EP1522787A2

EP1522787A2 - A lampshade attachment

Info

Publication number: EP1522787A2
Application number: EP04256275A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Richard Blake
Original assignee: Spearmark International Ltd
Current assignee: Spearmark International Ltd
Priority date: 2003-10-09
Filing date: 2004-10-11
Publication date: 2005-04-13
Also published as: EP1522787A3; GB0323677D0; GB2406899A; GB2406899B

Abstract

A lampshade hanger (1) in combination with a lampshade, wherein the lampshade comprises an annular collar (3) and at least one arm (5,7) extending from the annular collar (3) for supporting, in use, a lampshade, the annular collar (3) having at least one circumferential opening (19) for allowing, in use, the annular collar (3) to be located around a cable (21) of a lampholder (23), the arrangement being such that the annular collar (3) is retained on the lampholder (23) by its own weight, characterised in that there is provided between the lampshade and the annular collar (3), when the annular collar is in the position in which the hanger (1) is suspended from the lampholder (23), a circular clearance to allow a lampholder (23) to pass between the annular collar (3) and the lampshade.

Description

This invention relates to an improved means of attachment of a lampshade to a pendant type lampholder.
At present, lampshades are attached to pendant lampholders by clamping a hanging element of the lampshade between an upper and a lower element of the pendant lampholder. In order to fit a lampshade, the lamp must be removed from the pendant lampholder, the lower element must be unscrewed from the upper element, the hanging element must be engaged with the upper element and the lower element must be screwed back onto the upper element to clamp the hanging element between the upper and lower elements and hence the lampshade in position. Often the lower element may be difficult to unscrew from the upper element. The difficulty of removal is further increased by virtue of the pendant lampholder being located at approximately ceiling height. In addition, it is often the case that the lamp to be removed from the lampholder may be hot and hence difficult to handle.
In an attempt to avoid these problems it is known to provide lampshades with hanging elements which clamp onto the cable supplying electrical power to the pendant lampholder. However, as this type of hanging element functions by trapping the electrical cable between resiliently deformable wires the cable and lampshade often do not hang concentrically. Also this method of attachment often makes the lampholders difficult to locate in position and as a result fitting of a new lampshade can be time consuming. The difficulty of fitting is further increased due to the height of the pendant lampholder.
An alternative method of attaching a lampshade to a pendant lampholder is shown in US patent no. 1,505,394. This document describes a shade supporting means which comprises a swinging arm that can be moved aside to enable the shade supporting means to be located around a pendant lampholder and then moved back into place to secure the shade supporting means to the pendant lampholder. The requirement of this design to have a moving part increases its complexity and hence undesirably increases its cost of manufacture.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lampshade attachment which both increases the ease with which a lampshade may be fitted or removed and which may be used for more than one type of pendant lampholder.
Accordingly, the present invention provides a lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade, wherein the lampshade comprises an annular collar and at least one arm extending from the annular collar for supporting, in use, a lampshade, the annular collar having at least one circumferential opening for allowing, in use, the annular collar to be located around a cable of a lampholder, the arrangement being such that the annular collar is retained on the lampholder by its own weight, wherein there is provided between the lampshade and the annular collar, when the annular collar is in the position in which the hanger is suspended from the lampholder, a circular clearance to allow the lampholder to pass between the annular collar and the lampshade.
The lampshade hanger of the present invention is positioned onto a pendant lampholder without requiring either that the lamp is removed or that the pendant lampholder is taken apart. This is achieved by freely locating the hanger externally to the pendant lampholder rather than attaching the hanger between a lower cylindrical section and an upper domed section of the pendant lampholder.
Advantageously, the lampshade hanger has an annular collar which has an undersurface shaped to be complementary to an external profile of a portion of a lampholder.
Preferably, the undersurface of the annular collar has a first region sized for engagement with the external surface of a first type of lampholder and a second region sized for engagement with the external surface of a second type of lampholder.
The advantage of this feature, not seen in the prior art, is that it enables the same lampshade hanger to be hung from, for example, both standard United Kingdom and standard European Union pendant lampholders which have different standard sizes, diameters and profiles. United Kingdom pendant lampholders have a diameter of around 40mm and European Union pendant lampholders have a diameter of around 60mm.
In one embodiment the first region has a larger diameter than the second region.
In a second embodiment the second region has a larger diameter than the first region.
For attachment to EU type lampholders the lampshade hanger has an undersurface with a substantially conical profile.
To enable the hanger to be fitted the at least one circumferential opening in the annular collar is preferably at least as wide as the cable.
In one embodiment, the circumferential opening in the annular collar is in the form of a substantially parallel sided slot.
For ease of mounting, the at least one circumferential opening in the annular collar is flared from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof.
For secure mounting, the width of the at least one circumferential opening at the lower surface of the annular collar is less than the maximum diameter of the first region.
In a preferred embodiment, there are two arms.
In a preferred embodiment the lampshade hanger further comprises a ring element, attached to the radially outward end of the at least one arm, to which a lampshade can be attached.
In an alternative embodiment, the lampshade hanger comprises two or more circumferential openings in the annular collar.
Preferably, the lampshade hanger comprises two or more arms attached between the ring element and the annular collar.
Advantageously, the lampshade hanger further comprises means for covering the at least one circumferential opening in the annular collar so that the lampshade hanger can be securably attached to a lampholder.
In an alternative embodiment, the at least one arm of the lampshade hanger is attached by at least one hinge member to the annular collar and/or perimeter element to enable the annular collar to assume a first position and a second position.
The lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade, wherein the lampshade is attached to the lampshade hanger by at least one arm.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a lampshade hanger comprising an annular collar and at least one arm extending from the annular collar for supporting, in use, a lampshade, the annular collar having at least one circumferential opening for allowing, in use, the annular collar to be located around a cable of a lampholder, the arrangement being such that the annular collar is retained on the lampholder by its own weight, the lampshade hanger further comprising a perimeter element, wherein there is provided between the perimeter element and the annular collar, when the annular collar is in the position in which the hanger is suspended from the lampholder, a circular clearance to allow a lampholder to pass between the annular collar and the perimeter element.
Preferably, the circular clearance between the annular collar and the lampshade or perimeter element may be 40mm.
More preferably, the circular clearance between the annular collar and the lampshade or perimeter element may be 60mm.
The present invention will be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is a perspective view of a lampshade hanger and a pendant lampholder according to the present invention;
Figure 2 is an elevation view of an EU type pendant lampholder.
Figure 3 is a plan view of a lampshade hanger according to the present invention provided with a perimeter lampshade support element;
Figure 4 is a plan view of a lampshade hanger according to the present invention provided with two apertures for entry of an electrical cable;
Figure 5 is a plan view of a lampshade hanger according to the present invention provided with three lampshade support arms; and
Figure 6 is a plan view of a lampshade hanger according to the present invention in combination with a lampshade and in a first non-use position.
Figure 7 is a perspective view of a lampshade hanger according to the present invention in combination with a lampshade in a second use position.
Figure 8 is a plan view of a lampshade hanger according to the present invention provided with a locking mechanism.
The embodiments shown in Figures 1 and 3 to 8 are designed for engagement with a number of types of lampholder having different sizes, diameters and profiles. For example, they may be engaged with a standard UK domed pendant lampholder as indicated at 15 in Figure 1, or with a standard EU conical pendant lampholder, as shown in Figure 2.
A first embodiment of hanger 1 according to the present invention is shown in Figure 1. The hanger 1 is shown in combination with a UK type domed pendant lampholder 15. However, it should be appreciated that this may also be used with an EU type fitting. This is a standard known lampholder having a lower element 22 which is engageable by means of a screw fitting with an upper element 23. A lamp 20 is received in use in the lower element 22, typically by means of a bayonet or screw fitting. Power is supplied to the lampholder 15 through a cable 21 which extends from the upper element 23.
The hanger 1 comprises an annular collar 3 having two support arms 5,7 extending outwardly radially therefrom. In Figure 1, the distal ends of the support arms 5,7 are not shown for clarity but in practice may comprise suitable fixings for attaching the hanger 1 to a lampshade, or may be an integral part of a lampshade as shown in Figures 3, 4, 6 and 7. In the embodiment shown in Figure 1 the support arms 5,7 are diametrically opposed to balance the hanger 1. It is appreciated that many other arrangements of support arms are possible whilst still maintaining this balance. See for example, Figure 5.
The annular collar 3 possesses an upper surface 11 and a lower surface 13. The upper surface 11 is frusto-conically shaped. For attachment to a UK lampholder the annular collar 3 is provided with a central bore 9 passing through the upper surface 11 for location around the domed region of the upper element 23. The circumference 25. of the bore 9 is sized to allow at least a portion of the upper element to pass through. To locate around an EU lampholder the annular collar 3, when viewed internally, has a conical region 17 located vertically intermediate the upper surface 11 and the lower surface 13 and tapering inwardly in an upwards vertical direction.
The annular collar 3 is further provided with a single aperture 19 which extends from an exterior of the annular collar 3 to central bore 9 and thus allows the electrical cable 21 to pass through the annular collar 3 into bore 9. For ease of fitting it is preferable that the aperture 19 has a minimum width greater than that of the cable 21, as shown in Figure 5. However, this need not necessarily be the case as, if made from a sufficiently flexible material, the annular collar 3 may be deformed by the user to increase the width of the aperture 19. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the aperture 19 in the annular collar 3 tapers from a relatively narrow width 27 for the cable 21 at the upper surface 11 to a wider width 29 (at the lower surface 13). This flaring of the aperture 19 increases the ease with which the hanger 1 may be fitted in two ways. Firstly, the tapered aperture provides a guide for the cable 21 and secondly, as the dimensions of the aperture 19 are additionally sized to take into account the profile of the upper element 23 of the lampholder 15, the hanger when being fitted need only be raised level with and not above the level of the top of the lampholder, since an upper portion of the upper element 23 of the lampholder 15 may pass laterally through the annular collar 3. Also, since the aperture 19 need only provide clearance for the cable 21 at the upper surface 11 it may be relatively narrow resulting in a more secure and more aesthetic finish to the hanger 1. However, in the further embodiments of the present invention shown in Figures 3 and 4, the widening of the aperture serves a different purpose, as described below.
The support arms 5 and 7 are attached to a generally elliptical perimeter element 31, the perimeter element 31 facilitating the attachment of a lampshade (not shown). In the embodiments shown, the perimeter element 31 is continuous. However, it is envisaged that the perimeter element 31 may take any appropriate form as long as it is able to provide support for a lampshade. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 3 the support arms 5 and 7 may alternatively be in the form of separate curved 'T' pieces. Provided on the perimeter element 31 are opposed pairs of lugs 33 and brackets 35. The lugs 33 and brackets 35 are provided at the opposite apexes of the long and short cross-sections of the elliptical perimeter element 31. However, lugs, brackets and similar fixing elements may be placed at any desired location on the perimeter ring 31 or on the support arms 5, 7.
It is also envisaged that the aperture 19 may alternatively take the form of a parallel sided slot, for example see the description referring to Figure 4.
Provided around the annular collar 3 are cut-outs 37. The cut-outs 37 facilitate the circulation of air between the lampholder and the hanger 1 and hence help to prevent a temperature build up in either the annular collar 3 or the lampholder. The cut-outs 37 also have the additional advantages of decreasing material volume, and hence costs, and decreasing the weight of the hanger 1.
As discussed above, the annular collar 3 has a widened aperture 39. This aperture 39 is provided so that the hanger 1 can be utilised with a lampholder (not shown) having a diameter larger than the distance between the inside edge of the perimeter ring 31 and the outside edge of the circumference of the annular collar 3. The aperture 39 increases the distance between the edge of the annular ring 3 and the perimeter element 31 such that the hanger 1 may be passed over such larger diameter lampholders.
A further variant of the present invention is shown in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4. In this embodiment the hanger is provided with a second opening 41 in the annular collar 3. The addition of a second opening 41 enables the hanger 1 to be fitted over a lampholder (not shown) from directions opposed at 180 degrees to each other. It is envisaged that further variants may have three or more openings in the annular collar 3 dependent upon the number of support arms. In such embodiments, as each segment of the annular collar 3 is detached from its adjacent segments the hanger 1 must have at least one additional element retaining the segments in position. In the embodiment of Figure 4 this element is the perimeter ring 31. However, the additional element or elements may take other forms.
To enable the hanger 1 to be rigid while maintaining a low weight it is preferred that the perimeter ring 31, the support arms 5, 7 and the annular collar 3 have a channel type construction (not shown).
Figure 5 shows a further variation in the arrangement of the lampshade hanger 1. In this embodiment, the opening 43 in the annular collar 3 is in the form of a parallel sided slot passing from the edge of the annular collar 3 to the bore 9. This embodiment is provided with three support arms 45 spaced equidistally around the circumference of annular collar 3. In this way it is ensured that the annular collar 3 remains balanced when located around a lampholder.
The embodiment of Figure 5, also shown in Figures 6 and 7, is intended for use with inverted or 'uplighting' lampshades shown in Figures 6 and 7 at 51. Typically, such lampshades 51 are in the form of an inverted shallow cone having a relatively large diameter in comparison to its depth. For efficient storage and transit it is advantageous that lampshades 51 of this type may be stacked within each other. To enable stacking, the hanger 1 is provided with a folding mechanism to allow the hanger 1 to be positioned within the body of the lampshade 51 when not in use, as shown in Figure 6.
The hanger 1 is provided with an annular collar 3 for attachment to a lampholder 15 and a concentric ring element 31 for attachment to a lampshade. The ring element 31 is of larger diameter and is attached to the annular collar by preferably three support arms 45. To maintain balance of the lampshade it is preferred that the support arms 45 are spaced equally around the circumferences of the annular collar 3 and the ring element 31.
The support arms 45 restrain the annular collar 3 and the ring element 31 to be in substantially concentric alignment but are flexibly attached to permit the annular collar 3 and the ring element 31 to be displaced from each other in a vertical direction. By relative vertical displacement of the annular collar 3 and the ring element 31 the hanger 1 can be made to assume a first non-use position and a second use position.
In the first position, illustrated in Figure 6, the annular collar 3 is situated beneath the ring element 31, within the body of the lampshade 51. The support arms 45 are pivoted around resilient hinge members 49, provided at the points of attachment with the annular collar 3 and the ring element 31, and are positioned substantially parallel to the conical wall of the lampshade. As a result of the position of the support arms 45, the annular collar 3 is located at the base of the lampshade, the circumference of the annular collar 3 being substantially contiguous with the internal surface of the lampshade. The provision of resilient hinge members produces a couple at each end of the flexible support arms 45 and hence produces a compressive force in the flexible support arms 45. This force has the effect of holding the annular collar 3 in the first position. Although it is advantageous for the hinge elements to be resilient it is envisaged that the hinge elements may freely rotate. In this way the hanger 1 takes up the minimal amount of space within the lampshade facilitating the close stacking of two adjacent lampshades when not in use. The hanger may remain in this position until it is desired to locate the lampshade on a lampholder 15 (not shown).
When the lampshade is to be fitted to a lampholder 15 the hanger 1 must be located in the second position in which the annular collar 3 is situated above the ring element 31. This is illustrated in Figure 7. To move the hanger 1 to the second position it must be subjected to an upwards force relative to the lampshade. Preferably the user pulls the annular collar 3 in an upwards direction away from the base of the lampshade. Deformation of the flexible support arms 45 and rotation about the resilient hinge members 49, at either end of the support arms 45, enable the annular collar 3 to move upwards along a line, substantially co-axial with the axis of the lampshade, until it reaches an upper position. Deflection in the support arms 45 locks the hanger 1 in the second position in the same way as the hanger 1 was locked in the first position.
Figure 8 shows an additional feature which may be provided on any previously described or envisaged embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment a locking device 47 is provided such that when the hanger 1 has been located in place around a lampholder the locking device 47 can be moved from a first open position (not shown) to a second closed position (shown). In the open position a cable suspending the lampholder can pass through the aperture 19 provided in the annular collar 3 and into the bore 9. In the closed position the opening is closed by the locking device 47 and hence the cable is not able to pass through the aperture 19. The provision of a locking device 47 is therefore advantageous if it is required that the hanger should be secured to the lampholder when in use. It is envisaged that the locking device may take any appropriate form. It may have a rotational sliding action, as illustrated in Figure 8, or it may have a hinged action.
To locate the above described embodiments of the hanger 1 of the present invention into position, the hanger 1 is raised level with or above the level of the top of the pendant lampholder 15. In the case of the embodiments of Figures 3 and 4 the lampholder 15 must pass through the hanger 1 between the perimeter element 31 and the annular collar 3. The hanger 1 is then moved laterally, so that the cable 21 passes through aperture 19 into a position with the annular collar 3 vertically above the pendant lampholder 15 and then the hanger 1 is lowered into a rest position with at least a portion of the annular collar 3 contacting the pendant lampholder 15. In Figures 1 and 2.5 the hanger 1 is thus retained in position solely by its own weight (and that of the lampshade) by virtue of the complementary shapes of lower surface 13 and the upper surface of the lampholder 15. In the embodiment shown in Figure 6 the hanger 1 is further secured by locking device 47.
In a further embodiment of the present invention not shown, the conical region 17 may have two distinct profiles, a first conical profiled lower region complementary to the external surface of an EU type fitting and a second concave profiled upper region complementary to the external domed surface of a UK type fitting.
To improve the location of the security with which the hanger 1 on the lampholder an internal circumference 25 of the bore 9 at the upper surface 11 is sized to be contiguous with the concave region so that when the hanger 1 is in place the internal circumference 25 at the upper surface is in contact with an external surface of the upper element 23 of the lampholder 15.
The hanger 1 can be manufactured from a plastics material or from a metal using, for example, injection moulding or die casting. However, any other suitable material and/or method of manufacture may be used.
It will be appreciated that the present invention provides an improved lampshade hanger with an increased ease of fitting to both UK and continental shape lamp holders. The skilled reader will realise that a number of modifications or variations to the precise details described herein may be made without departing from the scope of the claims.

Claims

A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade, wherein the lampshade comprises an annular collar and at least one arm extending from the annular collar for supporting, in use, a lampshade, the annular collar having at least one circumferential opening for allowing, in use, the annular collar to be located around a cable of a lampholder, the arrangement being such that the annular collar is retained on the lampholder by its own weight, characterised in that there is provided between the lampshade and the annular collar, when the annular collar is in the position in which the hanger is suspended from the lampholder, a circular clearance to allow the lampholder to pass between the annular collar and the lampshade.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 1, wherein the annular collar has an undersurface shaped to be complementary to an external profile of a portion of a lampholder.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 2, wherein the undersurface has a substantially conical profile.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 2, wherein the undersurface of the annular collar has a first region sized for engagement with the external surface of a first type of lampholder and a second region sized for engagement with the external surface of a second type of lampholder.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first region has a larger diameter than the second region.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 4, wherein the second region has a larger diameter than the first region.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the first region is located below the second region.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the at least one circumferential opening in the annular collar is at least as wide as the cable.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the circumferential opening in the annular collar is in the form of a substantially parallel sided slot.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the at least one circumferential opening in the annular collar is flared from an upper surface to a lower surface thereof.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any of claims 4 to 10, wherein the width of the at least one circumferential opening at the lower surface of the annular collar is less than the maximum diameter of the first region.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising a ring element attached to the radially outward end of the at least one arm.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim, comprising two or more circumferential openings in the annular collar.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 13, comprising two or more arms attached between the ring element and the annular collar.
A lampshade hanger as claimed in any preceding claim further comprising means for covering the at least one circumferential opening in the annular collar.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the at least one arm is attached by at least one hinge member.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in claim 16 wherein the at least one hinge member is resilient.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein there are two arms.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lampshade is attached to the lampshade hanger by the at least one arm.
A lampshade hanger comprising an annular collar and at least one arm extending from the annular collar for supporting, in use, a lampshade, the annular collar having at least one circumferential opening for allowing, in use, the annular collar to be located around a cable of a lampholder, the arrangement being such that the annular collar is retained on the lampholder by its own weight, the lampshade hanger further comprising a perimeter element, characterised in that the there is provided between the perimeter element and the annular collar, when the annular collar is in the position in which the hanger is suspended from the lampholder, a clearance sufficient to allow a lampholder to pass between the annular collar and the lampshade.
A lampshade hanger as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the circular clearance between the annular collar and the lampshade or perimeter element is at least 40mm.
A lampshade hanger in combination a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim, wherein the circular clearance between the annular collar and the lampshade or perimeter element is at least 60mm.
A lampshade hanger in combination with a lampshade substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to the accompanying drawing.