along the length of the body to form a first channel between the body and the first flange.

6. The light tube of claim 5, wherein the tubular body further comprises a second flange extending from the second side edge of the slot toward the interior portion of the body along the length of the body to form a second channel between the body and the second flange.

7. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the tubular body further comprises an interior surface inside the body and wherein the tube further comprises a film sheet adjacent the interior surface of the body.

8. The light tube of claim 7, wherein the film sheet is attached to the interior surface of the body.

9. The light tube of claim 7, wherein the film sheet is adhered to the interior surface of the body.

10. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the tubular body further comprises an exterior body surface and wherein the tube further comprises a film sheet adjacent the exterior surface of the body.

11. The light tube of claim 10, wherein the film sheet is attached to the exterior surface of the body.

12. The light tube of claim 10, wherein the film sheet is adhered to the exterior surface of the body.

13. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the tubular body further comprises an interior portion and an exterior surface and wherein the tube further comprises a first flange extending from the first side edge of the slot away from the interior portion of the body and spaced from the exterior surface along the length of the body to form a first channel between the body and the first flange.

14. The light tube of claim 13, further comprising a second flange extending from the second side edge of the slot away from the interior portion of the body and spaced from the exterior surface along the length of the body to form a second channel between the body and the second flange.

15. The light tube of claim 14, further comprising a film sheet having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the film is positioned in the first channel and the second end of the film is positioned in the second channel.

16. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the body comprises a light-altering material.

17. The light tube of claim 1, further comprising a light-altering coating on the tubular body.

18. The light tube of claim 1, wherein the tubular body further comprises an interior portion and wherein the tube further comprises at least one projecting member extending from the interior body surface.

19. A light tube for use over a light element, the light tube comprising:

an elongated, generally tubular body having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end;

a longitudinal slot extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the body, the slot having a first side and a second side; and

at least a first notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the first notch extends from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body on one of the first and second sides of the longitudinal slot,

wherein the tubular body further comprises an interior portion and a first flange extending from the first side of the slot toward the interior portion of the body along the length of the body to form a first channel between the body and the first flange, a second flange extending from the second side of the slot toward the interior portion of the body along the length of the body to form a second channel between the body and the second flange, and a film sheet having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the film is positioned in the first channel and the second end of the film is positioned in the second channel.

20. The light tube of claim 19, wherein the film sheet is a polarization film.

21. The light tube of claim 20, wherein the polarization film comprises multiple layers.

22. The light tube of claim 19, wherein the film sheet is a tinted film.

23. The light tube of claim 19, wherein the film sheet is a colored film.

24. A light system comprising:

a light element; and

a light tube at least partially surrounding the light element, wherein the light tube is retained over the longitudinal light element due to the contact between the light tube and the light element, the light tube comprising;

an elongated, generally tubular body having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis extending from the first end to the second end;

a longitudinal slot extending generally parallel to the longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the body, the slot having a first side edge and a second side edge; and

at least a first notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the first notch comprises an angled edge of one of the first and second side edges of the longitudinal slot that is angled from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body.

25. The light system of claim 24, wherein the tubular body further comprises an interior portion, an exterior portion, and a first flange extending from the first side edge of the slot toward one of the interior and exterior portions of the body along the length of the body to form a first channel between the body and the first flange.

26. The light system of claim 25, wherein the tubular body further comprises a second flange extending from the second side edge of the slot toward one of the interior and exterior portions of the body along the length of the body to form a second channel between the body and the second flange.

27. A method of providing an improved light tube, comprising:

forming a notch in the light tube, wherein the notch comprises a side edge at an end of the tube that is angled with respect to a central longitudinal axis of the light tube;

disposing the notch of the light tube against a light element at an installation angle;

pushing the light tube against the light element such that a slot in the light tube starts separating; and

causing the light tube to at least partially surround the light element such that the light tube is retained over the light element due to contact between the tubular body and the light element.

28. A light tube for use over a light element, the light tube comprising:

an elongated, generally tubular body having a first end, a second end, a length between the first and second ends, and a longitudinal axis from the first end to the second end of the body, the slot having a first side edge and a second side edge;

at least a first notch adjacent the longitudinal slot, wherein the first notch comprises an angled edge of one of the first and second side edges of the longitudinal slot that is angled from the first end of the body toward the second end of the body; and

wherein the tubular body has an interior portion and a first flange extending from the first side edge of the slot toward the interior portion of the body along the length of the body to form a first channel between the body and the first flange.