Patent Application
20190063692
This invention generally relates to lighting systems, and, more particularly, to a lighting system configured to fit with a box or strip housing.
The background information is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately provide background information for this patent application. However, the background information may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the background information are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
Surface mounted and suspension mounted light fixtures, such as strip fixtures, have typically been installed to provide general lighting of large indoor spaces. For example, surface mount and strip light fixtures may include stem mounted, pendant mounted, and suspension mounted variations as well as those fixtures mounted directly to a ceiling or in the ceiling.
Typically, such strip fixtures include a channel in the form of an inverted box, trough, or troffer, with the channel being attached to, recessed in, or suspended from the ceiling. Lamp holders or sockets are often attached to the channel or troffer. A ballast is often attached within the channel and wiring attaches the ballast to the lamp holders. Power is typically supplied to the ballast by wiring brought into the channel through the top or end of the channel. A ballast cover is often used to cover the ballast and wiring. Linear fluorescent lamps are then typically placed in the lamp holders for operation of the fixture. The lamps may be left bare or covered for providing light to the space below. Because of their low cost and utilitarian use, fluorescent strip light fixtures are installed in abundance. For example, typical uses include warehouses, retail stores, such as grocery, drug, and department stores, where the fixtures are commonly mounted in continuous rows.
Since the introduction of the fluorescent lamp at the 1939 World Fair, fluorescent lighting technology has greatly advanced. For example, over the years, lamp and ballast manufacturers have developed fluorescent lamp-ballast systems with improved efficiencies. More recently, light emitting diode (LED) lamps have been developed. An LED lamp is a solid-state lamp that uses LEDs as the source of light. An LED may comprise a conventional semiconductor light emitting diode or an organic or polymeric light emitting diode. LED lamps may have one or more advantages over fluorescent lamps, for example, LED lamps do not contain mercury, they may turn on more instantaneously, they may have a longer service life, and they may have a greater efficiency.
It may be desired to provide advantages of LEDs to existing fluorescent light fixtures. However, for existing installations, implementation of the newer LED technology may require either replacing the individual fixture components (ballast, lamp holders, wiring, and lamps) or replacing the fixtures all together. Both processes may be time consuming and labor intensive.
Thus, there is a need for a lighting system configured to fit with a box or strip housing.
In at least one aspect of the present disclosure, a lighting system configured to fit with a box or strip housing is disclosed. The lighting system comprises at least one longitudinally extending light source having a length substantially greater than a width. A light source support holds the at least one longitudinally extending light source on a first side and has a width at least as great as a width of an opening of the box or strip housing being fitted. The light source support and has a length proximate a length of the opening of the box or strip housing being fitted. At least two hinges extend from a second side of the light source support, proximate a first edge of the light source support. At least two mounting arms extend from the second side of the light source support, proximate a second edge of the light source support, wherein the first edge and the second edge of the light source support are parallel.
In at least one other aspect of the present disclosure, each of the at least two hinges and/or each of the mounting arms are adjustable toward or away from the longitudinal axis of the light source support.
In at least one additional aspect of the present disclosure, a method of fitting a lighting system with a box or strip housing is disclosed. The method comprises hanging at least two hinges from a first side of a box or strip housing, each of the hinges extending from a proximate a first edge of a light source support. The light source support holds at least one longitudinally extending light source on a first side, each of the longitudinally extending light sources having a length substantially greater than a width. A driver is electrically connected to a power source. The light source support is then rotated about the hinges and the first edge of the light source support is aligned with a first edge of the box or strip housing and a second edge of the light source support is aligned with a second edge of the box or strip housing. At least two mounting arms are attached to a second side of the box or strip housing, each of the mounting arms extending from proximate a second edge of the light source support.
In at least one further aspect of the present disclosure, a method of fitting a lighting system with a box or strip housing comprises a step of adjusting a distance between the at least two hinges and the at least two mounting arms.
The following figures, which are idealized, are not to scale and are intended to be merely illustrative of aspects of the present disclosure and non-limiting. In the drawings, like elements may be depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows.
The presently disclosed lighting system configured to fit with a box or strip housing may be adjustable to fit a variety of widths of box or strip housings. For example, a light source support may hold the light source(s) on a first side and may have an adjustable mounting width on a second side. In one illustrative embodiment, the light source support has mounting arms extending from the light support proximate one longitudinal edge and hinges extending proximate the other longitudinal edge. One or both of the hinges and mounting arms may be adjustable toward or away from each other. Adjustment of the hinges and/or mounting arms may provide a variety of mounting widths of the light support for mounting to box or strip housing of various widths. For example, a variety of sizes of existing box or strip housings may be retrofitted with the lighting system of the present disclosure. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, the lighting system may have a box or strip housing of a desired width and the light source support may need not have an adjustable mounting width.
The hinges extending from the light source support may provide for ease of installation of the lighting system of the present disclosure. For example, the light source support may be hung proximate its edge from the box or strip housing being fitted and provide access for electrically connecting the light source(s). In at least one aspect of the present disclosure, a driver may be attached to the second side of the light source support. Wiring and a quick connect may extend from the driver which may ease electrical connection of the lighting system to a power source.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments and aspects of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The same reference numbers may be used in the figures to refer to the same or like parts. The presently disclosed embodiments, aspects, and features of the present invention are not to limit the presently claimed invention as other and different embodiments, aspects, and features will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure.
Light source support 106 has a width at least as great as a width of an opening of the box or strip housing being fitted, for example, box or strip housing 120, shown in
Light source support 106 may have an adjustable mounting width for mounting to different boxes or strip housings. For example, mounting arms 110 and/or hinges 108 may be adjustable.
Each of the at least two hinges may be adjustable toward or away from first edge 119 of light source support 106. For example, each hinge 108 may extend from a leg 112 with a slot 116, as shown in
Each mounting arm 110 may be adjustable toward or away from second edge 121 of light source support 106. For example, each mounting arm 110 may extend from a leg 114 with a slot 116, as shown in
Both of hinges 108 and mounting arms 110 may be adjustable toward or away from each other. In at least one embodiment, light source support 106 comprises a first fastener opening 115 and a second fastener opening 117. First fastener opening 115 and second fastener opening 117 may be longitudinally offset on light source support 106. This may configure leg 114 of mounting arm 110 and leg 112 of hinge 108 to both become disposed across a center longitudinal axis CA of light source support 106.
Light source support 106 may have a width greater than a width of the box or strip housing being fitted. For example, as shown in
Light source 102 may have translucent ends, or end caps, 104. Ends 104 may be configured to be illuminated with the illumination of longitudinally extending light source 102. Lighting system 100 may have box or strip housing 120 configured for holding the light source support and for surface or suspension mounting of lighting system 100. In at least one embodiment, light source support 106 has an adjustable mounting width configuring lighting system 100 to be retrofitted with existing box or strip housings of various widths and lighting system 100 need not have box or strip housing 120.
For example, as shown in
Box or strip housing 120 may have at least one knock out or opening 226 configured for electrically connecting the least one longitudinally extending light source 102 with a power source.
Light source support 106 may be rotated about hinges 108 and first edge 119 of light source support 106 may be aligned with first edge 127 of box or strip housing 120 and second edge 121 of light source support 106 may be aligned with second edge 128 of box or strip housing 120. Mounting arm fasteners 125 may be extended through apertures 111 in mounting arms 110 and fastened to second side 126 of box or strip housing 120. Mounting arms 110 may extend from proximate second edge 128 of light source support 106. The method may comprise a step of adjusting a distance between hinges 108 and mounting arms 110 for fitting with box or strip housings 120 of various widths.
At least two hinges 208 and at least two mounting arms 210 extend from parallel longitudinal edges of a second side of light source support 206. Fasteners 225 may be configured for attaching mounting arms 210 to one longitudinal side of box or strip housing 220 and fasteners 223 may be configured for attaching hinges 208 to the parallel longitudinal side of box or strip housing 220, as shown in
Mounting arm 210 may have aperture 211 configured to receive fastener 225 for fastening to the longitudinal side of box or strip housing 220. Hinges 208 may be triangular and may have an extending end portion for receiving fasteners 223. Leg 214 may extend between mounting arm 210 and hinge 208 and may have a length for mounting the mounting arms and the hinges to outer parallel longitudinal surfaces of box or strip housing 220.
Light source 202 may have translucent ends, or end caps, 204. Ends 204 may be configured to be illuminated with the illumination of longitudinally extending light source 202.
Lighting system 200 may have box or strip housing 220 configured for holding light source support 206 and for surface or suspension mounting of lighting system 200. For example, as shown in
Light source support 206 may hold at least one longitudinally extending light source 202 on a first side. Each longitudinally extending light source 202 has a length substantially greater than a width. Light source support 206 may have a driver 232 mounted to the second side thereof and a quick connect 234 in electrical communication with driver 232. Quick connect 234 may be configured to extend through knock out or opening 226 in the box or strip housing 220. Quick connect 234 may be in electrical communication with light source 202 with electrical communicators 233, which may be wires. Quick connect 234 may ease electrically connecting longitudinally extending light source 202 with a power source. In at least one embodiment, box or strip housing 220 has a mounting plate 227 configured for mounting lighting system 200 to a junction box.
Upon hanging light support 206 from a first side 224 of box or strip housing 220, driver 232 may be electrically connected to a power source. Driver 232 may be mounted on the second side of light source support 206. Wires or electrical communicators 233 may extend from driver 232 and may have quick connect 234 on an end thereof. Quick connect 234 may be configured and disposed to provide ease in electrically connecting driver 232 to an external power source. For example, quick connect 234 may be extended through knock out or opening 226 and connected to a power source.
Light source support 206 may be rotated about hinges 208 and first edge 239 of light source support 206 may be aligned with first edge 237 of box or strip housing 220 and second edge 241 of light source support 206 may be aligned with second edge 238 of box or strip housing 220. Mounting arm fasteners 225 may be extended through apertures 211 in mounting arms 210 and fastened to second side 236 of box or strip housing 220. Mounting arms 210 may extend from proximate second edge 238 of light source support 206.
