Abstract:
A shade, for use with a theatrical or architectural lighting fixture. The lighting fixture having a slot configured to receive the shade. The shade includes a frustoconical tube having a side wall defining a central opening and having a larger end and a smaller end, a base plate disposed about the larger end of the frustoconical tube, and a plurality of stops located within the central opening. The stops are configured to allow releasable nested stacking of multiple shades.

Description:
BACKGROUND  
       [0001]     The present disclosure relates to an accessory for a theatrical lighting fixture. In particular, a tubular shade that attaches to the front of the lighting fixture to direct light and relieve glare. Such a shade is commonly known as a tophat. This name most likely originates with the physical features of the device looking very similar to a gentleman&#39;s dress hat.  
         [0002]     The function of the tophat is two-fold. First, the tophat directs light into a cylindrical beam, reducing and/or eliminating dispersion of light onto nearby subjects. This prevents tight radiating off the front of the fixture from illuminating scenery, ceilings or drapery nearby. This light spill can be distracting and can interfere with a performance. Secondly, the fixture of most lighting fixtures is such that the front of the fixture, where a beam of light exits the fixture, can be undesirably bright. When viewed from a side angle the light exiting the fixture can create a glare. Again, this incidental light can distract from the subject the light is intended to illuminate.  
         [0003]     The construction of currently available tophats consists of two parts. A round or square flat plate forms the base of the tophat. This base fits into a slot on lighting fixtures common to the industry. Extending from the base plate is a hollow, cylindrical tube, the sides of which are parallel to the opposite side.  
         [0004]     There are several manufacturers in the entertainment and architectural industry that produce tophats out of sheet metal or spun aluminum. These tophats create a problem in storage and shipping. The tube of current tophats is such that the sides are parallel to the opposing side. When storing and shipping, the space used is equal to the volume of one tophat. This becomes quite an issue when dozens or hundreds of the tophats are packaged or stored, requiring a huge volume of space.  
         [0005]     In addition, tophats constructed with cylindrical parallel-sided tubes are often damaged in transit. This damage is incurred when the weight of many units rests on the tubes of the units near the bottom of the shipment. This results in tubes that are bent out of round or dented beyond repair. It is desirable for a tophat that mates with existing light fixtures in the industry yet is convenient to store and is resistant to damage during shipment.  
         [0006]     As used herein, the term “tophat” refers to a shade for a theatrical or architectural lighting fixture as described herein.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0007]     A tophat of the present disclosure incorporates a tube having a slight taper. This taper allows tophats to nest together. When units are nested together, the volume of space used in storage and shipping is greatly reduced. An added advantage of the nesting operation is that the tubes of nested tophat&#39;s protect the tubes of the unit below. This feature greatly reduces the amount of storage and transit damage.  
         [0008]     In particular the present disclosure provides a taper between 1 and 5 degrees, although a taper of greater than 5 degrees may be useful in some circumstances. Virtually no loss of light output in the directed beam or additional shaping of the light beam was observed compared to the existing parallel sided tophats. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0009]     The present disclosure will be described hereafter with reference to the attached drawings which are given as non-limiting examples only, in which;  
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a tophat of the present disclosure;  
         [0011]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view of a tophat of the present disclosure affixed to a theatrical lighting fixture projecting a beam of light;  
         [0012]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view showing two tophats of the present disclosure in a stacked arrangement;  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  detailed view of a stop affixed to the inside surface of the tophat to maintain a releasable nested arrangement;  
         [0014]      FIG. 5  is a side view showing two tophats of  FIG. 4  in a releasable nested arrangement.  
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0015]     Referring to  FIG. 1 , the lighting fixture shade  10 , or tophat of the present disclosure includes a frustoconical tube  12  having a longitudinal axis  14  and a base  16 . The frustoconical tube  12  includes a tapered sidewall  18  having a free edge  20  and a base edge  29 . The tapered side wall  18  defining an interior passage  24  therein.  
         [0016]      FIG. 2  schematically shows the application of the tophat  10  of the present disclosure in conjunction with a theatrical or architectural lighting fixture  1 . Such lighting fixtures are commonly known to those familiar with the art and may embody many dimensional sizes, light output and shapes. A light source  2 , which also embodies many dimensional sizes, light output and beam shapes is provided in fixture  1 . In operation, the light source  2 , in fixture  1 , creates a light beam  3  which is directed towards an object or area to be illuminated  4 . The tophat  10  of the present disclosure shapes the light beam  3  to provide a sharp distinct, illuminated area  5 , without diffusion or glare.  
         [0017]     Referring again to  FIG. 1 , a base  16  is attached to the base edge  22  of the tapered side wall  18 . Base  16  is configured to be received within a slotted bracket provided on the outlet of a theatrical and architectural lighting fixture. The frustoconical tube  12  may be joined to base  16  by extending a portion of tapered side wall  18  and folding base edge  22  outward. Bottom edge  22  is folded over base  16  and spot welded to join bottom edge  22  and base  16 . Base  16  may also be integrally formed with the tapered side wall  18  and folded perpendicular to axis  14  by stamping or other forming operation known in the art. Alternatively, base  16  may be attached to side wall  18  by welding, brazing, adhesive or other means. Base  16  may be configured having either a square or circular shape.  
         [0018]     Tapered side wall  18  is angled inward towards axis  14  by approximately 1 to 5 degrees, although angles of greater than 5 degrees are also acceptable. This results in free edge  20  having a smaller circumference than base edge  22 . This enables a number of tophats  10  to be nested inside one another for compact packaging and storage.  
         [0019]     The tophat  10  of the present disclosure may also include one or more stops  26  positioned on the inside surface of tapered side wall. The stops  26  are configured to maintain two or more tophats  10  in a stacked nested arrangement, while preventing an interference fit between two adjacent tophats  10 . Stops  26  may be formed from sheet metal and spot welded to the inside surface of tapered side wall  18 .  
         [0020]     As shown in FIGS.  3  to  5 , one or more stops  26  are positioned on an inner surface of tapered side wall  18 . In an embodiment, four stops  26  are provided, one at each quadrant of the inside circumference of interior passage  24 . Tophats  10 ,  10 ′ are nested for storage or shipping by inserting the free edge  20  of tapered side wall  18  of a first tophat  10  into the interior passage  24 ′ of a second tophat  10 ′ through the opening defined by the base edge  22 ′. The free edge  20  of the first tophat  10 , having a smaller circumference that the base edge  22 ′ of the second tophat  10 ′, fits into the interior region  24 ′ of the second tophat  10 ′ until the free edge  20  engages stops  26 ′ allowing tophats  10 ,  10 ′ to be nested without the outer surface of side wall  18  and the inner surface of side wall  18 ′ becoming engaged in an interference fit, thus facilitating stacking and removal.  
         [0021]     The following is provided as an illustrative embodiment of the tophat of the present disclosure and in no way is intended to limit the scope of the claimed invention. An embodiment of the present disclosure is constructed of 21-gauge cold rolled steel (CRS) sheet metal. The frustoconical tube  12  is 6.00 inches high, and having a free edge  20  of 6.329 inches outside diameter and a base edge  22  of 6.75 inches outside diameter. Disposed about the base edge  22 , is a base  16  measuring 7.50 inches by 7.50 inches square. Stops  26  are fabricated from cold rolled steel and measure 0.250 inches by 0.100 inches by 0.045 inches. Four stops  26  are positioned on the inside surface of tapered side wall  18  at a distance of 1.25 inches below free edge  20  and oriented 90 degrees from each other. The tophat  10  may be powder coated to protect the steel from corrosion. Additionally, black felt flocking may be sprayed onto the inner surface of tapered sidewall  18  to provide a flat finish, reducing reflected light within the interior region  24 .  
         [0022]     While an embodiment has been illustrated and described in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustrations and descriptions are considered to be exemplary and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only an illustrative embodiment has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected. The applicant has provided description and figures which are intended as an illustration of certain embodiments of the disclosure, and are not intended to be constructed as containing or implying limitation of the disclosure to those embodiments. There are a parality of advantages of the present disclosure arising from various features set forth in the description. It will be noted that alternative embodiment of the disclosure may not include all of the feature described yet still benefit from at least some of the advantages of such features. Those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations of the disclosure and associated methods that incorporate one or more of the feature of the disclosure and fall within the spirit and scope of the present disclosure as defined by the impendent claims.