Color changing light fixture

• US 7,246,926 B2
• Filed: 02/17/2005
• Issued: 07/24/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ronald P. Harwood
• Original Assignee: Ronald P. Harwood
• Inventors: Harwood, Ronald P.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bennett; Zahra I.
• Application Number:
  US11/060,122
• Publication Number:
  US 20050254241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 887 Days
• Field of Search: 362/364, 362/365, 362/366, 362/370, 362/371, 362/372, 362/234, 362/250, 362/648, 362/231
• US Class Current: 362/365
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• 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 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/35 with direct electrical contact between the supporting element and electric conductors running along the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A color changing light fixture is provided for producing indirect self-illuminating effects within the fixture, which comprises a housing or reflector having an indirect light source and, optionally, a primary light source mounted within. The fixture'"'"'s self-illuminating effects are conducive to adding to the design scheme of a room or an area being lighted. The fixture may be recessed, surface mounted, suspended, or wall mounted. The indirect light source, which is powered by a low voltage power source, includes one or more light emitting diode (LED) strips that may be fixed or adjustable, and includes the capability of being completely or partially concealed within the fixture. The LEDs can provide a plurality of visible colors (including white), which can be mixed by any number of control devices, like music and video mixers, and door opening and occupancy sensors.

Claims

1. A color changing light fixture, comprising:

a housing or reflector having at least a side wall and a top wall, the the at least a sidewall and a top wall each having an interior surface;

vertical brackets mounted in the housing;

a mounting beam or member adjustably mounted within the housing or reflector for slideable movement in the vertical brackets; and

a low energy light source capable of radiating a single color, which includes white, or a plurality of colors, mounted to the mounting beam or member;

wherein light radiated by the low energy light source is directed to the interior surfaces of the at least a sidewall and a top wall.

2. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture is capable of recessed mounting.

3. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture can be concealed in a wall or ceiling cavity, or can be suspended in space.

4. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing is a square or rectangular parallelepiped, a substantially square or rectangular parallelepiped where the edges are rounded, or a circular shaped housing.

5. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the top is dome shaped.

6. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the low energy light source is powered by a power supply or transformer that is attached to the fixture.

7. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the low energy light source is powered by approximately 24 volts or less.

8. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the low energy light source comprises at least one light emitting diode strip.

9. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, further comprising a translucent panel forming the bottom of the fixture.

10. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, further comprising a control device for controlling the color radiated by the low energy light source.

11. The color changing light fixture of claim 10, wherein the control device comprises an audio mixer, video mixer, door opening sensor, or occupancy sensor that electrically cooperates with the low energy light source to vary the color radiated by the low energy light source.

12. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, wherein the low energy light source electrically cooperates with a dimmer for manually or automatically controlling a magnitude of the intensity of the low energy light source.

13. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, further comprising at least one direct lighting source.

14. The color changing light fixture of claim 13, wherein a low voltage rail, which has a low voltage power track disposed within, is the mounting beam or member that is adjustably mounted to the fixture, wherein the direct lighting source is adjustably mounted to the low voltage rail, and the low energy light source and the direct lighting source are electrically connected to the low voltage track.

15. The color changing light fixture of claim 1, further comprising a power supply or transformer that is remotely controlled.

16. A color changing light fixture, comprising:

a housing having at least one side and a top, the sides and the top each having an interior surface;

at least one light emitting diode strip capable of producing a single color, which includes white, or a plurality of colors, the light emitting diode strip being adjustably mounted to a low voltage rail within the fixture, the low voltage rail having a low voltage track therein and the low voltage rail being adjustably mounted to the housing;

at least one direct lighting source that is adjustably mounted to the low voltage rail, the direct lighting source and the light emitting diode strip being electrically connected to the low voltage track, the low voltage track being electrically powered by approximately 24 volts or less; and

wherein light radiated by the light emitting diode strip is only directed to the interior surfaces of the sides and the top.

17. The color changing light fixture of claim 16, further comprising at least one reflector, the reflector attached to the interior of the housing for reflecting the light radiated from within the housing.

18. The color changing light fixture of claim 17, further comprising a control device that electrically cooperates with the light emitting diode strip to control the color radiated by the light emitting diode strip, wherein the control device comprises an audio mixer, video mixer, door opening sensor, or occupancy sensor.

19. A method of lighting an area using the color changing lighting fixture of claim 16, comprising:

radiating light of a single color, including white, or a plurality of colors, from a low energy light source which directs light upwardly onto an interior reflective surface of a light housing.

20. The method of lighting an area of claim 19, further comprising:

radiating light from a direct lighting source through the bottom of the light housing, thus directly lighting the area away from the bottom of the housing.