AU2010100188A4 - Lighting Unit - Google Patents

Description

1 AUSTRALIA PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION INNOVATION PATENT "Lighting Unit" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 2 LIGHTING UNIT 5 Field of the Invention The present invention relates to lighting units. In a particular aspect the invention relates to lighting units used to display advertising. 10 Background of the Invention Elongate ceiling lighting units containing fluorescent tubes are not uncommon in public places such as underground car parks in which they provide room and floor lighting. The car park lighting units may be arranged in a series to maintain a 15 continual projection of light along the floor of the car park. In public places such as this the lighting is utilized by many different people on a daily basis. Thus it may be advantageous to utilize these lighting units to display advertising or a message, or even a different shade of colour to that of normal fluorescent lights. 20 Disclosure of the Invention In one aspect the invention provides a lighting unit comprising, " a light fitting, " a light source connected to the light fitting, 25 0 a diffuser mounted on or in relation to the light fitting, the diffuser being illuminated during activation of the light source, the diffuser comprising a trackway, and " an exhibit held and displayed in the trackway and being adapted for slidable insertion or removal therefrom, the exhibit being illuminated during activation 30 of the light source.

3 The lighting unit may be an electrical lighting unit. It may be suitable for room and floor lighting. It may be a down light. The light fitting may be fixed. It may be fixed in or to a ceiling or wall or post. In 5 one form it is a ceiling light fitting. The ceiling light fitting may be fixed to the undersurface of the ceiling, or in or above a gap in the ceiling. The light fitting may have clips for attachment to the diffuser. The light source may be a light globe or tube. It may be a fluorescent light source. 10 There may be two or more light sources. The diffuser may be generally rectangular in shape. Preferably it is substantially rectangular in shape. 15 The diffuser may filter greater than a 30 degree angle of rays radiating from the light source. It may filter greater than a 60 degree angle of rays. Preferably it filters greater than a 90 degree angle of rays. The diffuser may filter greater than a 180 degree angle of rays. 20 The diffuser may be mounted on or in relation to the light fitting by clips. The diffuser may be adapted to slidably receive and hold the exhibit. The trackway may be adapted to slidably receive and hold the exhibit. The trackway 25 may comprise a channel. The channel may be slot shaped. The channel may extend substantially along the length of the diffuser. In accommodating for its exhibit holding and display functions, the diffuser may be relatively enlarged when compared with common diffusers which are not adapted for 30 these additional functions. Thus, the boundary of the diffuser may extend considerably further away from the light source than is usual for a diffuser. In one form of lighting unit, the diffuser extends greater than 20cm beneath the light source.

4 Suitably, the diffuser extends greater than 30cm beneath the light source. In another form of ceiling lighting unit, the diffuser extends greater than 20cm beneath the ceiling. Suitably, the diffuser extends greater than 30cm beneath the ceiling. 5 The diffuser may comprise a first cover. The first cover may be translucent. It may filter glare from the light source. The first cover may be fixed to or in relation to the light fitting. The first cover may be substantially rectangular in shape. It may be made of plastic. 10 The first cover may comprise a front wall, a rear wall, a base extending between the front and rear walls, a pair of opposed side end walls, and a top opening opposite the base. The diffuser may comprise a second cover which overlies the first cover. The second 15 cover may be translucent. The second cover may be fixed to or in relation to the light fitting. It may comprise a series of spaced slots adapted to receive clips of the light fitting. The second cover may be substantially U-shaped. It may be made of plastic. The second cover may comprise a front wall, a rear wall, and a base extending 20 between the front and rear walls. The slot shaped channel may be present between the fist and second covers. Specifically, the slot shaped channel may be a front channel present between the front walls of the first and second covers, or a rear channel present between rear walls of 25 the first and second covers. Both front and rear channels may be present. The exhibit may be translucent or transparent. It may be adapted for slidable insertion or removal from the trackway. 30 The exhibit may comprise a panel. An advertisement may be printed on the panel.

5 The exhibit may comprise any one or more of: written material, a stencil, colour tinting, printed material, a photograph, a design, advertising material, artistic material, a stuck on label, etc. 5 Brief Description of the Drawings Figure 1 is an exploded isometric view of a ceiling lighting unit in accordance with the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevational view of the lighting unit of Figure 1; 10 Figure 3 is a side end view of the lighting unit of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a bottom plan view of the lighting unit of Figure 1. Detailed Description of the Drawings 15 The various elements identified in the drawing are listed in the following integer list. Integer List 2 ceiling lighting unit 20 4 light fitting 6 fluorescent tube 8 diffuser 10 advertising panel 12 housing 25 14 clip 16 receptacle 18 inner cover 20 outer cover 22 front wall 30 24 rear wall 26 base 28 end wall 6 30 front wall 32 rear wall 34 base 36 clip slots 5 38 printed advertisement 40 front channel Referring to the drawings, there is shown a ceiling lighting unit, generally designated 2, which is suitable for use as a floor light in an underground car park. The ceiling 1o lighting unit 2 comprises a light fitting 4, a pair of elongate fluorescent tubes 6, a diffuser 8 and an advertising panel 10. The light fitting 4 comprises an elongate housing 12, a series of clips 14 which fasten the diffuser to the housing, and two pairs of opposed receptacles 16 projecting down 15 at opposite ends of the housing. Each pair of receptacles 16 holds and electrically connects a fluorescent tube 6. The diffuser 8 comprises an inner cover 18, and an outer cover 20 which overlies the inner cover. The inner cover is substantially rectangular in shape having a front wall 20 22, a rear wall 24, a base 26 extending between the front and rear walls, opposing side end walls 28, and an open top. The outer cover 20 is a U-shaped channel having a front wall 30, a rear wall 32, and a base 34 interconnecting the front and rear walls. A series of clips 36 are present at the top of the front and rear walls, 30 and 32 respectively. The clips slots 36 receive respective clips 14 of the light fitting 4, 25 thereby attaching the outer cover 20 to the housing 12, with the inner cover nesting within the outer cover 20. The inner and outer covers are both made of translucent plastic. A front elongate slot shaped channel is present between the front wall 22 of the inner cover 18 and the front wall 30 of the outer cover 20. Similarly, a rear elongate slot shaped channel 40 is present between the rear wall 24 of the inner cover 30 18 and the rear wall 32 of the outer cover 20.

7 The adverting panel 10 is an elongate rectangular sheet made of translucent polycarbonate. An advertisement 38 is printed onto the panel 10. The advertising panel 10 is held in the front channel 40 of the diffuser. The panel 5 may be slidably removed from the channel 40 which acts as a trackway for the panel and then replaced by a fresh advertising panel which can be easily slid into the channel. Another advertising panel may also be inserted into the rear channel. When the lighting unit 2 is switched on, light from the fluorescent tubes 6 is diffused to through the inner cover 18, advertising panel 10, and outer cover 20. This causes illumination of the diffuser and advertising panel, thereby highlighting the opaque printed advertisement 38 on the panel. Thus the lighting unit 2 serves its function of floor lighting whilst also displaying an advertisement which is illuminated and stands out to passersby, 15 Whilst the above description includes the preferred embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that many variations, alterations, modifications and/or additions may be introduced into the constructions and arrangements of parts previously described without departing from the essential features or the spirit or ambit of the 20 invention. It will be also understood that where the word "comprise", and variations such as "comprises" and "comprising", are used in this specification, unless the context requires otherwise such use is intended to imply the inclusion of a stated feature or 25 features but is not to be taken as excluding the presence of other feature or features. The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as, an acknowledgment or any form of suggestion that such prior art forms part of the common general knowledge in Australia. 30

Claims (5)

1. A lighting unit comprising, e a light fitting, 5 * a light source connected to the light fitting, " a diffuser mounted on or in relation to the light fitting, the diffuser being illuminated during activation of the light source, the diffuser comprising a trackway, and " an exhibit held and displayed in the trackway and being adapted for slidable 10 insertion or removal therefrom, the exhibit being illuminated during activation of the light source.

2. The lighting unit according to claim 1 wherein, the lighting unit is suitable for floor lighting, 15 the light fitting is fixed to the undersurface of a ceiling or in or above a gap in the ceiling, and the diffuser extends greater than 20cm beneath the ceiling.

3. The lighting unit according to claim 1 or 2 wherein the channel is slot shaped. 20

4. The lighting unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the diffuser is generally rectangular in shape, the diffuser comprising a first cover and a second cover which overlies the first cover, wherein the channel is located between the first and second covers. 25

5. The lighting unit according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the diffuser filters greater than a 60 degree angle of rays radiating from the light source. Dated this 2nd day of March 2010 30 Wow Display Media Pty Ltd by their patent attorneys Morcom Pernat