Abstract:
A lighting system includes a suspended light fixture, a skin, and a plurality of alignment sights. The suspended light fixture includes a supporting spine. The skin partially surrounds the spine. The skin is supported by the spine at at least three points including an adjustable point. The skin is substantially more flexible than the spine. The spine has a plurality of suspension points that define a longitudinal axis. The plurality of alignment sights are connected to the skin along an axis defining a leveling axis. The leveling axis is substantially parallel to and offset from the longitudinal axis.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/540,316, entitled “METHOD OF BEAM AND BASKET CONSTRUCTION FOR LINEAR LIGHTING”, filed Jan. 29, 2004. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a method of construction for linear lighting, and, more particularly, to a beam and basket construction method applied to a linear lighting system. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Current construction methods for linear lighting do not allow for field adjustability of sag in the fixture. This problem is amplified as the length of the fixture increases and is often times not apparent during initial installation. Additionally, over time the fixture may sag requiring replacement. 
     In constructing the interior of a building it is not uncommon to install temporary lighting at the positions which permanent lighting will later be installed. Often temporary lighting is installed by utilizing a pigtail incandescent light fixture which is connected to the power wires by utilizing wire nuts, thereby providing temporary lighting for construction workers. When it is time to put the finished light fixtures in, the temporary light fixtures are removed and a new light fixture is installed along with a ceiling to provide the desired cosmetic appearance. 
     What is needed in the art is a cost effective light fixture assembly for use during construction and final installation. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention provides a linear lighting system with an attachable adjustable cosmetic skin that can be connected and adjusted around the light fixture. 
     The invention comprises, in one form thereof, an attachment to a lighting structure having a spine, the attachment including a skin partially surrounding the spine, the skin supported by the spine at at least three points including an adjustable point, the skin being substantially more flexible than the spine. 
     An advantage of the present invention is that the outer skin of the lighting fixture may be adjusted to a level position. 
     Another advantage of the present invention is that a less expensive skin may be utilized. 
     Yet another advantage is that the skin does not have to be self supporting by its own structure apart from the light fixture. 
     Still another advantage of the present invention is that it includes sighting points along which an installer can insure that the skin is in a aligned position and if it isn&#39;t an adjustment screw may be rotated to position the skin in proper alignment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of an embodiment of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a perspective exploded view of an embodiment of the linear lighting system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective assembled view of the lighting system of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a schematic rendition of a side view of the lighting system of  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 ; 
         FIG. 4  is another schematic side view of the lighting system of  FIGS. 1–3 ; and 
         FIG. 5  is yet another side schematic view of the lighting system of  FIGS. 1–4 . 
     
    
    
     Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplification set out herein illustrates one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplification is not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to  FIGS. 1 &amp; 2 , there is shown a lighting system  10  including a light fixture  12  also known as a linear lighting fixture  12 . Light fixture  12  includes light bulbs  14 , suspension arrangement  16 , attachment points  18  and spine  20 . Light fixture  12  may be a fluorescent lighting fixture commonly used in industrial and office applications. Although a two-bulb fixture is shown, a fixture having more or less than two bulbs can be utilized. Light fixture  12  is be installed during the rough construction phase of a project and skin assembly  22  is applied during a later phase, such as the final installation of the interior features of the workspace. 
     Light bulbs  14  may be typical fluorescent tubes utilized in fluorescent fixtures. Suspension arrangement  16  allows for a cable or chain connection that is connected to some structural element, not shown. Additionally, electrical power is connected to light fixture  12 , which can be advantageously connected directly to a junction box without the need to provide for only a temporary wiring thereto. 
     Attachment points  18  are located at each end of light fixture  12  for interaction with skin assembly  22  when it is connected to light fixture  12  in the finishing phases of the construction project. 
     Now, additionally referring to  FIGS. 3–5 , spine  20  may be in the form of a beam  20  which exists between suspension arrangements  16 . Spine  20  need not be relatively straight between suspension points  16  as illustrated in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , since spine  20  only provides structural support to skin assembly  22 , the actual shape of spine  20  is of little significance. 
     Light fixture  12  can be thought of as a structural support for the cosmetic skin assembly  22 , allowing skin assembly  22  to be positioned at least partially enclosing light fixture  12  and supported by light fixture  12 . Since the cosmetic portion, otherwise known as skin assembly  22 , is not required to be structurally self-supporting, skin assembly  22  may be made from almost any type of material including paper, wire fabric, plastic, aluminum or plastic extrusions, sheet metal or any multitude of desired materials. While skin assembly  22  can be attached in various ways, depending upon a desired result, a key feature of skin assembly  22  is to allow the installer of skin assembly  22  to make adjustments in the alignment of skin assembly  22  so as to compensate for a natural deflection over the length of skin assembly  22 . 
     Skin assembly  22  includes attachment points  24 , a body  26 , and a coupling assembly  28  having a first skin coupling  30  and a second skin coupling  32 , an adjustment device  34  and alignment sights  36 ,  38  and  40 . Attachment points  24  interact with attachment points  18  of light fixture  12  to connect ends of skin assembly  22  to light fixture  12 . Attachment points  24  may themselves be adjustable, for example by way of a slot. Coupling assembly  28  is shown as a singular entity while multiple coupling assemblies may be utilized depending upon the length of skin assembly  22 . Coupling assembly  28  includes first skin coupling  30  and second skin coupling  32  each of which are connected to one side of body  26 , thereby traversing a portion of spine  20  to provide structural support to skin assembly  22  along the length of skin assembly  22 . First skin coupling  30  may be a hinged-type device, have a notched interaction between coupling assembly  28  and body  26  or utilize any other sort of coupling. Second skin coupling  32  is removably connected to another side of body  26  thereby providing support to both sides of body  26 . 
     Alignment sights  36  and  38  are positioned at each end of body  26  and alignment sight  40  is associated with a portion of coupling assembly  28  or is positioned on body  26  proximate to coupling assembly  28 . Adjustment device  34  contacts a portion of spine  20  and is adjusted such that an alignment sights  36 ,  38  and  40  are brought into alignment when sighted by an installer along axis A. When axis A is properly aligned, adjustment device  34  is left in that adjusted position to support body  26  so that it remains aligned relative to axis A. Axis B is associated with the point of contact between suspension arrangement  16  and spine  20  and even though spine  20  may deviate from axis B, axis A is substantially parallel to axis B when body  26  is adjusted into position by the movement of adjustment  34  to thereby align alignment sights  36 ,  38  and  40 , also known as leveling sights  36 ,  38  and  40 . Attachment points  18  and  24  interact with each other and are coplanar with attachment points  18  and  20 , suspension points  16  and axis B. 
     During installation of skin assembly  22  to light fixture  12 , attachment points  24  are connected to attachment points  18  which serves to establish relative positions of leveling sights  36  and  38 . Coupling assembly  28  is then hinged or coupled into place to each side of body  26 . As can be seen in  FIG. 3 , if spine  20  is coaxial with axis B and adjustment device  34 , which may be in the form of a jackscrew  34 , requires very little adjustment to position leveling sights  36 ,  38  and  40  in alignment with axis A. However, if light fixture  12  sags, as shown in  FIG. 4  or even if skin assembly  22  is simply out of alignment, leveling sights  36 ,  38  and  42  are not aligned as shown in  FIG. 4 . Rotation of jack screw  34  applies a compressive force against spine  20  and the elevation of body  26  so that leveling sight  40  is brought into alignment with axis A, as shown in  FIG. 5 . 
     Advantageously the present invention allows for adjustments to compensate for natural deflections over the length of skin assembly  22 , deflections of spine  20  and for skin assembly  22  to have limited structural strength. These attributes lead allow light system  10  to be economically utilized in a initial and final construction phases. For example, this allows a light fixture  12  to be initially installed to provide light to construction workers and light fixture  12  remains as the finished light fixture without the need of replacing a temporary light fixture. Additionally, the present invention advantageously allows the realignment of skin assembly  22  if either spine  20  and/or skin assembly  22  sag over time. 
     Leveling sights  36 ,  38  and  40  are used in a manner similar to sighting down a shotgun barrel by utilizing sighting beads at the two ends and proximate to coupling assembly  28 . This allows the installer to level the fixture without any tools such as a level or the need to pull a string taught from one end of a fixture to the other end of the fixture. Additionally, the installer may sight from one fixture to another fixture along leveling beads  36 ,  38  and  40  to assure a relative leveling between individual lighting systems  10 . 
     While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.