The present invention relates to light fixture mounts, and more particularly, to radially adjustable landscape light fixture mounts for installation around lawns and gardens of residential and commercial properties.
Outdoor landscape lighting is popular for security, aesthetic, safety, and other reasons. It is known in the outdoor lighting industry to mount a landscape light fixture on the top of a mounting stake whose lower end is planted in the ground. This secures the light fixture in a fixed position and keeps it in place.
Typical commercially available landscape light fixture mounts are essentially a stake with a lower pointed end and a threaded top portion for receiving a light fixture. To install this type of landscape light fixture mount a user will secure the light fixture to the stake and place the stake in the ground. Alternatively, a user might first pound the stake into the ground before affixing the light fixture.
Many light fixtures include a simple pivot to allow a user to aim the light fixture at the intended feature. This can be done by adjusting the angle of the light fixture relative to the horizon. Making radial adjustments to the position of the light fixture is not as simple. Often a user will loosely screw the light fixture into the stake and continue to tighten it until the radial position is correct. In other cases, a user may attempt to install the stake at the correct radial position with the light fixture attached. Then in order to adjust the radial position of the light fixture the stake must be pulled out from the ground and repositioned.
Light fixtures are often installed during daylight hours. However, a final adjustment is normally required when it is dark to insure that the light fixture is highlighting the correct feature. With typical commercially available light fixtures this means either relocating the stake, or loosening or tightening the threads of the fixture in the stake. In either case it is easy for an unauthorized person to simply reach down and adjust the light fixture such that it is in an undesirable radial position, thereby disrupting the intended lighting design.
In accordance with some embodiments, a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount includes a mounting plate having a female threaded portion for affixing a light fixture thereto and a separate mounting stake having a locking lever. The mounting stake has a recessed portion for receiving the mounting plate and affixed light fixture. The locking lever has an open position and a closed position. When the locking lever is in the open position the radial position of the mounting plate and affixed light fixture can be adjusted relative to the mounting stake by a user. In the closed position the locking lever fixes the radial position of the mounting plate.
In accordance with some embodiments, a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount can comprise a mounting plate having a plurality of teeth on an outer surface and a female threaded portion configured to receive a male threaded portion of a light fixture. The radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount can further comprise a mounting stake for positioning a light fixture in a landscape. The mounting stake can have a top portion having a recess configured for receiving the mounting plate, and the mounting plate can be separate and removable from the mounting stake. The mounting stake can also have a tab located on an inner portion of the recess. The tab can engages with the teeth of the mounting plate when the mounting plate is positioned within the recess and can be configured to allow for an incremental adjustment of a radial position of the mounting plate. The mounting stake can also have a locking lever which is hingedly coupled to the top portion of the mounting stake. The locking lever can have an open position and a closed position. The locking lever can include a locking portion that engages with one or more of the teeth to fix the radial position of the mounting plate when the mounting plate is positioned within the recess and the locking lever is in the closed position. The locking lever can also have a locking tab which is configured to selectively fix and un-fix the locking lever in the closed position. The radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount can be configured such that inserting the mounting plate into the recess establishes a longitudinal and latitudinal position of the mounting plate relative to the mounting stake. The mounting plate can be rotatable in place within the recess to provide incremental adjustment until the locking lever is fixed in the closed position.
According to some embodiments of the radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount, the tab may include an arm attached to the top portion and a protrusion extending from the arm to sit between the teeth of the mounting plate. The arm can be configured to deflect to allow for the protrusion to pass over a tooth during an incremental radial adjustment of the mounting plate.
In some variants, the outer surface of the mounting plate can include a retaining groove and the locking lever can include a retainer configured to fit in the retaining groove to secure the mounting plate in the recess. In some variants the mounting plate can include a centrally located aperture extending through an entire thickness of the mounting plate which is configured to allow a wire connected to a light fixture to pass therethrough.
According to some embodiments, the mounting stake can include a slot extending from a top edge of the top portion to an area below the recess in the top portion. The slot can be configured to allow the wire connected to the light fixture to pass therethrough.
In some embodiments, a landscape lighting system is disclosed which can comprise a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount and a light fixture which may comprise a male threaded portion that can be coupled to the female threaded portion of the mounting plate.
In some variants, the mounting stake can be configured to be inserted into soil without the mounting plate attached. The mounting plate can be configured to receive a light fixture prior to being inserted into the recess in the top portion of the mounting stake.
In accordance with some embodiments, a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount can include a mounting plate and a mounting stake. The mounting plate may comprise a light fixture attachment portion configured to fixedly receive a light fixture. The mounting stake can be configured to receive the mounting plate. The mounting stake can also include a lock which may have a first position and a second position. The lock can be configured to secure the mounting plate in the mounting stake and to fix a radial position of the mounting plate in the second position. In some variants the mounting plate can be separate and removable from the mounting stake and can be rotatable when received by the mounting stake.
According to some embodiments, the light fixture mounting plate can include a plurality of teeth. In some variants the top portion can include a tab that engages with the teeth of the mounting plate to allow for an incremental adjustment of the radial position of the mounting plate when in the recess. In some embodiments the locking lever can include a retaining tab that engages with the teeth of the mounting plate. According to some embodiments locking lever can comprise a rotatable C-clip which can have a locking tab configured to engage with a corresponding portion of the mounting stake to thereby secure the locking lever in the closed position. In some embodiments the mounting plate may comprise a centrally located aperture extending through an entire thickness of the mounting plate to receive and pass through a wire connected to a light fixture. In some variants the mounting stake can have a slot extending from a top edge of the top portion to below the recess. The slot can be configured to allow the wire connected to the light fixture to pass through the slot. According to some embodiments a landscape lighting system can include a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount and a light fixture which can be configured to be fixedly attached to the light fixture attachment portion of the light fixture mounting plate.
According to some embodiments, a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount can comprise a mounting plate and a mounting stake. The mounting plate may comprise an attachment portion for fixedly receiving a light fixture, an outer portion comprising a plurality of teeth, and a retaining groove. The mounting stake may comprise a top portion configured for receiving the mounting plate, a locking lever, and a retainer portion. The locking lever can have an open position and a closed position and can include a locking portion that may engage with one or more teeth of the plurality of teeth in the closed position to fix a radial position of the mounting plate. The retainer portion may fit into the retaining groove of the mounting plate when the mounting plate is received at the top portion and the locking lever is in the closed position to fix and secure the mounting plate at the top portion. The mounting stake can also include a tab that may engage with the teeth of the mounting plate when the mounting plate is received at the top portion. The tab can allow for an incremental adjustment of the radial position of the mounting plate while the locking lever is in the open position. The mounting plate can be separate and removable from the mounting stake. The light fixture mount can further be configured such that positioning the mounting plate at the top portion may establish a longitudinal and latitudinal position of the mounting plate relative to the mounting stake. The mounting plate can be rotatable until the locking lever is fixed in the closed position.
In some variants, the top portion can be configured for receiving the mounting plate comprises a recess. According to some embodiments a landscape lighting system can include a radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount and a light fixture configured to be fixedly attached to the attachment portion of the mounting plate. In some variants the mounting stake may be configured to be inserted into soil without the mounting plate attached and the mounting plate may be configured to receive a light fixture prior to being inserted into the recess in the top portion of the mounting stake.
Various embodiments are depicted in the accompanying drawings for illustrative purposes, and should in no way be interpreted as limiting the scope of the inventions, in which like reference characters denote corresponding features consistently throughout similar embodiments.
Referring to
The lock may comprise a locking lever 16. The lock can have a first position and a second position. In some embodiments, for example where the lock includes a locking lever 16, the first position may be an open position and the second position may be a closed position. When the lock is in the first position the radial position of the mounting plate 14 and affixed light fixture 20 can be adjusted by a user. Once the light fixture 20 has been rotated to a desired radial position the user can secure the lock in the second position. In this position the lock secures the radial position of mounting plate 14, thereby also securing the radial position of the affixed light fixture 20. In those embodiments where the lock includes a locking lever 16, when the locking lever 16 is in the first or open position the radial position of the mounting plate 14 and affixed light fixture 20 can be adjusted by a user. This is accomplished by rotating the mounting plate 14 and affixed light fixture 20 within the recessed portion 76 of the mounting stake 12. For example, a user may grab and rotate the light fixture 20, which by virtue of being affixed to the mounting plate 14, causes both the mounting plate 14 and light fixture 20 to rotate relative to the mounting stake 12. Once the light fixture 20 has been rotated to a desired radial position the user can secure the locking lever 16 in the second or closed position. The locking lever 16 is depicted in the closed position in
In use, referring now to
Alternatively, the light fixture 20 is securely affixed to the mounting plate 14, and the mounting plate 14 is then inserted into the recessed top portion 76 of the mounting stake 12 while the locking lever 16 is in the open position. The locking lever 16 is then rotated into the closed position and the radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount 10 is inserted into the ground at a desired location. After the radially adjustable landscape light fixture mount 10 has been inserted into the ground, the radial position of the light fixture 20 can be adjusted by a user. This is accomplished by rotating the locking lever 16 into the open position and then rotating the mounting plate 14 and affixed light fixture 20 in the recessed portion 76 of the mounting stake 12. Once a desired radial position has been obtained the user can rotate the locking lever 16 back into the closed position.
Further, the mounting plate 14 may be rotatable within the mounting stake 12, but may not be removable therefrom. A user can affix the light fixture 20 to the mounting plate 14 as described above while the mounting plate 14 is held in the mounting stake 12 and the locking lever 16 is in the closed position. Any wires emanating from the light fixture 20 can be passed through the attachment portion 46 and slot 54 to thereby allow connection to a desired connection point. The radial position of the light fixture 20 and mounting plate 14 may be adjusted as described above.
The locking lever 16 may be a C shaped clip which is hingedly attached to the mounting stake 12 as shown in
Additionally, as depicted in
Although the light fixture 20 can be securely affixed to the mounting plate 14 via the attachment portion 46, the light fixture 20 may be further secured to the mounting plate 14 by an optional locking screw 68 (best seen in
The mounting stake 12 as depicted in
As shown in
As illustrated in
The illustrated tab 72 is positioned at the end of a deflection arm 62. As the user exerts a rotational force on the mounting plate 14, a first tooth 44 adjacent to the tab 72 causes it to deflect, which allows the tab 72 to pass over the first tooth 44. The tab 72 then assumes its original position in a second space between adjacent teeth 44, the second space being adjacent to the first space. In this way the radial position of the mounting plate 14 can be incrementally adjusted, with the radial increment corresponding to the number of teeth 44 on outer portion of the mounting plate 14.
The locking lever 16 can be secured in the closed position by a locking tab 38 as shown in
It will be understood that in some embodiments, the mounting stake may include only one or two of the tab 72, the locking portion 32, and the locking tab 38. Further, their functions can be combined into a single member, for example, a locking tab 38 and/or a locking portion 32 can have a first position to allow for incremental adjustment of the mounting plate 14 and a second position that prevents rotation of the mounting plate 14.
The locking lever 16 may be hingedly attached to the mounting stake 12 as depicted in
The mounting stake 12 is depicted in
In an alternative configuration the mounting stake 12 comprises at least one tab, or tabs, which acts to secure the mounting plate 14 in the recessed attachment portion 76. As the mounting plate 14 is inserted into the attachment portion 76 the mounting plate 14 causes the tab, or tabs, to deflect and allow the mounting plate 14 to be seated in the attachment portion 76 whereupon the tab resumes its original position. In this configuration the locking lever 16 may not include any retaining portions 34 such that in the closed position the locking lever 16 only serves to fix the radial position of the mounting plate 14. In some embodiments, the mounting stake 12 may comprise a tab to secure the mounting plate 14 in the recessed attachment portion 76 and the locking lever may have retaining portions 34 to further secure the mounting plate 14 when the locking lever 16 is in the closed position.
The locking lever 16 includes a locking portion 32 which is positioned on the barrel portion 64 of the locking lever 16. The locking portion may be a protrusion having at least a flat side that presses against the side of a tooth 44 of the mounting plate 14. The locking lever 16 also includes a locking tab 38 positioned at the end of the locking lever 16 opposite the barrel portion 64. The locking tab 38 includes at least a flat side which presses against a corresponding flat portion of the mounting stake 12 to secure the locking lever 16 in the closed position.
Although this invention has been disclosed in the context of certain preferred embodiments and examples, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the present invention extends beyond the specifically disclosed embodiments to other alternative embodiments and/or uses of the invention and obvious modifications and equivalents thereof. In addition, while a number of variations of the invention have been shown and described in detail, other modifications, which are within the scope of this invention, will be readily apparent to those of skill in the art based upon this disclosure. It is also contemplated that various combinations or sub-combinations of the specific features and aspects of the embodiments may be made and still fall within the scope of the invention. Accordingly, it should be understood that various features and aspects of the disclosed embodiments can be combined with or substituted for one another in order to form varying modes of the disclosed invention. Thus, it is intended that the scope of the present invention herein disclosed should not be limited by the particular disclosed embodiments described above, but should be determined only by a fair reading of the claims that follow.
Similarly, this method of disclosure, is not to be interpreted as reflecting an intention that any claim require more features than are expressly recited in that claim. Rather, as the following claims reflect, inventive aspects lie in a combination of fewer than all features of any single foregoing disclosed embodiment. Thus, the claims following the Detailed Description are hereby expressly incorporated into this Detailed Description, with each claim standing on its own as a separate embodiment.
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