Ceiling mounted lighting assembly with self-contained junction box apparatus and method
AssigneeCooledlite, Inc.
InventorsPeter Ticktin, Thomas Cartwright
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A ceiling mounted lighting assembly is disclosed having a below-the-ceiling junction box with a ceiling-mounting surface and a light socket disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box; a terminal block disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box and electrically couplable to the light socket; and at least one fastener coupled to the ceiling-mounting surface and extending in a direction away from the ceiling-mounting surface.
Claims19
A method of installing a ceiling mounted lighting assembly, the method comprising steps of:
- providing a ceiling mounted lighting assembly within a below-the-ceiling area, the ceiling mounted lighting assembly including:
- a below-the-ceiling junction box having a first end with a ceiling-mounting surface and a light socket disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box;
- a terminal disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box and electrically couplable to the light socket;
- and
- at least one ceiling fastener coupled to the ceiling-mounting surface and extending in a direction away from the ceiling-mounting surface;
- locating a mounting portion of a ceiling on which to mount the ceiling mounted lighting assembly;
- inserting at least one electrical conductor from an above-the-ceiling area directly through an aperture defined by the ceiling to the below-the-ceiling area without passing the at least one electrical conductor through an above-the-ceiling junction box that vertically overlaps the mounting portion of the ceiling, the aperture being sized smaller than the below-the-ceiling junction box;
- coupling the at least one electrical conductor to the terminal disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box;
- and
- inserting the at least one ceiling fastener through at least a portion of the mounting portion of the ceiling so as to secure the below-the-ceiling junction box against a below-the-ceiling-facing surface of the ceiling.
The ceiling mounted lighting assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein:
- the junction box cover encloses at least one electrical connector on all sides when the junction box cover is coupled to the below-the-ceiling junction box.
The ceiling mounted lighting assembly in accordance with claim wherein:
- the at least one electrical connector is formed as at least one of an electrical terminal and a light socket operably configured to supply power to the light-emitting downwardly-facing surface of the junction box cover.
The ceiling mounted lighting assembly in accordance with claim 11, further comprising:
- at least one ceiling fastener coupled to the ceiling-mounting surface and extending in a direction away from the ceiling-mounting surface.
The ceiling mounted lighting assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein:
- the junction box cover is removeably couplable to a second end of the below-the-ceiling junction box, the second end disposed opposite the first end.
The ceiling mounted lighting assembly in accordance with claim 11, further comprising:
- a light socket disposed at least partially within the below-the-ceiling junction box, the light socket operably configured to provide a one-step mechanical and electrical coupling of the light socket to the junction box cover.
The ceiling mounted lighting assembly in accordance with claim 11, wherein the below-the-ceiling junction box further includes:
- a second end opposite the first end;
- and
- at least one junction box sidewall interposed between the first end and the second end, the first and second ends and the at least one junction box sidewall defining a below-the-ceiling junction box cavity within which at least one electrical terminal is at least partially disposed;
- and
- wherein:
- the at least one electrical terminal is operably configured to supply power to the light-emitting downwardly-facing surface of the junction box cover;
- and
- the junction box cover encloses the at least one electrical terminal within the below-the-ceiling junction box on all sides when the junction box cover is coupled to the below-the-ceiling junction box.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.