Patent Publication Number: US-10760780-B2

Title: Directional accent luminaire with junction box

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION(S) 
     This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/466,398, filed Mar. 22, 2017, which is based on U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 62/311,665, filed Mar. 22, 2016. The disclosure of these are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety and to which priority is claimed. 
    
    
     FIELD 
     Various exemplary embodiments relate to light fixtures or luminaires, for example accent light fixtures designed to illuminate streets, paths, houses, landscapes, parking lots, or other indoor or outdoor areas. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Light fixtures, or luminaires, are used with electric light sources to provide an aesthetic and functional housing in both interior and exterior applications. One type of light fixture is an accent light, generally used for interior and exterior lighting of specific areas. Examples of interior areas can include accent lighting for stairs, displays, and artwork. Examples of exterior lighting can include lawns, homes, landscaping features, and pathways. In recent years, lighting applications, including area lights have trended towards the use of light emitting diodes (LEDs) as a light source in place of conventional incandescent and fluorescent lamps. 
     SUMMARY 
     According to an exemplary embodiment, a directional accent luminaire includes a housing having a front portion including a front compartment, a rear portion extending from the front portion, and a wall positioned between the front portion and the rear portion. A cover is removably connected over the rear portion. A light emitter is positioned in the front compartment for emitting light. A control component is positioned in the front compartment for controlling the light emitter. An internal conductor is electrically connected to the control component and extends from the front portion into the rear portion. The rear portion includes a junction compartment for housing a connection between a power supply conductor and the internal conductor. 
     According to another exemplary embodiment, a directional accent luminaire includes a housing having a front portion including a front compartment, a rear portion extending from the front portion, and a wall positioned between the front portion and the rear portion. A light emitter is positioned in the front compartment for emitting light. A control component is positioned in the front compartment for controlling the light emitter. An internal conductor is electrically connected to the control component and extends from the front portion into the rear portion. A cover is removably connected over the rear portion. A mounting component extends from the rear portion and has an opening extending therethrough in communication with the rear portion. The rear portion includes a junction compartment for housing a connection between a power supply conductor and the internal conductor. 
     Another exemplary embodiment is directed to a method of installing a luminaire. A power supply conductor is extended through a mounting device and a luminaire is positioned near the mounting device. The luminaire includes a housing having a front portion with a front compartment, a rear portion extending from the front portion and having a junction compartment, and a wall positioned between the front portion and the rear portion. A light emitter is positioned in the front compartment for emitting light. A control component is positioned in the front compartment for controlling the light emitter. An internal conductor is electrically connected to the control component and extends from the front portion into the rear portion. A mounting component extends from the rear portion having an opening extending therethrough and in communication with the rear portion. The power supply conductor is run through the mounting component and into the junction compartment. The power supply conductor is spliced to the internal conductor in the junction compartment. A cover is connected to the rear portion over the junction compartment. The mounting device is connected to the mounting component through a rotatable connection. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The aspects and features of various exemplary embodiments will be more apparent from the description of those exemplary embodiments taken with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of an exemplary luminaire; 
         FIG. 2  is a rear perspective view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an exploded view of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of a cover; 
         FIG. 7  is another bottom perspective view of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a top view of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed; 
         FIG. 9  is a rear perspective view of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed; 
         FIG. 10  is a rear perspective view of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed; 
         FIG. 11  is a bottom perspective view of  FIG. 1  with the cover removed; and 
         FIG. 12  is schematic diagram of the luminaire connected to a power source. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS 
     The illustrated exemplary embodiment includes an outdoor luminaire having a housing  10  that includes a shroud  12 , a front portion  14 , and a rear portion  16 . A mounting component  18  extends from the housing  10 , for example the rear portion  16 . The rear portion  16  includes a removable cover  20 . The shroud  12  is positioned adjacent the front portion  14  to retain a lens  22 . The housing  10  can be configured as a water proof or water resistant enclosure. Various gaskets can be positioned between the housing components as needed. The housing components can be mechanically connected to one another, for example through fasteners, threads, and/or snap-fit connections. 
     The front portion  14  has a front compartment and a back wall  24  that separates the front compartment from the rear portion  16 . A light emitter and various control components can be positioned in the front compartment. The light emitter can include an LED board that contains one or more LEDs connected to a circuit board (not shown). The shroud  12  acts as a reflector to direct the emitted light and the size, shape, and configuration of the shroud  12  can be varied depending on the desired light output. The control components can include drivers, fuses, surge protectors, and related circuitry positioned in the front compartment to control the light emitter. The front portion  14  also includes mounting components, for example first and second bosses  26 , to receive fasteners that connect the front portion  14  to the shroud  12 . 
     The rear portion  16  extends from the front portion  14 . In various exemplary embodiments, the rear portion  16  can be formed integrally with the front portion  14  or formed separately and connected thereto. The rear portion  16  includes a rear compartment  28 . The cover  20  includes mounting components, for example a front set of openings  30  and a rear set of bosses  32  that receive fasteners to connect the cover  20  over the rear compartment  28 . A flange  34  extends around an outer portion of the cover  20 . 
     The rear portion  16  includes a base  40  and a side wall  42  at least partially defining the rear compartment  28 . A rim  44  extends around the side wall  42  to mate with the flange  34  of the cover  20 . Mounting features, for example a set of front bosses  46  and a set of rear bosses  48 , are used to connect the cover  20  over the rear compartment. A conduit  50  is provided in the base  40  to allow conductors, for example mains wiring, to be run into the rear compartment. One or more strain relief clips  52  can also be provided in the rear compartment. 
     The mounting component  18  can be connected to a different mounting devices, for example the post mounting device shown in  FIGS. 1-3 . Other mounting devices and types of mounting components can be used as would be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to position the luminaire  10  on the ground, wall, pole, or other surface. As best shown in  FIG. 11 , an opening  54  is formed in an upper portion of the mounting component  18 . The opening  54  allows access to the conduit  50  in the rear portion  16  so that power supply conductors, for example mains wiring, can be run directly into the rear compartment  28 . 
     Typical directional luminaires require a junction box separated from the housing, for example under the housing in the ground, to connect the luminaire to a power source. In an exemplary embodiment, the rear portion  16  is separated from the front compartment  14  to act as a junction box. This eliminates the need for a separate junction box and allows an installer to direct greater flexibility and ease in positioning the light.  FIG. 12  shows a schematic view of the housing  10  containing a light emitter  100  and a control component  102  electrically connected to the light emitter  100 . One or more interior conductors  104  extend from the control component  102  in the front portion through an opening in the back wall  24  and into the rear portion  16 . Power supply conductors  106  can be run from a power source  108  directly into the rear compartment  16  and spliced  110  to the interior conductors  104 . The strain relief clips  52  can be used to prevent disconnection of the wiring during movement of the housing  10  or the power supply conductors  106 . The interior conductors  104  and power supply conductors  106  can include one or more wires, for example hot and neutral wiring or hot, neutral, and ground wiring. 
     In an exemplary embodiment, a method of installing the luminaire includes positioning the luminaire at a desired location and running one or more power supply conductors  106  into the rear compartment  16 . The power supply conductors  106  are then connected to one or more internal conductors  104 , for example through splicing. The power supply conductors  106  can be inserted through the mounting component  18  and into the rear compartment  16  through the conduit  50 . 
     The foregoing detailed description of the certain exemplary embodiments has been provided for the purpose of explaining the general principles and practical application, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the disclosure for various embodiments and with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. This description is not necessarily intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the exemplary embodiments disclosed. Any of the embodiments and/or elements disclosed herein may be combined with one another to form various additional embodiments not specifically disclosed. Accordingly, additional embodiments are possible and are intended to be encompassed within this specification and the scope of the appended claims. The specification describes specific examples to accomplish a more general goal that may be accomplished in another way. 
     As used in this application, the terms “front,” “rear,” “upper,” “lower,” “upwardly,” “downwardly,” and other orientational descriptors are intended to facilitate the description of the exemplary embodiments of the present application, and are not intended to limit the structure of the exemplary embodiments of the present application to any particular position or orientation. Terms of degree, such as “substantially” or “approximately” are understood by those of ordinary skill to refer to reasonable ranges outside of the given value, for example, general tolerances associated with manufacturing, assembly, and use of the described embodiments.