Patent Application
20190154248
The present disclosure relates to the field of luminaires.
Luminaires or lighting fixtures have found wide application in a variety of different industries. The term “luminaire” as used herein is any device that emits light. A typical industrial setup, such as an oil refinery, can include at least 100 luminaires arranged near the ceiling of the industrial setup. A luminaire may be mounted from a ceiling of an industrial environment to provide lighting for the operations below. The luminaire may hang from the ceiling by a pendant mounting fixture. For example, a conduit may extend downwardly from the ceiling where it may be threaded into engagement with a mounting hood of the luminaire. A luminaire housing and the mounting hood may be sealingly engaged to prevent the entry of debris or water into the luminaire which could adversely affect the electrical components, (such as lighting elements or LEDs) positioned within the luminaire. Electrical wiring may extend through the downwardly extending mounting conduit and through an opening in the mounting hood, where the wiring may be connected to electrical components such as lighting elements or LEDS positioned within the luminaire. However, water may enter the downwardly extending conduit due to various reasons, which may include condensation or leakage of rain water. The accumulation of water in the downwardly extending conduit may cause water to seep through the mounting hood and into the luminaire. This is not desired as it can cause failure of the electrical components, such as lighting elements or LEDS within the luminaire. In addition, water entering the luminaire may cause a safety hazard, which needs to be avoided. Accordingly, there is a need to provide a way to prevent water that enters, or condenses within, the downwardly extending conduit from entering the luminaire.
The present disclosure provides a device for preventing water entering, or condensing within, a downwardly extending conduit from entering a luminaire. The mounting hood of the luminaire includes an upper opening or aperture into which an end of a downwardly extending conduit may be threaded to, or otherwise secured to. Beneath the upper opening is a lower opening or aperture in the interior of the mounting hood positioned beneath, and in communication with, the upper opening of the mounting hood. A water tight cord grip is threaded into the lower opening in the interior of the mounting hood. As used herein, the term “water tight cord grip” means any device that provides a water tight seal between an electrical wire and an element through which the electrical wire passes through. Electrical wiring from the downwardly extending conduit, or from electrical components positioned within the luminaire, passes through the water tight cord grip where electrical wiring within, or passing through, the conduit may be electrically connected to electrical wiring or electrical contacts from electrical components, such as lighting elements or LEDs within the luminaire. Thus, wiring from or to electrical components within the luminaire may pass through the water tight cord grip where they may be electrically connected to electrical wiring within the downwardly extending conduit, or electrical wiring from within the conduit may pass through the water tight cord grip and connected to electrical wiring from, or electrical contacts positioned on, electrical components within the luminaire. Water within the downwardly extending conduit is prevented from seeping into the luminaire by the water tight cord grip threaded into the lower opening in the interior of the mounting hood of the luminaire, and may pool above a base in the water tight cord grip. In this manner, water is prevented from coming into contact with electrical components, such as lighting elements or LEDs within the luminaire, thereby preventing damage to the electrical components or preventing a short circuit situation.
In one aspect, a luminaire is provided including a mounting hood, and a luminaire housing attachable to the mounting hood, wherein the mounting hood includes an upper aperture positioned on an upper portion of the mounting hood adapted for secure engagement with a lower end of a downwardly extending conduit, wherein the mounting hood includes a lower aperture positioned in an interior of the mounting hood which is in communication with the upper aperture of the mounting hood, wherein the lower aperture includes threads, a water tight cord grip having an upper portion with threads in threaded engagement with the threads of the lower aperture of the mounting hood, wherein the water tight cord grip has a base positioned beneath the upper portion of the water tight cord grip; and wherein electrical wiring may pass through one or more openings in the base and through the upper portion of the water tight cord, and also pass through the lower aperture positioned in the interior of the mounting hood and pass through the upper aperture positioned on the upper surface of the mounting hood
In another aspect, a method of preventing the entry of water into a luminaire is provided, including the steps of: (i) providing a luminaire having a mounting hood attachable to a luminaire housing, wherein the mounting hood includes an upper aperture positioned on an upper portion of the mounting hood adapted for secured engagement with a lower end of a downwardly extending conduit, wherein the mounting hood includes a lower aperture positioned in an interior of the mounting hood which is in communication with the upper aperture of the mounting hood, wherein the lower aperture includes threads; (ii) threading a water tight cord grip having an upper portion with threads into engagement with the threads of the lower aperture of the mounting hood; (iii) securing the mounting hood to a lower end of a downwardly extending conduit; (iv) passing electrical wiring through the upper and lower apertures of the mounting hood and through the water tight cord grip; (v) tightening a base compressing element into threaded engagement with a lower portion of the water tight cord grip; (vi) providing an electrical connection between electrical wiring within the conduit and one or more lighting elements within the luminaire housing; (vii) securing the luminaire housing to the mounting hood; and (viii) trapping water that drips down an interior of the conduit above a base of the water tight cord grip positioned beneath the upper portion of the water tight cord grip to prevent entry of the water into the luminaire housing beyond the water tight cord grip.
Extension 112 includes internal threads 112a. Downwardly extending conduit 130 has external threads 130a on a lower end of conduit 130 that is shown threadingly engaged with internal threads 112a of extension 112. An upper luminaire housing 120 of luminaire 100 is shown in sealing engagement with a bottom of mounting hood 110 sealed with a gasket or O-ring 115. A translucent section 170 of the luminaire 100 is secured to the upper luminaire housing 120 via an internally threaded connector 150 positioned beneath lower end 122 of upper luminaire housing 120 of the luminaire 100 using a seal 155. An LED array 200 is shown positioned within translucent section 170 of luminaire 100.
A terminal block 140 used to direct power to lighting elements such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) is positioned on platform 180 within upper luminaire housing 120 of the luminaire 100. Electrical wires 132, 134, and 136 extend from terminal block 140.
A downwardly extending projection 114 extends into an interior of the mounting hood 110. Downwardly extending projection 114 is shown with internal threads 114a. A water tight cord grip 160 having an externally threaded upper portion 167 is shown in threaded engagement with internal threads 114a of downwardly extending projection 114. Water tight cord grip 160 includes a base 163 and a base compressing element 164 threaded onto externally threaded section 161 above the base 163, although externally threaded section 161 could be positioned outwardly from the base as well. Electrical wires 132, 134, and 136 are shown extending within interior 138 of conduit 130 through extension 112, water tight cord grip 160 and base 163, and projection 114 and into electrical connection with terminal block 140.
Terminal block 140 used to direct power to lighting elements such as light emitting diodes (LEDs) is positioned within upper luminaire housing 120′ of luminaire 100′. Electrical wires 132, 134, and 136 extend from terminal block 140.
A downwardly extending projection 114 extends into an interior of the mounting hood 110. Downwardly extending projection 114 is shown with internal threads 114a. A water tight cord grip 160 having an externally threaded upper portion 167 is shown in threaded engagement with internal threads 114a of downwardly extending projection 114. Water tight cord grip 160 includes a base 163 and a base compressing element 164 threaded onto externally threaded section 161 above the base 163. Electrical wires 132, 134, and 136 are shown extending within interior 138 of conduit 130 through extension 112, water tight cord grip 160 and base 163, and projection 114 and into electrical connection with terminal block 140.
The mounting hood 110 and luminaire housing may be sealed to prevent the ingress of debris, dust, and water, and the connection between the conduit 130 and the mounting hood 110 may also be sealed to prevent the ingress of debris, dust, and water. However, as noted above, water may enter the conduit 130 through rain water or condensation and drip downwardly towards the luminaire 100′, and result in the undesirable entry of water into the luminaire 100′ where it may adversely affect electrical components and/or or circuitry positioned within the luminaire. As result, even though the mounting hood 110 and luminaire housing are sealed, and even though the connection between the conduit 130 and the mounting hood 110 is sealed, it is still possible for water to drip downwardly through the interior 138 of the conduit 130 and into the luminaire 100′.
As shown in
The luminaire 100′ includes an upper luminaire housing 120′ and a lower luminaire housing 190 to provide for increased lumen output from luminaire 100′. The use of the upper and lower luminaire housing provides for a greater surface area to dissipate heat generated by increased lumen output.
It will be appreciated that the connections of external threads 130a of conduit 130 and internal threads 112a of extension could be reversed, such that the end of the conduit has internal (rather than external) threads and the extension 114 has external (rather than internal) threads. Similarly, the connection of internal threads 114a of downwardly extending protrusion 114 and external threads of water tight cord grip 160 could also be reversed such that the protrusion 114 has external (rather than internal) threads and the upper end of water tight cord grip 160 has internal (rather than external) threads.
The foregoing disclosure has been described with reference to the accompanying embodiments which do not limit the scope and ambit of the disclosure. The description provided is purely by way of example and illustration.
The embodiments herein and the various features and advantageous details thereof are explained with reference to the non-limiting embodiments set forth in the Figures. The examples used herein are intended merely to facilitate an understanding of ways in which the embodiments herein may be practiced and to further enable those of skill in the art to practice the embodiments herein.
