GB2523302A

GB2523302A - Light Fitting

Info

Publication number: GB2523302A
Application number: GB1400284.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Graham Hammond
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2014-01-08
Filing date: 2014-01-08
Publication date: 2015-08-26
Also published as: GB201400284D0

Abstract

A light fitting 10 comprises a housing 12 for attachment to a surface within a room. The light fitting 10 includes a primary light source 21 mounted within the housing 12. One or more apertures 19 in the housing allow light from the primary light source 21 to exit the housing 12. An opening 30 is provided in the housing 12, separate from the apertures 19. The housing 12 supports a panel 31 having a translucent or transparent design (32, Fig. 1) to overly the opening 30. A secondary light source 26 is mounted within the housing 12 and directs light out of the housing 12 through the translucent or transparent design 32 of a supported panel 31.

Description

LIGHT FITTING

This invention relates to a light fitting having a design feature and also to a light fitting assembly. The fitting has been designed primarily for children's rooms or the like but it will be appreciated that it is not limited to any specific place of use.

Various types of light fittings are available and these range from purely functional fittings to fittings having elaborate design features. Purely functional fittings include mains light fittings arranged to be mounted on a ceiling or wall in a room to provide sufficient light to illuminate the room. The aesthetics of these types of fitting are generally not tailored towards children and are often limited in design.

Light fittings configured with special lighting effects, such as colour changing lights, flashing lights, moving lights and other effects are also known.

Such light fittings are used to provide an auxiliary lighting effect and are often used as children's "night-lights", being of lesser intensity than a main light.

These types of light fitting are typically free standing rather than mounted to a wall, ceiling or other surface and are either battery powered or connected to a mains power source by a connected plug. The power cord of light fittings with plug connections can pose a safety problem, particularly for young children.

It would be highly beneficial to incorporate an auxiliary light feature in a main light fitting so as to have dual functionality in a single fitting. The problem with this concept is that tastes change and over time a particular design may no longer be suitable. For example, if the light fitting is designed for a child and incorporates a cartoon character, this may be wholly unsuitable when the child grows up or when that character is no longer admired by the child. In this case, the whole light fitting would require replacement, which may be prohibitively expensive and may require the assistance of a qualified electrician.

It is a principal aim of the present invention to provide a light fitting with dual functionality and which seeks to address at least some of the problems discussed above.

According to this invention there is provided a light fitting comprising: -a housing for attachment to a surface within a room; -a primary light source mounted within the housing; -one or more aperture in the housing to allow light from the primary light source to exit the housing; -an opening in the housing separate from the one or more aperture, the housing being arranged to support a panel having a translucent or transparent design to overly the opening; and -a secondary light source mounted within the housing and arranged to direct light out of the housing through the translucent or transparent design of a supported panel.

The surface may be on or recessed in a ceiling, wall or even an item of furniture. The light fitting may be used as the main light source in a room, as an axillary light feature or as both main and auxiliary lights.

The light fitting may be supplied without the primary and/or secondary light source but it will be appreciated that these components are required in order for the light fitting to function as intended. As such, the scope of protection may not be limited to the provision of such light sources (such as a bulb) per se but rather to the ability to mount such light sources within the light fitting.

Preferably, the light fitting further comprises a panel having a translucent or transparent design and supported to overly the opening. The design of the panel may be any shape and configuration and may be tailored to specific users. For example a light fitting for a child may incorporate a design in the shape of an animal or a popular cartoon character, whereas a light fitting for an adult may incorporate a flower design or a pattern. It will be appreciated that the light fitting is not limited by the shape and configuration of the design.

Preferably the light fitting is versatile and comprises releasable support means for removable attachment of the panel to the housing. This allows the panel to be removed and replaced by a panel having a different design, thus enabling interchangeable lighting designs. In this arrangement, the secondary light source may be integrated with the panel and interchangeable therewith.

The primary and secondary light sources may be arranged to operate together. Alternatively, the primary light source may be configured as a main bright light source for the room and the secondary light source may provide ambient lighting or be designed to serve as a night light. This arrangement may be utilised where the design is formed from a translucent material as this material will serve to lessen the intensity of light from the secondary light source into the room. To enable this dual light functionality the primary light source and the secondary light source may be connected independently to one or more power source so as to be separately operable.

The primary and/or secondary light sources may comprise one or more lights mounted within the housing. The light(s) of the primary light source may be mounted wholly within the housing. More preferably though. the light(s) of the primary light source maybe mounted through or in the apertures to ensure maximum light projection from the primary light source. In this arrangement the light(s) may or may not extend partly out of the housing from the apertures.

The light fitting may further comprise (or be connectable to) one or more switches for operation of the primary light source and/or the secondary light source. The light sources may be connected to the mains or may be battery operated and various types of switching means may be provided.

In one arrangement separate switches may be provided for independent operation of each of the primary and secondary light sources. Such switches may include a manually actuated toggle switch or push-button. A single three way toggle switch may be provided to enable switching operation of either one of the primary or secondary light sources, with a third off position. This arrangement may also be provided with a further switch position to allow both the primary and secondary light sources to be operated simultaneously.

Alternatively, in another arrangement, the one or more switches may be connected to one or more pull cord, such that when the cord is pulled the switch is actuated.

The light(s) of one or both of the light sources may include a lighting effect, such as colour changing lights, variable intensity or intermediate flashing of lights. The light(s) may be conventional lights including filament lights and LEDs and may vary in intensity so as to provide bright light therapy or to provide a relaxing effect. Where serving as ambient lighting or a night light the secondary light source may include a lighting effect, and preferably a colour changing effect.

The primary and or secondary light source may be electrically connected to a controller to enable the intensity of light to be varied manually. Additionally or alternatively, the primary and/or the secondary light source may be connected to electronic programming means to enable automatic operation of the light source. In this way the light(s) may be programmed to operate at a particular time and/or for pre-set time periods.

According to a second but closely related embodiment of this invention there is provided a light fitting assembly comprising: -a housing for attachment to a surface within a room, a primary light source mounted within the housing, one or more aperture in the housing for allowing light from the primary light source to exit the housing, an opening in the housing separate from the one or more aperture; a secondary light source mounted within the housing; and -a panel having a translucent or transparent design and configured to be releasably supported by the housing to overly the opening, wherein the secondary light source is arranged for directing light out of the housing through the translucent or transparent design of a panel overlying the opening.

With the light fitting assembly, the panel is provided for self-connection to the housing. This connection is releasable so that the panel may be easily removed so as to provide access to the interior of the housing. The removable connection also enables easy replacement of the panel and the assembly may include a set of two or more panels, each having a different translucent or transparent design and being configured for removable connection to the housing so as to overly the opening. In this way, the panels may be interchangeable, thus allowing different designs to be displayed.

The light fitting and light fitting assembly of the present invention incorporates a single fitting with dual function with the ability to serve as both a main light and an auxiliary light, along with an aesthetic design. The design may be varied by changing the panel thus providing a versatile and unique light fitting.

By way of example only, one specific embodiment of light fitting of this invention will now be described in detail, reference being made to the accompanying drawings in which:-Figure 1 is a front view of the light fitting of the present invention; Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view through line A-A of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a cross -sectional view through line B-B of Figure 1; and Figure 4 is a side view of the light fitting of the present invention.

Referring to all of the figures, there is shown a light fitting 10 attached to a ceiling 11. The fitting 10 comprises a housing 12 which includes a front face 13 having a substantially octagon shaped outer edge 14 and eight angled side walls 15. The present invention is not limited to the particular shape of housing 12 or to the design illustrated. The side walls 15 extend from the outer edge 14 of the front face 15 at an angle of approximately 45 degrees so as to incline towards the ceiling 11. The housing 12 also includes a mounting wall 18 for securing the fitting 10 to the ceiling 11 and this includes appropriate openings for electrical cables to pass, though neither the openings in the mounting wall nor the cables are shown in the figures.

An aperture 19 is formed through each alternate side wall 15 and a mount 20 is provided in each aperture 19 for receiving a primary light source 21.

There are four mounts 20 for the same number of primary light sources 21 and these are arranged so that the mounted primary light sources 21 will direct light 22 out of the housing 12, as shown in Figures 3 and 4.

Four secondary mounts 25 are provided inside the housing 12, each configured to receive a secondary light source 26, such as a colour changing bulb. Only two secondary mounts 26 and secondary light sources 26 are visible in Figure 2 and these are diametrically opposed. Each of the secondary mounts 26 is equidistant from the next and extends from the mounting wall 18 such that the mounted secondary light source 26 will direct light 27 into the housing 12, as best seen in Figure 2.

A substantially square opening 30 is formed through the front face 13 of the housing 12 and a panel 31 is configured to overly the opening 30 thereby effectively closing it. The panel 31 is complimentary in shape to the opening 30 and includes a translucent design 32 in the form of a flower.

The panel 31 is secured to the housing 12 by downwardly extending screws 33 and a securing bolt cap 34. The panel 31 may be removed to allow access inside the housing 12 which facilitates the ability to change the secondary 26 and/or the primary light source 21 and may be useful for attaching the light fitting 10 to the ceiling 11. The panel 31 may also be replaced by a panel having a different design. In this way the panel of the light fitting 10 is interchangeable.

Light 27 from the secondary light source 26 will pass through the translucent design 32 of the panel 31, thereby creating a figurative lighting effect. The translucent design 32 will reduce the intensity of the light thus effectively forming an auxiliary and/or night light. Reflectors and means for directing! focussing light may be provided within the housing for light from either one or both the primary and secondary light sources.

Claims

CLAIMS1. A light fitting comprising: -a housing for attachment to a surface within a room; -a primary light source mounted within the housing; -one or more aperture in the housing to allow light from the primary light source to exit the housing; -an opening in the housing separate from the one or more aperture, the housing being arranged to support a panel having a translucent or transparent design to overly the opening; and -a secondary light source mounted within the housing and arranged to direct light out of the housing through the translucent or transparent design of a supported panel.
2. A light fitting as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a panel having a translucent or transparent design and supported to overly the opening
3. A light fitting as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, further comprising releasable support means for removable attachment of the panel to the housing.
4. A light fitting as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the primary light source and the secondary light source are connected independently to one or more power source so as to be separately operable.
5. A light fitting as claimed in claim 4, further comprising one or more switches for operation of the primary light source and/or the secondary light source.
6. A light fitting as claimed in claim 5, wherein the one or more switches is connected to a pull cord.
7. A light fitting as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the secondary light source produces light having one or more of the following effects: colour changing light, variable intensity light and flashing light.
8. A light fitting as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the secondary light source is electrically connected to a controller to enable the intensity of light to be varied manually.
9. A light fitting as claimed in any of the preceding claims wherein the secondary light source is connected to electronic programming means to enable automatic operation of the light source at pre-set time periods.
10. A light fitting as claimed in claim 1 and substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
11. A light fitting assembly comprising: -a housing for attachment to a surface within a room, a primary light source mounted within the housing, one or more apertures in the housing for allowing light from the primary light source to exit the housing, a separate opening in the housing; a secondary light source mounted within the housing; and -a panel having a translucent or transparent design and configured to be releasably supported by the housing to overly the opening, wherein the secondary light source is arranged for directing light out of the housing through the translucent or transparent design of a panel overlying the opening.
12. A light fitting assembly as claimed in claim 11, further comprising a set of two or more panels, each having a different translucent or transparent design and being configured for removable attachment to the housing so as to overly the opening.