US3624381A - Floor-table lamp - Google Patents

Abstract

A combination floor lamp and table wherein the protection for the light source also forms the support structure for a tabletop.

Description

United States Patent [1149,2612 4/1948 Doolin Inventors Ronald M. Pollack 73-19 37th Road; Robert J. Karl, 34-59 89th St., both of Jackson Heights, N.Y. 11372 Appl. No. 869,553

Filed Oct. 27, 1969 Patented Nov. 30, 1971 FLOOR-TABLE LAMP 2 Claims, 10 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 240/2 81., 240/52 R Int. Cl F2lv 33/00 Field of Search 240/2 SL, 2 D,4,52 R, 100,2

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 6/1923 Collins 240/2 SL 2/1932 Kopp 240/2 SL 8/1937 Chakow 240/4 10/1943 Kocher..... 73/334 11/1955 Vigon 240/2 SLX 3/1962 Worth 240/52 X FOREIGN PATENTS 6/1930 Great Britain 240/4 Primary ExaminerLouis R. Prince Assistant Examiner-Daniel M. Yasich AllorneyLilling & Siegel ABSTRACT: A combination floor lamp and table wherein the protection for the light source also forms the support structure for a tabletop.

PATENIEU NDV30 I971 SHEET 1 BF 2 INVI'INI'OKS RONALD M. POLLACK ROBERT J KARL /\I"I'()I1 Iu'YS FLOOR-TABLE LAMP BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to a lamp and, more particularly, to a decorative floor lamp and table combination.

Conventional lamps found in the prior art generally are of two types. The first is a table lamp which is constructed so as to rest on the top of the table, while the second is a floor lamp constructed so as to have its base resting of a floor. Both types of lamps provide the desired amount of light as required by the consumer. Frequently, though, the surface of the table used to support the lamp might properly be utilized for other purposes. While a floor lamp may serve to eliminate the need for the table lamp, generally it provides no other function. With floorspace an increasing commodity, the space required for a floor lamp is often inefficiently utilized.

An object of the present invention is to provide a lamp providing suitable lighting.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a multifunction lamp.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a lamp capable of being easily manufactured.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a relatively inexpensive lamp.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a floor lamp which more efficiently utilizes floorspace.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an attractive and decorative floor lamp.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a fioor lamp capable of supporting articles on top of the floor lamp.

Other objects and advantages will become more apparent from the following description of the invention.

SUMMARY In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the above objects are accomplished by providing a decorative floor lamp and table combination comprising a support structure fabricated of translucent material with the support structure having inner and outer walls and forming a frame for the table and a protective cover for a light source located within the support structure. Electrical socket means are provided which are connected to the inner wall of the support structure with the light source connected to the electrical socket means, means are provided to supply electrical power to the light source causing the light source to be lit, while a tabletop is connected to the top of the support structure. It may readily be appreciated that the floor lamp and table combination has obvious ornamental and decorative features, and that the light source can be located anywhere within the support structure and preferably may be located approximately the middle of the support structure. The tabletop affixed to the top of the support structure provides enough support to carry articles. The support may be closed at its bottom to prevent inadvertent damage to the inside of the support structure. Further, electrical wires are connected between the electrical socket and a source of power, preferably an AC source of power.

In order to provide sufiicient light, the support structure may be fabricated of translucent material, and preferably, may comprise an acrylic plastic material, such as plexiglass. Such plastic material is decorative, relatively hard and can provide both the lighbtransferring and structural support qualities required of the supporting structure according to the principles of the present invention. The light is thus transmitted out wardly from the top as well as the sidewall of the upper portion of the support structure.

Many shapes may be chosen for the support structure, and in one embodiment thereof the support structure may comprise two conically shaped structures connected together at their narrower portions. In this manner, the wider portion of the bottom come may serve as a base located on the floor while a tabletop is connected to the wider portion of the top cone. Means for joining the double conical support structure are well known in the art; and, for instance, they may be joined by press fitting, slotting or a groove-type arrangement. Other arrangements for connecting the double conical shape support structure will be obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art. Further, the tabletop which is connected to the wider portion of the top of the upper conical section may be connected thereto by methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. For instance, the top may be press fit, and/or have pins for facilitating support of the tabletop to the remainder of the support structure. Clearly, the top must be easily removable in order to facilitate the replacement of the light source or bulb when it fails.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination floor-table lamp of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a front cross-sectional view showing the light source and its associated electrical apparatus generally taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged illustrative view of the light source and its associated electrical apparatus utilized with the present invention;

FIG. 4 through 6 illustrate several alternative arrangements for connecting the tabletop of the present invention to the support structure;

FIGS. 7-8 are views illustrating alternate arrangements for connecting the two conical-shaped sections together;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modified floor-table lamp; and

FIG. 10 is another perspective view of a further modification of the floor-table lamp of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The present invention provides a multiple-function lamp in that it serves both as a floor lamp and as a table. It may be understood that articles can be rested on top of the combination floor-table lamp of the present invention which is advantageous when viewed in light of constraints on floorspace generally available. Many shapes may be selected for the support structure which will support the tabletop and also house the lamp apparatus.

One preferred embodiment for the combination floor-table lamp of the present invention is shown in the accompanying figures and comprises two cones which are connected backto-back the cones need not necessarily be of the same size. A first lower cone 10 has its wider portion located at the bottom of the support structure, at the bottom of the combination floor-table lamp l2 and its narrower portion connected to the narrow portion of a cone 14. The top of upper cone 14 is wider than its bottom portion and provides a relatively large surface area upon which a tabletop 18 can be placed.

Several arrangements for fixing the tabletop to the remainder of the support structure of the floor-table lamp 12 of the present invention are illustratively shown in FIGS. 46. In FIG. 4, the tabletop is shown seated in a groove 13 provided in the upper edge of the upper cone 14 while in FIG. 5 a press fit arrangement is illustrated showing the tabletop press fitting against the inner walls of the upper portion of upper cone 14. The conical inner walls of the cone 14 provides the necessary alignment so that the tabletop 18 is accurately seated. FIG. 6 illustrates yet another arrangement for holding the tabletop in place in the support structure. A plurality of pins 20, preferably three are used, support the tabletop and the pins are simply secured to the upper portion of the walls of the support structure. The tabletop 18 as in this case, is shown suitably seated in the same manner as the tabletop of FIG. 5.

The bottom portion of the bottom cone 10, may be open or closed such as by means of a suitable round plate 23, and the bottom portion stands upon the floor where it is to be utilized. Plate 23 may be connected to the bottom of the support structure 12 by suitable adhesives and/or fasteners, or by other means well-known to those skilled in the art. Cones 10 and 14 may be connected together by any of several methods well known to those of ordinary skill in the art. In the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, a group of ridges 24 attached to the upper cone l4 fits into and interlocks with another group of ridges 26 attached to the lower cone to prevent rotational movement between cones l4 and 10. These cones may also be joined together by an interlocking tongue-and-groovelike structure forming a continuous slotted joint as shown in FIG. 7 or a press fit arrangement shown in FIG. 8. Other well-known methods may be utilized to connect or fasten cones 10 and 14 together.

In accordance with a feature of the present invention, the combination floor-table lamp has enclosed therein a light source,'preferably, a bulb 28. It is connected and operated in a manner well known to those of ordinary skill in the art which is more easily seen by referring to FIG. 3. Bulb 28 is held by a porcelain holder 30 having an inner threaded recess 32 to receive the threaded portion of bulb 28. A threaded pipe 34 is attached to the bottom of porcelain holder 30 and permits an electrical wire 36 to pass therethrough and provide electrical power to lamp 28. FUrther, the threaded pipe with threads located on its outer surface is connected to the support structure by screwing it into a support device 38 formed at the connection of the upper cone 14 and lower cone 10. It is to be understood that other light sources may be provided which are well known to those of ordinary skill in the art and other means may be utilized to connect the light source to the support structure but that the device is made such that the light is transmitted outwardly from both the top and side wall of the upper cone 14 of the support structure. Further, the support structure which has heretofore been described as such also serves as the housing or protective cover for light source 28 and its associated electrical circuitry.

in the modification of FIG. 9, there is shown a squareshaped floor-table lamp 40. Both the first lower cone 42 and the upper cone 44 are of square shape in cross section. The remaining features of this embodiment are essentially the same as the construction shown in connection with the floortable lamp shown in FIGS. 1-3. FIG. 10 illustrates another modified floor-table lamp 46 having a round or goblet" shape. Both the square and round-shape floor-table lamp offer the same ornamental and decorative effects as does the coneshaped embodiment of FIG 1. Of course, other shapes can also be used to make the floor-table lamp of the invention, and the modifications shown herein are only for purposes of illustration and should not be considered as limiting.

While there is described above the principles of this invention in connection with a specific embodiment thereof, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation to the scope of the invention.

We claim:

1. In combination, a floor lamp and table comprising a support structure fabricated of translucent material, said structure having inner and outer walls and forming a frame for said table and a protective cover for the light source located within said support structure, electn'cal socket means connected to the inner wall of said support structure with said light source connected to said electrical socket means to provide electrical power to said light source causing said light source to be lit, radiating light through said support structure, a tabletop connected to the top of said support structure; said support structure comprising a double cone-shaped device with the large ends of the cones constituting the top and bottom portions of said combination floor lamp and table, a first and second cone each being substantially flat at its top and bottom, and the smaller ends of said cones being joined together by interlocking tongue-and-grooves which cooperate together to form a continuous slotted joint.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 16, wherein said tabletop is further supported within said support structure by means of a plurality of pins secured to the upper portion of the wall of said second cone-shaped device.

Claims (2)

1. In combination, a floor lamp and table comprising a support structure fabricated of translucent material, said structure having inner and outer walls and forming a frame for said table and a protective cover for the light sourcE located within said support structure, electrical socket means connected to the inner wall of said support structure with said light source connected to said electrical socket means to provide electrical power to said light source causing said light source to be lit, radiating light through said support structure, a tabletop connected to the top of said support structure; said support structure comprising a double cone-shaped device with the large ends of the cones constituting the top and bottom portions of said combination floor lamp and table, a first and second cone each being substantially flat at its top and bottom, and the smaller ends of said cones being joined together by interlocking tongue-andgrooves which cooperate together to form a continuous slotted joint.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 16, wherein said tabletop is further supported within said support structure by means of a plurality of pins secured to the upper portion of the wall of said second cone-shaped device.

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