Light fixture and method of decorating a lamp

A method of decorating a lamp extending from a vertical wall includes providing a light fixture, the light fixture having a surface comprising a first edge and a second edge and a bracket connected to the surface, the bracket having a notch. The lamp has an arm portion and a light portion, the light portion having a larger cross section than the arm portion. The method includes placing the light fixture over the lamp and mating the bracket with the arm portion so that the arm portion fits within the notch, where the light fixture is supported at least by contact between the notch and the arm portion, contact between the first edge and the wall, and contact between the second edge and the wall.

BACKGROUND

Sconces and outdoor electric light fixtures have been used to provide fashionable and high-quality outdoor lighting. They often cover a light source, allowing light to emanate only from above and below, so as to reduce light pollution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Problems with existing sconces are that they are expensive, they must be permanently mounted to a wall using screws, nails, anchors, etc., they are not easily replaceable or interchangeable, and they are not readily adjustable. There is a need for sconces or light fixtures that can be easily mounted, removed, interchanged, and easily adjusted. The present invention aims to solve one or more of these and other problems.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method of decorating a lamp extending from a vertical wall comprises: providing a light fixture, the light fixture comprising: a surface comprising a first edge and a second edge; and a bracket connected to the surface, the bracket comprising a notch, wherein the lamp comprises an arm portion and a light portion, the light portion having a larger cross section than the arm portion; placing the light fixture over the lamp; and mating the bracket with the arm portion so that the arm portion fits within the notch, wherein the light fixture is supported at least by: contact between the notch and the arm portion; contact between the first edge and the wall; and contact between the second edge and the wall.

In one aspect, the providing may further comprise: querying a customer regarding a desired personalization of the light fixture; and producing the light fixture with the desired personalization.

In one aspect, the light fixture is neither permanently attached to the lamp nor the wall, whereby the light fixture is configured to be removed from the lamp and wall by lifting the light fixture so that the arm portion is no longer within the notch.

In one aspect, the surface is curved. In one aspect, the light fixture has a cross section of a partial circle. In one aspect, the bracket comprises a flat metal strip extending between the first and second edges.

In one aspect, the method further comprises: removing the light fixture from the lamp and wall by lifting the light fixture so that the arm portion is no longer within the notch; providing a second light fixture, the second light fixture comprising: a second surface comprising a third edge and a fourth edge; and a second bracket connected to the second surface, the second bracket comprising a second notch; placing the second light fixture over the lamp; and mating the second bracket with the arm portion so that the arm portion fits within the notch, wherein the second light fixture is supported at least by: contact between the second notch and the arm portion; contact between the third edge and the wall; and contact between the fourth edge and the wall.

In one aspect, the first and second edges are substantially linear and parallel, and the method further comprises adjusting the bracket so that when the bracket is mated with the arm portion, the first and second edges are substantially parallel with the wall. In one aspect, the adjusting comprises bending the bracket.

In one aspect, the light fixture is neither permanently attached to the lamp nor the wall, whereby the light fixture is configured to be removed from the lamp and wall by lifting the light fixture so that the arm portion is no longer within the notch, the first and second edges are substantially linear and parallel, and the method further comprises: adjusting the bracket so that when the bracket is mated with the arm portion, the first and second edges are substantially parallel with the wall; removing the light fixture from the lamp and wall by lifting the light fixture so that the arm portion is no longer within the notch; providing a second light fixture, the second light fixture comprising: a second surface comprising a third edge and a fourth edge; and a second bracket connected to the second surface, the second bracket comprising a second notch; placing the second light fixture over the lamp; and mating the second bracket with the arm portion so that the arm portion fits within the notch, wherein the second light fixture is supported at least by: contact between the second notch and the arm portion; contact between the third edge and the wall; and contact between the fourth edge and the wall.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a light fixture comprises: a curved surface comprising: first and second edges that are substantially linear and parallel; and upper and lower edges; a bracket comprising: a flat metal strip extending between the first and second edges closer to the upper edge than the lower edge; and a curved notch located centrally along a length of the flat metal strip, wherein the notch is located approximately two to four inches from an inside surface of the curved surface, and wherein the notch is shaped and located to rest on an arm portion of a lamp extending from a vertical wall.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description, the use of “a,” “an,” or “the” can refer to the plural. All examples given are for clarification only, and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

Referring now toFIG. 1, a light fixture2comprises a surface4comprising a first edge6, a second edge8, an upper edge10, and a lower edge12. The light fixture2further comprises a bracket14connected to the surface4, the bracket14comprising a notch16. The surface4may comprise a decoration18.

The surface4may comprise any hard material, including metal, ceramic, plastic, glass, and so forth. In one preferred aspect, the surface4comprises a powder coated steel, and may be any color. The surface4may have any cross sectional shape, such as a portion of a square, triangle, circle, oval, etc., and is preferably curved. As shown inFIG. 1, the surface4has a cross section of a partial circle, and may be formed by bending, curving, or warping an otherwise flat sheet of metal.

The decoration18may be etched or perforated into the surface4(by any known method, including but not limited to laser etching), or may simply be drawn, painted, inscribed, etc. In the embodiment in which the decoration18is perforated, light will shine through the holes when the light fixture2is mounted over the lamp (discussed later), creating a beautiful and desirable lighting effect. The decoration18shown inFIG. 1shows a palm tree shaped perforation in the curved surface4, although any known shape, design, or method of formation or application is within the scope of the present invention.

First and second edges6,8are shown inFIG. 1as being substantially straight and parallel to each other, although they may be curved, not parallel, etc. While surface4may be formed by curving an otherwise flat rectangular piece of metal (which may have a length and width each of between 12 and 24 inches, more preferably between about 16 and 20 inches), it may alternatively be formed from a flat piece of metal of any shape, including a triangle, a circle, a polygon (e.g., hexagon); further, the dimensions, shape, curvature, and parallelism (or lack thereof) of edges6,8are not limited to that shown in the drawings. Upper and lower edges10,12are shown to be curved (corresponding to the curvature of surface4) and substantially parallel to each other. Similarly, the dimensions, shape, curvature, and parallelism (or lack thereof) of edges10,12are not limited to that shown in the drawings.

Bracket14is shown inFIG. 1extending between first and second edges6,8. It may comprise a flat strip made, e.g., of metal (or any other hard substance), preferably having a width of between one and three inches, more preferably around two inches. Bracket14comprises a notch16located approximately in the center of the flat strip (or at or above the center of gravity of the light fixture2). The notch16may have any shape, such as a semi- or partially-circular or curved cutout, a triangular notch, a rectangular notch, an oval notch, and so forth, but preferably corresponds to a cross section of an arm portion22of a lamp (as will be discussed with respect toFIG. 2). The notch16is located along a lower edge of the flat strip and relative to the mass of the light fixture2such that the center of gravity of the light fixture2is below the notch16, so that the light fixture2can be stably hung at the point of the notch16.

The bracket14may be substantially straight, as shown inFIG. 1, or bent or curved, such as in the shape of a loop or inverted “V” that starts at a lower portion of first edge6and ends at a lower portion of second edge8, or any other configuration, so long as the notch16is located above the fixture's center of gravity. InFIG. 1, bracket14(as a straight flat strip) is shown located above a center of edges6,8, toward and closer to the upper edge10than the lower edge12, so as to ensure that notch16is above the fixture's center of gravity. For instance, the bracket14may be located about two to five inches from the upper edge10, more preferably between about three and four inches.

Bracket14need not be attached directly to edges6,8, but is preferably located between edges6,8. For example, ends of bracket14may be attached to the inside surface of surface4. Because bracket14extends across the curvature of surface4, there is a distance between a center of the flat strip (where the notch16is located) and an inside surface of the surface4. The notch16may be located approximately two to four inches from the inside surface of the surface4, more preferably around three inches. The notch16may be shaped and located to rest on an arm portion22of a lamp (as discussed with respect toFIG. 2).

Bracket14preferably comprises a flexible or bendable material, such as metal, so that it is adjustable. Bracket14may, for instance, comprise a wire or other flexible material instead of a flat strip. As will be discussed with reference toFIG. 3, use of a flexible material allows the bracket to be bent or deformed so as to allow the light fixture2to better conform to and fit over the lamp.

Referring now toFIGS. 2 and 3, the light fixture2shown inFIG. 1is mated to a lamp extending from a vertical wall24, such as the exterior wall of a house or building. The lamp comprises an arm portion22and a light portion20, the light portion20having a larger cross section than the arm portion22. For instance, the lamp may include an inexpensive outdoor lamp colloquially called a “jelly jar light,” because the light bulb providing the illumination is shrouded by a glass shield that resembles a jar for holding jellies. The present invention is not limited to such lamps, and includes any lamp that extends from a vertical wall (often a home's or building's exterior lamp) that has a light portion, including a light bulb or other illumination source (not shown in the drawings), and an arm portion from which the light portion extends outward, where the arm portion has a smaller dimension or cross section than the light portion. For instance, as clearly shown inFIGS. 2 and 3, the light portion20has a larger cross section than the arm portion22, so that the bracket14can fit over the light portion20and the notch16can (preferably snugly and without wiggle room) fit over the arm portion22; thus, the larger dimension/size of the light portion20will prevent the light fixture2from falling off the lamp.

When the bracket14is mated with the arm portion22so that the arm portion22fits within the notch16, the light fixture2is supported at least by: contact between the notch16and the arm portion22; contact between the first edge6and the wall24; and contact between the second edge8and the wall24, although other points of contact are also possible between the light fixture2and the lamp and/or wall24. If the light fixture2is only loosely mated with the lamp (such as if the bracket14is not adjusted for a tighter fit, as will be discussed later), then it is possible that only the bottom regions or points of first and second edges6,8will contact the wall24, with the weight of the light fixture2largely supported by contact between the notch16and arm portion22.

For instance, in the embodiment shown inFIG. 3, the bracket14abuts against the back edge26of light portion20while arm portion22stably rests within notch16. The bracket14may be bent or adjusted so that bracket14presses against the back edge26of light portion20such that substantially the entirety of straight edges6,8contact the wall24, as shown inFIG. 3. In other words, the bracket14may be bent or adjusted so that a cross sectional distance between the notch16and the first and second edges6,8corresponds to a horizontal length of the arm portion22. This provides a stable, upright, and quasi-permanent appearance to the light fixture2. Any other known method of adjusting the bracket14so that first and second edges6,8are substantially parallel to the wall24when the light fixture2is mated to the lamp is within the scope of the present invention.

In operation, a user will provide the light fixture2, place the light fixture2over the lamp, and mate the bracket14with the arm portion22of the lamp so that the arm portion22fits within the notch16, where the bracket14is prevented from moving past the light portion20because the light portion20has a larger cross section than the arm portion22and, more particularly, the notch16. In one aspect, the user may adjust the bracket14so that the light fixture2is more vertical and, more specifically, the first and second edges6,8are vertical and preferably substantially parallel to (and preferably entirely in contact with) the vertical wall24. This may take several iterations as the user initially bends the bracket14too much or not enough, attempts to mate the bracket14with the arm portion22, and then tries again, until the bracket14is properly adjusted.

An advantage to the light fixture2according to the present invention is that it may be readily mated/attached to, as well as readily removed/detached from, the lamp without the permanence provided by screws, nails, anchors, and so forth. Further, differing light fixtures2with different colors, decorations18, and such may be interchanged, swapped, and so forth, depending on the user's preference, holidays, seasons, etc. Thus, the method according to the present invention may further include providing several light fixtures2that differ in design, shape, color, decoration18, and so forth, and then alternately mating them to the lamp. The user may remove a first light fixture2from the lamp and wall24by lifting it upward and then away from the lamp and wall24, and then replacing it with a second light fixture.

Another advantage to the light fixture2according to the present invention is that because it is not permanently mounted to either the lamp or the wall24using conventional mounting implements, it is easily removed simply by lifting the light fixture2so that the arm portion22is no longer within or mated to the notch16.

The method may further include providing personalized light fixtures for a consumer or customer. For instance, a decoration18on a light fixture2may include a customer's name, home address, personalized design, and so forth. A manufacturer may query the customer regarding a desired personalization, and then may produce the light fixture2according to or with the desired personalization.

The examples described herein are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention. Most of the embodiments described herein have represented simple versions for clarity of explanation. Many of the features of the embodiments described herein may be “mixed and matched” to satisfy individual design requirements, and the present invention includes all such variations to the extent possible.

The applicant includes the following additional aspects and embodiments as within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention relates to a bracketed light sconce. The invention comprises a metal bracket14, which may be approximately 10 inches in length by 1 inch in width and is welded to the back of a light sconce or fixture2, although any known method of attachment (including adhesives) is within the scope of the present invention. A ½ inch diameter cut may be made into the middle of the bracket14to form notch16. This ½ inch circle may fit securely on top of a standard jelly jar light fixture or other lamp. The light sconce or fixture2may be approximately 18 by 16 inches and made of metal, stainless or copper with various designs on the front. The bracket14may adjust to fit over a jelly jar light and the sconce/fixture2may be flush with the wall24. A user could use a wire in the back versus a bracket14or a bolt system. A bracket14in the back of the light sconce/fixture2allows a user to secure the light sconce/fixture2onto a wall-mounted jelly jar light fixture or other lamp. The sconce designs range from plain to palm trees and cacti, etc. The light shines from the top and bottom as well as through the design/decoration18, if any. The invention may include a bracket14in back of a light sconce/fixture2that fits securely onto an any existing outside jelly jar light, which turns a plain looking jelly light into a nice work of art.