Snap assembled light fixture apparatus

• US 6,601,976 B1
• Filed: 08/09/2000
• Issued: 08/05/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thin-Lite Corp.
• Original Assignee: Thin-Lite Corp.
• Inventors: Rhee, Shin W.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Choi, Jacob Y.
• Application Number:
  US09/634,155
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 362/217, 362/221, 362/223, 362/225, 362/364, 362/365, 362/490, 362/368, 362/374, 362/148, 439/239
• US Class Current: 362/374
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/51 for mounting lighting devices onto vehicle interior, e.g. onto ceiling or floor
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/74 for overall compartment lighting; for overall compartment lighting in combination with specific lighting, e.g. room lamps with reading lamps general lighting mounted on specific fittings B60Q3/20; general lighting for mass transit vehicles B60Q3/43
• 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 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/16 by deformation of parts; Snap action mounting
• 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 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2106/00 Interior vehicle lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes

Abstract

A rectangular frame having side and end and side walls defining a downwardly opening receiving cavity for receipt upwardly therein of a pan having a laterally outwardly turned marginal flanges which overlie corresponding flanges in the frame and has mated mounting bores for receipt of mounting screws. Retains mounted on the opposite ends of the frame releasably engage the pan to hold it in position in the frame during shipping and storage and prior to mounting thereof.

Claims

1. Light fixture apparatus comprising:

an elongated frame including frame end wall members and frame side flange members cooperating to form a downwardly facing pan receiving opening;

a pan to be advanced upwardly into said opening and including pan end wall elements and pan side flange elements for underlying juxtaposed the respective said frame end wall members and frame side flange members; and

at least one retainer mounted on one of said members for removably snapping into engaging relation under at least one of the said elements to hold said pan assembled to said frame.

2. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said frame side flange members are formed with mounting bores.

3. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein:

said pan side flange elements are formed with through bores aligned with the respective said mounting bores.

4. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said pan is constructed of metal.

5. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said frame is constructed of thermoplastic.

6. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said pan side flange elements each include a plurality of said retainers.

7. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

at least one of said frame side flange members is configured with a laterally inwardly opening undercut forming a notch defining said retainer; and

said pan side flange elements are configured on their respective lateral outer edges to be complementally received in the respective said notches.

8. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

retainer plates mounted on said end walls.

9. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

said retainers mounted on the respective said frame side flange members.

10. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said frame side flange members are flexible.

11. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein:

said frame end wall members are flexible.

12. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 1 that includes:

respective retainer plates mounted on the inside of said frame end wall members and formed with downwardly facing retainer edges for engaging the bottom edge of said pan.

13. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein:

said frame side flange members include laterally inwardly projecting clips to be snapped inwardly under the outer marginal edges of the respective said pan side flange elements.

14. A light fixture for mounting flush to a structural wall and comprising:

an elongated frame including side and end walls configured to form a pan-receiving opening, said side walls including outwardly-turned frame mounting flanges;

a light pan to be received complementally upwardly into said opening of said frame and including laterally projecting pan mounting flanges for engaging under said frame mounting flanges, said pan including on at least one end a downwardly facing abutment edge; and

a retainer mounted on one end wall of said frame in alignment with said abutment edge for engaging said abutment edge to normally hold said pan in place relative to said frame, said retainer being selectively shiftable out of alignment with said abutment edge.

15. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein:

said frame mounting flanges include respective clips configured to releasably engage under said pan mounting flanges.

16. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein:

said pan includes said downwardly facing abutment edges at both ends; and

said frame includes said retainers on both said side end walls in alignment with respective said abutment edges for cooperating in holding;

said pan assembled to said frame.

17. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein:

said frame is constructed of plastic.

18. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein:

said frame is configured with at least one of said end walls flexible to provide for relative longitudinal movement between said retainer and said abutment edge to shift said retainer out of alignment with said abutment edge.

19. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein:

at least one of said frame is formed with said side and end walls flexible.

20. The light fixture of claim 16 wherein:

said frame is configured with both said end walls flexible.

21. A method of making a light fixture including:

selecting a flexible frame having frame end wall members and frame side flanges cooperating to form a pan-receiving window, said frame side flanges facing downwardly and including respective downwardly spaced retainer clips cooperating with said frame side flanges to define inwardly opening notches;

selecting a pan mounting light tubes and having outwardly turned pan side flanges for being positioned in underlying relationship beneath said frame side flanges and terminating in laterally outwardly disposed edges removably received in said notches; and

positioning said pan in said window by flexing said frame side flanges laterally outwardly overlying said notches with said edges and releasing said frame side flanges to capture said edges in said notches to loosely assemble said frame and said pan.

22. Flush mount light fixture apparatus comprising:

an elongated frame including frame end walls and first and second resilient frame side flanges having respective downwardly facing first and second nesting surfaces cooperating with said end walls to form an opening;

a pan plate including laterally disposed first and second pan side strips for underlying the respective said frame side flanges; and

at least one retainer mounted on said first frame side flange and spaced therefrom to provide a first notch for receipt of said first side strip so that said plate can be positioned over said opening and said first frame side flange flexed laterally outwardly to allow said retainer to clear said first side strip to allow said first side strip to nest in said first nesting surface so said first frame side flange can flex inwardly to engage said retainer under said first side strip to trap it in said first notch.

26. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 22 wherein:

said end walls are formed with downwardly projecting hoods defining longitudinally inwardly facing abutment walls;

said apparatus includes mounting brackets mounted at the opposite ends of said plate and formed with downwardly projecting clips configured with respective longitudinally projecting legs spaced vertically apart to form an open ended slot;

a pair of terminal blocks at each end of said plate, including longitudinally inwardly opening terminal sockets and including respective housings formed on their respective top and bottom sides with longitudinal open ended slots for receipt of respective edges of the respective said legs; and

said blocks being configured with respective end flanges to be trapped between the respective said brackets and the respective said abutment walls.

27. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein:

said longitudinal open ended slots are configured to be slip fit over said respective edges of said legs.

28. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein:

said blocks are L-shaped to be configured with respective first flanges projecting laterally to form the respective said end flanges and second flanges projecting longitudinally in juxtaposition with the respective said clips.

29. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 26 wherein:

the respective said end flanges include longitudinally open ended sockets and said blocks include electrically conductive terminals mounted in the respective said slots.

23. Light fixture apparatus comprising:

an elongated frame including frame end walls and first and second resilient frame side flanges cooperating with said end walls to form an opening and having respective downwardly facing first and second nesting surfaces;

a pan plate including laterally disposed first and second side strips for underlying the respective said frame side flanges; and

at least one retainer mounted on said first frame side flange and spaced therefrom to provide a first notch for receipt of said first side strip so that said plate can be positioned under said frame confronting said opening and said first frame side flange flexed laterally outwardly to allow said retainer to clear said first side strip to allow said first side strip to nest in said first nesting surface so said first frame side flange can flex inwardly to engage said retainer under said first strip to trap it in said first notch.

24. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein:

said plate includes mounting holes for receipt of mounting screws to mount said apparatus to a flat wall surface.

25. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein:

said second frame side flange includes a respective second retainer configured to form a laterally inwardly opening second notch for receipt of said second side strip.

30. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein:

said frame side flanges are formed on their respective top sides with flat mounting surfaces for abutting against a flat mounting wall;

said plate is channel shaped in vertical cross section to form a pan section projecting upwardly in said opening above the plane including said flat mounting surfaces; and

light terminal sockets are mounted in the opposite ends of said pan section.

31. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 30 wherein:

said frame end walls include respective vertical end plates projecting downwardly and said frame further includes respective hoods projecting longitudinally outwardly from the respective said frame end walls and formed with respective bottom walls curving upwardly and longitudinally outwardly from the respective lower extremities of said frame end walls to shroud said frame end walls from viewing from the underside thereof.

32. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 23 wherein:

said pan plate is planar.

33. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 32 for mounting flush to a mounting wall and wherein:

the respective said frame mounting flanges are formed on their respective top sides with flat mounting surfaces disposed in a horizontal plane to set flush against said mounting wall, and said frame mounting flanges and said retainer are configured to orient said plate in a horizontal plane juxtaposed said first mentioned horizontal plane.

34. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 33 that includes:

light terminal blocks mounted on the bottom side of said plate.

35. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 34 wherein:

said plate includes fastener holes for receipt of fasteners to mount said plate to said mounting wall.

36. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 33 wherein:

said frame mounting flanges include lateral outer extremities formed with downwardly projecting borders and respective inwardly turned lens mounting flanges; and

a flexible lens diffuser configured for covering said plate and formed at the lateral opposite extremities thereof with respective laterally outwardly opening grooves for receipt of respective said lens mounting flanges.

37. Light fixture apparatus for mounting a light mounting pan plate configured on the opposite sides with first and second side strips, said apparatus comprising:

an elongated frame including longitudinally spaced apart frame end walls and laterally spaced resilient longitudinal frame side flanges cooperating with said frame end walls to form an opening for receipt of said plate and having respective downwardly facing nesting surfaces for nesting upwardly thereagainst of said side strips; and

said frame side flanges including respective retainers mounted thereon and configured with respective laterally inwardly opening notches for receipt of respective said side strips of said plate so that said plate may be positioned under said frame and one or the other of said frame side flanges flexed laterally outwardly to provide clearance for confronting said frame side flange to be received in the respective said notches to be releasably held in place by said retainer.

38. Light fixture apparatus as set forth in claim 37 wherein:

said plate includes fastener holes for receipt of fasteners to mount said plate and said fixture to a mounting wall.