Abstract:
Durable lighting arrangement comprising a housing of generally cylindrical shape with a forward end for emitting light and a rearward end is disclosed. A light-transparent aperture located towards the forward end of the housing. A light-transmitting conduit enters the housing rearwardly of the light-transparent aperture with at least one plate that is mounted to the housing. The plate is mounted perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing that has one or more light apertures. The light apertures provide structural reinforcement to the generally forward area of said housing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     The present invention relates to a fiberoptic lighting arrangement that is especially durable and, therefore able to withstand considerable crushing and impact forces.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     One type of lighting arrangement is used to illuminate docks, where trucks load and unload material. Such lights are called “dock lights,” and are used to aid vision when loading or unloading semi trailers and other vehicles on shipping docks.  
         [0003]     Conventional “dock light” lighting arrangements use standard light fixtures with a so-called parabolic aluminized reflector (PAR) type lighting (or similar), quartz halogen or incandescent lamp made of glass. The problem with such arrangements is that they are not very durable. Operators of forklifts who load and unload material from trucks, are typically pressed for time. A typical forklift is that sold under the trademark TOWMOTOR. The result is that forklift operators often move too fast, and sometimes carelessly. Often, dock lights suffer a destructive, jolting or even crushing impact either from the forklift or its load, resulting in breaking of the glass of the lamp or deformation and destruction of the lighting arrangement. The breaking of the glass can prove dangerous to both the workers and forklift operators. Even if a safety cover is used when consumable food is loaded or unloaded, the pieces of glass can be hazardous to the consumable food.  
         [0004]     The effect of the breaking of the glass of the quartz halogen or incandescent fixtures results in the catastrophic failure of the lamp. This result in problems first, a failed light result in the work being halted and the inability of any container to be loaded or unloaded at the docks until a replacement light is found. This costs time and money, because workers often are idled while maintenance personnel replace a broken lamp and clean up any broken glass, which typically takes about 30 minutes. Second, even though a Plexiglas-brand protection lens may be used in a conventional dock light, it is still possible for broken glass to contaminate the area during a lamp change or, sometimes, a Plexiglas-brand safety cover is missing. Thus, the rigorous use of the light fixtures destroys a standard lamp used in the light fixtures.  
         [0005]     It would be desirable to provide a light arrangement that produces the amount of light needed in areas such as docks while consuming less power than the above-mentioned standard lamps currently used in presently available products. It would also be desirable that the light arrangement is exceedingly durable so that it can withstand jolting or even crushing forces that would destroy conventional dock light arrangements or light sources in said arrangements.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0006]     In accordance with one form of invention, a durable lighting arrangement is provided which comprises a housing of generally cylindrical shape with a forward end for emitting light and a rearward end. A light-transparent aperture is located towards the forward end of the housing. A light-transmitting conduit enters the housing rearwardly of the light-transparent aperture with at least one plate that is mounted to the housing. The plate is mounted perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the housing that has one or more light apertures. The light apertures provide structural reinforcement to the generally forward area of said housing.  
         [0007]     The invention provides a light arrangement that is exceedingly durable, efficient and can withstand jolting and even crushing forces that would destroy a conventional dock light arrangement. The invention also prevents any injuries that can be caused by the broken glass of the lamp used as the light source in the currently available products. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0008]      FIG. 1  is a side view of a durable fiberoptic lighting arrangement in accordance with the invention, shown partially cutaway.  
         [0009]      FIG. 2A  is a cross-sectional view taken at Arrows  2 A- 2 A in  FIG. 1 , and  FIG. 2B  is an enlargement of the circled portion in  FIG. 2A  labeled  28 .  
         [0010]      FIG. 3  is a view of the right-hand face of the lighting fixture of  FIG. 1 , partially cut away to reveal mounting hardware.  
         [0011]      FIG. 5  is a side view of a plate-and-light arrangement used in the lighting arrangement of  FIG. 1   
         [0012]      FIG. 6  is an enlarged detail view of the upper light fixture of  FIG. 2  and associated structure.  
         [0013]      FIG. 4  shows hardware used to mount together the two plates shown in  FIG. 5  for instance.  
         [0014]      FIG. 7  is a perspective, exploded view of a bayonet assembly, light pipe, receiver assembly and lens in accordance with the invention.  
         [0015]      FIG. 8A  is a side view of the bayonet assembly and light pipe of  FIG. 7 ;  FIG. 8B  is a sectional view of  FIG. 8A  taken at Arrows  8 B- 8 B in  FIG. 8A ; and  FIG. 8C  is an enlargement of the circled portion of  FIG. 8B  labeled  FIG. 8C .  
         [0016]      FIG. 9A  is a side view of the receiver assembly of  FIG. 7 ;  FIG. 98  is a sectional view of  FIG. 9A  taken at Arrows  9 B- 9 B in  FIG. 9A ; and  FIG. 9C  is an enlargement of the circled portion of  FIG. 9B  labeled  FIG. 9C .  
         [0017]      FIGS. 10A-10C  are perspective views, partially cutaway, of initial relative positions of the bayonet and receiver assemblies of  FIG. 7  for attaining different light beam spreads.  
         [0018]      FIG. 11  is a perspective view of the bayonet assembly of  FIG. 7 .  
         [0019]      FIG. 12A  is a sectional, perspective view of the receiver assembly of  FIG. 7 ; and  FIG. 3B  is an enlargement of the circled portion in  FIG. 12A  labeled  FIG. 12B .  
         [0020]      FIG. 13A  is a perspective view of a bayonet assembly and a receiver assembly, with the receiver assembly shown without the surface on which positioning pads and circumferential flange stops are mounted, for simplicity of illustration; and  FIG. 13B  is an enlargement of the circled portion in  FIG. 13A  labeled  FIG. 13B .  
         [0021]      FIGS. 14A-14C  show perspective views of a bayonet assembly and receiver assembly in various stages of interconnection for selecting a 15-degree light beam spread, with outer portions of the bayonet assembly removed or broken away to show more clearly positioning pads and attached circumferential flange stops of the receiver assembly, and  FIG. 14D  is an enlargement of the circled portion in  FIG. 14C  labeled  FIG. 14D .  
         [0022]      FIG. 14E  is a perspective view of a portion of the bayonet and receiver assemblies of  FIG. 14 , partially in cross section with an outer portion of the bayonet assembly removed to show more clearly a radial-bearing region; and  FIG. 14F  is an enlargement of the circled portion in  FIG. 14E  labeled  FIG. 14F , shown partially broken away.  
         [0023]     FIG,  14 G is a perspective view of the bayonet and receiver assemblies of  FIG. 14 . The figure shows the receiver assembly partially in cross section and with an outer portion removed in the vicinity of the bayonet assembly to portray more clearly a radial-bearing section of the receiver assembly. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0024]      FIGS. 1 and 2  show a durable fiberoptic lighting arrangement  10  according to the present invention. Lighting arrangement  10  includes a standard fiber bundle  12  passing through a bushing  14 , a protective armor  16 , and a second bushing  18 . Fiber bundle  12  may comprise three fibers, for instance, each of which may be multi-stranded or each of which may be a single, large-core fiber. A light source  11  provides light to lighting arrangement  10 . Fiber  12  is received into bushing  14  and secured in the bushing using an adhesive. The second bushing  18  is attached to a housing  20 . Bushing  14  is preferably mounted in fixed relation to a sturdy support, such as a wall. Armor  16  is preferably flexible, such as a flexible plastic shield, but could alternatively be formed of more sturdy material such as metal. Housing, of thickness 1.23-mm,  20  is preferably of generally cylindrical shape, most of which is formed as a body of rotation about a central longitudinal axis (not shown), and may be made of a metal such as stainless steel. A transparent lens  24  is held onto housing  20  by a metal retainer  22 , which is secured to the housing by bolts  22   a , for instance. By way of example, lens  24  may be a piano-convex lens, an aspherical lens, a holographic lens, a Fresnel lens or a flat lens, made from either glass or plastic. A pair of plates  40   a  and  40   b  are shown at the right-hand end of housing  22 .  
         [0025]     Fiberoptic lighting arrangement  10  may typically be suspended from a mount such as a Model D1-42-ARM sold by Phoenix Docklite of Milwaukee, Wis.  
         [0026]      FIG. 2A  shows fibers  32   a  and  32   b  passing into light fixtures  34   a  and  34   b , respectively. Light fixtures  34   a  and  34   b  typically contain—as shown in  FIG. 7 —a bayonet assembly  50  and a receiver assembly  52  combined together. Bayonet assembly  50  and receiver assembly  52  are described in connection with FIGS,  7  to  14 G below.  
         [0027]      FIG. 28  shows bolt  22   a  securing retainer  22  to housing  20 , as well as bolt  23 , securing plate  40   b  to housing,  
         [0028]     A light source (not shown) is remotely located to keep the lighting arrangement safe from damage that may be caused by destructive impacts to a light source of the lighting arrangement. The lighting arrangement preferably does not contain any destructible structure or material inside, such as glass. A standard EFO-AG or FFO-AD Illuminator sold by Fiberstars, Inc. of Solon, Ohio, can be used as a light source to provide light to the arrangement. The standard EFO-AG or EFO-AD illuminator consists of two 500-strand bundles of poly-methacrylic acid (PMMA) (one for each side of the illuminator), which hold the bundles in place with the optics. Currently each 500-strand bundle consists of three 167-strand whips. The large-core plastic fiber, or the bundle of PMMA fibers, is protected by the lighting arrangement housing as well as any lenses that are used as apertures.  
         [0029]      FIG. 3  shows the right-hand end of plate  40   b . Light fixtures  34   a ,  34   b  and  34   c  are aligned in light-transparent apertures  42  in plate  40   b . A Lens  24  is held to the housing (not shown) by bolts  22   a . Light fixtures  34   a ,  34   b , and  34   c  are mounted to the plate  40   b  using preferred hardware  46 ,  47  and  48 . Exemplary hardware  46  is shown in  FIG. 4 , comprising a bolt  46   a  that screws into a part  46   b , onto which a nut  46   c  is screwed. Hardware  47  and  48  may be the same as hardware  46 .  FIG. 3  also shows bolts  22   a  securing retainer  22  to housing  20  as well as bolts  23  securing plate  40   b  to the housing.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  shows light fixtures  34   a ,  34   b  and  34   d  with respective radially extending mounting structures  44   a  and  44   c , for instance, pinched between plates  40   a  and  40   b . In this way, light fixtures  34   a ,  34   b  and  34   c  are mounted to the foregoing plates. Preferred mounting hardware  46   a  and  46   b  and a similar, third hardware (not shown) mount together the plates.  
         [0031]     As shown by  FIG. 6 , radially extending mounting structure  44   a  of light fixture  34   b  is pinched between plates  40   a  and  40   b . Left-shown part of plate  40   a  stops moving left within housing  20  by pressing against a necked-down portion of the housing starting at point  20   a . As a result of leftward movement of plate  40   a  being thus stopped, the entire assembly of  FIG. 5  can be conveniently pressed into the housing from its right-hand end in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . The assembly stops moving by virtue of the necked-down region of housing  20 . Lens  24  is attached to the housing (not shown) by bolts (not shown).  
         [0032]     FIGS.  7  to  14 G describe the invention for a bayonet and receiver assembly disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/793,049 filed on Mar. 4, 2004. The foregoing application has different inventorship with the application assigned to the same assignee as the present application.  
         [0033]      FIG. 7  shows a bayonet assembly  50  and cooperating receiver assembly  52 , which holds a lens  54 . These three components are essential parts of the light pipe fixture of the invention. By way of example, lens  54  may be a piano-convex lens, an aspherical lens, a holographic lens, a Fresnel lens or a flat lens, made from either glass or plastic.  
         [0034]     Light pipe  56  is received into bayonet assembly  50  and secured in such assembly by an adhesive. As shown in connection with  FIGS. 8A-8C , bayonet assembly  50  uses an internal lip  58  ( FIG. 8C ) to stop the inserted light pipe at a precise location. As shown in connection with  FIGS. 9A-9B , receiver assembly  52  utilizes an internal shelf  60  ( FIG. 9C ) and radial snaps  62  ( FIG. 90 ) to lock the lens into a precise location. With receiver assembly  52  being molded from Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS), for instance: radial snaps  62 , preferably two in number, preferably occupy between about 5 and 20 degrees of circumference about a longitudinal axis  24  of such assembly, and more preferably between about 5 and 15 degrees. Preferably, the ABS for the receiver assembly is “platable” in that it can accept such coatings as chrome or brass, for reflective purposes,  
         [0035]      FIGS. 10A-10C  show respective, initial relative positions of bayonet assembly  50  and receiver assembly  52  for achieving light beam spreads exiting lens  54  of degrees of 15, 25 and 40, respectively, by way of example. In the positions shown, a notch  68  or other mark on receiver assembly  52  is aligned with markings on the bayonet assembly  50  for a desired degree of beam spread; for instance,  FIG. 10A  showing notch  68  aligned with “15” for a 15-degree beam spread. Each of the various beam spread adjustment locations is clearly marked on bayonet.  
         [0036]     In more detail, a user inserts bayonet assembly  50  into receiver assembly  52  as shown in any of  FIGS. 10A-10C  until the bayonet assembly reaches a full stop within receiver assembly  50 . The user then rotates the bayonet assembly relative to the receiver assembly in the direction of an arrow  70  until a full rotational stop is reached, at which point the bayonet assembly becomes locked to the receiver assembly. For the embodiment shown, the rotation of bayonet assembly  50  relative to receiver assembly  52  is 1/12 th  turn, or 30 degrees.  
         [0037]     The foregoing lock-in adjustment location ability of the bayonet &amp; receiver assembly arrangement is made possible by appropriate contouring of the confronting surfaces of the bayonet assembly  50  and receiver assembly  52 . With reference to  FIG. 11 , bayonet assembly  50  uses an axial stop ledge  72  and circumferential lock flange  74  that extend radially outwards from a substantially cylindrical surface  76 , which is a surface that radially bears against cooperating surfaces of receiver assembly  52 . Axial stop ledge  72  is axially aligned with lock flange  72 . The additional geometric structures on the bayonet assembly (e.g.  77 ) allow for clearance for different beam-spread positions and may also block contaminants, as described below.  
         [0038]     At this point, it should be noted that the described radially outwardly facing surface of bayonet assembly  50  forms a pattern from about 180 degrees about a longitudinal axis  78  of the assembly, which pattern repeats for the other approximately 180 degrees about such longitudinal axis. This same approximately 180-degrees repeating of patterns applies also to receiver assembly  52 .  
         [0039]     Now, referring to receiver assembly  52  of  FIGS. 12A and 12B , receiving channels  80 , circumferential flange stops  82  and axial positioning pads  84  are shown extending radially inwardly from a generally cylindrical surface  86 . Flange stops  82  and positioning pads  84  are mounted on a radial bearing region  85 , which extends towards axis  78  from surface  86 . Radial bearing surface  85  supports radial bearing loads when the bayonet assembly is inserted into the receiver assembly, and structurally supports positioning pads  84 . Another function of radial bearing surface  85  will be described below.  
         [0040]     During insertion of bayonet assembly  50  ( FIG. 11 ) into receiver assembly  52  ( FIG. 12A ), circumferential lock flange  74  ( FIG. 11 ) is guided into a receiving channel  84  ( FIG. 12A ), such as vertically middle-shown channel  84 , until axial stop ledge  72  ( FIG. 11 ) abuts the vertically lowermost-shown positioning pad  84  ( FIG. 12A ). At this point, bayonet assembly  50  is then turned 30° clockwise relative to receiver assembly  52  so that circumferential lock flange  74  ( FIG. 11 ) passes a cam lock point (or projection)  88  ( FIG. 121 ) to lock the circumferential lock flange against a circumferential flange stop. In this position (not shown), a positioning pad  84  ( FIG. 12A ) is sandwiched in the axial space between circumferential stop flange  74  and axial stop ledge  72 . This operation can be more easily understood with reference to  FIGS. 13-13B  and  14 A- 14 C.  
         [0041]     As in  FIG. 11 ,  FIG. 13A  shows bayonet assembly  50  with axial stop ledge  72 , circumferential lock flange  74  and additional structure  77 . As in  FIG. 12A ,  FIG. 13A  also shows receiver assembly  52  with circumferential flange stops  82  and axial positioning pads  84 . However,  FIG. 13A  has been simplified by omitting the mounting surface for these stops  82  and pads  84 , as is shown at  85  in  FIG. 12A ; and  FIG. 13B  shows these structures as six stops  82   a - 82   f  and six pads  84   a - 84   f . For practicality, it is preferred that the number of stops and pads be four, six (as shown) or eight.  
         [0042]     With the foregoing structure in mind, the selection of a 15-degree beam spread is shown in  FIGS. 14A-14C .  FIG. 14A  shows the insertion of circumferential lock flange  74  into the receiving channel  80  between axial positioning pads  84   a  and  84   b .  FIG. 148  show the final extent of insertion of lock flange  74 , when axial stop ledge  72  abuts axial positioning pad  84   a . Then, bayonet assembly  50  is then rotated 30 degrees clockwise relative to receiver assembly  52 , as shown in  FIG. 14C , at which point axial positioning pad  84   b  is sandwiched between axial stop ledge  72  and circumferential lock flange  74 . At this point, also, axial stop ledge  72  stops rotating since it then abuts circumferential flange stop  82   a . At this point, finally, as shown in the detail view of  FIG. 14D , lock flange  74  has rotated past a cam lock projection  94  on positioning pad  84   b , which locks in the bayonet assembly relative to the receiver assembly at the 15-degree beam spread position.  
         [0043]      FIG. 14E  shows bayonet assembly  50  and receiver assembly  52 . This Figure shows assembly  52  partially in cross section and with an outer portion removed to show more clearly radial-bearing region  85 , described above in connection with  FIG. 12A . The enlarged view of  FIG. 14F  shows a radial-bearing region  85  of receiver assembly  52  supporting the positioning pads  84   a  and  84   b . It further shows circumferential lock flange  74  of bayonet assembly  52  extending axially past positioning pad  84   b , and circumferentially positioned so that it has started to pass under positioning pad  84   b . Surface  72   a  of axial stop ledge  72  of the bayonet assembly axially abuts positioning pad  84   b , similar to the position shown in  FIG. 14B . Part of surface  72   a , shown broken away, also abuts a portion of an annular shelf  95  of radial-bearing region  85 . Upon rotating bayonet assembly  50  ( FIG. 14E ) clockwise in relation to receiver assembly (such rotation not shown in  FIG. 14F ): when viewing from right to left in  FIG. 14F , surface  72   a  of stop ledge  72  continues to abut, and be supported by, annular shelf  95 . Preferably, annular shelf  95  of radial-bearing region  85  forms a continuous annular surface with positioning pad  84   b , which continuous annular surface fully supports the entire surface  72   a  of ledge  72 . This provides a stable coupling between the bayonet and receiver assembly, and help assure that the locking action described above in connection with  FIG. 12B  will reliably occur.  
         [0044]     In the embodiment illustrated herein, annular shelves such as that shown in  FIG. 14F  at  95  are associated with positioning pads  84   b  and  84   c  ( FIG. 13B ) but not with positioning pad  84   a.    
         [0045]     The above-described bayonet assembly  50  and receiver assembly  52  were designed as molded components, with bayonet assembly  50  of polycarbonate plastic and receiver assembly of platable ABS as mentioned above. This provides low cost and an easily reproducible product.  
         [0046]     In addition, in the one of the three beam-spread positions in which the bayonet assembly is inserted the furthest into the receiver assembly, the present design blocks contaminants from reaching the fight pipe. In particular, such interstices are configured to block any direct path for contaminants to reach the light-dispensing end of the light pipe when the bayonet assembly is locked in position with the receiver assembly. This is shown in  FIG. 14G , wherein structure  77  of bayonet assembly cooperates with radial-bearing region  85  of the receiver assembly to block a direct path for contaminants to reach the light pipe when the bayonet and receiver assemblies are locked together. Thus, although not sealed, the foregoing design is considered closed, since it does not allow a direct path for dust, spray, or insects to reach the light pipe end.  
         [0047]     Many earlier designs were abandoned because the components were not easily moldable. The receiver assembly, in particular, was the most difficult to design for molding as a component that was closed to contaminants as described above. The small bore size of the receiver assembly&#39;s area for receiving the bayonet assembly—typically about 20 mm—made any common undercut (or snap pocket) impossible to mold. Although the use of exterior inserted slide cores in a mold would have made the bayonet and receiver assemblies easy to make and effective, the receiver assembly&#39;s bore size needed to be kept small to keep the costs of the components and associated tooling reasonable and practical, as well to allow for mounting practical component sizes. The illustrated design of the bayonet and receiver assemblies allows for the successful molding of these components, as well as maintaining the small bore size and closure of any direct path for contaminants to reach the light pipe end.  
         [0048]     The foregoing describes a light arrangement that is exceedingly durable, efficient and can withstand jolting and even crushing forces that would destroy a conventional dock light arrangement or a light source in the arrangement.  
         [0049]     While the invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments by way of illustration, many modifications and changes will occur to those skilled in the art. It is, therefore, to be understood that the appended claims are intended to cover all such modifications and changes as fall within the true scope and spirit of the invention.