Light assembly

• US 9,243,786 B1
• Filed: 08/20/2014
• Issued: 01/26/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Grove, Douglas Dewayne, Schoeneberg, Carl Jason, Onda, Joseph L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi, Ali
• Application Number:
  US14/463,929
• Time in Patent Office: 524 Days
• Field of Search: 362/147, 362/148, 362/150, 362/368, 362/372, 362/404
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/041 Mounting arrangements specially adapted for false ceiling panels or partition walls made of plates F21V21/047 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/30 Lighting for domestic or personal use

Abstract

Disclosed is a light assembly including a rotation ring including upper and lower surfaces, a mounting ring secured to a light pan and including upper and lower surfaces positioned over a portion of the rotation ring such that the portion of the rotation ring is sandwiched between the light pan and the mounting ring and such that the rotation ring is rotatable relative to the mounting ring, a light engine mounted on the rotation ring, and an adjustable rotation limiting mechanism that includes (a) a rotation stop platform provided on the mounting ring, the rotation stop platform including a moveable stop and (b) a rotation stop unit provided on the rotation ring, the rotation stop unit including a rotation stop arm. The rotation stop arm rotates with the rotation ring and contacts the moveable stop to prevent further rotation of the rotation ring with respect to the mounting ring.

Claims

1. A light assembly comprising:

a light pan having a pan opening;

a rotation ring comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and disposed at least partially around the pan opening;

a mounting ring comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and disposed at least partially around the pan opening and positioned over a portion of the rotation ring such that the portion of the rotation ring is sandwiched between the light pan and the mounting ring and such that the rotation ring is rotatable relative to the mounting ring, wherein the mounting ring is secured to the light pan;

a light engine mounted on the rotation ring and oriented so as to emit light through the pan opening; and

an adjustable rotation limiting mechanism that includes (a) a rotation stop platform provided on the mounting ring, the rotation stop platform comprising a moveable stop and (b) a rotation stop unit provided on the rotation ring, the rotation stop unit including a rotation stop arm,

wherein the rotation stop arm rotates with the rotation ring and contacts the moveable stop to prevent further rotation of the rotation ring with respect to the mounting ring.

2. The light assembly of claim 1, further comprising a rotational position locking mechanism provided on the rotation ring, the rotational position locking mechanism comprising a cam lock arm and a friction insert that engages the light pan when the cam lock arm is depressed to lock the rotation ring in a rotational position relative to the mounting ring.

3. The light assembly of claim 2, wherein the cam lock arm is accessible to a user reaching through the pan opening.

4. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting ring and the rotation ring are formed from an injection molded material.

5. The light assembly of claim 4, wherein the injection molded material is Polyoxymethylene.

6. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the moveable stop is configured to move relative to the rotation stop platform to permit rotation of the rotation ring relative to the mounting ring in excess of 360°

.

7. The light assembly of claim 6, wherein the rotation stop platform further comprises a projection that engages a sliding plate attached to the moveable stop.

8. The light assembly of claim 6, wherein the moveable stop is configured to move relative to the rotation stop platform to permit rotation of the rotation ring relative to the mounting ring of about 363°

.

9. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein:

an interface is formed between the mounting ring and the rotation ring;

the mounting ring comprises a plurality of protrusions on the lower surface of the mounting ring; and

the upper surface of the rotation ring contacts only the plurality of protrusions on the lower surface of the mounting ring at the interface.

10. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the mounting ring comprises a plurality of upraised degree indicia on the upper surface of the mounting ring.

11. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the rotation ring comprises protrusions on the lower surface of the rotation ring that reduce contact between the rotation ring and the light pan.

12. A light assembly comprising:

a light pan having a pan opening;

a rotation ring comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and disposed at least partially around the pan opening;

a mounting ring comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and disposed at least partially around the pan opening and positioned over a portion of the rotation ring such that the portion of the rotation ring is sandwiched between the light pan and the mounting ring and such that the rotation ring is rotatable relative to the mounting ring, wherein the mounting ring is secured to the light pan;

a light engine mounted on the rotation ring and oriented so as to emit light through the pan opening;

an adjustable rotation limiting mechanism that includes (a) a rotation stop platform provided on the mounting ring, the rotation stop platform comprising a moveable stop configured to move relative to the rotation stop platform to permit rotation of the rotation ring relative to the mounting ring in excess of 360° and

(b) a rotation stop unit provided on the rotation ring, the rotation stop unit including a rotation stop arm; and

a rotational position locking mechanism provided on the rotation ring, the rotational position locking mechanism comprising a cam lock arm and a friction insert that engages the light pan when the cam lock arm is depressed to lock the rotation ring in a rotational position relative to the mounting ring,

wherein the rotation stop arm rotates with the rotation ring and contacts the moveable stop to prevent further rotation of the rotation ring with respect to the mounting ring.

13. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein the cam lock arm is accessible to a user reaching through the pan opening.

14. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein the mounting ring and the rotation ring are formed from an injection molded material.

15. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein the rotation stop platform further comprises a projection that engages a sliding plate attached to the moveable stop.

16. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein the moveable stop is configured to move relative to the rotation stop platform to permit rotation of the rotation ring relative to the mounting ring of about 363°

.

17. The light assembly of claim 12, wherein:

an interface is formed between the mounting ring and the rotation ring;

the mounting ring comprises a plurality of protrusions on the lower surface of the mounting ring; and

the upper surface of the rotation ring contacts only the plurality of protrusions on the lower surface of the mounting ring at the interface.

18. A method of positioning a light assembly, the method comprising:

(i) providing a light assembly comprising;

a light pan having a pan opening;

a rotation ring comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and disposed at least partially around the pan opening;

a mounting ring comprising an upper surface and a lower surface and disposed at least partially around the pan opening and positioned over a portion of the rotation ring such that the portion of the rotation ring is sandwiched between the light pan and the mounting ring and such that the rotation ring is rotatable relative to the mounting ring, wherein the mounting ring is secured to the light pan;

a light engine mounted on the rotation ring and oriented so as to emit light through the pan opening; and

an adjustable rotation limiting mechanism that includes (a) a rotation stop platform provided on the mounting ring, the rotation stop platform comprising a moveable stop and (b) a rotation stop unit provided on the rotation ring, the rotation stop unit including a rotation stop arm,

wherein the rotation stop arm rotates with the rotation ring and contacts the moveable stop to prevent further rotation of the rotation ring with respect to the mounting ring; and

(ii) rotating the rotation ring with respect to the mounting ring to a desired rotational position.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein rotating the rotation ring comprises rotating the rotation ring until the rotation stop arm contacts the moveable stop and then continuing to rotate so as to move the moveable stop.

20. The method of claim 18, further comprising actuating a rotational position locking mechanism to lock the rotation ring in a rotational position relative to the mounting ring, wherein the rotational position locking mechanism comprises a cam lock arm and a friction insert that engages the light pan when the cam lock arm is depressed.