Lighting apparatus for a museum display case

Abstract

A support grid, formed as a grid including a number of longitudinal support rods and a number of transverse support rods, is used to support a number of lighting fixtures, each of which projects light emitted from an end of a fiber optic tail. The fiber optic tails are joined into a fiber optic bundle illuminated by a light source. The support grid allows placement of the fixtures to be located in the longitudinal and transverse directions to light various objects within chamber of a museum display case, while the light source is held outside the chamber.

1 . A support grid for supporting fiber optic lighting fixtures within a display case, wherein the support grid comprises 
 a first plurality of longitudinal support rods extending in a longitudinal direction; and    a second plurality of transverse support rods extending in a transverse direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.    
   
   
       2 . The support grid of  claim 1 , composed of metal, wherein the longitudinal support rods are welded to the transverse support rods.  
   
   
       3 . The support grid of  claim 1 , additionally comprising a third plurality of coupling devices clamping the transverse support rods to the longitudinal support rods.  
   
   
       4 . The support grid of  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of support grids supported by at least one intervening support beam.  
   
   
       5 . The support grid of  claim 1 , wherein the support grid is formed as a rectangular frame.  
   
   
       6 . Lighting apparatus for a display case, wherein the lighting apparatus comprises: 
 a support grid including a plurality of longitudinal support rods extending in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of transverse support rods extending in a transverse direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction;    a light source;    a fiber optic bundle including a first end illuminated by the light source and a plurality of tails; and    a plurality of fixtures, wherein each of the fixtures projects light from an end of a tail within the plurality of tails, and wherein each of the fixtures includes a clamp holding the fixture to a support rod within the support grid.    
   
   
       7 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein 
 the support grid is composed of metal, and    the longitudinal support rods are welded to the transverse support rods.    
   
   
       8 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the support grid additionally includes a third plurality of coupling devices clamping the transverse support rods to the longitudinal support rods.  
   
   
       9 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the support grid includes a plurality of support grids supported by at least one intervening support beam.  
   
   
       10 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 6 , wherein the support grid is formed as a rectangular frame.  
   
   
       11 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 6 , additionally comprising accessories attached to the fixtures for modifying the light patterns projected from the fixtures.  
   
   
       12 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 6 , additionally comprising accessories attached to the support grid for modifying the light patterns projected from the fixtures.  
   
   
       13 . A display case comprising: 
 a lighting chamber holding a light source;    a fiber optic bundle including a first end illuminated by the light source and a plurality of tails;    a display chamber holding a support grid and a plurality of fixtures, wherein the support grid includes a plurality of longitudinal support rods extending in a longitudinal direction and a plurality of transverse support rods extending in a transverse direction, perpendicular to the longitudinal direction; wherein each of the fixtures projects light from an end of a tail within the plurality of tails, and wherein each of the fixtures includes a clamp holding the fixture to a support rod within the support grid.    
   
   
       14 . The display case of  claim 13 , wherein 
 the support grid is composed of metal, and    the longitudinal support rods are welded to the transverse support rods.    
   
   
       15 . The display case of  claim 13 , wherein the support grid additionally includes a third plurality of coupling devices clamping the transverse support rods to the longitudinal support rods.  
   
   
       16 . The display case of claim  136 , wherein the support grid includes a plurality of support grids supported by at least one intervening support beam.  
   
   
       17 . The display case of  claim 13 , wherein the support grid is formed as a rectangular frame.  
   
   
       18 . The display case of  claim 13 , additionally comprising accessories attached to the fixtures for modifying the light patterns projected from the fixtures.  
   
   
       19 . The display case of  claim 13 , additionally comprising accessories attached to the support grid for modifying the light patterns projected from the fixtures.