Housing for a recessed light fixture

• US 7,824,080 B2
• Filed: 11/13/2007
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Miles, Doug, Gibson, Jeffrey Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Jon-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Crowe; David R
• Application Number:
  US11/939,299
• Publication Number:
  US 20080180961A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 362/364, 362/362, 362/373, 362/145, 362/147, 362/148
• US Class Current: 362/364
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• 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 21/04 Recessed bases

Abstract

The housing for a light fixture includes a plaster frame with an opening. The can light, having opened ends along the top and bottom, is positioned through the opening. A trim assembly and lamp assembly are connected to the bottom side of the can. An outer housing, having dimensions suitable for placing the housing between joists having sixteen inch centers, is connect to the plaster frame and about the top portion of the can. The outer housing includes a doubler panel positioned within the inner walls of the outer housing and having a geometry and size to match with and fit snugly into the upper portion of the outer housing. The open can allows for convection to draw the heat away from the lamp assembly and into the outer housing. The doubler panel evenly distributes the heat along the exterior surfaces of the housing.

Claims

1. A recessed light fixture comprising:

a first plate comprising a first aperture;

a can light positioned within the first aperture, wherein the can light comprises;

a can comprising;

a first unobstructed opening along an upper portion of the can; and

a second opening along a bottom portion of the can, the openings defining an axial channel through the can; and

a lamp positioned within the channel of the can adjacent to the second opening;

a housing positioned about at least a portion of the can, wherein the housing comprises;

a plurality of wall members;

a ceiling member; and

a second plate positioned between the first plate and the ceiling member within the plurality of wall members, the second plate comprising a second aperture disposed along an interior of the second plate.

2. The recessed light fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing is coupled to the first plate and the wall members extend in an upward direction from the first plate.

3. The recessed light fixture of claim 1, wherein the second opening is a circular opening.

4. The recessed light fixture of claim 1, wherein the second plate and the ceiling member are in a spaced-apart orientation wherein an air gap is located between the second plate and the ceiling member.

5. The recessed light fixture of claim 4, wherein the ceiling member is substantially parallel to the second plate.

6. The recessed light fixture of claim 1, wherein the second plate is coupled to at least one of the plurality of walls and wherein the second plate further comprises:

at least one protrusion extending vertically from the second plate, wherein the top of the protrusion is in contact with the ceiling member.

7. The recessed light fixture of claim 1, further comprising a thermal sensor positioned between the second plate and the ceiling member, wherein the thermal sensor is electrically coupled to the lamp and deactivates the lamp if a predetermined temperature is sensed by the thermal sensor.

8. The recessed light fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a trim assembly slidably positioned through the second opening of the can and comprising;

a first section having at least a portion positioned within the can; and

a second section positioned adjacent a bottom lip of the can, wherein the second section has a greater outside dimension than the first annular section; and

a gasket disposed between the second section and the bottom lip of the can.

9. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the second aperture is axially offset from the first aperture.

10. The fixture of claim 9, wherein the second aperture is smaller than the first aperture.

11. The fixture of claim 1, wherein the second plate further comprises an access panel operable to cover the second aperture and adjustable from an open position to a closed position.

12. The fixture of claim 11, wherein the access panel is slidably adjustable.

13. The fixture of claim 11, wherein the access panel is rotatably adjustable.

14. The fixture of claim 11, wherein the access panel comprises a third plate.

15. A recessed light fixture comprising:

a first substantially horizontal panel comprising an aperture vertically through a portion of the first panel;

an open-ended can comprising;

an unobstructed top aperture;

a bottom aperture;

an outer wall; and

a hollow inner core connecting the top and bottom apertures and defining an axial channel through the can;

wherein at least a portion of the can is sized to fit through the aperture of the horizontal panel;

a lamp assembly comprising a lamp positioned within the channel and adjacent to the bottom aperture of the can and capable of illuminating an area proximate to the fixture;

a housing coupled to the first panel, the housing comprising;

a plurality of wall panels extending vertically away from the first panel;

a second substantially horizontal panel coupled to each of the wall panels along an upper portion of each of the wall panels; and

a heat deflection panel positioned within the housing, above the unobstructed top aperture of the can, between the first panel and the second panel, and in a spaced-apart orientation with the second panel;

wherein the heat deflection panel comprises a plurality of protrusions disposed along a perimeter of the heat deflection panel, each protrusion comprising a top end, wherein the protrusion extends vertically upward from the heat deflection panel and contacts a bottom surface of the second substantially horizontal panel.

16. The recessed light fixture of claim 15, wherein the housing has a volume of less than nine hundred cubic inches.

17. The recessed light fixture of claim 15, further comprising a trim assembly positioned adjacent a bottom lip of the can.

18. A recessed light fixture comprising:

a first substantially horizontal panel comprising an aperture extending vertically through a portion of the aperture;

an open-ended cylindrically-shaped can coupled to the first panel and positioned through the aperture of the first panel, wherein a first portion of the can extends above the first panel and a second portion of the can extends below the first panel, the can comprising;

an unobstructed top aperture;

a bottom aperture having a diameter substantially equal to three inches;

an outer wall; and

a hollow inner core connecting the top and bottom apertures and defining an open channel vertically through the can;

a lamp assembly positioned within the channel of the can adjacent to the bottom aperture, wherein the lamp assembly comprises a fifty watt lamp;

a housing coupled to the first panel and positioned about the first portion of the can, the housing comprising;

a substantially horizontal ceiling panel; and

a plurality of wall panels coupled to the ceiling panel and extending downward from the ceiling panel, wherein a lower portion of each wall panel is adjacent to the first panel;

a heat deflection panel positioned above the first portion of the can within the housing and in a spaced-apart orientation with the ceiling panel, wherein the heat deflection panel is in contact with each of the wall panels;

a trim assembly coupled to the second portion of the can and having a portion of the trim assembly positioned adjacent to a bottom lip of the can; and

a gasket disposed between the trim assembly and the bottom lip of the can.

19. The recessed light fixture of claim 18, wherein the housing has a volume of less than or equal to nine hundred cubic inches.

20. A recessed light fixture comprising:

a first plate comprising a first aperture;

a can light positioned within the first aperture, wherein the can light comprises;

a can comprising;

a first unobstructed opening along an upper portion of the can; and

a second opening along a bottom portion of the can, the openings defining an axial channel through the can; and

a lamp positioned within the channel of the can adjacent to the second opening;

a housing positioned about at least a portion of the can, wherein the housing comprises;

a plurality of wall members;

a ceiling member; and

a second plate positioned between the first plate and the ceiling member within the plurality of wall members the second plate comprising a plurality of protrusions extending vertically upward from the second plate, each protrusion comprising a top portion, the top portion of each protrusion contacting a substantially horizontal surface of the ceiling member.

21. The fixture of claim 20, wherein the protrusions define a vertical separation between the second plate and the ceiling member.

22. The fixture of claim 20, wherein the protrusions are disposed along a periphery of the second plate.

23. A recessed light fixture comprising:

a first plate comprising a first aperture;

a can light positioned within the first aperture, wherein the can light comprises;

a can comprising;

a first unobstructed opening along an upper portion of the can; and

a second opening along a bottom portion of the can, the openings defining an axial channel through the can; and

a lamp positioned within the channel of the can adjacent to the second opening;

a housing positioned about at least a portion of the can, wherein the housing comprises;

a plurality of wall members;

a ceiling member; and

a second plate positioned between the first plate and the ceiling member within the plurality of wall members;

wherein heat generated by the lamp radiates upward through the axial channel, through the first unobstructed opening in the can and directly into the housing.