The present invention relates to an electrical lighting fixture having spring mounted louvers. More specifically, the present invention relates to an electrical lighting fixture having a louver assembly secured to a luminaire housing by a spring latch. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to a fluorescent luminaire fixture having a louver assembly pivotally connected to a luminaire housing on a first side and spring-mounted to the housing on the second side. The louver assembly is installed to and removed from the fluorescent luminaire fixture housing without tools, thereby providing quick and efficient installation and removal.
Conventional lighting fixtures for retail and industrial applications often have louvers that are rigidly fastened to the lighting fixture housing. Such installation of the louvers for conventional lighting fixtures requires multiple steps including installing several fasteners through the louvers and into the housing. This installation procedure is slow and inefficient, by requiring an installer to insert numerous fasteners at several locations to secure the louvers to the lighting fixture housing. Additionally, an installer must ensure he has sufficient fasteners to completely secure the louvers to the lighting fixture housing. A need exists for a lighting fixture having a louver assembly that is more easily and efficiently connected to the lighting fixture housing.
Once the louvers are installed, access to the interior of the lighting fixture is prevented by the louver blades. To access the lighting fixture interior, the louvers must be removed from the housing. This is time consuming since there are numerous fasteners that must be removed to detach the louvers from the housing. Furthermore, louvers are secured by fasteners on both sides of the louvers, thereby requiring the installer to remove numerous fasteners to detach the louvers. The removal process is extremely time consuming and inefficient. A need exists for a louver assembly that is quickly and efficiently installed and removed from a lighting fixture.
Another problem with existing louvers is that the installer must use tools to install and remove the louvers. If the installer has no tools or the incorrect tools, then the louvers cannot be installed to or removed from the lighting fixture. Thus, the lighting fixture cannot be completely installed or maintenance on the lighting fixture cannot be performed until the installer has the proper tools. A need exists for a louver assembly that is securable to and removable from a lighting fixture without requiring tools.
Examples of conventional lighting fixtures include U.S. Pat. No. 5,980,234 to Kreeft, U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,654 to Diaz et al., and U.S. Pat. No. 6,390,654 to Diaz et al., the subject matter of each of which is hereby incorporated by reference.
A need exists for an improved lighting fixture having an easily installed and removed louver assembly.
Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a lighting fixture having a louver assembly that is easily installed to and removed from a housing of the lighting fixture.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a louver assembly for a lighting fixture that is installable and removable without the use of tools.
The foregoing objects are basically attained by providing a lighting fixture, including a housing having a first wall and second wall and an opening between the first and second walls; at least one spring latch connected to the housing; and a louver assembly having a plurality of louver blades, a first end of said plurality of louver blades being attached to a first arm and a second end of said plurality of louver blades being attached to a second arm, the first arm being connected to the first housing wall and the second arm being secured between the second housing wall and the at least one spring latch. The spring latch allows the louver assembly to easily and efficiently installed to and removed from the lighting fixture housing.
The foregoing objects are also attained by a method of securing a louver assembly to a lighting fixture, including the steps of hooking a first arm of the louver assembly to a first wall of a housing of the lighting fixture; pivoting the louver assembly upwardly; contacting a latch spring connected to the housing with a second arm of the louver assembly; and securing the second arm of the louver assembly to the housing by continuing upward pivoting of the louver assembly until the second arm of the louver assembly until the second arm is positioned between a second wall of the housing and the spring latch.
Other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description, which, taken in conjunction with annexed drawings, discloses a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
Referring to the drawings which form a part of this disclosure:
Referring to
As shown in
The louver assembly 31 has a plurality of louver blades 33, as shown in
The first louver arm 35 is adapted to be connected to the first wall 25 of the housing 21. A hook 81 is formed at a distal end of the first louver arm 35, as shown in
The second louver arm 37 is adapted to be secured to the second wall 27 of the housing 21 by at least one spring latch 71. Preferably, the second louver arm 37 has a third leg 88 extending outwardly from the second end 34 of the louver blades 33. A second leg 87 extends upwardly from the third leg 88. A first leg 86 extends inwardly from the second leg 87. Preferably, the first leg 86 is substantially perpendicular to the second leg 87, which is substantially perpendicular to the third leg 88. The first leg 86 is adapted to be received on an upper surface 18 of the second housing wall 27.
At least one spring latch 71 is adapted to be connected to the housing 21, as shown in
Lamps 41, 43 and 45, as shown in
A plurality of openings 61 may be disposed in the housing 21 to provide uplighting for the lighting fixture 11, as shown in
Assembly and Operation
Referring to
Once the lighting fixture 11 has been secured to a support, the louver assembly 31 may be secured to the housing 21. The louver assembly may also be secured to the housing 21 before the lighting fixture is secured to the support.
Installation and removal of the louver assembly 21 is shown in
Once the first louver arm 35 has been pivotally connected to the first housing wall 25, the louver assembly 31 is pivoted upwardly, as shown in
The louver assembly 31 is pivoted upwardly until the first leg 86 of the second louver arm 37 clears the second wall 27 of the housing 21, as shown in
The louver assembly 31 may be secured to and removed from the housing 21 while the first and second end caps 51 and 53 are secured to the housing. To remove the louver assembly 31 from the housing 21, the first leg 77 of the spring latch 71 is pushed upwardly until it clears the first leg 86 of the second arm 37. The second arm 37 is then pulled outwardly away from the second wall 27 of the housing 21 until the first leg 86 of the second arm clears the second wall of the housing. The louver assembly 31 may then be pivoted downwardly about the connection between the first louver arm 35 and the first wall 25 of the housing 21. The connection between the first louver arm 35 and the first wall 25 of the housing 21 allows maintenance of the lighting fixture 11 to be accomplished without having to remove the louver assembly 31 from the lighting fixture. The louver assembly 31 is also easily installed and removed without requiring any tools.
While a particular embodiment has been chosen to illustrate the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications can be made therein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
2794664 | Kruger | Jun 1957 | A |
2852663 | Stuffer et al. | Sep 1958 | A |
2912568 | Winkler | Nov 1959 | A |
3004147 | Lessner et al. | Oct 1961 | A |
3078366 | Winkler | Feb 1963 | A |
5025355 | Harwood | Jun 1991 | A |
5806972 | Kaiser et al. | Sep 1998 | A |
5908234 | Kreeft | Jun 1999 | A |
6390654 | Diaz et al. | May 2002 | B1 |
6439741 | Diaz et al. | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6523982 | Haddad | Feb 2003 | B1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
3611813 | Apr 1986 | DE |
Number | Date | Country | |
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20060126337 A1 | Jun 2006 | US |