Abstract:
A light shielding and reflecting device is connected to a luminaire reflector that is quickly and easily adjustable to alter the emitted beam configuration. The luminaire includes a housing, a lamp with optical sides mounted in the housing, a main reflector mounted in the housing about the lamp, and a removable reflector shield having a plurality of tabs releasably engaging openings in the main reflector. The shield is positioned to block light from emitting into an undesired area and redirects that light to a desired area. A second shield can be used depending on the desired beam configuration.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application is related to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/502,794 to Wang, entitled “Adjustable Reflector Assembly for Luminaire” and filed Feb. 11, 2000, the subject matter of which is hereby incorporated by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to a luminaire having a removable reflector shield. More particularly, the present invention relates to a luminaire having a main reflector and one or two reflector shields releasably attached to the main reflector. Each reflector shield has tabs for releasably engaging openings in a plurality of slots in the main reflector. The reflector shields may be used individually or together to create a variety of beam configurations. The reflector shields can be easily disengaged and reattached to create new beam configurations. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Luminaires can be mounted in a variety of locations, and are often mounted in or near corners in a room. Light is wasted when it is emitted directly into the walls forming the corner. Luminaires are also often installed to provide lighting on the owner&#39;s property. Light is again wasted when it is emitted directly onto neighboring property rather than onto the intended property of the owner. Moreover, lighting of the neighboring property may be unwanted and considered a nuisance. 
     Luminaires with adjustable reflectors and/or shields are common to the lighting industry. Typically, those adjustable reflectors require a lot of time to install due to the numerous parts making up the reflector, as well as requiring tools to perform the installation. To change the emitted beam configuration of the luminaire, the adjustable reflectors must be disconnected and then reconnected in a new position within the luminaire. Disconnecting and then reconnecting those reflectors requires tools and is therefore a labor intensive and time consuming task. Additionally, those reflectors are costly to manufacture due to the various parts making up the adjustable reflectors. Furthermore, a large inventory is required since the reflectors are made up of several different parts. 
     Examples of existing light reflectors are disclosed in the following references: U.S. Pat. No. 4,338,655 to Gulliksen et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 4,519,018 to Rowland; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,274,533 to Neary et al. 
     Thus, improved reflector shields are needed to make adjustment of the luminaire to its specific location and to the desired lighting simpler and more efficient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a luminaire with a reflector and/or shield that blocks light from emitting into an unwanted area, reflects that light to a desired area, and is simple and inexpensive to manufacture and simple and quick to adjust. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide a reflector shield that can be attached to an existing luminaire. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a reflector shield that quickly and easily disconnects and reattaches to a luminaire for altering its emitted beam configuration, without requiring tools for such disconnection and reattachment. 
     The foregoing objects are basically attained by a luminaire having a housing, a lamp with optical sides mounted in the housing, and a main reflector mounted in the housing about the lamp. The main reflector has a plurality of openings. A first removable reflector shield has a body portion and a plurality of tabs extending from the body portion and releasably engaged in the main reflector openings, thereby allowing the reflector shield to be attached to an existing luminaire. Moreover, the configuration of the reflector shield makes it simple and inexpensive to manufacture. 
     The foregoing objects are also attained by a method of blocking and redirecting light from a luminaire by bending a first reflector shield to a shape defined by a plurality of openings in a luminaire reflector mounted in a luminaire. The first shield is releasably attached to the luminaire reflector by inserting a plurality of tabs on the first shield in the plurality of openings in the luminaire reflector for blocking and redirecting light emitted by a lamp mounted in the luminaire, thereby providing a luminaire with a reflector shield that blocks and redirects light as desired. The lamp has optical sides. The first shield covers a significant portion, preferably at least half, of the optical sides of the lamp. A first beam configuration is created by attaching the first shield on the luminaire reflector in a position resulting in the first beam configuration. 
     The luminaire with a reflector shield of the present invention blocks light from emitting into an unwanted area and reflects that light to a desired area. Furthermore, the beam configuration may be altered quickly and easily by disconnecting and reattaching the reflector shield in a new position, without requiring tools to perform the task. For example, a single shield may be used when the luminaire is mounted along a wall and the light is to be directed away from the wall. Two shields may be used when a 360-degree cut-off or spot-light effect is desired. Additionally, two shields may be overlapped to create a 270-degree cut-off, such as for use in a corner, thereby directing light away from the corner and into the remaining open quadrant. Due to the ease with which the shields may be installed in and removed from an existing luminaire, the arrangement of the shields may be readily altered to create a new beam configuration. 
     Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with the annexed drawings, discloses preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     Referring now to the drawings that form a part of the original disclosure: 
     FIG. 1 is an exploded, perspective view of a luminaire according to a first embodiment of the present invention, including a reflector shield, a main reflector, a luminaire housing, and a lamp; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevational view of the luminaire of FIG. 1, with the reflector shield inserted in the main reflector, and the main reflector inserted in the luminaire housing; 
     FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the luminaire of FIG. 1 showing the reflector shield inserted in the main reflector; 
     FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of the luminaire of FIG. 1 showing the reflector shield inserted in the main reflector; 
     FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the reflector shield of the luminaire of FIG. 1; and 
     FIG. 6 is an exploded, perspective view of a luminaire according to a second embodiment of the present invention, including two reflector shields, a main reflector, a luminaire housing, and a lamp. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As seen in FIG. 1, the luminaire  10  in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing  12 , a lamp  14  with optical sides  15  mounted in the housing, a main reflector  16  having a plurality of openings  18  mounted in the housing about the lamp, and a first removable reflector shield  20 . Reflector shield  20  has a body portion  22  and a plurality of tabs  24  extending from the body portion for releasably engaging the openings in the main reflector. As shown in FIG. 6, a luminaire  11  according to a second embodiment of the present invention has a second removable reflector shield  21  attached to the main reflector  16  in addition to the first removable reflector shield  20 . As shown in FIG. 2, the main reflector  16  receives the reflector shield  20  for blocking light from emitting into an unwanted area and redirecting that light to a desired area. 
     The housing  12 , as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, has an aperture  30  for receiving the lamp  14 . A plurality of mounting posts  34  on the lower side  36  of the housing  12  mount the main reflector  16  to the housing  12 . A plurality of keyholes  32  in the housing  12  receive connectors on a ballast box (not shown) for mounting the ballast box to the upper surface  38  of the housing. 
     The main reflector  16  has mounting holes  50  and  55  that allow the main reflector to be securely mounted to the housing  12 . Fasteners  52  and  53  are inserted through mounting holes  50  and  55 , respectively, in the main reflector  16  and are received by the mounting posts  34  of the housing  34 . An aperture  54  in the main reflector  16  allows the lamp  14  to be inserted through the reflector once the main reflector has been mounted to the housing  12 . A plurality of openings  18  in the main reflector are adapted to receive the plurality of tabs  24  on the reflector shield  20 . Preferably, the plurality of openings  18  are substantially semi-circular and are equally spaced along or about the aperture  54 . Preferably, the main reflector  16  has four openings  72 ,  74 ,  76  and  78  for receiving the plurality of tabs  24 . The plurality of openings  18  in the main reflector  16  may receive only a single reflector shield  20  (FIG. 1) or first and second reflector shields  20  and  21  (FIG.  6 ). The main reflector is more fully described in U.S. patent application Ser. No.09/502,794, which is incorporated by reference above. 
     Deployment bars  40  are positioned between the main reflector  16  and the housing  12 . A fastener hole  42  in the deployment bar  40  receives fastener  53  for securing the deployment bar between the main reflector  16  and the housing  12 . By further threading fastener  53  in mounting post  34 , bar ends  41  of the deployment bar are raised, thereby lowering that portion of the main reflector  16 . The fastener may be threaded enough to secure the main reflector and retain the deployment bar  40  in a substantially horizontal position (the normal position). Then, by further threading the fastener  53  into the mounting post, the configuration of the main reflector  16  may be adjusted from the normal position to a down position, which occurs when the fastener is fully received by the mounting post  34 . 
     The lamp  14  is inserted first through the main reflector aperture  54  and then through the housing aperture  30 . Typically, the lamp  14  is mounted in a socket connection in a ballast box (not shown), which is mounted to the upper surface  38  of the housing  12  through the plurality of keyholes  32 . 
     The reflector shield  20 , as shown in FIG. 5, has a main body portion  22  and a plurality of tabs  24  extending from the main body portion. The tabs  24  are inserted in the plurality of openings  18  in the main reflector  16  for releasably attaching the reflector shield  20  to the main reflector  16 . When attached to the main reflector  16 , the reflector shield  20  covers a significant portion of the optical sides  15  of the lamp. Preferably, the reflector shield  20  covers at least half of the optical sides  15  of the lamp, but the reflector shield may cover more or less depending on the lighting requirements at the given usage location. Preferably, the reflector shield has three tabs  60 ,  62  and  64 . The first and third tabs  60  and  64  are preferably substantially “L-shaped”, while the second tab  62  is preferably substantially “T-shaped”. The first and third tabs  60  and  64  are located at opposing edges of a side  23  of the shield, with the second tab  62  located between the first and third tabs. 
     A second reflector shield  21 , as shown in FIG. 6, may be used in conjunction with the first reflector shield  20  to create a wider variety of beam configurations. Preferably, the second reflector shield  21  is substantially identical to the first reflector shield  20 , having a first tab  66  and a third tab  70  that are substantially “L-shaped”, and a second tab  68  positioned between the first and third tabs and that is substantially “T-shaped”. 
     Preferably, the reflector shield  20  is made of a metal or high temperature material that is springy or resilient in nature, such as specular aluminum. Preferably, the tabs  24  are formed unitarily with the reflector shield  20 . 
     Assembly and Disassembly 
     As seen in FIG. 2, the luminaire  10  is completely constructed by assembling the various parts as shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. The main reflector  16  is secured to the luminaire housing  12  by fasteners  52  and  53 . The fasteners  52  and  53  are inserted through the mounting holes  50  and  55 , respectively, in the main reflector  16  and through the fastener holes  42  in the deployment bars, and are received by the mounting posts  34  on the inner surface  36  of the main reflector. This positions the deployment bars  40  between the main reflector  16  and the housing  12 . As is more fully described in the patent application incorporated by reference, the shape of the main reflector  16  is controlled by the amount fasteners  53  are threaded into the mounting posts  34 . 
     The lamp  14  is then inserted first through the main reflector aperture  54  and then through the housing aperture  30 . Typically, the lamp  14  is received in a socket connection in a ballast box (not shown). Connectors on the ballast box are inserted in the keyholes  32  on the outer surface  38  of the housing  12 , thereby positioning the lamp  14  within the luminaire  10 . 
     The first removable reflector shield  20  may be installed on the main reflector  16 . The reflector shield  20  is bent into a shape defined by the plurality of openings  18  in the main reflector  16 . Preferably, the reflector shield  20  is substantially parabolic when installed on the main reflector  16 . The plurality of tabs  24  on the first reflector shield  20  are inserted in the plurality of openings  18  in the main reflector  16 , as shown in FIG.  3 . The plurality of tabs  24  are then hooked around the selected openings  18  to secure the reflector shield  20  to the main reflector  16  in the desired circumferential position, as shown in FIG.  4 . The installed reflector shield  20  covers a significant portion, preferably at least half, of the optical sides  15  of the lamp. 
     A second reflector shield  21  may be added once the first reflector shield  20  has been installed. The second reflector shield with the first shield creates a 360-degree cut-off of the optical sides of the lamp. Tabs  60 ,  62 , and  64  of the first reflector shield  20  are inserted into openings  72 ,  74  and  76 , respectively, of the main reflector  16  to obtain the illustrated position. The tabs  66 ,  68  and  70  of the second reflector shield  21  can then be inserted into openings  72 ,  78  and  76 , respectively. In this configuration, the lamp  14  is completely enclosed by the two reflector shields  20  and  21 . All light emitted by the optical sides  15  of the lamp  14  is blocked (360-degree cut-off) and redirected downward, thereby creating a spotlight configuration for the luminaire  10 . 
     If 270-degree cut-off beam configuration is desired, then the reflector shields  20  and  21  are positioned such that approximately half of the body portions  22  and  25  of the reflector shields are overlapping. To achieve this configuration from the spotlight configuration previously described, the second reflector shield  21  is disengaged from the main reflector  16  by unhooking tabs  66 ,  68  and  70  from openings  72 ,  78  and  76 , respectively. Tabs  66 ,  68  and  70  are then inserted in openings  74 ,  72  and  78 , respectively. Openings  72  and  74  are both shared by tabs from both shields, such that sections of the main body portions of the shields between openings  72  and  74  are overlapping, thereby leaving light emitted by the lamp sides in the area between openings  76 - 78  unblocked and the light emitted by the lamp sides in the area between openings  76 - 74 - 72 - 78  blocked. This configuration effectively blocks substantially 270 degrees of the optical sides  15  of the lamp  14 . 
     The reflector shield  20  may be easily disengaged from the main reflector  16  to which it is engaged, thereby providing a simple method for altering the beam configuration of the luminaire. The tabs  24  are unhooked from the main reflector openings  18 , and then reinserted in and rehooked to the openings in a new position for creating a different beam configuration. 
     Still further beam configurations are possible by adjusting the main reflector  16  in conjunction with the reflector shields  20  and  21 . The adjustability of the main reflector is more fully described in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/502,794. The following paragraph describes some of the other possible beam configurations when using the adjustable main reflector  16  in conjunction with one or two reflector shields. 
     In one arrangement, the first reflector shield  20  may be attached to the main reflector  16 , with that portion of the main reflector in the normal position. The normal position is when the deployment bars  40  are flat and unbent with fasteners  53  tightened sufficiently to have the main reflector  16  contact the deployment bars. The second reflector shield  21  may be attached to the main reflector  16 , with that portion of the main reflector in the down position. The down position is when fasteners  53  have been tightened as much as possible, thereby lowering the ends  41  of the deployment bars  40  as far as possible. This arrangement provides 360 degrees of cutt-off around the vertical sides of the lamp, with the spotlight beam covering less area on the side of the luminaire with the main reflector in the down position. 
     In another arrangement, the first reflector shield  20  may be attached to the main reflector  16 , with that portion of the main reflector in the down position. The remaining portion of the main reflector is in the normal position. This arrangement provides substantially 190 degrees cut-off, and less area covered on the side of the luminaire with the main reflector in the down position. 
     Two shields  20  and  21  can be attached to the main reflector  16  providing 360 degree cut-off. Half of the main reflector can be set in the down position when two shields are attached. 
     Two shields  20  and  21  can be attached to the main reflector  16  such that a portion of the shields overlap providing substantially 280 degrees of cut-off with the first shield  20  attached to a portion of the main reflector in the down position and with second shield  21  attached to a portion of the main reflector in the down position and to a portion of the main reflector in the normal position. The arrangement emits light from the portion of the main reflector in the normal position. 
     In yet another arrangement, two shields  20  and  21  are attached to the main reflector  16  such that a portion of the shields overlap providing substantially 280 degrees of cut-off. The first shield  20  is attached to a portion of the main reflector in the normal position. The second shield  21  is attached to a portion of the main reflector in the down position and to a portion of the main reflector in the normal position, thereby emitting light from the portion of the main reflector in the down position. 
     As used in this application, directions are intended to facilitate the description of the luminaire of the present invention. Such terms are merely illustrative of the luminaire of the present invention and do not limit the invention to any specific orientation. 
     While advantageous embodiments have been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.