Luminaire and mounting bracket combination

• US 7,841,755 B1
• Filed: 05/05/2008
• Issued: 11/30/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group LLC (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group LLC (Signify N.V.)
• Inventors: Walker, Justin M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US12/115,012
• Time in Patent Office: 939 Days
• Field of Search: 362/147, 362/432
• US Class Current: 362/432
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• 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

Abstract

A luminaire and mounting bracket combination is disclosed which allows the luminaire to be readily installed and retained by the bracket while the installer permanently affixes the luminaire directly to the bracket. Single installer capability is therefore allowed due to the construction of the support bracket and luminaire combination described. The bracket incorporates the use of a plurality of support arms and possibly a lower support bracket which correspondingly fit into apertures formed in the luminaire support frame formed on the mounting face of the luminaire. The design allows the luminaire to be vertically lowered on the support bracket and retained thereby while the installer fastens the luminaire directly to the bracket without need for additional support mechanism or aid.

Claims

1. A luminaire and mounting bracket combination comprising:

a mounting bracket having a substantially flat mounting surface with at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned upwardly opening hooks;

said mounting bracket having a lower supporting hook extending upwardly between and below said at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned upwardly opening hooks;

said mounting bracket having an outwardly extending flange above and between said at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned upwardly opening hooks, said flange having an aperture therein;

a luminaire having a mounting face with at least one pair of vertically oriented slots suitable for receiving said at least one pair of substantially horizontally aligned upwardly opening hooks on said bracket;

said mounting face of said luminaire having a centrally oriented opening suitable for receiving said outwardly extending flange on said bracket;

said mounting face of said luminaire having a support luminaire frame below said centrally oriented opening suitable for resting within said lower hook on said mounting bracket; and

said mounting face of said luminaire further having fastener mount suitably oriented for fasteningly receiving a fastener extending through said aperture in said outwardly extending flange of said bracket.

2. The luminaire and mounting bracket combination of claim 1 wherein said fastener mount in said mounting face of said luminaire is a threaded cylindrical opening.

3. The luminaire and mounting bracket combination of claim 1 wherein said mounting bracket has at least two pair of substantially horizontally aligned upwardly opening hooks.

4. The luminaire and mounting bracket combination of claim 3 wherein each of said at least two pair of substantially horizontally aligned upwardly opening hooks are substantially vertically aligned.

5. A luminaire and bracket combination for easy installation of the luminaire onto a support structure, comprising:

a support bracket securely affixed to a support structure and having an upper support structure and a lower support structure, both said upper and lower support structure extending outwardly from a mounting surface on said bracket, both said lower and upper support structure having upwardly extending portions for capturing and retaining a luminaire support frame, said mounting surface further having a wiring aperture allowing wiring to extend through said aperture into said luminaire;

wherein said luminaire has said luminaire support frame, said luminaire support frame has corresponding surfaces for mating with said upper and lower support structure on said support bracket;

wherein said support bracket further has an outwardly extending fastener arm with an aperture formed therein, said aperture of said fastener arm coaligned with a securing fastener mount on said luminaire allowing a fastener mechanism to extend through said fastener arm of said mounting bracket and into said fastener mount on said luminaire.

6. A method for mounting a luminaire comprising:

fastening a bracket to a mounting surface, said bracket having at least one pair of horizontally aligned upwardly opening parallel hooks, a lower upward opening hook between and below said at least one pair of horizontally aligned hooks and a flange having an aperture extending outwardly above and between said horizontally aligned hooks;

placing vertically oriented slots in a luminaire mounting portion about said upwardly opening parallel hooks;

lowering said luminaire onto said upwardly opening parallel hooks wherein said upwardly opening parallel hooks and said lower hook of said bracket each receive a portion of said mounting portion of said luminaire; and

fastening said flange to said mounting portion of said luminaire.

7. A luminaire and mounting bracket combination, comprising:

a mounting bracket affixable to a vertical surface and having a first and a second luminaire supporting structure, said first luminaire supporting structure including at least one pair of upwardly extending opening support hooks aligned to be received with an opening on a support base of said luminaire, said mounting bracket further having below said first luminaire supporting structure said second luminaire supporting structure, said first and said second luminaire supporting structure working in unison to support said luminaire, said second luminaire supporting structure engaging said luminaire support base;

wherein said bracket supports said luminaire through said first luminaire supporting structure and said second luminaire supporting structure in position for subsequent positive affixation of said luminaire bracket to said luminaire, said positive affixation of said luminaire to said mounting bracket including secure affixation of a fastener arm on said bracket directly to a fastener arm receiving structure on said luminaire.