The present invention relates generally to light fixtures, and particularly, to light fixtures having multiple light sockets.
Because of their power efficiency, and other known advantages, LED lamps are increasingly used for illumination in businesses and residences. LED lamps can be configured in a variety of sizes and formats. Smaller format LED lamps, often a fraction of the size of the standard incandescent bulb, are increasingly popular because they may easily be grouped for scalability to adapt to different lighting needs.
LED lamps in many cases have reflective concave housing to direct the light into a directional beam having a primary beam direction. While the beam from such a housing typically has a conical spreading pattern from the primary axial beam direction, the beam nevertheless focusses more light in the primary beam direction.
In general, recessed lighting fixtures for LED lamps are configured to provide a primary beam direction that is normal to the wall in which the lighting fixture is mounted. Thus, for example, in a typical horizontal ceiling, the recessed lighting fixture provides light having a primary beam direction of vertically downward. Angled ceilings create angled primary beam directions. It is not always desirable, however, to be limited to a primary beam direction that is exactly perpendicular to the wall in which the lighting fixture is mounted.
While standing lamps and desk lamps have mechanisms for allowing adjustment of a primary beam directions, recessed wall light fixtures are not typically adjustable, particularly those having multiple lamps within a single fixture.
There is a need, therefore, for an adjustable light fixture suitable for use as a wall-mounted recessed fixture, and which can receive multiple lamps as can be advantageous for LED light fixtures.
At least some embodiments of the present invention address the above stated need by providing a light fixture having a cover, and multiple light socket structures that are movable independent of the cover.
A first embodiment is a light fixture having a cover, a joystick, a plurality of light sockets, a movable platform, and a plurality of shafts. The cover has a plurality of openings receiving the plurality of light sockets, each light socket at least partly spherically movable within the corresponding opening. The joystick has an operative end accessible from a first side of the cover, and a distal end. The movable platform operably engages the distal end of joystick to move in at least two dimensions responsive to movement of the distal end of the joystick. Each of the plurality of shafts has a first end spherically engaging the movable platform and a second end rigidly coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of light sockets. Spherical movement of the joystick causes movement of the movable platform, and movement of the platform causes movement of the second end of the shafts. Movement of the second end of the shafts causes spherical movement of the corresponding light sockets.
A second embodiment is a light fixture having a cover, a plurality of light sockets, a movable platform and a plurality of shafts. The cover has a plurality of openings, each receiving a light socket. Each light socket is configured to receive and support a lamp such that the lamp directs light in a predetermined primary direction. Each light socket is at least partly movable within the opening to such that the lamp can direct light in a plurality of predetermined primary directions while the cover remains stationary. The movable platform is operably coupled to move in at least two dimensions. Each of the plurality of shafts has a first end operably coupled to the movable platform and a second end operably coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of light sockets. Movement of the platform causes movement of the second end of the shafts, and movement of the second end of the shafts causes movement of the corresponding light socket.
The above-described features and advantages, will become readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art by reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings.
The light fixture 10 includes a cover 12 having a plurality of openings 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d. Each of the plurality of openings 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d receives a respective light socket 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d. Each light socket 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d is configured to receive and support a lamp such that the lamp directs light in a predetermined primary direction. The lamp, not shown in
Each light socket 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d is at least partly movable within its respective opening 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d such that the lamp can direct light in a plurality of predetermined primary directions while the cover 12 remains stationary. In this embodiment, the light fixture 10 includes a joystick 18 operably coupled to direct move the light sockets 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d within their respective opening 14a, 14b, 14c, and 14d. The operative end of the joystick 18 is externally accessible when the light fixture 10 is installed in the wall 8, such that an operator may change or set the primary direction of the light without removing the light fixture 10 from the wall 8. In this embodiment, the operative end of the joystick 18 includes a slotted opening or other shaped recess 20 to receive a correspondingly shaped end of a tool for adjusting the joystick 18 and hence the primary light direction.
The construction of the exemplary light fixture 10 of
With reference to
The joystick 18 in this embodiment includes a central shaft 38, a first ball 40 disposed at the operative end 18a of the joystick 18 and a second ball 42 disposed at the distal end 18b of the joystick 18. The first ball 40 is received into the receptacle 33 and is capable of a limited range of spherical motion therein. Referring specifically to
The movable platform 24 is operably coupled to the distal end (second ball 42) of the joystick 18 to move in at least two dimensions responsive to movement of the distal end 18b. To this end, the movable platform 24 includes a receptacle 44 for receiving the second ball 42 to allow spherical movement of the ball 42 within the receptacle 44. In this embodiment, the receptacle 44 includes a centrally located circular opening having a diameter that is less than the diameter of the ball 42. To this end, the receptacle 44 in this embodiment is a boss having a cylindrical interior that receives the ball 42. It will be appreciated that the opening can have other shapes, for example square-shaped, so long it laterally contains the ball 42 and has a structure prevents the ball 42 from passing completely through the movable platform 24.
Each of the plurality of shafts 31a, 31b, 31c, and 31d, has a first end 46a spherically engaging the movable platform 24 and a second end 46b rigidly coupled to a corresponding one of the plurality of light sockets light sockets 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d, such that movement of the platform 24 causes spherical movement of the second end 46a of the shafts 31a, 31b, 31c and 31d. Such movement of the second end 46a of the shafts 31a, 31b, 31c and 31d causes spherical movement of the corresponding light socket 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d. (See
To this end, reference is additionally made to
Referring to
The movable platform 24 also includes a plurality of threaded holes 50 that receive corresponding threaded fasteners 51, as will be discussed further below. In this embodiment, the platform includes four threaded holes 50, each disposed intermediate each adjacent pair of the concave depressions 48a, 48b, 48c, and 48d. In general, the movable platform 24 is moveably coupled to the housing 22 via the first slider bar 28 and the second slider bar 30. More specifically, the first slider bar 28 and second slider bar 30 are operably coupled to the movable platform 24 and to the housing 22 to facilitate controlled movement of the platform 24 within the housing 22.
The second slider bar 30 has a construction that is substantially identical to that of the first slider bar 28. Referring to again to
Referring again generally to
Each of the walls 72a, 72b, 72c, and 72d in includes respective threaded receptacle 76a (not shown in
The movable platform 24 is coupled to the first and second slider bars 28, 30 via the threaded fasteners 51. Each of the threaded fasteners 51 in this embodiment is a shoulder screw. Two threaded fasteners 51 extend through the slot 56 and into the corresponding threaded holes 50 in the movable platform 24. The other two threaded fasteners 51 extend through the slot 66 and into the corresponding holes 50. The fasteners 51 are secured in their threaded holes 50, and are slidingly secured within their respective slots 56, 66. In this manner, the first and second slider bars 28 can move with respect to the fasteners 51 along the direction of their respective slots 56, 66. In this embodiment, the shoulder of each of the shoulder screw threaded fasteners 51 aligns within their respective slot 56, 66.
The snoot 84 is in the form of an open bottom cup having a lower cylindrical portion 87, a bulbous portion 88, and an upper cylindrical portion 89. The upper cylindrical portion 89 has a larger diameter than the lower cylindrical portion 87, and the bulbous portion 88 has an arcuately increasing diameter as it extends from the lower cylindrical portion 87 to the upper cylindrical portion 89. Referring to
The heat sink 82 includes a threaded cylindrical portion 90, a domed portion 91, a cylindrical shaft 92, and a plurality of fins 94. The threaded cylindrical portion 90 threadingly engages the upper cylindrical portion 89 of the snoot 84. The threading engagement allows for ease of separation to facilitate access to the interior 86 for lamp placement and replacement. The domed portion 91 extends from the top of the threaded cylindrical portion 90 upward and inward in an arcuate matter to the cylindrical shaft 92. The domed portion 91 includes an opening 29 (not shown in
The cylindrical shaft 92 has an interior wall threaded portion 92a for receiving the second end 46b of the shaft 31a. Each of the plurality of fins 94 is a plate-like structure that extends radially outward from the domed portion 91 and cylindrical shaft 92. The plurality of fins 94 extend outwardly in different radial positions with respect to the cylindrical shaft 92. The plurality of fins 94 are configured to convey heat energy from the interior 86 to the area around the fins 94.
As discussed above, the other sockets 16b, 16c and 16d have substantially identical structures. Thus, each of the other sockets 16b, 16c and 16d includes, among other things, a corresponding heat sink having an interior threaded wall portion for receiving threaded second ends 46b of one of the respective shafts 31b, 31c and 31d.
It will be appreciated that wires for powering the lamps may be strung in any suitable way. In this example, the top cover or plate 26 includes various openings 27 through which power wires may be fed. The wires are then fed through the housing 22 and into the sockets 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d via openings 29.
In operation, a lamp assembly 6 (shown only in
In the illustrated example, the user adjusts the angle of the primary light direction A of
Referring again to
It will be appreciated that if the tool 102 were adjusted in a direction perpendicular to the adjustment direction illustrated in
Referring again the exemplary movement illustrated in
Movement of the second end 46b of the shafts 31a, 31b, 31c and 31d translates (via the cylindrical shaft portion 92, domed portion 91, threaded cylindrical portion 90 of the heat sink 82 and upper cylindrical portion 89 of the snoot 84) to rotation of the bulbous portion 88 of the snoot 84 of each of the sockets 16a, 16b, 16c and 16d within their respective openings 14a, 14b, 14c and 14d. Rotation of the sockets 16a, 16c, 16c and 16d, which occurs in a substantially uniform manner, results in the light from the lamps having the second primary light direction B.
The use of the various ball-and-socket type joints allows for the adjustment of the orientation of each light socket 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d without adjusting the entire housing 22 or even the cover 12. The cover 12 may thus remain flush with the wall 8 regardless of the angle of orientation of the light sockets 16a, 16b, 16c, and 16d.
It will be appreciated that the light fixture 10 described above may readily be scaled to other sizes, and other numbers of light sockets, by those ordinary skill in the art. The above-described embodiments are merely exemplary, and those of ordinary skill in the art may readily devise their own implementations and modifications that incorporate the principles of the present invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.
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