Light-fixture support assembly

• US 9,435,519 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2013
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Kinnune, Brian, Snell, Nathan, Sorenson, Jeremy
• Primary Examiner(s): Neils, Peggy
• Assistant Examiner(s): GARLEN, ALEXANDER K
• Application Number:
  US13/764,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140226331A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,303 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249.01, 362/249.02, 362/217.14, 362/217.15, 362/396, 362/431, 362/432
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/16 using sheets without apertures, e.g. fixed
• 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 21/0832 Hook and loop-type fasteners
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED light fixture including a housing, a heat sink secured with respect to the housing and an LED illuminator secured with respect to the heat sink. The heat sink includes central and peripheral portions. The central portion has an LED-supporting surface and forward, rearward and lateral sides, the LED illuminator being at the LED-supporting surface. The peripheral portion extends laterally from the lateral sides. The central portion of the heat sink has downwardly-extending shield members at the lateral sides thereof configured and dimensioned to block upward illumination. In embodiments where the optical member is configured for directing emitter light predominantly toward the forward side, the central heat-sink portion has a downwardly-extending shield member at the rearward side thereof configured and dimensioned to block rearward illumination.

Claims

1. A light fixture securable to an elongate support member, the light fixture comprising forward and rearward portions, the rearward portion comprising upper and lower shells defining a fixture interior with a rearward opening for receiving a fixture-adjacent end of the elongate support member into the fixture interior, the rearward portion comprising a fulcrum member extending rearwardly beyond one side of the rearward opening to an exterior fulcrum spaced rearwardly from the rearward opening to pivotably engage an adjacent side of the support member, the rearward portion terminating at the rearward opening along positions opposite the exterior fulcrum to maximize clearance of the support member along such positions, the lower shell being movably secured to the fulcrum member to provide a swinging angle of the lower shell with respect to the upper shell.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein the fulcrum is shaped to limit lateral movement of the support member thereagainst.

3. The light fixture of claim 2 wherein the fulcrum includes a row of teeth configured to engage the support member.

4. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein the fixture comprises a frame defining the forward and rearward portions.

5. The light fixture of claim 1 wherein the lower shell is pivotably connected to the fulcrum member.

6. The light fixture of claim 4 wherein the frame and the fulcrum member are formed as a single piece.

7. The light fixture of claim 6 wherein the fulcrum is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the support member.

8. The light fixture of claim 4 wherein the frame has a pair of rearmost extensions between which the fulcrum member is secured.

9. The light fixture of claim 8 wherein the frame and the fulcrum member are formed as a single piece.

10. The light fixture of claim 8 wherein the fulcrum member is shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the support member.

11. The light fixture of claim 10 wherein the frame and the fulcrum member are formed as a single piece.

12. The light fixture of claim 11 wherein the single piece is a metal casting.

13. The light fixture of claim 11 wherein the frame, the fulcrum member and the upper shell are formed as a single piece metal casting.

14. The light fixture of claim 11 further comprising an engager secured within the fixture interior in position to engage the opposite side of the support member at a position offset from the fulcrum, the engager being adjustably secured with respect to the upper shell.

15. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein the engager includes a yoke shaped to substantially conform to the shape of the support member, the yoke having a pair of pin-receiving apertures with a shaft portion of a corresponding pin extending therethrough into threaded engagement with the upper shell.

16. The light fixture of claim 14 wherein the fixture interior has an angle-referencing region shaped to engage the fixture-adjacent end of the support member to facilitate positioning of the fixture within one of plural predetermined angle ranges with respect to the support member.

17. The light fixture of claim 16 wherein the angle-referencing region has a step-like configuration extending downwardly from the upper shell with steps each corresponding to one of the plural predetermined angle ranges such that, depending on which of the steps is selected for engagement by the fixture-adjacent end of the support member, adjustment of the engager locks the fixture at a particular angle with respect to the support member within the range of the selected step.

18. The light fixture of claim 11 wherein the lower shell is a one-piece polymeric structure having forward and rearward ends, the rearward end having an integrated hinging member hingedly secured to the fulcrum member.

19. The light fixture of claim 18 wherein the frame, the fulcrum member and the upper shell are formed as a single piece.

20. The light fixture of claim 19 wherein the single piece is a metal casting.

21. The light fixture of claim 18 wherein the integrated hinging member comprises a pair of engaging portions each in snap engagement with one of the side portions of the fulcrum member and each configured for secure pivoting about a respective side of the fulcrum member, thereby providing secure pivotal connection of the lower shell portion with the upper shell with controlled disengagement thereof.

22. The light fixture of claim 21 wherein the exterior fulcrum is between the engaging portions of the lower shell.

23. The light fixture of claim 21 wherein the forward end of the lower shell has an integrated latching member detachably securing the forward end of the lower shell with respect to the upper shell, thereby closing the chamber.

24. The light fixture of claim 23 wherein the integrated latching member comprises a spring tab with a catch at one end and a release actuator at the opposite end, the release actuator being configured such that force applied thereto in one direction pivots the catch in the opposite direction sufficiently to release the catch from locking engagement, thereby detaching the forward end of the lower shell from the upper shell to allow access to the chamber.

25. The light fixture of claim 24 wherein the catch is a hook.

26. The light fixture of claim 24 wherein the frame, the fulcrum member and the upper shell are formed as a single piece.

27. The light fixture of claim 4 wherein:

the forward portion is open; and

an LED assembly is positioned within the open forward portion and secured with respect to the frame with open spaces remaining therebetween, the LED assembly comprising (a) a heat sink including an LED-supporting region and heat-dissipating surfaces extending therefrom and (b) an LED illuminator secured with respect to the LED-supporting region.

28. The light fixture of claim 27 wherein the frame and the upper shell are formed as a single piece.

29. The light fixture of claim 28 wherein the lower shell is pivotably connected to the fulcrum member.

30. The light fixture of claim 28 wherein the frame, the upper shell and the fulcrum are formed as a single piece.

31. The light fixture of claim 30 wherein the heat sink, the frame, the upper shell and the fulcrum are formed as a single piece.

32. The light fixture of claim 31 wherein the single piece is a metal casting.

33. The light fixture of claim 31 wherein the lower shell is a one piece polymeric structure.