Light fixture with adjustable connector

• US 10,711,988 B2
• Filed: 09/14/2017
• Issued: 07/14/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 11/18/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Sieczkowski, Philip, Mayo, Christina
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Britt D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Farokhrooz, Fatima N
• Application Number:
  US15/704,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20180142876A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,034 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/15 specially adapted for power operation, e.g. by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/004 arranged on a substrate, e.g. a printed circuit board
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/22 Contacts for co-operating by abutting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/78 with additional earth or shield contacts
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/92 Holders formed as intermediate parts for distributing energy in parallel through two or more counterparts at least one of which is attached to apparatus to be held
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/94 Holders formed as intermediate parts for linking a counter-part to a coupling part
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 35/04 Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle with frictional contact members

Abstract

Light fixtures for a wide range of installations that can be interconnected to each other in different orientations to permit easy scaling up or down of an installation without requiring renovation or disruption of the surrounding environment. More specifically, embodiments of the light fixtures include an adjustable power connector that can be oriented differently depending on the desired configuration of the installation.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising:

a. a housing comprising opposing side walls and opposing end walls;

b. a plurality of light sources; and

c. at least one power connector having a connector interface, wherein the at least one power connector is rotatable within the housing such that in a first position the connector interface is exposed on one of the opposing end walls of the housing and in a second position the connector interface is exposed on one of the opposing side walls of the housing.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one power connector comprises a first power connector and a second power connector, wherein the first power connector is rotatable within the housing such that in a first position the connector interface of the first power connector is exposed on one of the opposing end walls of the housing and wherein the second power connector is rotatable within the housing such that in a first position the connector interface of the second power connector is exposed on the other of the opposing end walls of the housing.

3. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing comprises a channel and opposing end caps positioned on each end of the channel and wherein the at least one power connector is positioned within at least one of the opposing end caps.

4. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise light emitting diodes and wherein a first subset of the light emitting diodes emit light of a color different from a color emitted by a second subset of the light emitting diodes.

5. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the connector interface of the first power connector has a shape different from a shape of the connector interface of the second power connector.

6. The light fixture of claim 5, wherein the connector interface of the first power connector is keyed.

7. The light fixture of claim 3, wherein the at least one power connector comprises a first power connector and a second power connector, wherein the first power connector is positioned within one of the opposing end caps and wherein the second power connector is positioned within the other of the opposing end caps.

8. The light fixture of claim 3, wherein the at least one of the opposing end caps comprises a top end cap portion and a bottom end cap portion coupled to the top end cap portion, wherein the at least one power connector resides within a power connector cavity formed by the top end cap portion and the bottom end cap portion.

9. The light fixture of claim 8, wherein the at least one power connector comprises at least one pin and wherein at least one of the top and bottom end cap portions comprises an aperture, wherein the at least one pin engages the aperture.

10. The light fixture of claim 4, wherein the first subset of the light emitting diodes are activated independently of the second subset of the light emitting diodes.