GB2036281A

GB2036281A - Lampshade

Info

Publication number: GB2036281A
Application number: GB7846366A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: BERISFORDS Ltd
Current assignee: BERISFORDS Ltd
Priority date: 1978-11-28
Filing date: 1978-11-28
Publication date: 1980-06-25
Also published as: NL7904896A; BE878574A; DK257079A; FR2443019B3; NO791991L; ZA794500B; US4290099A; FR2443019A3; SE7908507L; DE7919538U1; AU508743B1

Description

1

GB 2 036 281 A 1

SPECIFICATION Lampshade

This invention concerns lampshades.

The transportation of lampshades from 5 factories to customers, such as wholesalers and retailers, involves a significant problem in economics. Lampshades of the kind comprising a framework having a covering of fabric or other sheet material are generally very light but occupy 10 a considerable space; as a result, the costs involved in relation to transport can represent a significant, even a major proportion of the cost price thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide 15a lampshade construction which is such that the components thereof can be put together into a relatively small package as a kit from which the eventual purchaser or user can assemble his or her own lampshade without the need to use any tools 20 or equipment in relation to constructing the framework thereof.

With this object in view, the present invention provides a lampshade comprising a framework including an upper ring, a lower ring, a plurality of 25 connecting rods connecting with said rings and holding them in spaced-apart relationship, and a gimbal composed of a lamphoider-annulus and struts extruding therefrom to one of the said rings, and a covering supported by the framework, 30 characterised in that said connecting rods and the struts are connected to the rings by tee-pieces on the respective ends of the rods and struts, each said tee-piece comprising a socket into which the respective end of the respective rod or strut is a 35 friction fit, and a cross-piece which is slotted from ' end to end and is a snap fit on the respective ring.

With such an arrangement, therefore, the construction of the framework can be effected manually, by fitting the tee-pieces onto the ends 40 of the connecting rods and struts and then snapping them on to the respective rings. Thereafter the covering, which may for instance be of fabric, can be fitted to the framework and secured, e.g. by stitching, clipping, or by means of 45 adhesive.

The tee-pieces are conveniently of plastics material, such as nylon or polypropylene, being made by moulding. To contribute to the rigidity of the framework, in each said tee-piece there is 50 preferably a stiffening web in each of the angles between the socket and the cross-piece.

The invention further includes a kit of components adapted for assembly into a lampshade as above discussed, and this kit may 55 further include an inner lining fabric.

The invention will be described further, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:—

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of the 60 components of a preferred embodiment of the lampshade of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail illustrating the construction of one of the tee-pieces shown in Fig. 1; and

65 Fig. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the lampshade made using the components of Fig. 1, part of the covering and lining thereof having been cut away to show detail if the framework thereof.

As shown in Fig. 1, a kit of components for use 70 in constructing a lampshade conforming to the present invention comprises a relatively smaller diameter ring 10, a relatively larger ring 11 and a plurality of connecting rods 12, these a!! being made of relatively stiff metal wire. Also provided is 75 a gimbal 13 which includes an annular disc 14 serving for fitting to an electrical lampholder (not shown) and from which extend two struts 15 which are disposed at an angle to one another and are made of the same material as the connecting 80 rods 12.

Provided on each end of each of the connecting rods 12 and on the free ends of the two struts 15 are respective tee-pieces 16 of which one is shown to an enlarged scale in Fig. 2. As shown, 85 each said tee-piece 16 comprises a socket part 17 which joins with a respective cross-piece 18 which is formed with a slot 19 extending in the axial direction from end to end thereof. It will readily be appreciated, therefore, that the rods 12 90 and struts 15 can be connected, very easily, by means of the tee-pieces 16, to the rings 10 and 11, simply by snapping the cross-pieces 18 thereof onto the respective ring. The manner of doing this will be described shortly in connection 95 with Fig. 3.

Respective integral stiffening webs 20 are provided in the angles between the socket 17 and the cross piece 18.

Also provided in the kit of parts is a decorative 100 outer fabric panel 21, which is shown in a rolled-up condition, and optionally provided is an inner lining fabric panel 22 which is also shown rolled up.

Fig. 3 shows how the various parts from the kit 105 are assembled together to form a complete lampshade. Six of the connecting rods 12 are provided in the illustrated case, and these are each connected by one end to the smaller ring 10 and by the other end to the larger ring 11, by snapping 110 the corresponding tee-pieces 16 onto such rings 10,11 thereafter adjustment being effected to ensure that the connecting rods 12 are approximately equally spaced apart. Of course, more than or fewer than six of the connecting rods 115 12 can be used, within the limits of practicality, but six such rods will normally ensure that the finished shade is adequately rigid.

The connecting rods having been fitted and adjusted, the gimbal 13 is then fitted in place. In 120 the illustrated case, this is snapped onto the smaller-diameter ring 10 which is at the upper end of the finished lampshade, but of course the arrangement could equally be such that the gimbal is fitted to the lower larger-diameter ring 125 11.

This completes the assembly of the framework of the lampshade, and thereupon the decorative fabric panel 21 is arranged thereover, as is shown in Fig. 3 and is sewn in place by turning it over the

2

GB 2 036 281 A 2

two rings as a folded hem and sewing such hem down, any appropriate adjusting of the size and/or shape of the panel being effected as necessary, and trimmings (not shown) being applied if 5 desired. If a lining is required, the lining fabric panel 22 is then brought into place and sewed in. Naturally, means other than sewing can be employed for applying the fabric panel or panels. Fey instance use may be made of double-sided 10 adhesive strips which are applied so that the hem of the main decorative fabric panel 21, when turned down, simply sticks in place, and the lining panel 22 can similarly be adhered in place.

It will readily be understood that the primary 15 advantage of the lampshade construction of the invention lies in the fact that each lampshade, in its unassembled condition, when it leaves the factory, can be accommodated in a shallow package whose size in plan needs only to be large 20 enough to accommodate the larger-diameter ring 11 and whose depth need only be sufficient to accept the diameter of the annulus 14 of the gimbal 13, since the latter can, of course, be inserted into the package, on its side. Accordingly, 25 the overall space occupied by wholesale members of the lampshades is small in comparison with fully-assembled shades. A further advantage lies in the fact that the eventual user can determine the overall height of the finished product by 30 trimming the lengths of the connecting rods 12 as may be desired.

Naturally, the invention is not confined to the precise details of the foregoing example and variations may be made thereto with the scope of 35 the following claims.

Claims

1. A lampshade comprising a framework including an upper ring, a lower ring, a plurality of connecting rods connecting said rings and holding

40 them in spaced-apart relationship, and a gimbal composed of a lampholder-annulus and struts extending therefrom to one of said rings, and a covering supported by the framework, characterised in that said connecting rods and the 45 struts are connected to the rings by tee-pieces on the respective ends of the rods and struts, each said tee-piece comprising a socket into which the respective end of the respective rod or strut is a friction fit, and a cross-piece which is slotted from 50 end to end and is a snap fit on the respective ring.

2. A lampshade as claimed in claim 1 wherein the tee-pieces are of plastics material.

3. A lampshade as claimed in claim 1 or 2 wherein each tee-piece comprises a respective

55 stiffening web in each of the angles between the socket and the cross-piece.

4. A lampshade substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawing.

60

5. A kit of components adapted for assembly into a lampshade as claimed in any preceding claim.

Printed for Her Majesty's Stationery Office by the Courier Preaa, Leamington Spa, 1980. Published by the Patent Office, 25 Southampton Buildings, London, WC2A 1 AY, from which copies may be obtained.