US 8,596,833 B1 · Interchangeable lamp shade kit, display system and method

Abstract

An exemplary interchangeable lamp shade kit may comprise a lamp base, a spider element and a shade element with at least flat and deployed confirmations. The shade element includes opposing first and second ends with respective securement elements generally formed thereat and adapted to engage one another for releasably retaining the shade element in its cylindrical deployed configuration. A plurality of detent apertures in the shade element are adapted to receive respective detent elements radially distributed about the spider element. An exemplary system and method for displaying lamp shade kits may comprise a display element supportingly presenting a multiplicity of lamp bases, a plurality of spider elements, and an assortment of shade elements. The shade elements may be releasably suspended in their flat configurations in a linear or curved array for convenient review and selection by consumers positioned on a consumer pathway adjacent the display element.

Claims37

Dependent claims

An interchangeable lamp shade kit comprising:

a spider element including a hub portion and a multiplicity of detent elements radially distributed thereabout, said hub portion being configured to be removably secured to a lamp base element;
and
a shade element being flexible and having at least a flat configuration and a deployed configuration, said shade element being substantially flat planar in its flat configuration and substantially cylindrical in its deployed configuration, said shade element including opposing first and second ends, said first end having one or more first securement elements generally thereat, said second end having one or more second securement elements generally thereat, said first securement elements being configured to releasably engage respective said second securement elements for releasably retaining said shade element in its deployed configuration, said shade element including a plurality of detent apertures adapted to be in receiving engagement with respective said detent elements for providing at least lateral and vertical support of said shade element by said spider element.

An interchangeable lamp shade kit comprising:

a shade element being flexible, translucent and having at least a flat configuration and a deployed configuration, said shade element being substantially flat planar in its flat configuration and substantially cylindrical in its deployed configuration, said shade element including opposing first and second ends, said first end having one or more first securement elements generally thereat, said second end having one or more second securement elements generally thereat, said first securement elements being configured to releasably engage respective said second securement elements for releasably retaining said shade element in its deployed configuration, said first end having one or more first alignment elements generally thereat, said second end having one or more second alignment elements generally thereat, respective said first and second alignment elements being configured to releasably engage one another in tab-in-slot fashion, said shade element including a plurality of detent apertures adapted to be in receiving engagement with respective detent elements of a spider element for providing at least lateral and vertical support of said shade element by said spider element, said shade element being unitarily formed from a sheet of resilient polymer and including an outer surface having a graphic design printed thereon.

A system for displaying interchangeable lamp shade kits within a retail environment, said system comprising:

a multiplicity of lamp base elements;
a plurality of spider elements, each said spider element including a hub portion and a multiplicity of detent elements radially distributed thereabout, each said hub portion being configured to be removably secured to a lamp base element;
and
an assortment of shade elements, each said shade element being flexible and having at least a flat configuration and a deployed configuration, each said shade element being substantially flat planar in its flat configuration and substantially cylindrical in its deployed configuration, each said shade element including opposing first and second ends, said first end having one or more first securement elements generally thereat, said second end having one or more second securement elements generally thereat, said first securement elements being configured to releasably engage respective said second securement elements for releasably retaining said shade element in its deployed configuration, each said shade element including a plurality of detent apertures adapted to be in receiving engagement with respective said detent elements for providing at least lateral and vertical support of said shade element by respective said spider element;
wherein said shade elements include an outer surface having a graphic design printed thereon and are each releasably suspended in their flat configurations for display of said shade elements in a retail environment, each said shade element defining a shade planar axis when in its flat configuration.

2 more elements

A system for displaying interchangeable lamp shade kits within a retail environment, said system comprising:

a multiplicity of lamp base elements;
a plurality of spider elements, each said spider element including a hub portion and a multiplicity of detent elements radially distributed thereabout, each said hub portion being configured to be removably secured to a lamp base element having a socket element;
an assortment of shade elements, each said shade element being flexible, translucent and having at least a flat configuration and a deployed configuration, each said shade element being substantially flat planar and thereby defining a shade planar axis in its flat configuration and being substantially cylindrical in its deployed configuration, each said shade element including opposing first and second ends and an outer surface having a graphic design thereon, said first end having one or more first securement elements generally thereat, said second end having one or more second securement elements generally thereat, said first securement elements being configured to releasably engage respective said second securement elements for releasably retaining said shade element in its deployed configuration, each said shade element including a plurality of detent engaging elements adapted to be in engagement with respective said detent elements for providing support of said shade element by respective said spider element;
and
a display element supportingly presenting said lamp base elements, spider elements and shade elements, said display element including a signage portion having a set of sequenced illustrations instructing how to assemble one of said lamp shade elements with a respective said lamp base element and spider element, said display element having a viewpoint axis extending outwardly toward a consumer pathway adjacent said display element;
wherein each said shade element and a respective said spider element is secured within a respective packaging element and releasably suspended thereby, each said graphic design being depicted on its respective said packaging element or being directly viewable therethrough.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Interchangeable lamp shade kit, display system and method

Life of this patent

Interchangeable lamp shade kit, display system and method

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims37