Patent Abstract:
A cover plate for use in replacing recessed lighting fixtures with pendalier or external mounted lighting fixtures and provided with matching interconnection mounting members for cooperative engagement with a variety of mounting structure assemblies heretofore utilized in recessed down lights.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   This invention relates to the lighting fixture art and more particularly to a cover plate arrangement adapted to both convert a recessed down light into a structure for mounting a dependent lighting fixture or provide a mounting for a new installation of a dependent or external lighting fixture. 
   2. Description of the Prior Art 
   Recessed down lights have been utilized in home, commercial and industrial applications for many years for directing a light beam through a hole in the ceiling to the area therebelow. The prior art recessed down lights included structure mounted above the plane of the lower surface of the ceiling and included various can type devices for retention of the light bulb, mounting structure for the can type device and a trim plate or rim surrounding the hole in the ceiling and through which the light bulb could be accessed for replacement. The holes in the ceiling to accommodate the down lights were substantially standardized as to the diameter thereof in order to match the size for conventional three inch, four inch, five inch and six inch size down lights. However, there have been many variations in the structure utilized for retention of the rims or other components in the down light assembly. In general, there have been two primary types of retention arrangements in the down lights. One of the prior art retention arrangements has been for the rim structure to have a plurality, usually three, upstanding, equally spaced, spring loaded hook type mounting fingers which project upwardly into the region above the ceiling for hooking engagement with an appropriate rim or other structure in the down light assembly. A second primary type mounting arrangement was to provide an inverted “C” shaped slot on the interior portion of the rim structure into which conventional “chicken leg” torsion spring wire retention devices were installed for engagement with a appropriate structure in the mounting arrangement above the ceiling level. 
   Another type of retention arrangement has been to retain a reflector and such structure has three equally spaced, punched out tongue or similar devices which engage a cooperative structure on the reflector for retention thereof. 
   In many applications it has been desired to change the down lights to a pendalier or other type of lighting fixture which is mounted below the plane of the lower surface of the ceiling. However, to accomplish such a replacement, a cover plate is required to cover the hole in the ceiling previously utilized in connection with the down light. One type of cover plate that has heretofore been utilized in some applications has been wherein there was provided a bridging structure such as a bar or other device having two spaced apart threaded apertures bridging the hole in the ceiling utilized by the down light. For such applications the cover plate had a pair of apertures therethrough in a spaced apart relationship and screws were inserted in the aperture to threadingly engage the matching threaded apertures in the bridging structure. Such a cover plate had the unsightly screw heads visible at the exterior surface of the cover plate and such cover plate did not have the structural elements necessary for attaching a new dependent or external lighting fixture. While such a cover plate did, in fact, cover the hole in the ceiling, the presence of screw heads detracted from the appearance of the cover plate. Further, if no nut type devices were appropriately positioned in the down light assembly for cooperative engagement with the screws inserted through the cover plate, such bridging structure over the hole in the ceiling had to be specially installed. In order to minimize cost, the cover plate for covering a hole in the ceiling of a down light when converting the down light to a pendalier or other type of externally mounted light fixture, it is desired that the cover plate be readily mountable in any type of the mounting arrangements heretofore utilized in mounting, for example, the rim of the down light. Additionally, the same type of cover plate should also be capable of utilization in new installations of pendalier or other externally mounted lighting fixtures particularly where the new lighting fixture was to be installed in a pattern where some, or most, of the pattern was previously comprised of down lights that were converted to an externally mounted lighting fixture. 
   Thus, there has long been a need for a cover plate to be utilized in both the conversion of down lights to externally mounted light fixtures and adaptable for installation and mounting in any of the three common mounting arrangements utilized in down lights as well as useful in mounting new externally mounted lighting fixtures. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a cover plate that may be conveniently utilized to cover the hole in the ceiling of a recessed down light after removal of the rim structure thereof. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provided a cover plate that may be utilized in retrofitting down light fixtures to a surface mounted external lighting fixture. 
   It is another object of the present invention to provide as cover plate that is readily attachable to a variety of mounting assemblies in existing recessed lighting fixtures. 
   It is yet another object of the present invention to provide as cover plate that is readily attachable to a variety of mounting assemblies in existing recessed lighting fixtures as well as useable in new installations of surface mounted external lighting fixtures. 
   It is a further object of the present invention to provide as cover plate that is readily attachable to a variety of mounting assemblies in existing recessed lighting fixtures as well as useable in new installations of surface mounted external lighting fixtures that is economical to manufacture and decorative when utilized. 
   The above, and other objects of the present invention are achieved, according to a preferred embodiment thereof, by providing a base plate of an appropriate diameter and having a central axis to cover the hole in the ceiling of an existing recessed down light which is to be converted to a pendalier light or other external light fixture. The base plate has an exterior or outer surface and an interior or inner surface and a preselected thickness therebetween. The size of the base plate is selected to cover at least the hole in the ceiling and may be greater than such hole as desired in some applications. The base plate has a peripheral edge extending therearound and there may be provided an outer rim around the peripheral edge and may extend inwardly from the inner surface any desired amount. If the rim is so utilized, the height of the rim may be selected to give the appearance of any desired thickness of the base plate when the cover plate is installed thereby to reduce the cost of providing an entire cover plate of the apparent thickness provided by the appearance formed by the rim. The inner edge of the outer rim abuts the lower surface of the ceiling surrounding the hole therein provided for the recessed down light. 
   An inner mounting plate which may be an “L” shaped plate in cross section has the a bottom or leg portion of the “L” coupled to the inner surface of the base plate and the upright portion of the “L” extending inwardly from the inner surface of the base plate. The leg portion of the inner mounting plate, in this preferred embodiment of the present invention, may have an outer peripheral edge spaced from the inner surface of the outer rim to define a shoulder portion therebetween. The diameter of the upright portion of the “L” of the inner mounting plate is selected to match the diameter of the inner interconnection structure of the recessed down light in order to allow convenient installation of the cover plate thereon. The interconnection portion of the recessed down light provided the necessary mounting assembly which allowed interconnection of the trim rim utilized to surround the hole in the ceiling through which the light from the recessed down light is directed to the area therebelow. 
   A plurality of mounting members are provided on the upright portion of the “L” of the inner mounting plate. A first portion of the plurality of mounting members may be hook type mounting members coupled to the inner mounting plate extending inwardly from the inner surface of the base plate. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, it is desired to utilize five of the hook type mounting members. However, the number of hook type mounting members may be greater or less than five depending on the requirements of particular installations. A second portion of the mounting members may be slot mounting members in the form of an inverted “C” shaped slot. The inverted “C” shaped slot is adapted to receive the conventional “chicken leg” torsion spring wire retention devices. 
   A nipple accepting aperture is provided extending through the base plate and aligned with a central axis. An annular nipple of conventional design with a central passageway and external threads and preferably with wrench flats thereon is inserted into the nipple accepting aperture and has an inner portion extending inwardly from the inner surface of the base plate and an outer portion extending outwardly from the outer surface of the base plate. The outer portion of the nipple allows threading engagement with the desired external light fixture replacing the recessed down light. In this preferred embodiment of the present invention the base plate is free of any other apertures therethrough. 
   In use, to replace an existing recessed down light, the trim rim of the down light is removed and the bulb mounting structure thereof is also removed. The electrical conducting wires providing the electrical connection for a light bulb from the down light assembly are directed downwardly and extend through the central aperture of the nipple to regions external the base plate. The desired external light fixture may be threadingly connected to the external portion of the nipple and the electrical conducting wires appropriately connected thereto. The cover plate is then inserted over the hole in the ceiling and one or both of the two types of mounting members, the hook type mounting members and/or the “chicken leg” torsion spring devices engage the corresponding mounting structure in the recessed down light assembly. 
   The cover plate of the preferred embodiment of the present invention may also be utilized in new construction wherein an external lighting fixture is desired. Such applications often occur where a plurality of recessed down lights in a particular pattern or array are replaced with the cover plate of the present invention having the desired external light fixture mounted thereon and additional lighting fixtures are desired. The cover plate of the present invention in such embodiments provides a matching appearance to the new pattern or array of lighting fixtures. Alternatively, in new installations of external lighting fixtures, the cover plate of the present invention with the desired external lighting fixture thereon may be installed after installation of the required internal mounting assembly above the ceiling. As is well known in the prior art, the mounting assemblies of recessed down lights or other ceiling mounted light fixtures must, from safety considerations, be of a configuration that meets the many regulations defined by the various building codes, or other rules and regulations, in the geographical area of the installation. The cover plate of the present invention is compatible for installation in all such mounting assemblies. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
     The above and other embodiments of the present invention may be more fully understood from the following detailed description taken together with the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters refer to similar elements throughout and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a cover plate according to the principles of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is view along the line  3 — 3  of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a partial sectional view along the line  4 — 4  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view of a conventional down light mounting structure on which the cover plate of the present invention may be mounted; is a partial sectional view taken along the line  5 — 5  of  FIG. 3 ; 
       FIG. 6  is a partial sectional view of a nipple inserted into the base plate of the present invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a sectional view along the line  7 — 7  of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a perspective view of a close coupled pendalier external lighting fixture mounted on the cover plate of the present invention; 
       FIG. 9  is a perspective view of another pendalier external lighting fixture mounted on the cover plate of the present invention; and, 
       FIG. 10  is a perspective view of another external lighting fixture mounted on the cover plate of the present invention. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   Referring now to the drawing there is illustrated in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  a preferred embodiment, generally designated  10  of the cover plate  12  according to the principles of the present invention. The cover plate  12  has a base plate  14  having an outer surface  16  and an inner surface  18 . The base plate  14  has a peripheral edge  20  extending between the outer surface  16  and the inner surface  18 . The peripheral edge  20  in this embodiment  10  of the present invention has a predetermined geometrical shape which is circular. In other embodiments of the present invention the preselected geometrical shape of the peripheral edge  20  of the base plate  14  may be any desired configuration for aesthetic or other functional reasons as may be desired or required for a particular installation. The base plate  14  has a central axis  22 . The base plate  14  has walls  24  defining a nipple accepting aperture  26  therethrough aligned with the central axis  22 . In the preferred embodiment  10 , the base plate  14  is free of any other apertures therethrough. 
   An outer rim  28  is provided along the peripheral edge  20  and extends a first preselected distance inwardly from the inner surface  18  of the cover plate  14  as shown most clearly on  FIG. 4 . The height of the outer rim  28  indicated on  FIG. 4  at H from the inner surface  18  of the base plate  14  to the inner edge  32 ′ of the outer rim  32  may be selected as desired to provide the appearance of any desired thickness T of the base plate  14  as may be desired for particular applications. The inner edge  32 ′ of the outer rim  32  abuts against the inner surface of the ceiling (not shown) after mounting of the cover plate  12 . Alternatively, the base plate  14  may be fabricated in the desired thickness T as indicated on  FIG. 4 . The preselected geometrical configuration of the outer peripheral edge  20  of the base plate  14  may be any desired configuration as required or desired for particular applications and/or installations. 
   An inner mounting plate  30  is coupled to the inner surface  18  of the base plate  14 . In the preferred embodiment  10  of the present invention, the inner mounting plate  30  has an “L” shaped configuration and extends around and spaced toward the central axis  22  from the inner surface  32  of the outer rim  28 . Inner mounting plate  30  has a base flange or leg portion  34  of the “L” shaped inner mounting plate  30  coupled to the inner surface  18  of the base plate  12  and the base flange or leg portion  34  has a peripheral edge  38  spaced from the inner surface  32  of the outer rim  28  to define a shoulder portion  40  therebetween. Inner mounting plate  30  also has an upright portion  36  extending inwardly from the inner surface  18  of the base plate  14  a second preselected distance indicated on  FIG. 4  at D which is greater than the first preselected distance H. The diameter of the upright portion  36  of the inner mounting plate  30  is selected to match the mounting assembly structure as discussed below of the recessed down light (not shown) that is to be replaced. Such mounting assembly structures have been substantially standardized with respect to the dimensions and the various mounting configurations thereof as utilized in the electrical light fixture industry. 
   In other embodiments of the present invention the base flange or leg portion of the “L” shaped inner mounting plate  30  may be directed inwardly toward the central axis  22  as indicted by the dotted line showing  34 ′ on  FIG. 4 . In other embodiments of the present invention the upright portion of the inner mounting plate  30  may be welded, braised or otherwise secured to the inner surface  18  of the base plate  14 , for example by a plurality of angle brackets, so as to eliminate the base flange or leg portion  34 . The particular method chosen to fasten the upright portion  36  of the inner mounting plate  30  to the base plate  14  may be selected depending on the requirements of the particular application and the economy of manufacturing. 
   As shown most clearly in  FIGS. 1 ,  2  and  3 , a plurality of mounting members  50  are on the upright portion  36  of the inner mounting plate  30 . The plurality of mounting members  30  provides the structure for the interconnection to the mounting structure assembly on the recessed light fixture housing in the applications of the present invention wherein a recessed lighting fixture is to be replaced by an external lighting fixture. 
   A first portion  52  of the plurality of mounting members  50  are hook mounting members which has, in this embodiment  10  of the present invention, five hook mounting members  52 A,  52 ,  52 C,  52 D and  52 E are coupled to the upright portion  36  of the inner mounting member  30  by, for example, rivet  53 . The rivet  53  may provide either a fixed coupling of the hook mounting members  52  or a pivotal mounting of the hook mounting members  52  to allow at least some pivotal movement thereof in the directions indicated by the arrow  55  to accommodate various ceiling thicknesses, mounting assembly configurations to which the cover plate  14  is to be attached, or the like. The use of five hook mounting members  52  is often desired because of the weight of the external fixture to be mounted on the cover plate  30  as described below whereas one of the conventional mounting arrangements in recessed lighting fixtures in the electrical lighting fixture art for connection, for example, by a trim rim, is to utilize three hook members for connection to a recessed lighting fixture. However, the use of more than five hook members or less than five hook members may be selected as required or desired for particular applications. The hook mounting members  52 A,  52 B  52 C,  52 D and  52 E are spaced around the upright portion  36  of the inner mounting plate  30 . The first plurality of hook mounting members  52  extend inwardly a third preselected distance indicated at H′ on  FIG. 1  from the inner surface  18  of base plate  14 . 
   A second portion  56  of the plurality of mounting members  50  has, a pair of slot type mounting members  56 A and  56 B. Each of the slot type mounting members  56 A and  56 B has an inverted “C” shaped slot therein as indicated a  58 . The “C” shaped slot has a vertical passage way  60  communicating with a horizontally disposed slot  60 . The slot type mounting members  56 A and  56 B are mounted on, or made as a part of the inner mounting plate  30  on the upright portion  36  thereof and extend a fourth preselected distance above the inner surface  18  of the base plate  14  as indicated at H″. The slot type mounting members  56 A and  56 B are adapted to receive a conventional “chicken leg” torsion spring retention devoices of the type well known in the prior art. 
   The utilization of the cover plate  14  is achieved by inserting a conventional externally threaded nipple, preferably with wrench flats thereon, as is well known in the lighting fixture art, into the nipple accepting aperture  26 .  FIGS. 6 and 7  illustrate a nipple  70  inserted into the nipple accepting aperture  26  and the nipple  70  is tubular with a threaded external surface  72  and with walls  72  defining an internal wire accepting aperture  76  to allow passage of the electrical conducting wires  78  therethrough to regions external the outer surface  16  of the base plate  14  for connection to an externally mounted light fixture as described below in connection with  FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10 . 
   In preferred embodiments of the present invention, the nipple  70  has wrench flats  73  thereon for convenience in installation thereof. However, in some applications it may be desired to provide a nipple with no wrench flats. The nipple is held in place on the base plate  14  by an inner nut  80  that threadingly engages the outer surface  72  of the nipple  70  and bears against the inner surface  18  of the base plate  14 . An outer nut  82  may be utilized and threadingly engages the outer surface  72  of the nipple  70  and bears against the outer surface  16  of the base plate  14 . As described below in connection with  FIGS. 8 and 10  an externally mounted lighting fixture may have structure that is utilized to replace the function of the outer nut  82  to retain the nipple  70  in place. 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , there is shown a conventional down light mounting structure generally designated  130  which is positioned above the ceiling  132 . The down light mounting structure  132  has a lower rim  134  that projects into the ceiling  132 . Internally of the mounting structure  130  are the appropriate interconnection devices for supporting the base plate of the present invention. The inner mounting plate  30  of a cover plate  12  is inserted into the opening  136  of the mounting structure  130 . The mounting members  50  of the cover plate  12  engage internal structure in the mounting structure  130  to provide the desired mounting of the cover plate  12  in the mounting structure  130  so that the inner surface  18  thereof is against the outer surface  138  of the ceiling  132 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 8  there is shown an embodiment  100  of the present invention in which a close coupled pendalier external mounted lighting fixture  102  is mounted on the base plate  14  of a cover plate  12 . The inner mounting plate  30  and the plurality of various mounting members  50  have been omitted from  FIG. 8  for clarity in description. The electrical conducting wire  78  extends through a nipple in the base plate  14 , as shown in  FIG. 6  and into the lighting fixture  102  for appropriate connection for providing electrical current to a light bulb contained in the lighting fixture  102 . In the embodiment  100  the upper portion  102 ′ of the lighting fixture  102  may threadingly engage the nipple to hold the lighting fixture  102  against the outer surface  16  of the base plate  14  of the cover plate  12 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 9  there is shown an embodiment  110  of the present invention in which a remote coupled pendalier external mounted lighting fixture  112  is mounted on the base plate  14  of a cover plate  12 . The inner mounting plate  30  and the plurality of various mounting members  50  have been omitted from  FIG. 9  for clarity in description. The electrical conducting wire  78  extends through a nipple as described above in connection with  FIGS. 6  and  7  and extends a predetermined outward distance from the base plate as shown at  114  and into the lighting fixture  112  for appropriate connection for providing electrical current to a light bulb contained in the lighting fixture  112 . In the embodiment  110  there may be provided a decorative outer nut  116  that threadingly engages the nipple to retain the nipple in place in the base plate  14 . 
   Referring now to  FIG. 10  there is shown an embodiment  120  of the present invention in which an externally mounted lighting fixture  122  is mounted on the base plate  14  of a cover plate  12 . The inner mounting plate  30  and the plurality of various mounting members  50  have been omitted from  FIG. 10  for clarity in description. The electrical conducting wire  78  extends through a nipple in the base plate  14  as described above in connection with  FIG. 6  and into the lighting fixture  122  for appropriate connection for providing electrical current to a light bulb contained in the lighting fixture  122 . In the embodiment  120  the upper portion  122 ′ of the lighting fixture  122  may threadingly engage the nipple to hold the lighting fixture  122  against the outer surface  16  of the base plate  14  of the cover plate  12 . 
   The lighting fixtures illustrated in  FIGS. 8 ,  9  and  10  are only illustrative of the great variety of lighting fixtures that may be utilized in the present invention to replace an existing recessed down light or, as may be desired, in a new installation. 
   Although specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the various Figures of the drawing, it should be understood that such embodiments are by way of example only and merely illustrative of but a small number of the many possible specific embodiments which can represent applications of the principles of the present invention. Various changes and modifications obvious to one skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains are deemed to be within the spirit, scope and contemplation of the present invention as further defined in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 7