Abstract:
A street graphic cage for a post top light wherein the cage is installed around a globe positioned on said post. The street graphic cage has an upper frame element defining a plurality of panel apertures. The panel apertures receive translucent panels therein such that they may be backlit and illuminated. The panels are readily removable without entry into the globe or electrical system of the post top light and may contain user defined indicia thereon. The upper frame element may also have a plurality of logo block apertures which can receive either translucent logo blocks or decorative die-cast aluminum blocks. The cage may also have a lower circular frame element for affixing the cage to the post top light below the globe.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The present invention is directed towards a street graphic cage for a post top street lamp, and more particularly, to a post top street graphic cage which allows for ready insertion of a translucent panel readily visible in either day or night.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    One object of the present invention is to provide a street graphic cage which has a decorative element for post top light fixtures.  
           [0003]    Another object of the present invention is providing a post top lighting fixture wherein a street graphic cage surrounds the luminaire and wherein the cage provides for end user customization of illuminatable panels.  
           [0004]    A further object of the present invention is to provide for a street graphic cage which is modular in design and which may be installed to surround a street post top light fixture and which allows for alteration of decorative translucent panels without entry into the luminaire.  
           [0005]    An even further object of the present invention is to provide a post top street graphic cage which surrounds a refractive post top street light globe wherein the street graphic cage has a plurality of decorative translucent panels each of which may be replaced or changed without entry or disconnection of the electrical connections to the post top luminaire.  
           [0006]    An additional object of the present invention is to provide a street graphic cage which is modular in design and which has a plurality of translucent panels which may be readily inserted into the street graphic cage for illumination by the luminaire, the translucent panels being interchangeable and containing street identification indicia.  
           [0007]    These and many other objects of the invention are accomplished with the street graphic cage and post top lighting luminaire of the present invention. The street graphic cage of the present invention includes a means for illuminating street identification indicia while also allowing the street identification indicia to be interchanged without disassembly of the street graphic cage and without tools. Thus, a tool-less entry street graphic cage luminaire is provided wherein the translucent panels or street identification indicia may be replaced in a ready fashion.  
           [0008]    The street graphic cage of the present invention surrounds a prismatic refractive globe or other post top street light and allows for user interchangeable illuminatable indices. The street graphic cage may sit upon a light post support at the top of a light post and has a lower frame element connected to an upper frame element by a plurality of connection ribs. The upper frame element may provide a plurality of panel apertures and block apertures wherein the end user may define the translucent material to be inserted into the apertures.  
           [0009]    Therefore, the present invention is directed towards a street graphic cage which may be modular with the refractive post top globe or other luminaire and which utilizes the illumination characteristics of the luminaire to illuminate the interchangeable translucent panels. The interchangeable translucent panels may be positioned into a number of panel apertures and retained in place by utilizing a pair of retention tabs located on an interior portion of the upper frame element thereby allowing the panels to be readily removed and inserted into the street graphic cage without need for tools and disassembly of the post top luminaire. The street graphic cage surrounds the refractive globe of the luminaire and is modular therewith.  
           [0010]    The translucent sign panels used in the present invention may be made of high gloss vinyl which abuts against the refractive globe of the post top light and which are located within the panel aperture of the street cage. Additional logo apertures may be provided next to the panel aperture of the street cage in order to allow interchangeable logo blocks be installed within the cage.  
           [0011]    These and other objects of the present invention are met with the street graphic cage of the present invention. However, many other objects of the invention may be interpreted from the teachings herewith and no unnecessary limitations are to be construed from the specific objectives outlined herein without also taking into consideration the entirety of the specification, claims and drawings which are a part hereof. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0012]    A better understanding of the invention will be had upon reference to the following description in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views and wherein:  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of the street graphic cage of the present invention in use;  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 2 is a close up frontal view of the street graphic cage of the present invention disclosing insertion of the translucent panels;  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 3 is a perspective disassembled view of the street graphic cage of the present invention without the underlying post top lighting fixture;  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the street graphic cage of the present invention in use;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 5 is a close-up perspective view of the street graphic cage of the present invention;  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 6 is a close-up perspective view of the street graphic cage of the present invention fully installed on a post top light pole and assembled around a luminaire globe; and,  
         [0019]    [0019]FIG. 7 is a close up side sectional view of an alternative tool-less logo block design for the street graphic cage of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT  
       [0020]    The fully assembled street graphic cage of the present invention is depicted in FIG. 1 wherein the post top light fixture  10  sits atop a light post  12  in standard fashion for illumination of a predefined area therebelow. The post top light fixture  10 , as seen in conjunction with FIG. 2, is comprised of a prismatic refractive globe or other lamp enclosing device which itself is surrounded by the street graphic cage  20 . The street graphic cage  20 , depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2, may attach directly to the light post support and also be affixed to the globe  14  at the lower portion thereof. The street graphic cage  20  provides a mechanism for supporting a plurality of sign panels  18  and logo blocks  16  in illuminating relationship with the globe  14  and light source or lamp located therein.  
         [0021]    Used in conjunction with the post top light fixture  10  and street graphic cage  20  of the present invention are a plurality of sign panels  18  which may be acrylic having high gloss vinyl. As shown in FIG. 2, the translucent sign panel  18  may be slightly deformed or bent for insertion into one of the panel apertures  27  formed in the upper frame element  24 . The sign panel  18  is received within the panel aperture and as depicted the upper frame element  24  may have a plurality of apertures located therein for receiving the opal acrylic sign panels  18 . As shown in the embodiment of the figures, four panel apertures  27  are provided for displaying the panels in 90 degree segments around the upper frame element. However, a number of varying implementations for use of panel apertures in conjunction with translucent panels fall within the teaching of the invention described herein and no unnecessary limitations are to be interpreted from the exemplary construction depicted.  
         [0022]    Turning now to FIGS. 3 and 4 depicting the street graphic cage  20  of the present invention and its implementation on a post top environment, it is clear that the street graphic cage  20  of the present invention allows previous post top luminaires to be converted into graphic panel displays. As the lamp or other light source within the globe  14  emits light from the globe  14 , the street graphic cage  20  of the present invention positions the translucent sign panels  18  in a position wherein the plurality of acrylic signs  20  may be readily illuminated and visible, either day or night. The cage  20 , as shown in FIG. 3, may be constructed of aluminum or other rigid supporting material. The street graphic cage  20  has a lower frame element  22 , an upper frame element  24  and ribs  23  connecting the two. In this example, the lower and upper frame elements  22  and  24  are depicted as being annular. However, any geometric construct allowing the panels apertures to position the panels within illumination distance from the light source within the globe  14  is sufficient. Further, lower and upper frame elements can be formed alternatively in square, rectangular or other geometries matching the lamp support or other desired feature.  
         [0023]    The street graphic cage  20  depicted has a plurality of ribs which connect the lower frame element  22  with the upper frame element  24 . The lower frame element  22  may be firmly retained within the lamp post support  13  around the exterior of the globe  14 . The lower frame element  22  can be overlaid onto the lamp post support and affixed thereto by a plurality of screws or other retention elements, as shown in FIG. 6, or may be interiorly positioned between the globe and the lamp post support. The ribs  23  connect the upper frame element  24  to the rigid connection to the lamp post support  13  and support the upper frame element  24 . As can be seen from the figures however, alternatively the upper frame element  24  may also be positioned on the lamp top  29  such that the panels  18  are readily illuminated within the need for support.  
         [0024]    In the construction shown, the upper frame element  24  has a plurality of panel apertures  27  and also a plurality of block apertures  28 . The panel apertures receive sign panels  18  while the block apertures receive the logo blocks  16 . Logo blocks  16  may be translucent logo blocks or may alternatively be metal decorative blocks affixed to the upper frame element  24  in the block aperture  28 . The upper frame element  24  may be viewed as having an upper cylindrical frame member  51  and a lower cylindrical frame member  52  which form the upper and lower edges or walls of the panel apertures  27 . As shown in this example, the panel apertures therefore are constructed in rectangular geometry with the upper cylindrical frame member  51  forming the upper side or edge of the panel aperture while the lower cylindrical frame member  52  forms the lower side or edge of the panel aperture. The logo blocks  28  formed in the upper frame element  24  may separate the panel apertures and form the side walls or edge thereof. As depicted, the logo blocks may be squared.  
         [0025]    As shown in FIG. 5, a close up of the street graphic cage  20  of the present invention is depicted wherein the panel apertures  27  are apparent as well as the retaining tabs  31   a  and  31   b  which hold the panel  18  in position. As can be seen from the figure, the positioning of the panel apertures  27  allows the plurality of panels  18  be removed and changed within the necessity of entry in to the globe  14  or other aspects of the post top light. Thus, a tool-less ability to modify the panels is provided. The panels  18  are retained in proper position within the panel apertures by opposing tabs  31   a,    31   b  and allow the panels to be either slid down into proper positioning or they may be slightly bent, placed into position and then released wherein the outward flexing of the panels then forces the side edges into the retention tabs  31   a,    31   b  within the upper frame element  24 .  
         [0026]    Also shown in FIG. 5 is the block aperture  28  which receives the logo blocks  16 . The logo blocks  16  may be either translucent logo blocks having user definable indicia on them as with the translucent acrylic sign panels  18  or may be solid cast aluminum decorative blocks affixed within the logo block apertures  28 . As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the translucent logo blocks  16  may be retained within the apertures  28  by use of brackets  32  and similarly be illuminated by the lamp or other light source located within the globe  14 . Alternatively, decorative blocks which are rigid in construction may be affixed to the brackets  32  by use of screws which may enter through apertures  33  in brackets  32  to firmly hold the logo block in place.  
         [0027]    Turning to FIG. 7, an alternative embodiment of the logo block aperture  23  is shown in upper frame  24 . The upper frame  24  at the point of the logo block aperture  23  is defined with a first and a second retaining elements  44   a  and  44   b  which allow tool-less changing of the logo block  16   a.  As shown, the block  16  may have a washer  41  attached to the upper portion by a threaded screw  42 . Affixed to the lower portion of the logo block  16   a  is spring or clip  43  which is also attached by screw  42 . When a change of the logo block  16   a  is desired, the new block may be easily inserted into aperture  23  by placing washer  41  and clip  43  behind the retaining elements  44   a  and  44   b.  This allows the logo blocks  16   a  to be easily replaced for seasonal displays or other particularized special occasion. These tool-less installable logo blocks  16   a  therefore provide an alternative to the other blocks shown or with solid or welded cast aluminum logo blocks. The modular design of the street graphic cage  20  therefore accepts the aluminum blocks, tool-less clip on mounted and screw attached logo blocks as shown herein.  
         [0028]    The street graphic cage  20  of the present invention used in conjunction with the post top refractive globe  14  allows for the efficient backlighting of the translucent panels  18  located with the plurality of panel apertures  27 . The street graphic cage  20  may be modular with the post top light source and allows for ready interchangeability of the panels  18  without entry into the post top light fixture. Thus, the plurality of panels  18  or logo panels  16  may be readily changed without disassembly of the street cage or entry into the post top light fixture.  
         [0029]    The foregoing detailed description is given primarily for clearness of understanding and no unnecessary limitations are to be understood therefrom for modifications will become obvious to those skilled in the art upon reading this disclosure and may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and scope of the appended claims.