Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02458252 2004-02-17
REFLECTOR MOUNTING ARRANGEMENT AND METHOD AND CLIP
2 FOR MOUNTING A REFLECTOR IN A FLUORESCENT LIGHT FTNTURF
3
4
Background of the Invention
6 This invention concerns mounting of reflectors in fluorescent light
rixtures. The
7 ability to improve the efficiency of light fixtures has led to adding
reflectors abovc fluorescent.
8 light tubes to increase the output of light to save electrical power.
9 A typical installation comprises fixing a metal reflector to the fixture
liousing with
fasteners, the reflector positioned above the fluorescent tubes in the fixture
housing. This is a
11 slow, labor intensive process, requiring removal of the light tubes and
working overhead standing
12 on a ladder. For commercial installations such as stores, offices,
factories, etc., involving
13 hundreds of fixtures, the cost is substantial.
14 In U.S. patent 5,613,761 issued to the present inventors a lightweight
reflector
using plastic corrugated material with a foil ftlm facing is described. This
reflector can be
16 inou.nted to the tubes themselves, as described in that patent, using
cutouts in erid pieces of the
17 reflector.
? 8 While that mounting and reflector is a considerable improvement over the
prior
19 reflectors, the reflector m.ust first be formed into a trough shape by
fixing end pieces to the
reflector ends, and installation is still time consuming as the formed
reflector must bc
21 maneuvered properly to secure the same into place on the tubes.
22 In addition, there is a great variety of sizes of tubes and fixtures in
use, aiid it
23 would be advantageous to provide a standardizcd mounting to fit znost or
all such light sizes_
24 It is the object of the present invention to provide a reflector mountiaig
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CA 02458252 2004-02-17
; an-angement and niethod for fluorescent light fixtures which makes it
sirnp(e and quick to install
? a reflector to a variety of light sizes_
3
4 Summary of ttie Invention
The above object and others which will become apparent upon a reading of the
6 following specification and claims are achieved by a using flat rectangular
reflector sheet fitting
7 within the fixture housing, preferably constructed of corrugated plastic
with a reflective film oti
8 one side which is preformed with a series of pairs of aligned notches on
each side edge. A
9 plurality of bracket clips preferably of a generally rounded shape and made
from clear plastic
sheet stock each have a pair of opposing slots extending into each end of the
clip bracket. The
11 slots are spaced and angled to receive a respective reflector side edge
when the reflector is
12 forined into an arcuate trough.
13 The reflector blank has pairs of aligned slots along its length which znay
each is
14 received in a bracket clip slot to securely position the reflector on a
tube, whieli is received in a
central hole in each bracket clip.
16 The bracket clips may come in different sizes and configurations and are
foizneci
17 with a knockout hole to receive different sized light tubes. Inwardly
extending tabs extend
18 partially around the hole and are able to be resiliently bent or twisted to
allow the tube to be
19 pushed into the hole past the tab, the tab moving back over the tube to
prevent the tube from
escaping from the hole.
21 Providing additional slots in the perimeter of the bracket clips allow
different
22 reflector etu-vatures to be set.
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CA 02458252 2004-02-17
2 Dcscription of the Drawinas
3 Figure 1 is a pictorial view of an inverted reflector held on a fluorescent
light ttlbe
4 with a series of bracket clips which also hold the reflector in a trough
shape, a fragnzentary
portiotl of the light fixture shown in phantom lines.
6 Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken through the inverted
reflector of
7 Figure 1 showing one of the bracket clips in fiu-ther detail.
8 Figure 3A-3D show a reflector blank with markings to trinl to allow cuttitig
to
9 various length reflectors as indicated in the various views.
Figure 4 is a pictorial view of another embodirneiZt of a bracket clip of the
11 invention.
12 Figure 5 is a planar view of yet atiother bracket clip according to r.hc
invention
13 formed with two slot pairs.
14 Figure 6 is a planar view of still another embodiment of a bracket clip
according
to the invention formed with pairs of oppositely extending slots.
16
17 Detailed Description
1 s In the following detailed description, certain specific terminology will
be
19 employed for the sake of clarity and a particular embodiment described in
accordance with the
requirements of 35 USC 112, but it is to be understood that the saine is not
intended to be
21 tiiniting and should not be so con.strued inasmuch as the invention is
capable of taking niany
22 forn-is and variations within the scope of the appended claims_
3
CA 02458252 2006-10-10
1 Referring to the drawings, the present invention concerns a fluorescent
light
2 fixture 10 (Figure 1) in which one or more fluorescent light tubes 12 are
mounted. According
3 to the present invention, a reflector 14 is mounted to the fixture 10 by an
arrangement
4 including a series of clip brackets 16 preferably made of a clear plastic
sheet material so as to
be as unobtrusive as possible and to not obstruct light emanating from the
tube 12.
6 Each bracket clips 16 hold the sides edges of the reflector 14 to form the
same
7 in a trough shape and are received on the fluorescent tube 12 to hold the
reflector over the tube
8 12 without any connection to the housing 10.
9 Figure 2 shows further details. The reflector 14 is preferably constructed
generally as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,613,761, but other reflectors could
be used. A
11 backing of corrugated plastic 18 is slit longitudinally on one side to
allow ready forming into a
12 trough shape by bending along the corrugation lines.
13 A reflective film 20 is bonded onto the other side to provide maximum
14 reflection of light emanating from the fluorescent tube 12 to concentrate
light directed from
the tube in the direction towards the open side of the fixture 10.
16 Each bracket clip 16 is made from flat plastic sheet stock in a rounded
shape
17 having a protuberance 22 at each end. A pair of opposing circumferential
slots 24 are each
18 recessed into the perimeter of a respective protuberance 22 angled slightly
in convergent
19 directions toward each other. The spacing between the two slots 24 is less
than the distance
between the two side edges 26 of reflector 14 when the reflector lies flat so
that the reflector
21 sheet is formed into a trough shape when the side edges 26 are hooked into
a respective slot 24
22 as shown. The reflector 14 has a series of notches 25 cut into its side
edges 26. The bracket
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CA 02458252 2006-10-10
1 clips 16 are installed with notches 24 receiving the notches 25 to locate
and secure the same.
2 A series of spaced apart bracket clips 16 are installed in this way along
the
3 length of the reflector 14 to form a complete trough shape along its length.
4 A central hole 28 is sized to receive the light tube 12, the hole 28
extending
into a gap 30 provided to create two resiliently bendable tabs 32 extending
partially around
6 said hole. Either of the bendable tabs 32 can be twisted aside to allow the
light tube 12 to be
7 passed into the hole 28 so that the light tube 12 need not be removed from
the fixture 10 to
8 install the reflector 14.
9 A knockout 34 is also formed by arcuate slots 36 and scoring 38 to allow use
with larger diameter fluorescent light tubes.
11 Figures 3A-3D show how a single reflector blank 40 can be employed to form
12 various lengths reflectors.
13 A series of the notches 25 are provided sufficient in number to allow two,
three
14 or four foot reflectors to be constructed while enabling installation of at
least two clip
brackets.
16 A series of imprinted or scored cutting guide lines 42 A, B, C are provided
on
17 either end, as well as a center guide line 42D.
18 Two longer reflectors l0A for four foot strip fixtures can be produced from
the
19 uncut blank 40.
By cutting along guide lines 42A a shorter reflector l OB is formed for four
foot
21 recessed fixtures.
22 By cutting along the next guide lines 42B and 42D, a pair of two foot
reflectors
23 10C are provided, each having two aligned pairs of notches 25 for two
bracket clips 16.
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CA 02458252 2004-02-17
1 By cutting along guide lines 42C, a three foot reflector 101) is created
with thrce
2 bracket clips 16 used to form and support the same.
3 Thus, a simple inexpensive arrangement and method for increasing the usefiil
4 light output of fluorescent fixtures is provided using the reflector and
bracket clips as described.
which allows quicker and easier retrofitting of light fixtures in the field.
6 Figures 4-6 show additional versions of the bracket clip.
7 In Figure 4, a bracket clip 44 has a protuberance at each which are bent
over to
8 present a tab 46 with an angled entry flange 48 to simplify assembly of the
reflector 14 thereto
9 and improve gripping thereof.
Figure 5 shows a bracket clip 50 having protuberances 52 formed with
11 circumferential slots 54A, 54B extending in from opposite directions, each
aligned with a
12 respective outside edge 56A, 56B. With the reflector 14 held in the slots
54A and against the
1.3 edge 56A, it is spread flatter than when the bracket 50 is flipped and the
reflector 14 is held in
14 slots 54B and against edge 56B. This allows different curvatures of the
reflector 14 to be set for
a particular installation.
16 Figure 6 shows a brar-ket clip 58 with protuberances 60 in which two slots
62A,
17 62B extend in from the same side to also allow different reflector
curvatures to be set. A knock
18 out 64 is also provided in the bracket clip 58.
19
6
