Patent Grant
7845103
This invention relates to a removable insert for illuminated signs and to mounting devices for mounting illuminated signs to a junction box in a ceiling or wall.
Illuminated signs are used in a variety of environments and serve a variety of purposes. One of the most common purposes is to provide illumination in an emergency situation. Emergency lighting capability is mandated by commercial building codes throughout most of the world. The most common type of emergency lighting is the exit sign, which is intended to be illuminated at all times and clearly direct those in flight to the nearest exit during a fire or other emergency. Exit signs are typically placed above doorways or in egress paths to indicate the most efficient manner of exiting a building. A simple “EXIT” message can be provided on a sign located directly above the egress from the building or, where the egress is located away from the sign, an “EXIT” message is normally coupled on the sign with a directional indicator, such as a chevron, that points toward the closest exit.
A variety of exit signs are available and in use today. Exit signs are typically made of die cast metal or molded of a polymer material. Moreover, the benefits of exit signs in certain environments have been enhanced by attaching additional emergency lighting on the sign housing, such as is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,797,673.
While exit signs may come in all shapes and sizes and with a variety of accessories, U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,581 discloses a representative structure of an exit sign. FIG. 1 of U.S. Pat. No. 6,152,581 (reproduced as
In this example, a legend 6 (with the letters “E”, “X”, “I”, and “T”) is formed on the front cover plate 4. To ensure that the exit message legend is easily seen, a planar panel 3 is mounted on the interior surface of front cover plate 4. The panel 3 is typically made from a light-transmitting plastic that appears different from the cover plate 4, such as a transparent or translucent material, and is preferably of an eye-catching color (such as red or green) that is easily seen through the legend. In use, light is generated by a power source housed inside the exit sign 1. The light inside the exit sign 1 causes the legend 6 to glow with the color of the panel 3, rendering the exit sign 1 more noticeable, especially in the event of a power outage in the building.
Installation of illuminated signs can be difficult. For example, once the junction box has been installed, there is often a complicated hanging structure—with multiple parts—that needs to be installed over the junction box in order to secure the sign in place. Because the installer is usually standing on a ladder, having multiple parts to contend with can be difficult and time consuming.
Specifically, a mounting device, such as those disclosed in U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/763,035 entitled “Mounting Devices for Exit Signs and Other Fixtures” connects an illuminated sign, such as an exit sign, to a junction box. Junction boxes are typically recessed within or otherwise mounted to ceilings or walls and are connected to a power source. Electrical wiring from the junction box can be pulled through the mounting device and into the interior of the sign for connecting electrical components in the sign to a main power source. Then, in order to secure the sign to the mounting device, a series of screws, bolts, and other securing devices are used. Accordingly, there is a need in the art for an illuminated sign housing that provides a greater ease of installation.
Moreover, unlike plastic signs, exit signs made from metal are relatively heavy. Thus, when mounted on a ceiling or wall, they have a tendency to sag or pull from the ceiling or wall and pull their mounting devices with them so that the junction box is exposed. Thus, attempts have been made to bias the signs toward the ceiling or wall surface from which they protrude, and thereby ensure that the junction box is covered from view in the finished installation. For example, in the past a pipe fitting was fed into a sign housing from the point of attachment (i.e., ceiling or wall). A lock washer and nut were mounted on the pipe fitting and the nut was tightened to bias the sign towards the ceiling or wall. Such an arrangement required manipulation of a number of parts and consequently increased the time and cost of sign installation. Moreover, the pipe fittings cast shadows in the sign that negatively impacted visibility of the illuminated legend. Accordingly, there is also a need in the art for illuminated signs that have a secure connection to the wall, ceiling, or other mounting surface, such that the sign can be mounted and biased toward the mounting surface to prevent any sagging.
Another challenge with current illuminated signs in that the inner components of the sign, such as illumination sources, electrical circuitry, power sources (such as batteries), and other structural elements necessary to illuminate the sign, have traditionally been mounted directly to the housing frame. Thus, should the sign housing be irreparably damaged, it is typically discarded even though the inner components are still functional. Similarly, should the inner components fail, the entire sign must be replaced even though the sign housing is still operable. Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a separate sign insert that can house inner components separately from the outer sign housing.
Embodiments of the present invention provide sign mounting devices that cover junction boxes of various configurations and provide ease of installation as compared to current designs, as well as a pleasing, finished appearance to a resulting installation. One embodiment of a mounting device includes a mounting plate and a canopy element that is positioned over the mounting plate. The mounting plate is connected, such as with screws or other fasteners, to a junction box and is preferably configured so that it can be directly mounted to junction boxes of different configurations. The canopy element is then positioned over the mounting plate so that the screws or other fasteners that connect the junction box to the mounting plate are covered in a finished installation by outer portions of the canopy element of the mounting device, and thus, are not visible. In one embodiment, the mounting plate and the canopy element are secured together (and to the sign) by a locking clip. In an alternate embodiment, they are secured together (and to the sign) by fasteners (which may be pins, screws, tacks, or any other appropriate fastener that can be inserted through an opening).
In a further embodiment, structures may be provided on the sign (or the sign insert) and the mounting device to interact and to bias the mounting device towards the ceiling or wall to ensure that the junction box remains invisible in the finished installation, regardless of whether the junction box is correctly mounted (i.e., mounted flush with the wall or ceiling surface) or incorrectly mounted (i.e., recessed too deeply within or extending beyond the wall or ceiling surface).
Embodiments of the present invention also provide a removable insert for a sign that houses the inner components of the sign and that can easily be inserted into and removed from signs. In this way, either of the sign housing or sign insert with inner components can be salvaged and re-used when the other becomes inoperable.
The insert, which is preferably molded from a polymer material may include a structure to support the sign circuit board. For example, the insert may include grooves into which the circuit board can slide. Cavities may also be formed in the insert. These cavities can be used to store components traditionally mounted on the circuit board, such as batteries and voltage conversion devices, that often cast shadows across the legend (in this case “EXIT”) and thus detrimentally impact illumination. The inner walls of the insert preferably closely conform to the shape of the exterior of the legend to increase the amount of the light transmitted through the legend. A structure may also be provided on the inner walls of the insert to distribute light more efficiently within the sign.
According to one aspect of embodiments of the invention, there is provided a sign mounting device, comprising:
The locking clip may comprise a first leg and wherein, when the canopy element is positioned over the mounting plate so that the at least one positioning element extends at least partially through the at least one positioning element aperture and the at least one lip element extends at least partially through the at least one lip element aperture, the first leg is adapted to extend between a first side of the at least one lip element and the at least one upstanding stabilizing element.
The locking clip may further comprise a second leg adapted to extend along a second side of the at least one lip element.
In a specific embodiment, the locking clip may comprise at least one outer leg and at least one inner leg, and wherein in use, the at least one outer leg is positioned adjacent a first side of the at least one lip element and the at least one inner leg is positioned between a second side of the at least one lip element and the at least one upstanding stabilizing element.
In a further embodiment, the at least one inner leg of the locking clip is positioned between the at least one lip element of the mounting plate and the at least one upstanding stabilizing element such that the leg biases the at least one lip element outwardly to ensure that the mounting device does not disengage from the sign.
Embodiments may also provide a sign insert having at least one side wall with at least one guide track defined therein, wherein the locking clip has at least one legs with a tab that is adapted to be received in the at least one guide track.
Another aspect of the invention relates to an illuminated sign system that comprises an illuminated sign having at least one sign mounting aperture engaged by a mounting device.
Further embodiments provide a sign insert adapted to fit within the illuminated sign. The insert may comprise an insert mounting aperture, and may also be provided with a plug adapted to engage the sign mounting aperture and the insert mounting aperture.
In further embodiments, the mounting plate further comprises at least one tab and the canopy element further comprises at least one tab receiving aperture to receive the at least one tab, wherein when a sign is mounted on the mounting device, the at least one tab is adapted to contact an exterior surface of the sign to prevent the sign from sagging.
Another aspect of the invention relates to a sign mounting system, comprising:
Other aspects of the invention provide a sign mounting device, comprising:
The at least one mounting aperture of the mounting plate may comprise a screw aperture, a wire aperture, or a combination thereof. The at least one mounting aperture of the mounting plate may also comprise at least one junction box mounting aperture positioned so that the mounting plate can be universally mounted on a variety of junction boxes.
Embodiments also provide a sign or a sign insert or both, each having at least one mounting opening adapted to receive a portion of the sign mounting device, wherein any unused mounting openings are adapted to be covered with a plug. The plug may comprise a base from which at least one leg extends and wherein the at least one leg comprises a protrusion distal the base and adapted to engage a biasing structure of the sign, the sign insert, or both.
A further embodiment also provides at least one fastener adapted to be inserted through a portion of the at least one hook aperture.
An additional embodiment provides the mounting plate further comprising at least one tab and the canopy element further comprises at least one tab receiving aperture to receive the at least one tab, wherein when a sign is mounted on the mounting device, the at least one tab adapted to contact an exterior surface of the sign to prevent the sign from sagging.
One embodiment of the invention includes a removable sign insert that is made to fit within an illuminated sign. While the insert may be used in any type of illuminated sign, for purposes of illustration and discussion, it is described for use with emergency exit signs. One such example of an exit sign 10 is shown in
One embodiment of an insert 22 is shown in
As shown in
The inner walls 26 of the insert 22 are preferably located so as not to encroach into the sign legend 20 and thereby interfere with illumination of the legend 20. More preferably, the inner walls 26 of the insert 22 closely conform to the shape of the exterior of the legend 20 to reduce the amount of light deflected within the sign 10 and thereby increase the amount of light transmitted through the legend 20. As discussed below, other structures, such as a reflector, may be provided on the insert 22 or otherwise in the sign housing 12 to distribute light more efficiently within the sign 10 so that more light is focused evenly through the legend 20 thereby enhancing sign illumination and effectiveness.
The features provided in the insert 22 may vary depending on the sign for which the insert 22 is intended to be used. However, certain features are particularly useful. The insert 22 preferably includes circuit board mounting structure for retention of a circuit board in the insert. For example, grooves 28, 30 may be provided into which a circuit board may be inserted. Alternatively, a circuit board may be mounted on a ledge or other surface in the insert 22. The outer and inner walls 24, 26 of the insert 22 are preferably shaped to define cavities 32 there between. Any number of cavities 32 may be formed in the insert 22, and the cavities 32 may be used for a variety of purposes. For example, the cavities 32 can be used to store components traditionally mounted on the circuit board, such as batteries and voltage conversion devices, which often cast shadows across the legend 20 and detrimentally impact illumination. The cavities 32 may also be used to store additional batteries, a second power supply, a directional indicator assembly, a speaker, or any other appropriate component.
In some embodiments, the outer walls 24 have mounting device portions 25, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
While the reflector 34 may be solid, it is preferably hollow to define a reflector cavity 41 between the side walls 36, 38 and an inner wall 26 of the insert 22. Wires may be routed through, or additional components stored in, the reflector cavity 41. Reflector 34 may be integrally-formed with the insert 22 or it may be completely removable from the insert 22 and/or hingedly attached on one side to the insert 22 to allow access to such wires and additional components.
A diffuser (not shown), such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,954,423 to Logan et al., may be positioned within the sign (such as over the circuit board) to further enhance sign illumination.
During manufacture, the inner components of an illuminated sign are assembled onto the insert 22. The pre-assembled insert 22 can then be quickly and easily installed in a sign housing 12. The insert is preferably designed to fit within a variety of exit signs. Thus, instead of custom-installing the major components on each type of sign, the components can be pre-assembled on the insert and the resulting universal insert can be installed in a variety of signs. Use of a sub-assembly line to pre-assemble the insert results in increased manufacturing efficiency and a reduction in manufacturing time and costs. Moreover, because the insert 22 is easily inserted into and removed from signs, either of the sign housing 12 or sign insert 22 can be salvaged and re-used when the other becomes inoperable. Thus, should the sign housing 12 be irreparably damaged, the insert 22 may be removed and reused. Alternatively, should the components on the insert 22 fail, the entire insert 22 can be removed and replaced with an insert having functional components that is placed back into the original sign housing 12.
More specifically,
Mounting plate has a mounting base 206, which is positioned adjacent a junction box mounted in a wall or ceiling during installation. Electrical wiring may be fed from the junction box through the openings 210. Mounting plate 202 is then fixed to the junction box via a fastener, such as a screw, nail, tack, etc. (Typically, J-box screws are provided with the product to enforce the National Electrical Code's requirement of screws-only.) The fastener is positioned to extend through at least one of the openings 202, as well as a corresponding aperture in the junction box.
Upper surface 208 of mounting plate features elements that are used to secure the plate 202 to a canopy 220 and a sign or a sign/sign insert combination. In the embodiment shown, upper surface 208 has at least one positioning element 210, at least one lip element 212 having a lip 214, and at least one tab 216. The way that these elements cooperate with the canopy 220 will be described further below. Although not shown, it is also possible for there to be an aperture or opening at or near the positioning elements 210, which can serve as a passageway through which wiring from the junction box may pass.
Mounting plate 202 may be made from any material having suitable properties, such as rigidity suitable to withstand the weight of a suspended sign and elasticity to enable a snap-fit connection between structures on the mounting plate 202 and the sign or sign/sign insert combination. Mounting plate 202 is preferably formed from a thermoplastic material and more preferably from an engineering grade thermoplastic, such as polycarbonate, glass-filled polycarbonate, nylon, glass-filled nylon, polyester, glass-filled polyester, and most preferably from glass-filled polycarbonate. It may be molded, and is preferably injection-molded.
Referring back to
Canopy element 220 may be formed from any suitably rigid material, including polymeric or metallic materials. If formed from a polymeric material, such material is preferably a thermoset and is preferably injection-molded or compression-molded and more preferably compression-molded. However, the canopy element 220 is preferably formed of a metal and more preferably from aluminum, zinc, or magnesium. The canopy element 220 may be formed via die-casting, sand-casting, machining, or permanent molding.
As shown in
Next, as shown in
As shown in
As shown in
In certain embodiments, the sign or sign insert may be provided with a corresponding lip structure that receives and secures lip elements 212 in place. For example, the sign insert 22 shown in
Upon receipt of the portions of the mounting device 200 into the sign 10, the sign 10 is somewhat secured to the mounting device 200. However, the weight of a heavy sign could potentially cause lip elements 212 to lose their tight fit, so mounting device 200 can be secured further in a plurality of ways. In a specific embodiment, a locking clip 240 is used. An example of a locking clip 240 is shown in
As shown in
Referring now to
The mounting plate 44 can be made from any material having suitable properties, such as rigidity suitable to withstand the weight of a suspended sign and elasticity to enable a snap-fit connection between structures on the mounting plate 44 and the sign 10. The mounting plate 44 is preferably formed from a thermoplastic material and more preferably from an engineering grade thermoplastic, such as polycarbonate, glass-filled polycarbonate, nylon, glass-filled nylon, polyester, glass-filled polyester, and most preferably from glass-filled polycarbonate. The mounting plate 44 is preferably molded and more preferably injection-molded.
The mounting plate 44 of
During installation, the lower surface 52 of the mounting plate 44 is positioned adjacent a junction box mounted in a wall or ceiling (not shown). Electrical wiring (not shown) is fed from the junction box through that at least one wire aperture 64 of the mounting plate 44. The mounting plate 44 is fixed to the junction box via a fastener, such as a screw, nail, tack, etc. (although screws are often required by regulatory agencies). The fastener is positioned to extend through at least one of the plurality of junction box mounting apertures 66 in the mounting plate 44 and a corresponding aperture in the junction box. In this way, the at least one fastener connects the junction box and the mounting plate 44.
A canopy element 46 as shown in
The canopy element 46 may be any size and/or shape but should be dimensioned so that, when positioned over the mounting plate 44, the underlying junction box and mounting plate 44 are fully covered by the canopy element 46.
The canopy element 46 includes a canopy base 68 having an upper surface 70, a lower surface 72, and side walls 74. The canopy base 68 is preferably u-shaped to define a cavity in its underside capable of receiving the mounting plate 44 when the canopy element 46 is positioned over the mounting plate 44. The canopy element 46 includes at least one positioning boss aperture 76 defined by upstanding positioning walls 78, 79, 80, 81 extending upwardly from the upper surface 70 of the canopy element 46, at least one hook aperture 82a-d (shown in
When the canopy element 46 is properly positioned over the mounting plate 44, as shown in
After positioning canopy element 46 over the mounting plate 44, the exit sign 10 can be mounted on the mounting device 42. The exit sign 10 can be installed in a variety of ways, which are described above. Common ways are top-mounted to suspend from a ceiling or side-mounted to project from a wall, examples of which are shown in FIGS. 4 and 20-24. At least one sign mounting opening 90 (see
The sign mounting openings 90 in the sign 10 are configured to receive portions of a mounting device, for example, the mounting device 42, as shown in
Upon receipt of the portions of the mounting device 42 into the sign 10, the sign 10 can be secured further to the mounting device 42 in a plurality of ways. When the canopy element 46 is positioned over the mounting plate 44, the slots 88, 89 in the side walls 84, 85 of the canopy element 46 align with the underside of the hooks 56 of the mounting plate 44 to form a fastener receptacle 94 (see
Although not required, the sign 10 is preferably equipped with an insert 22, which includes insert mounting device portions 25, which may be mounting apertures 98 (see
Moreover, the mounting device 42 and the insert 22 may include biasing structures that interact to bias mounting device (the canopy element in particular) towards the wall or ceiling. For example,
This biasing can take place even if the junction box is not installed flush with, but rather protrudes from or is recessed too far within, the wall or ceiling. In some embodiments, the mounting plate base 48 is thinner than the canopy element base 68. Thus, if the mounting plate base 48 is mounted on a junction box that protrudes from the wall, the cavity defined in the underside of the canopy element 46 is still deep enough to accommodate such a protrusion. Moreover, in this situation, the tabs 60a, 60b on the mounting plate 44 will extend through tab apertures 86, 87 of the canopy element 46 and, depending on the degree to which the junction box protrudes from the wall or ceiling, protrude from the upper surface 70 of the canopy element 46. Regardless of the biased location of the canopy toward the wall, tabs 60a and 60b protrude through apertures 86 and 87 to provide a mechanical stop against the housing and to prevent sagging in either mounting mode. The tabs 60a, 60b thereby provide a mechanical stop to prevent the sign 10 from sagging in a side-mounted installation.
Each leg 104, 105 preferably includes a protrusion 106, 108 respectively on its distal end. Each protrusion includes a ramp 110, 112 and a lip 114, 116. As shown in
If an insert is not provided in the sign 10, the lips 114, 116 can abut the inner surface of the housing frame 14 adjacent a sign mounting opening 90. Contact between the lips 114, 116 and the inner surface of the housing frame 14 prevent disengagement of the plug 92 from the sign housing 12, particularly if the hole plug is made of molded plastic.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiments of the invention has been presented only for the purposes of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the precise forms disclosed. Many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The embodiments were chosen and described in order to explain the principles of the invention and their practical application so as to enable others skilled in the art to utilize the invention and various embodiments and with various modifications, as are suited to the particular use contemplated. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains without departing from its spirit and scope.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/773,294, filed Feb. 14, 2006 titled “Illuminated Sign and Mounting Structure,” the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
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