Step light with diffuser

Apparatus for lighting a lower tread of a stairway having the lower tread relatively parallel to and spaced a gap from an upper tread. The lighting apparatus includes illuminating means. A housing is positioned underneath the upper tread. The housing includes an open front face generally perpendicular to and facing a front portion of the lower tread. The housing defines an interior region adapted to contain the illuminating means and includes a wall having an opening sized to receive therethrough the illuminating means. The lighting apparatus includes a louver angularly overhanging the open front face of the housing so that light diffused from the illuminating means is directed downwardly to illuminate the lower tread. The louver includes a tab removably insertable into a pocket partially defined by a surface of the upper tread and a generally plane wall of the housing. The tab secures the louver in the overhanging position after the tab is installed in the pocket.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention concerns an apparatus for diffusing light to a tread 
of a stairway. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Stairs that are insufficiently lit or that are subject to shadows exhibit a 
safety and security concern, especially outdoors where the light 
oftentimes can not be reflected towards its desired area of use. 
Illuminating the steps of a stairway, porch or deck however, can create 
undesired difficulties. For example, if the light source is located behind 
a subject as the subject approaches the steps, the subject may interfere 
with the path of illumination and cast a shadow that makes the steps 
difficult to see. 
Light fixtures physically mounted to the stairs may also impose a danger 
because stray light or glare emitted from the fixtures may temporarily 
adversely affect a person's sight or line of vision of the stairs. 
Furthermore, light fixtures placed around the stairs may be subject to 
inadvertent damage, for example, by bumping with oblong objects or the 
like. 
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention provides an improved lighting apparatus for 
illuminating a tread of a stair. The stair defines a gap spaced between 
the tread to be lit, or the lower tread, and a generally parallel upper 
tread. The lighting apparatus includes a housing that is positioned 
underneath the upper tread. The housing includes an open front face that 
is generally perpendicular to and facing a front portion of the lower 
tread. The housing defines an interior region adapted to contain 
illuminating means. A wall of the housing includes an opening that is 
sized to receive the illuminating means therethrough. A louver angularly 
overhangs the open front face of the housing so that light diffused from 
the illuminating means is directed downwardly at the lower tread. 
According to the invention, the housing is connected to and extends 
downwardly from the upper tread. The illuminating means includes a lamp 
secured by a lamp socket and electrically connected to an electrical wire 
to provide power to the lamp. The electrical wire, extends through the 
opening in the housing. 
The louver includes tabs that are inserted into a pocket that is partially 
defined by a surface of the upper tread and a generally plane wall of the 
housing. The tabs secure the louver in the overhanging position and allow 
the louver to be easily inserted and removed for quick access to the 
interior of the housing. The louver provides illumination of the lower 
tread without interfering with a subject's line of vision as the subject 
approaches the stair. The louver also substantially prevents inadvertent 
damage to the illuminating means.

BEST MODE FOR PRACTICING THE INVENTION 
Referring now to the drawings, FIGS. 1-4 illustrate a lighting apparatus 10 
constructed in accordance with the present invention. FIG. 1 shows the 
lighting apparatus 10 installed in a step, generally indicated by the 
reference character 12. The step 12 includes a lower tread 14 and an upper 
tread 16 that are relatively parallel to each other and spaced apart by a 
gap D. The treads 14, 16 are supported by walls 18. 
The lighting apparatus 10 includes a housing 20, illuminating means 22 and 
a flexible louver 24. The housing 20 is made of a thermoplastic resin and 
defines an interior region 26 adapted to contain the illuminating means 
22. The housing 20 includes a generally semi-circular cone-shaped wall 28 
and a plane wall 30 connected at their common edges. The edges 28a, 30a of 
the respective walls 28, 30 form an open front face 32 generally 
perpendicular to the plane wall 30. As shown in FIG. 1 of the invention, 
the plane wall 30 defines an opening 34 through which the illuminating 
means 22 are inserted. The plane wall 30 of the housing 20 is connected to 
a surface 36 underneath the upper tread 16 by suitable fastening means so 
that the semi-circular cone-shaped wall 28 extends downwardly and the open 
front face 32 of the housing 20 faces a front edge 37 of the lower tread 
14. 
The illuminating means 22 includes a lamp 38 secured by a lamp socket 40. 
An electrical cable 42 extends through the plane wall 30 via the opening 
34 for providing power to the lamp 38. 
The flexible louver 24 is made of stamped sheet metal that is bent into the 
configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The louver 24 angularly overhangs 
the front face 32 of the housing 20. As shown in FIG. 3, the housing 20 
and louver 24 are spaced a gap G from the lower tread 14 so that light 
emitted from the open front face 32 of the housing 20 diffuses downwardly 
at the lower tread 14. According to the invention, the lighting apparatus 
10 illuminates the lower tread 14 without emitting glare into the eyes of 
a subject (indicated generally by the reference character 44) approaching 
the step 12. Consequently, a brighter, or more luminous lamp can be used 
to light the step 12. 
The louver 24 includes tabs 46 that secure the louver 24 in its overhanging 
position. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the housing 20 includes a rib 48 
extending from the plane wall 30 so that the plane wall 30 and the surface 
36 of the upper tread 16 form a pocket 50 into which the tabs 46 are 
inserted. The weight of the louver 24 imposes a counterclockwise moment in 
the louver 24 about an axis A--A so that the tabs 46 frictionally engage a 
region 52 of the surface 36 of the upper tread 16. This frictional 
engagement of surface 36 retains the louver 24 in its overhanging position 
after the tabs 46 have been inserted into the pocket 50. 
The louver 24 also includes a riser member 54 and an angle member 56. The 
riser member 54 is connected to the tabs 46 at its upper end and to the 
angle member 56 at its lower end. The riser member 54 extends downwardly 
from tread 16 and adjacently to the front face 32 of the housing 20. The 
riser member 54 partially frictionally engages edges 28a, 30a of the front 
face 32, thereby improving stability of the louver 24 with respect to the 
housing 20 and maintaining the louver 24 in the desired angular 
overhanging position. As shown in FIG. 1, the amount of light emitted from 
the open front face 32 of the housing 20 at the lower tread 14 can be 
adjusted by bending the angle member 56 about an axis B--B to its desired 
angular orientation. 
The louver 24 is easily removable to gain access to the interior region 26. 
By exerting an upward force on the louver 24 sufficient to disengage the 
tabs 46 from surface 36, the tabs 46 can be slid out from the pocket 50. 
The louver 24 includes a lip 58 that stiffens the edge of the louver 24. 
The louver 24 is sufficiently flexible so that in the event the louver 24 
is inadvertently bumped the louver 24 flexes (shown in phantom in FIG. 3), 
and then returns to an unflexed configuration. 
While the present invention has been described with a degree of 
particularity, it is the intent that the invention include all alterations 
and modifications from the disclosed design falling within the spirit or 
the scope of the appended claims.