GB2310036A - Decorative shade for a lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

A shade for a lamp includes a generally tubular structure formed from a number of resilient, initially flat leaves 10, each leaf being separately secured 18, 19, in the regions of its top and bottom, to two adjacent leaves and extending generally tangentially outwardly from the structure.

Description

Decorative Shade for a Lamp.

The present invention is concerned with decorative shades for lamps, in particular for incandescent or fluorescent lamps, and is a novel construction of shade which may be assembled from a number of identical flat components.

Conventional lamp shades such as may be purchased ready for use are often unitary products formed in a plastics material, having a predetermined shape and therefore giving no opportunity for the purchaser to influence the design. If a user wishes to obtain a shade adapted to meet his particular needs or tastes, he may have to assemble the shade either from basic constructional materials such as sheeting or cord or from an assortment of necessary components.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel form of lamp shade which can readily be assembled from a number of identical components and the design of which can be adapted as desired and may even, in some forms, be modified subsequently to meet changing tastes or requirements.

The lamp shade according to the present invention comprises a generally tubular structure formed from a number of resilient, initially flat leaves, each said leaf being separately secured, in the regions of its top and bottom, to two adjacent leaves and extending generally tangentially outwardly from the structure.

Visually, the lamp shade appears as a succession of interleaved repeating shapes together forming a tubular shade, the overall profile of which is determined by the outer edges of the projecting leaves.

Thus the style and appearance of the shade may take a wide range of forms. from that of a straight upright cylinder to any desired tapered and/or curved form.

Each leaf from which the shade is constructed is sufficiently resilient to flex from the generally flat orientation in which it is initially produced to the generally curved orientation in which it forms part of the assembled lamp, and to be self-supporting in the latter orientation. Several plastics materials are ideal for this purpose, among which may be mentioned polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene and scratch-resistant polycarbonate. The chosen material should preferably be translucent or transparent and may be colourless or formed in any desired colour. Particularly when the leaves are colourless, any desired colour may be imparted to the shade by selecting an appropriately-coloured lamp or by surrounding the lamp with a coloured cover.

Further effects may be achieved by assembling the shade from leaves of two or more different colours.

Each leaf is separately secured to two adjacent leaves, at its top and bottom. The leaves may be secured together in any desired way, for example by means of staples, clips, adhesive or stitching or by means of interengaging slots in the leaves, but it is particularly preferred to secure the leaves together by means of pop-rivets or similar connectors, most preferably such as will allow the leaves to be separated subsequently to enable the design of the shade to be modified. In a particularly preferred form of the shade, each leaf is secured to each adjacent leaf by a single rivet in one area, for example in the region of its top, and by two rivets in the other area, for example in the region of its bottom, thereby imparting additional stability to the shade.If desired, particularly when the leaves are relatively long, they may additionally be secured together at one or more positions between their top and bottom.

The shade according to the invention may be freestanding but preferably is mounted upon a support at its base, in particular a support which enables it to be mounted about a socket designed to receive a source of illumination in the form of an incandescent or fluorescent bulb.

The invention will now be further described and exemplified with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate one preferred form of the lamp shade according to the present invention and wherein Fig.l shows a single leaf of the type from which the shade is constructed; Fig.2 shows the base of the shade; Fig.3 shows a series of the leaves connected together during the construction of the shade; Fig.4 is a vertical elevation of the shade; Fig.5 is a plan view of the shade; - and Fig.6 is a perspective view of the shade.

The leaf 10 shown in Fig.l is formed of thin translucent resilient PVC sheeting. The linear axis of the leaf is inclined somewhat relative to the lower edge 11 of the leaf and the outer edge 12 gives the leaf a generally curved profile. Two holes 13 are punched within the region of the top of the leaf and four holes 14 are formed in a line near to the lower edge 11.

The base 15 of the shade is cut from clear PVC sheeting in the shape shown in Fig.2. A series of nine arms 16 extend generally tangentially outwardly from the centre of the base. Each arm 16 has a pair of holes 17 at its outer end.

To assemble the lamp, nine identical leaves 10 are required, as shown in Fig.3. The upper ends of the leaves are first connected together as shown in Fig.3, using plastic rivets 18 fitted through the holes 13.

The assembly of leaves may now be formed into the tubular shape of the eventual lamp shade by using pairs of plastic rivets 19 to interconnect the lower ends of adjacent leaves and to attach the leaves, by means of the holes 3 4 and 16, to the respective arms of the base. The base adopts a dome-like shape with the arms pointing downwardly and assists in imparting rigidity to the lower end of the shade.

By means of a central aperture 20 in the base, the shade may readily be mounted upon a socket (not shown) adapted to receive a lamp bulb of the fluorescent or incandescent type. The bulb may, if desired, be surrounded by a coloured, transparent or translucent cover, to impart a desired colour to the lamp shade.

As seen particularly in Fig.5, from which the base 15 has been omitted, the leaves 10 project generally tangentially outwardly from the shade. As shown in Figs. 4 and 6, the overall shape of the shade, seen as a whole, is determined primarily by the profile of the outer edges 12 of the leaves.

Many variations of detail are possible in designing a shade according to the present invention, as discussed above. For example, the leaves may be coloured or may be decorated with one or more patterns, for example by screen-printing. Furthermore, because, as in the case of the illustrated example, the leaves are held together by rivets, the shade may readily be modified by removing the relevant rivets, whereby to insert additional leaves and/or leaves of a different colour and/or shape.

Claims (10)

1. A lamp shade comprising a generally tubular structure formed from a number of resilient, initially flat leaves, each said leaf being separately secured, in the regions of its top and bottom, to two adjacent leaves and extending generally tangentially outwardly from the structure.

2. A lamp shade as claimed in Claim 1, wherein the leaves are of a resilient plastics material.

3. A lamp shade as claimed in Claim 2, wherein the resilient plastics material is polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene or polycarbonate.

4. A lamp shade as claimed in any of the preceding claims, assembled from leaves of two or more different colours.

5. A lamp shade as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the leaves are secured together by staples, clips, adhesive, stitching or interengaging slots in the leaves.

6. A lamp shade as claimed in any of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the leaves are secured together by rivets.

7. A lamp shade as claimed in Claim 6, wherein each leaf is secured to each adjacent leaf by a single rivet in one of said regions and by two rivets in the other said region.

8. A lamp shade as claimed in any of the preceding claims, mounted upon a support at its base.

9. A lamp shade as claimed in Claim 8, wherein said support is adapted for mounting about a socket designed to receive a source of illumination.

10. A lamp shade substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, the accompanying drawings.