Pivot mechanism for a light fixture

• US 20020024812A1
• Filed: 07/30/2001
• Published: 02/28/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Agro, James V.
• Granted Patent: US 6,588,920 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/287
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/26 Pivoted arms
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/34 Supporting elements displaceable along a guiding element telescopic mounting of lighting devices F21V21/22
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/35 with direct electrical contact between the supporting element and electric conductors running along the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/145 Details, e.g. end pieces or joints H01R25/147 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/147 Low voltage devices, i.e. safe to touch live conductors

Abstract

A pivot mechanism for a light fixture includes a first pivot arm, a second pivot arm, a bushing, and a threaded screw. The first pivot arm includes a first end, a second end, and an orifice extending from the first end to the second end. The second pivot arm includes a shaped orifice extending from an opening to a threaded screw hole, a bushing having a head, a shaft with a shaped end, and a channel extending through the bushing. The bushing is inserted through the first end of the orifice in the first pivot arm and extends into the shaped orifice in the second pivot arm such that the shaped end mates with the shaped orifice. The threaded screw is inserted through the channel in the bushing and threaded into the screw hole in the second pivot arm.

Claims

1. A pivot mechanism for a light fixture comprising:

a first pivot arm having a first end, a second end, and an orifice extending from the first end to the second end;

a second pivot arm having a shaped orifice extending from an opening to a threaded screw hole;

a bushing having a head, a shaft with a shaped end, and a channel extending through the bushing, the bushing being configured to be inserted through the first end of the orifice in the first pivot arm and extending into the shaped orifice in the second pivot arm such that the shaped end mates with the shaped orifice; and

a threaded screw configured to be inserted through the channel in the bushing and threaded into the screw hole in the second pivot arm.

2. The pivot mechanism of claim 1 wherein the head of the bushing has a beveled opening and a head of the screw is beveled such that the beveled head of the screw rotatably mates with the beveled opening on the first pivot arm.

3. The pivot mechanism of claim 1 wherein the second end of the first pivot arm includes a lip and the second pivot arm includes a rim such that the lip on the first pivot arm mates with the rim on the second pivot arm.

4. The pivot mechanism of claim 3 further comprising a washer positioned between the lip on the first pivot arm and the rim on the second pivot arm.

5. The pivot mechanism of claim 1 further comprising a compression washer positioned between the head of the bushing and the first pivot arm.

6. The pivot mechanism of claim 5 wherein:

the threaded screw hole in the second pivot arm passes between an open end and a closed end;

the screw is sized to be fully inserted into the threaded screw hole; and

the compression washer exerts a force against the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm such that the screw is compressed within the head of the bushing.

7. The pivot mechanism of claim 1 wherein:

the second end of the first pivot arm includes a rotation groove having an extension end and a flexion end around a portion of the second end;

the second pivot arm includes a rotation stop inserted in the rotation groove in the first pivot arm; and

the rotational range of motion of the first pivot arm relative to the second pivot arm is limited by the travel of the rotation stop between the extension end and the flexion end of the rotation groove.

8. The pivot mechanism of claim 1 wherein the first pivot arm further comprises a lamp housing and the second pivot arm further comprises mounting interface for mounting to a track lighting network.

9. A pivot mechanism for a light fixture comprising:

a first pivot arm having a first platform with a first curved edge and a cylindrical first hinge with a first ridge, a first end, a second end, and a channel extending through the first end to the second end;

a second pivot arm having a second platform with a second curved edge and a cylindrical second hinge with a second ridge and a circular recess with a threaded screw hole;

a threaded screw inserted into the first end of the channel in the first hinge and threaded into the screw hole in the recess in the second hinge to rotatably attach the first hinge to the second hinge; and

a compression washer between the first hinge and the second hinge,

wherein the first pivot arm rotates relative to the second pivot arm in a first direction until the first curved edge of the first platform abuts the second ridge on the second hinge and in a second direction until the first ridge on the first hinge abuts the second curved edge on the second hinge.

10. The pivot mechanism of claim 9 wherein the head of the screw has a beveled edge and the first end of the channel in the first hinge has a beveled depression such that the beveled edge of the screw mates with the beveled depression on the first hinge.

11. The pivot mechanism of claim 9 wherein the second end of the first hinge includes a lip and the channel in the hinge includes a rim such that the lip on the first hinge fits within the rim on the second hinge.

12. The pivot mechanism of claim 9 wherein the compression washer is positioned between the lip on the first hinge and the rim on the second hinge.

13. The pivot mechanism of claim 9 wherein the first pivot arm attaches to a lamp base and the second pivot arm attaches to a lamp housing.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the second end of the first pivot arm includes a lip and the second pivot arm includes a rim and placing the second end of the first pivot arm against the opening in the second pivot arm comprises mating the lip on the first pivot arm with the rim on the second pivot arm.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising positioning a washer between the lip on the first pivot arm and the rim on the second pivot arm.

17. The method of claim 15 further comprising positioning a compression washer between the head of the bushing and the first pivot arm.

18. The method of claim 17 further comprising fully inserting the screw into the threaded screw hole, wherein the threaded screw hole in the second pivot arm passes between an open end and a closed end and the compression washer exerts a force against the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm such that a head of the screw is compressed within the head of the bushing.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein:

the second end of the first pivot arm includes a rotation groove having an extension end and a flexion end around a portion of the second end;

the second pivot arm includes a rotation stop inserted in the rotation groove in the first pivot arm; and

rotating the first pivot arm relative to the second pivot arm is limited by the travel of the rotation stop between the extension end and the flexion end of the rotation groove.

20. The method of claim 14 further comprising mounting an interface to the second pivot arm and mounting the interface to a track lighting network.

14. A method of forming a pivot mechanism for a light fixture, the method comprising:

providing a first pivot arm having a first end, a second end, and an orifice extending from the first end to the second end;

providing a second pivot arm having a shaped orifice extending from an opening to a threaded screw hole;

providing a bushing having a head, a shaft with a shaped end, and a channel extending through the bushing;

providing a threaded screw;

placing the second end of the first pivot arm against the opening in the second pivot arm;

inserting the bushing through the first end of the orifice in the first pivot arm and into the shaped orifice in the second pivot arm such that the shaped end mates with the shaped orifice;

inserting the threaded screw through the channel in the bushing; and

threading the screw into the threaded screw hole in the second pivot arm.