CA2465423A1 - Lamp arrangement - Google Patents
Lamp arrangement Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- CA2465423A1 CA2465423A1 CA 2465423 CA2465423A CA2465423A1 CA 2465423 A1 CA2465423 A1 CA 2465423A1 CA 2465423 CA2465423 CA 2465423 CA 2465423 A CA2465423 A CA 2465423A CA 2465423 A1 CA2465423 A1 CA 2465423A1
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- light
- tube
- lamp arrangement
- light source
- lamp
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Abandoned
Links
Classifications
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- F21S8/00—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation
- F21S8/08—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation with a standard
- F21S8/085—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation with a standard of high-built type, e.g. street light
- F21S8/088—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation with a standard of high-built type, e.g. street light with lighting device mounted on top of the standard, e.g. for pedestrian zones
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V7/00—Reflectors for light sources
- F21V7/0008—Reflectors for light sources providing for indirect lighting
-
- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F21—LIGHTING
- F21W—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21W2131/00—Use or application of lighting devices or systems not provided for in codes F21W2102/00-F21W2121/00
- F21W2131/10—Outdoor lighting
- F21W2131/103—Outdoor lighting of streets or roads
Abstract
The lamp arrangement of the present invention provides a light transmission tube in combination with a light source provided in a base of a lamp standard. The light transmission tube has a mirror surface applied to the exterior of the tube and visible through the walls of the tube. Preferably the tube is made of glass. The transmission tube guides the light and evens the concentration of light for discharge at an elevated position distant from the light source. A deflector or lens arrangement can be provided adjacent the elevated discharge end of the transmission tube to provide the desired illumination adjacent the lamp arrangement.
Preferably the transmission tube is housed within an outer sleeve or column to provide protection.
Preferably the transmission tube is housed within an outer sleeve or column to provide protection.
Description
wH-12 347CA
TITLE: LAMP ARRANGEMENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTTON
The present invention relates to lighting and in particular, to lighting where it is desirable to provide a raised light source for illuminating an area associate therewith. In particular, the invention has direct application with respect to outdoor lighting including street lighting, park lighting, property lighting, yard lighting and highway lighting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Street lighting and outdoor lighting associated with driveways or storage yards, etc. typically use a lamp post to position a light source ten or more feet around ground level and include various lens and lamp arrangements for illuminating a desired area therebelow.
With lighting arrangements of this type, service typically requires specialized equipment as replacement of the bulb must be completed at an elevated position of the lamp. Therefore, although the existing structures work satisfactorily, they do require specialized service.
It has been proposed to produce various lamp structures where the light source is provided near the base of the lamp for easy and convenient service and the light is carried by a fiber optic cable to adjacent the top of the lamp where the light can be emitted towards a deflector for illuminating an area therebelow. It has also been proposed to provide a system where the light source adjacent the base of the lamp includes a cooling fan for removing heat.
These prior art arrangements are expensive to produce and difficult to justify due to the high initial cost.
It would be desirable to produce a lamp arrangement suitable for illuminating large areas such as streets, driveways, parking lots and highway illumination where the light source is provided at the base of the unit and is transmitted to a raised position for discharge in an optically efficient and cost effective manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A lamp arrangement according to the present invention comprises a base portion with a light source provided therein with a light transmission tube associated with the light source for directing light from the light source to an elevated position. The light transmission tube includes a mirrored surface on the exterior thereof and a light directing member provided at the discharge of the light tube for controlling the discharge of light from the light tube. Preferably the light tube is housed within a lamp post or column. For example the lamp can be supported within a metal lamp column.
Various arrangements for distributing the light at the point of discharge from the transmission tube can be used. For example, the light can be directed to a special deflector for illumination to one side of the lamp structure or to a deflector where the illumination is provided around the lamp source.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the light source is a low voltage light source provided at the base of the unit. Such a low voltage light source can include its own power supply or the low voltage power supply can be provided easily to each individual lamp.
TITLE: LAMP ARRANGEMENT
FIELD OF THE INVENTTON
The present invention relates to lighting and in particular, to lighting where it is desirable to provide a raised light source for illuminating an area associate therewith. In particular, the invention has direct application with respect to outdoor lighting including street lighting, park lighting, property lighting, yard lighting and highway lighting.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Street lighting and outdoor lighting associated with driveways or storage yards, etc. typically use a lamp post to position a light source ten or more feet around ground level and include various lens and lamp arrangements for illuminating a desired area therebelow.
With lighting arrangements of this type, service typically requires specialized equipment as replacement of the bulb must be completed at an elevated position of the lamp. Therefore, although the existing structures work satisfactorily, they do require specialized service.
It has been proposed to produce various lamp structures where the light source is provided near the base of the lamp for easy and convenient service and the light is carried by a fiber optic cable to adjacent the top of the lamp where the light can be emitted towards a deflector for illuminating an area therebelow. It has also been proposed to provide a system where the light source adjacent the base of the lamp includes a cooling fan for removing heat.
These prior art arrangements are expensive to produce and difficult to justify due to the high initial cost.
It would be desirable to produce a lamp arrangement suitable for illuminating large areas such as streets, driveways, parking lots and highway illumination where the light source is provided at the base of the unit and is transmitted to a raised position for discharge in an optically efficient and cost effective manner.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A lamp arrangement according to the present invention comprises a base portion with a light source provided therein with a light transmission tube associated with the light source for directing light from the light source to an elevated position. The light transmission tube includes a mirrored surface on the exterior thereof and a light directing member provided at the discharge of the light tube for controlling the discharge of light from the light tube. Preferably the light tube is housed within a lamp post or column. For example the lamp can be supported within a metal lamp column.
Various arrangements for distributing the light at the point of discharge from the transmission tube can be used. For example, the light can be directed to a special deflector for illumination to one side of the lamp structure or to a deflector where the illumination is provided around the lamp source.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the light source is a low voltage light source provided at the base of the unit. Such a low voltage light source can include its own power supply or the low voltage power supply can be provided easily to each individual lamp.
In a preferred aspect of the invention the light is produced by a low voltage lamp and produces a narrow beam of light that is transmitted by the transmission tube. The light is guided through a mirrored tube or tubes to an elevated position where the light is discharged either directly or by striking a reflector or diffuser.
The mirrored tube is a glass tube with a mirrored surface applied to the exterior thereof to reflect the light as it passes through the length of the tube. The tube can then be supported in any suitable manner within a support structure such as a steel, metal or plastic tube which may or may not be supported within its own light standard. In the preferred embodiment the glass tube with the mirror surface is a straight tube made in a continuous length or broken into discrete segments for ease of shipping. It is preferred that the number of segments be limited to provide an efficient transmission path while accommodating shipping requirements and avoiding or reducing possible breakage problems. Also assembly is simplified with fewer segments.
In the preferred aspect, the mirrored glass tube or tube segments are straight, however, it is also possible to provide curved transitions that are particularly valuable if the light is to be discharged to one side of the standard. These curved transitions can also channel the light in a directed manner. The size of the tube is preferably less than six inches and in the preferred embodiment is approximately three and one half inches.
In a preferred embodiment, light is guided from the light source to an upper part of the lamp approximately 14 feet above ground level where it strikes a reflector which directs the light downwardly. It has been found that the downwardly directed light is quite uniform and can have a limited area such as a 15 foot circle about the lamp. The light pattern is easily changeable by changing the reflector. Again, it is also possible to shape the reflector to produce whatever desired light concentration that may be necessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the proposed lamp structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The lamp arrangement 2 includes a base portion 4 that houses and protects a low wattage high intensity light source 6. Preferably this lamp operates at a low voltage such as 18 volts, or preferably 12 volts and it has been found that a 12 volt, 50 watt Solux bulb produced by Taylor, Inc. works satisfactorily. This bulb produces a narrow beam of light preferably in the order of 10 degrees to produce and direct the light through the light transmission tube 10 towards the top of the lamp arrangement. The top of the lamp arrangement is at an elevated point and depending upon the application the height may be anywhere from six to 16 feet or more. One preferred structure is approximately 14 feet high.
The lamp arrangement 2 includes an outer sleeve 8 that forms the column of the lamp arrangement. This can be of any suitable material such as a metal column or other high strength column. The particular material and strength will depend upon the application and is not critical in understanding the present invention.
Interior to the column 8 is a glass tube 10 that remains spaced from the outer column 8 by a series of spacers 12.
These spacers can be silicon insulating rings, "O" rings or other suitable material. The exterior surface of the glass tube 10 has a mirrored finish indicated as 14. The exterior of the glass tube which is preferably of a diameter of approximately three and one half inches although larger or smaller diameters are certainly possible, is finished with a mirrored surface. The mirrored surface typically includes a suitable protective coating to the exterior thereof. The point is that the glass tube 10 has been provided with a mirrored surface to the exterior thereof to provide efficient transmission of light from the light source six to the diffuser or reflector 20 provided at the top of the lamp arrangement indicated as 22. Providing the mirror finish facing inwardly on the exterior of the tube is easily completed.
The lamp arrangement 2 also includes a plastic or glass enclosure 24 which provides protection from the environment for the reflector 20 and the light transmission tube 10.
The embodiment of Figure 1 shows a single glass tube 10 however this can be broken into a number of segments of shorter glass tubes joined together by a suitable exterior tube joiner. For example a snug fit tube could form the joiner and maintain alignment of the tube segments. These tube joiners could also serve to space the glass tube from the exterior column 8. The exterior joiner will also serve to protect the interior of the tube from contamination.
With the lamp arrangement 2 as shown in Figure 1 it can be seen that the glass transmission tube 10 forms a light transmission path from the light source 6 to the deflector 20 where the light is reflected downwardly to illuminate an area adjacent or about the lamp arrangement. The diffuser shown would produce a generally circular light pattern adjacent the base of the lamp. It has been found that the particular bulb and the relatively longer length of the glass tube 10 with a _ 5 _ mirrored surface to the exterior thereof provides a light beam which hits the reflector 20 and it is generally uniform in its intensity. This is in contrast to the light initially emitted by the lamp 6 which often has a higher concentration at the center. The glass tube 10 with the mirrored surface to the exterior thereof not only serves to transmit the light from the light source to the reflector 20 in an efficient manner, but it also serves to even the distribution of light.
The lamp arrangement has shown a light tube 10 of a straight configuration, however it is also possible to have a curved segments if light is to be discharged to one side of the lamp arrangement 12. It would also be possible to use a specialized reflector to direct the light to one side of the lamp arrangement.
With the arrangement as described above, an efficient and cost effective arrangement for distributing light from the base of the lamp arrangement to an elevated position has been provided. The lamp arrangement is cost effective to manufacture and is easily serviced due to the concentration of replaceable parts in the base of the lamp arrangement. Should the light source need replacement from time to time, this is easily accomplished. Both the reflector 20 and the glass light transmission tube 10 are essentially enclosed and therefore only cleaning of the diffuser 24 may be necessary. This can also be accomplished from the ground merely by spraying water on the diffuser to remove any accumulated dirt. The reflecting surface of the reflector 20 and the interior surfaces of the glass transmission tube 10 remain essentially protected from the environment.
It is anticipated that the lamp source 6 will not require any fan cooling. There may be applications where the application requires a more powerful lamp arrangement and as such the low voltage lamp source may not be suitable. In this case a higher power light source 6 can be used and any appropriate cooling can be provided.
The lamp arrangement has been described with respect to a glass transmission tube which is the preferred structure. Other arrangements may also be possible. The main advantage is providing of the mirror surface or reflecting surface on the exterior of the transmission tube and visible through the walls of the tube. This allows a good reflecting surface to be produced in a cost effective manner. It is difficult to produce an efficient tube with the reflecting surface on the interior of the tube.
The present invention provides an efficient arrangement for providing an effective transmission tube through a lamp standard to an elevated position for discharge.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
The mirrored tube is a glass tube with a mirrored surface applied to the exterior thereof to reflect the light as it passes through the length of the tube. The tube can then be supported in any suitable manner within a support structure such as a steel, metal or plastic tube which may or may not be supported within its own light standard. In the preferred embodiment the glass tube with the mirror surface is a straight tube made in a continuous length or broken into discrete segments for ease of shipping. It is preferred that the number of segments be limited to provide an efficient transmission path while accommodating shipping requirements and avoiding or reducing possible breakage problems. Also assembly is simplified with fewer segments.
In the preferred aspect, the mirrored glass tube or tube segments are straight, however, it is also possible to provide curved transitions that are particularly valuable if the light is to be discharged to one side of the standard. These curved transitions can also channel the light in a directed manner. The size of the tube is preferably less than six inches and in the preferred embodiment is approximately three and one half inches.
In a preferred embodiment, light is guided from the light source to an upper part of the lamp approximately 14 feet above ground level where it strikes a reflector which directs the light downwardly. It has been found that the downwardly directed light is quite uniform and can have a limited area such as a 15 foot circle about the lamp. The light pattern is easily changeable by changing the reflector. Again, it is also possible to shape the reflector to produce whatever desired light concentration that may be necessary.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Preferred embodiments of the invention are shown in the drawings, wherein:
Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view of the proposed lamp structure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The lamp arrangement 2 includes a base portion 4 that houses and protects a low wattage high intensity light source 6. Preferably this lamp operates at a low voltage such as 18 volts, or preferably 12 volts and it has been found that a 12 volt, 50 watt Solux bulb produced by Taylor, Inc. works satisfactorily. This bulb produces a narrow beam of light preferably in the order of 10 degrees to produce and direct the light through the light transmission tube 10 towards the top of the lamp arrangement. The top of the lamp arrangement is at an elevated point and depending upon the application the height may be anywhere from six to 16 feet or more. One preferred structure is approximately 14 feet high.
The lamp arrangement 2 includes an outer sleeve 8 that forms the column of the lamp arrangement. This can be of any suitable material such as a metal column or other high strength column. The particular material and strength will depend upon the application and is not critical in understanding the present invention.
Interior to the column 8 is a glass tube 10 that remains spaced from the outer column 8 by a series of spacers 12.
These spacers can be silicon insulating rings, "O" rings or other suitable material. The exterior surface of the glass tube 10 has a mirrored finish indicated as 14. The exterior of the glass tube which is preferably of a diameter of approximately three and one half inches although larger or smaller diameters are certainly possible, is finished with a mirrored surface. The mirrored surface typically includes a suitable protective coating to the exterior thereof. The point is that the glass tube 10 has been provided with a mirrored surface to the exterior thereof to provide efficient transmission of light from the light source six to the diffuser or reflector 20 provided at the top of the lamp arrangement indicated as 22. Providing the mirror finish facing inwardly on the exterior of the tube is easily completed.
The lamp arrangement 2 also includes a plastic or glass enclosure 24 which provides protection from the environment for the reflector 20 and the light transmission tube 10.
The embodiment of Figure 1 shows a single glass tube 10 however this can be broken into a number of segments of shorter glass tubes joined together by a suitable exterior tube joiner. For example a snug fit tube could form the joiner and maintain alignment of the tube segments. These tube joiners could also serve to space the glass tube from the exterior column 8. The exterior joiner will also serve to protect the interior of the tube from contamination.
With the lamp arrangement 2 as shown in Figure 1 it can be seen that the glass transmission tube 10 forms a light transmission path from the light source 6 to the deflector 20 where the light is reflected downwardly to illuminate an area adjacent or about the lamp arrangement. The diffuser shown would produce a generally circular light pattern adjacent the base of the lamp. It has been found that the particular bulb and the relatively longer length of the glass tube 10 with a _ 5 _ mirrored surface to the exterior thereof provides a light beam which hits the reflector 20 and it is generally uniform in its intensity. This is in contrast to the light initially emitted by the lamp 6 which often has a higher concentration at the center. The glass tube 10 with the mirrored surface to the exterior thereof not only serves to transmit the light from the light source to the reflector 20 in an efficient manner, but it also serves to even the distribution of light.
The lamp arrangement has shown a light tube 10 of a straight configuration, however it is also possible to have a curved segments if light is to be discharged to one side of the lamp arrangement 12. It would also be possible to use a specialized reflector to direct the light to one side of the lamp arrangement.
With the arrangement as described above, an efficient and cost effective arrangement for distributing light from the base of the lamp arrangement to an elevated position has been provided. The lamp arrangement is cost effective to manufacture and is easily serviced due to the concentration of replaceable parts in the base of the lamp arrangement. Should the light source need replacement from time to time, this is easily accomplished. Both the reflector 20 and the glass light transmission tube 10 are essentially enclosed and therefore only cleaning of the diffuser 24 may be necessary. This can also be accomplished from the ground merely by spraying water on the diffuser to remove any accumulated dirt. The reflecting surface of the reflector 20 and the interior surfaces of the glass transmission tube 10 remain essentially protected from the environment.
It is anticipated that the lamp source 6 will not require any fan cooling. There may be applications where the application requires a more powerful lamp arrangement and as such the low voltage lamp source may not be suitable. In this case a higher power light source 6 can be used and any appropriate cooling can be provided.
The lamp arrangement has been described with respect to a glass transmission tube which is the preferred structure. Other arrangements may also be possible. The main advantage is providing of the mirror surface or reflecting surface on the exterior of the transmission tube and visible through the walls of the tube. This allows a good reflecting surface to be produced in a cost effective manner. It is difficult to produce an efficient tube with the reflecting surface on the interior of the tube.
The present invention provides an efficient arrangement for providing an effective transmission tube through a lamp standard to an elevated position for discharge.
Although various preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described herein in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, that variations may be made thereto without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.
Claims (10)
1. A lamp arrangement having a base portion with a light source provided therein a light transmission tube associated with the light source for directing light from the light source to an elevated position said light transmission tube having a mirrored surface to the exterior thereof and a light directing member provided at the discharge of the light tube for controlling the discharge of light from the light tube.
2. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light source is a low voltage light source.
3. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 2 wherein said low voltage light source is a 12 volt light source with a power of 50 watts.
4. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light source produces a narrow beam of light aligned with the light transmission tube.
5. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the light transmission tube is protected within an outer structural tube member.
6. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein adjacent a discharge position of the light transmission tube a reflecting member is provided for changing the direction of the light beam and directing the same in a desired manner downwardly to a ground position adjacent the lamp arrangement.
7. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said glass transmission tube is of a diameter of less than six inches.
8. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein said light source and said glass tube cooperate to reduce leakage of light adjacent the base of the lamp arrangement.
9. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 which produces a relatively evenly distributed light area adjacent the base of the lamp.
10. A lamp arrangement as claimed in claim 1 wherein the evenly distributed area is generally a circular area about the lamp arrangement.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2465423 CA2465423A1 (en) | 2004-04-28 | 2004-04-28 | Lamp arrangement |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2465423 CA2465423A1 (en) | 2004-04-28 | 2004-04-28 | Lamp arrangement |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2465423A1 true CA2465423A1 (en) | 2005-10-28 |
Family
ID=35311188
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA 2465423 Abandoned CA2465423A1 (en) | 2004-04-28 | 2004-04-28 | Lamp arrangement |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA2465423A1 (en) |
-
2004
- 2004-04-28 CA CA 2465423 patent/CA2465423A1/en not_active Abandoned
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| US6168294B1 (en) | Airport taxi signal light having LED light array with light processing assembly and dichroic filter | |
| US6971781B2 (en) | Remote source lighting | |
| JP5805718B2 (en) | Light beam shaper | |
| US6981784B2 (en) | Side projecting LED signal | |
| US5575550A (en) | Pole light having a programmable footprint | |
| KR0184259B1 (en) | Pole light providing unique footprint control | |
| US20060050507A1 (en) | Airfield edge-light utilizing a side-emitting light source | |
| US20020074420A1 (en) | Fiber optic illuminated waterfall | |
| JP5182927B2 (en) | Lighting device | |
| EP0638766B1 (en) | Lighting system, and method for fiber optic and area illumination | |
| CA2882666C (en) | Refractor lens element | |
| NZ246820A (en) | Floodlighting using sequentially arranged reflectors | |
| EP1246461A3 (en) | Light source device and projection television | |
| US10989364B2 (en) | Ruggedized, high efficiency, diffuse luminaire | |
| US5315490A (en) | Light fittings | |
| CN105240741A (en) | Handrail lighting system | |
| CA2465423A1 (en) | Lamp arrangement | |
| WO2007106020A1 (en) | Illumination arrangement | |
| KR100975145B1 (en) | Lighting apparatus for guard rail | |
| Tsai et al. | A freeform mirror design of uniform illumination in streetlight from a split light source | |
| US20060126324A1 (en) | Illuminator with periscopic optical guidance | |
| US6997594B2 (en) | Under vehicle inspection system | |
| CA2255981A1 (en) | Lighting device, in particular flush lighting with spatial light distribution | |
| CA2425474A1 (en) | Fibre optic street lighting fixtures | |
| CA1247577A (en) | Reflector for use in uniformly illuminating a polygonal area |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| FZDE | Dead |