Abstract:
A color changing light fixture is provided for producing indirect self-illuminating effects within the fixture, which comprises a housing or reflector having an indirect light source and, optionally, a primary light source mounted within. The fixture&#39;s self-illuminating effects are conducive to adding to the design scheme of a room or an area being lighted. The fixture may be recessed, surface mounted, suspended, or wall mounted. The indirect light source, which is powered by a low voltage power source, includes one or more light emitting diode (LED) strips that may be fixed or adjustable, and includes the capability of being completely or partially concealed within the fixture. The LEDs can provide a plurality of visible colors (including white), which can be mixed by any number of control devices, like music and video mixers, and door opening and occupancy sensors.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application claims the benefit, under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e), of pending U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/569,911, filed May 11, 2004 under 35 U.S.C. § 111(b), which application is co-pending as of the date of the filing of this application, and which is incorporated herein, in its entirety by reference. 

   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to lighting. More particularly, the present invention relates to lighting fixtures. Most particularly, the present invention relates to a low voltage, lighting fixture having an indirect light source mounted within a housing and forming a part of the lighting fixture. 
   Indirect lighting is known in the lighting industry. In one form, such indirect lighting usually involves a source of light mounted below a ceiling, being aimed at the ceiling and being diffusely reflected by the ceiling. Indirect lighting of walls and displays are also known, in which a light source mounted some distance from the wall or display is aimed so as to diffusely reflect light on to the wall or display. 
   In another form of indirect lighting, it has been known that light can be bounced off of reflectors in a manner that light is redistributed out of a housing and off of a reflector into a space. Both methods typically depend upon high light energy sources to provide sufficient usable light. 
   Because generally the light from an indirect source is white light, or full spectrum light wherein the color rendering is pleasant, most, if not all, indirect source luminaries have used incandescent, high intensity discharge, such as metal halide or fluorescent. 
   This invention teaches the practice of illuminating a housing for the purpose of creating an effect. That is that the housing or internal reflector is meant to absorb color as well as “white” light in a manner that only illuminates the housing or internal parts of the fixture. For this purpose, low energy LED light sources, configured with red, blue and green LED&#39;s can provide white and a full spectrum of colors in a manner that uses extremely low electric energy, but provides the effect of indirect light emission without filling the room with colored light. 
   This technique can utilize a number of control devices to mix any desired color. It can include an electronic or digital means of control that is connected to a music or video source, or any other source of visible or audible nature, trigger upon door opening, occupancy sensors and the like. This technique has the potential of engaging the fixture housing as colorful addition to a room interior without changing the color of the room. 
   When used in conjunction with a direct light source, such as a low voltage rail, the effect is unique in that the fixture housing becomes a colorful backdrop for the rail and lamp sources. This technique eliminates the need for color filters either of a subtractive or additive nature, and can also provide varied effects in an adjustable version either attached to the low voltage rail or utilized by itself in an adjustable fashion. 
   There is also known in the lighting industry a growing demand for smaller and more flexible light fixtures. There is also an increasing demand for lighting fixtures to be concealed or semi-concealed. However, the necessity, until the present invention, of surface mounting indirect lighting fixtures conflicted with the desire to have smaller, more flexible lighting fixtures. Thus, a search for smaller, more flexible, indirect lighting fixtures has continued in the art. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention solves the aforementioned problems in the lighting art by combining a recessed lighting fixture housing with a source of low voltage indirect light. The term “indirect” in the present application is used to mean aimed into a housing, i.e., at the sides or top of the housing, and not out of the housing at a surface being illuminated. By recessing the indirect light source in the housing, and making the indirect light source either fixed or adjustable, the indirect light source can be completely or partially concealed within the housing. 
   The present invention provides a unique method of installation and unique lighting methods previously not achievable in a reasonable manner. The invention couples a housing of any material with one, or more, low voltage LED strips (generally meaning 24 volts or less) that may or may not be adjustable along the vertical axis, and may or may not be parallel to the sides of the housing. The LED strip(s) may be of a single color. The LED strip(s) may also be of a multi-color, such as red-blue-green. Some of both types may be used, if desired. Either type of LED strip may be controlled by a mixing device to produce a desired color that may be white. 
   The present invention allows for a fully or partially recessed LED strip that may or may not be adjusted to allow the indirect light source or LED strip to be concealed above, or “flush”, with the vertical sides of the housing. Said housing can be installed within a ceiling or wall cavity, or suspended in space. The housing may be of a parallelepiped (square or rectangular), or substantially parallelepiped (square or rectangular with rounded edges) shape. A circular housing, or any other desired shaped housing may also be used. Generally, in contrast to the known recessed light housings, the bottom of the housing will be open. However, there may be a translucent panel forming the bottom of the housing if desired. 
   In addition to the housing, there can be a reflector installed just below the top or roof of the housing to increase the efficiency of the present invention. This reflector will help bounce the indirect light from the indirect light source out of the housing. A dimmer may be utilized to control the light intensity. 
   The housing may or may not contain a low voltage power supply. There may be one or a plurality of the indirect or secondary light sources. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a construction embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 2  is an enlarged view of the construction shown in  FIG. 1 , partially broken away, showing the adjustability feature of the indirect light source. 
       FIG. 3  is an elevational sectional view of the construction shown in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a modification of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a further modification of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of another further modification of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is an exploded perspective view of a further modification of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a schematic wiring diagram showing how power may be supplied to a construction embodying the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a schematic wiring diagram showing how power may be supplied to a modification of a construction of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a schematic wiring diagram showing how power may be supplied to a further modification of the present invention. 
   

   It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to the details of construction and arrangements of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the present invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways within the scope of the claims. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description only, and not of limitation. 
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , there is illustrated a recessed, indirect, low voltage lighting fixture embodying the present invention, and generally designated by the numeral  20 . The lighting fixture  20  comprises a housing  21  having four interior side surfaces  21 E and an interior top surface  21 F, which may be made of any practical material, and may have a flange and/or trim ring and/or bezel  22 , which will fill in the gaps between the housing  21  and the ceiling, wall, or other location in which the light fixture  20  is installed. 
   One or more LED strips  25 , which are well known in the art, are mounted to a mounting beam or member  26 . It is known in the art that LED strips come in many colors, and in multi-colors (i.e., one strip can contain, for example, blue, green and red LED&#39;s). If a color changing light fixture is desired, multiple single color LED strips can be mounted to the mounting beam or member  26 , and electrical circuitry  50 ,  60 ,  70 , (see  FIG. 7-9 ) well within the skill of those in the lighting art, will be provided to provide for a desired one of the multiple single color LED strips to illuminate, when desired. Alternately, a single, multi-colored, LED strip may be provided, with the accompanying circuitry, to have only the desired color of the multi-colors illuminate, which may be white light. Such circuitry may, or may not, be contained within the housing  21 . A low voltage transformer/power source  30  ( FIGS. 6-9 ) may be provided at the housing  21  if desired, or remote from the housing. 
   It is a discovery of the present invention that when low energy light that radiates from the LED strips  25  is only directed to the interior surfaces of the sides  21 E and/or top  21 F, then the present invention creates the effect of indirect light emission without filling the room with colored light, which only illuminates the housing or internal parts of the fixture. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the mounting beam or member  26  carrying LED strip  25 , having a plurality of LED&#39;s  27 , is adjustably mounted within the housing  21 , by means of brackets  32  and adjustment means  33 . Mounting beam or member  26 , brackets  32 , and adjustment means  33 , may be of any suitable type, all of which are well known in the art. 
   The LED strip  25  is electrically connected to the low voltage power source or supply  30  ( FIG. 6 ) by means well known in the art. The power supply  30  may or may not be mounted on the housing  21  and may or may not, be remotely controlled. The LED strip  25 , and/or, the mounting member or beam  26  may or may not be parallel to the side of the housing  21 , or the roof or the top of the housing  21 A. The housing  21  is shown recessed into an opening or aperture in a ceiling  35 . It is well within the scope of the present invention to recess the housing  21  into a wall or other surface if desired. 
   With reference to  FIGS. 4-5A , it can be seen that the housing  21  may be many shapes, such a square housing  21 B, which has an interior side surfaces  21 G and an interior top surface  21 L, a circular housing  21 C, which has an interior side surface  21 H and an interior top surface  21 K, or domed top housing  21 D, which has an interior side surface  21 I and an interior top surface  21 J. 
   It is a discovery of the present invention that when low energy light that radiates from the LED strips  25  is only directed to the interior surfaces of the sides  21 G,  21 H,  21 I and/or top  21 L,  21 K,  21 J, then the present invention creates the effect of indirect light emission without filling the room with colored light. 
   Referring to  FIG. 6 , in some lighting applications it is thought to be desirable to combine a source of indirect lighting as defined above with a source of direct lighting. It is preferable that, when combined, both the source of indirect lighting, such as the LED strip  25 , having a plurality of LED&#39;s  27 , and the source of direct lighting, such as the light fixture  38 , be low voltage, which is generally 12 to 24 volts. 
   In this embodiment of the present invention, a low voltage lighting rail  40 , which may be such as manufactured by Bruck Lighting of Costa Mesa, Calif., is adjustably mounted within the housing  21  by means of brackets  32  and adjustment means  33 , and may also serve as mounting beam  26 . The lighting rail  40  is electrically connected to a low voltage power supply  30  by means well known in the art. The power supply may or may not be mounted on the housing  21 , and may or may not be remotely controlled. The lighting rail  40  may or may not be parallel to the side of the housing  21 , or the roof or the top of the housing  21 A. 
   Mounted to the lighting rail  40  may be one or more adjustable light fixtures  38 , which may be such as the Model No. V/A Calo II 35/51 manufactured by Bruck Lighting of Costa Mesa, Calif., or any other of a number of such fixtures well known in the art. 
   Preferably the lighting rail  40  extends linearly, and the one or more adjustable fixtures  38  are adjustable along the full length of the lighting rail  40 . Preferably, the lighting rail should be at least 10 to 12 inches long. A reflector  42 , which has an interior top surface  42 A, may be mounted or placed inside the housing  21  to help reflect light out of the housing. Although the reflector  42  is shown with the fixture of  FIG. 6 , it well within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the reflector  42  may be utilized by any of the embodiments of the present invention. 
   The single or multiple LED strips  25  are now mounted to the top of the low voltage lighting rail  40 , which now serves as the mounting beam or member  26 , thus providing a novel and unique combination recessed low voltage direct and indirect lighting fixture, which may be color changing, if desired. 
   Also shown in  FIG. 6  is an optional translucent panel  41  forming the bottom of the housing. The translucent panel  41  may be constructed of glass, plastic, or other suitable material that will pass light, which may be attached to the lighting fixture  20 , housing  21 , and/or bezel  22  by means common in the art, like screws, rivets, snaps, being molded in place, and/or gravity, to mention a few. Although the translucent panel  41  is shown with the fixture of  FIG. 6 , it well within the spirit and scope of the present invention that the translucent panel  41  may be utilized by any of the embodiments of the present invention. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 7  there is shown a first wiring diagram, generally designated by the numeral  50 , where a source of power  51  is in electrical communication with the transformer/power supply  30 . The source of power  51  would be in the nominal range of 120-240 VAC and the transformer/power supply  30  would supply the low voltage of, for example, 12-24 volts. In turn, the transformer/power supply  30  would be utilized to communicate the low voltage to a one color LED  27 A that is in electrical communication with low voltage tracks  52 A and  52 B that are located on the lighting rail  40 , within the lighting fixture  20 . The instant invention, however, is not limited by the range of the incoming voltage, by the low voltage output, or the LED that is utilized. 
   Also shown in  FIG. 7  is an optional dimmer  53  that is common in the art, which is used to manually or automatically control the magnitude of the low voltage supplied to the low voltage track  40 , by the transformer/power supply  30 . Thus, the dimmer  53  effectively controls the intensity of the single color LED light, which may be white, that is supplied by the one color LED  27 A of the lighting fixture  29 . However, the present invention is not limited by the one color LED  27 A utilized, the use of the dimmer  53 , or by the type of the dimmer  53  utilized in the wiring diagram  50 . 
     FIG. 8  illustrates a second wiring diagram, generally designated by the numeral  60 , where the source of power  51  is in electrical communication with the transformer/power supply  30 . The transformer/power supply  30  would be utilized to communicate the low voltage to a control or color mixing device  55  that electrically communicates a desired mix of red-blue-green signals to a set of color LEDs  27 B that are electrically connected within the lighting fixture  20 , thus providing a desired output color of light, which may be white. The instant invention, however, is not limited by the color LEDs  27 B, the control or color mixing device  55 , which may be manually or automatically operated, or by the LEDs that are utilized. 
   Also shown in  FIG. 8  is the optional dimmer  53 , which is used to manually or automatically control the magnitude of the low voltage supplied to the low voltage track  40 , by the transformer/power supply  30 , thus effectively controlling the intensity of the multicolor LED light that is supplied by the lighting fixture  20 . 
     FIG. 9  shows a third wiring diagram, generally designated by the numeral  70 , that is essentially the second wiring diagram  60  of  FIG. 8 , wherein  FIG. 9  further shows the electrical connection between the LEDs  27 B and the low voltage rail  40 . In this configuration, the low voltage rail  40  is shown to be available to power other low voltage electrical components, for example, light fixtures  38  and possible other non-lighting, low voltage electrical components (not shown). 
   There may also be a power connection between the transformer/power supply  30  and the lighting rail  40 , if desired. Many different electrical circuits may be developed to operate the present invention, and are well within the scope thereof. 
   In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, the principles and modes of operation of this invention have been described and illustrated in its preferred embodiments. However, it must be understood that the invention may be practiced otherwise than specifically explained and illustrated without departing from its spirit or scope.