Rotatable light fixture secured to a junction box via a base

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11333334-B2
Application number	US-202017035100-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 28, 2020
Priority date	Jan 29, 2018
Publication date	May 17, 2022
Grant date	May 17, 2022

Abstract

Methods and apparatus for a rotatable light fixture secured to a junction box via a mounting base. The electrical and/or mechanical connection between the light fixture housing and the mounting base may maintain the electrical coupling during rotation. The light fixture housing may be rotationally secured in a variety of rotational orientations relative to the mounting base.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A rotatable light fixture and receiving mounting base which maintains electrical connectivity between the light fixture and the mounting base, comprising:
the mounting base mountable to a surface and electrically connectable to a junction box and power supply wires of the junction box;
the mounting base having a plurality of annularly extending rotationally exposed contacts and a third contact positioned with the annularly extending rotationally exposed contacts;
the rotatable light fixture including a plurality of electrical contacts in rotational engagement with the plurality of annularly extending rotationally exposed contacts and the third contact of the mounting base;
wherein the light fixture maintains electrical connectivity between the plurality of electrical contacts of the light fixture and the plurality of annularly extending rotationally exposed contacts of the mounting base for rotational engagement between the light fixture and the mounting base;
wherein the light fixture includes a plurality of LEDs, the plurality of LEDs in electrical connectivity with the plurality of electrical contacts of the light fixture;
the mounting base and the light fixture rotationally engaged to each other and rotationally secured to each other through a mechanical locking mechanism.

2. The rotatable light fixture of claim 1 wherein the mechanical locking mechanism includes one or more retention members on one of the mounting base and the light fixture.

3. The rotatable light fixture of claim 2 wherein the light fixture has a first portion and a second portion, the first portion rotatable relative to the second portion.

4. The rotatable light fixture of claim 3 wherein the light fixture first portion rotates relative to the light fixture second portion along a rotational interface.

5. The rotatable light fixture of claim 4 wherein the rotational interface is angled relative to a rear mounting surface of the light fixture.

6. The rotatable light fixture of claim 5 wherein the rotational interface is angled about 40 degrees relative to the rear mounting surface of the light fixture.

7. The rotatable light fixture of claim 2 wherein the light fixture and the mounting base have a first rotational interface and the light fixture has a second rotational interface, both the first and the second rotational interface maintaining electrical connectivity between the plurality of LEDs and the power supply wires of the junction box.

8. The rotatable light fixture of claim 1 wherein the mechanical locking mechanism includes a rotatable cam lock or a magnet on one of the mounting base and the light fixture.

9. The rotatable light fixture of claim 8 , one of the mounting base and light fixture having an annular groove which receives the rotatable cam lock to lock the rotatable cam lock into the annular groove when the rotatable cam lock is activated and fixate the position the light fixture relative to the mounting base.

10. The rotatable light fixture of claim 8 , one of the mounting base or light fixture having a surface which engages the rotatable cam lock to lock the rotatable cam lock onto the surface when the rotatable cam lock is activated and fixate the position the light fixture relative to the mounting base.

11. The rotatable light fixture of claim 8 wherein the rotational engagement is about 360 degrees or less.

12. A rotatable light fixture comprising:
a mounting base structured to be electrically coupled to a junction box;
a light fixture housing rotatably connected to the mounting base defining a plurality of rotational orientations between the light fixture housing and the mounting base;
an electrical connection between the mounting base and the light fixture housing, wherein the electrical connection is rotatably electrically engaged during the plurality of rotational orientations between the light fixture housing and the mounting base during rotation;
wherein the electrical connection between the mounting base and the light fixture housing includes a plurality of electrical contacts on the mounting base combined with a plurality of electrical contacts on the light fixture housing in rotational engagement with the plurality of electrical contacts on the mounting base; and
the light fixture housing and the mounting base rotationally secured in at least one of the plurality of rotational orientations between the light fixture housing and the mounting base;
wherein one of the light fixture housing and the mounting base includes at least one of a cam lock and one or more retention members to rotationally retain the light fixture housing to the mounting base.

13. The rotatable light fixture of claim 12 wherein the other of the mounting base or the light fixture housing includes an annular groove, wherein the at least one of the cam lock and the one or more retention members engage the annular groove.

14. The rotatable light fixture of claim 13 wherein the cam lock at least rotationally secures the light fixture housing relative to the mounting base in the plurality of rotational orientations.

15. The rotatable light fixture of claim 14 wherein the cam lock axially secures the light fixture housing relative to the mounting base.

16. The rotatable light fixture of claim 14 wherein the one or more retention members axially retain the light fixture housing with the mounting base.

17. The rotatable light fixture of claim 14 wherein the one or more retention members include a first retention member and a second retention member, wherein the first retention member is different from the second retention member.

18. The rotatable light fixture of claim 17 wherein the first retention member and the second retention member rotationally and axially engage the annular groove allowing rotation of the light fixture housing relative to the mounting base while maintaining a relative axial position between the light fixture housing and the mounting base, and wherein a first axial removal force to separate the second retention member from the annular groove is less than a second axial removal force to separate the first retention member from the annular groove thereby allowing axial separation of the light fixture housing from the mounting base when the cam lock is disengaged from the annular groove.

19. The rotatable light fixture of claim 13 wherein the light fixture housing includes a light fixture housing first portion and a light fixture housing second portion, the first portion rotatable relative to the second portion.

20. The rotatable light fixture of claim 19 wherein the light fixture housing first portion rotates relative to the light fixture housing second portion along a rotational interface.

21. The rotatable light fixture of claim 20 wherein the rotational interface is angled relative to a rear mounting surface of the light fixture housing.

22. The rotatable light fixture of claim 21 wherein the rotational interface is angled about 40 degrees relative to the rear mounting surface of the light fixture housing.

23. The rotatable light fixture of claim 20 wherein the light fixture housing and the mounting base have a first rotational interface and the light fixture housing has a second rotational interface, both the first and the second rotational interface maintaining electrical connectivity between a plurality of LEDs in the light fixture housing and an electrical connection leading to the junction box.

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Assignees

• Heathco Llc

Inventors

• Dixit Kushagra
• Mcdonald Miles William
• Luu Lionel V
• Tylicki Scott Blaise
• Deaton John Colvin
• Paredes Apollo Paul
• Stevens Leeman Elliot
• Salihovic Amer
• Thompson Stephen Brett

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V23/06

  the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} · CPC title

• F21V23/002

  Arrangements of cables or conductors inside a lighting device, e.g. means for guiding along parts of the housing or in a pivoting arm · CPC title

• F21V21/35

  with direct electrical contact between the supporting element and electric conductors running along the guiding element · CPC title

• H01R35/04

  Turnable line connectors with limited rotation angle {with frictional contact members} · CPC title