Task lighting system

Claim 2

A task lighting system for illuminating a work surface comprising: (a) a hood having a substantially horizontal top, vertically depending left and right ends, a vertically depending front edge, and a rear wall forming a conclave volume; (b) a generally triangular fixture laterally centrally located in said hood; (c) said fixture having first and second substantially vertical sides, said first and second sides having equal lengths and an included angle between them of from about 18 to about 160 degrees; (d) the third side of said fixture being parallel to said front edge; (e) at least one socket means in each of said first and second sides for holding the end of a fluorescent tube with the axis of said fluorescent tube substantially perpendicular to said side; (f) a screen centrally located in said hood below said fluorescent tube; (g) said screen extending from said front edge to said rear wall and laterally at least two inches each side of the center of said hood; and (h) said screen modifying the light in its area.

Claim 3

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said included angle being from about 30 to about 70 degrees.

Claim 4

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said included angle being from about 34 to about 60 degrees.

Claim 5

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising: (a) said fixture having a substantially horizontal base wall contiguous with said first and second sides; (b) said first and second sides and said base wall forming a cavity; (c) a ballast in said cavity; and (d) said ballast being wired to said socket means.

Claim 6

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising: (a) said at least one socket means being first and second horizontally spaced-apart sockets in said first side and third and fourth horizontally spaced-apart sockets in said second side; (b) a first U-shaped fluorescent tube connected to said first and second sockets; and (c) a second U-shaped fluorescent tube connected to said third and fourth sockets.

Claim 7

The lighting system recited in claim 5 further comprising clips for attaching the outboard ends of said U-shaped fluorescent tubes to the underside of said top.

Claim 8

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said screen extending laterally at least 6 inches each side the center of said hood.

Claim 9

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said screen being opaque.

Claim 10

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said screen being translucent.

Claim 11

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said screen having a density which varies in proportion to the lateral distance from the center of said hood.

Claim 12

The lighting system recited in claim 10 further comprising the variation in density being continuous.

Claim 13

The lighting system recited in claim 10 further comprising the variation in density being stepped.

Claim 14

The lighting system recited in claim 1 further comprising said screen being at least one linear polarizer.

Claim 15

The lighting system recited in claim 13 further comprising the axis of polarization of said linear polarizer being parallel to an axis of symmetry of said hood.

Claim 16

The lighting system recited in claim 13 further comprising: (a) said at least one linear polarizer being a first linear polarizer located to the left of the center of said hood and a second linear polarizer located to the right of the center of said hood; and (b) the axis of polarization of said first and second linear polarizers being skewed toward a forward projection of an axis of symmetry of said hood.

Claim 17

The lighting system recited in claim 1 wherein said screen is operative to direct the light impinging thereon in a different direction from its original direction.

Claim 18

The task lighting system of claim 1 wherein said screen comprises: (a) a first linear polarizer on the underside of said hood extending at least two inches to the left of the center line of said hood; (b) a second linear polarizer on the underside of said hood extending at least two inches to the right of the centerline of said hood symmetrically with said first linear polarizer; and (c) the axes of polarization of said first and second linear polarizers being symmetrically skewed toward a forward extension of the center of said hood.

Claim 19

The lighting system of claim 1 further including: (a) a partially opaque filter laterally centrally located on the underside and extending symmetrically at least two inches to the left and right of the center of said hood; and (b) the opacity of said filter increasing from the outer edge to the center thereof.

Claim 20

The screen recited in claim 18 further comprising said opacity increasing continuously from the outer edge to the center.

Claim 21

The screen recited in claim 18 further comprising said opacity increasing in steps from the outer edge to the center.

Claim 22

The screen recited in claim 18 further comprising said opacity at each point along said filter being in relationship to the intensity of veiling reflections arising due to light emitted at said point.

Claim 23

A task lighting system for illuminating a work surface comprising: (a) a generally rectangular concave hood; (b) means for supporting said hood over and parallel to said work surface; (c) first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes in said hood; (d) unitary means in said hood for mechanical and electrical connection to said first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes; (e) said unitary means being operative for symmetrically positioning said first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes on either side of the center of said hood with the axes of said legs symmetrically disposed at an angle of from about 15 to about 35 degrees to the front edge of said hood; (f) said unitary means being further operative to contain a lamp ballast; (g) a screen centrally located in said hood below said fluorescent tubes, and (h) said screen modifying the light in its area.

Claim 24

A task lighting system for illuminating a work surface comprising: (a) a generally rectangular concave hood; (b) means for supporting said hood over and parallel to said work surface; (c) first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes in said hood; (d) unitary means in said hood for mechanical and electrical connection to said first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes; (e) said unitary means being operative for symmetrically positioning said first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes on either side of the center of said hood with the axes of said legs symmetrically disposed at an angle of from about 15 to about 35 degrees to the front edge of said hood; (f) said unitary means being further operative to contain a lamp ballast; (g) a screen centrally located in said hood below said fluorescent tubes, and (h) said screen modifying the light in its area.

Claim 25

A task lighting system for illuminating a work surface comprising: (a) a hood having a substantially horizontal top; (b) substantially vertical left and right ends, a front edge and a rear wall all depending from said top and forming a concave volume; (c) a fixture laterally centrally located in said volume; (d) said fixture having a substantially triangular horizontal base wall and first and second vertical sides of equal length extending upward from two sides of said triangle, said base wall and said first and second sides forming a concave upward cavity; (e) the third side of said triangle being parallel to said front edge; (f) first and second horizontally spaced apart sockets in said first side; (g) third and fourth horizontally spaced apart sockets in said second side; (h) first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes each having first and second connectors at the ends of the legs of the U shapes; (i) the first and second connectors of said first U-shaped fluorescent tube being connected to said first and second sockets; (j) the axes of the legs of said first U-shaped fluorescent tube being substantially normal to said first side; (k) the first and second connectors of said second U-shaped fluorescent tube being connected to said third and fourth sockets; (l) the axes of the legs of said second U-shaped fluorescent tube being substantially normal to said second side; (m) the included angle between said first and second sides being between 30 and 70 degrees; (n) a lamp ballast in said cavity; (o) electrical wires connecting said first, second, third and fourth sockets to said lamp ballast; (p) an electric power cord connected to said lamp ballast (q) a screen extending between said front edge and rear wall and extending laterally symmetrically at least two inches from the center of said hood; and (r) said screen modifying the light impinging thereon.

Claim 26

A task lighting system for illuminating a work surface comprising: (a) a hood having a substantially horizontal top; (b) substantially vertical left and right ends, a front edge and a rear wall all depending from said top and forming a concave volume; (c) a fixture laterally centrally located in said volume; (d) said fixture having a substantially triangular horizontal base wall and first and second vertical sides of equal length extending upward from two sides of said triangle, said base wall and said first and second sides forming a concave upward cavity; (e) the third side of said triangle being parallel to said front edge; (f) first and second horizontally spaced apart sockets in said first side; (g) third and fourth horizontally spaced apart sockets in said second side; (h) first and second U-shaped fluorescent tubes each having first and second connectors at the ends of the legs of the U shapes; (i) the first and second connectors of said first U-shaped fluorescent tube being connected to said first and second sockets; (j) the axes of the legs of said first U-shaped fluorescent tube being substantially normal to said first side; (k) the first and second connectors of said second U-shaped fluorescent tube being connected to said third and fourth sockets; (l) the axes of the legs of said second U-shaped fluorescent tube being substantially normal to said second side; (m) the included angle between said first and second sides being between 30 and 70 degrees; (n) a lamp ballast in said cavity; (o) electrical wires connecting said first, second, third and fourth sockets to said lamp ballast; (p) an electric power cord connected to said lamp ballast (q) a screen extending between said front edge and rear wall and extending laterally symmetrically at least two inches from the center of said hood; and (r) said screen modifying the light impinging thereon.

Claim 27

The lighting system recited in claim 23 further comprising: (a) a plate closing the bottom of said volume; and (b) said plate being at least partly transparent.

Claim 28

The lighting system recited in claim 23 further comprising: (a) a screen extending between said front edge and rear wall and extending laterally symmetrically at least two inches from the center of said hood; and (b) said screen modifying the light impinging thereon.

Claim 29

The lighting system recited in claim 25 further comprising said modifying being totally blocking.

Claim 30

The lighting system recited in claim 25 further comprising said modifying being partially blocking.

Claim 31

The lighting system recited in claim 27 further comprising said partial blocking being greater near the center than near the outer edge of said screen.

Claim 32

The lighting system recited in claim 25 further comprising said modifying being linearly polarizing.

Claim 33

The lighting system recited in claim 29 further comprising the axis of polarization being parallel to said ends.

Claim 34

The lighting system recited in claim 29 wherein said linear polarizing is skewed in opposite directions on opposite sides of the center of said hood.

Claim 35

The lighting system recited in claim 25 further comprising said modifying being changing the direction of light away from the central region of said work surface.