Abstract:
A lamp for use on a table or a floor comprises a base, an intermediate spacer coupled to the base and rotatable with respect thereto, a light source, and a shade disposed over and about the light source. The shade has a surface shaped to insinuate a lipstick and additionally has a partially translucent portion acting to diffuse light emanating from the lamp. The lamp operates such that rotation of the intermediate spacer causes the lamp shade to move along a linear axis. A method for adjusting the light pattern emanating from such a lamp further comprises energizing the light source, rotating the intermediate spacer, and moving the shade along the linear axis while maintaining the light source energized.

Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION  
   The present invention relates to table and floor lamps and, more particularly, to a table or floor lamp shaped to insinuate a lipstick.  
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
   A variety of decorative adjustable table and floor lamps are known in the art yet there remains room for improvements.  
   The closest art of record, U.S. Pat. No. 4,504,890 issued to Chan, describes a pocket-sized, battery-operated flashlight that resembles a lipstick. The flashlight has an exposed bulb that moves axially between a fully retracted position and a fully projected position in response to the rotation of the housing. The flashlight illuminates only when the bulb is fully projected and provides directed light in an axial direction.  
   It would be desirable to have a decorative table or floor lamp which operates in a manner similar to a lipstick container yet which provides a lighting arrangement appropriate for general interior use. The present invention satisfies this and other needs.  
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
   In accordance with one aspect of the invention, there is provided a lamp for use on a table or floor having a base, an intermediate spacer coupled to the base and rotatable with  respect thereto, a light source, and a shade disposed over and about the light source. The shade has a surface shaped to insinuate a lipstick and also has a partially translucent portion that acts to diffuse light emanating from the lamp. The lamp also has a coupling within the spacer such that rotation of the intermediate spacer causes the shade to move along a linear axis.  
   In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method for adjusting a light pattern emanating from a lamp. The method includes the steps of: (i) providing a lamp having a base, an intermediate spacer rotatably coupled to the base, a light source, a shade having a surface shaped to insinuate a lipstick, and a coupling within the intermediate spacer such that rotation of the intermediate spacer causes the shade to move along a linear axis, (ii) energizing the lamp, (iii) rotating the intermediate spacer, and (iv) moving the shade along a linear axis while the light source is maintained energized such that the light pattern emanating from the lamp is adjusted.  
   These and other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the accompanying Drawings and Description of the Preferred Embodiment.  

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view illustrating the outer configuration of a lipstick lamp with the shade in a retracted position according to an embodiment of the present invention;   
       FIG. 2  is a perspective view illustrating the adjustable lamp of  FIG. 1  with the shade in a projecting position along the linear axis in response to a rotation of the intermediate spacer; and  
       FIG. 3  is an axial section taken along Line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 2 .  
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
   By way of overview and introduction, a lipstick lamp  100  in accordance with a first embodiment of the invention is illustrated. First referring to  FIG. 1 , the lamp  100  is shown with a shade  10  in a retracted position. The lamp  100  broadly encompasses a base  30 , an intermediate spacer  20 , a shade  10 , and a light source  50 . The intermediate spacer  20  is rotatable along an axis of rotation  70  and the shade  10  is moveable along a linear axis  75  in response to the rotation of the spacer  20 . Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the lamp  100  is shown with the shade  10  in a projecting position in response to rotation of the spacer  20 .  
   The base  30  is preferably cup-like in shape, that is, it defines an open top container, and is preferably made from molded plastic. Other materials generally used in the fabrication of lamps, such as any of a variety of metals, may also be used. As shown in  FIG. 3 , the base  30  includes a cavity  39  sized to receive an intermediate spacer  20  and to allow the spacer  20  to freely rotate within the base  30 . Preferably, the base further defines an annular channel  38  that receives fingers or posts  23 ,  24  protruding from the outer edge  22  of the spacer  20 . The base also includes a projecting element  37  which connects to a coupling  40  such that the coupling  40  is restrained but can still move along a linear axis  75  relative to the base  30 . While the posts  23 ,  24  and channel  38  interlock to provide an assembly that permits the spacer   20  to rotate relative to the base  30  in the illustrated embodiments, other mechanical arrangements can alternatively be provided to create this assembly.  
   In the preferred embodiment, the base  30  also incorporates a through-hole  36  through which a power cord  35  passes into the interior of the lamp  100  so as to electrically connect a power source (not shown) to the light source  50 , and so as to not be affected by the rotation of the spacer  20 .  
   In the illustrated embodiments, the base  30  has outside contours  31 - 34  that are slightly rounded to emulate the appearance of a base of a traditional lipstick applicator. In another embodiment, the outside contours  31 - 34  are square. The overall size and dimensions of the base  30  are chosen so as to form the appearance of a traditional lipstick applicator and lipstick when combined with the other elements of the lamp. The base  30  is of sufficient weight to adequately support the remaining elements of the lamp on a surface such as a table or a floor without tipping. The amount of weight required by the base  30  is defined by the overall size of the constructed lamp as well as the overall relation of the individual elements of the lamp relative to one another.  
   The lamp  100  also includes an intermediate spacer  20 . The spacer  20  is a tubular body that has an inner surface  21  and an outer surface  22 . In one embodiment, the intermediate spacer  20  is rotatably coupled to the base  30  through the interaction of a channel  38  formed in the base and posts  23 ,  24  protruding from the outer edge  22  of the spacer  20  so as to the allow the spacer  20  to freely rotate in either a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction along a plane of rotation  70  relative to the base  30 . These elements additionally restrain the spacer  20  so as to allow little or no movement relative to the base  30  along an axial  direction  75 . Preferably, spacer  20  has a through-hole (not shown) through which the power cord  35  passes so as to electrically connect a power source (not shown) to the light source  50 .  
   The inner surface  21  of the spacer  20  further preferably includes posts  25 ,  26  or some type of threading (not shown) which protrude from the inner surface  21 . In such an embodiment, the posts  25 ,  26  interact with the coupling  40  so as to impart a linear motion along the axis  75  to the coupling  40  in response to a rotation of the spacer  20  by a user. According to another embodiment, this interaction imparts a linear motion along the axis  75  to the coupling  40  in response to the rotation of the spacer  20  by a motor (not shown). The coupling  40  can be formed in any of a variety of other ways to covert the rotation of the spacer  20  into linear motion.  
   The inner surface  21  of the spacer  20  further preferably includes an annular lip  28  which restrains a flange  16  extending from the lower surface  11  of the shade  10  when the shade  10  is extended to a maximum position away from the base  30  along the axis  75 . In this way, the lip  28  restrains the shade  10  and prevents the shade  10  from extending entirely through the spacer  20  as it is raised along the axis  75 .  
   Preferably, the spacer  20  is made from molded plastic, but it may also be made from any of a variety of materials which are known and utilized in the fabrication of lamps. Preferably, the spacer  20  is made of the same material used to construct the base  30 . In one embodiment, the base  30  is constructed from metal and the spacer  20  is constructed from plastic.  
   The intermediate spacer  20  defines an interior region  27  which is shaped and sized to receive the coupling  40 , which is housed therein, as well as the shade  10 , when the  shade  10  is in a retracted position (as shown in  FIG. 1 ). Preferably, the spacer  20  is an elongated tubular body having an outer surface  22  which is cylindrical in shape. In another embodiment, the spacer  20  has an outer surface  22  which is rectangular in shape. The outside surface of the spacer  22  is sized and contoured so as to emulate the appearance of a traditional lipstick applicator and lipstick when combined with the remaining elements of the lamp.  
   The lamp  100  also includes a light source  50 . The light source  50  is preferably a light bulb of any of a variety of known wattages and colors. Variations in desired brightness, color, and diffusion will motivate a user&#39;s selection of the light source  50 . The light source  50  is connected to an electrical power source (not shown) through a power cord  35 . The light source  50  is wholly contained within a shade  10  and preferably remains seated on the floor  11  of the shade  10  during operation of the lamp  100 . In this way, as the shade  10  moves up and down along the linear axis  75  in response to a rotation of the intermediate spacer  20 , the light source  50  similarly moves up and down long the linear axis  75 . In another embodiment, the light source  50  is supported by the coupling  40  and does not move linearly up and down with the shade  10 .  
   The light source  50  is preferably controlled by an on/off switch (not shown). In this manner, the light source  50  can be energized or de-energized regardless of the position of the shade  10 . Thus, at an infinite number of positions along the linear axis  75 , the light source  50  can emit light. According to another embodiment, the brightness of the light source can be varied with the motion of the shade such that relative linear movement of the light source  50  relative to the base  30  along the axis  75  causes the light source  50  to vary in intensity. In this manner, for example, moving the light source  50  along the axis  75  to a location of maximum  extension from the base  30  (shown as line  150 ) can cause the light source to emit a maximum brightness, while moving the light source  50  along the axis  75  to a location of minimum extension from the base  30  (shown as line  125 ) can cause the light source to de-energize and emit no light, and moving the light source  50  along the axis  75  to any location in between can result in a relative brightness determined by the distance from the location of minimum extension ( 125 ). Other arrangements are also possible within the spirit of the present invention.  
   The lamp  100  also includes a shade  10  which is constructed from any of a variety of partially translucent materials and which acts to diffuse the light emanating from the wholly contained light source  50 . Additionally, the shade  10  can be formed or painted in any of a variety of colors to simulate the appearance of colored lipstick. Preferably, the shade  10  is made from precision molded colored plastic, but it may also be made from any of a variety of translucent materials which are known and utilized in the fabrication of lamps. In one embodiment, the shade  10  is made from woven fabric of a particular color and pattern. In another embodiment, the shade  10  is made from non-woven fabric. Preferably, and for ease of manufacture and construction, the shade  10  can be made of the same material used to construct the base  30  and the spacer  20 .  
   In one embodiment, the shade  10  has an open top surface  14  through which light emanating from the light source  50  freely exits the shade  10 . The shade  10  also has an open interior section  13  that wholly contains the light source  50  and a floor  11  on which the light source  50  preferably rests. In one embodiment, a power cord  35  electrically connects the light  source  50  to the power source (not shown) by passing through a through-hole  12  formed in the floor  11  of the shade  10 .  
   The top surface of the shade  10  of the illustrated embodiment is contoured so as to simulate the appearance of a lipstick. As such, the surface may take any of a variety of contours indicating the appearance of a lipstick to one viewing the lamp  100 , including, among others, an angled top edge having a sharp point  14 , simulating an unused lipstick, or a curved and rounded top edge  15 , simulating a worn-down and used lipstick.  
   The lamp  100  also includes a coupling  40  which is housed within the intermediate spacer  20 . The coupling  40  interacts both with the intermediate spacer and the shade  10  so as to translate rotational motion of the spacer  20  into linear motion of the shade  10 . The coupling is further connected to the base  30  by means of a projecting element  37  projecting from the base  30  and received by the coupling  40  such that the coupling  40  is restrained but can still move along the linear axis  75  relative to the base  30 .  
   The shade  10  is moveable upwardly and downwardly along the linear axis  75  in response to a rotation of the intermediate spacer  20 . Preferably, the linear axis  75  is substantially perpendicular to the axis of rotation  70 . The coupling  40  may be a screw gear, a worm gear, or any of a variety of other mechanical arrangements capable of translating rotational motion of one element into linear motion of another. In one embodiment, rotation of the spacer  20  along one of a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction along the axis  70  causes the coupling  40  to raise upwardly from the base  30  along the linear axis  75 , while rotation of the spacer  20  in the opposite direction causes the coupling  40  to move linearly in the opposite direction along the axis  75 . In another embodiment, rotation of the spacer  20  in either of a  clockwise or counter-clockwise direction causes the coupling  40  to raise upwardly from the base  30  along the linear axis  75  until a maximum extended distance of the coupling  40  is achieved (shown as line  150 ), after which point continued rotation in the same direction causes the coupling  40  to lower downwardly toward the base  30  along the linear axis  75  until a position of minimum extension is reached (shown as line  125 ).  
   According to one embodiment, when the lamp  100  is to be used, the intermediate spacer  20  is twisted along its axis of rotation  70  by a user in a single direction which causes both the coupling  40  and the shade  10  to raise upwardly relative to the base  30  along the linear axis  75 . A user can continue rotating the spacer  20  until a desired extension of the shade  10  is achieved. According to another embodiment, rotation of the spacer  20  by a motor ( 20 ) controlled by the user causes both the coupling  40  and the shade  10  to raise upwardly relative to the base  30  along the linear axis  75  until the desired extension is achieved.  
   While the invention has been described in connection with certain preferred embodiments thereof it is not limited to such embodiments but rather is defined by the scope of the claims appended hereto.