Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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The present invention relates to lighting ~ixtures
for use in transport vehicles such as trains, subway vehicles,
buses, or the like vehi d es where lighting is provided from the
ceiling or top corners of such passenger vehicles.
Various types light fixtures have been provided for
passenger vehicles and for mounting in the ceiling thereof to
provide general illumination and/or illumina-tion o~ display
advertisement normally provided in such vehicles. Many of the
known types of lighting fixtures for this use, however, are
difficult to service and some of them are complex in construction.
It is a feature of the present invention to provide an
improved lighting fixture for use in passenger vehicles of the
type capable of transporting many passengers
It is a further feature of the present invention to
provide a lighting fixture which is æimple in construction and
which is easily serviceable without the necessity of removing
the fixture rom the vehicle for repair~
A still further feature of the present invention is
to provide a lighting fixture which can provide general
illumination and/or display advertising illumination.
According to the above features, the present invention
provides a lighting fixture cvmprising a housing having a light
source therewithin. A light transmitting panel is hinged to the
housing with one of the longitudinal edges of the panel being ~:
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formed with a hlnge flange to hingeably engage within a channel
member secured to the housing. The other longitudinal edge is
; ` provided with fasteners to removably secure the panel to the
housing. m e panel is constructed of translucent material and
seals are provided to prevent light within the housing from
3~ leaking along the peripheral edge of the panel whereby all of
the light from the housing is directed through the panel. -~
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Additionally, in the present invention, the light transmitting
panel is hinged directly to the housing by the hinge flange
which is integrally formed with the panel to engage a channel
member formed in an upper peripheral edge of the housing.
The hinge flange is constituted by a marginal edge portion of
the one longitudinal edge being inwardly turned in the direc-:
tion of an outer surface of the panel to form a hook flange.
The panel also defines a display section for yeneral illumi-
nation and for back lighting sheet-li]ce display material
held against an outer surace of the display section. A
lower section is provided in the panel for general illumina-
tion. soth lens sections have flat inner and outer surfaces
and do not require prisms formed therein to provide concen-
tration of light in a particular area. These prisms are very
difficult to clean once dust enters the light fixture and
the accumulated dirt affects the light transmission proper-
ties of tha panel.
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A preferred embodiment of the present invention will
now be described with reference to the examples as illustrated
in the accompanying drawings in which: .
FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing a lighting
fixture constructed in accordance with the
present invention and providing general
illumination and display advertising illum- :
ination'
FIGURE 2 is a cross sectional view of the lighting
fixture as shown in Figure 1,
FIGURE 3 is a cross sectlonal view of a further
example of the lighting fixture constructed
in accordance with the present invention,
FIGURE 4 is a cross sectional view of a still further ~:
example of the lighting fixture constructed
in accordance with the present invention; and
FIGURE 5 is a cross sectional view of a still further .~.
example of a lighting fixture constructed in
accordance with the present invention. ~ -
Referring now to the drawings and more particularly to
Figures 1 and 2 there is shown generally at 10 the lighting
fixture of the present invention. The fixture comprises a
housing 11 to which is secured a light transmitting panel 12.
The light transmitting panel 12 has opposed longitudinal edges
13 and 14 with the longitudinal edge 13 being provided with a
hinge flange 15 formed by an inwardly turned marginal edge
portion of the panel whereby to form a hook flange 16, Thus,
there is provided a one piece lock-hinge diffuser or panel 12.
Fasteners 17, of the screw lock type, are provided
along the other longitudinal edge 14 to secure the panel 12 to
the housing 11, in a manner well known in the art. Normally,
two such fasteners 17 are provided,one at each end of the panel
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to secure it in place whereby the panel is held in position by
the hinge flange 15 held in a channel member 18 and the lock
screw 17 secured to the housing 11.
Seals 19 are provided about the periphery of the panel
12 to prevent light within the housing from leaking along the
peripheral edge of the panel whereby substantially all ~he light
provided by the light source, hereinshown as a fluorescent tube
20, is directed through the light transmitting panel 12.
The light transmitting panel 12 defines a display ~
section 21 for general illumination and for back lighting sheet- .
like display material 22 held against the outer surface 23 of
the display section 21. A lower section 24 provides general .~
illumination of the vehicle and is normal3.y positioned above or ~ -
to the side of seats ~not shown) normally provided in such
vehicles for the passengers, Both of the lens sections 21 and
24 as herein shown have flat inner and outer surfaces whereby ~.. -
the light transmission is unidirectional as illustrated by the
lines 25 representing light rays.
As can be seen the display section 21 is inwardly
curved in transverse cross-section~ An open end elongated
channel 26 is disposed along each longitudinal edge 15 and 27
of the display section. The open end 28 of each channel 26 faces . . .
one another whereby to retain the display material 22 there-
between. The inwardIy curved surace causes the sheet-like ~ :~
display material 22 to arc in a specific direction towards the . .
outer surface 23 to provide pressure between opposed ends of ~ :
the display material by the channels whereby to maintain the
display material in tight fit against the outer surface 23. ;
Referring now to Figure 2, the light housing is
provided w1th a light reflective inner surface 29 on the back
wall 30 of the housing. The back wall 30 is formed of angulat~d
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sections which gives it an arcuat~ sh~pe and whereby it defines
a narrow tapering chamber 31 behind the panel display section
21 of the panel and a larger component chamber 32 adjacent the
panel lower section 24, The fluorescent lamp 20 is secured in
an area substantially between the chambers 31 and 32 whereby
to provide proper illumination o~ both sections 21 and 24 of
the light transmitting panel.
The light display panel hereinshown is constructed of
translucent plastics material o~ white opal shade. Also as
hereinshown the hinge 15 of the panel is provided at the upper-
most part thereof and it is within the,ambit o~ the present
invention to interchange the location of hinge 15 with the
location of the locking fasteners 17 whereby the panal hinges
from the lowermost marginal edge thereof.
Referring now to Figure 3 there is shown another
example of a lighting fixture and herein the light transmitting
panel 40 is formed of a large rectangular flat section to
provide most of the illumination. A short inwardly sloping
upper marginal section 41 provides illumination in a substan-
tially horizontal direction upwardly of the large rectangularflat section. A second short section 42 is formed below the
rectangular section and is disposed parallel to the first
section 41. The second section 42 extends inwardly of the outer
surface 43 of the panel and at an angle disposed between the
planar axis of the rectangular section, as shown by numeral 40,
and a transverse axis to the planar axis. Thus, there is formed
a protruding edge in the area 44 of the panal 40 which conceals
part of the locking screws 45 provided in the lower marginal
edge portion of the panel. The hinge flange 46 is ~onstituted
by an inwardly turned marginal edge portion of the panel whereby
to form a hook flange which is secureable within the L-shaped
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bracket 47 secured to a lower marginal edge portion of the
light housiny 48. As shown, there are two fluorescent lamps
49 secured wlthin the housin~ ~r8 and an automatic ballast 51
is secured to the back surface of the back wall 50. ~he panel
40 is also constructed of a plastic material such as polycarbon- -
ate or acrylic plastic.
As shown in this embodiment, the housing 48 is secured
to a hinge 52 which is secured to a frame work provided on the
vehicle whereby the entire lighting fixture can be hinged out
of the vehicle frame work to service the ballast which is
mounted on the back wall.
Referring now to ~igure 4, there is shown a further
type of lighting fixture construction and herein the light
transmitting panel 60 defines a horizontal light transmitting
section 61 and a substantially transverse front section 62
~ormed integral with the hori~ontal section 60 and interconnected
thereto by an arcuate section 63. This type of lamp transmitting
panel provides illumination through an arc of at least 90 and
is usually located in the area between the vertical walls and
the ceiling of the vehicle. As hereinshown, the hinge flange
is constituted by a hoo~ flange 64 formed along the lower
marginal edge of the panel 61. The other longitudinal marginal
edge is provided with the lock fastener 65 whereby the panel 60 ;
will hinge downwardly to expose the ballast 66 and fluorescent
tube 67 for servicing.
Referring n~w to Figure 5 there is shown a still
further lighting fixture construction 70 which is mounted within
the ceiling 71 whereby the light transmitting panel 72 is flush ~-
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with the ceiling 71. As hereinshown, the light transmitting
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panel 72 is a flat plate-like panel. A longitudinal ri~ 73
extends from a rear surface 74 of the panel 72 for sealing
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engagement with the housing 75 and also permits the proper
spacing between the housing 75 to permit the panel 72 to lie
horizontally and flush with the outer sur~ace of the ceiling
71. The hinge flange 76 is constituted by a marginal edge
portion of one of the longitudinal edges of the panel 72 heing
inwardly turned to define an open end channel 77 with the open
end 77 lying in the same plane as the flat plate-like panel.
The hinge flange 76 is engaged in an L-shaped bracket 78 which
has a small inwardly tuxned free edge 79 which faces into the
open -end 77 of the channel whereby an outer surface of the plate-
like panel is aligned with the ceiling outer surface. As herein-
shown, the inner surface of the hinge flange 76 within the open
channel 77 is fitted with a metal lining or bracket 80 to reduce
wear of the panel 72 in this area and to provide better engage-
ment with the bracket 78. As hereinshown, the lining 80 has an
inwardly turned free end 81 whereby to define a clamp 80 of
substantially U-shaped configuration and to engage with the
inwardly turned free end 79 o the L-shaped bracket 78.
It is within the ambit of the present invention to
provide any further modifications of the lighting fixture,
provided these modifications fall within the ambit of the claims
as herein appended,
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