Light assembly and a method of securing the light assembly into an opening in a thin wall

A light assembly including a light having a body with a ramp and a threaded opening. The body also has one end and another end having an outwardly extending flange, an elongated light central axis, and an outer surface having the ramp closer to the elongated light central axis at the one end of the light. The ramp is further away from the elongated light central axis near the other end. The light assembly also includes a lock piece having an end, and the lock piece is positioned on the body for movement along the ramp away from the one end, so that the lock piece end moves further away from the elongated central axis as the lock piece moves along the ramp away from the one end. The light assembly also includes a like threaded stem having an elongated axis and received in the threaded opening in the light, the stem being connected to the lock piece so that, as the threaded stem rotates about its elongated axis in the threaded opening, moving away from the light one end, the stem moves the lock piece away from the one end.

FIELD OF INVENTION

This disclosure is directed to a light assembly and a method of securing the light assembly into an opening in a thin wall accessible from one side, but inaccessible from an opposite side. The thin wall can be part of a tube, or it can be a ceiling or a wall, for example.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

When securing a light assembly into an opening in a thin wall accessible from one side, but inaccessible from an opposite side, various methods of doing so have been proposed. None of the proposed solutions however provide an adequate process for adding a light figure into an inaccessible enclosure in a direct and simple fashion.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Disclosed is a light assembly including a light having a body with a ramp and a threaded opening. The body also has one end and another end having an outwardly extending flange, an elongated light central axis, and an outer surface having the ramp closer to the elongated light central axis at the one end of the light. The ramp is further away from the elongated light central axis near the other end. The light assembly also includes a lock piece having an end, and the lock piece is positioned on the body for movement along the ramp away from the one end, so that the lock piece end moves further away from the elongated central axis as the lock piece moves along the ramp away from the one end. The light assembly also includes a like threaded stem having an elongated axis and received in the threaded opening in the light, the stem being connected to the lock piece so that, as the threaded stem rotates about its elongated axis in the threaded opening, moving away from the light one end, the stem moves the lock piece away from the one end.

Before one embodiment of the disclosure is explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of the construction and the arrangements of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The disclosure is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. Use of “including” and “comprising” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof as well as additional items. Use of “consisting of” and variations thereof as used herein is meant to encompass only the items listed thereafter and equivalents thereof. Further, it is to be understood that such terms as “forward”, “rearward”, “left”, “right”, “upward”, “downward”, “side”, “top” and “bottom”, etc., are words of convenience and are not to be construed as limiting terms.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As illustrated inFIGS. 1-5, disclosed is a light assembly10and a method of securing the light assembly10into an opening60in a thin wall62accessible from one side, but inaccessible from an opposite side. In the illustrated embodiment, the thin wall is part of a tube. In other embodiments (not shown), the thin wall may be a ceiling or a wall, for example.

As illustrated inFIGS. 1 and 2, the light assembly10includes a light14, the light14including a body16having one end18and another end22having an outwardly extending flange26, an elongated light central axis30, and an outer surface34. In the disclosed embodiment the light includes an LED25, but in other embodiments, other means for illumination can be used. The light14includes a wire harness27for connecting the light to wiring inside of the tube62. The outer surface34has a ramp38closer to the elongated light central axis30at the one end18of the body16, the ramp38being further away from the elongated light central axis30near the other end22.

The light assembly10also includes a lock piece40having an end42, the lock piece40being positioned on the body16for movement along the ramp38away from the one end18, so that the lock piece end42moves further away from the elongated light central axis30as the lock piece40moves along the ramp38and away from the one end18. The body16also has a threaded opening44, and the light assembly10further includes a like threaded stem48having an elongated stem axis52. The stem48is received in the threaded opening44in the light14and is connected to the lock piece40. Thus, as the threaded stem48rotates about the elongated stem axis52in the threaded opening44, and the stem48moves along the elongated stem axis52away from the light one end18, the stem48also moves the lock piece40away from the one end18. As a result, the lock piece end42moves outward away from the light's central axis30, trapping the thin wall62between the lock piece end42and the light flange26.

Further, when the stem48rotates in an opposite direction in the threaded opening44about the stem's elongated axis52, the stem48moves toward the light one end18, the stem48moves the lock piece40towards the light one end18, pulling the lock piece end42back (by virtue of the lock piece bias, as described below) towards the light central axis30, allowing the light assembly10to once more pass through the thin wall opening60.

In one embodiment, the light outer surface34has another ramp64opposite the one ramp38. The other ramp64also is closer to the elongated light central axis30at the one end18of the light14, and the other ramp64is further away from the elongated light central axis30near the other end22. The light assembly10also includes another lock piece72having an end74. The other lock piece72is positioned on the light14for movement along the other ramp64away from the one end18, so that the other lock piece end74moves further out and away from the elongated light central axis30as the other lock piece72moves along the other ramp64away from the one end18. The other lock piece72is also connected to the stem48so that, as the stem48rotates in the threaded opening44about the elongated stem axis52, moving away from the light one end18, the stem48moves the other lock piece72away from the one end18.

Each of the lock pieces has a slot88along a mid-portion of the lock piece, and each ramp has a projection92which is received in the slot18for guiding the lock piece along the ramp.

The lock piece40and the other lock piece72are formed from two ends of a U-shaped piece of spring steel, the spring steel biasing the lock pieces toward the light14, keeping the lock pieces against their respective ramps. One end of the stem48is connected to the U-shaped piece by having the stem48extend through an opening95in the portion of the U-shaped piece that connects the two lock pieces. Nuts94and96on either side of the U-shaped piece portion connect the stem48to the U-shaped piece.

The disclosed method comprises inserting the one end18of the light14into the thin wall opening60, then using a hex key63inserted into an opening (not shown) in an end (not shown) of the threaded stem48to rotate the threaded stem48about its elongated axis52.

Various other features of the disclosure are set forth in the following claims.