Patent Publication Number: US-11028985-B1

Title: Surface mountable spotlight housing

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to spotlights and more specifically to a trackless spotlight wherein there is no junction box secured to the housing of the spotlight to provide power to the light emitting source contained in the light housing and further wherein the light housing has a rear flat mounting plate which is removably secured to an outer surface of a support sheet material with the junction box which supplies power to the light emitting source being independent of the light housing and disposed behind an inner surface of the support sheet material. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Commonly, spotlights are provided as a track lighting fixture wherein a plurality of light sources, each having a power supply connected thereto, are mounted on the track of the light fixture. The track can also be provided with an elongated electrical connector strip to which the power supply support is attached to provide power to the light source of the spotlight. Such track lighting fixtures are bulky and not always pleasing to the eye. It is also known to mount spotlights units recessed in mounting holes formed in a ceiling sheeting material to direct a light beam vertically downwards or at a slight angle when the light support is tilted within the housing. These are popular with halogen bulbs and now replaceable by bulbs fitted with light emitting diodes. These housings are provided with trim ring flanges which rests on the outer surface of the ceiling about the spotlight. 
     It is known to mount spotlights on ceiling surfaces or other surfaces to direct light beams against a desired target area to be lite or to accent a certain element, such as a painting on a wall, a piece of art on a table or generally to provide light on a designated surface area. In U.S. Pat. No. 4,258,413, there is disclosed a tiltable light fixture similar to a spotlight and resembling a cylinder and projecting form a ceiling surface. The fixture has a rear housing which is secured to an electrical outlet box mounted in the ceiling. The shade portion of the fixture is telescopically attached to a housing and can be tilted when separated from the housing to direct a light beam to a desired location. A similar spotlight fixture is also disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 9,593,829 and wherein the light emitting housing is not only hinged to its stationary junction box but also rotatable with respect to the stationary junction box. In both patents a junction box projects from the mounted surface. 
     There exists a need to provide a spotlight structure which does not contain a junction box as part of the spotlight light fixture and which is secured against the outer surface of a support sheet material by a rear flat mounting wall or plate of the light directing housing and which is hardly visible and wherein the junction box is located remotely of the spotlight and concealed behind the support sheet material, such as ceiling gypsum boards or other finishing sheet materials. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is a feature of the present invention to provide a surface mountable spotlight which provides the abovementioned need and several other features not known in the prior art. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a surface mountable spotlight which is flush mounted on the outer surface of support sheet material and wherein the junction box is separate from the light directing housing and connected to a receptacle connector mounted on a rear surface of a rear wall of the housing by means of a power supply connector of the junction box. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a surface mountable spotlight wherein a light emitting diode light source is mounted within the light directing housing and wherein the driver circuitry to energize the diodes is located in a junction box connected to a power source and having an outlet supply cable with a connector adapted for quick removable connection to an electrical receptacle connector mounted on a rear wall of the light directing housing. 
     A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a surface mountable spotlight having a flat rear mounting plate having a contour configuration adapted to conceal a small mounting hole provided in a support sheet material and wherein the mounting plate is provided with retention means to removably secure the light directing housing against the outer surface of the support sheet material. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a surface mountable spotlight having a light directing housing provided with a rear flat mounting plate having a contour configuration which is coincident with the contour configuration of the light directing housing and wherein the light directing housing is angularly displaceable with respect to the rear flat mounting plate by an integrated hinge and rotatably displaceable by its mounting plate connection. 
     A still further feature of the present invention is to provide a surface mountable spotlight comprised of a light directing housing containing a light emitting diode source and wherein the housing is provided with a rear flat mounting plate provided with an electrical connector and retention means in combination with a junction box having at least one LED driver circuit and an outlet supply cable provided with a voltage supply cable having an end connector for removable connection to the electrical connector of the mounting plate and wherein the junction box is adapted to be connected to a voltage supply wire extending out of a mounting opening in a ceiling, wall or any convenient type surface sheet material and further wherein the junction box is configured to be inserted through the mounting opening for concealment behind the ceiling sheet material with the mounting plate retained flush on the outer surface of the ceiling sheet material and concealing the mounting opening. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a surface mountable spotlight fixture comprised of a light housing detachably connectable to a flat rear mounting plate adapted to be detachably secured against an outer surface of a ceiling sheet material and about a mounting opening and wherein the light housing is a light transmitting lens flush mounted on the outer surface of the ceiling sheet material. 
     Another feature of the present invention is to provide a spotlight fixture which is not mounted on a connecting bar having a power supply for the spotlight and wherein there is no junction box making it light weight and capable of being fabricated from numerous materials, including glass and of different colors to provide a multitude of design features, and further wherein the spotlight is flush mounted with a support surface material. 
     According to the above features, from a broad aspect of the present invention there is provided a surface mountable spotlight comprised of a light directing housing having a rear mounting wall. A light emitting source is mounted in the light directing housing for emitting light out of the housing. The rear mounting wall has a contour configuration adapted to conceal a mounting opening formed in a support sheet material behind which is located an electrical connection to a power source. An electrical wire connector is provided on a rear surface of the rear mounting wall. Retention means is secured to the outer surface of the rear mounting wall and is adapted for removable attachment of the rear wall against an outer surface of the support sheet material. A junction box is adapted for connection to the power source and to the electrical wire connector to supply power to the light emitting source. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to examples thereof as illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the surface mountable spotlight light directing housing of the present invention adapted for removable securement in a small mounting hole formed in a support sheet material; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is an end view showing the light source mounted inside the light directing housing at a rear inner end thereof; 
         FIG. 4  is a fragmented view illustrating the securement attachment of the light directing housing about a mounting hole formed in a ceiling support sheet material; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of the junction box and its outlet electrical cable and connector adapted for securement to the electrical connector provided in the rear surface of the flat rear mounting wall or plate of the light directing housing; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing a modification of the light directing housing construction wherein the flat rear mounting plate is secured to the cylindrical housing by a hinge connection; 
         FIG. 7  is a side view of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a further example of the construction of the surface mountable spotlight wherein the light directing housing is provided by a detachable lens of light transmitting material which is permanently attached to the flat rear mounting plate wherein the lens is retained flat against the outer surface of the sheeting material; 
         FIG. 9  is a simplified schematic illustrating an example of the mounting and securement of a plurality of surface mountable spotlights against a sheeting material mounting surface, and 
         FIG. 10  is a further simplified schematic illustration of another example of the mounting of the surface mountable spotlight and wherein the junction box is configured for passage through a small mounting opening formed in the sheeting material. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 1 to 4 , there is described the construction of the surface mountable spotlight  10  of the present invention. The surface mountable spotlight  10  is comprised of a light directing housing  11  having a rear mounting wall  12 , which can also be a separate rear mounting plate  12 , as herein illustrated, and which will be described later with reference to  FIGS. 6 and 7 , secured to the rear of the light directing housing  11 . A light emitting source  13  is mounted on the rear wall inner surface  14 , and has herein illustrated, is in the form of a plurality of light emitting diodes  15 . The inner surface  14  of the rear wall may be a light reflecting surface  14 ′. The mounting plate has a contour configuration adapted to conceal a mounting opening  16  formed in a support sheet material  17 , such has gypsum board sheet material commonly used in the construction of ceilings or walls behind which is located electrical wiring to a power source, as will be described later 
     An electrical connector  18  is secured to an outer surface  19  of the rear mounting plate  12  and to which is connected wiring to the light emitting source, herein the diodes  15 . The rear mounting plate  12  is further provided with retention means  20  secured to the rear outer surface  19  of the rear mounting plate  12  and which retention means is adapted for removable attachment of the rear mounting plate  12  against an outer surface  17 ′ of the support sheet material  17  and covering the mounting opening  16 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . 
     The retention means  20  as herein illustrated is comprised by a pair of spring members retained space-apart, herein on a diagonal side of the rear mounting plate  12 . The spring members are comprised by a torsion helical spring section  21  and a clamping arm section  22  formed integral therewith. Each helical spring section  21  is retained on a respective one of attachment brackets  23  secured spaced-apart on the outer surface  19  of the rear mounting plate  12  with the clamping arm section  22  having a clamping end section  24  extending spring biased inwardly and beyond an outer edge  25  of the contour configuration of the rear mounting plate  12 . 
     The clamping arm section  22  project forwardly of a front edge  26  of said mounting plate  12 . The clamping arm section  22  is provided with a soft plastic pad covering  27  shaped to provide a smooth contact with the inner surface  17 ″ of the support sheet material  17  not to damage the inner surface  17 ″, and also provides for ease of displacement of the clamping arms for finger engagement and displacement thereof to a substantially vertical position, see  22 ′  FIG. 4 , as illustrated in phantom lines  22 ′ in  FIG. 4 , to permit insertion within the mounting opening  16  in the support sheet material  17 . Once the pair of clamping arm sections  22  are disposed slightly inserted in the opening  16 , they are released and the light directing housing  11  is pushed upwards against the outer surface  17 ′ of the support sheet material  17  with the spring arm sections spring biased inwards to engage on the inner surface  17 ″ while exerting an inner pulling force for ease of insertion and to spring bias the outer surface  19  of the rear flat mounting plate  12  flush onto the outer surface  17 ′ of the support sheet material  17 . 
     It is pointed out that the circumferential shape of the rear flat mounting plate  12  is dimensioned to overlap the mounting opening to conceal the opening, as illustrated in  FIG. 4 . The light directing housing  11 , as herein illustrated, is formed has a cylindrical housing having a circumferential shape coinciding with the contour configuration of the rear mounting plate  12 . The housing  11  and the rear flat mounting plate  12  can have any circumferential shape, such as square, triangular, hexagonal, etc. The cylindrical housing  11  directs light emitted from the light emitting source  13  in a directional light beam out of the open end  11 ′ of said cylindrical housing  11   
     Referring now additionally to  FIGS. 5, 9 and 10  there will be described how the surface mountable spotlight  10  of the invention is supplied operating voltage and is mounted on the support sheet material  17  to form a trackless spotlight mounting system. Because the spotlight housing is a relatively small and light weight light fixture and mounted directly against a support sheet material, such as a ceiling sheeting material, only a small mounting hole needs to be made in the ceiling sheeting material whereby to be concealed by the rear mounting plate  12 , as shown in  FIG. 4 . Several mounting arrangements are foreseen, and as shown in  FIG. 9 , with new ceiling construction, a standard 120 volts supply wire  39  is installed to exit the mounting opening  16  or several mounting opening disposed in a predetermined arrangement, and the connection to a junction box needs to be made outside the mounting opening  16 . To provide for such mounting arrangement, the junction box  30 , as shown in  FIG. 5 , is formed as an elongated rectangular housing having a circumference smaller than the mounting opening  16 . A detachable knock-out  31  permits access to internal wire connections (not shown but obvious to a person skilled in the art). An outlet supply cable  32 , containing the voltage supply wires to operate the light source, exits the junction box  30 . In this particular embodiment the light source is comprised of LED&#39;s and therefore the junction box also contains an ac/dc converter and a driver circuit (not shown but obvious) to supply the drive current to operate the LED&#39;s mounted within the spotlight fixture. The outlet cable  32  is provided with an end connector  33  adapted for quick connection with a connector  33 ′ of an extension cable  32 ′ having an end connector  32 ″ for removable connection with the electrical connector  18  mounted on the outer surface  19  of the rear mounting plate  12  to provide quick connection. Once the connection is made, the junction box  30  is pushed into the opening and lies concealed on the rear surface  17 ″ of the ceiling sheeting material  17  and the rear mounting plate is installed as above described. It is pointed out that the cable  32  may be of sufficient length and fitted with the end connector  32 ″ for connection to the electrical connector  18  of the spotlight  10 . 
       FIG. 10  illustrates another arrangement for a new ceiling or wall construction where a junction boxes  30  are pre-installed and wired to fixed standard junction boxes  34  and wiring  35  before the ceiling sheeting material  17  is installed and in such mounting arrangement only the outlet cables  32  of the junction box which can be of any size or shape, exit the mounting openings  16 . The outlet cable  32  from the junction boxes  30  are herein illustrated as being of sufficient length and are provided with a connection plug  32 ″ adapted for quick connection to the electrical connector  18  of the fixture. It can be noted that in all of these mounting arrangements, it is possible to change the spotlight  10  by simply pulling it out of its mounting opening  16  and detaching the connector from its rear electrical connector  18  and easily replacing the fixture with a new or different one. 
       FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrates a further example of the construction of the surface mountable spotlight  10  wherein the cylindrical housing  11  is secured to the rear mounting plate  12  by a hinge connection  40  to position and retain the cylindrical housing at angle with respect to the rear mounting plate  12  and the outer surface  17 ′ of the support sheet material  17  to orient the angular direction of the light beam. In this embodiment the housing has a rear wall  12 ′ with the diodes  15  mounted on a reflector plate  12 ″ secured to its inner surface. The hinge connection is a recessed friction hinge, hardly noticeable, and wherein the hinge pin  41  is in tight friction fit within a hole provided in a connection flange  42  defined by opposed recesses  43  machined or molded into a top area of the cylindrical housing whereby to retain the housing at a desired angle with respect to the mounting plate  12 . To orient the light beam circumferentially, it is only necessary to rotate the cylindrical housing  11  causing the pad formations  27  to slide on the rear surface  17 ″ of the sheeting material  17  due to its pad covering material. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , there is illustrated a further modification of the surface mountable spotlight wherein the light directing housing is constituted by a solid light transmitting lens  50  secured to the rear mounting plate  12 . Instead of a lens a globe of suitable shape can be secured to the mounting plate  12 . The securement of the lens or globe can be of a permanent nature by the use of glue or other permanent attachment means or a removable securement by the use of clamps, screw threads, etc. The lens can be opaque on its side surface and clear in an end area where a light beam is desired to be projected. The lens can also be a colored glass lens for decorative purposes and may have a cylindrical shape as shown in phantom lines  50 ′. The rear mounting plate  12  has an outer LED mounting surface  51  which may have a reflective coating  51 ′ and on which light emitting diodes  52  are mounted. The solid lens  50  has a rear surface  53  spaced forwardly of the light emitting diodes to form a vent space  54 . One or more vent passages  55  are formed in the mounting plate  12  for conducting heat out of the vent space  54 , as illustrated by arrow  56 . 
     It is within the ambit of the present invention to cover any obvious modifications of the examples of the preferred embodiment described herein provided such modifications fall within the scope of the appended claims.