Method and apparatus for lighting

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6511208
  • Patent Number
    6,511,208
  • Date Filed
    Friday, June 25, 1999
    26 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 28, 2003
    22 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • O'Shea; Sandra
    • Ward; John Anthony
    Agents
    • Schwartz; Ansel M.
Abstract
A lighting apparatus. The apparatus includes a first mechanism for holding a lamp. The apparatus includes a media. The apparatus includes a second mechanism for holding the media to the first holding mechanism. The second mechanism is removably attachable to the first mechanism. The media is removably attachable to the second mechanism so the media will not separate from the second mechanism when the second mechanism is separated from the first mechanism. A lighting apparatus. The apparatus includes a mounting structure. The apparatus includes a gimbal ring assembly for holding a lamp. The gimbal ring assembly has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis. The gimbal ring assembly is rotatable about the first axis and about the second axis. The gimbal ring assembly is connected to the mounting structure. The apparatus includes a locking mechanism for locking the gimbal ring assembly in a fixed position relative to the first axis, to the second axis and the mounting structure. The apparatus includes a second mechanism for holding media to the gimbal assembly. The second mechanism is removably attachable to the gimbal assembly. The media is removably attachable to the second mechanism so the media will not separate from the second mechanism when the second mechanism is separated from the first mechanism. A method for installing lighting.
Description




FIELD OF THE INVENTION




The present invention is related to a lighting apparatus having a gimbal assembly with at least one ring to hold a lamp. More specifically, the present invention is related to a lighting apparatus having a cone with a media that is removably attachable to the cone so the media will not separate from the cone when the cone is separated from the ring.




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




In many situations, lighting is used not only to illuminate an area to bring attention to an area, but to create a lighting effect on an area. To do this, the lamp is carefully chosen to focus on a specific area. This means that when a gimbal assembly is used, the ring or rings must be carefully positioned to achieve the aforementioned results. The gimbal assembly is then left alone until the lamp held by the gimbal assembly simply needs to be changed. When this happens, the ring or rings are jarred and moved from their previously set position. After the lamp is replaced, the ring or rings must be reset. In many instances, where the lamp is in the ceiling, this is not always simple. Also, the persons responsible for changing the lamp may not be qualified to properly refocus the lamp and gimbal assembly. The present invention avoids having to reset the gimbal assembly after the lamp is changed.




Furthermore, it is common for a cone with media, such as fitter media, to be attached with the gimbal assembly. When the cone is removed from the gimbal assembly, the media is loose and can separate from the cone. In situations such as high ceilings or tight and narrowed areas, the separation of the media from the cone adds to the difficulty of changing the lamp. The present invention provides for the media to remain secure to the cone when the cone is separated from the gimbal assembly.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus comprises a mounting structure. The apparatus comprises a gimbal ring assembly for holding a lamp. The gimbal ring assembly has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis. The gimbal ring assembly is rotatable about the first axis and about the second axis. The gimbal ring assembly is connected to the mounting structure. The apparatus comprises a locking mechanism for locking the gimbal ring assembly in a fixed position relative to the first axis, to the second axis and the mounting structure.




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus comprises a yoke. The apparatus comprises a lamp ring for holding a lamp. The lamp ring is connected to the mounting structure. The apparatus comprises a ring locking mechanism for locking the lamp ring in a fixed position relative to the yoke.




The present invention pertains to a method for lighting. The method comprises the steps of attaching a mounting structure to a ceiling. Then there is the step of orienting an outer ring of a gimbal ring assembly at a first position relative to a second axis of the gimbal ring assembly. Next there is the step of locking the outer ring in place relative to the mounting structure. Then there is the step of orienting an inner ring having a lamp of the gimbal ring assembly at a second position relative to a first axis of the gimbal ring assembly. Next there is the step of locking the inner ring assembly to the outer ring assembly.




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus. The apparatus comprises a first mechanism for holding a lamp. The apparatus comprises a media. The apparatus comprises a second mechanism for holding the media to the first holding mechanism. The second mechanism is removably attachable to the first mechanism. The media is removably attachable to the second mechanism so the media will not separate from the second mechanism when the second mechanism is separated from the first mechanism.




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus. The apparatus comprises a mounting structure. The apparatus comprises a gimbal ring assembly for holding a lamp. The gimbal ring assembly has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis. The gimbal ring assembly is rotatable about the first axis and about the second axis. The gimbal ring assembly is connected to the mounting structure. The apparatus comprises a locking mechanism for locking the gimbal ring assembly in a fixed position relative to the first axis, to the second axis and the mounting structure. The apparatus comprises a second mechanism for holding media to the gimbal assembly. The second mechanism is removably attachable to the gimbal assembly. The media is removably attachable to the second mechanism so the media will not separate from the second mechanism when the second mechanism is separated from the first mechanism.




The present invention pertains to a method for installing lighting. The method comprises the steps of placing a media into a second mechanism for holding the media. Then there is the step of inserting a media retaining spring over the media and the second mechanism. Next there is the step of fixing the second mechanism to a first mechanism holding a lamp.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




In the accompanying drawings, the preferred embodiment of the invention and preferred methods of practicing the invention are illustrated in which:





FIG. 1

is an end view of a lighting apparatus of the present invention.





FIG. 2

is a bottom view of a lighting apparatus of the present invention.





FIG. 3

is a side view of a lighting apparatus of the present invention.





FIG. 4

is a front view of a locking clip with threaded stud or screw.





FIG. 5

is a top view of a locking clip with threaded stud or screw.





FIG. 6

is a side view of a locking clip with threaded stud or screw.





FIG. 7

is a top view of an inner nut.





FIG. 8

is a side view of a locking threaded screw or stud.





FIG. 9

is a top view of a locking threaded screw or stud.





FIG. 10

is an end view of an alternative embodiment of a lighting apparatus of the present invention.





FIG. 11

is a side view of a lighting apparatus of the present invention with a cone and media.





FIG. 12

is a side sectional view of a lamp ring and cone.





FIG. 13

is a bottom view of a lamp ring and cone.





FIG. 14

is an end view of a lamp ring and cone in a mounting structure.





FIG. 15

is a schematic representation of a side view of a yoke locked to a housing with a yoke screw.





FIG. 16

is a schematic representation of an exploded view of a yoke screw and bushing mechanism.





FIG. 17

is a schematic representation of an overhead view of the housing with a slot.





FIG. 18

is a schematic representation of a side view of a yoke locked to a housing with a self-tapping screw.





FIG. 19

is a schematic representation of an exploded view of a self-tapping screw and a spacer.











DETAILED DESCRIPTION




Referring now to the drawings wherein like reference numerals refer to similar or identical parts throughout the several views, and more specifically to

FIGS. 1

,


2


and


3


thereof, there is shown a lighting apparatus


10


. The lighting apparatus


10


comprises a mounting structure


12


. The apparatus comprises a gimbal ring assembly


14


for holding a lamp


55


. The gimbal ring assembly


14


has a first axis


16


and a second axis


18


perpendicular with the first axis


16


. The gimbal ring assembly


14


is rotatable about the first axis


16


and about the second axis


18


. The gimbal ring assembly


14


is connected to the mounting structure


12


. The apparatus comprises a locking mechanism


20


for locking the gimbal ring assembly


14


in a fixed position relative to the first axis


16


, to the second axis


18


and the mounting structure


12


.




Preferably, the gimbal ring assembly


14


comprises an outer ring


22


and an inner ring


24


. The outer ring


22


is disposed about the inner ring


24


.




The locking mechanism


20


preferably includes a first lock mechanism


26


which locks the inner ring


24


to the outer ring


22


relative to the first axis


16


. The first lock mechanism


26


preferably includes a first locking threaded screw or stud


30


, as shown in

FIGS. 8 and 9

, that contacts the outer ring


22


and the inner ring


24


.




Preferably, the locking mechanism


20


includes a second lock mechanism


28


which locks the outer ring


22


to the mounting structure


12


relative to the second axis


18


. Preferably, the mounting structure


12


includes a slot


32


and the second lock mechanism


28


includes a locking clip


34


, as shown in

FIGS. 4-6

, which engages the mounting structure


12


through the hole or slot


32


. Preferably, the second lock mechanism


28


includes a second threaded screw or stud


36


that extends through the mounting structure


12


via the locking clip


34


and contacts the outer ring


22


.




The second lock mechanism


28


preferably includes an inner nut


38


, as shown in

FIGS. 6 and 7

, disposed between the inner ring


24


and upper ring. The second threaded screw or stud


36


extends through the outer ring


22


and contacts the inner nut


38


which holds the second threaded screw or stud


36


in place so the outer ring


22


cannot rotate about the second axis


18


. Preferably, the inner nut


38


has an inner head


46


with holes


44


which are adapted to receive a tool to tighten or loosen the second threaded screw or stud


36


from the nut


38


.




Preferably, the inner ring


24


has a threaded hole


40


which receives the first locking threaded screw or stud


30


so the first locking threaded screw or stud


30


holds the inner ring


24


and outer ring


22


together and prevents their moving relative to each other about the first axis


16


. The first locking threaded screw or stud


30


preferably has a locking head


42


with holes


44


which are adapted to receive a tool to tighten or loosen the first locking threaded screw or stud


30


.




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus


10


. The lighting apparatus


10


comprises a yoke


48


. The apparatus comprises a lamp ring


50


for holding a lamp


55


. The lamp ring


50


is connected to the mounting structure


12


. The apparatus comprises a ring locking mechanism


52


for locking the lamp ring


50


in a fixed position relative to the yoke


48


.




Preferably, the yoke


48


includes a hole or slot


32


and the ring locking mechanism


52


includes a locking clip


34


which engages the yoke


48


through the slot


32


. Preferably, the ring locking mechanism


52


includes a second threaded screw or stud


36


that extends through the yoke


48


via the locking clip


34


and contacts the outer ring


22


. The ring locking mechanism


52


preferably includes an inner nut


38


disposed in the lamp ring


50


. The second threaded screw or stud


36


extends through the lamp ring


50


and contacts the inner nut


38


which holds the second threaded screw or stud


36


in place so the lamp ring


50


cannot rotate relative to the yoke


48


.




The present invention pertains to a method for lighting. The method comprises the steps of attaching a mounting structure


12


to a ceiling. Then there is the step of orienting an outer ring


22


of a gimbal ring assembly


14


at a first position relative to a second axis


18


of the gimbal ring assembly


14


. Next there is the step of locking the outer ring


22


in place relative to the mounting structure


12


. Then there is the step of orienting an inner ring


24


having a lamp


55


of the gimbal ring assembly


14


at a second position relative to a first axis


16


of the gimbal ring assembly


14


. Next there is the step of locking the inner ring


24


assembly to the outer ring


22


assembly.




Preferably, after the locking the inner ring


24


step, there is the step of changing the lamp


55


of the inner ring


24


without the position of the inner ring


24


or outer ring


22


changing.




In the operation of the preferred embodiment, a lighting apparatus


10


is placed in a ceiling. This placement occurs by fixing the mounting structure


12


to the ceiling as is well known in the art. In the mounting structure


12


is a gimbal ring assembly


14


. The gimbal ring assembly


14


is comprised of an outer ring


22


and an inner ring


24


. The gimbal ring assembly can be a standard MR16 gimbal ring assembly available from Modular International, Inc. of Pittsburgh, Pa. The inner ring


24


holds a lamp. The inner ring


24


is rotatably connected to the outer ring


22


and the inner ring


24


is able to rotate about a first axis


16


of the gimbal ring assembly


14


. The outer ring


22


is rotatably attached to the mounting structure


12


, as is well known in the art, so that the outer ring


22


can rotate about a second axis


18


.




A first locking threaded screw or stud


30


is screwed through a hole in the outer ring


22


and further threaded into a threaded hole


40


in the inner ring


24


. When the first locking threaded screw or stud


30


is tightened, it screws through the hole in the outer ring


22


and screws in to the threaded hole


40


in the inner ring


24


where it fixes the outer ring


22


with the inner ring


24


so the inner ring


24


cannot move or rotate. After the outer ring


22


is placed in a desired position relative to the second axis, the first locking threaded screw or stud


30


is tightened to fix the inner ring


24


in place so the lamp remains focused and fixed in place in a desired direction.




The outer ring


22


is fixed in place after it is rotated to a desired position relative to the second axis


18


by a locking clip


34


first being mounted to the side of the mounting structure


12


through a hole or slot


32


in the mounting structure


12


. A second threaded screw or stud


36


extends through the locking clip


34


and through a locking clip hole


35


so it extends into the interior of the mounting structure


12


.




The second threaded screw or stud


36


is screwed through a hole in the outer ring


22


that is aligned with the locking clip hole


35


until it threads into an inner nut


38


. The inner nut


38


is disposed between the inner ring


24


and the outer ring


22


. When the second threaded screw or stud


36


is tightened into the inner nut


38


, the outer ring


22


becomes held by the threaded stud in place relative to the mounting structure


12


and the second axis


18


.




The locking nut


38


can have a locking head


42


with holes


44


which receive a tool, such as an Allen wrench, to facilitate tightening or loosening of the second threaded screw or stud


36


. Similarly, the inner nut


38


can have an inner head


46


with holes


44


for the same purpose to facilitate tightening or loosening.




The advantage of the present invention is that it allows the inner ring


24


and outer ring


22


to be fixed in place once the lamp is in the desired position. Whenever the lamp burns out or needs to be changed for whatever reason, whether it be a day, a week, a month or a year later, the lamp can be changed without any concern of disturbing the position the lamp is held in by the gimbal ring assembly. This is because the inner ring


24


and outer ring


22


have become fixed in place through the use of the second threaded screw or stud


36


, locking clip


34


, inner nut


38


, first locking threaded screw or stud


30


and threaded hole


40


.




In a similar manner, a yoke


48


which only has a lamp ring


50


can have a locking clip


34


attached to the yoke


48


. The second threaded screw or stud


36


can then be used with an inner nut


38


to hold the lamp ring


50


in place, for the same reason, as described above.




The yoke


48


can be locked in place to the housing


162


with a yoke screw


157


that extends throughout a yoke hole


159


and threads into a bushing mechanism


161


that clamps to the housing


162


in a housing slot


163


, as shown in the FIGS. of


15


,


16


and


17


. The bushing mechanism


161


comprises an upper bushing


168


with a threaded hole that is disposed above the housing


162


in which the yoke screw


157


threads into, and a lower bushing


169


with a hole disposed on the bottom of the housing


162


which mates with the upper bushing


168


. The lower bushing


169


essentially acts as a spacer between the yoke


48


and the housing


162


, when the yoke screw


157


is threaded into the threaded hole of the upper bushing


168


. In such an instance, the bushing mechanism


161


squeezes the housing


162


and the yoke is tightened and locked by the yoke screw


159


in place. The yoke is positioned and locked prior to the installation of the lamp. Alternatively, the self-tapping screw


171


can extend through the yoke hole


159


, through a spacer


173


, and pierce the housing


162


to lock the yoke


48


in place, as shown in

FIGS. 18 and 19

.




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus


60


, as shown in

FIGS. 11-14

. The apparatus


60


comprises a first mechanism


61


for holding a lamp


62


. The apparatus


60


comprises a media


63


. The apparatus


60


comprises a second mechanism


64


for holding the media


63


to the first mechanism


61


. The second mechanism


64


is removably attachable to the first mechanism


61


. The media


63


is removably attachable to the second mechanism


64


so the media


63


will not separate from the second mechanism


64


when the second mechanism


64


is separated from the first mechanism


61


.




Preferably, the second mechanism


64


includes a first portion


65


that engages with the first mechanism


61


and a second portion


66


which extends from the first portion


65


. The media


63


is preferably a filter media


63


which is disposed in the first portion


65


. Preferably, the second portion


66


includes a cone


67


.




The first portion


65


preferably includes a twist and lock pin assembly


68


which extends from the outer surface of the first portion


65


which engages with the first mechanism


61


. Preferably, the first mechanism


61


includes a first groove


69


in which the twist and lock pin assembly


68


engages.




The first portion


65


preferably includes a second groove


70


disposed in its inner surface and a media retaining spring


71


which is disposed in the second groove


70


to hold the media


63


to the second mechanism


64


so the media


63


cannot come out of the second mechanism


64


. The media


63


is disposed between the cone


67


and the media retaining spring


71


. Preferably, the first mechanism


61


includes a third groove


72


disposed on its inner surface and a second retaining spring


77


which is disposed in the third groove


72


to hold the lamp


62


to the first mechanism


61


.




The apparatus


60


preferably includes a pressure spring


73


disposed over the lamp


62


between the lamp


62


and the second mechanism


64


which maintains pressure on the first portion


65


to maintain the second mechanism


64


firmly in place via the twist and lock pin assembly


68


in the first groove


69


. Preferably, the first mechanism


61


has notches


74


, as shown in

FIG. 13

, through which the twist and lock pin assembly


68


access the first groove


69


. The first mechanism


61


preferably includes a bolt assembly


75


disposed on its outer surface.




Preferably, the apparatus


60


includes an outer ring


22


which holds the first mechanism


61


. The bolt assembly


75


locks the first mechanism


61


to the outer ring


22


. The apparatus


60


preferably includes a mounting structure


12


which holds the outer ring


22


. Preferably, the apparatus


60


includes a locking mechanism for locking the outer ring


22


to the mounting structure


12


. The first mechanism


61


preferably includes an inner ring


24


. Preferably, the apparatus


60


includes n additional filter media


63


disposed in the second portion


66


, where n is greater than or equal to 1 and is and integer.




The present invention pertains to a lighting apparatus


60


, as shown in

FIGS. 13 and 14

. The apparatus


60


comprises a mounting structure


12


. The apparatus


60


comprises a gimbal ring assembly


11


for holding a lamp


62


. The gimbal ring assembly


11


has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis. The gimbal ring assembly


11


is rotatable about the first axis and about the second axis. The gimbal ring assembly


11


is connected to the mounting structure


12


. The apparatus


60


comprises a locking mechanism for locking the gimbal ring assembly


11


in a fixed position relative to the first axis, to the second axis and the mounting structure


12


. The apparatus


60


comprises a second mechanism


64


for holding media


63


to the gimbal assembly. The second mechanism


64


is removably attachable to the gimbal assembly. The media


63


is removably attachable to the second mechanism


64


so the media


63


will not separate from the second mechanism


64


when the second mechanism


64


is separated from the first mechanism


61


.




The present invention pertains to a method for installing lighting. The method comprises the steps of placing a media


63


into a second mechanism


64


for holding the media


63


. Then there is the step of inserting a media


63


retaining spring over the media


63


and the second mechanism


64


. Next there is the step of fixing the second mechanism


64


to a first mechanism


61


holding a lamp


62


.




Preferably, after the fixing step, there are the steps of removing the second mechanism


64


from the first mechanism


61


and rotating the second mechanism


64


so the media


63


faces ground without the media


63


separating from the second mechanism


64


due to the media


63


retaining spring holding it in the second mechanism


64


. The first mechanism


61


preferably includes an inner ring


24


, the second mechanism


64


includes a cone


67


and after the fixing step, there are the steps of locking the inner ring


24


to an outer ring


22


, locking the outer ring


22


to a mounting structure


12


and attaching the mounting structure


12


to a building structure.




In the operation of the preferred embodiment, a first filter media


63




a


is inserted into the first portion


65


of a cone


67


and a second filter media


63




b


is placed on top of the first filter media


63


in the cone


67


, as shown in

FIGS. 11 and 12

. A filter media retaining ring


71


is then inserted into a first groove


69


on the inner surface of the first portion


65


of the cone


67


. The pins


76


of the twist and lock pin assembly


68


are then aligned with notches


74


in an inner ring


24


which holds a lamp


62


, as shown in FIG.


13


. The notches


74


extend axially from the edge of the inner ring


24


to a second groove


70


which extends circumferentially about the inner surface of the inner ring


24


. When the pins


76


of the twist and lock pin assembly


68


are moved to the second groove


70


along the notches


74


, the cone


67


is then rotated sideways so the pins


76


of the twist and lock pin assembly


68


are out of alignment with the notches


74


so the cone


67


cannot fall back out to of the notches


74


and separate from the inner ring


24


.




The inner ring


24


has a lamp


62


inserted into it and a second retaining spring


77


inserted over the lamp


62


into a third groove


72


to hold the lamp


62


to the inner ring


24


. A pressure spring


73


is then inserted over the lamp


62


in the inner ring


24


to maintain downward pressure on the cone


67


when the cone


67


is fitted into the inner ring


24


to maintain the cone


67


firmly in stable in fixed to the inner ring


24


. On the outer surface of the inner ring


24


, is a bolt assembly


75


for receiving locking bolts from an outer ring


22


or from a mounting structure


12


to fix the inner ring


24


in place, as described above, and as shown in

FIGS. 13 and 14

.




When the cone


67


is desired to be removed, the cone


67


is simply rotated in an opposite direction to when the cone


67


was rotated to seat the cone


67


in the inner ring


24


so the pins


76


of the pin assembly


68


align with the notches


74


. The cone


67


is then pulled away from the inner ring


24


, with the pins


76


moving along the notches


74


until the cone


67


is separated from the inner ring


24


. In this way, the cone


67


can be separated without affecting the position of the inner ring


24


so there does not have to be any concern of having to realign the position of the inner ring


24


and thus the lamp


62


during the changing process.




With a filter media


63


retaining spring disposed in the first portion


65


over the filter media


63


, there is no concern that the filter media


63


will fall out during the changing process. This is most expressly appreciated when the lamp


62


is disposed in a high or out of the way location where it is not easy to place the filter media


63


back into the cone


67


if the filter media


63


was to have fallen out.




Although the invention has been described in detail in the foregoing embodiments for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that such detail is solely for that purpose and that variations can be made therein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention except as it may be described by the following claims.



Claims
  • 1. A lighting system for building structure comprising:a first mechanism for holding a lamp; a mounting structure mounting the first mechanism to the building structure, the first mechanism connected to the mounting structure; a media; and a second mechanism for holding the media to the first holding mechanism, said second mechanism removably attachable to the first mechanism, said media removably attachable to said second mechanism so the media will not separate from the second mechanism when the second mechanism is separated from the first mechanism.
  • 2. A system as described in claim 1 wherein the first mechanism is rotatably connected to the building structure.
  • 3. A system as described in claim 2 wherein a second mechanism includes a first portion that engages with the first mechanism and the second portion which extends from the first portion.
  • 4. A system as described in claim 3 wherein the first mechanism includes a gimbal ring assembly for holding a lamp, the gimbal ring assembly has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis, the gimbal ring assembly is rotatable about the first axis and about the second axis, the gimbal ring assembly is connected to the mounting structure.
  • 5. A system as described in claim 4 wherein the media is a filter media which is disposed in the first portion.
  • 6. A system as described in claim 5 wherein the second portion includes a cone.
  • 7. A system as described in claim 6 wherein the first portion includes a twist and lock pin assembly which extends from the outer surface of the first portion which engages with the first mechanism.
  • 8. A system as described in claim 7 wherein the first mechanism includes a first groove in which the twist and lock pin assembly engages.
  • 9. A system as described in claim 8 wherein the first portion includes a second groove disposed in its inner surface and a media retaining spring which is disposed in the second groove to hold the media to the second mechanism so the media cannot come out of the second mechanism, said media disposed between the cone and the media retaining spring.
  • 10. A system has described in claim 9 wherein the first mechanism includes a third groove disposed on its inner surface and a second retaining spring which is disposed in the third groove to hold the lamp to the first mechanism.
  • 11. A system as described in claim 10 including a pressure spring disposed over the lamp between the lamp and the second mechanism which maintains pressure on the first portion to maintain the second mechanism firmly in place via the twist and lock pin assembly in the first groove.
  • 12. A system as described in claim 11 wherein the first mechanism has notches through which the twist and lock pin assembly access the first groove.
  • 13. A system as described in claim 12 wherein the first mechanism includes a bolt assembly disposed on its outer surface.
  • 14. A system as described in claim 13 including an outer ring which holds the first mechanism, said bolt assembly locking the first mechanism to the outer ring.
  • 15. A system as described in claim 14 including a mounting structure which holds the outer ring.
  • 16. A system as described in claim 15 including a locking mechanism for locking the outer ring to the mounting structure.
  • 17. A system as described in claim 16 wherein the first mechanism includes an inner ring.
  • 18. A system as described in claim 17 including n additional filter media disposed in the second portion, where n is greater than or equal to 1 and is and integer.
  • 19. A lighting apparatus for a building structure comprising:a mounting structure; a gimbal ring assembly for holding a lamp, the gimbal ring assembly has a first axis and a second axis perpendicular with the first axis, the gimbal ring assembly is rotatable about the first axis and about the second axis, the gimbal ring assembly is connected to the mounting structure; a locking mechanism for locking the gimbal ring assembly in a fixed position relative to the first axis, to the second axis and the mounting structure; a media; and a second mechanism for holding the media to the gimbal assembly, the second mechanism is removably attachable to the gimbal assembly, the media is removably attachable to the second mechanism so the media will not separate from the second mechanism when the second mechanism is separated from the gimbal-ring assembly.
  • 20. A system as described in claim 19 wherein the second mechanism includes a first portion that engages with the gimbal ring assembly first mechanism and the second portion which extends from the first portion.
  • 21. A system as described in claim 20 wherein the media is a filter media which is disposed in the first portion.
  • 22. A system as described in claim 21 wherein the second portion includes a cone.
  • 23. A system as described in claim 22 wherein the first portion includes a twist and lock pin assembly which extends from the outer surface of the first portion which engages with the first mechanism.
  • 24. A system as described in claim 23 wherein the gimbal ring assembly includes a first groove in which the twist and lock pin assembly engages.
  • 25. A system as described in claim 24 wherein the first portion includes a second groove disposed in its inner surface and a media retaining spring which is disposed in the second groove to hold the media to the second mechanism so the media cannot come out of the second mechanism, said media disposed between the cone and the media retaining spring.
  • 26. A system has described in claim 25 wherein the first mechanism includes a third groove disposed on its inner surface and a second retaining spring which is disposed in the third groove to hold the lamp to the gimbal ring assembly.
  • 27. A system as described in claim 26 including a pressure spring disposed over the lamp between the lamp and the second mechanism which maintains pressure on the first portion to maintain the second mechanism firmly in place via the twist and lock pin assembly in the first groove.
  • 28. A system as described in claim 27 wherein the gimbal ring assembly has notches through which the twist and lock pin assembly access the first groove.
  • 29. A system as described in claim 28 including n additional filter media disposed in the second portion, where n is greater than or equal to 1 and is and integer.
Parent Case Info

This is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 09/161,252, filed Sep. 26, 1998.

US Referenced Citations (3)
Number Name Date Kind
5432683 Brown Jul 1995 A
5690420 Saldana, Sr. Nov 1997 A
6170965 Kotovsky Jan 2001 B1
Continuation in Parts (1)
Number Date Country
Parent 09/161252 Sep 1998 US
Child 09/344977 US