Patent Application
20190056098
This disclosure relates to a downlight lighting assembly that is easily assembled and provides for mounting of either a round or square trim apertures.
Downlight lighting assemblies are typically installed in ceilings to illuminate a room. However, the assembly process particularly in a restricted space such as a ceiling can sometimes be cumbersome. As the assembly can be time consuming, an improvement to reduce the assembly time can help reduce the cost, while also reducing the possibility for assembly error. In addition, having a universal attachment method for installing a round or square trim member to the downlight lighting assembly can further reduce the assembly time required for installing a downlight lighting assembly.
The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention and various features of it. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but it simply provides a general overview and context for the more detailed description that follows.
Aspects of this invention relate to an LED downlight assembly that consists of a heat sink, the LED chip, the LED connector, the mixing chamber, the lens, and two screws to tie them all together. The LED downlight assembly creates a snap-fit engagement between the lens and the mixing chamber that allows for effortless assembly (and disassembly if necessary) between the lens and the mixing chamber. The mixing chamber may also have a snap-fit engagement on its backside that mates with the LED connector to hold it in place during assembly. When the LED chip and wires are in place on the LED connector and mixing chamber subassembly, two screws or securing members pass through the heat sink and LED connector to embed in the mixing chamber and create a sandwich-style compression engagement between the LED chip and the heat sink. Additional aspects relate to a twist and lock trim system that creates a universal attachment method for round and square trims. The twist and lock trim system is a frictional engagement between a slotted circular disk that is part of the trim. The twist and lock trim system also includes a ramp and “bayonet” feature that is tooled into the heat sink. As the trim is rotated, the “bayonet,” or small bump, bites into the trim causing positive interference so that the trim is locked in place until the operator applies enough counter force to rotate the trim in the opposite direction, thereby releasing the engagement.
Further aspects of this invention relate to an LED downlight assembly that includes: an LED chip removably connected to a front surface of a rear wall of a heatsink and a mixing chamber. The heatsink further comprises a plurality of fins, a substantially cylindrical side wall extending from the front surface has at least one opening through the rear wall. The mixing chamber comprises at least one receiving member to receive a securing member and a lower engaging member extending from a rear surface that secures to an LED connector. The securing member is inserted through the at least one opening in the rear wall of the heatsink and into the receiving member of the mixing chamber. The LED connector is secured to the LED chip and the heatsink by a compressive force.
Additionally, further aspects of this invention relate to an LED downlight assembly that comprises: a heatsink, an LED chip located on the front surface of the heatsink, a mixing chamber, and a reflector. The heatsink may comprise a plurality of fins, a front surface of a rear wall, a substantially cylindrical side wall extending from the front surface, and a flange adjacent the cylindrical side wall opposite the front surface and a lip extending from the flange. The flange may include a plurality of slots. The lip may include a plurality of protrusions extending inward from an edge of the lip. The mixing chamber may comprise a central opening engaged to the heatsink. The reflector may have a circular wall with a central opening, a substantially conical shaped portion extending from the circular wall, and a plurality of notches positioned around an outside edge of the circular wall. The reflector may be secured to the heatsink by sliding the plurality of notches on the circular wall over the plurality of protrusions of the heatsink until the circular wall contacts a top surface of a mixing chamber and rotating the reflector such that at least one of the plurality of protrusions contacts the circular wall.
Additionally, further aspects of this invention relate to an LED downlight assembly that includes a heatsink, an LED chip located on a front surface of the heatsink, a mixing chamber, a reflector bracket, and a reflector. The heatsink may include a plurality of fins, a front surface of a rear wall, a substantially cylindrical side wall extending from the front surface, and a flange adjacent the cylindrical side wall opposite the front surface and a lip extending from the flange. The flange may include a plurality of slots. The lip may includes a plurality of protrusions extending inward from an edge of the lip. The mixing chamber may comprise a central opening engaged to the heatsink. The reflector bracket may comprise a substantially flat plate with a substantially circular profile, a central opening, and a plurality of notches in an outside edge of the circular profile. The reflector bracket may be secured to the heatsink by sliding the plurality of notches on the circular profile over the plurality of protrusions of the heatsink until the reflector bracket contacts a top surface of a mixing chamber and rotating the reflector bracket such that at least one of the plurality of protrusions contacts the reflector bracket.
The downlight lighting assembly may be similar to any of the previous downlight lighting assemblies described above or as described below and illustrated in the figures of this application.
The present invention is illustrated by way of example and not limited in the accompanying figures in which like reference numerals indicate similar elements and in which:
Further, it is to be understood that the drawings may represent the scale of different components of one single embodiment; however, the disclosed embodiments are not limited to that particular scale.
In the following description of various example structures according to the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration various example devices, systems, and environments in which aspects of the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts, example devices, systems, and environments may be utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top,” “bottom,” “front,” “back,” “side,” “rear,” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the figures or the orientation during typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention.
The following terms are used in this specification, and unless otherwise noted or clear from the context, these terms have the meanings provided below.
“Generally parallel” means that a first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc. is approximately (in this instance, within 5%) equidistant from with another line, plane, edge, surface, etc., over at least 50% of the length of the first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc.
“Generally perpendicular” means that a first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc. is approximately (in this instance, within 5%) oriented approximately 90 degrees from another line, plane, edge, surface, etc., over at least 50% of the length of the first line, segment, plane, edge, surface, etc.
“Plurality” indicates any number greater than one, either disjunctively or conjunctively, as necessary, up to an infinite number.
“Substantially flat” means that the surface or component and any features upon the surface or component are equal to or less than 0.06 inches from either side of the surface or component.
Generally, this disclosure relates to a downlight lighting assembly or an LED downlight assembly that reduces assembly time and complexity for an LED downlight by using snap-fits and through-holes strategically. This assembly design reduces cost and simplifies the assembly process. The assembly also includes a universal attachment method for both round and square trims that is both robust and removable.
As illustrated in
As shown in
As shown in
As illustrated in
As illustrated in
For the embodiment shown in
To align and help secure the mixing chamber 150 to the heatsink 110, the plurality of slots 122 of the heatsink 110 may extend through the flange 118 of the heatsink. The portion of each of the upper engaging members 168 that extends below the bottom surface 172 of the flange 162 of the mixing chamber 150 may extend into the slots 122 of the heatsink. Similar to the upper engaging members 168 of the mixing chamber 150, the plurality of slots 122 may be positioned uniformly or non-uniformly around the heatsink.
The heatsink 110 may align the mixing chamber 150 to the proper orientation. When installing the mixing chamber 150, the plurality of slots 166 may slide over a plurality of protrusions 124 that are adjacent the plurality of slots 122 on the heatsink 110 until the bottom surface 172 of the flange 162 of the mixing chamber 150 contacts the flange 118 of the heatsink 110. The protrusions 124 may create an undercut between the bottom surface 126 of the protrusion 124 to help secure the reflector 190.
As further illustrated in
The reflector 190 may have a top wall 192, a bottom wall 194, and a generally conical or generally parabolic shaped surface 196 between the top and bottom walls 192, 194 with a circular central opening 199 through the reflector 190. The bottom wall 194 may have a circular shape and a plurality of notches 198 extending through the outside edge of bottom wall 194. The top wall 192 may form the exterior trim member that is visible to the user. To secure the reflector 190 to the heatsink 110, the plurality of notches 198 on the bottom wall 194 may be slid over the plurality of protrusions 124 of the heatsink 110 until the bottom wall 194 contacts a top surface 170 of the mixing chamber 150. An operator may rotate the reflector 190 such that the bottom wall 194 slides underneath at least one of the plurality of protrusions 124 until the contact with the bottom wall 194 creates a frictional engagement to secure the reflector 190 to the heatsink 110.
As shown in
The reflector bracket 210 may help connect the heatsink 110 to the reflector assembly 290. The reflector bracket 210 may comprise a substantially flat plate 212 with a substantially circular outer profile having a top surface 214 and a bottom surface 216, a substantially square central opening 218, and a plurality of notches 220 in an outside edge of the circular outer profile. To secure the reflector bracket 210 to the heatsink 110, the plurality of notches 220 may be slid over the plurality of protrusions 124 of the heatsink 110 until the bottom surface 216 of the reflector bracket 210 contacts a top surface 270 of a mixing chamber 250. When the bottom surface 216 contacts the top surface 270, an operator may rotate the reflector bracket 210 such that at least one of the plurality of protrusions 124 contacts the top surface 214 of the reflector bracket 210. Thus, securing the reflector bracket 210 to the heatsink 110. Similar to the process described above, the bump 128 on the protrusion 124 may create a positive interference so that the reflector bracket 210 can be locked into place until an operator applies enough counter force to rotate the reflector bracket 210 in the opposite direction to release the engagement.
Additionally, the reflector bracket 210 may have features to engage and secure the reflector assembly 290. The reflector bracket 210 may have a plurality of flanges 222 that are offset from the top surface 214 and adjacent on at least two edges of the substantially square central opening 218. The flanges 222 may be adjacent to at least three edges of the substantially square central opening 218. The reflector bracket 210 may further comprise a tab 224 adjacent one of the edges of the square central opening 218 without a flange 222.
The reflector bracket 210 may secure the reflector assembly 290 having square shaped end portions. The reflector assembly 290 may have an upper surface 292, a lower surface 294, and a plurality of planar surfaces 296 extending between the lower surface 294 and the upper surface 292, where the planar surfaces 296 have a square-shaped cross-section. In addition, the reflector assembly may have a substantially square central opening 299. For instance, the plurality of planar surfaces 296 may form a truncated pyramidal shape. The reflector assembly 290 may be secured to the reflector bracket 210 by sliding the lower surface 294 under the plurality of flanges 222 and a user may bend the tab 224 to contact the reflector assembly 290. Depending upon the desired exterior trim required, a trim member 280 may be connected to the upper surface 292 of the reflector assembly 290 via a plurality of trim insert clips 286 that engage a plurality of tabs 282 extending from the trim member 280.
Another alternate embodiment of a substantially square shaped reflector for the downlight lighting assembly 100 is shown in
To secure the reflector 390 to the reflector bracket 310, the reflector bracket 310 may further include a plurality of smaller openings 302. The openings 302 may be circular holes with a countersink feature on the bottom surface 314. A securing member (not shown) may extend through the openings 302 into one of a plurality of receivers 391 on the reflector 390, as shown on
The components described above may be manufactured using conventional means and materials. For instance, the heatsink 110, reflectors 190, 290, 390, reflector brackets 210, 310, and torsion springs 104 may be formed from a metallic material, such as an aluminum alloy, steel alloy, copper alloy, or other metallic material. The metallic components of the heatsink 110 and reflector 390 may be formed from near net shape manufacturing process, such as a casting process, such as die casting, permanent mold casting, or investment casting. Furthermore, the metallic components such as the reflector brackets 210, 310 may be formed using a sheet metal forming process. Additional machining operations may be performed to finalize the components. Alternatively, the components may be fully machined or formed using an additive manufacturing process.
In addition, the LED connector 140, mixing chambers 150, 250, and the diffusion lens 180 may be formed of non-metallic materials, such as a polymer based material, such as a polycarbonate, nylon, acrylic, or other non-metallic materials. These non-metallic components may be formed from an injection molding type process or with additional machining operations to finalize the components. Alternatively, the components may be fully machined or formed using an additive manufacturing process.
While the invention has been described in detail in terms of specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.
