Abstract:
Lamps, lampshades and methods for manufacturing lampshades providing an individual the ability to individually select specific visual pictures or symbols to be included and displayed when a light source is turned on. When a user turns on the lamp assembly, the selected visual pictures or symbols are prominently displayed such that the lamp assembly simultaneously acts as an area lighting source and a visually appealing display. The lampshade can include a single visual picture or symbol or can comprise multiple visual elements. Selected visual elements can be present either in black-and-white or color to produce a desired appearance in combination with the lampshade material and the light source within the lamp assembly.

Description:
PRIORITY CLAIM  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/607,650 filed Sep. 7, 2004, and entitled, “LAMPS AND LAMPSHADES FOR SELECTIVELY DEPICTING VISUAL ELEMENTS,” which is herein incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates generally to lamps and lampshades. More particularly, the present invention relates to lamps, lampshades and methods for manufacturing lampshades so as to display selected visual images when a lamp assembly is turned on.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Lamps and their corresponding lampshades are well known and widely used in a variety of settings. For example, lamps can be used to provide all of the lighting requirements in a specified area, to supplement overhead lighting or as a decorative element within a room. Lamps are available in a wide variety of configurations including floor lamps, desk lamps and many alterative configurations. A typical lamp assembly includes a base member, an electrical assembly including a switch and bulb assembly and a lampshade.  
         [0004]     Lampshades generally comprise a large percentage of the overall visual appearance of a lamp assembly. As such, lamps and lampshades are often specifically selected for use due to their overall visual appearance as opposed to operation characteristics. As such, lampshades are available in a wide variety of different styles that can make use of differing materials of construction as well as differing shapes and sizes. In addition, lampshades can be selected that have desired colors and patterns. In some instances, lampshades can be selected that include hand-painted scenes or pictures. As is typical with custom components, specifically tailoring custom lampshades can be both expensive and time consuming as lampshades are generally mass-produced, which tends to be non-conducive to the production of custom lampshades.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     Lampshades and methods of manufacturing lampshades of the present disclosure provide for the production of custom lampshades specifically tailored to display a visual feature desired and individually selected by a purchaser. Using the methods disclosed herein, small quantities of custom lampshades can be manufactured quickly and inexpensively.  
         [0006]     A custom lampshade of the present invention allows a purchaser to select specific visual pictures or symbols to be included as part of the lampshade. When a user turns on the lamp assembly, the selected visual pictures or symbols are prominently displayed such that the lamp assembly simultaneously acts as a light source and a visually appealing display. The lampshade of the present invention can include a single visual picture or symbol or can comprise multiple visual elements. The visual elements can be present either in black and white or color to produce a desired appearance in combination with the lampshade material and the light emitted from the lamp assembly.  
         [0007]     In one aspect, a lampshade of the present invention comprises a lampshade having at least one selected visual element incorporated into the shade material such that visual element is displayed when a lamp assembly is turned on.  
         [0008]     In another aspect, the present invention comprises a method of fabricating lampshades such that at least one selected visual element is displayed when a lamp assembly is turned on.  
         [0009]     In still another aspect, the present invention comprises a lamp assembly having a lampshade that displays a user-selected visual element when the lamp assembly is turned on.  
         [0010]     Other advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]     The invention can be more completely understood and appreciated by referring to the following more detailed description of the presently preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, of which:  
         [0012]      FIG. 1  is a partially cut-away side view of a lamp assembly.  
         [0013]      FIG. 2  is a top view of a plurality of visual elements.  
         [0014]      FIG. 3  is a top view of a visual element prior to scanning by a digital scanner.  
         [0015]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a computer monitor with a digital print of the visual element.  
         [0016]      FIG. 5  is a front view of a computer monitor depicting a print layout of a plurality of digital prints corresponding to the visual elements of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0017]      FIG. 6  is a top view of a printer printing the print layout shown in  FIG. 5  onto a lampshade material.  
         [0018]      FIG. 7  is a top view of the lampshade material of  FIG. 6  including the visual elements of  FIG. 2 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 8  is a perspective view of the lampshade material being cut to size.  
         [0020]      FIG. 9  is a perspective view of the cut lampshade material being marked for a hole punch.  
         [0021]      FIG. 10  is a top view of the cut lampshade material being hole punched.  
         [0022]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of a top ring being wrapped with gum tape.  
         [0023]      FIG. 12  is an end view of the cut lampshade material formed into the shape of a lampshade.  
         [0024]      FIG. 13  is an end view of an assembled lampshade.  
         [0025]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the assembled lampshade of  FIG. 13 .  
         [0026]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the assembled lampshade of  FIG. 13  as part of a lamp assembly that has been turned on. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0027]     In the following detailed description of the present invention, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to one skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known methods, procedures, and components have not been described in detail so as to not unnecessarily obscure aspects of the present invention.  
         [0028]     A lamp assembly  100  is illustrated in  FIG. 1 . Generally, lamp assembly  100  comprises a lampshade  102  and a lamp base  104 . Lamp base  104  can comprise a lamp column  106 , a light source assembly  108  and a cord assembly  110 . Lampshade  102  is generally defined by a shade material  112 , a top ring  114  and a bottom ring  116 . Shade material  112  can be wrapped about and attached to the top ring  114  and bottom ring  116  by suitable means such as by enclosing the rings within a sewn pocket or by wrapping a string through holes in the shade material  112  and around the rings. Shade material  112  can comprise any suitable translucent or semi-translucent lampshade material having a Dulkote backing. Lamp column  106  includes a support assembly  114  for supporting the lampshade  102 . Lamp column  106  can have any suitable height such that lamp assembly  100  can function as a floor lamp or table lamp. Lamp column  106  can be comprised of suitable materials such as wood, plastic or metals such as steel, brass, bronze and the like. In alternative embodiments, lamp column  106  may include decorative features and designs or may be shaped so as to allow attachment of lamp assembly  100  directly to a wall or ceiling. Light source assembly  108  can comprises a receptacle  118 , a switch  120  and a light bulb  122 . Light bulb  122  can comprise a standard filament-type light bulb as well as an energy-efficient halogen type light bulb. Light source assembly  108  is operatively connected to cord assembly  110  such that the manipulation of switch  120  allows light bulb  122  to be turned on and off.  
         [0029]     A custom lampshade  130  of the present invention is illustrated in  FIGS. 13, 14  and  15 . The process for fabricating and assembling custom lampshade  130  is illustrated in  FIGS. 2-12 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , a first fabrication step involves the selection of a desired visual element for display by the custom lampshade  130 . The selection can comprise a single visual element or a plurality of visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  as illustrated in  FIG. 2 . Visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  are in the form of photographs, though other visual depictions such as artwork, documents, logos or the like can be used as well. Typically, the selected visual elements will have special sentimental meaning to an individual such as, for example, photographs of hunting trophies as illustrated in  FIGS. 2-10 ,  12 ,  13  and  15 . Other representative visual elements can comprise family pictures, vacation pictures, bible verses, company logos and the like.  
         [0030]     Once the visual element has been selected, the visual element, for example visual element  132   a,  is converted to a digital image  134  using a scanner  136 , as shown in  FIGS. 3 and 4 . Alternatively, the visual element may already exist as a digital image such as, for example, when the visual image comprises a picture taken by a digital camera or the visual element was digitally created using suitable image software and a computer processor, such that no scanning is necessary.  
         [0031]     Visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  can then be imported into a software program for positioning and layout, as shown in  FIG. 5 . Visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  are positioned on a lampshade template  136 . Lampshade template  136  is a specifically dimensioned template corresponding to the desired dimensions of custom lampshade  130 . Lampshade template  136  includes a top arc  138   a  and a bottom arc  138   b  wherein the length of top arc  138   a  corresponds to a top ring circumference  140  and the length of bottom arc  138   b  corresponds to a bottom ring circumference  142 , as shown in  FIG. 13 .  
         [0032]     Once the visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  are positioned on template  138 , a custom template  143  (consisting of template  138  and visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c ) is printed on a lampshade material  144  using a color printer  146 , as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7 . Lampshade material  144  must comprise a material suitable for the prevention of smearing or streaking of the ink. For example, the use of a typical hard-backed vinyl coated paper will not prevent visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  from being rubbed off. An example of a suitable lampshade material  144  is a dual-coat backed paper. In one representative embodiment, printer  146  uses an archival quality colored ink to provide visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  with increased light fastness. An example of a representative archival ink includes UltraChrome™ ink available from Epson®. Following printing, custom template  143  is cut-out with a knife or scissors, as illustrate in  FIG. 8 , and a plurality of punch marks  148  are placed along the top arc  138   a  and the bottom arc  138   b,  as shown in  FIG. 9 . Finally, a hole punch  150  is used to punch a plurality of fastening holes  152  at each of the punch marks  148 , as shown in  FIG. 10 .  
         [0033]     Once custom template  143  has been cut and punched, a top ring  154  is wrapped with gum tape  156  as shown in  FIG. 11 . Top ring  154  has top ring circumference  140 . A bottom ring  155  having a bottom ring circumference  142  is similarly wrapped. Custom template  143  is then rolled to form a cylindrical shape, as shown in  FIG. 12 , such that the top arc  138   a  defines a top opening  158  and the bottom arc  138   b  forms a bottom opening  160 . Custom template  143  is rolled such that visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  are on an inside shade surface  162 . The top ring  154  is placed into top opening  158  while the bottom ring is placed into bottom opening  160  such that a banding element  164  can be continually wrapped and tied through the fastening holes  152  and around the rings, either top ring  154  or the bottom ring  155 , as shown in  FIG. 13 . Upon completion of the wrapping and tying of banding element  164 , custom lampshade  130  is complete, as shown in  FIG. 14 . Using an unassisted eye, visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  are not visible on an exterior shade surface  166  when viewing custom lampshade  130  from a side orientation as illustrated in  FIG. 14 .  
         [0034]     In use, custom lampshade  130  is used as part of a lamp assembly, for example lamp assembly  100 . When switch  120  is in an off position, visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  cannot be seen when looking at the lamp assembly  100  from the side. When switch  120  is turned on, light emitted from light bulb  122  causes the visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  to be visible when viewing the lamp assembly  100  from the side. In a preferred embodiment, light bulb  122  will be of a sufficient wattage to provide easy viewing of the visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c.  If visual elements  132   a,    132   b  and  132   c  are printed using colored inks, the individual colors can be viewed when light bulb  122  is in the on position.  
         [0035]     Although various embodiments of the invention have been disclosed here for purposes of illustration, it should be understood that a variety of changes, modifications and substitutions may be incorporated without departing from either the spirit or scope of the present invention.