Abstract:
A light fixture includes an adjustable shutter to illuminate a desired area. The fixture resides substantially behind a room surface (e.g., a ceiling) and includes a fixed portion residing on and behind the surface, and a movable portion which is extendable from the surface for adjustment of the shutter. A tilting member rotates in a rotating member to allow two axis of adjustment. A light bulb mounts in the tilting member, and light from the bulb is reflected by a mirror or prism to provide a compact fixture. A four part shutter is imposed between the bulb and the mirror or prism to adjust the shape and area which is illuminated.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to recessed lighting fixtures and in particular to a ceiling lighting fixture with an adjustable shutter for controlled illumination. 
   Various forms of wall hung art benefit from illumination. Such art may benefit particularly from light sources residing on or in a ceiling because of the non-invasive nature of ceiling mounted lighting fixtures. U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,956 for “Recessed Adjustable Lighting Fixture,” describes a lighting fixture suitable for mounting in a ceiling. The lighting fixture of the &#39;956 patent includes a pivoting light platform and a mirror or prism for directing the light towards a wall. Although the fixture of the &#39;956 patent resides mostly above the ceiling, the light pattern resulting on a wall has a trapezoidal or a skewed shape, and does not uniformly frame art work hung on the wall. 
   A light with an adjustable pattern is described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,468,720 for “Variable Mask Device for an Illuminator.” The &#39;&#39;720 patent describes a mask with four independent plates which may be shifted to form a desired pattern on a wall. Although the light fixture described in the &#39;720 patent allows adjustment of four sides of a light pattern, the fixture is designed to mount in front of a surface, not behind a surface, and is thus invasive into a room. Further, the mask is adjusted using knobs extending outward from all four sides of the fixture. While such adjusting knobs may be suitable for a fixture residing well away from a mounting surface, the knobs are not easily manipulated if the fixture is adapted to reside behind a surface. Additionally, plates attached to the knobs are sandwiched between a support frame pair urged together by pressure plates, and may be difficult to move. The &#39;956 patent and the &#39;720 patent are herein incorporated by reference. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention addresses the above and other needs by providing a light fixture which includes an adjustable shutter to illuminate a desired area. The fixture resides substantially behind a room surface (e.g., a ceiling) and includes a fixed portion residing on and behind the surface, and a movable portion which is extendable from the surface for adjustment of the shutter. A tilting member rotates in a rotating member to allow two axis of adjustment. A light bulb mounts in the tilting member, and light from the bulb is reflected by a mirror or prism to provide a compact fixture. A four part shutter is imposed between the bulb and the mirror or prism to adjust the shape and area which is illuminated 
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a framing projector comprising a trim plate adapted to reside proximal to a surface, a projector body tiltably connected to the trim plate and passing through the trim plate, a light source attached to the projector body, a reflector adapted to direct light from the light source, an adjustable aperture residing between the light source and the reflector, and a canister mountable substantially behind the surface. The adjustable aperture comprises a first shutter having a first handle, a second shutter having a second handle, a third shutter having a third handle, and a fourth shutter having a fourth handle. The trim plate mechanically cooperates with the canister to allow the trim plate to be pulled away from the surface to allow access to the handles. The body is tiltable to position an area of illumination and the shutters are adjustable using the handles to adjust the shape of the illumination. 
   In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a framing projector comprising a trim plate adapted to reside proximal to a surface, a projector assembly tiltably connected to the trim plate and passing through the trim plate, a light source attached to the projector assembly, a reflector adapted to direct light from the light source, and an adjustable aperture residing between the light source and the reflector. The adjustable aperture comprises a first shutter having a first handle, a second shutter having a second handle, a third shutter having a third handle, and a fourth shutter having a fourth handle. The projector assembly is tiltable to position an area of illumination and the shutters are adjustable using handles to adjust the shape and size of the illumination. The adjustable aperture has four aperture sides and the handles extend from two opposite sides of the four aperture sides. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING 
     The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein: 
       FIG. 1  shows a framing projector according to the present invention illuminating a picture hanging on a wall. 
       FIG. 2A  is a detailed rear quarter perspective view of the framing projector. 
       FIG. 2B  is a detailed front quarter perspective view of the framing projector. 
       FIG. 2C  is a detailed front quarter perspective view of the framing projector, with a projector body in a tilted position. 
       FIG. 3A  is a side view of a projector assembly. 
       FIG. 3B  is a top view of the projector assembly. 
       FIG. 4A  is a side view of the projector assembly with a trim plate removed. 
       FIG. 4B  is a front view of the projector assembly with the trim plate removed. 
       FIG. 5A  is a top view of an aperture assembly taken along line  5 A— 5 A of  FIG. 4A , attached to the projector assembly. 
       FIG. 5B  is a cross-sectional view taken along line  5 B— 5 B of  FIG. 4B  showing a reflector in the projector body. 
       FIG. 6  is a detailed top view of the aperture assembly. 
       FIG. 7  is a detailed side view of the aperture assembly in an expanded form. 
       FIG. 8  is a hold-down plate of the aperture assembly. 
       FIG. 9  shows shutters of the aperture assembly. 
       FIG. 10  shows the shutters of the aperture assembly separated. 
       FIG. 11A  shows a side view of fingers attached to the trim plate. 
       FIG. 11B  shows a top view of the fingers attached to the trim plate. 
       FIG. 12  shown a canister, junction box, and transformer used to install the framing projector. 
       FIG. 13A  depicts the framing projector residing in the canister. 
       FIG. 13B  depicts the framing projector extended from the canister. 
   

   Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding components throughout the several views of the drawings. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   The following description is of the best mode presently contemplated for carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of describing one or more preferred embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention should be determined with reference to the claims. 
   A framing projector  10  according to the present invention is shown illuminating a wall hanging  14 , for example a painting or the like, on a wall  16  in  FIG. 1 . The framing projector  10  is mounted to a ceiling  12 , but may be mounted to any surface. The framing projector  10  generates illumination  18  which may be adjusted to illuminate the wall hanging  14 . 
   A detailed rear quarter perspective view of the framing projector  10  is shown in  FIG. 2A  and a detailed front quarter perspective view of the framing projector  10  is shown in  FIG. 2B . The framing projector  10  includes an outer trim ring  22  which reside proximal to a surface, and inner trim ring  24  which is rotatable with respect to the outer trim ring  22 , and a projector body  20  which tilts in the inner trim ring  24 . The rotation of the inner trim ring  24 , and tilt of the projector body  20 , allow adjustment of the position of the illumination  18  (see  FIG. 1 .) 
   A detailed front quarter perspective view of the framing projector  10 , with the projector body  20  in a tilted position is shown in  FIG. 2C . 
   A side view of a projector assembly  27  is shown in  FIG. 3A , and a top view of the projector assembly  27  is shown in  FIG. 3B . The projector body  20  tilts about a pivot  30 . A lamp holder  28  holds a lamp (e.g., a light bulb) in place to provide a source of illumination. An aperture assemble  50  (or adjustable aperture) resides below the lamp holder  28  and allows adjustment of the shape of the illumination  18  (see  FIG. 1 .) The aperture assembly  50  includes handles  32   a ,  32   b ,  32   c , and  32   d  for adjustment. The four handles  32   a – 32   d  reside on at most three sides of the aperture assembly  50 , and preferably reside on two opposing sides of the aperture assembly  50 . An elevation screw  25  cooperates with the lamp holder to move the lamp holder  28  toward and away from the aperture assembly  50 . 
   A side view of the projector assembly  34  with the trim plates  20 ,  22  removed is shown in  FIG. 4A , and a front view of the projector assembly  34  with the trim plates  20 ,  22  removed is shown in  FIG. 4B . A top view of the aperture assembly  50  (see  FIG. 3A ) attached to the projector assembly  27  is shown in  FIG. 5A . The aperture assembly  50  includes a platform  36 , a hold-down plate  42 , hold-down springs  40  and hold-down nuts  38  residing in opposite corners of the aperture assembly  50 . The hold-down plate  42  is urged towards the platform  36  by the two hold-down springs  30  residing in opposite corners of the adjustable aperture  50 . The hold-down springs  40  reside over left rear hold-down screw  44   a  and right front hold-down screw  44   b  which pass through openings  45  in the hold-down plate  42 . 
   A cross-sectional view taken along line  5 B— 5 B of  FIG. 4B  showing a reflector  21  in the projector body  20  is shown in  FIG. 5B . The reflector  21  reflects light at about a 90 degree angle, and allows construction of a compact framing projector  10  with a light source and adjusting features behind a surface the framing projector  10  is mounted to. The aperture assembly  50  resides between the lamp holder  28  and the reflector  21 , thereby adjusting the shape of the illumination  18  (see  FIG. 1 ), and the reflector  21  is preferably a mirror or a prism, and is more preferably a prism made from an acrylic block with a 45 degree mirror face  21   a , a first optic lens  21   b  for receiving light from the light source, and a second optical lens  21   c  for emitting light. 
   A detailed top view of the aperture assembly  50  is shown in  FIG. 6 , and a detailed side view of the aperture assembly  50  in an expanded form is shown in  FIG. 7 . The aperture assembly  50  includes a first (or left) shutter  48   a  having the first handle  32   a , a second (or rear) shutter  48   b  having the second handle  32   b , a third (or front) shutter  48   c  having the third handle  32   c , and a fourth (or right) shutter  48   d  having the fourth handle  32   d . The shutter  48   a – 48   d  are sandwiched between the platform  36  and the hold-down plate  42 , wherein the first shutter  48   a  and the fourth shutter  48   d  reside above the platform  36  and below the second shutter  48   b  and the third shutter  48   c , and the hold-down plate  42  resides above the second shutter  48   b  and the third shutter  48   c.    
   Preferably, a bottom low friction pad  46   a  resides between the platform  36  and the first shutter  48   a  and fourth shutter  48   d , a middle low friction pad  46   b  resides above the first shutter  48   a  and the fourth shutter  48   d  and below the second shutter  48   b  and the third shutter  48   c , and a top low friction pad  46   c  resides above the second shutter  48   b  and the third shutter  48   c  and below the hold-down plate  42 . The low friction pads  46   a ,  46   b , and  46   c  are preferably sheets of the type sold under the trademark TEFLON. A plane view of a low friction pad  46   a  is shown in  FIG. 7A . The low friction pads are secured in place by the passage of the hold-down screws  44   a  and  44   b  (see  FIG. 5A ) through holes  45 . Because the low friction pads are secured, the movement of one shutter does not move an adjacent shutter. 
   A detailed view of the hold-down plate  46  of the aperture assembly  50  is shown in  FIG. 8 . The hold-down plate  46  includes two holes  45   a  for passage of the hold-down screws  44  (see  FIG. 5A ). 
   The shutters  48   a – 48   d  of the aperture assembly  50  are shown in  FIG. 9  as the shutters  48   a – 48   d  reside in the aperture assembly  50 , and the shutters  48   a – 48   d  are shown separated in  FIG. 10 . Each shutter  48   a – 48   d  includes a shutter slot  54 , wherein the shutter slots  54  cooperate with the hold-down screws  44  (see  FIG. 5 ) to provide a range of motion for the shutters  48   a – 48   d . Thus, the first shutter  48   a  may pivot around the shutter screw  44   a  and may slide right to left, the second shutter  48   b  may pivot around the shutter screw  44   a  and may slide front to rear, the third shutter  48   c  may pivot around the shutter screw  44   b  and may slide front to rear, and the fourth shutter  48   d  may pivot around the shutter screw  44   b  and may slide right to left. The four shutters  48   a – 48   d  thus provide for adjustment of size and shape of the illumination  18 . The inner edge  52  of each shutter is slightly concave (which results in convex sides of the resulting aperture) as shown in  FIG. 10  to compensate for optical effects which otherwise result in the illumination  18  (see  FIG. 1 ) having concave edges. 
   A side view of fingers  56  attached to the trim plate  22  is shown in  FIG. 11A , and a top view of the fingers  56  attached to the trim plate  22  is shown in  FIG. 11B . An expanding C-shaped ring  58  urges the fingers  56  outward. The ring  58  has a gap  59  which allows the ring  58  to be squeezed to a smaller diameter, for example, for assembly. 
   A canister  60 , brace  62 , junction box  64 , and transformer  66  used in conjunction with the framing projector  10  are shown in  FIG. 12 . The canister  60 , brace  62 , junction box  64 , and transformer  66  may be mounted above the ceiling  12  (see  FIG. 1 ) to facilitate the installation of the framing projector  10 . The framing projector  10  preferably uses a low voltage light bulb, and the transformer  66  provides the required power for such low voltage light bulb. The junction box  64  is provided for electrical connections. 
   The framing projector  10  is depicted residing in the canister  60  in  FIG. 13A , and the framing projector  10  is depicted extended from the canister  60  in  FIG. 13B . The fingers  56  may be squeezed inwardly by squeezing the ring  58  to cooperate with an inside surface of the canister  60  to hold the framing projector in position. Stops  70  are attached to the canister  60  to limit the extension of the framing projector  10  from the canister  60  by contact of the stops  70  with the ring  58 . When the framing projector  10  is extended from the canister  60 , the handles  32   a – 32   d  are exposed thus allowing adjustment of the illumination  18 . 
   While the invention herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.