Embodiments of the technology relate generally to mounting systems for luminaires, and more particularly to brackets for mounting lighting fixtures efficiently and economically.
Installing luminaires utilizing conventional technologies can be cumbersome or inefficient. For example, many overhead installations are two-person jobs. In many instances, a person installing a luminaire may need to partially disassemble the fixture during installation.
Accordingly, there are needs in the art for improved technologies for installing luminaires. Need exists for a system that can better manage labor cost or inconvenience in connection with installing a luminaire. Need further exists for improved approaches to mounting luminaires that incorporate light emitting diodes (LEDs), for example to help realize the potential benefit associated with their energy efficiency, light quality, and compact size. A capability addressing one or more such needs, or some other related deficiency in the art, would support improved deployment of illumination systems, including but not limited to more utilization of light emitting diodes in lighting applications.
A luminaire mounting system can facilitate installing a luminaire, for example reducing labor and improving installation convenience and economics. The mounting system can comprise a lightweight bracket that is initially separated from the luminaire. An installer can readily mount the bracket adjacent or over an existing junction box, without having to cope with the weight and bulk of the luminaire. In some examples, the bracket can comprise captive fasteners for convenient attachment of the bracket to a ceiling or other structure associated with the junction box. In addition to the bracket, the mounting system can comprise hardware that attaches to the luminaire for coupling the luminaire to the bracket. Once the bracket is attached to the ceiling, the installer can readily mount the luminaire to the bracket. The installer can use a hanger to hang the luminaire from the bracket. The installer can then move the luminaire into position against the bracket to provide a long-term operating configuration.
In some examples, multiple hanging configurations can be supported. For example, there may be a first configuration for initial wiring and a second configuration. The second configuration can be intermediate with respect to the first configuration and a final, operating configuration. Such two configurations can utilize two different hangers in some examples.
The foregoing discussion is for illustrative purposes only. Various aspects of the present technology may be more clearly understood and appreciated from a review of the following text and by reference to the associated drawings and the claims that follow. Other aspects, systems, methods, features, advantages, and objects of the present technology will become apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following drawings and text. It is intended that all such aspects, systems, methods, features, advantages, and objects are to be included within this description and covered by this application and by the appended claims of the application.
Reference will be made below to the accompanying drawings.
The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting of the embodiments described, as other equally effective embodiments are within the scope and spirit of this disclosure. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating principles of the embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or positionings may be exaggerated to help visually convey certain principles. In the drawings, similar reference numerals among different figures designate like or corresponding, but not necessarily identical, elements.
A lighting system or a luminaire mounting system can comprise a bracket and a hanger. An installer can attach the bracket to a ceiling or other structure while the bracket is detached from an associated luminaire. In some (but not all) examples, the bracket can include captive fasteners to facilitate installation. Once the bracket is attached to the ceiling, the installer can use the hanger to hang or suspend the luminaire from the bracket. Once the luminaire is hung or suspended from the bracket, the installer can move the luminaire into position against the bracket to provide a long-term operating configuration, for example utilizing one or more clips or other fasteners to fasten the luminaire against the bracket. In some examples, the lighting system can provide two hanging configurations, a first for wiring the luminaire and a second for tucking the wiring into a recess prior to moving the luminaire into the long-term operating configuration. The second hanging configuration can provide an intermediate position between the first hanging configuration and the long-term operating configuration, for example.
Some representative embodiments will be described more fully hereinafter with example reference to the accompanying drawings that illustrate representative embodiments of the technology. The technology may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete and will fully convey the scope of the technology to those appropriately skilled in the art.
Turning now to
Referring to
A cover plate 10 is sized to fit over the junction box 5 and can be viewed as a flange in the illustrated embodiment. As illustrated, the cover plate 10 comprises a circular plate with a central opening 11. The central opening 11 is sized to accommodate a power feed, so that electrical wires extend from the junction box 5 and into the luminaire 75 via the central opening 11.
As shown in the exploded view of
As best seen in
In the illustrated example embodiment, the bracket 90 further comprises mounting fasteners 95 that are captured in fastener apertures 96. As best seen in
Once the installer moves the lightweight bracket 90 into position, the installer can readily advance the fasteners 95 through the respective fastener openings 96 and into the ceiling 50. For example, the installer may use a manual or battery powered screwdriver. In some example embodiments, the fasteners 95 comprise drywall fasteners or anchors. As the installer rotates each fastener 95, the fastener 95 screws into and deforms the associated deformable plastic insert 94. The fastener 95 thus protrudes out of the rear of the bracket 90 and into the ceiling 50, thereby securing the bracket 90 to the ceiling 50 or other structure.
With the bracket 90 mounted to the ceiling 50, the luminaire mounting system 100 is ready for the installer to hang the luminaire 75 from the bracket 90. As best shown in
In the illustrated embodiment, the hanger 80 comprises a spring wire formed into a U-shape. A portion of the hanger 80 is positioned in a channel 98 within the luminaire 75 and has freedom of movement within the constraints of that channel 98. (See
To hang or suspend the luminaire 75 from the bracket 90, the installer can maneuver the leg ends of the hanger 80 into the slots 97, for example by temporarily deforming or flexing the spring wire of the hanger 80. Once the installer has worked the leg ends of the hanger 80 into the slots 97, the hanger 80 supports the luminaire 75. Thus, the luminaire 75 hangs or is suspended from the bracket 90 as illustrated in
The hanger 90 provides sufficient freedom-of-movement so that the installer can move the luminaire 75 up and down and operates as a hinge for tilting or rotation. Accordingly, the installer can handily lift and tilt the luminaire 75 into its operating position against the bracket 90.
The luminaire 75 comprises a retention clip 45 and the bracket 90 comprises retention openings 40 that cooperatively hold the luminaire 75 in its operating position against the bracket 90. In an example embodiment, the retention clip 45 is formed of a strip of spring steel and has bent ends that seat in the retention openings 40. When the installer lifts and tilts the luminaire 75 into position, the retention clip 45 flexes and deforms until the ends of the retention clip 45 spring or snap into the retention openings 40, thereby fixing the luminaire 75 against the bracket 90 for long-term operation. See
In the illustrated embodiment, the luminaire 75 incorporates light emitting diodes 15 for illumination and has an elongate geometry. The light emitting diodes 15 are positioned in groups on substrates to form light modules 20. A row of the light modules 20 extends along the elongated dimension of the luminaire 75. Light from the light modules 20 is incident on and refracted by a lens 30. In the illustrated embodiment, the lens 30 comprises lengthwise extending features, specifically grooves and ridges, for diffusing the emitted light.
While one representative luminaire 75 based on light emitting diodes 15 is illustrated in
Turning now to
As illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment, the luminaire 775 comprises cables 725 for hanging or suspending the luminaire 775 from the mounted bracket 750. In some representative embodiments, the cables 725 can comprise metal wires, filaments, cordage, twine, braided plastic or metal filaments, rope, or other appropriate material. In the illustrated embodiment, each cable 725 comprises a hook or clip 727 that the installer can readily fasten to a corresponding feature 726 in the bracket 750. In various example embodiments, the feature 726 can comprise a hole in the frame of the bracket 750, a loop of wire, a ring, an eye, a receptacle, or some other appropriate feature.
Once the installer has hung the luminaire 775 from the bracket 750 via the cables 725, the installer can wire the luminaire 775. That is, the installer can connect pigtail wiring (not illustrated in
In the illustrated embodiment of
Once the installer has hung the luminaire 775 from the bracket 750 and the luminaire 775 is suspended, the installer can readily move the luminaire 775 closer to the bracket 750 and hang the luminaire 775 in another configuration as illustrated in
The luminaire mounting system 700 can comprise a hinged connection that facilitates the second hanging configuration. As best seen in
The installer can then rotate the luminaire 775 about that axis, like a closing door, to complete the installation as illustrated in
Many modifications and other embodiments of the disclosures set forth herein will come to mind to one skilled in the art to which these disclosures pertain having the benefit of the teachings presented in the foregoing descriptions and the associated drawings. Therefore, it is to be understood that the disclosures are not to be limited to the specific embodiments disclosed and that modifications and other embodiments are intended to be included within the scope of this application. Although specific terms are employed herein, they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/155,159 filed Apr. 30, 2015 in the name of Christopher Ladewig, Steven D. Lowe, and Matt D. LeClair and entitled “Luminaire Mounting System,” the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
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Number | Date | Country | |
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62155159 | Apr 2015 | US |