DUAL-MODE LIGHTING DEVICE WITH MAGNETICALLY MOUNTED LIGHT DIFFUSER

DISPOSITIF D'ECLAIRAGE BIMODE AVEC DIFFUSEUR A MONTAGE MAGNETIQUE

English Abstract

.cndot. A lighting device comprises an illumination assembly and a diffuser assembly. The illumination assembly has a casing, a light source, and a magnetic element. The diffuser assembly has a planar translucent light diffuser, a mirror coating and a magnetic element. The light source of the illumination assembly is capable of generating downwardly directed light for a narrow angle of illumination. The translucent light diffuser of the diffuser assembly is capable of diffusing light for a wide angle of illumination. The mirror coating is capable of preventing light leakage from the translucent light diffuser by internal reflection. The diffuser assembly is capable of magnetically attaching to the illumination assembly. The diffuser assembly is capable of detaching from the illumination assembly when force is applied. This invention relates to lighting systems with light diffusers, and the principal use of the invention is for providing both task light illumination and room lighting.

French Abstract

Un appareil d'éclairage comprend un ensemble d'éclairement et un ensemble diffuseur. L'ensemble d'éclairement comprend un boîtier, une source lumineuse et un élément magnétique. L'ensemble diffuseur comprend un diffuseur translucide planaire, une couche spéculaire et un élément magnétique. La source lumineuse de l'ensemble d'éclairement peut générer de la lumière orientée vers le bas dans un angle d'éclairement fermé. Le diffuseur translucide planaire de l'ensemble diffuseur peut diffuser la lumière dans un angle d'éclairement ouvert. La couche spéculaire prévient la perte de lumière dans le diffuseur translucide par réflexion interne. L'ensemble diffuseur se fixe magnétiquement à l'ensemble d'éclairement. L'ensemble diffuseur peut se détacher de l'ensemble d'éclairement lorsqu'une force est exercée. Cette invention concerne les systèmes d'éclairage munis de diffuseurs, et elle sert principalement à procurer de l'éclairement pour une tâche à effectuer et de l'éclairage pour la pièce.

Claims

Claims
.cndot. The embodiments of the invention in which an exclusive
property or privilege is claimed are defined as follows:
1. A lighting device for providing both task light illumination
and room lighting, comprising:
~ an illumination assembly having a bottom portion,
comprising:
~ a casing having a bottom-central portion and a
bottom-peripheral portion;
~ a light source securely attached to the bottom-
central portion of the casing; and
~ a magnetic element securely attached to the bottom-
peripheral portion of the casing; and
~ a diffuser assembly having a top portion, comprising:
~ a planar translucent light diffuser having a top
portion and a bottom portion;
~ a mirror coating applied to the top portion of the
translucent light diffuser; and
~ a magnetic element securely attached to the top
portion of the translucent light diffuser;
the light source of the illumination assembly being
capable of generating downwardly directed light for a
narrow angle of illumination, the translucent light
diffuser of the diffuser assembly being capable of
diffusing light for a wide angle of illumination, the
mirror coating of the diffuser assembly being capable of
preventing light leakage from the translucent light
diffuser of the diffuser assembly by internal
reflection, magnetic attraction force between the
magnetic element of the diffuser assembly and the
magnetic element of the illumination assembly being
exerted when the diffuser assembly is placed in
proximity to the illumination assembly, the top portion
of the diffuser assembly being capable of magnetically
attaching to the bottom portion of the illumination
assembly, the top portion of the diffuser assembly being
capable of detaching from the bottom portion of the
illumination assembly when force is applied to the
diffuser assembly.
2. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the light

source of the illumination assembly is a high-efficiency
light-emitting diode.
3. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the
translucent light diffuser of the diffuser assembly is disc-
shaped.
4. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the
translucent light diffuser of the diffuser assembly is made
of a plastic material.
5. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the
translucent light diffuser of the diffuser assembly is made
of a glass material.
6. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the
magnetic element of the illumination assembly is made of a
permanent magnet, and the magnetic element of the diffuser
assembly is made of a permanent magnet.
7. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the
magnetic element of the illumination assembly is made of a
permanent magnet, and the magnetic element of the diffuser
assembly is made of a ferromagnetic material.
8. The lighting device as defined in claim 1, in which the
magnetic element of the illumination assembly is made of a
ferromagnetic material, and the magnetic element of the
diffuser assembly is made of a permanent magnet.
9. The lighting device as defined in claim 6 or claim 7 or claim
8, in which the permanent magnet is made of a rare-earth
magnet.
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Description

CA 02614182 2008-01-07
Description
Title
= Dual-Mode Lighting Device with Magnetically Mounted Light
Diffuser
Technical Field
= This invention relates to lighting systems with light
diffusers, more particularly to a lighting system with
magnetically mounted light diffuser.
Background Art
= There are many instances where it would be desirable to be
able to have a dual-mode lighting device with magnetically
mounted light diffuser.
= A number of patents disclose lighting systems with light
diffusers.
= U.S. Patent 3 593 021 discloses "LIGHTING FIXTURE DIFFUSER
ASSEMBLY". The lighting fixture diffuser assembly includes a
circular support member having an adhesive backing and an
opposite face formed of magnetic material. A diffuser
carrying an inwardly directed flange adjacent its open end
and mounting a plurality of magnets on the flange is applied
about the support member so that the diffuser is magnetically
secured to the support member. In another form, the magnetic
material is provided on the diffuser flange with the magnets
being secured to the support member.
= These prior art arrangements do not have a dual-mode lighting
device having a magnetically mounted planar translucent light
diffuser with a mirror coating in order to prevent light
leakage by internal reflection.
Description of the Invention
= It is a primary object of the invention to provide a dual-
mode lighting device with both task (reading) light
illumination and room lighting.
= It is another object of the invention to provide a lighting
device capable of generating downwardly directed light for a
narrow angle of illumination.
= It is another object of the invention to provide a lighting
device capable of diffusing light for a wide angle of
illumination.
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CA 02614182 2008-01-07
= It is another object of the invention to provide a lighting
device having a magnetically mounted diffuser assembly which
attaches to and detaches from an illumination assembly.
= It is another object of the invention to provide a planar
translucent light diffuser with mirror coating in order to
prevent light leakage by internal reflection.
= A lighting device comprises an illumination assembly and a
diffuser assembly. The illumination assembly has a casing, a
light source, and a magnetic element. The diffuser assembly
has a planar translucent light diffuser, a mirror coating and
a magnetic element. The light source of the illumination
assembly is capable of generating downwardly directed light
for a narrow angle of illumination. The translucent light
diffuser of the diffuser assembly is capable of diffusing
light for a wide angle of illumination. The mirror coating is
capable of preventing light leakage from the translucent
light diffuser by internal reflection. The diffuser assembly
is capable of magnetically attaching to the illumination
assembly. The diffuser assembly is capable of detaching from
the illumination assembly when force is applied.
Brief Description of the Figures in the Drawings
= In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention:
o Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a
lighting device according to the invention, showing task
(reading) light illumination;
o Figure 2 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a
lighting device according to the invention, showing room
lighting;
o Figure 3 is a bottom view of the illumination assembly;
o Figure 4 is a sectional view of the illumination
assembly;
o Figure 5 is a sectional view of the diffuser assembly;
o Figure 6 is a bottom view of the diffuser assembly; and
o Figure 7 is a top view of the diffuser assembly.
Modes for Carrying Out the Invention
= In one embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 1 (task
light illumination) and in Figure 2 (room lighting), a
lighting device for providing both task light illumination
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CA 02614182 2008-01-07
and room lighting comprises an illumination assembly 1-0 and
a diffuser assembly 2-0.
= The illumination assembly 1-0 has a bottom portion. The
illumination assembly 1-0 comprises a casing 1-1, a light
source 1-2 and a magnetic element 1-3, as shown in Figure 3
(bottom view) and in Figure 4 (sectional view).
= The casing 1-1 has a bottom-central portion and a bottom-
peripheral portion.
= The light source 1-2 is securely attached to the bottom-
central portion of the casing 1-1.
= The magnetic element 1-3 is securely attached to the bottom-
peripheral portion of the casing 1-1.
= The diffuser assembly 2-0 has a top portion. The diffuser
assembly 2-0 comprises a planar translucent light diffuser 2-
1, a mirror coating 2-2 and a magnetic element 2-3, as shown
in Figure 5 (sectional view), in Figure 6 (bottom view) and
in Figure 7 (top view).
= The translucent light diffuser 2-1 has a top portion and a
bottom portion.
= The mirror coating 2-2 is applied to the top portion of the
translucent light diffuser 2-1.
= The magnetic element 2-3 is securely attached to the top
portion of the translucent light diffuser 2-1.
= According to the present invention, the light source 1-2 of
the illumination assembly 1-0 is capable of generating
downwardly directed light for a narrow angle of illumination.
= The translucent light diffuser 2-1 of the diffuser assembly
2-0 is capable of diffusing light for a wide angle of
illumination.
= The mirror coating 2-2 of the diffuser assembly 2-0 is
capable of preventing light leakage from the translucent
light diffuser 2-1 of the diffuser assembly 2-0 by internal
reflection.
= Magnetic attraction force between the magnetic element 2-3 of
the diffuser assembly 2-0 and the magnetic element 1-3 of the
illumination assembly 1-0 is exerted when the diffuser
assembly 2-0 is placed in proximity to the illumination
assembly 1-0.
= The top portion of the diffuser assembly 2-0 is capable of
magnetically attaching to the bottom portion of the
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CA 02614182 2008-01-07
illumination assembly 1-0.
= The top portion of the diffuser assembly 2-0 is capable of
detaching from the bottom portion of the illumination
assembly 1-0 when force is applied to the diffuser assembly
2-0.
= Preferably, the light source 1-2 of the illumination assembly
1-0 is a high-efficiency light-emitting diode.
= Preferably, the translucent light diffuser 2-1 of the
diffuser assembly 2-0 is disc-shaped.
= The translucent light diffuser 2-1 of the diffuser assembly
2-0 may be made of a plastic material, such as Acrylonitrile-
Butadiene-Styrene (ABS). Alternatively, the translucent light
diffuser 2-1 of the diffuser assembly 2-0 may be made of a
glass material.
= The magnetic element 1-3 of the illumination assembly 1-0 may
be made of a permanent magnet, and the magnetic element 2-3
of the diffuser assembly 2-0 may be made of a permanent
magnet. Alternatively, the magnetic element 1-3 of the
illumination assembly 1-0 may be made of a permanent magnet,
and the magnetic element 2-3 of the diffuser assembly 2-0 may
be made of a ferromagnetic material. Alternatively, the
magnetic element 1-3 of the illumination assembly 1-0 may be
made of a ferromagnetic material, and the magnetic element 2-
3 of the diffuser assembly 2-0 may be made of a permanent
magnet.
= Preferably, the permanent magnet is made of a rare-earth
magnet.
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Representative Drawing