Abstract:
A modular lamp apparatus and system. In one exemplary embodiment, the modular lamp can include a shell with a first shell piece and at least a second shell piece, and a hook affixed to one of an interior wall of the first shell piece or an interior wall of the second shell piece; and a skeletal structure comprising a pole, a pole base, and a light fixture, the pole having a hole that receives the hook to couple the skeletal structure in place relative to the shell when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are combined to form the shell, wherein at least a portion of the skeletal structure is contained within a shell interior of the shell when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are combined to form the shell.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     A majority of lamps in the marketplace today are provided for the major purpose of illumination, such as a reading light, bed-end light, or to light up a reading room, bed room, bath room, family room, living room, or dining room. However, societal trends are continuously increasing the importance of the design of homes, offices, restaurants, bars, and other private and public places. Although some lamps serve a secondary decorative function, they exist for the major purpose of illumination rather than decoration. Further, those that do serve some decorative purpose only have a singular exterior design. 
     In some settings, the emphasis on design has increased so much so that the decorative purpose of lamps has become the major goal of their existence. This presents a major problem because modern standards for design now change at such a rapid pace, often seasonally, that lamps become outdated and undesirable to consumers within months of their creation. Therefore, to avoid having to replace lamps in their entirety every time trends change, the marketplace needs a decorative lamp that can have its exterior design easily exchanged. 
     SUMMARY 
     A modular lamp apparatus and system. In one exemplary embodiment, the modular lamp can include a shell with a first shell piece and at least a second shell piece, and a hook affixed to one of an interior wall of the first shell piece or an interior wall of the second shell piece; and a skeletal structure comprising a pole, a pole base, and a light fixture, the pole having a hole that receives the hook to couple the skeletal structure in place relative to the shell when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are combined to form the shell, wherein at least a portion of the skeletal structure is contained within a shell interior of the shell when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are combined to form the shell. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, a system for providing a modular lamp may be described. The system can include a shell having a first shell piece and at least a second shell piece, wherein a hook is affixed to one of an interior wall of the first shell piece or an interior wall of the second shell piece; and a skeletal structure comprising a pole, a pole base, and a light fixture; wherein the pole has a hole that receives the hook to allow the skeletal structure to be securely coupled in place relative to the shell when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are coupled to form the shell, and at least portions of the skeletal structure are contained within a shell interior of the shell when the first shell piece and the second shell piece are coupled to form the shell. 
     In still another exemplary embodiment, a modular lamp apparatus may be described. The modular lamp apparatus can have a shell comprising a first shell piece and at least a second shell piece; a skeletal structure with a pole, a pole base, and a light fixture; means for coupling the first shell piece and the second shell piece to form the shell; and means for coupling the skeletal structure in place relative to the shell. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment a standing modular lamp. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the front of an exemplary embodiment of a skeletal structure of a modular lamp. 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a first shell piece. 
         FIG. 4  is a front view of an exemplary embodiment of a second shell piece. 
         FIG. 5  is a cutaway front view of an exemplary embodiment of a shell piece and skeletal structure of a pendulant modular lamp. 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a pole with a hole of a skeletal structure, a hook of a first shell piece, and a hook receptacle of a second shell piece. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Aspects of the present invention are disclosed in the following description and related figures directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Those skilled in the art will recognize that alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the claims. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. 
     As used herein, the word “exemplary” means “serving as an example, instance or illustration.” The embodiments described herein are not limiting, but rather are exemplary only. It should be understood that the described embodiments are not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Moreover, the terms “embodiments of the invention,” “embodiments,” or “invention” do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation. 
     Generally referring to the accompanying drawings, a modular lamp device may be formed in any of a variety of manners and may be used in any of a variety of situations. An exemplary embodiment may appear similar to device  100 , although other forms and designs are envisioned. An exemplary situation where the device might be used is in a home, office, restaurant, bar, and other private and public places, where a lamp with a singular exterior design is deemed to be insufficient to keep up with the changing design themes of its surroundings. 
     Referring to exemplary  FIG. 1 , the modular lamp  100  may include a light fixture  102  and a shell  104 . The shell  104  may have fluting, decorative finishes, ornamental appearances and coloring, or any other accents or decorations that may be found on a lamp. The shell  104  may include a base  106  and a top surface  108 . The shell  104  can be designed to be any structural shape known in the art. The shell  104  can provide decorative appeal to any location where the modular lamp  100  may be situated. The shell  104  may also serve to house some or all of a skeletal structure  200 . The base  106  may provide support that enables the lamp  100  to stand vertically when placed on a substantially level surface. The light fixture  102  may include any known light fixture structures, for example, one or more lighting elements, a switch mechanism for controlling illumination intensity, electrical circuitry for connecting to a power source, and a lamp shade. 
     The shell  104  may be composed of a number of separable pieces, for example two pieces, shell piece  300  and shell piece  400 , respectively. Shell piece  300  and shell piece  400  may substantially mirror each other in appearance. For example, a design theme may be continuous throughout shell piece  300  and shell piece  400  when they are coupled. Such a binary construction can allow for multiple shells of different designs to be interchangeably combined with the same light fixture  102 . Additionally, in some other exemplary embodiments, shell  300  and shell  400  may be substantially different, but may nevertheless include compatible elements for the coupling of the two pieces. 
     Turning now to exemplary  FIG. 2 , a perspective view of the front of the skeletal structure  200  of modular lamp  100  may be shown. Skeletal structure  200  may be constructed of a pole  202 , a pole base  204 , and a light fixture  102 . Pole  202  may be similar to known types of lamp poles and may be formed out of any desired material, for example metal. A bottom end  208  of pole  202  may fit into a cavity  210  of the pole base  204  such that the pole  202  may extend vertically upward from the pole base  204 . The pole base  204  may be weighted to provide support and stability to the modular lamp  100 . Also, pole base  204  may have a top surface  206 . An upper end  212  of the pole  202  may be coupled to the light fixture  102 . Light fixture  102  may be similar to known types of illuminating fixtures and may be powered by any desired power source, for example electrical outlet, battery, or solar. The upper portion of the pole  202  can have a hole  214 . A hole  214  can allow for a coupling the shell  104  to the skeletal structure  200 . It may further be appreciated that the structure  200  could be inverted such that a bottom end  208  may be open and a top portion, such as top surface  108 , so that the orientation of the light bulb would be substantially inverted. Additionally, structure  200  could be suspended from any desired surface, for example a ceiling. 
     Turning now to exemplary  FIG. 3 , a front view of the shell piece  300  may be shown. The shell piece  300  may have a top portion  302 , a bottom portion  304 , an exterior wall  306 , and an interior wall  308 . Within a shell interior  310  of the shell piece  300 , a number of magnets  312 , for example four magnets, may be affixed to the interior wall  308 . The magnets  312  may be affixed in any known manner, for example through the use of magnet casings  314 . The magnets  312  can be disposed such that an active face  316  of each magnet  312  may be disposed substantially parallel to a facial plane of the shell piece  300 . Exemplary  FIG. 4  may show a front view of a shell piece  400 , which may be coupled to shell piece  300  to form an exemplary binary construction embodiment of shell  104 . Like shell piece  300 , shell piece  400  may have a top portion  402 , a bottom portion  404 , an exterior wall  406 , an interior wall  408 , and a number of magnets  412  affixed with casings  414  and having active faces  416 , all of which may substantially mirror the counterparts included in shell piece  300 . The magnets  312  may have a charge that is opposite to a charge of the magnets  412  such that when aligned in proximity to one another magnets  312  and magnets  412  can attract to each other and can allow for a secure coupling of the shell piece  300  with shell piece  400  to form the shell  104  having the shell interior  310 . 
     When combined, the shell interior  310  can house the pole  202  of the skeletal structure  200 . Within shell piece  300 , a hook  318  may be affixed to the interior wall  308 , such that the hook  318  can be received into the hole  214  of the pole  202  of the skeletal structure  200  when the shell pieces  300  and  400  are coupled. This can securely couple the skeletal structure  200  in place relative to the shell  104 . Additionally, the hook  318  may be further received into hook receptacle  418 . This can allow for additional security in the coupling of the shell piece  300  with shell piece  400  to form the shell  104  and for additional security in the coupling of the skeletal structure  200  in place relative to the shell  104 . The top portions  302  and  402  may have a top groove  320  and  420 , respectively, which can allow for the upper end  212  of the pole  202  to protrude vertically upward through the shell  104  such that from the exterior it appears that the lighting fixture  102  is affixed to the top surface  108  of the shell  104 . Similarly, the bottom portions  304  and  404  may have a bottom groove  322  and  422 , respectively, which can allow for the bottom end  208  of the pole  202  to protrude vertically downward through the shell  104  such that the top surface  206  of the pole base  204  may be adjacent to a bottom surface  324  of the shell  104 . The base  106  may be made up of base pieces  326  and  426 , which extend substantially downward from bottom portions  304  and  404 , respectively, so as to conceal the pole base  204  within spaces  328  and  428  from the exterior surface when the modular lamp  100  is assembled and placed on a level surface for normal use. 
     Exemplary  FIG. 5  may show an alternative embodiment of modular lamp  100  that may be a pendulant modular lamp  500  that may include a light fixture  102  and a shell  104 . Here, light fixture  102  may include an upper loop  502  to which a bottom end  506  of a hanging member  504  can be coupled to, for example via hooking or tying. An upper end  508  of the hanging member  504  may be affixed to a ceiling  510  that may allow the pendulant modular lamp  500  including the bottom surface  324  and pole base  204  to hang suspended above any surface below. In this exemplary embodiment, the pole base  204  may function as a knob such that the top surface  206  of the pole base  204  may be adjacent to a bottom surface  324  of the shell  104  in a way that prevents gravitational forces from causing shell  104  to slide off of pole  202 . Note that while exemplary  FIG. 5  may show the pendulant modular lamp  500  that includes the shell  104  that is in the fashion of a lampshade with an open top, other designs for shell  104  of a pendulant modular lamp are within the purview of the invention. For example, the shell  104  may be a complete enclosure or a nearly complete enclosure with a minimally open top. 
     Turning now to exemplary  FIG. 6 , a side view of the pole  202 , hole  214 , hook  318 , and hook receptacle  418  may be shown. Hook  318  and hole  214  may be aligned such that hook  318  can be received by hole  214  when skeletal structure  200 , shell piece  300 , and shell piece  400  are coupled to form modular lamp  100 . This can securely couple the skeletal structure  200  in place relative to the shell  104 . Additionally, hook receptacle  418  may be aligned with hook  318  and hole  214  such that hook  318  may be further received into hook receptacle  418  when skeletal structure  200 , shell piece  300 , and shell piece  400  are coupled to form modular lamp  100 . This can allow for additional security in the coupling of the shell piece  300  with shell piece  400  to form the shell  104  and for additional security in the coupling of the skeletal structure  200  in place relative to the shell  104 . 
     In alternative embodiments different shell piece coupling mechanisms may be used instead of, or in conjunction with magnets  312  and  412 . For example, Velcro™ or hook and loop fasteners, adhesives with a release layer and a corresponding receiving area or layer, latches, clips, hinges, or any other known coupling mechanisms may be utilized, as desired. 
     The foregoing description and accompanying figures illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art. 
     Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.