Abstract:
An undershade apparatus for an illumination assembly having an illumination device mounted within a frame assembly includes a light modifying element suspended adjacent to the illumination device. A suspension assembly is also provided, the suspension assembly being fixed to the frame assembly and the light modifying element. The light modifying element is supported by the suspension assembly.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/887,853, filed on Feb. 2, 2007, hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    This invention relates, in general, to an undershade apparatus and deals more particularly with an undershade apparatus, which adds utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes to a wide variety of illumination assemblies. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Illumination assemblies such as household lamps come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and styles. One unifying aspect of lamps resides, however, in that they typically support a light emitting filament or tube surrounded by a protective enclosure, such as a shade. 
         [0004]    Shades themselves offer not only a shielding effect from the glare of a bulb but also provide a protective covering to the bulb so as to protect it from potentially harmful contact with people or objects. The shade also obviously provides protection for people against contacting the heated bulb, as is typical with incandescent bulbs. 
         [0005]    It is known in the prior art to utilize the shade of a lamp for decorative purposes, such as by forming sections of the shade to be translucent, or to depict a given fanciful scene. It is also known to suspend decorative elements on the outside of the shade in order to give the lamp a more ornamental appearance. 
         [0006]    The area within the shade enclosure has not, however, been utilized for such purposes, owing to the historical aversion to placing any items adjacent typically incandescent, and therefore typically hot, bulbs. 
         [0007]    With the forgoing problems and concerns in mind, it is therefore a general object of the present invention to utilize the area within the shade enclosure to support an undershade apparatus, which adds utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes to a wide variety of illumination assemblies. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0008]    It is an object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus, which adds utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes to a wide variety of illumination assemblies. 
         [0009]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus, which adds utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes to a lamp. 
         [0010]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus, which adds utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes to a wall fixture. 
         [0011]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus, which adds utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes to a ceiling fixture. 
         [0012]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus that provides protection for people against contacting a heated incandescent bulb. 
         [0013]    It is another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus that may be releasably attached to a wide variety of illumination assemblies without the need for specialized tools. 
         [0014]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus that utilizes the spider portion of a wide variety of illumination assemblies. 
         [0015]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus, which adds ornamental attributes that may be customized and personalized by the user. 
         [0016]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus that diffuses the light emitted from a light bulb. 
         [0017]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus that provides a coloring effect to the glare of a light bulb. 
         [0018]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus where the distance between the light bulb and the undershade apparatus may be adjusted to meet the decorative or utilitarian needs of a user. 
         [0019]    It is yet another object of the present invention to provide an undershade apparatus that utilizes the area within a shade enclosure. 
         [0020]    These and other objectives of the present invention, and their preferred embodiments, shall become clear by consideration of the specification, claims, and drawings taken as a whole. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  illustrates an undershade apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  illustrates another view of the undershade apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  illustrates the undershade apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1  without a central post from an illumination assembly. 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  illustrates the undershade apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1  with fanciful elements suspended therefrom. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0025]    As will be appreciated by a review of  FIGS. 1-4  in combination, the undershade apparatus of the present invention is adapted to be suspended within the shade enclosure of an illumination assembly, such as a torchiere or table lamp. Although many of the drawings, descriptions, and examples herein are directed to torchiere or table lamps, the present invention is not so limited. The present invention can be applied to any illumination assembly, such as a ceiling fixture or wall fixture. 
         [0026]      FIG. 1  illustrates an undershade apparatus  10  according to one embodiment of the present invention. As can be seen in  FIG. 1 , the undershade apparatus  10  is attached to an illumination assembly  12 . The illumination assembly  12  includes an upright support  14  and a frame assembly. As shown in  FIG. 1 , the frame assembly is a shade enclosure  16 . A spider portion  18  is located at the upper opening of the shade enclosure  16  that allows the shade enclosure  16  to be connected to the illumination assembly  12 . The upright support  14  of the illumination assembly  12  is utilized to support the illumination assembly  12  and contains an illumination device such as a light bulb  17 . 
         [0027]    The undershade apparatus  10  includes a suspension assembly  20 . The suspension assembly  20  is releasably fixed to the shade enclosure  16 . Shown in  FIG. 1 , the suspension assembly  20  is preferably releasably fixed to the spider portion  18  of the shade enclosure  16 . It will be readily appreciated that although the suspension assembly  20  is shown to be releasably fixed to the spider portion  18 , the suspension assembly  20  may be releasably fixed to any part of a frame assembly of the illumination assembly  12 . The suspension assembly  20  may also suspend from any separate apparatus made to associate with the shade enclosure  16  or spider portion  18 . The suspension assembly  20  may be formed from a metal chain with suitable hook fasteners or may be crafted in any form and from any other material without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. In addition, the suspension assembly  20  may be permanently attached to the spider portion  18 , the shade enclosure  16 , or any separate apparatus made to associate with the spider portion  18  or the shade enclosure  16 . 
         [0028]    Returning to  FIG. 1 , a light modifying element  22  is suspended from the suspension assembly  20 . The suspension assembly  20  may be at positions adjacent the outer periphery of the light modifying element  22 . It will be readily appreciated, however, that although there are three suspension lines shown in the drawings to illustrate suspension assembly  20 , more or less suspension lines may be alternatively utilized, while the attachment points for the suspension assembly  20  may be spaced apart from the periphery of the light modifying element  22 , also without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. 
         [0029]    The light modifying element  22  itself may be formed with an aperture  24 . Preferably, the aperture  24  is formed in the approximate center of the light modifying element  22  so as to accommodate and slip over and around the bulb element  17  as well as the upright support  14  of the illumination assembly  12 . In addition, the light modifying element  22  may alternatively be formed of two or more sections that can be attached together around the bulb element  17  rather than slipping over the bulb element  17 . The light modifying element  22  may also be formed without the aperture  24  for use on a hanging lamp. The light modifying element  22  is preferably formed from a plastic, acrylic, glass, or polymer material, which is clear or at least somewhat translucent. The light modifying element  22  may also be formed with any texture. Indeed, the light modifying element  22  is most preferably formed so as to have an imbued coloration so that operation of the bulb or any illumination device will cause a diffused and colored glow to emanate from the bottom of the shade enclosure  16 . Moreover, the light modifying element  22  may be any shape. Preferably and as shown, the light modifying element  22  is a disk. 
         [0030]    It is therefore an important aspect of the present invention that the undershade apparatus  10  provides both utilitarian capabilities as well as ornamental attributes. The area within the shade enclosure  16  has historically remained unused, which permits people, especially children, to have unfettered access to a hot, incandescent bulb. The light modifying element  22  of the undershade apparatus  10  creates a barrier to the heated incandescent bulb that provides protection for people against contacting its hot surface. Furthermore, the light modifying element  22  may be colored or textured which creates a colored glow or design emanating from the bottom of the shade enclosure  16 , which provides a multitude of ornamental possibilities. 
         [0031]    While a colored or clear, plastic, or acrylic light modifying element  22  has been described, the present invention equally contemplates forming the light modifying element  22  from alternative materials, such as metal or wood. These materials still maintain the utilitarian capabilities of the light modifying element  22  by providing a barrier to the hot bulb as described above. 
         [0032]      FIG. 2  illustrates how the undershade apparatus  10  may be hung from the shade enclosure  16 . It should be readily appreciated that the light modifying element  22  may be suspended from the shade enclosure  16  of the illumination assembly  12  by any given amount, whereby the distance between the top of the shade enclosure  16  and the light modifying element  22  may be adjusted to meet the decorative or utilitarian objectives of a user. As such, the present invention may utilize any area within the shade enclosure  16 . As discussed previously, the suspension assembly  20  may include any attaching method. However, as shown in  FIG. 2 , the suspension assembly  20  includes a chain  26  connected to the light modifying element  22  at one end and a hook fastener  28  at the other end. The hook fastener  28  is designed to releasably attach the suspension assembly  20  to the shade enclosure  16 . 
         [0033]    As described above, the suspension assembly  20  can be one of many embodiments. The suspension assembly  20  may be crafted in any form and from any material. Furthermore, the suspension assembly  20  may be any length. The hook fastener  28  may be releasably attached to the chain  26  so that the hook fastener  28  can attach to any link of the chain  26 , thereby allowing the suspension assembly  20  to be adjustable by the user to any desired length. 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  further illustrates the undershade apparatus  10  but without an upright support of the illumination assembly  12 . The undershade apparatus  10  still functions in the same way. The undershade apparatus  10  has a suspension assembly  20 , which is releasably attached to the shade enclosure  16 . The suspension assembly  20  may also suspend from any separate apparatus made to associate with the shade enclosure  16 . A light modifying element  22  is suspended from the suspension assembly  20  at positions adjacent the outer periphery of the light modifying element  22 . As shown, the light modifying element  22  is formed with an aperture  24 . However, the light modifying element  22  may also be formed without the aperture  24  in any case where the upright support  14  would not interfere with the undershade apparatus  10 . 
         [0035]    Still further, by employing an alternative embodiment of the present invention whereby the light modifying element  22  has no central aperture  24 , the present invention is equally capable of augmenting the appearance and functionality of those illumination assemblies  12  that do not have an upright support  14 . That is, the present invention is equally capable of augmenting both wall and ceiling fixtures by suspending the light modifying element  22 , with or without a central aperture  24 , within the shade enclosure  16  of the illumination assembly  12 , and adjacent the illumination device. 
         [0036]    Turning now to  FIG. 4 , the light modifying element  22  of the present invention may also itself support a variety of fanciful elements  30  suspended therefrom. These fanciful elements  30  may be purely decorative, or may include utilitarian items, without departing from the broader aspects of the present invention. The possibilities for these fanciful elements  30  are endless. The fanciful elements  30  could be permanently attached to the light modifying element  22 . In the alternative, the fanciful elements  30  could be releasably attached to provide personalization and customization for the user. These fanciful elements  30  could include collectible items, picture frames for personal photographs, toys, items that reflect the light emanating from the illumination device, or utilitarian items. These fanciful elements  30  add decorative and ornamental attributes to the present invention. 
         [0037]    As described above and as illustrated in the combined drawing  FIGS. 1-4 , the undershade apparatus  10  of the present invention utilizes the heretofore unused area within the shade enclosure  16  of an illumination assembly  12 . Moreover, by positioning the light modifying element  22  within the shade enclosure  16  and adjacent the illumination device, the light modifying element  22  is capable of diffusing the light emitted from the illumination assembly  12 , while selectively changing the coloration of the light emanating from the shade enclosure  16 . The suspension of fanciful elements  30  from the light modifying element  22  itself gives the user the ability to personalize the illumination assembly  12  to a degree not currently known in the art. 
         [0038]    While the invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various obvious changes may be made, and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof, without departing from the essential scope of the present invention. Therefore, it is intended that the invention not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but that the invention includes all equivalent embodiments.