Abstract:
The illuminating standoff device to support and illuminate transparent, semi-transparent, and/or a translucent light diffusing member. Thus, the standoff provides support and attachment to the wall or support structure, while at the same time allowing light to pass through said standoff and/or projecting or inducing light into the diffusing member while supporting and retaining its position. This allows one to support and secure the diffusing member, and illuminate the diffusing member, both through a single device.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/092,648 filed Dec. 16, 2014, which is incorporated here in its entirety by this reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates to an apparatus and method for creating an illuminating standoff device, and more particularly to an illuminating standoff device that also serves as a weight-bearing support for one or more members that are to be illuminated. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    The prior art in this field generally requires two different types of hardware to accomplish the required tasks of supporting and illuminating a diffusing member affixed to a wall, or support structure, held by a standoff. 
         [0004]    The traditional standoff is used for supporting and holding off a section of glass, acrylic, or other transparent or translucent diffusing member from a wall, base, or other supporting structure. This type of hardware is usually made of metal, polymer, wood, or ceramic, and can be commonly purchased through most hardware distributors. An example of this type of hardware would be standoff Part # 94706A140 available from McMaster-Carr. 
         [0005]    Light injection devices such as electrical hardware can be used to inject light into a piece of glass, acrylic or light diffusing member. An example of this type of hardware is the 3D Crystal Glass Trophy Laser LED Rotating Electric Light Stand Base. 
         [0006]    However, instead of having multiple devices that perform distinct functions, there is a need for a single device capable of performing the desired functions. The objects and advantages of the illuminating standoff are to provide a single, simple, sophisticated and inexpensive piece of hardware to: 
         [0007]    a. Support a sheet of glass, acrylic, or some other transparent and/or translucent light diffusing member affixed to a wall or support structure; 
         [0008]    b. Provide a means to house a light source in the standoff; 
         [0009]    c. Provide a mean to replace the light source from the front should it need maintenance, repair or replacement; 
         [0010]    d. Provide a means to focus the light emanating from the light source in the illuminating standoff into the transmitting material of the diffusing member illuminating any etchings or defects that have been purposefully inscribed in the diffusing member; 
         [0011]    e. Provide a removable cap in the visible end of the standoff that aesthetically hides the retaining screw used in the pre-tapped external end of the standoff; 
         [0012]    f. Provide a cam detail on the back end of said standoff to prevent the standoff from rotating in place when a light source, end cap, or screw is introduced to said standoff. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    One embodiment of the present invention pertains to an illuminating standoff device that may both support and illuminate one or more glass, acrylic, or other transparent, semi-transparent, and/or translucent light diffusing members. The illuminating standoff device and system elegantly combines the hardware used for these two processes into one assembly which simultaneously can both support and illuminate such a member, optionally including at a predetermined standoff distance from a base support wall or frame. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of an illuminating standoff device in keeping with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of an illuminating standoff device in keeping with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a service end cap in keeping with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a perspective view of a light diffusing presentation diffusing member in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  is a rear perspective view of the light diffusing member of  FIG. 4A . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4C  is a front view of the light diffusing member of  FIG. 4A  where the diffusing member is semi-transparent and/or translucent. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4D  is a side view of the light diffusing member shown of  FIG. 4A  where the diffusing member is semi-transparent and/or translucent. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an illuminating standoff device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 6  is a rear view of a cam locking system of an illuminating standoff device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0023]      FIG. 7A  is a top view of a support frame for an illuminating standoff device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0024]      FIG. 7B  is a front view of the support frame of  FIG. 7A . 
           [0025]      FIG. 7C  is a perspective view of the support frame of  FIG. 7A  offering the illusion of a substantially flat and uninterrupted support wall. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    The detailed description set forth below in connection with the appended drawings is intended as a description of presently-preferred embodiments of the invention and is not intended to represent the only forms in which the present invention may be constructed and/or utilized. The description sets forth the functions and the sequence of steps for constructing and operating the invention in connection with the illustrated embodiments. However, it is to be understood that the same or equivalent functions and sequences may be accomplished by different embodiments that are also intended to be encompassed within the spirit and scope of the invention. 
         [0027]    It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another. For example, a first gesture could be termed a second gesture, and, similarly, a second gesture could be termed a first gesture, without departing from the scope of the present invention. 
         [0028]    The terminology used in the description of the invention herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the invention. As used in the description of the invention and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof. 
         [0029]      FIG. 1  shows an exploded perspective view of an embodiment of an illuminated standoff device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Such an illuminated standoff  10 , or standoff support  10 , is open at a first end to receive a light source  50  powered by an electrical source  60 . At a second end, the illuminated standoff  10  may have an end cap. The assembly fits through the support frame  70 , or support board  70 , and is held in place by a retaining flange having a cam. A light diffusing structure  30 , or illuminable structure  30 , containing a recess fits over a portion of the protruding end of the illuminated standoff  10 . In some embodiments, a retaining fastener  40  secures the light diffusing structure  30  to the illuminated standoff  10 . When the light source  50  shines inside the illuminated standoff  10 , the light is released out a window into the light diffusing structure  30 . 
         [0030]      FIG. 2  shows one such illuminated standoff  10  in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. The window or gate  11  enables light to depart the standoff through its side and thus illuminates the etchings, disturbances, or other designs or color elements in the light diffusing structure  30 . A cam  13  is engineered into the illuminated standoff  10 , such as a retaining flange  12  as shown in  FIG. 2 , to prevent rotation of the illuminated standoff  10  once it is set in place in the support board  70 . The top of the illuminated standoff  10  may be threaded  15  to allow the secure introduction of an end cap  20  to the illuminated standoff  10 . 
         [0031]      FIG. 3  shows a more detailed view of the cap  20 . The cap  20  may have threads in multiple places. For example, the outer threads  21  are in place to securely fasten to the illuminated standoff  10 . The inner central threads  22  are in place to securely fasten to a retaining fastener  40  (such as the one shown in  FIG. 5 ). 
         [0032]      FIG. 4  shows the light diffusing member  30 , with a pre-bored recess  31 , which is of a diameter to receive the second end of the illuminated standoff  10 . This feature thus receives the standoff assembly, allowing for the full strength of the material of the illuminated standoff  10  to support the weight of the light diffusing member  30 . In the front of the light diffusing member  30 , another bored hole is introduced of a smaller diameter  32 , to receive the retaining fastener  40 . The position of the retaining fastener  40  allows for easy removal and replacement or substitution of light diffusing member  30 , or a series of such diffusing members  30 , which may have different etchings or design elements to produce a different visual effect. 
         [0033]      FIG. 5  shows the side view of one embodiment of the illuminating standoff assembly. The light diffusing member  30  receives the retaining fastener  40  into the end cap  20 . The recess  11  is seen to focus light into the light diffusing member  30 . The illuminated standoff  10  then creates a predetermined standoff distance from the support board  70 . The standoff distance may be a single consistent distance for multiple units of diffusing member  30  or it may comprise two, three, or many different distances to produce a more textured visual appearance. The illuminated standoff  10  also receives and houses the light source  50  which receives power from the power source  60 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 6  shows an embodiment of machined detail of material that is removed from the support board  70  from the backside. This detail is a combination of offset grooves  71  that receive the flange  12  and invites the cam  13  to be positioned, disabling the illuminating standoff  10  from turning, thereby ensuring that the illumination will remain pointed in the desired direction. 
         [0035]      FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of the support board  70  with pre-routed grooves  71  that receive flange  12  and catch and affix the cam  13  on the end of the illuminated standoff  10 . Additionally, the support board  70  is pre-bored with entry holes for the power source  60  to provide access to the light source  50  in the illuminated standoff  10 . 
         [0036]    One preferred embodiment of the present invention, therefore, provides one or several pairs of standoffs of any desired design or length that has been engineered to accomplish two tasks simultaneously in the field of hardware. Namely, the illuminating standoffs will both support a diffusing member at a specific distance from a wall, or supporting structure, and at the same time allow said diffusing member to be illuminated by means of a light source that has been implanted in the standoff in such a manner that it can project light into the transmitting material of the light diffusing member. Although this description is very specific, it should not be considered a limiting description that inhibits variations that either a professional or lay person would want to make. For example, the length of the standoffs could easily vary and the placement of the light source could be situated in various points in the standoff. The means of supporting the standoff could be something different than a supporting board as seen in  FIG. 7  and could be accomplished with supporting cables. 
         [0037]    The standoff could comprise two or more windows or gates. Two oppositely facing gates could ensure that more volume of the diffusing member can be illuminated. Also, the gates could be several smaller orifices to provide a different pleasing illumination effect. 
         [0038]    The grooves  71  may be paired so that each receives one of a pair of standoffs  10 , as discussed above. Then the pair of standoffs  10  may receive one light diffusing member  30 . Alternatively, the system could utilize more than two grooves  71  such that the more than two grooves could support more than two standoff posts for a light diffusing member or a single series of light diffusing members. A single groove alternatively may hold a single standoff that alone supports a single light diffusing member, or a series of such single standoffs, each supporting a single light diffusing member. And in the foregoing various embodiments, the groove or grooves could be oriented horizontally or vertically, they could be generally parallel as shown in  FIGS. 6 and 7B , or non-parallel such as to support light diffusing members of varying and unequal lengths. Also, the grooves could readably be straight, non-straight, or curved along either a single wall or frame  70  or multiple wall or frames  70  in different geometric planes in order to provide various visual effects or serve various functional purposes as well. 
         [0039]    In any of the foregoing cases, the hardware would still function by supporting and illuminating one or more light diffusing members  30  at one or more given distances from the frame or wall  70 . Those skilled in manufacture and use will appreciate the range of combinations of this hardware for simultaneously supporting and illuminating a light diffusing member without departing from the essential essence of this invention. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents, rather than by just the examples given above. 
         [0040]    The foregoing description of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been presented for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise form disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. It is intended that the scope of the invention not be limited by this detailed description, but by the claims and the equivalents to the claims appended hereto.