In ground lighting fixture with adjustable lamp

• US 7,320,533 B1
• Filed: 03/03/2006
• Issued: 01/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hunter Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Joshua Z. Beadle
• Inventors: Beadle, Joshua Z.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): MANSKAR, KRISTEN
• Application Number:
  US11/367,673
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 362/285
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/022 intended to be recessed in a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement or false floor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/00 Elements for modifying spectral properties, polarisation or intensity of the light emitted, e.g. filters coloured shades F21V1/00; elements characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/109 of gardens

Abstract

The in-ground, or “well light”, fixture comprises a hollow cylindrical housing with an angled end and an flat end, a lamp assembly easily mounted at either end, and a baffle. The lamp assembly is rotatably and vertically adjustable within the housing and either the angled end or the flat end may be placed upward by virtue of a pair of channels extending down the length of the housing. Fasteners are provided on the lamp assembly for attaching one or more filters above the lamp face and to create a protective air gap that prevents debris from accumulating on the lamp.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture, comprising:

an elongated housing having a flat end, an angled end, and an inner surface having a pair of channels disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the housing and extending along a length of the housing, each pair of channels having a pair of opposing depressions defining a channel gap at each of the angled end and the flat end;

a lamp assembly comprising;

a retaining ring having a pair of circular pivots extending therefrom, each pivot having a circumferential edge that fits within the channel gap so that the lamp assembly is retained at a set angle and height within the housing by frictional resistance between the circumferential edge of the pivot and the channel gap, wherein application of a rotational force to the retaining ring causes the lamp assembly to pivot within the channel gap and wherein application of a vertical force causes the pivots to slide within the channel gap;

a lamp housing releasably attached to the retaining ring, the lamp housing having a conductor means for connection to a voltage source; and

a lamp retained within the lamp housing.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a resilient O-ring disposed around the circumferential edge.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the lamp comprises a sealed PAR lamp.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a cover having a plurality of openings for transmitting light.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the retaining ring further includes fastening means for retaining one or more filters over the lamp.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 5, wherein the fastening means comprises spacers for defining an air gap between the one or more filters and a face of the lamp.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 5, wherein the one or more filters comprises a diffuser and a color filter.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the elongated housing is an injection-molded thermoplastic polyester resin.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 8, wherein the pair of channels is formed integrally with the elongated housing.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the retaining ring and lamp housing are formed from an injection-molded thermoplastic resin.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 4, wherein the cover is formed from an injection-molded thermoplastic resin.

12. An in-ground lighting fixture, comprising:

a tubular housing having a flat end, an angled end, and an inner surface having a pair of longitudinal channels disposed on diametrically opposite sides of the housing near each of the flat end and the angled end, each pair of channels having a pair of opposing depressions defining a channel gap;

a lamp assembly for retaining a lamp within the housing, the lamp assembly having a pair of circular pivots extending therefrom, each pivot having a circumferential edge that fits within the channel gap so that the lamp assembly is retained at a set angle and height within the housing by frictional resistance between the circumferential edge of the pivot and the channel gap, wherein application of a rotational force to the lamp assembly causes the lamp assembly to pivot within the channel gap and wherein application of a vertical force causes the pivots to slide within the channel gap;

wherein the tubular housing is disposed in the ground with one of the flat end and the angled end oriented upward and the other down, and wherein the lamp assembly is slid within the pair of channels so that it is disposed near whichever end is oriented upward; and

a cover releasably attached to the housing at whichever of the flat end and the angled end is oriented upward, the cover having a plurality of openings for transmitting light.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 12, further comprising a resilient O-ring disposed around the circumferential edge.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 12, wherein the lamp comprises a sealed PAR lamp.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 12, wherein the lamp assembly further includes fastening means for retaining one or more filters over the lamp.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 15, wherein the fastening means comprises spacers for defining an air gap between the one or more filters and a face of the lamp.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 15, wherein the one or more filters comprises a diffuser and a color filter.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 12, wherein the housing and cover are formed from injection-molded thermoplastic polyester resin.

19. An in-ground lighting fixture, comprising:

a tubular housing having an inner surface having a pair of longitudinally extending channels that sildably receives the circular pivots, and upper end and a lower end;

a lamp assembly for retaining a lamp within the housing for projecting light upward through the upper end of the housing, the lamp assembly having a pair of circular pivots extending therefrom pivotably connected to the inner surface, the lamp assembly comprising a lamp housing and a retaining ring for retaining a lamp within the lamp housing, the retaining ring having an upper face with a plurality of fastening means extending therefrom for retaining one or more filters above a lamp face, the fastening means comprising a spacer for defining an air gap between the lamp face and the one or more filters; and

a cover releasably attached to the upper end of the housing, the cover having a plurality of openings for transmitting light upward from the lamp.