Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
B~
3A~ P0~3 ~ ION
The present invention relates to a novel
and useful recessed lighting unit.
Recessed lighting fixtures offer the ad-
vantage of being unobtrusive while functioning to
illuminate areas with a variety of lighting effects.
Recessed lighting equipment can be easily installed
in new construction situations where supporting beams
and wiring are accessible. Recessed lighting can
also be installed in existing structures when desired.
Recessed lighting fixtures must also possess
the ability to dissipate heat generated by its lamp.
In addition, it is desirable to interrupt the source
of the heat produced by the lamp, i.e., the electrical
power, when excess heat is generated by the lamp.
It is also desirable to have recessed
lighting fixtures which are easy to mount in a ceiling
or wall and accessible for wiring, inspectionr re-
lamping and the like. The flexibility and appearance
changes as a necessary element in recessed lighting
systems.
A recessed lighting unit that solves these
problems would be an advance in the lighting industry.
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&
SU~MARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention a
novel and useful recessed lighting uni-t is provided.
The recessed lighting unit of the present
invention includes a housing having means for mounting
the electrical lamp and socket. Such a housing would
include an opening for the passage of light therethrough
which emanates from the lamp therewithin. Tne housing
would also have means for mounting the lamp and
socket and for the accommodation of certain trims for
determining the type of lighting effect desired.
The recessed lighting unit would also have
means for providing electrical power to the lamp and
socket within the hou~ing. Such means might include
a junction box of conventional configuration as well
as electrical wires leading from the junction box to
the housing. The unit of the present invention would
also include thermoprotector or thermoprotector
means which wo~ld detect heat in the vicinity of the
housing and interrupt the electrical power to the same
if the temperature exceeded a certain present value.
The thermoprotector means would be mounted adjacent
the housing and could include a container for the
thermoprotector means. The container could be made
of a rigid material and sligingly engage a slot in the
housing. The container might form part of a struc-
tural unit with the housing and junction box. In
addition, the container may include a tab which is
capable of extending along a portion of the housing
and adjacent to the same next to the slot. The tab
may be resiliently fixed to the container to produce
a spring effect which woulcl ease the assembly of the
housing, junction box, and container forriling the
structural unit.
The invention in one aspect may be describe
as a door for a housing utilizing a member having a
first end portion and a second end portion, the first
end portion including means for hingedly attaching
the first end portion to the housing, and means for
removably latching the second end portion of the
member to the housing, the latching means including
providing the housing with an opening therethrough,
and a spring element connected to and projecting from
the second end portion of the member; the spring
element having a bent portion capable of occupying the
opening through the housing.
It may be apparent that a novel and useful
recessed lighting unit has been described.
It is therefore an object of the present
invention to provide a recessed lighting unit which
includes a protection mechanism against overheating
due to the dissipation of heat from a lamp which will
only interrupt the flow of power to the lamp under
conditions where an abnormal amount of heat is generated
by the lamp.
It is another object of the present invention
to provide a recessed lighting unit which includes a
mechanism for interrupting the flow of power to the
lamp which forms parts of the structural framework
for the recessed lighting unit.
It is yet another object of the present
invention to provide a recessed lighting unit which
may be easily and inexpensively manufactured and
assembled.
It is another object of the present invention
to provide a recessed lighting unit which permits
access to the same for the purposes of re-lamping,
replacement of trim components, inspection of junction
box wiring, and the like.
The invention possesses other objects and
advantages especially as concerns particular charac-
teristics and features, thereof, which will bocome
apparent as the specification continues.
B~J
RI ~
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of the unit.
FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line
2-2 of FIG~ 1.
FIG~ 3 is a sectional view taken along line
3-3 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line
4-4 of FIG. 1.
FIG. 5 is a sectional view taken along line
5-5 of FIG. 2.
FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line
6-6 of FIG. 1.
For a better understandlng of the invention,
reference is made to the following detailed description
which should be referenced to the hereinabove described
drawings.
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~2~ i8
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Various aspects of the present invention
will evolve from the following detailed description
of the preferred embodiments thereof which should be
taken in conjunction with the hereinabove described
drawings.
The invention as a whole is represented in
the drawings by reference character 10. The recessed
lighting unit 10 includes as one of its elements a
housing 12, FIGS. 1-5. Housing 12 may be formed into
the rectangular solid configuration shown in the
drawings using progressive dye manufacturing techniques.
Housing 12 may be constructed of metal or any other
material which meets the particular standards set by
the el~ctrical authority. With reference to FIGS. 2
and 3, it may be seen that housing 12 encloses an elec-
trical lamp 14 and socket 16 therefor. Means 18 mounts
electrical lamp 14 and socket 16 to housing 12. Means
18 includes a pair of brackets 20 and 22, FIG. 5,
which enclose torsion springs 24 and 26, respectively.
Torsion springs 25 and 26 are held to base 28 by the
use of fastening clips 30 and 32, FIGS. 3 and 5. A
yoke 34 aids in the support of the socket 16 and lamp
14. A lens 36 removably fixes to base 28 and generally
coincides with opening 38 and housing 12 which is in-
tended to allow the passage of light emanating from
lamp 14 to the area below which is to be illuminated.
As shown in the drawings, housing 12 is recessed in
relation to partition 40 which may be a ceiling, wall,
and the like. Housing 12 also includes a locking
; &
seam 42 on the top portion 44 thereof.
Housing 12 structurally connects to junction
box 46 via arms 48 and 50. Junction box 46 may include
provision for cable 52 which provides electrical power
from a source of power shown by the indicia on FIG. 1.
The wires bringing power from the source are spliced
in the conventional manner in junction box 46 and
carried to housing 12 and lamp and socket 14 and 16
therein via wires 54 and 56. Junction box 46 may
also have a plurality of knockout covers 58 and a
pair of side covers 60 and 62, FIGS. 1, 2 and 4.
Unit 10 also includes as one of its elements thermo-
protector means 64 for detec~ing heat in the vicinity
of housing 12 and interrupting electrical power from
the power source falling through wires 54 and 56.
Thermoprotector means 64 would perform its function
at a selected temperature produced by heat radiating
from lamp 14 within housing 12. Thermoprotector 64
may take the form of a bimetal strip such as -the
Model No~ M-13D manufactured by Portage Electric of
Akron, Ohio. Means 66 mounts thermoprotector means
64 adjacent to housing 12. As may be seen from FIGS.
1, 2, and 5, housing 12 is provided with slot 68 on
one side thereof. A container or wireway 70 guides
wires 54 and 56 from junction box 46 to the interior
of housing 12. Wireway 70 also encloses thermo-
protector means 64 and positions the same adjacent
housing 12 by the use of protrusions 72 and 74, FIG.
5. Thus, thermoprotector means 64 is always
positioned in the same place in relation to housiny
12 which is of great importance to reproduce shut-off
results in unit 10. Wireway 70 also includes an
element 76 which slidingly engages housing 12 in the
vicinity of slot 68. Side portions 78 of wireway 70
and tab 80 of element 76 sandwich the edges 82 and
84 of housing 12 surrounding slot 68. It should be
noted that tab 80 may extend beyond the end of slot
86 toward lamp 14. Thus, wireway 70 may be moved
away from lamp 16 a certain distance such that tab
8G covers slot 68, FIG. 2. Wireway 70 also includes
means 88 for connecting wireway 70 to junction box
46. Such means includes the provision of an extension
90 which may b~ fastened to plate 92 using fastening
means 94~ FIG. 5. Flange 96 overlaps the end of
junction box 46 to enclose wires 54 and 56 at the
conflux of junction box and wireway 704 Extension 90
may be used to provide a place of attachment 98 for a
ground wire (not shown), if desired. It may be
apparent that the slidiny engagement of element 76
of wireway 70 in combination with means 88 for con-
necting wireway 70 to junction box 46 provides a s-truc-
tural unit in combination with arms 48 and 50. The
slidiny engagement of tab 80 with the side por-tion
of housing 12 allows for size tolerances in wireway
70 as well as for thermal contraction and expansion
of the elements of unit 10. Element 76 and 80 thereof
may also be resiliently attached -to wireway 70 to
provide a flexible or springy connection between wireway
70 and housing 12. Tab 80 also conducts heat from
interior of housing 12 for detection by therrnoprotector
means 64.
Housing 12 also embraces the structure
of door 100 which is similarly constructed in re7ation
to door 102. Therefore, the following description of
door 100 would equally apply to the construction of
door 102. Door 100 includes a member 104 in the form
of a plate in the embodiment shown on FIG. 5. Member
104 hinyedly attaches to housing 12 at end portion 106.
This may be accomplished by providing end portion 106
with a pair of ears 108 and 110 which fit in a pair
of openings 112 and 114, respectively, FIG. 2. The
other end 116 of member 104 includes means 118 for
latching door 100 to housing 12. Means 118 may
include providing housing 12 with an opening 120 there-
through. A spring element 122 is fastened to door
100 and projects therefrom. Spring element 122 may
include a vent or looped portion 124 which is capable
of occupyiny opening 120 of housing 12. It may be
apparent that door 100 may be opened by applying
pressure to spring element 122 from the outside of
housing 12. This may be especially useful after unit
10 has been placed in ceiling 40 to gain access to
the area surrounding housing 12, FIG. 5. Doors 100
or 102 may be temporarily brought to the inside of
housing 12 while work is being performed on junction
box 46.
In addition, unit 10 may also provide for a
a hanger mechanism 126 which may be employed in
relation to a pair of beams 128 and 130. Hanger
mechanism 126 may include a pair of elongated members
132 and 134 and a pair of elongated members 136
and 138. The following description will focus on the
functioning of elongated members 132 and 134 of hanger
mechanism 126 and may be deemed to be applicable to
the functioning of elongated members 136 and 138,
which are similarly constructed.
Turning to FIG~ 1, it may be seen that
elongated members 132 and 134 are used in conjunction
with means 140 for supporting the pair of elongated
members to housing 12. Cleats 142, 144, 146 and 1~8
serve to confine elongated members 132 and 134 in
sliding engagement with one another adjacent housing
12. As shown in FIG~ 1, member 132 extends to beam
128 while elongated member 134 extends to beam 130.
Each elongated member is identically constructed,
using elongated member 132 as an exemplar, to
include a shaft 150 in the form of a bar having two
portions angularly attached to one another (most
clearly shown on FIG. 4 in relation to elongated mem-
bers 134 and 138). By this construction, the pairs
of elongated members slide in relation to one another
and are guided in this movement, FIG. 3. The end
portion of elongated member 132 includes an end piece
152 fixed at an angle to shaft 150. Moreover, a lip
154 fixes at an angle to end piece 152, FIGS. 1 and
6. Elongated members, such as elongated member 132,
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also includes means 156 for fastening the same to ~eams
128 and 130. ~eans 156 may be formed such that end
piece 152 is a split member having a first and second
portion 158 and 160. First portion may be ber.t into
a first and second section 162 and 164. First section
162 of first portion 158 may include an end portion 166,
FIG. 1, which is capable of penetrating any of the
beams 128 and 130. End piece may include an opening
168 for guiding a fastener, such as nail 170 into beam
128.
In operation, unit 10 might be assembled by
placing wires 54 and 56 through wireway 70 in connecting
socket 16 at one end thereof. Wireway 70 is then con-
nected to housing 12 by the use of means 66 and in the
embodiment shown in the drawings, element 76 slidingly
engaging the sides of slot 68 of housing 12. The other
end of wireway 70 would be affixed to junction box 46
by the use of fastener 94 which would connect extension
90 and plate 92 in adjacent configuration. Unit 10
may then be placed between beams 128 and 130 using hanger
mechanism 126 such that the lip 154 of end piece 152
of elongated member 134, 136 and 138, fit under beams
128 and 1300 This accurately positions unit 10 as a
recessed lighting fixture. Power can then be brought
to junction box 45 via cable 52 and splice to wires 54
and 56 in the conventional manner. Side covers 60 and
62 may then be employed to enclose junction box 46.
Likewise, doors 100 and 102 may be used to close housing
12 leaving opening 38 as the only opening of housing 12.
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Socket 16 may then be fastened to housiny 12 using
means 18, which includes the provision of placing
torsion sprin~s 24 and 26 in the mounting brackets
20 and 22 after fas-tening the same to base 28 by
the employment of fastening clips 30 and 32. Yoke
34 may also be employed by fastening the same to
base 28. Lamp 14 may then be placed in socket 16
and lens 36 fastened to base 28 to complete the
mounting of unit 10. Removal of lens 36 permits
the changing of lamp 1~ as desired. Doors 100
and 102 may be opened to gain access to the space
immediately adjacent an outside of housing 12 inclu-
ding junction box 46.
While in the foregoing embodiments of the present
invention have been set forth in considerable detail
fGr the purposes of making a complete disclosure of the
invention, it will be apparent to those of ordinary
skill in the art that numerous changes may be made in
such details without departing from the spirit and
principles of the invention.
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