US3833828A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Illumination array structure
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1972-08-16
•
Granted: 1974-09-03
•
Expires: 1992-08-16
Abstract
Abstract A lighting element for illumination preferably having a single elongated envelope containing a gaseous medium emitting white or colored, continuous or intermittent, light upon excitation by electrical current. The envelope is formed in a tortuous configuration and, preferably includes within a single envelope all of the poles of the array. The said poles each have a substantially parallel, preferably vertical axis and are at least four in number with one of this number being substantially centrally located relative to the remaining poles of the array. The array is so constructed that at least 75 percent of the surface areas of the exterior facing poles thereof are viewable on any vertical plane substantially parallel to the vertical axis of the array from any point on any such vertical plane spaced a distance at least equal to the closest spacing between the exterior surfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and the nearest pole thereto. Preferably the point of viewing is many multiples of such distance. In preferred embodiments, the amount of light viewable from any of said points on any of said planes is substantially equal. In further preferred embodiments, the exterior poles, excluding the central pole, are cylindrically disposed, as if they were positioned on the outer wall of a cylinder substantially parallel to the poles and to the vertical axis of the array. The poles are so disposed as to achieve maximum effective viewable illumination per unit of light lumens and per unit of wattage. The described embodiments eliminate, or reduce to a minimum, any flicker observable by a viewer as the viewer moves relative to the lighting element.
Inventors
- 👤 J Vivari
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 02:07
CPC Classifications
F; F21; F21S; F21S8/00; F21S4/00; F21S4/20; F21S4/22; H; H01; H01J; H01J61/00; H01J61/02; H01J61/30; H01J61/32; H01J61/327; F21V; F21V29/00; F21V29/50; F21V29/70; F21V29/74; F21V29/76; F21W; F21W2111/00; F21W2111/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 20
Claim 1
Independent Claim
188 words
In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated by passing an electric current through at least one array of adjacent substantially parallel light poles, each said pole containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing said poles to form a plurality of substantially parallel adjacent poles, said poles being at least four in number, one of said poles being substantially centrally located relative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles, said poles each having an axis, each of said axes being substantially parallel to each other, said poles being disposed such that at least about 75 percent of the exterior facing surface areas thereof are viewable on any plane substantially perpendicular to and passing through each of said axes from any point on any of said planes, any said point being spaced a distance from the viewable surface of the most proximate pole to said point, which distance is at least equal to the spacing between the exterior surfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and the nearest pole thereto.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
188 words
In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated by passing an electric current through at least one array of adjacent substantially parallel light poles, each said pole containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing said poles to form a plurality of substantially parallel adjacent poles, said poles being at least four in number, one of said poles being substantially centrally located relative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles, said poles each having an axis, each of said axes being substantially parallel to each other, said poles being disposed such that at least about 75 percent of the exterior facing surface areas thereof are viewable on any plane substantially perpendicular to and passing through each of said axes from any point on any of said planes, any said point being spaced a distance from the viewable surface of the most proximate pole to said point, which distance is at least equal to the spacing between the exterior surfaces of the most proximate viewable pole and the nearest pole thereto.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
25 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein the percent of viewable surface array is substantially identical at any of said points on any of said planes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein an envelope having a tortuous configuration forms the major portion of said array and includes all of said plurality of poles, all of said poles having substantially vertical axes and, said poles and axes being substantially parallel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
29 words
A structure in accordance with claim 1 wherein said remaining poles are substantially cylindrically disposed and spaced from each other a fixed distance, each of said axes being vertical.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
95 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein each of said cylindrically disposed poles is positioned a substantially equal distance from each of its next most proximate cylindrically disposed poles, each of said cylindrically disposed poles having a substantially equal width, said distance being substantially greater than said width and at least twice said width, said one substantially centrally located pole being positioned substantially central to said cylindrically disposed poles and having a fixed width, said centrally located pole being spaced from each of said cylindrically disposed poles a distance at least equal to said fixed width.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
14 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein all of said poles have substantially equal widths.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein the spaced distance of said centrally located pole from said remaining poles is substantially equal to the width of said cylindrically disposed poles.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
The structure of claim 6 wherein the spaced distance of said cylindrically disposed poles is substantially greater than the width of each of said cylindrically disposed poles.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure of claim 4 wherein the width of said centrally located pole is substantially twice the width of said cylindrically disposed poles.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
23 words
The structure of claim 1 and including an electrical connection on one pole and an electrical connection on one of said other poles.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
59 words
A lighting element in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least two substantially identical arrays are positioned with their poles in spaced, parallel relation, the individual poles of the first array having the same spatial relation to each other as those of the second array, the second of said arrays being circumFerentially displaced from the first of said arrays.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
24 words
The structure of claim 1 and including support means for said lighting element, at least one of said poles extending into said support means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
50 words
The structure of claim 12 and including a top conical reflector positioned on said support means above most of said array and a bottom conical reflector positioned on said support means below most of said array, at least one of said poles extending through at least one of said reflectors.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
19 words
The structure of claim 13, and including a cylindrical lens carried by said support means and surrounding said poles.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
12 words
The structure of claim 1, and including an external intermittent excitation source.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
256 words
In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated by passing an electric current through a plurality of generally parallel, contiguous poles forming an array for illumination purposes, said poles containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing said plurality of substantially parallel poles in connective gaseous and electrical relation, said parallel poles being at least four in number, one of said poles being substantially centrally located relative to each of said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles substantially equal distances, said array having a substantially unidirectional axis, said centrally located pole having an exterior surface, each of said remaining poles having an exterior wall having a radially, most inwardly positioned portion, each of said remaining poles being positioned such that any line drawn from any point on its said radially most inwardly positioned portion to any point on the radially most inwardly positioned portion of each of its most proximate poles, has every point along said line positioned radially outwardly from the exterior surface of said centrally located pole, each of said inwardly positioned wall portions having a point thereon radially nearest to the exterior wall of said center pole and spaced therefrom a first fixed distance, each of said inwardly positioned wall portions having a point thereon nearest to the exterior wall of its most proximate pole and spaced therefrom a second fixed distance, said second fixed distance being at least twice the amount of said first distance.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
256 words
In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated by passing an electric current through a plurality of generally parallel, contiguous poles forming an array for illumination purposes, said poles containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing said plurality of substantially parallel poles in connective gaseous and electrical relation, said parallel poles being at least four in number, one of said poles being substantially centrally located relative to each of said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles substantially equal distances, said array having a substantially unidirectional axis, said centrally located pole having an exterior surface, each of said remaining poles having an exterior wall having a radially, most inwardly positioned portion, each of said remaining poles being positioned such that any line drawn from any point on its said radially most inwardly positioned portion to any point on the radially most inwardly positioned portion of each of its most proximate poles, has every point along said line positioned radially outwardly from the exterior surface of said centrally located pole, each of said inwardly positioned wall portions having a point thereon radially nearest to the exterior wall of said center pole and spaced therefrom a first fixed distance, each of said inwardly positioned wall portions having a point thereon nearest to the exterior wall of its most proximate pole and spaced therefrom a second fixed distance, said second fixed distance being at least twice the amount of said first distance.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
120 words
In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated by passing an electric current through at least one elongated envelope array containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing said envelopes to form a plurality of substantially parallel vertical poles, said vertical poles being at least four in number, one of said vertical poles being substantially centrally located relative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles, said array having a substantially vertical axis, each of said poles having a substantially equal width, each of said poles being spaced from the pole most proximate thereto a distance substantially equal to the said width thereof.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
120 words
In a lighting element of the type wherein light is generated by passing an electric current through at least one elongated envelope array containing a gaseous medium adapted to emit light when excited by the passage of said current, the improvement comprising disposing said envelopes to form a plurality of substantially parallel vertical poles, said vertical poles being at least four in number, one of said vertical poles being substantially centrally located relative to said remaining poles and spaced from said remaining poles, said array having a substantially vertical axis, each of said poles having a substantially equal width, each of said poles being spaced from the pole most proximate thereto a distance substantially equal to the said width thereof.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-09-02 | 1978-03-04 | 1978-09-03 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-09-02 | 1982-03-04 | 1982-09-03 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-09-02 | 1986-03-04 | 1986-09-03 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |