US 2003/0223240 A1Published application

Recessed light fixture

Assignee#9060-0495 Quebec, Inc.

InventorJacques Houle

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A recessed light fixture includes spring steel mounting clips having a first portion fixed to the outside of the cylindrical housing and having a second portion extending through an inverted T aperture in the sidewall housing. For use, the fixture is positioned in a hole and the user pushes the free end of the mounting clip through its aperture. A neck near the free end will then reach the aperture and the tension of the spring steel mounting clip will push the free end upward, with the narrowed neck guided within the longitudinal portion of the inverted T. The expanded portion around the neck restrains the clip from disengaging accidentally. In this second position, the outer portion of the clip is pushed away from the housing to engage and/or inhibit the movement of the fixture relative to the ceiling. The clip has a concave portion, a bend, and a convex portion outside the housing in this second position. Also disclosed is a twist off detachable junction box at the top of the housing.

Claims25

Dependent claims

A light fixture to be mounted within a hole in a wall or ceiling comprising:

a housing having a main body portion smaller in at least one dimension than the hole;
a mounting clip;
a mounting clip aperture in said main body portion, said mounting clip corresponding to and extending through said aperture;
said mounting clip being affixed to said housing at least at one point;
said mounting clip being movable through said aperture between a first position and a second position, said first position corresponding to a pre-installation mode and said second position corresponding to an installed mode;
said mounting clip including a first portion located on the outside of the housing and a second portion at least part of which is located within said housing when said clip is in said first position;
wherein said mounting clip in said first position permits the housing to be inserted into the wall or ceiling hole;
wherein said mounting clip in said second position is extended outward from said housing so that a maximum distance between an outer periphery which includes said mounting clip is larger than the hole, so that the mounting clip in said second position blocks withdrawal of the fixture from the wall or ceiling hole;
wherein said mounting clip in said first position is accessible from the interior of the main housing and is movable through said aperture;
said mounting clip aperture and mounting clip being configured to lock said mounting clip in said second position.

7 more elements

A method of mounting a light fixture within a hole in a ceiling or wall comprising the steps of:

with a mounting clip affixed to the light fixture in a first (withdrawn) position in which the mounting clip is contained at least partially within a housing of the fixture in a position that permits ingress and egress of the fixture relative to the hole, placing the fixture within the hole;
then
moving the mounting clip from the first position to a second (extended) position, including moving a portion of the mounting clip from within the housing, through an aperture in said housing, to outside the housing;
and
locking the clip in the second position so that the portion of the mounting clip outside the housing prevents withdrawal of the fixture from the hole.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.