Lighting fixture mounting systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10234115-B2
Application number	US-201816036470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 16, 2018
Priority date	Jun 29, 2016
Publication date	Mar 19, 2019
Grant date	Mar 19, 2019

Abstract

Example embodiments provide lighting fixture mounting kits for mounting a flat panel lighting fixture to a mounting surface. One mounting kit comprises a mounting frame and a lighting fixture. When the mounting frame is secured to the mounting surface, a junction box is accessible therethrough. The mounting frame and lighting fixture are shaped for engagement and attachment to one another. Another mounting kit comprises a mounting plate and a lighting fixture. The mounting plate may comprise indexing tabs for alignment with corresponding indexing slots of the lighting fixture and extending outwardly from a plate portion of the mounting plate. The lighting fixture may comprise a back portion having therein one or more indexing slots for receiving an indexing tab therein. Insertion of the indexing tab into the indexing slot guides the engagement of the lighting fixture with the mounting plate.

First claim

That which is claimed:

1. A mounting system for mounting a lighting fixture, the mounting system comprising:
a mounting frame comprising:
a frame portion configured to be secured to a mounting surface;
one or more tabs disposed on the frame portion and each configured to be inserted into a corresponding slot of the lighting fixture; and
one or more frame cables configured to be secured to a corresponding element of the lighting fixture.

2. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the lighting fixture further comprises:
a fixture frame disposed about a perimeter of a back portion of the lighting fixture, the fixture frame comprising:
one or more slots; and
one or more support rails, wherein the each of the one or more slots provides an opening through a portion of one of the one or more support rails, wherein each slot is configured to receive one of the one or more tabs therein.

3. The mounting system of claim 2 wherein the lighting fixture is generally rectangular.

4. The mounting system of claim 2 , wherein each of the one or more slots is configured to receive one of the one or more tabs therein such that the tab may slide into a tab recess defined at least in part by one of the one or more support rails.

5. The mounting system of claim 4 , wherein the tab recess is further defined at least in part by the fixture frame, the back portion of the lighting fixture, or both.

6. The mounting system of claim 4 , wherein either (a) a defining surface of the tab recess is shaped, (b) a wedge defined on the tab is shaped, or (c) both are shaped such that as the tab is slide into the tab recess, a space between the mounting surface and the back portion of the lighting fixture is reduced.

7. The mounting system of claim 4 , wherein one or more tabs are configured to engage the one or more support rails so as to secure the lighting fixture to the mounting surface.

8. The mounting system of claim 2 , wherein the lighting fixture further comprises one or more fixture cables and wherein at least one frame cable of the one or more frame cables is configured to be secured to a corresponding fixture cable of the one or more fixture cables.

9. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein:
the mounting frame comprises a pair of first frame portions and a pair of second frame portions,
the pair of first frame portions comprises two elongated first frame portions that are generally parallel with one another,
the pair of second frame portions comprises two elongated second frame portions that are generally parallel with one another,
the pair of first frame portions and the pair of second frame portions secured to each other such that each first frame portion is secured to one of the second frame portions at one end and the other of the second frame portions at an opposite end to form a quadrilateral,
each of the second frame portions comprises a tab portion on each end of the elongated second frame portion, and
the tab portions extend outwardly from an exterior perimeter of the quadrilateral.

10. The mounting system of claim 1 , wherein the mounting frame is configured to be secured to a mounting surface by one or more mechanical fasteners.

11. A lighting fixture mounting kit for mounting a flat panel lighting fixture to a mounting surface, the lighting fixture mounting kit comprising:
a mounting frame comprising:
a frame portion configured to be secured to a mounting surface; and
one or more mounting frame cables; and

a lighting fixture comprising:
a fixture frame disposed about a perimeter of a back portion of the lighting fixture, wherein the fixture frame is shaped for engagement and attachment with the mounting frame; and
one or more frame connection elements,

wherein:
said mounting frame is shaped for engagement and attachment with a lighting fixture; and
each of the one or more mounting frame cables are configured to be secured to a corresponding one of the one or more frame connection elements.

12. The lighting fixture mounting kit of claim 11 , further comprising a mounting harness, wherein said mounting harness comprises:
one or more fixture cables; and
the one or more frame connection elements, the one or more frame connection elements comprising one or more frame cables, and
wherein at least one of said one or more fixture cables is configured to be secured to a corresponding one of the one or more frame cables.

13. A mounting plate comprising:
a plate portion configured to be secured to a mounting surface;
one or more mounting tabs disposed on the plate portion and configured to secure the lighting fixture to the mounting plate and extending outwardly in a first direction from a plane defined by the plate portion; and
one or more indexing tabs configured to be aligned with corresponding one or more indexing slots of the lighting fixture and extending outwardly from the plane defined by the plate portion, the one or more indexing tabs extending outwardly in the first direction from the plane defined by the plate portion by a larger distance than the one or more mounting tabs.

14. The mounting system of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the one or more mounting tabs comprises a locking portion.

15. The mounting system of claim 13 , wherein the one or more indexing tabs are not configured to suspend the lighting fixture therefrom.

16. The mounting system of claim 13 , wherein at least one of the one or more mounting tabs is reinforced by (a) an angle reinforcement configured to maintain the angle between the mounting tab and the plate portion, (b) an elongated reinforcement configured to reduce bending of the mounting tab along an elongated portion of the mounting tab, or both.

17. A lighting fixture mounting kit for mounting a flat panel lighting fixture to a mounting surface, the lighting fixture mounting kit comprising:
a mounting plate comprising:
a plate portion configured to be secured to a mounting surface;
one or more mounting tabs disposed on the plate portion and configured to secure the lighting fixture to the mounting plate and extending outwardly in a first direction from a plane defined by the plate portion; and
one or more indexing tabs configured to be aligned with corresponding one or more indexing slots of the lighting fixture and extending outwardly from the plane defined by the plate portion, the one or more indexing tabs extending outwardly in the first direction from the plane defined by the plate portion by a larger distance than the one or more mounting tabs; and

a lighting fixture comprising:
a back portion having therein the one or more indexing slots each configured to receive an indexing tab therein such that insertion of the indexing tab into the indexing slot guides the engagement of the lighting fixture with the mounting plate.

18. The lighting fixture mounting kit of claim 17 , wherein the one or more indexing tabs are not configured to suspend the lighting fixture therefrom.

Assignees

• Feit Electric Co Inc

Inventors

• Halliwell Brian

Classifications

• F21V21/02 Primary

  Wall, ceiling, or floor bases; Fixing pendants or arms to the bases (F21V21/08 takes precedence; bases for movable standing lamps F21V21/06) · CPC title

• F21V23/001

  the elements being electrical wires or cables · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V23/026

  Fastening of transformers or ballasts · CPC title

• F21V23/009

  the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device · CPC title