Inclined ceiling downlight fixtures
AssigneeNSI Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsJon D. Hinnefeld, Mark E. Jennings, Michael D. Wallace
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Lighting fixtures which may be employed in inclined ceiling applications. The fixtures feature substantially elliptical cross-sectioned housings which, when intersected by the plane of an inclined ceiling, yield a circular opening and trim in order to lend an aesthetically pleasing appearance. Such fixtures may also employ adjustable socket housings in order to allow the lamp contained within the fixture to be disposed substantially perpendicular to the floor space, or as otherwise desired, to impart a desired lighting pattern.
Claims31
A downlight fixture for an inclined ceiling, comprising:
- a. a housing which includes an upper end, a lower end and a longitudinal axis, which housing is substantially elliptical in cross section normal to its longitudinal axis, and whose lower end forms an opening that is substantially circular in a plane that is oblique to the housing longitudinal axis;
- b. a lamp socket connected to the upper end of the housing for accommodating a lamp;
- and
- c. a ceiling plate attached to the lower end of the housing, which plate contains a substantially circular opening in registration with the substantially circular opening formed by the lower end or the housing.
A downlight fixture for an inclined ceiling, comprising:
- a. a housing which includes an upper end, a lower end and a longitudinal axis, which housing is substantially elliptical in cross section normal to its longitudinal axis, and whose lower end forms an opening that is substantially circular in a plane that is oblique to the housing longitudinal axis;
- b. a dome connected to the upper end of the housing, which dome contains an opening and features a substantially elliptical lower portion that connects to the housing;
- c. a sliding plate connected in sliding fashion to the dome;
- and
- d. a socket connected to the sliding plate for accommodating a lamp so that the lamp may protrude through the opening in the dome substantially vertically to a floor below the ceiling.
A downlight fixture for accommodating a lamp in an pitched ceiling, comprising:
- a. a generally tubular housing which includes an upper end, a lower end forming an opening, and a longitudinal axis, which housing is adapted to be disposed in the ceiling so that its longitudinal axis is substantially perpendicular to a floor below the ceiling;
- b. a dome connected to the upper end of the housing, which dome contains an outer surface on a convex side of the dome, an inner surface on a concave side of the dome, an oblong opening oriented in the direction of the pitch of the ceiling and penetrating the outer and inner surfaces of the dome, and at least two tabs which are substantially L shaped in cross section protruding from the outer surface of the dome;
- c. an oblong sliding plate which conforms in shape generally to the outer surface of the dome, and whose edges are adapted to be captured by the tabs protruding from the outer surface of the dome so that the sliding plate is captured in sliding fashion by the tabs in a fashion to cover at least a portion of the opening in the dome, and which sliding plate features a lamp opening through which at least a portion of the lamp may protrude;
- d. a generally cylindrical socket housing extending from the sliding plate in a direction generally away from the dome;
- and
- e. a socket contained in the socket housing for accommodating the lamp so that the lamp may protrude through the lamp opening in the sliding plate and the oblong opening in the dome substantially vertically to a floor below the ceiling when the sliding plate is disposed correctly relative to the dome.
In a downlight fixture for installation in a sloped ceiling, the fixture having a housing which includes an upper end, a lower end and a longitudinal axis, the fixture carrying a lamp socket to which a lamp is operably joined to produce light which emanates from the fixture at least through the lower end of the housing, the improvement comprising a substantially elliptical cross-section formed in at least a portion of the housing between the upper end and the lower end, the elliptical section of the housing being normal to the longitudinal axis of the housing, the lower end of the housing forming an opening which is substantially circular in a plane oblique to the longitudinal axis of the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.