Quick connect light fixture

• US 6,322,232 B1
• Filed: 06/07/2000
• Issued: 11/27/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
• Original Assignee: Hunter Fan Company
• Inventors: Oliver, John P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US09/589,022
• Time in Patent Office: 538 Days
• Field of Search: 362/147, 362/457, 362/404, 362/226, 362/234, 362/249, 362/96, 416/5, 439/13
• US Class Current: 362/147
• 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 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence
• 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: F21V 21/03 Ceiling bases, e.g. ceiling roses F21V21/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0096 Fans, e.g. ceiling fans forced cooling of lighting devices characterised by the arrangement of fans F21V29/67
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 2103/00 Two poles
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/66 with pins, blades or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 24/76 with sockets, clips or analogous contacts and secured to apparatus or structure, e.g. to a wall
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/06 with two current-carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts, having their axes parallel to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 3/20 Ceiling roses or other lighting sets

Abstract

A quick connect light fixture is provided which may be used in conjunction with and attached to a ceiling fan, or alternatively may comprise a ceiling-mounted light fixture or a wall-mounted sconce. The light fixture includes an adapter plate, which may be mounted to a structure such as a substantially flat lower surface of a ceiling fan switch housing, with the structure varying with application, and an electrical connector secured to the plate. The fixture further includes an open-ended bracket and a second, mating electrical connector secured thereto. The plate includes a pair of flanges which are configured to define a channel and the bracket includes a pair of sidewalls having a first portion integral with a web separating the sidewalls and a second portion terminating in a lip. The lips of the bracket slidingly engage the flanges of the adapter plate with a distal portion of each lip being disposed within one of the channels defined by the adapter plate flanges, whereby the mating electrical connectors engage one another. The light fixture further includes a hollow rod threaded into the bracket at one end thereof A locking member is also threaded onto the hollow rod so that a locking force is exerted between the lips of the sidewalls of the bracket and the flanges of the adapter plate.

Claims

1. A quick connect light fixture for mounting to a structure, said quick connect light fixture comprising:

an adapter plate, including a first portion having first and second surfaces, which may be affixed to the structure such that said first surface of said first portion of said plate is facing the structure, said adapter plate further including a pair of flanges spaced apart from one another and protruding from said first portion of said plate, each of said flanges being configured to define a channel, said adapter plate further including an aperture extending between said flanges and through said first and second surfaces;

an open-ended bracket having a web and a pair of sidewalls, each of said sidewalls having a proximal portion integral with said web and a distal portion which comprises a lip, said sidewalls and said web defining a cavity;

a hollow rod secured to said bracket, at least a portion of said hollow rod having external threads;

a first electrical connector secured to said adapter plate;

a first plurality of electrical wires electrically coupled to said first electrical connector and extending through said aperture in said plate;

a second electrical connector secured to said open-ended bracket and disposed within said cavity; and

a second plurality of electrical wires electrically coupled to said second electrical connector and extending through said hollow rod;

wherein

one of said first and second electrical connectors is a male electrical connector and the other of said first and second electrical connectors is a female electrical connector;

said lips of said sidewalls of said bracket slidingly engage said flanges of said adapter plate, with a distal portion of said lips of said sidewalls being disposed within said channels defined by said flanges, whereby said male electrical connector engages said female electrical connector; and

wherein

said quick connect light fixture further includes a locking member releasably secured to said hollow rod, said locking member being threaded onto said hollow rod which creates a locking force between said lips of said sidewalls of said bracket and said flanges of said adapter plate when said locking member is in an installed position, thereby preventing said bracket from moving relative to said adapter plate.

2. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein said light fixture is attached to a ceiling fan including a switch housing, the switch housing having a substantially flat lower surface, and wherein:

said adapter plate is fastened to the switch housing whereby said first surface of said first portion of said adapter plate is disposed in contacting engagement with the lower surface of the switch housing.

3. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 2, wherein:

said locking member comprises a canopy which obscures said adapter plate and said open-ended bracket from view when said canopy is disposed in an installed position;

said canopy includes a shell portion which defines an interior cavity and a receptacle portion integral with said shell portion and disposed within said interior cavity;

said receptacle is configured to permit said hollow rod to extend therethrough, said receptacle having a threaded portion for threadedly engaging said hollow rod.

4. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 3, wherein:

said at least a portion of said hollow rod having external threads comprises first and second threaded portions which are longitudinally spaced from one another.

5. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 4, wherein:

said hollow rod further includes a non-threaded portion which is disposed between said first and second threaded portions, said threaded portion of said receptacle of said canopy being disposed in surrounding relationship with said non-threaded portion of said hollow rod when said canopy is in a pre-installed position, said threaded portion of said receptacle being threadedly engaged with said first threaded portion of said hollow rod and said canopy being in abutting relationship with the switch housing of the ceiling fan when said canopy is in said installed position.

6. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 3, further comprising:

a distributor;

at least one light globe; and

at least one hollow mount arm having a first portion connected to and supported by said distributor and a second portion connected to and supporting said light globe;

wherein said hollow rod is secured to said distributor, said second plurality of wires being routed through said hollow rod to said distributor.

7. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 3, wherein:

said canopy has a generally bell-shaped cross-section.

8. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 6, wherein:

said at least one light globe comprises a plurality of light globes;

said at least one hollow mount arm comprises a plurality of hollow mount arms, each of said mount arms being connected to and supporting one of said light globes.

9. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 6, further comprising:

a hollow sleeve disposed in surrounding relationship with said hollow rod and extending between said canopy and said distributor;

wherein said sleeve extends into said receptacle of said canopy when said canopy is in a first, pre-installed position and a second, installed position.

10. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 2, further comprising:

a canopy disposed between and in abutting relationship with the switch housing of the ceiling fan and said locking member.

11. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said locking member forces said canopy into contacting engagement with the switch housing of the ceiling fan when said locking member is threaded onto said hollow rod and is disposed in an installed position, whereby said canopy obscures said adapter plate and said open-ended bracket from view.

12. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said locking member comprises a hollow sleeve disposed in surrounding relationship with said hollow rod.

13. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a light globe; and

a globe-supporting structure;

wherein said at least a portion of said hollow rod having external threads comprises a first threaded portion secured to said open-ended bracket and a second threaded portion secured to said globe-supporting structure, said globe being secured to said globe-supporting structure.

14. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 13, wherein:

said light globe has an open top and an upper edge which is disposed radially outwardly of said switch housing so as to obscure the switch housing from view by an observer positioned below the ceiling fan.

15. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 13, further comprising:

a light socket secured to said canopy and disposed within said light globe.

16. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 10, further comprising:

a light socket; and

a light globe, said light socket being disposed within said light globe;

wherein said at least a portion of said hollow rod having external threads comprises a first threaded portion secured to said open-ended bracket and a second threaded portion secured to said light socket.

17. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 16, wherein:

said canopy includes first and second shell portions integral with one another;

said light globe is secured to said second shell portion of said canopy.

18. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 17, wherein:

said first shell portion of said canopy is upwardly facing;

said second shell portion of said canopy is downwardly facing and is disposed radially outward of said first shell portion.

19. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 10, wherein:

said hollow rod is threadedly secured to said open-ended bracket and said locking member.

20. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 19, wherein:

said locking member comprises a finial.

21. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 19, further comprising:

a plurality of light fitters secured to and extending outwardly from said canopy;

a plurality of light globes, each of said light globes being secured to one of said light fitters.

22. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 21, wherein:

each of said light fitters is staked to said canopy.

23. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein said quick connect light fixture is attached to a junction box mounted to a ceiling of a residential or commercial structure, said quick connect light fixture further comprising:

a junction box cover plate disposed adjacent to the junction box of the structure;

a canopy disposed between said locking member and said adapter plate, said adapter plate comprising a ceiling plate;

wherein said junction box cover plate is attached to the junction box of the structure and said ceiling plate is attached to said junction box cover plate.

24. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 23, wherein:

said locking member forces said canopy into contacting engagement with said ceiling plate when said locking member is threaded onto said hollow rod and is disposed in an installed position whereby said canopy obscures said open-ended bracket and a portion of said ceiling plate from view.

25. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 23, wherein:

said locking member comprises a hollow sleeve disposed in surrounding relationship with said hollow rod.

26. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 25, further comprising:

a light globe; and

a globe-supporting structure;

wherein said at least a portion of said hollow rod having external threads comprises a first threaded portion secured to said open-ended bracket and a second threaded portion secured to said globe-supporting structure, said globe being secured to said globe-supporting structure.

27. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 26, wherein:

said light globe has an open top and an upper edge which is disposed radially outwardly of said ceiling plate.

28. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 23, wherein:

said first portion of said ceiling plate is substantially flat and is disposed in contacting engagement with said junction box cover plate;

said ceiling plate further includes an annular arcuate portion integral with said substantially flat portion and obscuring a radially outward portion of said junction box cover plate from view.

29. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein said quick connect light fixture is attached to a junction box mounted in a wall of a residential or commercial structure, said quick connect light fixture further comprising:

a junction box cover plate disposed adjacent to the junction box of the structure, wherein said junction box cover plate is attached to the junction box of the structure and said adapter plate is attached to said junction box cover plate;

a light fitter;

a light globe secured to said light fitter; and

a hollow mount arm having one end secured to said hollow rod and the other end secured to said light fitter.

30. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 29, wherein:

said locking member comprises a canopy which obscures said open-ended bracket and a portion of said adapter plate from view when said canopy is disposed in an installed position;

said canopy includes a shell portion which defines an interior cavity and a receptacle portion integral with said shell portion and disposed within said interior cavity;

said receptacle is configured to permit said hollow rod to extend therethrough, said receptacle having a threaded portion for threadedly engaging said hollow rod, wherein a portion of said hollow mount arm is disposed within said receptacle.

31. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said lip of each said sidewalls of said open-ended bracket is tapered relative to said web of said open-ended bracket.

32. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 31, wherein:

each of said flanges of said adapter plate includes a tapered portion, said tapered portion being tapered relative to said first surface of said adapter plate, said tapered portion engaging said tapered lip of said open-ended bracket.

33. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said first electrical connector is said female electrical connector and said second electrical connector is said male electrical connector.

34. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein:

said first electrical connector is fastened to said adapter plate; and

said second electrical connector is fastened to said open-ended bracket.

35. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 33, wherein:

said male and female electrical connectors each include a housing with a plurality of electrical terminals disposed therein.

36. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 35, wherein:

said housing of said male electrical connector includes a plurality of lead-in chamfers formed on an interior surface of said housing to facilitate engagement with said housing of said female electrical connector.

37. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 36, wherein:

said housing of said female electrical connector includes a plurality of lead-in chamfers formed on an exterior surface of said housing to facilitate engagement with said housing of said male electrical connector.

38. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein each of said flanges of said adapter plate has a generally J-shaped cross-section and comprises:

a first sidewall which extends downwardly from said first portion of said adapter plate;

a web integral with said first sidewall and extending transversely to said first sidewall; and

a second sidewall spaced apart from first said sidewall, said second sidewall being integral with and extending upwardly from said web.

39. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 38, wherein:

each of said flanges of said adapter plate further includes;

first and second ends;

said second sidewall of each of said flanges includes an upper edge which is configured to define a shoulder proximate said second end of the corresponding one of said flanges, said shoulder being disposed in abutting relationship with said lip of one of said sidewalls of said open-ended bracket;

said upper edge defines a downward taper between said first end and said shoulder.

40. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 39, wherein:

said taper ranges from about 3 degrees to about 10 degrees.

41. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 39, wherein:

each of said lips of said open-ended bracket is tapered.

42. The quick connect light fixture as recited in claim 1, wherein said light fixture is attached to a ceiling fan including a switch housing, wherein:

said adapter plate comprises a portion of the switch housing of the ceiling fan, said adapter plate being integrally formed with a remaining portion of the switch housing.