Patent Publication Number: US-2019178482-A1

Title: Flat panel light fixture mounting kit and method

Description:
FIELD 
     The invention relates to lighting fixtures, and in particular a kit and associated method for mounting a flat panel lighting fixture to a surface such as a ceiling or wall. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The development of lightweight and highly efficient LED lights and in particular flat panel lighting fixtures has opened up new possibilities for illuminating spaces. Uses for such lighting fixtures include replacing existing ceiling lamps with relatively large and bright flat panel fixtures. Due to their light weight structure, even relatively large fixtures can be safely mounted directly to drywall or other ceiling or wall surfaces. Due to their thin profile, there is less need to recess such fixtures into the surface, in comparison with conventional fluorescent tube fixtures. As such, LED panel lighting fixtures can be flush-mounted to a ceiling or other surface. 
     A variety of flat panel LED lighting fixtures exist on the market, including edge-lit and rear-lit fixtures. A typical panel fixture includes a translucent or transparent front panel, optionally a solid rear panel which contacts the wall or ceiling and a rim or other structure which spaces the panels apart or otherwise spaces the front panel from the mounting surface and lighting elements. In an edge-lit configuration, LED lighting elements may be incorporated into the rim to evenly illuminate the front panel to provide a bright and even illumination across the full width of the panel. 
     It is desirable to provide a means to quickly and easily mount such fixtures to a surface, in particular this need arises since fixtures of this type are often purchased by home owners for replacing an existing lighting fixture, for example in order to upgrade the household lighting to improve efficiency and illumination. As well, rapid and easy installation systems are useful for professional installers such as home builders and electricians. 
     Different systems have been proposed to mount a lightweight panel-type light fixture to a surface. For example, U.S. patent publication No. 2017/0009962 to Feit describes an LED flat panel device which mounts to an electrical junction box via a mounting bracket. A similar system is described in 2015/0338038 to Feit. However, there remains a need for improved mounting systems for flat panel and other lighting fixtures. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention relates to an improved system for mounting a lighting fixture such as a flat panel lighting fixture to a surface such as a ceiling. The improved system includes a kit and related method for installing a flat panel fixture to a surface. 
     We disclose herein a kit for mounting a flat panel light fixture to a surface, the kit comprising:
         a flat panel lighting fixture comprising a front panel which transmits light, a rear portion for contacting the surface, a light-emitting element, fixture wires for electrically connecting the light-emitting element to household wires, and fixture-mount openings extending through the fixture;   a quick-connect unit for electrically connecting the fixture wires to the household wires and configured for mounting to a junction box installed within the surface;   a tether for suspending the fixture from the junction box; and   a plurality of attachment members configured to extend through the openings within the fixture and into the surface to secure the fixture to the surface. In one embodiment, the attachment members are configured to retain the fixture in a first position wherein the fixture is spaced from the surface and a second position wherein the fixture is mounted in contact with the surface.       

     We further disclose a method of mounting a flat panel light fixture to a surface, comprising the steps of:
         exposing an electrical junction box within the surface, the junction box housing household wires;   attaching an electric wire quick-connect unit to the junction box; attaching the household wires to a quick-connect unit;   tethering the fixture to the junction box;   attaching fixture wires from the light fixture to the quick connect unit to electrically connect the fixture wires to the household wires; and   attaching the fixture to the surface with a plurality of attachment members, wherein the attachment members are configured to extend through openings within the fixture and into the surface to secure the fixture to the surface. In one embodiment, the attachments members secure the fixture in a first position wherein the fixture is spaced from the surface and a second position wherein the fixture is mounted in contact with the surface.       

     Unless otherwise stated, directional references in the present specification refer to the present device in a generally horizontal orientation consistent with the lighting fixture mounted to a horizontal ceiling. It will of course be evident that the device may be used in any orientation. Furthermore, geometric and directional terms such as “horizontal”, “vertical” and the like are understood to include a reasonable degree of departure from the absolute meaning of such terms, as would be understood by persons skilled in the art. Furthermore, various dimensions, specifications and similar parameters are provided herein simply by way of example and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, unless otherwise stated. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention will now be further illustrated by reference to drawings and a description of a selected embodiment. However, it will be understood that the following drawings and description are not intended to limit the scope of the invention, which is provided in the present specification as a whole, including the claims. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an electrical quick-connect unit, installed to an electrical junction box. 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective view showing a lighting fixture in the process of installation to a surface. 
         FIG. 3  is a further perspective view of the mounting and assembly process. 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view, showing the lighting fixture attached to the surface. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view showing a lighting fixture in a partially-installed position. 
         FIG. 6  is a cross-sectional view showing a lighting fixture in a fully-installed position mounted to a ceiling. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Referring to the figures, according to the method and system described herein, a panel-type lighting fixture  10  is mounted to a surface  12  such as a ceiling (see  FIGS. 4-6 ). Surface  12  may comprise conventional drywall or other building material, and may be a flat surface or instead consist of an array of beams or other three dimensional or relieved structure. Surface  12  is not limited to a ceiling, but may consist of a wall, sloping surface or any other surface to which a lighting fixture may be installed. Furthermore, it is contemplated that in most installations, electrical wiring will have been installed beneath or behind the surface, for example household wiring in the joist or inter-beam spaces within a ceiling structure. However, the invention may be adapted for use with other wiring arrangements such as electrical wiring housed within external conduits and the like. A typical installation is performed in a residential or commercial setting but is not limited to these. In the present description, the terms “residence”, “house”, “household” and similar terms are used broadly to refer to any location where a lighting fixture may be installed, either indoors or outdoors, and is not limited to any particular type of setting. 
     As an initial step, an electrical junction box  14  is installed within surface  12  (see  FIGS. 5 and 6 ). Junction box  14  may comprise a conventional electrical junction box composed of metal walls, which is configured to retain household electrical wires  16  and isolate these from the surrounding environment. Junction box  14  comprises a sidewall  18 , a floor  20  having an opening  21  for household wires  16  and mounting means such as threaded or unthreaded openings (not shown) such as screw or bolt holes to secure the junction box to beams or other support structures. Junction box  14  further comprises threaded openings (not shown) which are normally used to attach an electrical fixture to the junction box. Junction box  14  is exposed for access, to permit installation of fixture  10  according to the present method. For example, if junction box  14  is installed within a drywall-covered ceiling, an opening within the drywall is provided to expose junction box  14 . Installation of junction box  14  may occur either as a first step in the installation process, or alternatively, lighting fixture  10  may be installed using a previously-installed junction box  14 , for example if fixture  10  is being installed as part of a renovation of an existing structure. 
     For safety, the electric current is turned off before the installation begins. If fixture  10  is being installed as a replacement for an existing lighting fixture, the old fixture is removed to expose junction box  14 . 
     The lighting fixture  10  according to the present system comprises a lightweight LED panel illumination system, having a front panel  2  which is translucent or transparent to transmit illumination (for example, a translucent plastic material), an opposing rear panel  4  which is solid for securing to a surface and a peripheral rim  6  which spaces the respective front and rear panels  2  and  4  apart and extends around the periphery of the spaced apart panels. Fixture  10  is generally planar in configuration, defined by a central flat plane parallel to front and rear panels  2  and  4  and bisecting rim  6 . However, the panel illumination system may comprise a non-planar configuration, or whereby front and rear panels  2  and  4  are non-parallel. Lighting elements (not shown) illuminate the space between the panels. For example, fixture  10  may comprise an edge-lit LED lighting panel in which the lighting elements comprise LED emitters mounted within the rim of the panel. However, the invention is not limited to such fixtures and may be adapted for use with a wide range of panel-type and other lighting fixtures. 
       FIG. 10  has openings  11  configured as unthreaded bolt-holes that extend through the fixture to permit mounting of fixture  10  to surface  12 . Openings  11  may be provided in any suitable locations of fixture  11  but typically are provided within rim  6  to avoid penetrating front panel  2 , and oriented to pass through the central plane of fixture  10  in a direction transverse to the plane. Openings  11  penetrate rim  6  from the front to the rear surfaces thereof to permit an attachment member  50  (described below) to extend through rim  6  in an orientation which is transverse to the place of fixture  10 . Four such openings  11  may be provided adjacent to corners of fixture  10 . The diameter of openings  11  permit attachment members  50  to slide through openings  11  for mounting fixture  10  to surface  12 . 
     The initial step for installation of fixture  10  is to install junction box  14  within a ceiling, wall or other surface. Junction box  14  may be newly installed if the installation occurs in the course of new construction or renovation. Alternatively, one can expose a pre-installed junction box  14 , for example by removing an existing light fixture (not shown) from the surface. Conventional household wires  16  that extend into the junction box  14  normally consist of black, white, and green (or other colour) wires  16   a ,  16   b  and  16   c , representing positive, negative and ground. Wire cores are exposed at the ends of wires  16  to permit electrical connections to be formed, for example by stripping a portion of the outer covering from the wires. 
     An electrical quick connect unit  30  is then attached to junction box  14 . The quick connect unit  30  comprises a plate  32  having slotted mounting openings  31  at the opposing ends thereof. Plate  32  has a generally elongate rectangular configuration, with a flat central portion  35  and downwardly stepped (when quick connect unit  30  is horizontal and oriented for installation into a ceiling) end portions  37  which include the mounting openings  31 . Plate  32  is screwed or bolted onto junction box  14  through openings  31 , which in turn are aligned with corresponding openings provided in junction box  14  that are normally used for attaching a light fixture. When thus installed, flat middle portion  35  projects upwardly into the interior of junction box  14  such that the components of unit  30  and the various wires connected thereto are recessed within the interior of junction box  14 . 
     Quick connect unit  30  comprises three quick connects modules  34  (for connection to the three household wires in a conventional household electrical wiring configuration) mounted to the middle portion  35  of plate  32 , each in turn comprising a rectangular block-like member. Modules  34  may be of the type described in applicant&#39;s patent number U.S. Pat. No. 9,065,264 to Cooper et al. Quick connect modules  34  each have multiple sockets  36  that open to the exposed face (i.e. facing fixture  10 ) of quick connect modules  34 . The sockets  36  are in turn lined with an electrically conductive material such as copper, with the sockets  36  being electrically connected to each other within the interior of each member  34 , for example with a conductive plate, not shown. Sockets  36  are configured to tightly retain and grip an electrical wire when this is inserted into the socket. As shown in  FIG. 1 , household wires  16  a to c are inserted into corresponding sockets  36  within the three quick connect modules  34 , whereby each of the three quick connect modules  34  is thus electrically connected to a separate one of the household wires  16 . 
     The next installation step is illustrated in  FIG. 2 . In this step, light fixture  10  is temporarily suspended from the junction box  14  via a tether  40  that is fixed to the rear panel of fixture  10 . Tether  40  comprises a flexible cable or cord, a first end of which is securely anchored to the rear panel. Fixture  10  may be supplied with tether  40  already attached, or alternatively tether  40  may be attached on-site to panel  10  by the installer, for example via a screw-threaded attachment (not shown) or other conventional attachment means. The opposing (free) second end of tether  40  comprises an attachment member or attachment means such as clip, hook or other conventional means for attaching the second end of the cable to the junction box  14  or plate  32  of quick connect unit  30 . In the present example, the attachment means comprises an openable loop  42  such as a carabineer, which may be secured through a hole within the quick-connect plate. The tether temporarily suspends the fixture from the junction box, which frees up the installer&#39;s hands to allow the fixture wires to be electrically connected. Tether  40  has sufficient tensile strength to easily support fixture  10  and as well to accommodate additional tugging or weight-bearing that the installer may place on fixture  10  during installation. The length of tether  10  is sufficient to allow the installer to easily manipulate fixture  10  during installation, for example in the range of 6 to 24 inches. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , the subsequent step for mounting fixture panel  10  is to drill holes  38  into surface  12  at preset locations aligned with openings  11  in fixture  10 . For this purpose, a template plate  39  is provided, having holes  41  located in specific locations which correspond to openings  11  within fixture  10 . Template  39  may also have a central opening  43  which corresponds to a conventional junction box to allow the template to easily be aligned with and centered over the junction box. Typically, template  39  comprises a cardboard sheet, having holes  41  or markings in the specific locations for the selected fixture  10 . Template  39  may be temporarily attached to surface  12  in a desired orientation aligned with the desired position of fixture  10 . Template  39  may be held in position on surface  12  using tape or alternatively it may simply be held against surface  10  in a desired position. The installer then marks surface  12  with the specific drill locations or simply drills holes into the surface through template  39  at the pre-marked locations provided in template  39 . 
     The next installation step is to electrically connect the temporarily suspended panel  10  to the household wires  16 . For this purpose, as seen in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , lighting fixture  10  includes three electrical wires  44   a, b  and  c  extending through an opening in the rear panel (positive, negative and ground). Within the interior of fixture  10 , wires  44  are electrically connected to the LED emitters of fixture  10  in a conventional manner, not shown. The free ends of the respective fixture wires  44  have exposed cores, which are inserted into respective sockets  36  of the quick connect modules  34 . Conventionally, the fixture wires  44  are colour coded in a similar fashion as conventional household wiring (for example, black, white and green). The respective fixture wires  44  are inserted into sockets  36  of the quick connect modules  34  that correspond with the corresponding household wires. In this fashion, electrical connections are formed between the respective fixture wires  44  and respective ones of the household wires  16 . Once the electrical connections have been suitably formed, fixture  10  may then be mounted in its final installation position so as to contact the ceiling or other surface  12 . 
     Lighting fixture  10  is then secured to surface  12  with attachment members  50 . In  FIG. 3 , two such members  50  are shown for clarity. However, in most cases four attachment members  50  would be provided, adjacent to the four corners of fixture  10 . The attachment members  50  comprise externally threaded rods  52  that are inserted through holes  11  within fixture  10  that are adjacent to the four corners of the panel member. A first end of rod  52  has an enlarged head  55  which has a slot  56  or other socket to receive a screw driver or other tool for rotating rod  52 . Collapsible anchors  58 , such as spring-loaded drywall butterfly anchors, are threaded onto the free end of the rods  52 . Rods  52  are then inserted into the holes  38  within the surface, such that the anchors are compressed into a folded configuration in which they can be inserted through holes  11 . 
     When rods  52  are partially inserted whereby the anchors  58  are located within the wall or a ceiling cavity behind surface  12 , anchors  58  then release their spring-loaded wings into an expanded position that engages the backside of the drywall or other wall surface  12 , to thereby anchor attachment rods  52  to surface  12 . In this position, fixture  10  is spaced from surface  12 . If required, when fixture  10  is in this spaced position, the wire connections may be checked and/or other components may be inspected before the installation process is completed. After all four anchors  58  have been inserted in this fashion and engaged with surface  12 , rods  52  are then threaded further into anchors  58  until fixture  10  is snugly engaged to the surface  12 . At this point, rod heads  55  are recessed within openings  11  in the panel  10 . The fixture openings  54  may then be covered with decorative plugs  60  to present a flush appearance. As the fixture panel  10  is tightened against surface  12 , tether  40  will tend to fold together and collapse into junction box  14  or through any other available space such as an opening in fixture  10 . Alternatively, tether  40  can be removable, whereby it is removed once attachment rods  52  engage surface  12 , but while fixture  10  is still spaced apart from the surface  12  to permit manipulation of tether  40 . The resulting installation provides a means to mount fixture  10  to surface  12  in a manner that is secure and convenient for the installer. 
     The scope of the invention should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the examples but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole. The claims are not to be limited to the preferred or exemplified embodiments of the invention.