Recessed housing clip

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10655825-B2
Application number	US-201916404419-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 6, 2019
Priority date	Oct 28, 2014
Publication date	May 19, 2020
Grant date	May 19, 2020

Abstract

A friction clip includes a coupling portion having a coupling element, a middle portion adjacent the coupling portion, and an end portion adjacent the middle portion and opposite the coupling portion. The middle portion includes a bent out tab having a first interference edge configured to engage an internal wall of a first canister having a first diameter and the end portion includes a second interference edge configured to engage an internal wall of a second canister having a second diameter. Alternatively, a multi-part friction clip includes a first member that is couplable to a light module, and a second member that is removably couplable to the first member. The second member includes a coupling portion configured to removably engage with the first member, a middle portion having a bent out tab that includes a first interference edge, and an end portion that includes a second interference edge.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A lighting module, comprising:
a module housing comprising a top; and
a friction clip comprising a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, and two side edges that are disposed opposite to each other and extending between the top edge and the bottom edge, the friction clip further comprising:
a coupling portion extending from the top edge to an intermediate bend, the coupling portion being rotatably coupled to the top of the module housing; and
an end portion extending from the intermediate bend to the bottom edge, the end portion comprising:
a first interference edge defined by the bottom edge of the friction clip, and
a bent out tab disposed between the two side edges, the bent out tab projecting upward and defining a second interference edge;
wherein the first interference edge is configured to lodge against an internal wall of a first canister, and the second interference edge is configured to lodge against an internal wall of a second canister, the second canister being smaller than the first canister.

2. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the end portion is coupled to the coupling portion at a compound angle such that the intermediate bend of the friction clip forms an obtuse angle with a first side edge of the two side edges of the friction clip and an acute inner angle with a second side edge of the two side edges of the friction clip.

3. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the intermediate bend is disposed between the top edge and the bottom edge.

4. The lighting module of claim 1 ,
wherein one edge of the bent out tab is coupled to the end portion of the friction clip while remaining edges of the bent out tab are detached from the end portion.

5. The lighting module of claim 1 , further comprising a raised stop disposed on the top of the module housing, wherein the raised stop prevents rotation of the friction clip beyond the raised stop.

6. The lighting module of claim 1 , wherein the friction clip is adjustable between an extended position and a collapsed position.

7. A friction clip comprising:
a top edge;
a bottom edge;
a pair of side edges that are disposed opposite to each other and that extend between the top edge and the bottom edge;
a top surface;
a bottom surface;
a coupling portion extending from the top edge to a first intermediate bend and comprising a coupling element;
a middle portion adjacent the coupling portion and extending from the first intermediate bend to a second intermediate bend, the middle portion comprising a bent out tab that is disposed between the pair of side edges and that projects upward from a remainder of the middle portion in a direction opposite to the bottom surface, the bent out tab comprising a first interference edge, wherein the first interference edge is configured to lodge into an internal wall of a first canister; and
an end portion adjacent the middle portion opposite the coupling portion and extending from the second intermediate bend to the bottom edge, the end portion comprising a second interference edge defined by the bottom edge and configured to lodge into an internal wall of a second canister, wherein the second canister has an internal diameter larger than that of the first canister.

8. The friction clip of claim 7 , wherein the middle portion is at a compound angle to the coupling portion such that the first intermediate bend of the friction clip forms an obtuse inner angle with a first side edge of the pair of side edges of the friction clip and an acute inner angle with a second side edge of the pair of side edges of the friction clip.

9. The friction clip of claim 7 , wherein the first interference edge is at an angle to the coupling portion.

10. The friction clip of claim 7 , wherein the second interference bend is at an angle to at least one of the coupling portion and the middle portion.

11. The friction clip of claim 7 , wherein the coupling element of the coupling portion is an aperture that is configured to receive a coupling device to rotatably couple the friction clip to a lighting module.

12. The friction clip of claim 7 , wherein the friction clip is bendable to fit a lighting module within the first and second canisters of different internal diameter.

13. A friction clip comprising:
a first member adapted to be coupled to a light module; and
a second member adapted to removably couple to the first member and comprising:
a top surface;
a bottom surface opposite to the top surface;
a top edge;
a bottom edge;
two side edges that are disposed opposite to each other and extending between the top edge and the bottom edge;
a coupling portion configured to removably engage with the first member and extending from the top edge to an intermediate bend; and
an end portion extending from the intermediate bend to the bottom edge, the end portion comprising:
an end portion interference edge defined by the bottom edge of the second member and configured to lodge into an internal wall of a first canister, and
a bent out tab that is disposed between the two side edges and that projects upward from a remainder of the end portion in a direction opposite to the bottom surface, the bent out tab comprising a tab interference edge that is configured to lodge into an internal wall a second canister, wherein the second canister is smaller than the first canister.

14. The friction clip of claim 13 , wherein the first member comprises:
an aperture adapted to receive a coupling member that couples the first member to the light module;
a first flange extending from a first side of the first member and a second flange extending from a second side of the first member; and
a locking tab disposed between the first and second flanges.

15. The friction clip of claim 14 , wherein each of the first flange and the second flange are L-shaped and form a groove adapted to receive a side edge of the two side edges of the second member.

16. The friction clip of claim 14 , where the coupling portion of the second member comprises an aperture adapted to engage the locking tab.

17. The friction clip of claim 13 , wherein the second member is flexible.

18. The friction clip of claim 13 , wherein the second member further comprises a middle portion disposed between the coupling portion and the end portion, wherein the middle portion is at a compound angle to the coupling portion, and wherein the middle portion is at an angle to the end portion.

19. The friction clip of claim 13 , the end portion is at a compound angle to the coupling portion such that the intermediate bend of the friction clip forms an obtuse inner angle with a first side edge of the two side edges of the friction clip and an acute inner angle with a second side edge of the two side edges of the friction clip.

20. The friction clip of claim 13 , wherein the coupling portion of the second member comprises a slide stopping tab extending from the bottom surface of the second member.

Assignees

• Eaton Intelligent Power Ltd

Inventors

• Winslett Michael Troy
• Macwan Mahendra Joseph
• Winters Philip Dean

Classifications

• F21V21/049

  Mounting arrangements for attaching lighting devices to the ceiling, the lighting devices being recessed in a false or stretched ceiling · CPC title

• F16B2/241

  of sheet metal · CPC title

• F21S8/028

  being retractable, i.e. having two fixed positions, one recessed, e.g. in a wall, floor or ceiling, and one extended when in use · CPC title

• F21V21/04 Primary

  Recessed bases · CPC title

• F21V21/03

  Ceiling bases, e.g. ceiling roses (F21V21/04 takes precedence) · CPC title