Self-aligning canopy structure for connection to a mounting plate adapter utilized for attaching an exit sign to a junction box

• US 6,132,070 A
• Filed: 07/30/1998
• Issued: 10/17/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Hubbell, Inc.
• Inventors: Underwood, Drusilla L., Vosika, David A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Spyrou, Cassandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Robinson, Mark A.
• Application Number:
  US09/124,774
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 362/147, 362/226, 362/368, 362/812, 40/541, 40/564, 40/570, 248/906, 439/535, 439/536
• US Class Current: 362/368
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/02 Wall, ceiling, or floor bases; Fixing pendants or arms to the bases F21V21/08 takes precedence; bases for movable standing lamps F21V21/06
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/812 Signs

Abstract

A structure for aligning a canopy for an exit sign with a standard wall-mounted electrical junction box. The structure is constituted of a separate plate which is adapted to be fastened to the back cover of an exit sign so as to form a mounting structure adapted for facilitating the attachment of the exit sign to a wall-mounted electrical junction box, and which incorporates slots adapted to be engaged by protuberances on the canopy for aligning the latter with the junction box in predetermined selective orientations.

Claims

1. A mounting arrangement for the self-aligning fastening of an illumination canopy for an electrical fixture having a housing and a planar back cover for said housing to an electrical junction box which is located in a wall, said back cover having a centrally located aperture, and latching means arranged about the perimeter of said aperture;

said self-aligning canopy mounting arrangement comprising;

(a) a plate member positionable over said aperture, latching elements on said plate member for engaging said latching means so as to fasten said plate member to the back cover, said plate member including a center opening for the passage therethrough of electrical wiring extending from the electrical junction box;

means on said plate member for mounting a canopy thereon in predetermined relationship with a junction box; and

a plurality of holes extending through said plate member at predetermined locations to facilitate insertion therethrough of fasteners for mounting said plate member to said electrical junction box whereby the back cover is positioned in closely spaced relationship with said electrical junction box; and

(b) an illumination canopy including structure engage able with said canopy mounting means on said plate member for positioning said canopy on said plate member in alignment with canopy attaching structure in a junction box, said canopy mounting means on said plate member comprising a plurality of spaced slots located about the center opening in said plate member;

said canopy mounting structure comprising latch-forming protuberances on said canopy latchably engageable into at least some of said slots for fastening said canopy to said plate member in a specified orientation relative thereto.

2. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said slots comprise two pairs of said slots arranged at right angles to form a quadrangle about said center opening in said plate member, said protuberances on said canopy engaging being selectively engageable into one pair of said slots.

3. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein apertured bosses are formed in said plate member proximate the ends of adjacent of said slots, and apertures are formed in said canopy proximate said protuberances for the passage therethrough of fasteners for connecting said canopy with a junction box.

4. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said protuberances on said canopy comprise a pair of parallel spaced tongue-shaped elements, each said pair of slots in said plate member extending in parallel spaced relationship so as to engage able by said tongue-shaped elements.

5. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein each said slot has inwardly tapered surfaces to facilitate insertion of said tongue-shaped elements therethrough.

6. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 5, wherein each said tongue-shaped element has a raised bead formed at the leading end thereof to restrain said canopy from being pulled out of said plate member.

7. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 4, wherein said canopy is mountable on said plate member in different aligned orientations relative to a junction box.

8. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 2, wherein said illumination canopy comprises a rectangular housing having a front wall, said protuberances extending from the rear surface of said front wall.

9. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 1, wherein said aperture in said back cover is circular, a recessed annular surface portion within said back cover extending about said aperture, and said latching means comprising resilient clip elements extending from said recessed annular surface portion and being located diametrically opposite each other.

10. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plate member comprises a circular plate having a diameter substantially the size of the diameter of said aperture, and including a plurality of radially outwardly extending coplanar flange portions spaced about the circumference of said plate member so as to be positioned in surface contact with said recessed annular surface portion in the back cover.

11. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein said latching elements on said plate member comprise diametrically oppositely located resilient snap elements adapted to latchingly engage into said clip elements for securing and locking said plate member to the inner surface of said back cover.

12. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 11, wherein said clip elements include openings for latchingly receiving said resilient snap elements on said plate member.

13. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 10, wherein said latching elements on said plate member are located on at least some of the flange portions of said plate member.

14. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said latching means on said back cover and the latching elements on said plate member are releasably engage able for the detaching of said plate member from said electrical fixture.

15. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plate member comprises a blank mounting plate without holes therein for closing the aperture in said back cover, said blank mounting plate being a replacement for said electrical junction box mounting plate member when the electrical fixture is intended to be side-mounted or top-mounted.

16. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said electrical fixture comprises an exit sign.

17. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 16, wherein said housing is rectangular in shape, said back cover having a planar back wall and said aperture being formed in the center of said back wall.

18. A mounting arrangement as claimed in claim 9, wherein said plurality of holes in said plate member each comprises an elongate slotted hole to facilitate alignment thereof with fastening structure in a wall-mounted electrical junction box.