Patent Document

The present invention relates to lighting systems, and more particularly to step lighting for stairway steps for providing light directed upwardly and downwardly from a single lighting system. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Various forms of lighting systems have been devised for lighting aisles, stairs, floors, ceilings, and the like. Typically, low voltage string lighting systems are used which incorporate an incandescent or LED lighting strip having a number of spaced light bulbs or light sources. 
     In the case of steps and stairs, typically one or more stair “nosing” strips are provided at the edge or “nose” of each stair. For a number of years these devices have been provided for illuminating either upwardly from the forward edge of the stair or downwardly onto the riser and/or the next lower step so that the edge of each stair is illuminated whether one is walking up or down the stairway. Lighting systems of this nature are particularly desirable and useful in environments where the lighting level is low, such as in motion picture theaters and the like. With the advent of “stadium” type seating in motion picture theaters, stairs are more common in these theaters today, thereby creating a further need for suitable stair edge nose lighting. 
     Various forms of extrusions, either of metal such as aluminum, or plastic have been devised for holding a string of spaced light sources on a stair nose for either illumination upwardly or downwardly, or both. Typical lighting systems of this nature for illuminating both upwardly and downwardly involve either an extrusion for containing two sets of lights, or plural extrusions which are joined together with each holding a set of lights, for providing the upward and downward lighting. Generally, these lighting systems are relatively complicated to because of the dual lighting systems involved. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, the present invention provides an improved step lighting system for the stair edge or nose, and wherein a single lighting string provides both the upward and downward illumination. In one embodiment, a combined lens and reflector is provided to allow light from a string of lights to be reflected upwardly and light from that string to impinge through the lens downwardly toward the riser and/or step below. In another embodiment, the extrusion houses a prism-type lens assembly for directing light both upwardly and downwardly. In another embodiment, the extrusion houses a dual reflector system for reflecting light from a light string both upwardly and downwardly. In a still further and preferred embodiment, the extension houses a lens and prism-type lens assembly for directing light both upwardly and downwardly but with improved downward illumination. In each instance, the extrusion may include slots at either end thereof for receiving the ends of carpet, such as carpet on the step and carpet on the riser. 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an improved lighting system. 
     An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved step nose lighting system. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide a single extrusion for a stair nose for holding a light directing member for directing light from a single string of lights both upwardly and downwardly from the vicinity of a stair edge. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other objects and features of the present invention will become better understood through a consideration of the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of part of a stairway illustrating exemplary step lighting of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a cross-section view of a first embodiment of a step lighting system of the present invention; 
     FIG. 3 illustrates another embodiment thereof using a prism lens assembly; 
     FIG. 4 illustrates a further embodiment of a light directing member of a step lighting system of the present invention using a dual reflector system; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a light directing member of a step lighting system of the present invention using a combined lens and prism lens assembly; and 
     FIG. 6 shows a cross-section view of a wireway for use with the stair nose extrusions hereof. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning now to the drawings, and first to FIG. 1, a portion of a stairway is shown comprising first and second steps  10  and  12  each comprising a respective step top  10 a and  12 a and riser  10 a and  12 b. A step nose extrusion  16  is provided for the step  10  and extrusion  18  is provided for the step  12 , it being understood that a fewer or greater number of steps than those shown may be involved. These extrusions are, for example, typically thirty inches or so wide and extend substantially from end to end of the step edge. They contain a plurality of spaced, small sources of light. Wireways  20  and  22  on the respective sides of the steps  10  and  12  are illustrated, and these contain the electrical wiring harnesses for supplying power to lights mounted on the nose extrusions  16  and  18 . The wireways can be installed on both sides as shown or on only one side of the steps, depending on the wiring requirements of the particular installation, and these typically include an extrusion  20 ,  22  as shown, along with snap-on cover sections such as  18 b and  18 c as seen to the upper right in FIG. 1 for step  12 . Each of the extrusions has an upper clear or frosted lens section  16 a,  18 a which will be explained in greater detail in connection with a discussion of FIGS. 2-4. 
     Each of the extrusions  16  or  18 , as will be described in detail below, preferably is a plastic extrusion and includes a light directing member therein for directing light upwardly and downwardly, and includes therein a string of lights, either incandescent, LED or the like extending substantially from end to end of the extrusion. The light directing member can be designed to reflect the light from the string of lights, or to refract the light as by prism elements or sections, or both reflect and transmit the light upwardly and downwardly, or both transmit and refract the light so as to provide suitable illumination for the top edge of the step when someone is walking down the stairs, and further to provide suitable illumination for the riser and/or the top of a step or steps below as one ascends the stairway. Furthermore, the extrusions preferably include slots for receiving carpet edges of carpet on the tops of the steps and on the risers of the steps. 
     Turning now to FIG. 2, a first embodiment of the present invention is illustrated. This Figure is a cross-section view of a stair nose extrusion as well as of a light directing member, along with a lighting strip. For discussion purposes, the extrusion shown in FIG. 2 is considered to be that of the top step, namely extrusion  18  of FIG.  1 . It includes top  18 d and riser  18 e sections at a substantially right angle or L-shaped cross-section to mate and be secured to the top and front edges of a step (not shown in FIG.  2 ). It further includes a channel  24  for receiving a light directing member  26  and a lighting strip  28 . In this embodiment, light from the strip  28  is reflected by a reflector  30  of the member  26  upwardly, and the strip  28  is positioned to direct light downwardly from the strip  28  through a clear or translucent section  32  of the member  26 . The light reflected upwardly passes through the clear or frosted lens  18 a of the extrusion  18  thereby emanating from the top of the stair nose, and the light through section  32  impinges downwardly directly toward the top of the next lower step and/or onto the riser  12 b. The lighting strip typically has LED&#39;s spaced 2-4 inches apart across the width of the extrusion (note the light sources  28 a as seen in FIG. 1 which extend across the nose of each of the steps). 
     Considering the light directing member  26  in greater detail, the same preferably is extruded of clear PVC into the cross-sectional shape as seen in FIG. 2, and extends substantially from one end to the other of extrusion  18 . The reflector  30  thereof preferably is provided via silver polyester tape applied directly to the member at  30  so as to reflect light from light sources  28 a of the strip  28  upwardly through the lens  18 a of the extrusion  18 . The extrusion  18  typically is extruded PVC, with the lens  18 a being extruded simultaneously therewith of clear or no translucent PVC in a conventional manner. 
     The light directing member  26  has a forward edge  34  which abuts a rear facing edge  18 f of the extrusion  18 , and has a rear facing edge  35  that abuts a forward face  18 g of the extrusion  18 . Each of  34 ,  35 ,  18 f and  18 g preferably can be a flat surface or flat edges as seen in FIG. 2 to facilitate sliding the member  26  into the channel  24  of the extrusion  18 . The rear facing edge  35  of member  26  angles or curves rearwardly at  36  thereby forming a hook for causing the member  26  to be retained and secured within the channel  24  by virtue of a corner  18 h of the extrusion  18  as well as the surfaces  18 f and  18 g thereof. 
     The light directing member  26  further includes a concave or essentially a V-shaped upper section  37  which has fingers or ears  38  and  39  for engaging and holding light sources  28 a of the strip  28 . These light sources  28 a are conventional, and typically comprise LED&#39;s as noted earlier, and which are connected together by suitable electrical conductors which, in turn, are connected to a low voltage power supply (not shown) for supplying current to the light sources. With the configuration of the upper section  37  of the member  26 , it is relatively easy to slide the light sources  28  into the section  37  during manufacture such that members  26  of an appropriate length (e.g., of a length to fit into the extrusions  16  and  18  as seen in FIG. 1) can be provided. Similarly, the extrusions  16  and  18  can be cut to the appropriate lengths at the factory so that when the extrusions and the light directing members are delivered to the job site, they are already cut to the appropriate lengths to thereby simplify assembly onto the edge or nose or the stairs with screws, adhesives, or any other suitable fastening means conventionally used. 
     The extrusion  18  also includes an upper slot  42  for receiving the end of carpet on top of the step, and a lower slot  44  for receiving the end of carpet or other decorative material provided on the riser below. 
     Another embodiment is illustrated in FIG. 3 wherein a light directing member  60  uses a reflective surface  62  (similar to  30  of FIG. 2) for reflecting light upwardly from the lighting string  28 , and a Fresnel or prism type lens section  64  for refracting and directing the light downwardly. The structure and shape of the member  60  is otherwise the same as member  26 . The extrusion  18  and lighting string  28  are the same as those of FIG. 2, except the extrusion at the carpet slot  44 a does not have a rear vertical leg as in FIG.  2  and thus an end of the carpet is held between the extension  18  at  44 a and the face of the step. The section  18 e of the extrusion  18  thus does not extend out as far (as that of FIG. 2) and accordingly blocks less light aimed at the riser and step below. 
     As in the case of FIG. 2, light directing member  60  preferably is extruded from clear polycarbonate to provide both the lens and a holder for the lighting string  28 . A silver polyester or other reflective tape can also be provided at  60 . This light directing member  60  includes a plurality of segments on each side, such as  64 a and  64 b, to provide the degree of illumination desired for the downwardly directed light to the riser and step below. The remainder of the member  60  is like member  26  in FIG. 2, the difference being in sections  32  in FIG. 2 and 60 in FIG. 3, and each is extruded preferably of clear PVC. 
     The third embodiment of a light directing member  80  is shown in FIG.  4  and is like that of FIG. 2 but uses an additional reflector. It is used with the same type nose extrusion  18  (not shown in FIG.  4 ). A first reflector  82  (like  30  of FIG. 2 and 62 of FIG. 3) is used and an additional reflector  84 , along with a clear lens section  86  for the light directing member  80 . The extrusion for the member  80  is the same as in FIG. 2 with the exception of the added reflector  84 , and the lighting string  28  is the same. The reflectors  84  and  82  are provided by the silver polyester tape as in the previous embodiments. 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a preferred embodiment of a light directing member  90 , and which is similar to that of FIGS. 2 and 3 and combines the best features of both. It has been found that in some applications the prism  64  arrangement of FIG. 3 may not provide as much light as is desired on the step below. In the embodiment of FIG. 5 the overall lens section  92  has both a clear lens section  94  and a prism-type lens section  96 . By eliminating the upper prism section and providing a clear lens section  94 , more light is directed downwardly toward the step below, whereas the prism section  96  directs light toward the riser. It is believed that this configuration provides a better balance of light onto the riser and the step below in some applications than the full prism  64  arrangement of FIG. 3 which provides more light on the riser and less on the step below than the arrangement of FIG.  5 . The light directing member  90  of FIG. 5 includes a reflector  98  similar to the reflectors  30 ,  62  and  82  of FIGS. 2-4, and the structure and shape of the member  90  is otherwise the same as member  26 . 
     Finally, FIG. 6 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a typical wireway extrusion  100  used with the stair nose extrusions  16 ,  18  to provide a channel for wires connecting the lighting strips for each of the extrusions to a suitable source of electrical power. This extrusion  100  includes an interior channel  102  for receiving the connecting wires (not shown), and which is covered by a cover  104  similar to  18 b and  18 c of FIG.  1 . The cover  104  snaps in at  105 ,  106  as seen in FIG. 6 to provide a suitable cover over the electrical conductors. 
     While embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, various modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, and all such modifications and equivalents are intended to be covered.

Technology Category: f