USRE22735E

USRE22735E - Illuminated display case

Info

Publication number: USRE22735E
Authority: US
Publication date: 1946-03-26

Description

March 26; 1946 JAMES v 3 R. 22,735

ILLUMINATED DISPLAY cAsE' Original Filed'Jan. 29, 1944' go. z| i I mvan TOR.

Park's r- H. Jqmes a. Ah0rnej Reissued Mar. 26, 1946 ILLUMINAT ED DISPLAY CASE Parker'H. James, Indianapolis} Ind. Original N- :2,355,731, dated Augustli, 1S2- .rial. No. ,520,174,Janna-129 1944.

App ica i n for reissueJuly 18, 1945, SeriallNo. .60 5,'.B48

This invention relatesto means for illuminating a display case of that type wherein there is a top and front glass wall preferablyyinq-one integral piecewithout any upper, forward corner strip. A primary object-of the invention, is to illuminate the interior of thecasein such manner that there will be, uniform light distribution throughoutv the interior of the case-without any appreciable shadows beingcreated-upon the goods therein to be displayed. A further primary object of the invention is to .-illuminate thecase without having to employa lampor other illuminating meansalong the upper, forward portion of the case as has heretofore-been the practice.

In the present form of the invention, the front-and top of the case is formedin one continuous piece of glass. bent fromthe vertical or front face around andover to form the top of the case so that visibility of the contents displayed within the case is not interfered with by any glass support pieces or the like. By use" of the invention herein set forth, the entire interior of the case is illuminated without any visible point or line source of light, and yet .butzasingle position of the light source is employed whereby the cost of installation and ofelectriclenergyis reduced to the minimum.

These and other objects and advantages ;,of the invention will become "apparent "to those versed in the art in the following gdescriptionpf one particular form of theinvention-as illustrated in-the accompanying drawing-in which Fig. 1 isaview in front elevation of .astructure embodying the invention;

Fig. 2, a top plan View; and

Fig. 3, a view in vertical transversesection ,on the line.33 in Fi 1.

Like characters of reference indicate like parts throughout the several viewsrinthe drawing.

Upon a suitable. base, proper tohave a floor H with front and back opaque panels I! and II respectively extending vertically therefrom. End walls. Hand [lextend vertically upwardly from vthe ,f 1oor .beyond the panels I! and I3 at. leastv to the. desired height of the case.

Between these end .walls [4 and, I5 is mounted the front and top inclosure, formedof the single piece, of glass 16 to ,have its lower end mounted on the top edge of the panelv l 2 and to extend vertically therefrom to a top curved portion, H, through whicheportion .the glass is bent around rearwardly to continue therefrom in a horizontal top portion 18. The rear edge of this top pori0 is built adisplaypcase its lower ed by. thepanel tion. lltenninates, at a slight .distance forwardly of the reanside ofthe case and is supported by the ,top opaque rail 19 which extends across hetweenandis supported. by,the end walls l4 and. 15. .Thus theglass I6 is supported along 12 and along its rear edgegby, the. .rail l 9,,a'll without any intervening corner. striparoundjthei bent portion. l1.

.lThe rear offthe, case. is preferably inclosed by any suitable means, such as by the two sliding doors. 20 land 21,.the top, and bottom edge. portions of wm'chtare..suitablyguided in slots pro-'- vided inthe, moldingjzland 23, carried respectiyelvby. thev top,v rail 19 and the, rear, panel l3. A. translucent .subifloor ,24 is .iixed between the end walls l.4 .an d, [.6 to, be s bstantially horizontal and .in..,snaced relatlonabove thefloor. ll ,.asindicated',in; Fi g.i;3. ,In the ,present form of the invention, "the rearedge of this sub-floor 24 is supportedalong .a. ,houlder provided on the rear panel.- l3 and is." held. .thereagainst by means of the, molding Z3 ,bein...p0sitioned across, the top side ,of. th floor. an a ai t th fr nt. fa f the panel [3 which is provide d ,to extend above he. l y lof. thei oor; 24. ront. edge. o t e floorfl is'located at a distance behind the panel 12, as indicated in Fig. '3.

'Iih .lnnerfac o thefront panel. [2 i vided .with amirmr .2 r reflecting urface pr ferabl ver i en ir r a. tin, a y nt extending, above and below the, leveLof the ubfloor2 4,t he major portion of the rnirror'25 being below that level. Below the central zone of the rear panel i3 andextendinglongitudb nally thereacross'is mounted a lamp 26, preferably of 'thefiuorescent type, as indicated by the drawing, to be, in tubular form.

Mounted underthe top rail [9 is a mirror 21 or reflecting surface-positioned to slope downwardly 'fromnearthefront edge portion of the rail l9, and rearwardiy to the molding 22 in the form of the invention herein shown, In other words, this-niirror 21- is diagonally positioned across the 'COmBT'DBtWGGH the top rail l9 and the molding 22.

' i ht. manatin ifr mthe lamp. .may trav l upw rd y throu h theLtr nluQenti floor 24. to b diflusedthroughout the case thereabove. Forwar ly .tr velinsray iromthe lamp. 6 wil trike-th substantial y y rticallydisposed mirror 25....an'd. dependin -JlPQ the angle .of imp thereon. will bere'flefledin p r wd asonall a a nst .1th ..-;;t1oor -24 .and ..in part upward y through the gap between the 'front' edge of the floor 24 and the mirror 25,

such reflected rays upper rear portion of being directed rearwardly and upwardly rather than toward the front wall of the glass l6. Some of these rays coming through that gap will strike directly upon the surface of the top mirror 21 and be reflected back downwardly and toward the-floor 24'. The diffused light above the floor 24 will also be tended to be reflected downwardly and toward the floor 24 by the mirror 21.

By this peculiar" arrangement of the tran'se lucent floor 24 and the two

mirrors

25 and 21 disposed as indicated, the entire interior of the case appears to glow with light without any apparent light source, and yet objects placed upon the floor 24 will appear to be well illuminated from all sides and their tops without casting appreciable shadows. In fact, the objects so located on the floor 24 will be extremely attractively displayed and will appear to sit out in space.

, The interior faces of the end walls and I5 as well as of the panels 20 and 2| are preferably made to be light reflecting, such as being finished in white. Likewise the top side of the floor II and the forward side of the rear panel l3 are finished in white to tend to reflect lightrather than absorb it. The floor 24 is referably made out of glass, either sanded on one side or its body made either entirely or in part of translucent glass rather than clear glass. Obviously the glass wall I6 is transparent, and to the casual observer appears not to exist when the interior of the case is illuminated as above described.

The width of the gap between the forward edge of the sub-floor 24 andthe face of the mirror 25 is held to a relatively small dimension. For exfrom front to back, and'a height of twenty-one inches above the sub-floor 24, 'thisgap will be approximately two inches wide. 4

While I have herein shown and described my invention in the one particular form, it is obvious that structural Variations may be employed without departing from the spirit of the invention and I therefore do not desire to be limited to that precise form beyond the limitations as may be imposed by the following claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a display case having a continuous transparent front and top inclosure, a floonand front and rear opaque walls extending from said floor to at least the level of the lower end of said inclosure, the combination of-a translucent subfloor spaced above said floor having a front edge spaced back of said front opaque wall to leave an opening therebetween; a light source below said su -floor adjacent said rear opaque wall; a light reflecting surface on the inner side of said front opaque wall; and a light reflecting surface in the said case back of said top inclosure and disposed to reflect light downwardly and forwardly. v

2. In a display case having a continuous transparent front and top inclosure, a floor, and front and rear opaque walls extending from said floor to at least the level of the lower end .of said inclosure, the combination of a translucent sub-floor floor adjacent said rear opaquewall; a light re-. fleeting surface on the inner side of said front opaque wall; and'a light reflecting surface in the upper rear portion of said case back of said top inclosure and disposed to reflect light downwardly and forwardly; said light source consisting of a tubular fluorescent lamp extending along said rear opaque wall near said floor; and end walls, between which said inclosure, opaque floors, and sub-floor extend; the inner sides of said end walls and said rear opaque wall being light reflecting.

3. In a display case having a continuous transparent front and top inclosure, a floor, and front and rear opaque walls extending from said floor to at least the level of the lower end of said inclosure, the combination of a translucent subfloor spaced above said floor having a front edge spaced back of said front opaque wall to leave an opening therebetween; a light source below said sub-floor adjacent said rear opaque wall; a light reflecting surface on the inner side of said front opaque wall; and a light reflecting surface in the upper rear portion of said case back of said top inclosure and disposed to reflect light downwardly and forwardly; said front opaque wallreflecting surface extending above said'subfloor and terminating at least substantially at the lower level of said front inclosure.

4. In a display case having a continuous transparent front and top inclosure, a floor, and front and rear opaque walls extending from said floor to at least the level of the lower end of said inclosure, the combination of a translucent subfloor spaced above said floor having a front edge spaced back of said front opaque wall to leave an opening therebetween; a light source below said sub-floor adjacent said rear opaque wall; a light reflecting surface on the inner side of said front opaque wall; and alight reflecting surface in the upper rear portion of said case back of said top inclosure and disposed to reflect light downwardly and forwardly; said light source consisting of a 40 tubular fluorescent lamp extending along said rear opaque wall near said floor; and end walls, between which said inclosure, opaque floors, and sub-floor extend; the inner sides of said end walls and said rear opaque wall being light reflecting; and a light reflecting surface across the rear of said case between said sub-floor and said top disposed reflecting surface.

5. A display case comprising a floor; front and rear opaque panels extending upwardly therefrom; end walls across said panels extending from said floor and'above the panels; a transparent front wall extending from the top of said front panel and curving around and rearwardly in a continuous manner toward the tops of said end walls to form a top to said case and terminate by a rear edge forwardly of a vertical plane including said rear panel; a top panel receiving said rear edge and filling in the space between it and said plane; a rear case inclosure between said rear and top panels; a sub-floor of translucent material at substantially the level of the top edges of said front and 'rear panels, said sub-floor terminating by a frontedge back of said front panel to leave a slot-like opening therebetween; a light source distributed under and longitudinally across said sub-floor toward said rear panel and spaced between said fioor and said sub-floor; a light refleeting surface on said front panel continuing above and below the level of said sub-floor; and a light reflecting member mounted under said top panel and sloping'rearwardly and downwardly in respect to said case top.

' PARKER H. JAMES.