Quick mount fixture

• US 6,241,369 B1
• Filed: 11/20/1998
• Issued: 06/05/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Eaton Intelligent Power Limited (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Mackiewicz, Edwin Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US09/196,785
• Time in Patent Office: 928 Days
• Field of Search: 405/46, 405/70, 405/72, 405/74, 362/31, 362/147, 362/226, 362/368, 362/370, 362/371, 362/388, 362/432, 439/335, 439/336, 439/342, 439/343, 439/536, 439/537, 439/558, 439/564, 439/638, 439/650, 439/651, 439/652, 439/692, 439/695, 439/686, 439/682, 439/701, 439/702
• US Class Current: 362/368
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/03 Ceiling bases, e.g. ceiling roses F21V21/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0086 Positioning aspects
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 7/062 indicating emergency exits
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/05 indicating exit way or orientation

Abstract

A fixture, such as a light fixture includes a housing and a mounting base having a connector. The housing includes a first mating connector positioned on an end of the housing to permit attachment of the housing to the mounting base with the end of the housing adjacent to the mounting base, a second mating connector positioned on a side of the housing to permit attachment of the housing to the mounting base with the side of the housing adjacent to the mounting base, and a third mating connector positioned on a top of the housing to permit attachment of the housing to the mounting base with the top of the housing adjacent to the mounting base. A lens panel extends from the bottom of the fixture.

Claims

1. A fixture comprising:

a mounting unit including attachment points for attachment to a junction box and also including a connector;

a housing unit including at least two mating connectors positioned at different locations for attachment to the connector, and further including an exterior slot;

a light source positioned in the housing unit and oriented to direct light through the slot; and

a lens panel including a first face, a second face opposite the first face, and an edge defined between the faces and sized to be received in the slot, wherein light from the light source provides lighted indicia on at least the first face of the lens panel and

wherein the connector comprises one of a male connector and a female connector, the mating connectors comprise the other of the male connector and the female connector, the female connector includes first and second holes, and the male connector includes a raised portion and a locking bar, whereby the female connector and the male connector are locked together by inserting the raised portion in the first hole and sliding the connectors relative to each other until the locking bar engages the second hole.

2. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing unit comprises a first mating connector positioned on an end of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting unit with the end of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting unit.

3. The fixture of claim 2, wherein the housing unit comprises a second mating connector positioned on a side of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting unit with the side of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting unit.

4. The fixture of claim 3, wherein the housing unit comprises a third mating connector positioned on a top of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting unit with the top of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting unit.

5. The fixture of claim 4, wherein the end of the housing unit is perpendicular to the side of the housing unit, and the top of the housing unit is perpendicular to the end and side of the housing unit.

6. The fixture of claim 4, wherein the lens panel is removably attached to a bottom of the housing unit.

7. The fixture of claim 1, further comprising reflective material positioned to direct light to the first face of the lens panel.

8. The fixture of claim 7, wherein the reflective material is positioned between the faces and generally parallel to the faces.

9. The fixture of claim 8, wherein the reflective material includes a first reflective surface positioned to direct light to the first face and a second reflective surface positioned to direct light to the second face.

10. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the light source comprises LEDs.

11. The fixture of claim 10, wherein the edge defined between the faces of the lens panel and sized to be received in the slot of the housing unit includes a contour to generally match a shape of the LEDs.

12. The fixture of claim 10, wherein the edge defined between the faces of the lens panel and sized to be received in the slot of the housing unit includes a generally rectangular receiving area with a convex, semi-circular center section.

13. The fixture of claim 10, wherein the edge defined between the faces of the lens panel and sized to be received in the slot of the housing unit includes a generally rectangular receiving area with contoured sides.

14. The fixture of claim 10, wherein the light source comprises a single row of LEDs positioned to illuminate both faces of the lens panel.

15. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the lens panel comprises a sign.

16. The fixture of claim 4, wherein the housing unit comprises a housing body and a housing cover, with the housing cover positioned on top of the housing unit and the third mating connector included in the housing cover.

17. The fixture of claim 4, wherein the housing unit comprises plugs positioned in unused ones of the mating connectors.

18. The fixture of claim 17, wherein each plug defines a surface flush with a surface of the housing unit.

19. The fixture of claim 4, wherein the connector includes a locking mechanism.

20. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the lens panel is attached to a bottom of the housing unit.

21. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing unit comprises plugs positioned in unused ones of the mating connectors.

22. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the first hole comprises a T-shaped hole and the raised portion comprises a T-shaped portion.

23. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the connector comprises the male connector.

24. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the mounting unit comprises a first component including the attachment points and a canopy secured to the first component and including the connector of the mounting unit.

25. A fixture comprising:

a mounting unit including a connector; and

a housing unit including

a first mating connector positioned on an end of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting unit with the end of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting unit,

a second mating connector positioned on a side of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting unit with the side of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting unit, and

a third mating connector positioned on a top of the housing unit to pert attachment of the housing unit to the mounting unit with the top of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting unit, wherein the end of the housing unit is generally perpendicular to the side of the housing unit, and the top of the housing unit is generally perpendicular to the end and the side of the housing unit.

26. A lighting fixture comprising:

a Counting base including attachment points for attachment to a junction box;

a canopy connected to the mounting base, configured to a around and enclose at least a portion of he mount se and including a connector;

a housing unit including a first mating connector positioned on an end of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting base with the end of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting base and a second mating connector positioned on a side of the housing unit to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting base with the side of the housing unit adjacent to the mounting base;

a lens panel extending from a bottom of the housing unit, and

a light source positioned in the housing unit.

27. The light fixture of claim 26, further comprising a cover attached to a top of the housing unit, the cover including a third mating connector to permit attachment of the housing unit to the mounting base with the cover adjacent to the mounting base.

28. A fixture comprising:

a mounting unit including attachment points for attachment to a structural support and also including a connector; and

a housing unit including at least one mating connector for attachment to the connector;

wherein;

the connector comprises one of a male connector and a female connector;

the mating connector comprises the other of the male connector and the female connector,

the female connector includes first and second holes, and

the male connector includes a raised portion and a flexible locking bar having a locking mechanism on at least one end of the locking bar,

whereby the female connector and male connector are locked together by inserting the raised portion into the first hole in one direction and sliding the connectors relative to each other in another direction until the locking mechanism of the locking bar engages the second hole.

29. The fixture of claim 28, wherein the first hole comprises a T-shaped hole and the raised portion comprises a T-shaped portion.

30. The fixture of claim 28, wherein the connector of the mounting comprises the male connector.