Patent Application
20190368671
None.
The disclosure relates to mounting devices for luminaires and, more particularly, to mounting devices for recess mounting a luminaire in a ceiling. Specifically, the disclosure relates to a luminaire mounting device that allows an edge-lit LED luminaire designed for flush mounting to be recessed mounted in a ceiling.
Flush mounted luminaires designed to be mounted in ceilings are known in the art. Some of these luminaires are edge-lit light emitting diode (LED) luminaires which have a body recessed into a hole defined by a ceiling material but locate the light emitting panel substantially flush with the lower surface of the ceiling. An exemplary prior art edge-lit LED luminaire panel 10 is depicted in
Some interior design applications use the flush mounted luminaires 10 as shown in
The disclosure provides a mount that allows an edge-lit, flat panel LED luminaire designed to be flush mounted to be recessed mounted.
The disclosure provides a recessed mount for an edge-lit, flat panel LED luminaire wherein the luminaire is carried at the top of a sidewall which defines an upper opening for the light emitting panel of the luminaire. Lateral supports retain the luminaire in alignment with the upper opening.
The disclosure provides a recessed mount that allows the luminaire and the recessed mount to be installed from below the ceiling.
The recessed mount of the disclosure includes a body having a lower flange adapted to engage the lower surface of the ceiling. The lower flange has an inner edge that defines a lower opening. A sidewall extends up from the inner edge of the flange to define the height of the recess. The top of the sidewall defines an upper opening that is concentric with and smaller than the lower opening. The recessed mount includes resilient locking fingers that engage the upper surface of the ceiling to secure the recessed mount in place. The edge-lit, flat panel luminaire is carried at the top of the sidewall with the light emitting panel aligned with the upper opening. Lateral supports position the luminaire and retain its position with respect to the upper opening. The flange of the recessed mount has a larger overall diameter than the luminaire (or width dimension for square or rectangular configurations) to allow the assembly to be mounted from below the surface. The larger dimension allows the hole in the ceiling to be cut larger than the luminaire flange.
The preceding non-limiting aspects of the mount, as well as others, are more particularly described below. A more complete understanding of the mount can be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are not intended to indicate relative size and dimensions of the assemblies or components thereof. In those drawings and the description below, like numeric designations refer to components of like function. Specific terms used in that description are intended to refer only to the particular structure of the embodiments selected for illustration in the drawings, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of the disclosure.
The following detailed description illustrates by way of example, not by way of limitation, the principles of the invention. This description will clearly enable one skilled in the art to make and use the invention, and describes several embodiments, adaptations, variations, alternatives and uses of the invention. It should be understood that the drawings are diagrammatic and schematic representations of exemplary embodiments of the invention, and are not limiting of the present invention nor are they necessarily drawn to scale. Any dimensions are provided as examples.
An exemplary configuration for the recessed mount of the disclosure is indicated generally by the numeral 20 in the accompany drawings. Recessed mount 20 generally includes a flange 22 that has an outer edge 24 and an inner edge 26. Inner edge 26 defines a lower opening.
Recessed mount 20 also includes a sidewall 28 which extends upwardly from flange 22 to define the height of the recess for mount 20. Sidewall 28 has an upper end 30 which defines an upper opening. The upper opening is smaller than the lower opening. The upper opening can be concentric with the lower opening when viewed from directly below mount 20. When mount 20 is used with round luminaires 10, the lower and upper openings are round. When mount 20 is used with a square luminaire, the lower and upper openings are square. In other exemplary configurations, different shapes can be used and the shape of the lower opening is not required to match the shape of the upper opening. For example, the lower opening can be round with the upper opening being square. In both of these examples, sidewall 28 can match the shape of the openings or be provided in different shapes. In the exemplary configuration, sidewall 28 is a portion of a sphere or oval body cut with two parallel planes spaced apart by the height of sidewall 28. Sidewall 28 can be frusto-conical. Sidewall 28 can be a frustum of a pyramid when used with square openings. Upper opening is sized to be the same size as or slightly larger than the diffuser for luminaire 10 that is being carried by mount 20. As shown in the exemplary configuration in
Recessed mount 20 also includes a plurality of lateral supports 40 and 42 that project upwardly from sidewall 28. Lateral supports 40 and 42 are disposed vertically when flange 22 is horizontal. Lateral supports 40 and 42 are disposed inwardly of inner edge 26 to allow them to fit through the hole in ceiling 12 where mount 20 is being installed. Such a hole has an opening size smaller than flange 22 but larger than the outer dimension of luminaire 10 so that luminaire 10 can be electrically connected to its power supply (with un-numbered cord depicted in
In the configuration of mount 20 depicted in the drawings, the vertical position of luminaire 10 can be maintained with gravity or a combination of gravity and friction between flange 14 and lateral supports 40 and 42. In the exemplary configuration, two of lateral supports 42 extend to a height above luminaire 10. A retaining wire 46 extends between lateral supports 42 to retain the vertical position of luminaire 10. Wire 46 can engage luminaire 10 or be disposed just above luminaire 10 to provide a stopping force is luminaire 10 moves upwardly with respect to mount 20.
One or more of lateral supports can include a hanger hole 48 that allows mount 20 to be secured to a ceiling joist by a hanger wire. The upper end of each lateral support is rounded to reduce any resistance in inserting mount 20 into the hole in the ceiling where mount 20 is being installed. The rounded ends also reduce the amount of material is used to mold mount 20.
Mount 20 includes a pair of holders 50 that carry resilient locking arms 52 that engage the upper surface of ceiling 12 to hold flange 22 and thus mount 20 in place. Each holder 50 can define the same shape slot as used by luminaire 10 so that the resilient locking fingers 18 of luminaire 10 can be repurposed as resilient locking arms 52.
In the foregoing description, certain terms have been used for brevity, clearness, and understanding. No unnecessary limitations are to be implied therefrom beyond the requirement of the prior art because such terms are used for descriptive purposes and are intended to be broadly construed. Moreover, the descriptions and illustrations of the exemplary configurations are examples and the invention is not limited to the exact details shown or described. Modifications and alterations of those embodiments will be apparent to one who reads and understands this general description. The present disclosure should be construed as including all such modifications and alterations insofar as they come within the scope of the appended claims or equivalents thereof. Throughout the description and claims of this specification the words “comprise” and “include” as well as variations of those words, such as “comprises,” “includes,” “comprising,” and “including” are not intended to exclude additives, components, integers, or steps.
