Wall mounting for neon lights

• US 5,765,939 A
• Filed: 02/12/1996
• Issued: 06/16/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Fallon Luminous Products Corporation (Fallon Visual Products Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Fallon Luminous Products Corporation (Fallon Visual Products Corp.)
• Inventors: Tanner, Walter Keisler Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ciric, Ljiljana V.
• Application Number:
  US08/599,644
• Time in Patent Office: 855 Days
• Field of Search: 362/219, 362/217, 362/218, 362/222, 362/223, 362/224, 362/225, 362/260, 362/263, 362/264, 362/267, 362/373, 362/375
• US Class Current: 362/219
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 3/13 and engaging it by snap action F16L3/1203 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/16 using sheets without apertures, e.g. fixed
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/00 Protecting lighting devices from damage protection from thermal damage F21V29/00; gas-tight or water-tight arrangements F21V31/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0075 of tubular light sources, e.g. ring-shaped fluorescent light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/009 the support means engaging the vessel of the source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/26 Signs formed by electric discharge tubes by selective lighting G09F9/00

Abstract

Improved structures for housing assemblies for illuminated glass tubing are provided with this invention which comprises a housing assembly with a base section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side; a central section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side; and a light-transmitting cover section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side; the central section secured to the cover section to form a light unit, the light unit being shorter than the base section; an elongated support plate for glass tubing, the wall portions of the central section including means adjacent the open side of the central section channel for supportably receiving the support plate in the channel; and the wall portions of the base section and the central section including means for securing the central section to the base section in snap-fit relation to close said open sides of said channels; whereby the longitudinal position of the light unit on the base section may vary based upon where on the base section the light unit is secured. These structures include better venting and drainage of the cover section of the assembly.

Claims

1. A housing assembly for protective support of illuminated glass tubing comprising:

a base section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side;

a central section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side and a light-transmitting cover section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side, said central section secured to said cover section to form a light unit, said light unit being shorter than said base section;

an elongated support plate for glass tubing, said wall portions of said central section including means adjacent the open side of said central section channel for supportably receiving said support plate in the channel of said central section;

and said wall portions of the base section and said central section including means for securing said central section to said base section in snap-fit relation to close said open sides of said channels;

whereby said light unit is longitudinally positioned on said base section, the longitudinal position being variable based upon where on said base section said light unit is secured.

2. The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said base section is attached to a support surface independent of said light unit.

3. The housing assembly according to claim 2, wherein said base section is also attached to said support surface prior to placing said light unit adjacent said base section.

4. A housing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for securing said base and central sections of said assembly in snap-fit relation comprises expanded shoulders extending along said wall portions of said base section and projections adjacent the wall portion opposite the open side of the central section for snap-fit frictional engagement and retention on the expanded shoulders of the base section.

5. The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 wherein said base section:

further comprises holes for passing a fastener through for mounting said base section to a support surface having studs thereunder, said holes spaced apart by a predetermined distance.

6. The housing assembly as defined in claim 5 wherein said predetermined distance allows mounting said base to said studs whether the stud-to-stud distance is 16" or 24".

7. The housing assembly as defined in claim 6 wherein said predetermined distance is equal to 8 (eight) inches.

8. The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 including end caps fixed to adjacent end portions of said central and cover sections of the assembly, said end caps not extending into said channel of said base portion.

9. The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 including end caps fixed to adjacent end portions of said central and cover sections of the assembly, said end caps having spacer elements attached thereto to allow said channels of said central and cover assemblies to be partially open to the atmosphere.

10. The housing assembly as defined in claim 1 including end caps fixed to adjacent end portions of said central and cover sections of the assembly, said end caps being constructed out of a transparent and colorless material.

11. A plurality of housing assemblies as defined in claim 10 disposed in an end-to-end, substantially continuous, straight-line arrangement to define an array of assemblies, whereby said transparent and colorless end caps result in a continuous light effect.

12. A housing assembly for protective support of illuminated glass tubing comprising:

a base section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side;

a central section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side and a light-transmitting cover section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side, said central section secured to said cover section to form a light unit, said light unit being shorter than said base section;

an elongated support plate for glass tubing, said wall portions of said central section including means for supportably receiving said support plate in the channel of said central section adjacent the open side of said central section channel;

and said wall portions of the base section and said central section including means for securing said central section to said base section in snap-fit relation to close said open sides of said channels;

whereby said light unit is longitudinally positioned on said base section, the longitudinal position being variable based upon where on said base section said light unit is secured;

said housing assembly further comprising a combined base section having wall portions forming at least two elongated channels each having an open side;

a light unit for each channel of said combined base, said light unit having a light transmitting cover section and a lower central section, said central section having wall portions forming an elongated channel having an open side; and

wall portions of each of said channels of said combined base section and said central sections corresponding thereto, having means for securing said central sections corresponding to channels of said combined base section in snap-fit relation to close said open sides of said channels.

13. The housing of claim 12, wherein said at least two elongated channels of said combined base section are parallel to each other.

14. The housing of claim 12, wherein said combined base section is made from a flexible material.

15. The housing of claim 12, wherein said combined base section is made from a rigid material and has an angular configuration.

16. The housing of claim 15, wherein said angular configuration comprises a right angle.

17. The housing of claim 12, wherein said combined base section further comprises spacer portions at its outermost ends and parallel to said elongated channels.