Claims
- 1. A downlight fixture having a pan support, a junction box and a can mounting a first lamp having a preferred wattage for an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a second preferred wattage for a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for controlling operation of the fixture in either an insulation contact installation or a non-insulation contact installation at said respective preferred wattages, said means comprising a thermal protection device mounted on a surface of a can for sensing the existence of a first temperature when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation, the can being formed of a material and having a volume causing surfaces of the can to maintain a temperature not to exceed the first temperature in an insulation contact installation and not to exceed the second temperature in a non-insulation contact installation when in use with the respective lamps of the respective preferred wattages.
- 2. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the first temperature is equal to or less than 90.degree. C. and wherein the second temperature is equal to or less than 150.degree. C.
- 3. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the controlling means is disposed interiorly of the can.
- 4. The fixture of claim 3 wherein at least the first temperature is sensed at a location interiorly of the can.
- 5. The fixture of claim 4 wherein the second temperature is sensed at a location interiorly of the can.
- 6. The fixture of claim 1 wherein at least the first temperature is sensed at a location interiorly of the can.
- 7. The fixture of claim 6 wherein the second temperature is sensed at a location interiorly of the can.
- 8. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the controlling means is disposed exteriorly of the can.
- 9. The fixture of claim 8 wherein at least the first temperature is sensed at a location exteriorly of the can.
- 10. The fixture of claim 9 wherein a second temperature is sensed at a location exteriorly of the can.
- 11. The fixture of claim 1 wherein at least the first temperature is sensed at a location exteriorly of the can.
- 12. The fixture of claim 11 wherein the second temperature is sensed at a location exteriorly of the can.
- 13. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can comprises a lower cylindrical body portion, a first frusto-conical body portion terminating the cylindrical body portion medially of the can, a second frusto-conical body portion terminating the first frusto-conical body portion and a top terminating the second frusto-conical body portion.
- 14. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the can is formed of at least two pieces.
- 15. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the thermal protection means mounted to an interior wall of the can at a location at which the thermal protection means indicates the existence of a temperature exceeding 90.degree. C. when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and 150.degree. C. when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation.
- 16. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the lamp is a 75 W BR lamp when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation.
- 17. The fixture of claim 1 wherein the lamp is a 150 W BR lamp when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation.
- 18. In a downlight fixture having a can mounting a first lamp having a wattage of a value less than or equal to a first preferred wattage for use in an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a wattage of a value less than or equal to a second preferred wattage for use in a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of said first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for controlling the operation of the fixture in an insulation contact installation to prevent operation of the fixture in an insulation contact installation at a temperature exceeding 90.degree. C. and to prevent operation of the fixture in a non-insulation contact installation at a temperature exceeding 150.degree. C.
- 19. In the fixture of claim 18 wherein said controlling means comprise a thermal protection means mounted on a surface of the can and functioning through sensing of the temperature of a surface of the can.
- 20. In the fixture of claim 19 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an inner wall surface of the can.
- 21. In the fixture of claim 20 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of an inner surface of the can.
- 22. In the fixture of claim 19 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an exterior wall surface of the can.
- 23. In the fixture of claim 22 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of an exterior wall surface of the can.
- 24. In the fixture of claim 22 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of an interior wall surface of the can.
- 25. In the fixture of claim 20 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of an exterior wall surface of the can.
- 26. A downlight fixture having a pan support, a junction box and a can mounting a first lamp having a first preferred wattage for an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a second preferred wattage for a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of said first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for operating the fixture in either an insulation contact installation or a non-insulation contact installation at said respective preferred wattages, said means comprising a thermal protection device mounted on an exterior surface of the can for sensing the existence of a first temperature when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation, the can being formed of a material and having a volume causing surfaces of the can to maintain a temperature not to exceed the first temperature in an insulation contact installation and not to exceed the second temperature in a non-insulation contact installation when in use with the respective lamps of the respective preferred wattages.
- 27. The fixture of claim 26 wherein the thermal protection device senses temperature externally of the can.
- 28. The fixture of claim 26 wherein the thermal protection device senses temperature intgernally of the can.
- 29. The fixture of claim 26 wherein the can is formed of more than one piece of material.
- 30. A downlight fixture having a pan support, a junction box and a can mounting a first lamp having a first preferred wattage for an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a second preferred wattage for a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of said first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for operating the fixture in either an insulation contact installation or a non-insulation contact installation at said respective preferred wattages, said means comprising a thermal protection device mounted on an interior surface of the can for sensing the existence of a first temperature when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation, the can being formed of a material and having a volume causing surfaces of the can to maintain a temperature not to exceed the first temperature in an insulation contact installation and not to exceed the second temperature in a non-insulation contact installation when in use with the respective lamps of the respective preferred wattages.
- 31. The fixture of claim 30 wherein the thermal protection device senses temperature externally of the can.
- 32. The fixture of claim 30 wherein the thermal protection device senses temperature internally of the can.
- 33. The fixture of claim 30 wherein the can is formed of more than one piece of material.
- 34. In a downlight fixture having a can mounting a first lamp having a wattage of a value less than or equal to a first preferred wattage for use in an insulation contact installation, the can mounting a second lamp having a wattage of a value less than or equal to a second preferred wattage for use in a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps of said first and second preferred wattages, means carried by the can for operating the fixture in an insulation contact installation at or below the first preferred wattage of the first lamp and in a non-insulation contact installation at or below the second preferred wattage of the second lamp, the operating means being disposed at least partially exteriorly of the can.
- 35. The downlight fixture of claim 34 wherein said means comprise thermal protection means mounted on an exterior surface of the can for preventing the temperature of said can from exceeding a predetermine first temperature on use of the fixture in an insulation contact installation and from exceeding a predetermined second temperature on use of the fixture in a non-insulation contact installation.
- 36. The downlight fixture of claim 35 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of a surface of the can.
- 37. The downlight fixture of claim 35 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90.degree. C. and the second temperature is approximately 150.degree. C.
- 38. The downlight fixture of claim 34 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature interiorly of the can.
- 39. The downlight fixture of claim 38 wherein the thermal protection means functions through sensing of the temperature of an interior wall surface of the can.
- 40. The downlight of claim 38 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90.degree. C. and the second temperature is approximately 150.degree. C.
- 41. The downlight fixture of claim 34 wherein the can is formed of a material and has a volume which causes the can to maintain a first temperature not to exceed a predetermined first temperature in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature not to exceed a predetermined second temperature in a non-insulation contact installation when in use with said lamps of said specified preferred wattages.
- 42. The downlight fixture of claim 41 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90.degree. C. and the second temperature is approximately 150.degree. C.
- 43. The downlight fixture of claim 35 wherein the thermal protection means is mounted to an exterior wall of the can at a location at which the thermal protection means prevents the temperature of the can from exceeding a predetermined first temperature on use of the fixture in an insulation contact installation and from exceeding a predetermined second temperature on use of the fixture in a non-insulation contact installation.
- 44. The downlight fixture of claim 43 wherein the first temperature is approximately 90.degree. C and the second temperature is approximately 150.degree. C.
- 45. A method for controlling the operation of lamping mounted by a fixture having a support and a lamp housing mounted by the support and mounting a first lamp for operation having a first preferred wattage for an insulation contact installation, the lamp housing mounting a second lamp having a second preferred wattage for a non-insulation contact installation, the fixture being usable in both insulation contact installations and non-insulation contact installations when respectively employing the first and second lamps, the fixture having a thermal protection device carried thereby, comprising the steps of:
- operating the lamps respectively in insulation contact and non-insulation contact installations;
- sensing the existence by means of the thermal protection device of a first temperature when the fixture is used in an insulation contact installation and a second temperature when the fixture is used in a non-insulation contact installation; and, discontinuing operating power to the lamps respectively in the event the sensed first and second temperatures are exceeded.
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/686,669, filed Jul. 26, 1996 now U.S. Pat. No. 5,836,678, by the same inventors, this application having the same assignee.
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4685037 |
Akiyama |
Aug 1987 |
|
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
686669 |
Jul 1996 |
|