Recessed luminaries are placed in the ceiling and there is a need that they contain a fire for between 60 to 120 minutes, otherwise a fire from one lighting assembly in a ceiling can spread to a floor above the ceiling where the lighting assembly is placed.
To address the issue of fire rated lighting assembly, generally an enclosure is built around a recessed light. These enclosures include a fire box that surrounds the recessed light. The problem with fire boxes is that multiple subcontractors may be needed to install a recessed light. The fire boxes may not be designed for standard 2×8 joist construction, requiring larger joist that may be more expensive to construct. Due to the size of the box, recessed lights cannot be installed in close proximity to each other or close to the wall. The fire box can only be installed along a long axis. Furthermore, requiring installing the fire box first and then installing the recessed light inside the box can cause delays in construction and increases the overall cost of labor and material. The use of a fire box may use additional materials such as drywall, caulk, gaskets, hats and joint tape. Lastly, because a box must be made from drywall around each recessed light, additional clearance is needed, thereby limiting location.
There is a need in the art for a fire rated recessed lighting assembly that addresses the above problems.
Provided is a fire resistant or rated recessed lighting assembly comprising a metal housing inside of which a source of light is placed (configured for placement of a source of light), the lighting assembly being fire resistant for 60 or 120 minutes when tested according ASTM E119-12a without a protective fire resistant cover on outside of the housing. A fire resistant material, such as an intumescent material, can be placed inside and/or outside of the housing.
Provided is a fire rated or resistant recessed lighting assembly comprising: a) a metal housing inside of which a light is placed, the metal housing having an open and a closed end; b) a trim (a decorative trim and/or an adapter); and c) an object (element) made of a fire resistant material, such as an intumescent material placed inside of the housing in between the closed end of the housing and the trim; wherein in event of a fire, the fire resistant material slows spread of fire. If the fire resistant material is an intumescent material, then the intumescent material expands to slow spread of the fire. The object (fire resistant element) can span the diameter of the housing just short of touching the housing. The trim can be a decorative trim that may or may not also act as a reflector. The trim can be a support trim (an adapter), which may have a tubular section that fits inside of the housing, and a flange that extends in annular relationship outside of the opening of the housing. The light assembly can further comprise wires attached to top of the housing, to which wires the intumescent object is slidably or movably attached, wherein in event of a fire, the decorative trim melts and the intumescent material slides or moves down the wires. The light assembly can further comprise stoppers attached to an end of the wires for stopping the intumescent object from further sliding down. The light assembly can further comprise a bracket for attaching the wires to the top of the housing. The intumescent object can be a disc made of an intumescent material. The intumescent disc can have a central opening. A socket in electronic communication with an electric cable from a junction box on outside of the housing can be placed inside of the housing, with a least a portion of the socket or the electric cable passing through the central opening of the disc inside of the housing. Heat vents can be present on the intumescent disc. An intumescent ring can be placed outside of the housing to cover one or more openings for attaching the housing to a structure outside of the housing. The disc can be slidably attached to the closed end of the housing with wires. One or more metal wires can be attached to the closed end of the housing, the intumescent disc slidably attached to the wires. A support can be attached to the open end of the housing. A cover can be used for covering the intumescent ring to sandwich the intumescent ring in between the cover and the housing. A metal support below the intumescent disc can be used, the metal disc having openings through which the wires pass to allow the metal support and the intumescent disc slide. One or more stoppers attached at a second end of the wire can be used to stop the metal support from falling out when the metal support reaches the second end of the wire. A metal frame for attaching the housing through a connection with the slot of the housing can be used. A cover can be used for covering the intumescent ring to sandwich the intumescent ring in between the cover and the housing.
Provided is a fire rated or resistant recessed lighting assembly comprising: a) a metal housing inside of which a light is placed; and b) a ring made of an intumescent material placed outside of the housing, wherein in event of a fire, the intumescent material expands to slow spread of the fire. Channels, such as U-Shaped channels, can be present on the intumescent ring, which can complement slots on the housing for adjusting the housing relative to a frame. A cover that surrounds the ring on outside to sandwich the ring in between the housing and the cover can be used. The cover can be made of aluminum and designed to crumple, melt and/or break when the intumescent ring expands.
Provided is a fire resistant recessed lighting assembly comprising: a) a metal housing inside of which a source of light is placed, the metal housing having an open and a closed end; b) an adapter comprised of a flange portion and a tubular portion, the tubular portion configured to be attached to the metal housing at the open end, the flange portion extending radially and outwardly from the open end of the housing; and c) a fire resistant element placed inside of the housing in between the closed end of the housing and the open end of the housing, wherein in an event of a fire, the fire resistant element slows spread of the fire. The lighting assembly can be fire resistant for at least 60 minutes when tested according ASTM E119-12a without a protective fire resistant cover on outside of the housing. The lighting assembly can be fire resistant for at least 120 minutes when tested according ASTM E119-12a without a protective fire resistant cover on outside of the housing. The lighting assembly can further comprise a decorative trim placed inside of the housing in between the fire resistant element and the adapter. The tubular part of the adapter can be complementary to the inside of the open end of the housing, and can be placed inside of the housing. The recessed lighting assembly can be configured to maintain the fire resistant element in the housing in the event of the fire. The fire resistant element can be made from an intumescent material and in the event of the fire, the intumescent material expands to slow spread of the fire. The fire resistant element can be a disc made of the intumescent material. The intumescent disc can have a central opening. The lighting assembly can have a socket in electronic communication with an electric cable from a junction box on outside of the housing is placed inside of the housing, with a least a portion of the socket or the electric cable passing through the central opening of the disc inside of the housing. The housing can have one or more fasteners that cross a wall of the housing in proximity to the second end, the adapter configured to be detachably attached to the fastener. The housing can have one or more slots configured to allow the housing to slide against a frame. The adapter can have a cut portion on the tubular portion that is complementary to the slot. The lighting assembly can further comprise one or more bar hangers attached to the frame configured to allow attachment of the fire resistant recessed lighting assembly to one or more joists. The second end (open end) of the housing and one or more side openings (slots, holes for fasteners) of the housing can be sealed in the event of the fire. In the event of the fire, the fire stop element can expand to fill the housing, the expanded fire stop element configured to remain in the housing in the event of the fire. The intumescent disc can rest on the decorative trim, and move down to seal the opening after a fire.
Provided is a fire resistant recessed lighting assembly comprising: a) a metal housing inside of which a source of light is placed, the metal housing having an open and a closed end; b) an adapter comprised of a flange portion and a tubular portion, the tubular portion configured to be attached to the metal housing at the open end, the flange of the adapter extending outside of the second end of the housing in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to the second end of the housing; c) an intumescent fire stop element placed inside of the housing; wherein in an event of a fire, the fire stop element expands to fill the housing, the expanded fire stop element configured to remain in the housing in the event of the fire.
Provided is a fire rated recessed lighting assembly that can contain a fire for at least 60 or 120 hours without the need of a fire box around the recessed lighting assembly. The elimination of the fire box or other fire deterrent construction reduces the cost of installation and allows for the flexibility of arranging the lighting assembly in more locations and closer arrangements. The fire rated recessed lighting assembly is adapted to be disposed in relation to an opening defined in a surface of a structure (i.e. a hole or trough cut into a wall or suspended ceiling) such that a socket (with a lamp or LED strips) can be installed in the light assembly/fixture through the opening.
Cut portion 23 can be configured to have a width (along the periphery of adapter) that is less than the width of groove 20. The width of the cut portion 23 can be 1.4 to 2 centimeters. Groove 20 can have an initial vertical cut portion followed by a non-vertical portion. The width of the groove in the vertical portion can be 0.3 cm to 0.7 cm.
Sub-assembly 17 is placed inside of the housing 1. Sub-assembly 17 includes bracket 11, wire 12, and support 14. Support 14 supports the weight of intumescent disc 13 that is placed on the top of support 14. Support 14 and intumescent disc 13 can be attached to each other with a fastener or a rivet. Bracket 11 is attached to a plurality of wires 12 through connectors 19. The wires pass through tracks 32 (
The close up in
In the event of a fire, the decorative trim 16 and other parts of the lighting unit, which are made of aluminum, melt. Intumescent ring 13 also expands. The melting of decorative trim 16 and expansion of intumescent 13 causes a downward force on support 14. Support 14 slides down through wires 12 until the point in which it is stopped by stoppers 15, obtaining the position shown in
In an embodiment, housing 1, wire 12, stopper 15, support 14, nut 4 (or rivets), bracket 11, steel trim 10, frame 8, connector 19, and all fasteners/rivets are made of steel or other material that is designed not to melt in the event of a fire. The fasteners can further be zinc plated to impart a shiny look to the fasteners.
The lighting assembly of the present invention can be manufactured in different sizes, including sizes that allow for 4 inch, 5 inch, and 6 inch aperture (which correspond approximately to the diameter of the opening of the can).
Support Disc 14 can have a thickness of about 1 mm to about 3 mm such as about 1.6 mm thickness. Support Disc 14 can have a diameter of about 110 mm to about 150 mm, such as about 132 mm. Intumescent disc 13 can have a thickness of about 10 to about 15 mm, such as about 12.8 mm. Intumescent disc 13 can have a diameter of about 110 mm to about 150 mm, such as about 132 mm. Intumescent disc 13 can have a central opening of about 40 mm to about 60 mm, such as about 51 mm. Intumescent ring 7 can have a diameter of about 150 mm to about 200 mm, such as about 171.5 mm (when measures from outside-Inside diameter is 159.5 mm), thickness of about 4 mm to about 8 mm such as about 6 mm, length of about 15 mm to about 25 mm, such as about 19 mm, and U channel length of about 10 mm to about 15 mm, such as about 12 mm.
Testing of the lighting assembly for fire rating can be conducted in accordance with the applicable requirements of, and following the standard methods of, ASTM E119-12a (version 14, incorporated herein by reference) Standard Test Methods for Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials. For example, a 6 inch aperture lighting assembly can be tested as is that shown in
According to WO2004039916, incorporated herein by reference, conventional fire resistant materials may be divided into different categories including: Halogen based: which consist of either brominated or chlorinated chemicals such as brominated polystyrene or phenylene oxide (Dead Sea Bromine or Great Lakes CC) or bis (hexachlorocyclopentadieno) cyclooctane (Occidental CC). Phosphorus based: which consist of a range of different chemistries from elemental phosphorus (Clarient), phosphonates (A&W antiblaze 1045), phosphonate esters (Akzo Nobel), phosphites, phosphates and polyphosphates including melamine phosphite and phosphate, ammonium and melamine polyphosphate (DSM Melapur). Nitrogen based: such as melamine and its salts (U.S. Pat. No. 4,511,684 Schmidt & Hoppe). Intumescent agents: incorporating (i) an acid source (carbonization catalyst) such as ammonium polyphosphate; (ii) a carbonization reagent e.g. polyhydric alcohols such as pentaerythritol; and (iii) a blowing reagent like melamine. Expandable graphite is also known to undergo thermal expansion on addition of heat. Inorganic additives: such as magnesium hydroxide and aluminum hydroxide (Martinswerk), zinc borate (Fire Brake ZB, US Borax) and antimony trioxide.
Examples of intumescent materials are provided for example in U.S. Pat. No. 7,320,536, which is incorporated herein by reference.
The diameter of the can of the light fixture can be approximately 4 inches, 5, inches, or 6 inches, when measured at the open end of the can (housing). The light source can be incandescent, Compact Fluorescent (CFL) 41, or LED (Light Emitting Diode). The housing 1 can have a height of 8 inches or less.
The present application is a continuation-in-part (CIP) of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/677,979 filed on Apr. 3, 2015, which claims the benefit of provisional application No. 62/116,871, filed on Feb. 16, 2015, and also claims benefit of provisional application No. 62/239,180, filed on Oct. 8, 2015, which are all incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
Number | Date | Country | |
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62116871 | Feb 2015 | US | |
62116871 | Feb 2015 | US | |
62239180 | Oct 2015 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
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Parent | 14677979 | Apr 2015 | US |
Child | 14935307 | US |