Patent Publication Number: US-6669159-B1

Title: Ceiling fixture

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to an improved ceiling fixture and particularly a ceiling fixture that has an elastic plate to latch on the screw thread pitch to anchor a holding dish to facilitate installation of a ceiling lamp. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     Conventional ceiling fixtures now available on the market are generally constructed as the one shown in FIGS. 1,  2  and  3 . It mainly includes a ceiling plate  2  fastening to a preformed cavity  11  on the ceiling  1  through screws  21 . A holding dish  31  is fastened to the ceiling plate  2  for coupling with a ceiling lamp  3  through fastening screws  22 . The holding dish  31  has fastening holes  311  to receive the fastening screws  22  which are screwed to anchor the holding dish  31 . Then a bolt  32  is provided with one end screwing in a screw hole  312  formed on the holding dish  31  and another end coupling with a glass shade  33  and a cap  34 . Finally a nut  35  is provided to couple with the bolt  32  to complete the assembly of the ceiling lamp  3 . Such a construction has the following disadvantages: 
     1. Before installation, the fastening screws  22  must be fastened to the ceiling plate  2 . Next, the holding dish  31  is coupled from the lower side to the upper side, and the fastening holes  311  of the holding dish  31  are coupled with the fastening screws  22 . The holding dish  31  is turned for positioning at a desired location. Then the fastening screws  22  are tightened. Although the actions mentioned above can fasten the holding dish  31  to the ceiling plate  2 , they involve many cumbersome operations. Moreover, the ceiling plate  2  usually is installed on the ceiling which is high above the floor, people have to climb and work on an elevated location, and have to turn and tighten the fastening screws  22  while holding the holding dish  31  with one hand. It is an inefficient operation. 
     2. When the holding dish  31  is fastened to the ceiling plate  2 , and the bolt  32  is fastened to the screw hole  312  of the holding dish  31 , the glass shade  33  and the cap  34  have to be fastened by the nut  35 . As the glass shade  33  is quite heavy and is supported merely by the bolt  32  fastening to the holding dish  31  which in turn is fastened to the ceiling plate  2  through fastening screws  22 , to bear such a heavy load by means of such a support structure is quite risky in the long run. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the aforesaid disadvantages, the primary object of the invention is to provide an improved ceiling fixture that has a stronger support to bear the heavy weight of the ceiling lamp and is easier to install. 
    
    
     The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings. 
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG.1 is an exploded view of a conventional ceiling fixture. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic view of a conventional ceiling plate and a holding dish. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a conventional ceiling fixture. 
     FIG. 4 is an exploded view of the invention. 
     FIG. 5 is an exploded view of the fastening means of the invention. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic view of a ceiling plate and a holding dish of the invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of the fastening means coupling with a bolt according to the invention. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic view of the spring of the invention in various assembly conditions. 
     FIG. 9 is a sectional view of the invention after assembled. 
     FIG. 10 is an exploded view of another embodiment of the fastening means of the invention. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 4,  5  and  6 , the invention mainly includes a ceiling plate  5  fastened to the ceiling  4  through screws  51 . The ceiling plate  5  has a screw hole  52  to engage with a bolt  53 . The bolt  53  is coupled with a fastening nut  54  for fastening the bolt  53  in the screw hole  52 . 
     There is a ceiling lamp  6  which includes a holding dish  61 , a glass shade  62 , a cap  63  and a nut  64 . The holding dish  61  has an opening  611  to enable the bolt  53  to run through. The glass shade  62  and the cap  63  have respectively an aperture  621  and  631  to allow the bolt  53  to run through. The bolt  53  is engaged with the nut  64  for holding the glass shade  62  and the cap  63 . 
     A fastening means  7  is provided between the holding dish  61  and the glass shade  62 . The fastening means  7  includes an upper lid  71  which has apertures  712  to receive screws  711  to engage with screw holes  721  formed on a switch box  72 . The switch box  72  has a notch  724  on one side and a housing chamber  725  formed in the interior. The upper lid  71  and the switch box  72  have respectively a first opening  713  and a second opening  722  corresponding to each other and formed in an eccentric manner. The upper lid  71  further has a C-shaped flange  714  extending downwards from the peripheral rim of the first opening  713 . The housing chamber  725  may house an elastic plate set  73 . The elastic plate set  73  has a stem end  731  on one side extending outside the housing chamber  725 , an opening  732 , a tongue  733  located on another side opposite to the stem end  731  and extended into the opening  732 , and a first stub  734  located on one end thereof to couple with one end of a spring  735 . The spring  735  has another end coupling with a second stub  723  located on an inner side of the switch box  72 . The opening  732  apart from the tongue  733  may house the C-shaped flange  714  of the upper lid  71 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 7,  8  and  9 , for assembling and installing the ceiling lamp  6 , first, engage the bolt  53  with the screw hole  52  of the ceiling plate  5  and fasten the fastening nut  54  tightly to anchor the bolt. Next, fasten the ceiling plate  5  to the ceiling  4 , then couple the holding dish  61  on the bolt  53 . Dispose the elastic plate set  73  in the housing chamber  725  with the C-shaped flange  714  of the upper lid  71  housed in the opening  732 . Engage the screws  711  in the housing chamber  725  of the switch box  72 . Depress the stem end  731  and compress the elastic plate set  73  to move the tongue  733  for a selected displacement so that the fastening means  7  may be coupled on the bolt  53  through the first opening  713 , C-shaped flange  714  and second opening  722  of the switch box  72 . Once the fastening means  7  is located on a desired position, release the stem end  731 , the elastic force of the spring  735  pushes the elastic plate set  73  to its original position (as shown in FIG.  8 ). Thus the tongue  733  is latched on a screw thread pitch  531  of the bolt  53 , and the holding dish  61  is anchored without dropping. Then the glass shade.  62  and the cap  63  may be coupled on the bolt  53  in this order, and the nut  64  may be coupled with the bolt for fastening. 
     By means of the aforesaid construction, users may fasten the ceiling plate  5  coupled on the bolt  53  to the ceiling  4 . Then the holding dish  61  may be coupled on the bolt  53 . Meanwhile depress the stem end  731  of the elastic plate set  73  to move the tongue  733  so that the bolt  53  may be run through the fastening means  7 . When the fastening means  7  reaches the desired location, release the stem end  731 , the holding dish  61  may be anchored securely. Then the glass shade  62  and the cap  63  may be coupled and fastened to complete the installation. 
     FIG. 10 illustrates another embodiment of the fastening means  7  of the invention that has an altered exterior shape according to the requirement of the ceiling lamp  6 . 
     In summary, by means of the structure and the elastic plate set provided by the invention, installation of the ceiling lamp is much easier. Even general consumers can do it without difficulty. And the risky tasks of climbing to a high place to fasten the screws are no longer necessary. 
     While the preferred embodiments of the invention have been set forth for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to cover all embodiments which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.