Abstract: A clip for securing a banner to a banner mounting rail of apparatus for raising and lowering a banner in accordance with the invention includes a clamshell housing having two halves hinged together at one side of each housing half. One of the housing halves has at least one pin extending outwardly therefrom and the other of the housing halves having a receptacle in which the pin is received when the housing halves are closed together, wherein the pin pierces a banner received between the two housing halves when the two housing halves are closed together. An apparatus for raising and lowering the banner includes a housing, at least one cable secured to the rail, and a motor that winds and unwinds the cable on a tube arranged within the housing. The banner has a plurality of clips secured to the banner with the clips received in the inner channel of the rail.

Abstract: An apparatus for raising and lowering an article has a housing and a cable secured to the housing. A motor winds and unwinds the cable on a tube arranged within the housing. A retractable power cord assembly is coupled to the housing. The retractable power cord assembly has a power cord that is wound and unwound from the retractable power cord assembly as the cable is wound and uwound on the tube.

Abstract: A luminaire having both a direct and indirect lighting component is provided. The luminaire includes a fixture including a lamp. A neutral density polymeric material is disposed below the lamp. The neutral density polymeric material includes a polymeric substrate carrying a predetermined pattern for reflecting and transmitting incident light from the lamp.

Abstract: A transflection reflector includes a body for simultaneously reflecting and transmitting light rays. The body is formed by a plurality of layers of a polymeric reflective material and has reflected rays at each interface between adjacent ones of the multiple layers. The body is both selectively configured and positioned relative to a light source for a predetermined distribution of reflected and transmitted rays.

Abstract: An improved lighting fixture includes a light reflecting and/or light transmitting member for reflecting or transmitting visible light. A light transmitting film is disposed adjacent the light reflecting or transmitting member. The light transmitting film is formed of a glutarimide acrylic copolymer. The glutarimide acrylic copolymer film provides protection to the light reflecting and/or transmitting member from damaging effects of ultraviolet radiation and is substantially resistant to ultraviolet radiation.