GB2032606A - Side lighting system for illuminating a task - Google Patents

Abstract

A lighting system for illuminating a task comprises a housing with front and back panels 35, 36 whose inside surfaces are not highly reflective, side panels 33 connected to the front and rear panels, a bottom panel 37 with apertures 34 on either side, and transverse reflectors 32 located at the sides of the fixture to reflect luminous flux 41 downward and inward onto the task. Ambient lighting is simultaneously produced through the upwardly open housing by direct and indirect luminous flux 42, 43 reflected upward by a reflector on or above the bottom panel 37, this luminous flux being reflected off the walls and the ceiling. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Side lighting system for illuminating a task This invention relates to a lighting system particularly designed to provide reduced glare task lighting by the indirect introduction of luminous flux from the side, while substantially eliminating direct luminous flux from being emitted toward the task area.

One of the problems encountered with desk top or task lighting is that the rearwardly directed rays of light from a light source rebound off the back wall or reflecting surface causing glare to the eyes of the worker addressing the task. A similar problem is encountered with the forward directed rays of light from the light source which rebound off the desk top or task being addressed, also causing glare to the eyes of the worker. A further problem concerns the desire to simultaneously provide general room or ambient lighting. Ambient lighting has generaily been provided by a light source separate from the task lighting source, with such lighting source being either a separate unit or housed in the same unit.

The broad concept of side lighting is taught in Ferree, et al., U.S. Patent No. 1,899,499, which requires a plurality of bulbs and uses a housing of considerably different structure than the disclosed invention.

Task/ambient lighting is taught by Shemitz, U.S. Patent No. 4,054,793. The task lighting in this system is in a bat wing configuration that requires the use of refractors and prisms. The ambient light produced by this system requires the use of a second light source that is necessarily linearly placed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a side lighting system for illuminating a task, comprising: a housing having front and rear panels whose inner surfaces are not highly reflective; two side panels connected to the front and rear panels, but shorter than the front and rear panels thereby creating at least one aperture between the bottom panel and a side panel; at least one light source connectable to said housing intermediate from said side panels and spaced apart therefrom, and above said bottom panel; and means for reflecting luminous flux inwardly and downwardly from the side panel through the aperture.

The embodiments of the invention disclosed herein include a light fixture for housing a light source, the fixture and source being so combined as to provide task lighting from the side. Further, ambient lighting is simultaneously produced from the same light source thereby saving energy.

The light fixture has front and rear panels that are not highly reflective on the inside, side panels that are highly reflective or specular on the inside positioned to reflect luminous flux downwardly and inwardly, or alternatively, reflectors proximately located to the side panels having similar highly reflective properties, and a bottom panel considerably shorter than the front and rear panels connectable to the front and rear panels preferably in the centre of the fixture, thereby creating an aperture on each side of the bottom panel. A light source is connectable intermediate from the side panels and spaced apart therefrom, being above the bottom panel, such light source preferably being an elongated high intensity gaseous discharge (HID) lamp, transversely and centrally located in the housing.

The luminous flux emitted by the light source strikes the reflective surfaces on or proximate to the side panels and is reflected inwardly and downwardly through the apertures to provide side lighting of the task area with reduced glare beneath the fixture since the downward emission of direct light is prevented by the bottom panel.

Ambient lighting which is created from the light emitted through the open top of the fixture directly from the light source is further supplemented by the use of a reflective means in the form of a polished or coated highly reflective or specular surface on the top of or proximately placed above the bottom panel and below the light source. The efficient use of reflectors or reflective surfaces and the system of side lighting provide excellent task and ambient lighting permitting the use of a single high intensity light source when transversely placed.

In order that the invention may be readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is an obliquely portrayed pictorial illustration of a preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein.

Figure 2 is an obliquely portrayed pictorial illustration of an alternate preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein.

Figure 3 is a frontally portrayed pictorial illustration of the alternate preferred embodiment of the invention disclosed herein.

Figure 4 is a downward view of the top of the invention disclosed herein.

Figure 5 is an upward view of the bottom of the invention disclosed herein.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, a lighting fixture 11 is illustrated as being mounted by means (not shown) above a work or task area such as a desk 20. The housing of the light fixture, preferably elongated in shape has a front panel 1 5 and a back panel 16, two side panels 13, and a partial bottom panel 1 7. A light source 1 9 is transversely situated preferably in the centre of the light fixture.

Front panel 1 5 and back panel 1 6 have inside surfaces that are not highly reflective. These nonreflective surfaces may be obtained by various known methods such as coating the surface with, or constructing the panel of, materials which are inherently non-reflective. The two side panels 1 3 have inside surfaces that are highly reflective or specular. These highly reflective surfaces may also be obtained by various known methods such as coating the surface with, covering, or constructing the panel of, materials which are inherently highly reflective. These side panels are constructed so as to slant inward as they progress upward. Bottom panel 1 7 is the same width as side panels 13, but shorter in length than front panel 1 5 and rear panel 1 6, to which they are connected.The bottom panel is preferably located in the centre of the housing thereby creating two apertures 1 4 of equal site on either side thereof, and next to side panels 13. This bottom panel can also have a highly reflective top surface.

Figure 1 also illustrates a single light source, preferably an HID lamp, connectably located transversely in the centre of the housing.

Luminous flux 21-23 is emitted from the light source. The essentially longitudinally emitted luminous flux 21 is reflected downwardly and inwardly by the highly reflective side panels, passing through the apertures, thereby providing indirect side illumination for the task area. Light source 19 also emits luminous flux 22 upward to exit the fixture through the opening across the top and is reflected by the walls and the ceiling to provide ambient lighting. Downwardly directed luminous flux 23 that would otherwise directly light task area 20 is prevented from exiting the housing through the bottom by bottom panel 1 7.

This downwardly emitted luminous flux 23 is instead upwardly reflected by the highly reflective or specular surface of the bottom panel to provide ambient lighting in the same manner as the direct luminous flux upwardly emitted. A top panel could also be added which contains one or more diffusion lenses or refractors that assist in directing upwardly exiting luminous flux.

Figure 2 illustrates another embodiment of the invention wherein housing 31 is essentially rectangular. Front panel 35 and rear panel 36 are not highly reflective on the inside. Bottom panel 37 has an upper surface of substantially highly reflective or specular material and is shorter than and connected to front panel 35 and rear panel 36. The bottom panel is centrally located and two side panels 33 are connected to front panel 35 and rear panel 36. Light source 39 is intermediate from side panels 33 and spaced apart therefrom, being transversely located above bottom panel 37.

Highly reflective or specular reflectors 32 are proximately located next to side panels 33 and slanted inwardly and upwardly. The result is the same as in Figure 1 in that luminous fluxes 41, 42 and 43 are reflected respectively inwardly and downwardly by the reflectors 32, directly upward, and indirectly upward by reflection from bottom panel 37.

Figure 3 is a front view of a preferred embodiment of the invention, clearly illustrating luminous flux 21 being reflected by the reflectors 12 inwardly and downwardly to produce the task illumination from the side, and luminous flux 22 and reflected luminous flux 23 that produces the ambient lighting. A top view, Figure 4, and a bottom view, Figure 5, show the transversely centrally placed elongated light source, the central location of bottom panel 1 7 and equal sized apertures 14 on either side of the bottom panel.

While particular embodiments of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that the invention is not limited thereto, since many modifications may be made and will become apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, the bottom panel could be attached to one side thereby creating only one side aperture, or could have a small attachment to one or both sides leaving only a partial side opening where such attachment is made, and still achieve the side task lighting effect described above with respect to the preferred embodiments.

Claims (10)

1. A side lighting system for illuminating a task; comprising: a housing having front and rear panels whose inner surfaces are not highly reflective; two side panels connected to the front and rear panels; a bottom panel connectabie to the front and rear panels, but shorter than the front and rear panels thereby creating at least one aperture between the bottom panel and a side panel; at least one light source connectable to said housing intermediate from said side panels and spaced apart therefrom, and above said bottom panel; and means for reflecting luminous flux inwardly and downwardly from the side panel through the aperture.

2. A side lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said light source is a single lamp, elongated and transversely located in the housing.

3. A side lighting system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said light source is a high intensity gaseous discharge lamp.

4. A side lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein at least a substantial portion of the top surface of said bottom panel is highly reflective.

5. A side lighting system according to any preceding claim, wherein the reflecting means is a reflector.

6. A side lighting system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein a substantial portion of the inner surface of each of said side panels is highly reflective, thereby functioning as said reflecting means.

7. A side lighting system according to any preceding claims, wherein said aperture is covered with one or more diffusion lenses or refractors that assist in directing the luminous flux emitted from said light source.

8. A side lighting system according to any preceding claim and including a top panel containing one or more diffusion lenses or refractors that assist in directing upwardly exiting luminous flux.

9. A side lighting system substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

10. Any novel feature or combination of features herein described.