GB2482514A

GB2482514A - Adjustable lamp with movable weight

Info

Publication number: GB2482514A
Application number: GB1013146.4A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Richard James Marsh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2010-08-04
Filing date: 2010-08-04
Publication date: 2012-02-08
Also published as: GB201013146D0

Abstract

A lamp 10 including a lamp body 12 and a weight 14, where the orientation of the lamp and the angle of illumination provided by the lamp is changed by altering the position of the weight relative to the lamp body. The lamp may have a finite plurality of stable positions where a spherical weight is located in a notch 22 in a groove. The lamp may have a rechargeable battery inside the lamp body and a bulb 18 may be a LED. The lamp body may be made of two wooden sections 12a and 12b. To adjust the lamp position a user may roll the weight form a first notch to a second notch. The lamp may have a switch 26 located at the top of the body and may include a dimmer to adjust brightness.

Description

S

Adjustable lamp

Background of the Invention

The present invention concerns lamps which may be adjusted to alter the angle of illumination provided. More particularly, but not exclusively, this invention concerns a lamp including a lamp body and a weight, wherein the orientation of the lamp is changed by altering the position of the weight relative to the lamp body. The invention also concerns a method of altering the angle of illumination provided by a lamp.

The prior art includes many designs for adjustable

lamps. A typical adjustable desk lamp consists of a light bulb and shade supported by two arms pivotably connected together, the bottom end of the lower arm being fixed to a heavy base. While this arrangement allows the bulb to be positioned at many different angles and heights, the appearance of such lamps is not very attractive. As such, they are generally used in situations where aesthetics are not important such as on office desks, and are considered by many consumers to be unsuitable for use in other areas of the house where an adjustable lamp could be useful, such as the kitchen, bedroom or living room.

The present invention seeks to mitigate the above-mentioned problems. Alternatively or additionally, the present invention seeks to provide an improved adjustable lamp design.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention provides, according to a first aspect, a lamp comprising a lamp body and a moveable weight.

The lamp body may be configured to receive the moveable weight in at least two distinct positions. The lamp may be adjustable between a first orientation in which the moveable weight is received by the lamp body in a first position, and a second orientation in which the moveable weight is received by the lamp body in a second position. This is the case where the weight may only be placed in certain discrete locations relative to the lamp body. Alternatively, the lamp may have an infinite plurality of stable orientations.

When the lamp is in use it may produce illumination that is substantially directional. Advantageously, this makes the lamp suitable for use during tasks such as reading and sewing where illumination is only required in a small area. Alternatively, when the lamp is in use it may produce illumination that is substantially non-directional. The direction of illumination of the lamp may be altered by altering the orientation of the lamp.

The weight may be spherical. The lamp body may include a groove. The base of the groove may include at least one indentation. The lamp may be in a stable orientation when the weight is received in the at least one indentation.

The lamp may include a battery. The battery may be rechargeable. The lamp may be charged by a user providing mechanical energy to an electrical generator. The electrical generator may be associated with a battery that stores the electrical energy generated for use by the lamp. The battery may be charged up by winding a handle. The battery may be charged up by pulling a cord. Alternatively or additionally, the lamp may include a cable for connecting it to a mains electricity supply.

The lamp may include a bulb. The bulb may be an LED bulb. The lamp may be a halogen bulb. Alternatively, the lamp may be an incandescent bulb.

The invention further provides, according to a second aspect, a method of altering the angle of illumination produced by a lamp, the method including the following steps: providing a lamp comprising a lamp body and a weight; the lamp body being shaped such that its orientation depends on the location of the weight relative to the lamp body; providing a first location and a second location on the lamp body shaped so as to be able to receive the weight; operating the lamp in a first orientation by placing the weight at the first location; and operating the lamp in a second orientation by placing the weight at the second location.

It will of course be appreciated that features described in relation to one aspect of the present invention may be incorporated into other aspects of the present invention. For example, the method of the invention may incorporate any of the features described with reference to the apparatus of the invention and vice versa.

Description of the Drawings

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings of which: Figure la shows a side perspective view of a lamp according to a first embodiment of the invention in a first orientation; Figure lb shows a side perspective view of a lamp according to a first embodiment of the invention in a second orientation; Figure 2 shows a top view of a lamp according to a second embodiment of the invention; and Figure 3 shows a side view of a lamp body according to a second embodiment of the invention.

Detailed Description

Figures la and lb show a first embodiment of the present. invention. Figures la and lb show a lamp 10, which is composed of a lamp body 12 and a spherical weight 14.

The lamp body 12 has an opening 16 into which is fitted an LED light bulb 18. The light bulb 18 is wired up to a battery inside the lamp body and is operated by a switch (26) located at the top of the lamp body. The switch includes a dimmer to adjust the brightness of the lamp.

The lamp body is made from two wooden sections l2a and 12b which are secured together with screws. Sections l2a and l2b are shaped such that they are contiguous at the front of the lamp but then diverge so that for the length of the base of the lamp there is a gap approximately 5cm wide between the sections. In this gap is located a curved perspex strip 20. Sections 12a and l2b are fixed to each other and to the perspex strip 20 using screws. The perspex strip 20 includes a first notch (not shown) and a second notch 22.

The weight 14 is a metal sphere. When the lamp 10 is in use, weight 14 sits on top of the base of the lamp body 12 in a groove defined by sections 12a and l2b of the lamp body and the perspex strip 20. The diameter of the weight 14 is approximately 7cm. When the weight is located in one of the notches it is prevented from moving along the groove. When the weight 14 is located at a position in the groove not above one of the notches, it can roll along the groove in either direction until it comes to rest in one of the notches. The base part of the lamp body is curved, meaning that the orientation of the lamp body in relation to the surface 24 it is resting on changes when the weight is moved from one notch to the other.

Figure la shows the orientation of the lamp when the weight is in the first notch. In this first orientation the direction of illumination produced by the lamp is approximately parallel to the surface 24. Figure lb shows the orientation of the lamp when the weight is in the second notch 22. In this second orientation the light produced by the lamp shines upwards, at an angle of approximately 45° to the surface 24. To move the lamp from the first orientation to the second orientation the user must roll the weight 14 from the first notch to the second notch 22. To move the lamp from the second orientation to the first orientation the user must roll the weight 14 from the second notch to the first notch.

Figures 2 and 3 show a second embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is identical to the first embodiment except that the perspex strip 60 includes three notches 62a, 62b and 62c, meaning that the orientation of the lamp may be moved between three positions. The user can therefore choose between three different illumination angles. Figure 2 shows a lamp 50 as seen from directly above. The lamp body 52 is comprised of a first section 52a and a second section 52b. The lamp body supports an LED light bulb 58, and contains the wiring and battery that power the light bulb. The light bulb is operated by a switch 64 located at the top of the lamp body. The weight 54 is resting over the third notch (not shown) Figure 3 shows a side view of the lamp body 52 with the weight 54 removed.

Whilst the present invention has been described and illustrated with reference to particular embodiments, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that the invention lends itself to many different variations not specifically illustrated herein. By way of example only, certain possible variations will now be described.

The lamp body could be held together by glue instead of screws. Alternatively, the lamp body could be formed from a single piece. It may be made of a material other than wood.

It could be made out of moulded plastic or metal. Likewise the notched strip could be made out of a material other than perspex. The weight need not be spherical, as long as it is shaped so as to engage with the notches in the notched strip. For example, the notched strip could have square notches and the weight could be a cuboid. The notched strip could have any number of notches. The notched strip could be absent altogether. A strip without notches could be used in which case the weight could be held in several different positions by magnets. Alternatively, the strip could be absent altogether, in which case the weight could be slidably attached to the lamp body. For example, the weight may have pins arranged to be received in slots formed on the inside of the two sections of the lamp body, allowing the weight to be slid along the slot. The pins may fit tightly into the slots so that the weight remains in whatever position it is put. This arrangement would allow the user to select from a continuous range of illumination angles.

The lamp may use a power source other than a battery, for example it may be plugged into a mains electricity supply. Alternatively it could include a rechargeable battery that is charged up by winding a handle or pulling a cord. The light bulb could, instead of an LED bulb, be a halogen bulb or an incandescent bulb.

The switch may be located in a different position on the lamp body. Alternatively there may not be a switch at all. In this case the weight could be made of metal and there could be a metal contact where the weight contacts the lamp body so that the lamp may be activated by the user touching the weight.

Claims

Claims 1. A lamp comprising a lamp body and a moveable weight, the lamp body being configured to receive the moveable weight in at least two distinct positions, wherein the lamp is adjustable between a first orientation in which the moveable weight is received by the lamp body in a first position, and a second orientation in which the moveable weight is received by the lamp body in a second position.
2. A lamp according to claim 1, wherein the lamp has a finite plurality of stable orientations.
3. A lamp according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein when the lamp is in use it produces illumination that is substantially directional.
4. A lamp according to claim 3, wherein the direction of illumination may be altered by altering the orientation of the lamp.
5. A lamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the weight is spherical.
6. A lamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the lamp body includes a groove.
7. A lamp according to claim 6, wherein the base of the groove includes at least one indentation.
8. A lamp according to claim 7, wherein the lamp is in a stable orientation when the weight is received in the at least one indentation.
9. A lamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the lamp includes a battery.
10. A lamp according to claim 9, wherein the battery is rechargeable.
11. A lamp according to any preceding claim, wherein the lamp includes a bulb.
12. A lamp according to claim 11, wherein the bulb is an LED bulb.
13. A method of altering the angle of illumination produced by a lamp, the method including the following steps: providing a lamp comprising a lamp body and a weight; the lamp body being shaped such that its orientation depends on the location of the weight relative to the lamp body; providing a first location and a second location on the lamp body shaped so as to be able to receive the weight; operating the lamp in a first orientation by placing the weight at the first location; and operating the lamp in a second orientation by placing the weight at the second location.
14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the lamp is a lamp according to any of claims 1 to 12.