For recessed lighting applications, individuals desire changeable lighting assemblies that provide desired aesthetics for particular applications. Accordingly, a need exists for new recessed lighting assemblies providing various aesthetic features suitable for various applications.
Various embodiments are directed to an adjustable light fixture comprising a light head, a socket base, and an extender located between the light head and the socket base. The light head comprises a light source, a lens, and a frame; and the extender is configured to move between an extended configuration and a compressed configuration.
In various embodiments, the extender comprises a first component and a second component, wherein the first component and second component are concentric, and wherein the first component is positioned within the second component and the first component configured to slide relative to the second component. Moreover, in various embodiments, the light head comprises the first component and the socket base comprises the second component. Moreover, the first component may be frictionally engaged with the second component. In certain embodiments, the extender is infinitely adjustable between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration.
In certain embodiments, the light head is secured relative to a first of the concentric components and the socket base is secured relative to a second of the concentric components, and wherein the first concentric component is configured to slide within the second concentric component. Moreover, in various embodiments, the extender additionally comprises a guide mechanism configured to prevent portions of the extender from rotating. The guide mechanism may comprise a guide slot defined in the first component and a guide pin extending away from the second component and within the guide slot of the first component. The guide slot may extend parallel to a direction of travel of the first component relative to the second component.
In various embodiments, the socket base comprises a screw-in socket base configured to engage a corresponding screw-in socket of a light assembly. In certain embodiments, the light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes. Moreover, in various embodiments, the light fixture additionally comprises a conductor electrically connecting a portion of the light head with the socket base.
Various embodiments are directed to a method of installing an adjustable light fixture. The adjustable light fixture may comprise a light head, a socket base, and an extender located between the light head and the socket base. In various embodiments, the light head comprises a light source, a lens, and a frame, and the extender is configured to move between an extended configuration and a compressed configuration. The method may comprise steps for: engaging the socket base with a corresponding socket of a lighting assembly; and adjusting the extender toward the compressed configuration such that at least a portion of the light head is positioned within the lighting assembly.
In various embodiments, the extender comprises a first component and a second component concentric with the first component. In various embodiments, the first component is positioned within the second component and the first component is configured to slide relative to the second component. In certain embodiments, adjusting the extender toward the compressed configuration comprises depressing the first component relative to the second component. Moreover, in various embodiments, the light source comprises one or more light emitting diodes. In certain embodiments, the socket base comprises a screw-in base; and engaging the socket base with the corresponding socket comprises screwing the socket base into the corresponding socket.
Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which some, but not all embodiments of the invention are shown. Indeed, the invention may be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will satisfy applicable legal requirements. Like numbers refer to like elements throughout.
Various embodiments are directed to an adjustable light fixture for use in association with a recessed lighting assembly (e.g., a can light). The adjustable light fixture may be configured to adjust between an extended configuration and a compressed configuration such that the length of the adjustable light fixture may be adjusted to correspond to the length of a particular lighting assembly. In various embodiments, the length of the adjustable light fixture may be infinitely adjustable between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration. However, various embodiments of the adjustable light fixture may comprise a plurality of length adjustment settings, such that the length of the light may be adjusted between each of the various length adjustment settings.
The adjustable light fixture may comprise a lighting head comprising one or more light sources (e.g., Light Emitting Diodes), a socket base configured to electrically connect the adjustable light fixture to a power source, and an extender portion between the lighting head and the socket base. The length of the extender portion is adjustable between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration, thereby changing the distance between the lighting head and the socket base. For example, the extender may be configured to periscope between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration.
The adjustable light fixture may thus be configured to retrofit into existing can light assemblies without the use of collapsible springs required to lock into a can light assembly housing to hold to adjustable light fixture in place. Moreover, the adjustable light fixture may be configured to provide the visual aesthetics of a flush mounted light fixture without the use of fixed-length socket extenders to move the lens of a light bulb to a desired distance away from a light socket. Thus, integrating a periscoping extender into an adjustable light fixture enables quick and efficient installation of the adjustable light fixture into an existing recessed can lighting assembly while maintaining consistent and desired light distribution properties from the light source.
As described herein, various embodiments of the adjustable light fixture may comprise a lighting head, a socket base, and an extender located between the lighting head and the socket base. The lighting head may comprise one or more light sources (e.g., Light Emitting Diodes, incandescent lighting filaments, fluorescent bulbs, halogen bulbs, and/or the like) and lighting drivers (e.g., Light Emitting Diode drivers). The lighting head may be in electrical communication with the socket base via one or more conductors within the extender. For example, the one or more conductors providing an electrical conduit between the socket base and the lighting head may comprise one or more insulated flexible wires (e.g., stranded wires and/or solid-core wires), one or more rigid conductors (e.g., one or more extendable rigid conductors), and/or the like.
The socket base may comprise a screw-in socket, a snap-in socket, a pronged socket, and/or the like having one or more electrical contacts configured to provide an electrical connection between the lighting head and an electrical source (e.g., Alternating Current line voltage and/or Direct Current). For example, the socket base may comprise a screw-in base configured to be secured relative to a medium-screw sized socket. As yet another non-limiting example, the socket base may comprise a two-prong base configured to slidably engage a corresponding two-prong socket.
The extender may comprise a rigid telescoping assembly adjustable between an extended configuration and a compressed configuration. As will be described in greater detail herein, the length of the extender may be infinitely adjustable between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration, such that the length of the extender remains unchanged absent the application of an external force. Thus, for example, when the adjustable light fixture is suspended by the socket base, the weight of the extender and/or the lighting head does not cause the extender to move toward the extended configuration.
With reference to
Moreover, in various embodiments, the frame 11 may comprise a rigid material (e.g., plastic, metal, wood, and/or the like) surrounding the lens 10. In various embodiments, the frame 11 may comprise an opaque material, however it should be understood that the frame 11 may comprise transparent and/or translucent materials. As will be discussed in reference to
With reference again to
The extender 12 may adjust the distance between the socket base 13 and the lighting head. In various embodiments, the extender 12 may comprise two at least substantially concentric and telescoping rigid components configured to slide relative to one another between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration. In various embodiments, the components of the extender 12 may comprise a rigid, electrically insulative material (e.g., a rigid plastic material). However, in various embodiments the components of the extender 12 may comprise one or more conductors (e.g., metal pins, plates, tubes, and/or the like) configured to provide an electrical conduit between the socket base 13 and various electrical components within the lighting head 5. In such embodiments, the light fixture 1 may not comprise separate conductors (e.g., wires) extending between the socket base 13 and electrical components positioned within the lighting head 5 (e.g., an LED driver, and/or the like).
In various embodiments, the extender 12 may be infinitely adjustable between the extended configuration and the compressed configuration, such that the extender 12 may be configured to maintain any length unless subject to an external force to change the length of the extender 12 (e.g., applied by a user installing and/or uninstalling the light fixture 1). For example, the various concentric components of the extender 12 may be frictionally secured to one another such that the static frictional force generated between the various components may prevent the extender 12 from moving from a selected position without application of an external force.
Moreover, as shown in
Moreover, with reference again to
In alternative embodiments, the extender 12 may define a plurality of discrete adjustment lengths, such that the length of the extender 12 may be adjustable between any of the various discrete adjustment lengths. Each adjustment length may be associated with one or more fasteners, such as a snap, ledge, pin, and/or other fastener configured to maintain the length of the extender 12 at a particular adjustment length. Adjustment between each of the various adjustment lengths may thus require that the one or more fasteners be disengaged before adjusting the length of the extender 12.
As yet another alternative embodiment, the extender 12 may comprise two corresponding threaded members configured to rotate relative to one another such that rotating the corresponding threaded members in a first direction (e.g., clockwise) may adjust the extender 12 toward the compressed configuration and rotating the corresponding threaded members in a second direction may adjust the extender 12 toward the extended configuration.
As illustrated in
As shown in
In various embodiments, the adjustable light fixture 1 may be configured to be secured within a variety of different size lighting assemblies 50. For example, the frame 11 of the adjustable light fixture 1 may have any of a variety of outside diameters, such that the frame 11 is configured to cover various size lighting assemblies. For example, the adjustable light fixture 1 may be configured to be secured within a 3 inch diameter can light, a 4 inch diameter can light, a 5 inch diameter can light, and/or a 6 inch diameter can light such that the adjustable light fixture 1 entirely covers the diameter of the light assembly in which it is secured. As shown in
Many modifications and other embodiments of the inventions set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these inventions pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the inventions are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of the appended claims. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
This patent application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patent Ser. No. 17/809,412, filed Jun. 28, 2022, which is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patent Ser. No. 17/065,956, filed Oct. 8, 2020 (now also U.S. Pat. No. 11,402,082, granted Aug. 2, 2022), which is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patent Ser. No. 16/786,556, filed Feb. 10, 2020 (now also U.S. Pat. No. 10,837,626, granted Nov. 17, 2020), which is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patent Ser. No. 16/368,993, filed Mar. 29, 2019 (now also U.S. Pat. No. 10,598,354, granted Mar. 24, 2020), which granted patent is itself also a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patent Ser. No. 15/158,159, filed May 18, 2016 (now also U.S. Pat. No. 10,288,266, granted May 14, 2019), which granted patent further claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Ser. No. 62/163,287, filed May 18, 2015; the contents of all of which as are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62163287 | May 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 17809412 | Jun 2022 | US |
Child | 18430085 | US | |
Parent | 17065956 | Oct 2020 | US |
Child | 17809412 | US | |
Parent | 16786556 | Feb 2020 | US |
Child | 17065956 | US | |
Parent | 16368993 | Mar 2019 | US |
Child | 16786556 | US | |
Parent | 15158159 | May 2016 | US |
Child | 16368993 | US |