LAMP HAVING MULTIPLE MOUNT POINTS

An electric lamp is disclosed with a housing, a light transmissive cover on a front of the housing which with the housing forms an interior space, and a light emitter in the interior space, wherein light from the emitter is transmissible through the cover in a forward direction. First, second and third mount receptacles adapted for receiving different mounts to hold the lamp are disclosed.

BACKGROUND

The present invention relates to electric lamps and to mountings for them.

Lamps are free-standing (like a table lamp), hung (like a chandelier), or mounted. Mounted lamps typically have a fixture, or mounting receptacle, adapted to receive the mount. There are a variety of such mounts, including without limitation face mounts, central brackets, U-shaped and O-shaped frames surrounding the lamp housing, and otherwise. This variety adds complexity and cost, including added inventory costs of accommodating the variety of mounts. It would be desirable if a lamp had a mounting receptacle that worked so well and had such outstanding flexibility of application that industry/users would agree to standardize on such single mount receptacle design.

Thus, there is a need for improvement in this field.

SUMMARY

The claims, and only the claims, recite the inventions. In general summary, the lamp may include a housing, a light transmissive cover on a front of the housing which with the housing forms an interior space, and at least one light emitter in the interior space, wherein light from the emitter is transmissible through the cover in a forward direction. The lamp also has a first mount receptacle adapted for receiving a first mount to hold the lamp; and, a second mount receptacle separate from the first mount receptacle, the second mount receptacle adapted for receiving a second mount which is shaped differently than the first mount, to hold the lamp. Third mount receptacles and other elements, as separately claimed, may or may not be included.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SELECTED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to the examples shown in the drawings (FIGS. 1-4), an electric lamp100is shown comprising a housing101, a light transmissive cover102on a front of the housing which with the housing101forms an interior space, and at least one light emitter103in the interior space, wherein light from the emitter is transmissible through the cover in a forward direction D (seeFIGS. 2-4). The lamp also has a first mount receptacle121,131or141adapted for receiving a first mount to hold the lamp; and, a second mount receptacle121,131or141, separate from the first mount receptacle, the second mount receptacle adapted for receiving a second mount which is shaped differently than the first mount, to hold the lamp. The example lamp100shown may be altered may ways, including its shape (round, rectangular, oval, square, hexagonal, octagonal, or otherwise), its configuration, the number and type and layout of light emitters, and otherwise.

Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp may include a third mount receptacle121,131or141, separate from the first and second mount receptacles, the third mount receptacle adapted for receiving a third mount which is different than the first and second mounts, to hold the lamp.

Optionally, but not necessarily, the first, second and/or third mount receptacle may be selected from a first group consisting of: (i) a pair of coaxial openings, such as opening141generally transverse to the forward direction D of the lamp on opposite sides the housing (only one of the two is depicted in the figures) and adapted to receive two respective fasteners402(with or without nuts403, such as for example to mount to mount bracket401(FIG. 4)); (ii) an aperture121(see for exampleFIG. 3) generally transverse to the forward direction D of the lamp, the generally transverse aperture being through at least a portion of the housing and adapted to receive a shank202therethrough (with or without mount200and the illustrated bracket201, nut203, and washer204); and, (iii) at least two holes131in the housing (only one of the two is depicted in the figures), the cover, or both, with the holes131being oriented generally parallel to the first direction of the lamp and adapted to receive two respective fasteners302(with or without nuts303) for face-mounting the lamp, such as for example through or to wall W (FIG. 4). The second mount receptacle, and/or the third mount receptacle, which are different from each other and the first mount receptacle, may be otherwise selected from the first group. Such mount receptacles and their mounts may vary from these examples. The mount may itself be part of or mounted to structure S (FIGS. 2 and 4).

Optionally, but not necessarily, the housing101comprises a metal housing, and wherein the light emitter103comprises at least one LED. Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp may include further comprising a plurality of heat dissipating fins, such as fin106, on the outside of the housing. Note also that in the illustrated example, optionally, mount receptacle121is laterally inboard of receptacles141which are themselves laterally inboard of receptacles131.

Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp includes at least three white LEDs and wherein the lamp is a work lamp emitting less than 1,000 effective lumens. However, more LEDs and/or more lumens may be used as well. Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp includes one or more circuit board104and/or light reflector105.

Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp passes the requirements of JCB Standard 140. And, optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp passes the requirements of JDQ53.3.

Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp's housing, cover and light emitter are, apart from mounting, assembled without screws (see for example parts for lamp100inFIG. 1). Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp's housing and cover form (alone or with other components) an interior space which is sealed from outside moisture.

Optionally, but not necessarily, the lamp may be part of a kit (for one example,FIG. 1) also including first mount means202for mounting the lamp, second mount means302for mounting the lamp, and third mount means402for mounting the lamp.

As used here (claims, specification, and other definitions) the following terms have the following meaning:

Articles and phases such as, “the”, “a”, “an”, “at least one”, and “a first”, “comprising”, “having” and “including” here are not limited to mean only one, but rather are inclusive and open ended to also include, optionally, two or more of such elements and/or other elements. In terms of the meaning of words or terms or phrases herein, literal differences therein are not superfluous and have different meaning, and are not to be synonymous with words or terms or phrases in the same or other claims.

The term “and/or” is inclusive here, meaning “and” as well as “or”. For example, “P and/or Q” encompasses, P, Q, and P with Q; and, such “P and/or Q” may include other elements as well.

The term “LED” as used herein means light emitting diode, including single diodes as well as arrays of LED's and/or grouped light emitting diodes. This can include the die and/or and LED film or other laminate, LED packages, the packages may include encapsulating material around a die, and the material, typically transparent, may or may not have color tinting and/or may or may not have a colored sub-cover. An LED can be a variety of colors, shapes, sizes and designs, including with or without heat sinking, lenses, or reflectors, built into a package.

The term “elongated aperture” as used herein means one or more holes, openings or tube aligned such that an axial body, such as a bolt shank, other shank or the like may pass through it and/or them, and collectively the length is greater than the smallest diameter.

The term “generally transverse” as used herein means perpendicular, normal or skew, each at 90 degrees plus or minus 15 degrees.

The term “light” as used herein means light which is visible to the naked human eye.

The term “mount receptacle” as used herein has the meaning, of structure to mechanically receive part or all of a mount. Such structure may include, for example, holes (threaded and/or unthreaded), apertures, brackets, posts (threaded and/or unthreaded), bayonets, and detents.

The term “mount” as used herein has the meaning, one or more mechanical parts to mechanically mount a lamp to a separate wall or other structure (of a building, vehicle, machine, or otherwise). It may be movable (pivot and/or pan) and/or fixed.

The term “emitter” as used herein has the meaning, of and LED or light bulb.

The language used in the claims and the written description and in the above definitions is to only have its plain and ordinary meaning, except for terms explicitly defined above. Such plain and ordinary meaning is defined here as inclusive of all consistent dictionary definitions from the most recently published (on the filing date of this document) general purpose Webster's dictionaries and Random House dictionaries.