US3349240A - Electroluminescent lamp shade and lamp structure - Google Patents

Description

Och 1957 G. D. BROWN ,34

ELECTROLUMINESCENT LAMP SHADE AND LAMP STRUCTURE Filed on. 12. 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Lima INVENTOR.

Oct. 24, 1967 G. D. BROWN 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 12, 1966 United States Patent 3,349,240 ELECTROLUMINESCENT LAMP SHADE AND LAMP STRUCTURE George D. Brown, 7001 Bancroft St., Toledo, Ohio 43617 Filed Oct. 12, 1966, Ser. No. 586,228 3 Claims. (Cl. 240-108) This invention relates to lamp structures equipped with shades and an object is to produce a lamp structure having an incandescent lamp. or a fluorescent lamp and in which the shade in addition to its normal use can be rendered luminescent, the shade being mounted in a unique manner on the structure so that electrical potential can be delivered to the shade through the mounting device.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and, for purposes of illustration but not of limitation, embodiments of the invention are shown on the accompanying drawings, in which FIGURE 1 is a bottom perspective view of a table lamp embodying the invention, part of the lamp shade being broken away to show the several plies of the electroluminescent structure;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view showing the mounting of the lamp shade on one of the supporting arms; and

FIGURE 3 is a bottom perspective view of an alternate form employing a fluorescent lamp instead of an incandescent lamp as shown on FIGURE 1.

The illustrated embodiment of the invention comprises a lamp structure having a base 10, from which rises a pedestal 11 on the top of which is a socket member 12. From the socket member arms 13 radiate. These are tubular arms and as shown three are provided, arranged in equidistantly spaced relation. On the outer end portion of each of the arms 13 is an upwardly curved end portion 14, which supports a frustoconical shade 15 in a manner hereinafter to be described.

The lamp shade 15 is of a unique, multiply construction and normally serves the purpose usually assigned to a lamp shade, such as keeping the glare of the lamp from the eyes and directing the rays by reflection toward the adjacent area. In this instance the lamp shade is formed to serve as an electroluminescent surface to provide a night or dim light and for this purpose the innermost ply 16 of the shade is formed of electrical insulating sheet material, such as an oriented polyester film known as Mylar and sold by E. I. du Pont de Nemours & Co. On the outer side of the ply 16 is the outer ply of sheet material 17, which consists of foil of aluminum or other electrically conductive material serving both as a conductor and a light reflector. On the outer side of the ply 17 is a high dielectric layer 18 of barium titanate. Outside the layer or ply 18 is a ply 19 of electroluminescent material which can be a combination of any of the wellknown electroluminescent phosphors, such for example as zinc sulphide, with a suitable activator such as copper powder held in an appropriate vehicle, such as epoxy resin. Other phosphors, activators and vehicles can be used to effect different degrees of brightness, lamp life, and color. On the outer side of the ply 19 is a ply 20, which consists of a conducting glass paper, such as commercially available micro-fiber glass paper made conducting by dipping in a solution of a metal salt which upon drying and baking at an elevated temperature forms a conducting layer.

On the outside of the ply 20 is the outermost ply 21 of the multiply structure and this ply is also plastic electrical insulating material, such as Mylar, and this ply is translucent and may contain whatever ornamental design it 3,349,240 Patented Oct. 24, 1967 is desired to display. Reference is made to US. Patent 2,945,976 of July 19, 1960, for more complete description of such multiply structure. At the top and bottom of the lamp shade are non-luminous areas along the edges to aflord space for the attachment of the contact elements. It will be understood that the leads or contact elements connect respectively to the plies 17 and 19.

FIGURE 2 shows a lead 22 connected to the ply 17 and the leads are in the rim 23 of the shade, the rim being of electrical insulating material. The lead 22 is secured to a plate 24 in the base of a screw-threaded socket into which a plug 25 is screwed. The plug 25 may be what is known as a banana plug and has outwardly bowed spring arms 26, which are releasably fitted into a cylindrical socket 27 in the adjacent arm end portions 14. Electrical current is fed to the socket 27 through a lead 28 which is secured to the socket as indicated. The socket 27 is spaced from the respective arm end portion 14 by an insulating sleeve 29, which is held in place by a set screw 30. It will thus be apparent that male and female connecting parts are provided enabling the shade to be readily applied to the arms, the mounting device being such as to enable the passage of electrical current to the electroluminescent shade.

It will be understood that a similar lead for the ply 20 is provided and this is associated with one of the other arms 13. It will be further understood that the third arm 13 has a similar banana plug connection but without any electrical current connection, this serving merely as a support and a connecting device.

The lead 28 and the companion lead above mentioned extend through the respective arms 13, through the ped estal 11 and out from the base 10 as indicated, a manual switch 31 on the base controls the circuit including the above described leads.

On the socket member 12 is an adaptor 32 for receiving an incandescent bulb 33, an electrical circuit having a switch 34 controls the bulb 33 and the leads for the same (not shown) extend through the pedestal 11 and out through the base 10.

From the above it will be apparent that I have produced an exceedingly simple and practical lamp which can be used as normally intended for illumination purposes but can also be employed as a night or subdued light by manipulation of the switch 31 to cause the shade 15 to become luminescent. The unique manner in which the shade is connected to the lamp structure makes possible both the supporting and the electrical connection for the same. In order to obtain the desired electrical connections for the electroluminescent shade 15 it is merely necessary to mount it on the arms of the lamp structure as above described and when in place not only is the shade properly supported but the electrical connections are established through which the electroluminescent feature is achieved.

FIGURE 3 shows an alternate form similar to that above described except instead of employing an incandescent lamp bulb, a circular fluorescent lamp 35 is employed and this is held in position by spring clips 36 on the arms 13. A plug 37 provides a detachable connection for the lamp 35 and the leads 38 for the same pass through the respective arm, pedestal 11 and base 10. On the base 10 is an upstanding container 39 for the ballast for the fluorescent lamp, a switch 40 on the container 39 enables the lamp 35 to be energized and the switch 31 on this container is for the purpose of energizing the electroluminescent shade. The remaining structure is as above described.

Numerous changes in details of construction, arrangement and selection of materials may be eifected without departing from the spirit of the invention especially as defined in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A device of the class described comprising, in combination, a lamp structure having shade supporting sockets, a shade having a rim portion juxtaposed to said sockets, said shade being of multiply structure having certain plies cooperating to render said shade electroluminescent, blade means on said rim portion for respective engagement with said sockets, certain of said blade and socket means being electrically conductive so that when energized said shade is rendered luminescent, circuit means for delivering alternating electrical potential to said electrically conductive blade and socket means, and switch means for said circuit means.

2. A device of the class described as claimed in claim 1 in which said lamp structure comprises radial arms termi- 4 nating in upwardly extending end portions provided with said shade supporting sockets.

3. A device of the class described as claimed in claim 2 comprising a lamp associated with said radial arms and generally covered by said shade, circuit means for delivering alternating electrical potential to said lamp, and separate switch means for said last circuit means.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,350,462 6/1944 Johns 240-2.25 2,945,976 7/1960 Fridrich et al. 313-108 NORTON ANSHER, Primary Examiner.

GARY HOFFMAN, Assistant Examiner.

Claims (1)

1. A DEVICE OF THE CLASS DESCRIBED COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A LAMP STRUCTURE HAVING SHADE SUPPORTING SOCKETS, A SHADE HAVING A RIM PORTION JUXTAPOSED TO SAID SOCKETS, SAID SHADE BEING OF MULTIPLY STRUCTURE HAVING CERTAIN PLIES COOPERATING TO RENDER SAID SHADE ELECTROLUMINESCENT, BLADE MEANS ON SAID RIM PORTION FOR RESPECTIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID SOCKETS, CERTAIN OF SAID BLADE AND SOCKET MEANS BEING ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE SO THAT WHEN ENERGIZED SAID SHADE IS RENDERED LUMINESCENT, CIRCUIT MEANS FOR DELIVERING ALTERNATING ELECTRICAL POTENTIAL TO SAID ELECTRICALLY CONDUCTIVE BLADE AND SOCKET MEANS, AND SWITCH MEANS FOR SAID CIRCUIT MEANS.

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