Patent Publication Number: US-2016230947-A1

Title: Light fixture for mounting to a ceiling

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims benefit of U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 62/113,588, filed on Feb. 9, 2015. All documents above are incorporated herein in their entirety by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to light fixture for mounting to a ceiling, a wall or the like. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     There are various fastening devices to mount a light fixture to a ceiling or the like. With such light fixtures in the form of a pot for example and using a spring arrangement, the fixing is accomplished inside the hole. Other systems require a metallic plate inside the ceiling, which results in an electrician to work inside the ceiling to carry out the mounting operation. Other devices require the provision of a lath to which the housing is fixed. 
     It has been found that, in most cases, to secure the housing to the ceiling often causes some damage to the material of the ceiling or delays are often encountered due to the need to handle the different pieces of the light fixture. 
     Therefore, there is a need in the art for a mounting system for recessed lighting fixtures. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     More specifically, in accordance with the present invention, there is provided a light fixture for mounting into an opening defining a front surface and a rear surface, comprising a housing comprising side walls and at least one open end, the side walls comprising first and second apertures along a height thereof; and a hook comprising a main body, a first end part extending at a first angle relative to the main body and a second end part extending at a second angle relative to the main body; wherein the housing is adapted to be positioned inside the opening with the open end generally flush with the front surface of the opening; and the hook is adapted to be inserted into the housing from the inside of the housing by inserting the first end part through one of the first apertures and the second end part within one of the second apertures separated from the first aperture by the length of the main body between the first end part and the second end part, a free end of the first end part bearing on the rear surface of the opening, and a free end of the second end part bearing against an inner surface of the side walls within the housing. 
     There is further provided a hook for mounting a light fixture into an opening defining a front surface and a rear surface, comprising a main body; a first end part extending at a first angle relative to the main body; a second end part extending at a second angle relative to the main body at an opposite end of the main body; wherein the hook is adapted to be inserted into the light fixture from the inside of thereof by inserting the first end part through a first aperture in a sidewall of the light fixture and the second end part within a second aperture separated from the first aperture by the length of the main body between the first end part and the second end part, a free end of the first end part bearing on the rear surface of the opening and a free end of the second end part bearing against an inner surface of the side wall within the housing. 
     There is further provided a combination of a light fixture housing and a hook for mounting the light fixture into an opening defining a front surface and a rear surface, wherein the housing comprises sidewalls and at least one open end, the sidewalls comprising first and second apertures along a height thereof; wherein the hook comprises a main body, a first end part extending at a first angle relative to the main body and a second side part extending at a second angle relative to the main body; wherein the housing is positioned inside the opening with the open end directed toward the front surface of the opening; and the hook is inserted into the housing from the inside of the housing by inserting the first end part through one of the first apertures and the second end part within one of the second apertures separated from the first aperture by the length of the main body between the first end part and the second end part, a free end of the first end part bearing on the rear surface of the opening and a free end of the second end part bearing against an inner surface of the sidewalls within the housing. 
     There is further provided a method for mounting a light fixture into an opening defining a front surface and a rear surface, comprising: providing a housing comprising sidewalls with first and second apertures along a height thereof and at least one open end; positioning the housing within the opening with the open end generally flush with the front surface; providing a hook comprising a main body, a first end part extending at a first angle relative to the main body and a second side part extending at a second angle relative to the main body; inserting, from the inside of the housing, the first end part of the hook through one of the first apertures and the second end part of the hook within one of the second apertures separated from the first aperture by the length of the main body between the first end part and the second end part, a free end of the first end part bearing on the rear surface of the opening and a free end of the second end part bearing against an inner surface of the sidewalls within the housing, thereby securing the housing within the opening. 
     Other objects, advantages and features of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following non-restrictive description of specific embodiments thereof, given by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       In the appended drawings: 
         FIG. 1  is a first side view of a housing of a light fixture according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a side view of a housing of a light fixture according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a side view of a housing of a light fixture according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  is a cut of section of a housing of a light fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a light fixture according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a side view of the light fixture of  FIG. 5 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a detail of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 8  is a detail of  FIG. 6 ; 
         FIG. 9A  is a side perspective view of a hook according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; 
         FIG. 9B  is a front plan view of the hook of  FIG. 9A  prior to bending, i.e. as a flat metal sheet; 
         FIG. 9C  is a side view of the hook of  FIG. 9A ; 
         FIGS. 10-13  show steps for securing a hook of a light fixture according to an embodiment of an aspect of the present invention; and 
         FIGS. 14-21  show steps for securing a hook of a light fixture according to another embodiment of an aspect of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , there are shown housings  10 ,  10 ′ and  10 ″ of a generally cylindrical shape, each having a sidewall  14  and optionally a bottom wall  12 . 
     The sidewall  14  comprises, along the height of the housing, first apertures  100  located toward the open end of the housing and second apertures  110  generally aligned therewith upper away from the open end of the housing along the height of the housing, i.e. and located toward the bottom wall  12  of the housing in the examples illustrated herein. The number of first and second apertures may be varied depending on the height of the sidewall from the open end thereof to the opposite end thereof. 
     The sidewall  14  has an outer flange  16  surrounding at least part of the open end of the housing, which is adapted to bear against a front surface  18  of a ceiling or a wall  20 , as best seen in  FIG. 4 , the open end being generally flush with the front surface of the opening. 
       FIGS. 5-8  show a light fixture comprising a housing  10 ′″ of a generally parallelepiped shape, comprising opposite side walls  140 ,  142 . The sidewalls comprise a series of first and second apertures  200 ,  210 , the number of which depending on the height of the sidewalls. An outer flange  160  is provided on opposite side walls  140  for example, or on any one of the sidewalls of the housing  10 ′″. 
     The housing is made in a material such as steel, stainless steel or aluminum, or a plastic material for example. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 9 , a hook, generally denoted  30 , comprises a main body  32 , a first end part  34  and a second end part  36 , the first and the second end parts  34 ,  36  extending at an angle α and β respectively relative to the main body  32 . As shown in  FIG. 9B , the hook  30  is generally made of a plate of a material with bending properties as will be discussed hereinbelow in relation to  FIGS. 11 and 20  for example, such as steel or stainless steel or aluminum or a plastic material 
     The free end  38  of the first end part  34  is slightly bent (see angle θ for example  FIG. 9C ). 
     The second end part  36  is at an angle β of about 90° with the main body  32 , and comprises a first portion  40 , followed by a second portion  42  folded together, and ending in a bent portion  44  (see angle μ  FIG. 9C ). 
     To secure the housing into an opening in the ceiling or wall  20  or other partition, once the housing is positioned inside the opening, the hook  30  is inserted into the housing from the inside of the housing by inserting the first end part  34  through one of apertures  100 ,  200  located nearest the open end of the housing, as shown in  FIGS. 10 to 13  and in  FIGS. 14 to 21 . Then the folded end part  36  is inserted within one of apertures  110 ,  210  upper along the height of the housing (see  FIG. 11 ), separated from the previously selected aperture  100 ,  200  by a distance corresponding to the length of the main body  32  between the first end part  34  and the second end part  36  (see  FIGS. 13, 17  for example), the apex  43  between the first portion  40  and the second portion  42  of the folded end part  36  emerging on the outer surface of the side wall  14 ,  142  (see  FIGS. 12, 13, 19 ). As best seen in  FIG. 4 , the apex  43  between the first portion  40  and the second portion  42  inserts in the aperture  110 ,  210  creating a flexion between first portion  40  and the second portion  42  in the apex  43  area. The second portion  42  may comprises notches, one of these notches matching the top of the aperture  110 ,  210  resulting in a snap fit between the hook  30  and the side wall  14  so that the hook cannot be pulled out of the apertures  110 ,  210  without compression of the free end  44  of the second end portion  36  (see  FIG. 16 ). No tool is required. 
     As seen in  FIGS. 4 or 11 , the free end  38  of the first end part  34  of the hook  30  comes into abutment with the rear surface  19 , i.e. hidden within the opening, of the ceiling or wall  20 , and then the hook  30  bends for engagement of the second end part  36  of the hook  30  with the second opening  110 ,  210  in the wall of the housing. The bent portion  44  of the second portion  42 , bearing against an inner surface of the side walls within the housing, maintains the hook  30  in position (see  FIG. 12  for example). The housing is thus fixedly secured to the ceiling or wall  20  within the opening without clearance. 
     No tool is required and the hook can be clipped by hand in the inside of housing. 
     Once the hook is thus secured to the housing, the first end part  34  applies a force on the rear surface  19 , i.e. non apparent side, of the ceiling or wall  20  (see  FIG. 13 ), which tends to hold the fixture upwards. On the front surface  18 , i.e. on the opposite visible side, of the ceiling or wall  20 , the peripheral outer flange  16  of cylindrical housings as illustrated in  FIG. 4 , or the foot support  160  of the parallelepiped housing or housing  10 ′, bears against the surface  18  of the ceiling or wall  20 , balancing the upward force submitted to the housing by the hook. 
     As can be seen for example in  FIGS. 12 and 13 , once thus snapped into place within the housing, the main body of the hook lies generally flat against the inner side wall of the housing. 
     The hook  30  can be deformed by bending the first end part  34 , emerging on the outer surface of the side wall  142 , toward the apex  43  also emerging on the outer surface of the side wall  142 , as shown in  FIG. 20 , thereby generating a pressure behind the ceiling material (surface rear  19 ), so that the outer flange  16  of cylindrical housings (see  FIGS. 1-3 ), or the outer flange  160  of parallelepiped housings (see  FIGS. 6-8 ) abuts the ceiling material  18 . 
     As people in the art would appreciate, the number of hooks used to secure a given light fixture may vary depending on the size of the housing and its shape. 
     The hook can be easily removed from the housing by hand, from the inside of the housing. 
     As shown in  FIG. 21 , the hook can be positioned at different positions along the height of the sidewall of the housing, by using different pairs of first and second apertures  200 ,  210  ( 100 ,  110  in  FIGS. 1-3 ), thereby allowing accommodating a range of thickness of ceiling or wall or partition  20 . 
     As people in the art would appreciate, open housings, i.e. without bottom wall, can be used. 
     Although the present invention has been described hereinabove by way of embodiments thereof, it may be modified, without departing from the nature and teachings of the subject invention as described herein.