Patent Application
20080175011
The present invention relates generally to lights and light fixtures. More specifically, it relates to a suspended cable and reel assembly that allows a user to quickly and easily install a lighting system for positioning of decorative or utility lighting fixtures.
Overhead lighting systems typically suspended from above such as by a ceiling fixture or by track lighting systems. Cable lighting systems have recently been developed to provide both power and support by conductors stretched across a plane bounded by two walls. These systems have become popular due to their simplicity, their functionality and their ability to place lamps suspended in areas that would normally be difficult to light. These systems allow a user to set up a suspended lighting system with a number of components and modify that system on demand. These cable lighting systems have also become commonplace in the United States and other countries for both utility and decorative lighting.
Most of theses systems are tensioned using multiple turnbuckles at each end of the conductors. One of these systems is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,360, issued to Banke. This system uses insulated cables stretched overhead between walls. The system is installed by common wall fasteners such as screws or sheetrock fasteners. The tension in these cables are adjusted by manually adjusting turnbuckles on either end. These systems require careful alignment of the attachment points and conductor cables on opposing walls. It is difficult to accomplish accurate alignment and consistent tensioning between the two conductors and thereby avoid an uneven plane. Fastening the cables securely and independently to varied surfaces is also difficult. This difficulty in turn may cause the lighting fixtures to be positioned at an undesired angle.
Another disadvantage of the system disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,360 is the difficulty in modifying the arrangement of lighting fixtures once the system has been assembled. The tensioning method described above will often require the user to climb a ladder to reach the height of the conductor plane, and therefore be limited in movement for repositioning the lighting fixtures. The fixtures themselves are firmly held in place by cable clamps on both conductors, and are not retained once released, which requires the user to support the weight of the fixture until he or she can reposition the ladder at the desired location.
Other systems have tried to overcome these disadvantages by allowing the fixture to slide along the horizontal plane. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,440,469. This system, however, requires the use of rigid cylindrical conductors, that must be coupled together to reach the desired length, and do not allow the user to position the system between walls or other surfaces that are not parallel to each other.
Another such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,536,925. This system uses a separate supporting method and a plurality of S-hooks to achieve the desired movement. The disadvantages of this system are obvious, and include the appearance of unnecessary slack at the ends of each conductor, and the absence of any method for retracting and storing the unnecessary slack. This system also includes the limited ability to position the direction of the lamps once suspended from the cable assembly.
Another disadvantage of the prior art is the complexity of the hardware required for installation. One such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,244,733. This system requires multiple points of mounting on both the horizontal and vertical room surfaces. This system also limits the flexibility of the lighting system arrangement by imposing a rigid supporting method and heavy lighting fixtures and supports.
Another such system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,322. This system also uses a rigid support and conductive member, which in turn also requires more support members and limits the options for the user to position the lighting fixtures. This system also has the disadvantage of not allowing the plane to be positioned between two room surfaces that are not parallel to each other.
In most cases, these prior systems require complicated mounting procedures using tools and an experienced installer. Licensed electricians are often needed to install the hard wired components safely. They require considerable mechanical skill in installation and maintenance. A need presently exists for a system that can be easily installed with little mechanical aptitude.
The present invention solves these problems and others by providing a cable lighting system that can be easily installed with little mechanical ability or tools. The cable lighting system can be installed in any location that has opposing walls or even adjacent walls. The cable lighting system provides an integrated preassembled lighting system that can be installed straight from the packaging without assembly or modification.
The cable lighting system of a preferred embodiment of the present invention provides a preassembled system that has the cables, anchoring systems, a tensioning system, electrical transformer and lighting fixtures already assembled. The user simply anchors a plaque holding one end of the cables to a first surface, the opposing end of the cables are held by a plaque to a second surface. Then the user adjusts the tension in the cables without tools, adjusts the position of the lighting fixtures by sliding and aiming them to the desired orientation and connects the power cord to an electrical outlet.
The cable lighting system of a preferred embodiment provides a cable tensioning system that independently adjusts the tension in each cable. This allows the system to be installed at an angle or on uneven surfaces.
The cable lighting system of a preferred embodiment incorporates the tensioning system within the housing of one of the anchoring systems. This provides a clean and elegant look the cable lighting system. The electrical transformer may be mounted within the housing as well.
In a preferred embodiment of the cable lighting system, the tensioning system includes cable reels mounted by way of independent ratchet mechanisms to each of the cables. The cables are pre wound onto the reels and pull out for installation. The reels are then turned to tension the cables independently. This allows the tension in each cable to be independently adjusted until the appropriate tension in each cable has been reached and maintained.
A preferred embodiment of the cable lighting system of the present invention provides an electrical transformer to create a low voltage system. The transformer can be mounted within a housing on one end of the cables, near the power source, within a recessed can, or at any location along the cables.
Other embodiments allow for other means to store, tension and lock the cables independently that do not include reels which will be further discussed.
These and other features of the present invention are evident from the drawings along with the detailed description of preferred embodiments.
The present invention provides a pre-assembled low voltage cable lighting system. It is to be expressly understood that this exemplary embodiment is provided for descriptive purposes only and is not meant to unduly limit the scope of the present inventive concept. Other embodiments, and variations of the conductors or lighting fixtures of the present invention are considered within the present inventive concept as set forth in the claims herein. For explanatory purposes only, the lighting apparatus of the preferred embodiments are discussed primarily for the purposes of understanding the method of installation. It is to be expressly understood that other devices are contemplated for use with the present invention as well.
A preferred embodiment of the present system is illustrated in
Lighting fixtures 30, such as pendants or other types of light fixtures, are secured between the electrical cables 20, 22 for support and for receiving electrical current. It is to be expressly understood that these lighting fixtures may come in any configuration, size or shape that is appropriate for low voltage lighting, particularly those designed for cable lighting systems.
The cables 20, 22 are secured on one surface by anchor plate 40 and on the other surface by cable reel mechanism 60. A transformer may be separately housed in a dimmer mechanism adjacent an electrical outlet or in other locations. Alternatively, the transformer may be housed in the anchor plate 40.
The anchor plate 40, as shown in
The opposing ends of cables 20, 22 are secured to other wall or surface by cable reel mechanism 60. The cable reel mechanism includes exterior housing 62. The housing 62 is mounted onto the surface by using an anchor plate 64 that is mounted to the wall surfaces by adhesive tapes 66 similar to the anchor plate 40 discussed above.
The cable reel mechanism 60 includes independent cable tightening mechanism 80 to independently tighten each of the cables 20, 22. The cable tightening mechanism 80 as shown in
The housing 62 includes resilient posts 110, 112, 114, 116 formed inside the housing adjacent the ratchet mechanism 94, 96. The posts 110, 114 are adjacent one another while posts 112, 116 are adjacent one another at the other end of the housing. Knobs 90, 92 are formed on the end of the reels 82, 84 on the exterior of the housing.
When the knobs 90, 92 are pulled outward or slightly extended from the housing, the ratchet mechanisms 94, 96 engage with only the resilient posts 110, 112, respectively. This provides some friction against the ratchets 94, 96 as shown in
When the knobs 90, 92 are pushed inward and retained by a clicking mechanism, the toothed ratchet mechanisms 94, 96 engage with the second set of resilient posts, 114, 116 respectively to provide additional friction as shown in
Other types of cable tightening mechanisms for the reels may be uses as well, such as coil springs, metal spring clips or any other mechanism that can apply friction to the cable in one setting and strong holding power in the other setting. In addition, a locking mechanism may be used to secure the cables that employ a cam lock, wedge lock or other locking device engaged once the cables are properly tensioned.
Other embodiments that do not use reels to hold the cables yet provide simple tensioning methods can also be used. These include but are not limited to mechanisms to coil or hold the cable so it can be let out for instillation, which might be outside the housing such as spools, loops and other means to organize the cables. These means use a locking mechanism such as a levered cam or push-in wedge to lock the cables once they are pulled tight by hand.
The cables 20, 22 are engaged with electrical contact leads that are also attached to the transformer 100. This supplies electrical current to the cables 20, 22 and thus to the light fixtures 30. The transformer may be mounted within the anchor mount 40, on the wall and held by adhesive tape, plugs into the electrical power outlet, within a recessed ceiling can, junction box or other locations.
In this preferred embodiment, lighting fixtures 30 are preinstalled onto the cables 20, 22. The fixtures can be slid along the cables to the desired locations. In other embodiments, the light fixtures can be installed after the cables are installed and tensioned.
In use, the cable lighting system is attached by first securing the anchor plates 40, 66 to the wall surfaces as shown in
The cable reel housing is pulled away from the mounted anchor plate 40 as shown in
The knobs 90, 92 are then pushed inward so the stronger tensioning post is engaged and rotated to tighten the cables as shown in
The power cord that supplies low voltage electricity is low profile, adhesive backed and attaches to the wall. It extends to a transformer with switch or dimmer installed in a housing that is adhesive mounted to the wall. It is then plugged into the electrical outlet, or plugged into a recessed ceiling can with a screw in adaptor. In other preferred embodiments, the system can be hardwired into existing junction boxes. The transformer, in one preferred embodiment, is mounted within a centrally located junction box and in other embodiments plugged directly into an electrical receptacle. The transformer can attach to the cables 20, 22 at one end or in a central location.
In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the cable lighting system is pre-assembled and distributed in a kit form. The user simply unpacks the pre-assembled system, as shown in
In another preferred embodiment of the present invention, the anchor plate and the cable reel housing may include plaques that are mounted to the wall by the adhesive tape and/or screws or other fasteners. The anchor plate and the cable reel housing are already pre-mounted on the cables. Once the plaques have been mounted onto the mounting surfaces, the anchor plate and the cable reel housing are simply slipped over the respective plaques and snap into place.
The above described embodiment disclosed using cables in a straight fashion. In other embodiments brackets may be used to redirect the cables around corners or in other directions. The tensioning mechanism is utilized to maintain the tension even with these brackets.
In another embodiment shown in
Other tensioning mechanisms are also included within the scope of the claimed invention. It is to be expressly understood that the above described embodiments are intended for explanatory purposes and are not meant to limit the scope of the claimed inventions.
