US5077640A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Photographic lighting apparatus
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1990-08-13
•
Granted: 1991-12-31
•
Expires: 2010-08-13
Abstract
Abstract A lighting environment for photography provides light completely around an object to be photographed. A circular diffusing screen forms the inner wall of a light box, and lights are mounted in the light box to illuminate the diffusing screen. The lights are variable in intensity so the light level around the diffusing screen can be varied. The light box is carried on cables that are individually adjustable so the height and the attitude of the light box can be varied.
Inventors
- 👤 C. Tyler Butler, Jr.
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-09 11:26
CPC Classifications
G; G03; G03B; G03B15/00; G03B15/02; G03B15/06
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
93 words
A light environment for photographic lighting, said light environment comprising a generally cylindrical light diffusing screen completely surrounding an object to be photographed, said light diffusing screen being in the form of a smooth curve throughout the length of said diffusing screen, a light box generally coextensive with said diffusing screen, and a plurality of light sources carried by said light box for providing light to the interior of said light box, means for adjustably supporting said light box, and control means for controlling the light output of said plurality of light sources.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
93 words
A light environment for photographic lighting, said light environment comprising a generally cylindrical light diffusing screen completely surrounding an object to be photographed, said light diffusing screen being in the form of a smooth curve throughout the length of said diffusing screen, a light box generally coextensive with said diffusing screen, and a plurality of light sources carried by said light box for providing light to the interior of said light box, means for adjustably supporting said light box, and control means for controlling the light output of said plurality of light sources.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
60 words
A light environment as claimed in claim 1, said light box having an inner surface in a generally circular form, said inner surface comprising said light diffusing screen, and an outer surface in a polygonal form defining a plurality of facets, each light source of said plurality of light sources being carried by one facet of said plurality of facets.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
33 words
A light environment as claimed in claim 2, said light box having a substantially unobstructed interior for facilitating light reflection within said light box to achieve generally uniform lighting of said diffusing screen.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
74 words
A light environment as claimed in claim 3, said means for adjustably supporting said light box including a plurality of cables fixed to said light box, a plurality of take up reels, each take up reel receiving one cable of said plurality of cables, the arrangement being such that said take up reels can take up and release said cables to vary the position and attitude of said light box and said diffusing screen.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
17 words
A light environment as claimed in claim 4, said plurality of cables comprising at least three cables.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
104 words
A lighting set up for photography wherein a thing to be photographed is supported on a platform, said lighting set up including a generally cylindrical diffusing screen surrounding the thing to be photographed, means for lighting said diffusing screen so that light is propagated from said diffusing screen, and means for supporting a camera adjacent to the thing to be photographed, and further including a light box, said diffusing screen constituting the inner wall of said light box, said light box including an outer wall, a plurality of light sources carried by said outer wall and constituting said means for lighting said diffusing screen.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
A lighting set up for photography wherein a thing to be photographed is supported on a platform, said lighting set up including a generally cylindrical diffusing screen surrounding the thing to be photographed, means for lighting said diffusing screen so that light is propagated from said diffusing screen, and means for supporting a camera adjacent to the thing to be photographed, and further including a light box, said diffusing screen constituting the inner wall of said light box, said light box including an outer wall, a plurality of light sources carried by said outer wall and constituting said means for lighting said diffusing screen.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
27 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 6, the interior of said light box being substantially unobstructed for preventing shadows on said diffusing screen.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 7, and further including means for adjustably supporting said light box for varying the position of said light box.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
53 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 8, said means for adjustably supporting said light box including a plurality of cables attached to said light box, and reel means for individually taking up and releasing said plurality of cables for adjusting the height and the attitude of said light box.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
35 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 9, and further including a control box for controlling said reel means, said control box being selectively locatable at said means for supporting a camera.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
26 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 10, said means for supporting a camera comprising scaffold means above the thing to be photographed.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 10, said means for supporting a camera comprising a tripod adjacent to said light box.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
29 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 6, and further including means for varying the intensity of each light source of said plurality of light sources.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
39 words
A lighting set up for photography as claimed in claim 13, said outer wall defining a plurality of contiguous facets, each light source of said plurality of light sources being carried by one facet of said plurality of facets.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1994-12-30 | 1995-07-01 | 1995-12-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1998-12-30 | 1999-07-01 | 1999-12-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2002-12-30 | 2003-07-01 | 2003-12-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |