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US 6,601,976 B1Granted
Snap assembled light fixture apparatus
AssigneeThin-Lite Corporation
InventorShin W. Rhee
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A rectangular frame having side and end and side walls defining a downwardly opening receiving cavity for receipt upwardly therein of a pan having a laterally outwardly turned marginal flanges which overlie corresponding flanges in the frame and has mated mounting bores for receipt of mounting screws. Retains mounted on the opposite ends of the frame releasably engage the pan to hold it in position in the frame during shipping and storage and prior to mounting thereof.
Claims38
Light fixture apparatus comprising:
- an elongated frame including frame end wall members and frame side flange members cooperating to form a downwardly facing pan receiving opening:
- a pan to be advanced upwardly into said opening and including pan end wall elements and pan side flange elements for underlying juxtaposed the respective said frame end wall members and frame side flange members;
- and
- at least one retainer mounted on one of said members for removably snapping into engaging relation under at least one of the said elements to hold said pan assembled to said frame.
1 more element
A light fixture for mounting flush to a structural wall and comprising:
- an elongated frame including side and end walls configured to form a pan-receiving opening, said side walls including outwardly-turned frame mounting flanges;
- a light pan to be received complementally upwardly into said opening of said frame and including laterally projecting pan mounting flanges for engaging under said frame mounting flanges, said pan including on at least one end a downwardly facing abutment edge;
- and
- a retainer mounted on one end wall of said frame in alignment with said abutment edge for engaging said abutment edge to normally hold said pan in place relative to said frame, said retainer being selectively shiftable out of alignment with said abutment edge.
1 more element
A method of making a light fixture including:
- selecting a flexible frame having frame end wall members and frame side flanges cooperating to form a pan-receiving window, said frame side flanges facing downwardly and including respective downwardly spaced retainer clips cooperating with said frame side flanges to define inwardly opening notches;
- selecting a pan mounting light tubes and having outwardly turned pan side flanges for being positioned in underlying relationship beneath said frame side flanges and terminating in laterally outwardly disposed edges removably received in said notches;
- and
- positioning said pan in said window by flexing said frame side flanges laterally outwardly overlying said notches with said edges and releasing said frame side flanges to capture said edges in said notches to loosely assemble said frame and said pan.
1 more element
Flush mount light fixture apparatus comprising:
- an elongated frame including frame end walls and first and second resilient frame side flanges having respective downwardly facing first and second nesting surfaces cooperating with said end walls to form an opening;
- a pan plate including laterally disposed first and second pan side strips for underlying the respective said frame side flanges;
- and
- at least one retainer mounted on said first frame side flange and spaced therefrom to provide a first notch for receipt of said first side strip so that said plate can be positioned over said opening and said first frame side flange flexed laterally outwardly to allow said retainer to clear said first side strip to allow said first side strip to nest in said first nesting surface so said first frame side flange can flex inwardly to engage said retainer under said first side strip to trap it in said first notch.
1 more element
Light fixture apparatus comprising:
- an elongated frame including frame end walls and first and second resilient frame side flanges cooperating with said end walls to form an opening and having respective downwardly facing first and second nesting surfaces;
- a pan plate including laterally disposed first and second side strips for underlying the respective said frame side flanges;
- and
- at least one retainer mounted on said first frame side flange and spaced therefrom to provide a first notch for receipt of said first side strip so that said plate can be positioned under said frame confronting said opening and said first frame side flange flexed laterally outwardly to allow said retainer to clear said first side strip to allow said first side strip to nest in said first nesting surface so said first frame side flange can flex inwardly to engage said retainer under said first strip to trap it in said first notch.
1 more element
Light fixture apparatus for mounting a light mounting pan plate configured on the opposite sides with first and second side strips, said apparatus comprising:
- an elongated frame including longitudinally spaced apart frame end walls and laterally spaced resilient longitudinal frame side flanges cooperating with said frame end walls to form an opening for receipt of said plate and having respective downwardly facing nesting surfaces for nesting upwardly thereagainst of said side strips;
- and
- said frame side flanges including respective retainers mounted thereon and configured with respective laterally inwardly opening notches for receipt of respective said side strips of said plate so that said plate may be positioned under said frame and one or the other of said frame side flanges flexed laterally outwardly to provide clearance for confronting said frame side flange to be received in the respective said notches to be releasably held in place by said retainer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.