Spectral light tube

• US 6,540,381 B1
• Filed: 03/22/2001
• Issued: 04/01/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Myrl Rae Ii Douglass
• Original Assignee: Myrl Rae Ii Douglass
• Inventors: Douglass, Myrl Rae II
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Sawhney, Hargobind S.
• Application Number:
  US09/815,152
• Time in Patent Office: 740 Days
• Field of Search: 362/311, 362/326, 362/351, 359/570, 359/567, 359/566, 359/571, 359/572, 359/573, 359/574, 359/575
• US Class Current: 362/311.09
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/085 designed to produce sheets or curtains of liquid, e.g. water walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/002 using microoptical elements for redirecting or diffusing light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/06 for aircraft runways or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/02 for fountains
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0454 Slidable panels or parts
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 19/02 incorporating moving display members

Abstract

A tube has walls consisting totally or partially of a first diffraction grating with its ruled surface aligned perpendicular to the length of the tube to disperse a field of rainbow colored light when illuminated with a light source aimed through or along the length of the tube.

Claims

1. A lighting system including a tube having a length with its walls consisting at least partially of a first diffraction grating having a ruled surface, with its ruled surface aligned perpendicular to the length of the tube to disperse a field of rainbow colored light when illuminated with a light source aimed through or along the length of the tube.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein the field of rainbow light is enhanced by overlapping light rays created by the simultaneous dispersion of light from diffraction means on opposite walls of the tube.

3. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the cross sectional shape of the tube is a polygon.

4. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the cross sectional shape of the tube is oblong or asymmetrical.

5. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the tube is made out of a transparent or translucent material partially covered with a second, reflective diffraction grating oriented in the same manner as the first diffraction grating.

6. The lighting system of claim 1 where the tube is made out of an opaque material covered completely with a second, reflective diffraction grating oriented in the same manner as the first diffraction grating and the tube has a series of perforations in its surface to allow the colored light produced from within to be visible.

7. The lighting system of claim 1 where the tube is made out of a strips of either a reflective or transmissive second diffraction grating woven together to form the shell of the tube, and oriented in the same manner as the first diffraction grating.

8. The lighting system of claim 1 where a reflective second diffraction grating may be mounted or molded into the surface of any material that is then assembled as a piece to an aggregate tubular structure and oriented in the same manner as the first diffraction grating and light is allowed to pass through the open gaps between the pieces.

9. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein there are multiple light sources.

10. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein there are mirrors used to reflect the light source and act as a light source.

11. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein there are multiple light tubes arrayed around a single light source.

12. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the tube is used as a lampshade.

13. The lighting system in claim 1 used for navigation.

14. The lighting system in claim 1 used as a decorative light source.

15. The lighting system in claim 1 used for signage.

16. The lighting system in claim 1, wherein the light source is the sun.

17. The lighting system in claim 1 wherein the cross sectional shape of the tube is a circle.

18. The lighting system of claim 1 used for sculpture.

19. The lighting system of claim 1 where the walls of the tube are not parallel to each other.

20. The lighting system of claim 1 where the walls are designed to have a transparent fluid such as water pass over them that causes the field of colored light to fluctuate with the pulse of the flowing liquid.

21. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the tube is made of a clear material wherein the grooves of the diffraction grating are etched, ruled or scribed into its surface.

22. The lighting system of claim 21 wherein the tube is part of the structure of a light bulb.

24. The fountain of claim 21, wherein the field of rainbow light is enhanced by overlapping light rays created by the simultaneous dispersion and refraction of light rays from diffraction means and the opposite surface of the flowing liquid.

32. The fountain of claim 21 wherein the surface is only partially coated with the diffraction grating.

23. A fountain with a surface designed to have a liquid flow over it wherein that surface is a diffraction grating or is coated with a diffraction grating.

25. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the diffraction grating is reflective.

26. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the diffraction grating is transmissive.

27. The fountain of claim 23 wherein there is either a single or multiple light sources that illuminates the diffraction grating from an oblique angle to create colored light that appears to emanate from the water flow.

28. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the light source is the sun.

29. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the surface is vertical or almost so.

30. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the surface has horizontal ridges, similar to a washboard to smooth the water flow.

31. The fountain of claim 30 wherein the diffraction grating is only located on the peaks of the horizontal ridges.

33. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the surface comprises ribbons of diffractive Mylar spaced so that the liquid flows over the front and back surface of each.

34. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the surface is curved.

35. The fountain of claim 23 wherein the surface is a cylindrical tube, and the liquid flows down the length of the tube.

36. The fountain of claim 23 consisting of a water nozzle that suspends a ribbon of diffractive Mylar in the center of the water flow to fill its length with rainbow light.

37. A lighting system comprising:

a light source; and

a diffraction grating,

wherein colored light is produced by the diffraction grating, the colored light being used for decorative purposes, for signage, or for highly visible ways of marking things for navigation, industry and safety.