Captive retaining spring
AssigneeKoninklijke Philips Electronics N.V.
InventorsCraig S. Nevers, Kevin Willis, Graham M. Rippel, Mark O. Jones, Karl E. Mortensen, Robert J. Wedekind
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A captive retaining spring for a recessed mounting assembly has a retaining spring which is adjustable to compensate for multiple ceiling thicknesses, does not require the use of tools for installation, and may be assembled by the manufacturer and shipped ready for installation.
Claims34
A recessed mounting assembly, comprising:
- a recessed enclosure having a sidewall;
- a first adjustment portion and a second adjustment portion disposed in said sidewall;
- a retaining spring having a first end and a second end and having a substantially curvilinear shape therebetween;
- said first end disposed in said first adjustment portion, said second end disposed in said second adjustment portion;
- said retaining spring being adjustable without the use of tools by an opposed squeezing force at said first end and said second end of said retaining spring to engage or disengage one of said first adjustment portion or said second adjustment portion.
A tool-less ceiling mounting assembly for a recessed enclosure, comprising:
- an enclosure having a sidewall;
- a captive retaining spring having a body substantially extending from said enclosure;
- said captive spring being toollessly adjustable in said recessed enclosure for use with various ceiling thicknesses;
- said captive spring applying a substantially vertical retaining force between said enclosure and a ceiling;
- an upper cross arm positioned on said spring, said cross arm having fingers which engage at least one adjustment apertures adjacent a spring adjustment area in said sidewall of said enclosure to apply said retaining force.
A tool-less recessed mounting assembly for a recessed light, comprising:
- a recessed lighting can having a substantially cylindrical sidewall;
- a spring adjustment area in said cylindrical sidewall including a first portion and a second portion;
- a spring extending from said cylindrical sidewall and disposed within said spring adjustment area and adjustable through said spring adjustment area without the use of tools;
- a connection between said spring and said cylindrical sidewall being adjustable by hand with an opposed squeezing force on ends of said spring and without the use of tools;
- said spring creating a force due to engagement with said recessed lighting can.
A recessed enclosure mounting assembly, comprising:
- a retaining spring having a first end, a second end and a knee therebetween, said knee disposed outside said recessed enclosure;
- an said recessed enclosure having a sidewall and at least one adjustment area for receiving said spring;
- a ceiling structure having an aperture, said enclosure extending through said aperture;
- said retaining spring receiving an opposed squeeze force to bias and capture said retaining spring between said adjustment area and an upper surface of said ceiling structure, said retaining spring directly engaging said sidewall to create a downforce on said ceiling structure.
A combination captive retaining spring and enclosure for a recessed mounting assembly, comprising:
- an enclosure having a sidewall;
- said sidewall having a plurality of vertically spaced adjustment apertures for vertical adjustment of said enclosure;
- a retaining spring adjustably disposed through said enclosure without the use of a tool;
- a clip depending from said enclosure;
- a ceiling structure having an upper surface and a lower surface;
- said retaining spring having at least one finger which engages at least one of said adjustment apertures to create a downforce on said ceiling structure, said at least one finger engaging said at least one of said adjustment apertures when a squeeze force is applied to ends of said retaining spring;
- said upper surface engaged by said retaining spring and said lower surface engaged by said clip.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.