Shaped lamp shade

A lamp shade is disclosed with a formed surface thereon intended to facilitate close positioning of the shade and associated lamp closely adjacent to a structure wall. In combination, a shaped lamp shade and a shaped self supporting lamp base with a similarly shaped surface are provided to permit still further positioning in proximity to a complementary structure wall configuration. The shaped surfaces on the lamp shade, or both, may be selected to conform substantially to a flat wall surface, an outside corner of a wall surface, or an inside corner. Adjustment slide members are provided, along with horizontal lamp shade wire members, to facilitate selective adjustment of the lamp shade relative to the base toward or away from the structure wall surface.

TECHNICAL FIELD 
The present invention relates to lamp shades and shapes thereof conforming 
to selected wall configurations. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
Conventional lamps and lamp shades have a typical circular or polygonal 
cross sectional configuration in which the lamp base, bulb, shade support, 
and shade are all substantially centered on a vertical axis. This 
configuration is convenient where lamps are to be positioned in open areas 
for use in distributing light about a 360.degree. area. However, such 
lamps become obtrusive when positioned adjacent to a wall surface. The 
projecting shade, centered on the axis of the base, necessitates that the 
lamp be spaced from the wall by a distance substantially equal to or 
slightly greater than the radius of the shade. This creates difficulties, 
especially within confined areas such as small apartments where maximum 
space utilization is very desirable. 
Various adjustable lamp shades and lamps have been provided in the past to 
modify the overall configuration of the shade. However, such shades are 
not adjustable in relation to the lamp base below and consequently must 
remain substantially centered on the vertical axis of the lamp base. 
Further, the lamp in such instances is usually attached to the lamp shade. 
U.S. Pat. No. 2,516,866 to Halpern discloses a utility lamp that includes 
a shaped lamp shade and integrated lamp supports substantially centered 
within the lamp shade. While this construction offers a partial solution 
to the above problems, it does not provide flexibility in the adaptation 
of the shade to a standard form of lamp, nor does it permit selective 
adjustment of the lamp shade relative to the base toward or away from a 
wall surface. 
U.S. Pat. No. 1,586,577 to Raitt discloses a lamp shade that, like the 
Halpern patent, is substantially integral with the shade frame. Thus, the 
light and shade are not capable of adjustment relative to the base. 
Although the above shade and lamp configurations provide some additional 
clearance capabilities, it remains desirable to conserve space within 
standard lamp bases. It is also desirable for the lamp shade to be 
adjustable in relation to the lamp base in order to accommodate various 
base sizes and configurations. It is further desirable to obtain specific 
lamp configurations in which both the lamp shade and lamp base will fit 
closely adjacent to a wall configuration, thereby enabling maximum space 
utilization while enabling use of the lamp for functional lighting and for 
aesthetic considerations.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
This disclosure of the invention is submitted in furtherance of the 
constitutional purposes of the Patent Laws "to promote the progress of 
science and useful arts" (Article 1, Section 8). 
In general terms, the present invention is embodied within a lamp shade and 
in a lamp shade and self supporting base combination configured to conform 
to a wall surface and thereby minimize the space occupied by the lamp, yet 
not detract from the aesthetic qualities thereof. 
In general, all embodiments of the present lamp shade 10 include a lamp 
shade frame 13 constructed preferably of formed, relatively rigid wire 14. 
In all preferred forms, the shade frame 13 includes horizontal paired wire 
members 15 that substantially span the internal open area of the lamp 
shade. The paired wire members 15 are connected to shade shaping members 
16 which are formed to shape the shade member 18. The particular 
configuration of the remaining external portion 17 of the shade 18 may 
take any conventional or nonconventional configuration depending upon the 
decorative effect desired. The present drawings illustrate the external 
configuration as including a frusto-conical configuration (FIG. 1), a 
substantially cylindrical configuration (FIG. 3), and a substantially 
barrel shaped configuration (FIG. 5). It is to be understood that the 
drawings simply exemplify a number of different configurations from the 
many shapes available and capable of being used in the present invention. 
The present lamp shade includes a unique shaped section 19 in all 
embodiments that is configured to accommodate a complementary wall 
sufrace, and thereby permit postioning of a supporting lamp base member in 
close proximity to the structure wall 12. 
The lamp shade 10 maybe combined with a free standing lamp base 23 to 
provide, in combination, a novel lamp 11. The base 23, in all 
configurations, includes an external base portion 25 that, like the 
external lamp shade section 17, may take any desired configuration. The 
base 23 also includes a shaped base area 26 that is configured 
complementary to an adjacent structure wall 12 in a plane or shaped 
configuration similar or identical to the shaped shade area 19. The two 
surfaces or areas 19, 26, facilitate positioning of the entire self 
supported lamp structure closely adjacent to a complementary support wall 
surface, thereby facilitating conservation of space while maintaining the 
decortaive benefits of the free standing lamp. 
Both of the shaped sections 19, 26 are advantageously provided with pads or 
bumpers 27 to avoid scuffing the adjacent wall surface 12. 
A shade mounting means 29 is included with the above preferred forms of the 
present invention for releasably securing the lamp shade frame 13 and lamp 
shade 10 to the lamp base 23 for selective adjustment of the base relative 
to the lamp shade toward or away from the structure wall surface. 
Given the above general description of the invention, details relating to 
exemplary forms thereof will be described in more detail below. 
Referring specifically to FIGS. 1 and 2, the present lamp shade 10 and base 
23 are shown with substantially flat sections 32 and 33 respectively. The 
flat section 32 provided on the shade is formed substantially along a 
diametric plane extending vertically through the shade. This configuration 
is provided to facilitate close positioning of the shade, particularly the 
flat surface area 32 closely adjacent to a similarly flat wall area 34 as 
shown in FIG. 2. 
The flat area 33 on the lamp base is formed along a plane that is 
substantially parallel to or coplanar with the flat plane of the shade 
surface 32. Regardless of the configuration for the lamp base, the flat 
area 33 is provided, substantially longitudinally sectioning the base to 
thereby enable close positioning of the base adjacent to the wall surface 
34 again as shown in FIG. 2. 
FIGS. 3 and 4 are illustrative of an example for the present lamp shade 10 
and lamp 11 in which a notched section 36 is provided in the shade and a 
notched area 37 is provided on the base. Here, the notched sections 36, 37 
are formed in a wedge configuration, adapting the lamp shade and base to 
be positioned adjacent an outside corner 38 of the structure wall. The 
angle of the notched configuration is determined by the angular 
relationship of the wall surfaces meeting at the outside corner 38. It is 
anticipated that the outside angle between surfaces forming the notched 
sections 36, 37 will be, in most cases, 270.degree., thereby leavin 
angular clearance for a 90.degree. corner. However, the lamp shade and 
base may be produced with surfaces arranged at other angles for particular 
wall configurations. 
FIGS. 5 and 6 illustrate an example in which a wedge configuration 39 is 
formed in the lamp shade and a similar wedge area 40 is provided on the 
base. These configurations 39, 40 are provided to allow close positioning 
of the lamp within an outside corner 41 of a structure wall. Again, it is 
anticipated that the typical included angle formed between the surfaces 
defining the wedge configuation will be approximately 90.degree.. However, 
as above, this angular relationship may be produced differently according 
to particular requirements. 
FIGS. 7 through 9 illustrate details of two forms of the shade mounting 
means 29. Mounting means 29 is also shown in more general detail in FIGS. 
1-6. 
The mounting means 29 is generally comprised of slide members 46 that are 
selectively received over the paired horizontal wire frame members 15. The 
preferred slide members 46 include shaped indentations 47 formed to 
receive the paired horizontal wire members 15. The indentations are 
positioned to face one another and thereby "sandwich" the horizontal frame 
wires 15 therebetween. At least the top slide member 46 releasably 
receives an upright threaded post 51 of a base frame 52. It is conceivable 
that the bottom member 46 be welded or otherwise secured to the base frame 
52. In conventional lamps, the lower member may simply rest on a 
stationary shoulder 50 (FIG. 8) on a conventional base frame. 
The slide members 46 are releasably secured, sandwiching the horizontal 
frame members 15 between a wing nut or other threaded tightening device 49 
and the stationary shoulder 50 (FIG. 8) on the threaded post 51. The wing 
nut 49 may be selectively tightened to force the slide members 46 
together, thereby clamping the horizontal wire frame members 15, and 
securing the shade to the frame and self supporting lamp base. 
The wing nut 49 may also be loosened to release the clamping pressure and 
allow lateral adjustment of the lamp shade with respect to the 
substantially upright axis of the lamp base. This permits relative 
adjustment between the lamp shade and base to facilitate positioning of 
the lamp shade its particular shaped surface area 19 in close proximity to 
a structure wall. 
The base frame 52 shown in FIGS. 1-8 mounts the lamp shade mounting means 
operatively to the lamp base by connection directly to the base. The base 
frame 52 members substantially straddle the light bulb 56 and socket and 
attach in a conventional manner at bottom ends to the lamp base or to a 
socket assembly configuration as exemplified in FIGS. 3 and 5. Where 
appropriate, the base frame 52 may be offset from the lamp base by means 
of an offset wire conduit 53 as shown in FIG. 5. 
The base frame 52 may be formed in other configurations. For example, an 
alternate base frame 54 is shown in FIG. 9 in which a spring clip 55 is 
provided to attach the lamp shade and shade frame to a lamp bulb 56. The 
lamp shade is thereby operatively connected to the lamp base through the 
bulb. The same adjustment feature using the slide members 46 is provided 
in this configuration as well. 
The present lamp shade 10 with its unique shaped surface and the adjustment 
capability within the shade mounting means enables attachment of the 
present lamp shade 10 to existing, conventional forms of self supported 
lamp bases and frames. The shade 10 could be mounted to an existing self 
supported table lamp, for example, having an ordinary, substantially 
cylindrical or otherwise shaded base and conventional base frame or lamp 
socket. Provision of the adjustment features described above will permit 
relative postioning of the shade and the base in relation to a structure 
wall. Additionally, the present lamp shade configuration could also be 
attached to a conventional self supported floor lamp. Still further, the 
floor lamps could be provided with shaped base configurations as disclosed 
above for the lamp shade and base with appropriately shaped surfaces to 
facilitate positioning closely adjacent structure walls. 
In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in 
language more or less specific as to structural features. It is to be 
understood, however, that the invention is not limited to the specific 
features shown, since the means and construction herein disclosed comprise 
a preferred form of putting the invention into effect. The invention is, 
therefore, claimed in any of its forms or modifications within the proper 
scope of the appended claims appropriately interpreted in accordance with 
the doctrine of equivalents.