Patent Publication Number: US-11041607-B1

Title: Apparatuses and methods for accessing and concealing luminaire mounting compartments

Description:
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 29/720,261, filed Jan. 10, 2020, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference. Any disclaimer that may have occurred during the prosecution of the above-referenced application is hereby expressly rescinded. 
     FIELD 
     Embodiments of this disclosure relate generally to lighting fixtures, also referred to as luminaires, and to a lighting fixture with a mounting and/or electrical connection compartment that is easily opened and made accessible, and easily closed to conceal the mounting and/or electrical 
     BACKGROUND 
     Luminaires frequently require mounting to a surface (for example, a wall) and connection to a power source (for example, wall power) before they are operationally ready. Many luminaire designs require disassembly of at least a portion of the luminaire in order to mount the luminaire to the surface and connect the luminaire to the power source, if required. It was realized by the inventors of the current disclosure that this disassembly frequently presents problems for the person mounting the luminaire and connecting the luminaire to a power source, and that improvements in the mechanisms and methods to mount luminaires to mounting surfaces, and connect the luminaire to a power source if required, are needed. Certain preferred features of the present disclosure address these and other needs and provide other important advantages. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure provide improved apparatuses and methods for accessing and concealing luminaire mounting compartments and hardware. 
     In accordance with various aspects of different embodiments of the present disclosure are expressed in paragraphs A and B, as follows: 
     A. One embodiment of the present disclosure includes a lighting fixture, comprising a housing defining a mounting access compartment and at least one mounting feature located within the mounting access compartment, the mounting access compartment defining an opening allowing user access to the at least one mounting feature; a reflective door pivotally mounted to the housing; a light source mounted to the housing and externally to the reflective door; and a reflective door pivotally attached to the housing and defining two positions, a closed position wherein the reflective door covers the opening to the mounting access compartment and forms an exterior surface of the lighting fixture, and an open position wherein the reflective door allows user access to the mounting feature in the mounting access compartment. 
     B. Another embodiment of the present disclosure includes a lighting fixture, comprising a housing defining a mounting access compartment and at least one mounting feature located within the mounting access compartment, the mounting access compartment defining an opening allowing user access to the at least one mounting feature; a reflective door pivotally attached to the housing and defining two positions, a closed position wherein the reflective door covers the opening to the mounting access compartment, and an open position wherein the reflective door allows user access to the at least one mounting feature in the mounting access compartment; and a light source mounted to the housing externally to the mounting access compartment and externally to the door. 
     In accordance with other aspects of embodiments of the present disclosure, disclosed are the features described in any of the previous statements A and B, as combined with (i) one or more of the previous statements A or B, (ii) one or more of the following aspects in the Summary, or (iii) one or more of the previous statements A and B and one or more of the following aspects in the Summary. 
     The door defines a pivoting end adjacent the pivotal attachment between the door and the housing and the door defines a free end located on the opposite side of the door from the pivotal attachment, and wherein the pivoting end is located farther from light source than the free end. 
     The free end of the door moves from one side of the light source to another side of the light source when the door is moved from the closed to the open position. 
     The free end of the door is immediately adjacent the light source when the door is in the closed position. 
     The light source is mounted externally to the mounting access compartment. 
     The opening to the mounting access compartment is oriented to face away from a mounting surface to which the lighting fixture is mounted. 
     The door blocks viewing of the mounting access compartment when the door is in the closed position. 
     The pivotal attachment between the door and the housing includes a hinge. 
     Gravity holds the door in the open position. 
     The door is approximately one-half of front surface area of the lighting fixture. 
     The door forms an exterior surface of the lighting fixture when closed. 
     This summary is provided to introduce a selection of the concepts that are described in further detail in the detailed description and drawings contained herein. This summary is not intended to identify any primary or essential features of the claimed subject matter. Some or all of the described features may be present in the corresponding independent or dependent claims, but should not be construed to be a limitation unless expressly recited in a particular claim Each embodiment described herein does not necessarily address every object described herein, and each embodiment does not necessarily include each feature described. Other forms, embodiments, objects, advantages, benefits, features, and aspects of the present disclosure will become apparent to one of skill in the art from the detailed description and drawings contained herein. Moreover, the various apparatuses and methods described in this summary section, as well as elsewhere in this application, can be expressed as a large number of different combinations and subcombinations. All such useful, novel, and inventive combinations and subcombinations are contemplated herein, it being recognized that the explicit expression of each of these combinations is unnecessary. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Some of the figures shown herein may include dimensions or may have been created from scaled drawings. However, such dimensions, or the relative scaling within a figure, are by way of example, and not to be construed as limiting. 
         FIG. 1  is perspective view of a lighting fixture according to one embodiment of the present disclosure with a door in the closed position. 
         FIG. 2  is an alternate perspective view of the lighting fixture shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a sectional view of the lighting fixture shown in  FIG. 1  as viewed along  3 - 3 . 
         FIG. 4  is perspective view of the lighting fixture shown in  FIG. 1  with the door in the open position. 
         FIG. 5  is an alternate perspective view of the lighting fixture shown in  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the lighting fixture shown in  FIG. 4  as viewed along  6 - 6 . 
         FIG. 7  is a rear elevational view of the lighting fixture shown in  FIG. 1 . 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENTS 
     For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to one or more embodiments, which may or may not be illustrated in the drawings, and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended; any alterations and further modifications of the described or illustrated embodiments, and any further applications of the principles of the disclosure as illustrated herein are contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the disclosure relates. At least one embodiment of the disclosure is shown in great detail, although it will be apparent to those skilled in the relevant art that some features or some combinations of features may not be shown for the sake of clarity. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure provide a lighting fixture that is easily mounted to a mounting surface, such as a wall, and includes an access panel that covers the area where the electrician mounts the lighting fixture to the wall and/or makes the electrical connections, then closes to present a finished look and can assist in directing the light from the light source(s) into the room or area surrounding the lighting fixture. 
     Depicted in  FIGS. 1-3  is a lighting fixture  100  according to one embodiment of the present disclosure. Lighting fixture  100  includes a housing  110 , a door  120  and one or more light sources  140 . The housing  110  includes a mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  (see,  FIG. 3 ) that encloses and/or conceals one or more mounting features for mounting the lighting fixture  100  to a mounting surface (such as a wall) and/or connecting the light source  140  to an electrical power source (such as electrical power wires contained within the wall). In the illustrated embodiment, the example mounting and/or connection features  114  include apertures  117  and mounting surface contact portions  111  (see, for example, the raised features on the back of housing  110  in  FIGS. 5-7 ), although other embodiments include other mounting and/or connection features such as bolts, pins, flanges, threaded receptacles, wires, and screws. 
     The mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  includes an opening  116  (see, for example,  FIG. 4 ) oriented in a direction where a user, such as an electrician, can easily gain access to the one or more mounting and/or electrical connection features  114  within the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112 , and typically faces in a direction that would be readily viewable by an observer in proximity to the lighting fixture  100  when the lighting fixture  100  is operating. For example, in the illustrated embodiment the opening  116  to the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  faces the front of the luminaire  100 , permitting access to the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  from the front of the luminaire  100 . 
     The door  120  defines a surface that closes the opening  116  of the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  and inhibits, if not prevents, people from seeing inside the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  and/or accessing the inside of the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112 . The door  120  is pivotally connected to the housing  110  at one or more pivot positions  122 . In the illustrated embodiment, a hinge (for example, a pin and barrel hinge) is used for pivotally connecting the door  120  to the housing  110 , although other types of pivoting arrangements that allow the door  120  to open and close (such as, linkages, flexures, compound hinges and ball and socket joints) may be used. The pivoting connection between the door  120  and the housing  110  permits the door  120  to move from a closed position where the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  and the mounting and/or electrical connection features  114  are concealed from view and inaccessible from outside the luminaire  100  to an open position where the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  and the mounting and/or electrical connection features  114  are viewable and accessible from outside the luminaire  100 . 
     Depicted in  FIGS. 4-6  is the lighting fixture  100  with the door  120  in one example of an open position, namely a fully open position where the door  120  cannot open farther without damaging the door  120 , the hinge mechanism, or the housing  110 . The free end  123  of the door  120  is opposite the end of the door  120  that is pivotally attached to the housing  110  at the one or more pivot positions  122 . 
     The door  120  can also include one or more securement features (such as one or more flanges  124 ) to help maintain the door  120  in the closed position. For example, the one or more securement features may fit snugly within side surfaces  118  so that when the door  120  is closed the friction between the one or more securement features and the side surfaces  118  maintain door  120  in the closed position. As another example, one or more flexible members (such as a flat, cantilever spring  125 ), on the door  120  and/or on the housing  110 , may be included to increase the amount of force required to open the door  120  from its closed position. As yet another example, one or more flexible member receptacles (for example, one or more apertures  126 ) may be included with either the door  120  and/or the housing  110  to receive the one or more springs  125  and increase the amount of force required to open the door  120  from its closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the spring(s)  125  are attached to the housing  110  to interact with the spring member receptacle(s)  126  on door  120 . 
     The door  120  may also include one or more handles  128  to assist a user in opening the door  120 . For example, in the illustrated embodiment there are two handles  128  on opposite sides of the free end  123  of the door  120 . Each of the handles  128  include small flanges on the unsupported end of the handle  128  that makes it easier for a user to grasp the handle  128  using a finger or a tool so that sufficient force can be applied to the free end  123  of the door  120  to move door  120  away from the closed position. 
     Embodiments of lighting fixture  100  may also include a locking mechanism that inhibits a user from opening the door  120  even when using one or more handles  128 , and in certain embodiments can result in damage to the lighting fixture  100  if the door  120  is opened while the locking mechanism has locked the door  120  in the closed position. For example, the lighting fixture  100  may include one or more apertures  132  in housing  110  and one or more locking member receptacles  131 . The one or more apertures  132  in housing  110  and the one or more locking member receptacles  131  in door  120  accept a locking member  130  extending through both aperture  132  and the corresponding locking member receptacle  131  to secure the door  120  in the closed position. The locking member  130  may take the form of a pin, bolt, screw or other device that will securely hold the door  120  in the closed position until sufficient force is applied to damaged locking member  130 . Other embodiments include other forms of locking mechanisms, such as those with one or more spring clips that engage when the door  120  is closed and require a tool to release in order to open the door  120 . 
     Depicted in  FIGS. 2-3 and 5-6  are the example locations for one or more light sources  140  and, optionally, one or more lenses  142 . In the illustrated embodiment the one or more light sources  140  are positioned adjacent the free end  123  of the door  120  (or alternatively being positioned immediately adjacent the free end  123  of the door  120  with the door  120  appearing to an observer to be almost touching, if not actually touching, one or more of the light sources  140  when door  120  is closed), although in alternate embodiments light sources may be positioned on other locations, such as adjacent (or immediately adjacent) the pivoting end of the door  120 , which may include positioning on one or more side surfaces  118 . One or more lenses  142  may be used or for various purposes, such as to protect the one or more light sources  140  from damage and/or create a pleasing aesthetic appearance for the lighting fixture  100 . 
     When the door  120  is in the closed position, such as in the example embodiments depicted in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the one or more light sources  140  are positioned where light emanating from the one or more light sources  140  is external to the door  120  when the door  120  is in the closed position allowing light to illuminate the area surrounding the lighting fixture  100 . Due to the positioning of the light sources  140 , none of the light emanating from the one or more light sources  140  is directed into the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112 , although in some alternate embodiments some light emanating from the one or more light sources  140  can illuminate the inside of the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112 . 
     In some embodiments, such as the ones depicted in  FIGS. 1-6 , the door  120  includes a highly reflective surface (for example, a surface that is specularly reflective at the incident angles of light emanating from the one or more light sources  140 ) facing outward from the lighting fixture, all or nearly all of the light impinging upon the door  120  is redirected into the area surrounding the lighting fixture  100 . In still other embodiments, the outwardly facing surface of door  120  produces diffuse reflection of the light emanating from the one or more light sources  140 . The side surfaces  118  and/or the bottom surface  119  of the housing  110  may also be reflective and assist in outwardly reflecting the light emanating from the one or more light sources  140  of the lighting fixture  100  and into the area surrounding the lighting fixture  100 . 
     Turning to the sectional views of the lighting fixture  100  depicted in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , the door  120  is oriented parallel to the back surface  115  of the housing  110  when the door  120  is in the closed position. When in the open position, the door  120  lies against the bottom surface  119  of the housing  110  and remains in the open position unless an external force is applied to the door  120 . The front surface  113  of housing  110  can define a plane (as depicted) and is optionally arranged to be non-parallel (inclined at an angle with respect to) the back surface  115 . Having the front surface  113  of the lighting fixture  100  define a plane with the door  120  defining a different, non-parallel plane can have benefits in improving the overall appearance of the lighting fixture  100 . 
     The one or more light sources  140  may be positioned at the thicker portion of the lighting fixture  100 , in other words, where the front surface  113  and the rear surface  115  are located farther apart from one another, which in the illustrated embodiments is toward the top (upper portions) of the figures. The pivot position  122  where the door  120  pivots in relation to the housing  110  is located in the thinner portion of the lighting fixture  100 , in other words, where the front surface  113  and the rear surface  115  are located closer together, which in the illustrated embodiments is toward the bottom (lower portions) of the figures. This arrangement allows the door  120  to remain generally vertical when closed and the one or more light sources  140  to extend outwardly from the closed door  120  and away from the mounting surface, which has advantages in allowing the light reflecting from the door  120  to be directed in a more generally downward direction (since the door  120  is vertically oriented) than embodiments where the bottom of door  120  (the pivoting end of the door  120  in the illustrated embodiments) is located farther from the mounting surface than the top of the door  120  (the free end  123  of the door  120  in the illustrated embodiments) when the door  120  is in the closed position. Having the one or more light sources  140  recessed under the upper portion of the luminaire  100  as shown in the illustrated embodiments can help reduce the appearance of hot spots near the one or more light sources. 
     The opening  116  to the mounting and/or access compartment  112  being located in front of the luminaire  100 , the mounting and/or access compartment  112  is easy for the electrician to access. Moreover, with the access compartment potentially occupying a significant portion of the front of the luminaire  100 , the access compartment is a substantial part of the aesthetic appearance of the luminaire  100 . For example, in some embodiments the access compartment opening  116  and/or the door  120  comprises approximately half of the front surface area of luminaire  100 , while in further embodiments the access compartment opening  116  and/or the door  120  comprises approximately 40% to 70% of the front surface area of luminaire  100 , while in still further embodiments the access compartment opening  116  and/or the door  120  comprises approximately 55% of the front surface area of luminaire  100 . 
     In some embodiments the opening is fairly shallow (from front to back) in comparison to the smallest dimension of the opening (the height of the opening in the illustrated embodiments), helping make the access compartment easy for the electrician to work in. For example, in some embodiments the depth (from front to back) of opening  116  is approximately 25% to 30% of the smallest dimension of the opening  116  (the height of opening  116  in the illustrated embodiments), while in further embodiments the depth (from front to back) of opening  116  is approximately 27% of the smallest dimension of the opening  116  (the height of opening  116  in the illustrated embodiments). 
     In use, a user (such as an electrician) can open the door  120  of the lighting fixture  100  and expose the mounting and/or electrical connection features  114  located within mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112 . To open the door  120 , the electrician can grasp the one or more handles  128  (if provided) with the electrician&#39;s hand (or a tool) and apply sufficient force in direction  150  to overcome the holding force between the door  120  and the housing  110 , which in the illustrated embodiment will need to overcome the holding force between the flexible member receptacle (for example, aperture  126 ) on the door  120  and the flexible member (for example, spring member  125 ) on the housing  110 . 
     In embodiments including one or more locking members  130 , the user/electrician will remove the one or more locking members  130  from the locking member receptacle  131  in the door  120  and from the aperture  132  in the housing  110  before moving the door  120  in direction  150  (see  FIG. 3 ) to open the door  120 . 
     After opening the door  120 , the user/electrician will have access to the mounting and/or electrical connection features  114  within the mounting and/or electrical connection compartment  112 . The electrician can then install mounting hardware (if required) and mount the lighting fixture  100  to a mounting surface (such as a wall). If needed, the user/electrician can also connect electrical wiring associated with the mounting surface to the electrical components of the lighting fixture  100 , such as the one or more lighting sources  140 . 
     Once the lighting fixture  100  has been mounted and electrically connected (if needed) to the mounting surface, the electrician simply moves the door  120  in direction  152  (see  FIG. 6 ) to close the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112 . Once door  120  is closed, the mounting and/or electrical access compartment  112  and the mounting and/or electrical connection features  114  are blocked from sight and from blocked from being accessed. The simple act of swinging the door  120  to the closed position finishes the installation and presents an aesthetically appealing luminaire where none of the mounting hardware or electrical connections are visible to a person viewing the installed luminaire  100 . 
     The outward facing surface of the door  120  will typically be an aesthetically pleasing surface that reflects a substantial majority, if not all, of the light impinging upon the door  120  and assisting in the redirection of light emanating from the one or more light sources  140  into or in a desired direction. 
     If provided and if additional security is desired, the electrician can lock the door  120  by using a locking mechanism, such as inserting a locking member  130  through aperture  132  and locking member receptacle  131  to lock door  120  in place. Doing so increases the level of difficulty in opening door  120 , such as by requiring a user to acquire a tool (such as a screwdriver to remove a locking member  130  in the form of a screw) to open the door  120 , thereby increasing level of safety by inhibiting access to the electrical wiring and decreasing the ability for a user to tamper with the mounting and/or electrical connection hardware. This can have advantages in environments where the luminaire  100  is mounted in locations where children have access to luminaire  100 . 
     Alternate embodiments include lighting fixtures with internal power sources, such as batteries, which only need to be mounted to a mounting surface and not connected to a power source associated with the mounting surface. 
     Any reference to “invention” within this document is a reference to an embodiment of a family of inventions, with no single embodiment including features that are necessarily included in all embodiments, unless otherwise stated. Furthermore, although there may be references to benefits or advantages provided by some embodiments, other embodiments may not include those same benefits or advantages, or may include different benefits or advantages. Any benefits or advantages described herein are not to be construed as limiting to any of the claims. 
     Likewise, there may be discussion with regards to “objects” associated with some embodiments of the present invention, it is understood that yet other embodiments may not be associated with those same objects, or may include yet different objects. Any advantages, objects, or similar words used herein are not to be construed as limiting to any of the claims. The usage of words indicating preference, such as “preferably,” refers to features and aspects that are present in at least one embodiment, but which are optional for some embodiments. 
     Specific quantities (spatial dimensions, temperatures, pressures, times, force, resistance, current, voltage, concentrations, wavelengths, frequencies, heat transfer coefficients, dimensionless parameters, etc.) may be used explicitly or implicitly herein, such specific quantities are presented as examples only and are approximate values unless otherwise indicated. Discussions pertaining to specific compositions of matter, if present, are presented as examples only and do not limit the applicability of other compositions of matter, especially other compositions of matter with similar properties, unless otherwise indicated. 
     The term “and/or” as used herein is a function word indicating that the words or expressions combined by “and/or” can be taken together or individually. For example, “A and/or B” is equivalent to “A alone, B alone, or A and B together.” 
     Reference systems that may be used herein can refer generally to various directions (e.g., upper, lower, forward and rearward), which are merely offered to assist the reader in understanding the various embodiments of the disclosure and are not to be interpreted as limiting. Other reference systems may be used to describe various embodiments, such as referring to the direction of projectile movement as it exits the firearm as being up, down, rearward or any other direction. 
     While examples, one or more representative embodiments and specific forms of the disclosure have been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive or limiting. The description of particular features in one embodiment does not imply that those particular features are necessarily limited to that one embodiment. Some or all of the features of one embodiment can be used or applied in combination with some or all of the features of other embodiments unless otherwise indicated. One or more exemplary embodiments have been shown and described, and all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected. 
     Element Numbering 
     Table 1 includes element numbers and at least one word used to describe the member and/or feature represented by the element number. It is understood that none of the embodiments disclosed herein are limited to these descriptions, other words may be used in the description or claims to describe a similar member and/or feature, and these element numbers can be described by other words that would be understood by a person of ordinary skill reading and reviewing this disclosure in its entirety. 
     
       
         
           
               
               
             
               
                 TABLE 1 
               
               
                   
               
             
            
               
                 100 
                 Lighting fixture 
               
               
                 110 
                 Housing 
               
               
                 111 
                 Mounting surface contact portion 
               
               
                 112 
                 Mounting and/or electrical access compartment 
               
               
                 113 
                 Front surface 
               
               
                 114 
                 Mounting and/or electrical connection features 
               
               
                 115 
                 Rear surface 
               
               
                 116 
                 Opening 
               
               
                 117 
                 Aperture 
               
               
                 118 
                 Side surface 
               
               
                 119 
                 Lower surface 
               
               
                 120 
                 Door 
               
               
                 122 
                 Pivot position 
               
               
                 123 
                 Free end 
               
               
                 124 
                 Flange 
               
               
                 125 
                 Flexible member 
               
               
                 126 
                 Flexible member receptacle 
               
               
                 128 
                 Handle 
               
               
                 130 
                 Locking member 
               
               
                 131 
                 Locking member receptacle 
               
               
                 132 
                 Aperture 
               
               
                 140 
                 Light source 
               
               
                 142 
                 Lens 
               
               
                 150 
                 Opening direction 
               
               
                 152 
                 Closing direction