Patent Abstract:
A light fixture includes components that can be quickly assembled and disassembled. The fixture components have interlocking parts that allow an operator to snap or twist the components into locking engagement quickly and easily. Similarly, disassembly is just as easy. The components may also include decorated structural elements.

Full Description:
[0001]     This utility patent application claims priority to U.S. provisional patent application Ser. 60/784,072 filed on Mar. 17, 2006, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD  
       [0002]     The present invention pertains to lighting fixtures, and more specifically, to quick assembly lighting fixtures having a plurality of frame portions with extended tabs that interlock to hold the fixture together  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     There are many different kinds of lighting fixtures including both indoor and outdoor lighting fixtures. A fixture generally includes a framework onto which the electrical components of the light are typically mounted. Electrical receptacles may be installed into the fixture and the fixture mounted in a specific location to achieve the desired illuminating effect. In some instances the fixture is fashioned with an aesthetically pleasing design to create a certain ambience. Once assembled the lighting fixture can be hung from a ceiling or mounted to a wall.  
         [0004]     One aspect of lighting fixtures pertains to the assembly of the lighting fixture. The lighting fixture may be cumbersome to assemble and likewise disassemble for repair or replacement of the fixture components. Fasteners or adhesives can be utilized to connect the components together requiring additional labor to complete the assembly process. It would be advantageous to have a lighting fixture that quickly interlocks to hold the fixture components in place.  
       BRIEF SUMMARY  
       [0005]     One embodiment of present invention includes a light fixture having a first light fixture housing section with one or more tabs. The first light fixture housing section includes an electrical receptacle, which may be an electrical socket, adapted to receive an associated lighting element. One or more electrical conductors may be connected to deliver electrical power to the light fixture and more specifically to the electrical receptacle. The fixture may include a second light fixture housing section having a peripheral edge adapted to interlock with the one or more tabs.  
         [0006]     In one aspect of the embodiments of the present invention, the first light fixture housing section is snapped into interlocking engagement with the second light fixture housing section. Alternatively, the first light fixture housing section may be rotated into interlocking engagement with the second light fixture housing section.  
         [0007]     Another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention includes a first light fixture housing section that is generally concave where the one or more tabs extend inwardly from the first light fixture housing section. The peripheral edge may include a lip extending outwardly around the periphery of the second light fixture housing section having one or more recesses for receiving the one or more tabs.  
         [0008]     In yet another aspect of the embodiments of the present invention the second light fixture housing section may comprise a globe having one or more transparent panels for allowing light emanating from the lighting element to shine through the second light fixture housing section.  
         [0009]     Another embodiment of the present invention includes a light fixture housing having a first housing section adapted to receive an associated electrical receptacle for illuminating an associated lighting element wherein the first housing section includes a first connecting portion. The light fixture housing may also include a second housing section that is adapted to overlay the associated lighting element and may further include a second connecting portion. The first and second connecting portions may be disposed relative to each other such that when the first housing section is juxtaposed to the second housing sections, the first and second connectors interlock to fasten the first and second housing sections together.  
         [0010]     In one aspect of the embodiments of the present invention the housing sections may be molded from a thermoplastic material or polymer via injection molding or any other type of plastic molding chosen with sound judgment. Accordingly, the one or more tabs may be integrally molded into the first housing section. In this manner, the one or more tabs may be flexible and may snap into engagement with the second connecting portion. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0011]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a quick assembly light including electrical receptacles, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention.  
         [0012]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a quick assembly light fixture, in accordance with various aspects of the present invention. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0013]     Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for purposes of illustrating embodiments of the invention only and not for purposes of limiting the same,  FIG. 1  shows a lighting fixture depicted generally at  1 . The lighting fixture  1  maybe an indoor or an outdoor lighting fixture  1  that includes an illuminating device such as a light bulb  4 . The light bulb  4  may be a standard incandescent light bulb or a fluorescent light bulb. In fact, any type of illuminating device may be utilized without departing from the novel aspects of the subject invention. The lighting fixture  1  may further include an electrical receptacle  6  having conductors  7  electrically communicated thereto for providing power to illuminate the bulb  4 . A substantially rigid frame, shown generally at  9 , may form an internal cavity into which the bulb  4  and receptacle  6  may reside. The frame  9  may be fashioned by joining separate frame members  11  as will be discussed in detail below. The lighting fixture  1  may also include mounting brackets, not shown, that function to provide a means for an installer to affix the lighting fixture  1  to a wall, lamp post or any other structure onto which is suitable for mounting a lighting fixture  1 . In one embodiment, the lighting fixture  1  may be hung by a chain from the top of the lighting fixture  1 . Alternatively, the lighting fixture  1  may be fastened to a wall via brackets extending from the side or bottom of the lighting fixture  1 . Still any manner of mounting the lighting fixture  1  to a structural support may be chosen with sound engineering judgment.  
         [0014]     With continued reference to  FIG. 1 , the material that the lighting fixture  1  is constructed from may be plastic or another type of polymer-based substance. The plastic may be resistant to corrosion and to breakage for use in outdoor or other harsh environments. It is noted here that any type of materials and process may be used to construct the frame  9  of the lighting fixture  1  including but not limited steel, metal, wood or the like. The frame  9  may be finished with a coating such as paint and decorated to any extent desired as is appropriate for a lighting fixture  1 .  
         [0015]     With reference again to  FIG. 1  and also to  FIG. 2 , the lighting fixture  1  may be comprised of two separate frame members  14 ,  15  respectively, also termed light fixture housing sections. In one embodiment, the frame member  14  may be a top frame member  14  or first light fixture housing section  14 . Similarly, the frame member  15  may be a bottom frame member  15  or second light fixture housing section  15 . In this manner, the frame members  14 ,  15  may make up the entire frame  9 . However, it is noted that any number of frame members may be utilized to make up the frame  9  of the lighting fixture  1  as is appropriate for use with the subject invention. Each of the frame members  14 ,  15  may include walls  17  that make the frame members substantially rigid. Specifically, the top frame member  14  may have a generally concave configuration. The first end  18  of the top frame member  14  may form an apex and the distal end  19  of the top frame member  14  may be open to connect to the bottom frame member  15 . The bottom frame member  15  may have one or more walls that are contiguously formed or joined together to form an interior region  22  of the bottom frame member  15 . In  FIG. 1 , the bottom frame member  15  is shown having a conical shape. In  FIG. 2 , the bottom frame member  15  has a rectangular cross section. Any configuration of top and bottom frame member  14 ,  15  may be chosen with sound engineering judgment. The top and bottom frame members  14 ,  15  when connected together form an enclosed area that may encompass or envelop the receptacle  6  and light bulb  4 . Accordingly, the volume of space of contained within the two frame members  14 , may be sufficient for the receptacle  6  and bulb  4  to reside therein. It is noted here that while the present embodiment depicts a single light bulb, the present invention may be utilized in conjunction with any number of light bulbs and receptacles. The receptacle  6  may be mounted to the top frame member  14 . In one embodiment, the receptacle  6  may be removeably connected to the top frame member  14 . By removeably connected it is meant that the receptacle  6  may be attached to or removed from the walls  17  via fasteners or other retaining means.  
         [0016]     With reference again to  FIGS. 1 and 2 , as mentioned above the top and bottom frame members  14 ,  15  may be assembled together to form the lighting fixture  1 . In one embodiment, this may be accomplished by fashioning a tab  25  extending from an interior wall  17  of the top frame member  14 . The tab  25  may form an angle with an interior side of the wall  17 . The tab  25  may extend substantially horizontal with respect to when the lighting fixture  1  is mounted in place. However, any angle may be chosen by which to extend the tab  25  from the side of the wall  17 . The tab  25  may further include a tab stop  27  that engages a lip  30  fashioned in the bottom frame member  15  to be discussed below. The tab stop  27  may extend substantially perpendicular to the tab  25  so that the lip  30  abuts the tab stop  27  when the top and bottom frame members  14 ,  15  are joined together. As alluded to, the bottom frame member  15  may have a lip  30  that extends radially from an end  32  of the bottom frame member  15 . The lip  30  may span a relatively small portion of the perimeter bottom frame member  15  as shown in  FIG. 2 . Alternatively, the lip  30  may traverse substantially around the entire perimeter of the bottom frame member  15  as shown in  FIG. 1 . In this instance, a recess  34  may be formed in the lip  30  to allow the tab  25  to fit over prior to twisting the frame members  14 ,  15  together. In this way, the top and bottom frame members  14 ,  15  may be quickly connected together simply by juxtaposing the members  14 ,  15  together and rotating one member with respect to the other. The present embodiments show multiple tabs and lips.  FIG. 1  shows three tab-lip pairs, while  FIG. 4  shows 4 tab-lip pairs. The tabs  25  may be spaced equidistantly apart around the periphery of the open end of the top frame member  14 . Likewise, the lips  30  may also be equidistantly spaced so as to correspond in position to the tabs  25 . This provides for a quick and secure fitting together of the lighting fixture components.  
         [0017]     With reference to all of the FIGURES, assembly of the lighting fixture  1  will now be discussed. To assemble the lighting fixture  1 , an assembly person may juxtapose the top frame member  14  to the bottom frame member  15  such the tab  25  is proximate to the lip  30 . In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 2 , the top frame member  14  may be positioned offset with respect to the bottom frame member  15 , inserted onto the bottom frame member  15  and rotated together thereby engaging the lip  30  with the tab  25  until the tab stop  27  inhibits further movement. In  FIG. 1 , the tabs  25  may be inserted through the recesses  34  respectively and under the lip  30 . Subsequently, the top frame member  14  is then rotated with respect to the bottom frame member  15  until the tabs  25  abut the tab stops  27 . It is noted in this embodiment, that the tab stops  27  are fashioned extending from the underside of the lip  30 .  
         [0018]     The invention has been described with reference to a preferred embodiment. Obviously, modifications and alterations will occur to others upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alternations in so far as they come within the scope of the appended claims or the equivalence thereof.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5