Retrofit kit for recessed light fixtures and retrofitting method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016153641-A1
Application number	US-201514950020-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Nov 24, 2015
Priority date	Nov 28, 2014
Publication date	Jun 2, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A retrofit kit adapted to existing recessed light fixtures having housings of different depths and/or configurations is described herein. The retrofit kit includes a flat flexible reflector and at least one pair of fasteners adapted to secure the flat flexible reflector in the housing of an existing recessed light fixture. The reflector can be flexed to different curved shapes to fit the housings. A retrofitting method for an existing recessed light fixture is also disclosed.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A retrofit kit for existing recessed light fixtures, the existing recessed light fixtures each comprising:
a housing, wherein the housing comprises
an upper base panel, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite to the first side wall, a third side wall, and a fourth side wall opposite to the third side wall, the first, second, third and fourth side walls extending substantially downward from the upper base panel, an opening being defined by lower edges of the first, second, third and fourth side walls; and
the retrofit kit comprising a reflector, said reflector is a substantially flat flexible sheet adapted to be flexed to a curved shape against the third and fourth side walls of a housing during installation of the retrofit kit; and at least one pair of fasteners adapted to secure the reflector in the housing.

2 . The retrofit kit according to claim 1 , wherein the opening of the housing has a rectangular shape with a length (L 1 ) and a width (W 1 ), L 1 being the distance between the lower edges of the first and the second side walls, W 1 being the distance between the lower edges of the third and the fourth side walls, the reflector has a second rectangular shape with a length (L 2 ) and a width (W 2 ) in the range of: 0.9L 1 <L 2 <L 1 ; 0.9W 1 <W 2 <W 1 .

3 . The retrofit kit according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the fasteners comprises a first end adapted to be coupled to the housing through a pivot and a second end extending laterally adapted to secure the reflector through rotating around the pivot.

4 . The retrofit kit according to claim 3 , wherein the fastener further comprises a rod connecting with the second end of the fastener and extending toward the upper base panel of the housing after installation of the fastener, wherein the reflector has at least one through hole adapted to receive the rod of the fastener extending therethrough.

5 . The retrofit kit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a first and a second mounting brackets adapted to be coupled to the housing adjacent to the first and the second side walls of the housing respectively, the reflector being coupled between the first and the second mounting brackets through at least one pair of fasteners.

6 . The retrofit kit according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one light module; at least one pair of fixing components adapted to secure the at least one light module in the housing; and a power supply component adapted to be coupled to the housing and electrically connected with the at least one light module.

7 . The retrofit kit according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one light module comprises a light emitting diode.

8 . The retrofit kit according to claim 7 , wherein the power supply component comprises a light emitting diode driver.

9 . The retrofit kit according to claim 6 , wherein the at least one light module comprises a fluorescent lamp.

10 . The retrofit kit according to claim 9 , wherein the power supply component comprises a ballast, the fixing components comprise at least one pair of electrical sockets adapted to electrically connect with the ballast, each pair of electrical sockets completing a circuit when the fluorescent lamp is coupled between the pair of electrical sockets.

11 . The retrofit kit according to claim 6 , wherein the power supply component is adapted to be coupled in a space between the reflector and the upper base panel of the housing.

12 . The retrofit kit according to claim 6 , further comprising:
a first and a second mounting brackets adapted to be coupled to the housing adjacent to the first and the second side walls of the housing respectively, the flexiable reflator being coupled between the first and the second mounting brackets through at least one pair of fasteners, the light module being coupled between the first and the second mounting brackets through at least one pair of fixing components.

13 . The retrofit kit according to claim 12 , wherein the power supply component is adapted to be coupled in a space between one of the first and the second mounting brackets and the upper base panel of the housing.

14 . A method of retrofitting an existing recessed light fixture, the existing recessed light fixture having a housing, the housing comprising an upper base panel, a first side wall, a second side wall opposite to the first side wall, a third side wall, and a fourth side wall opposite to the third side wall, the first, second, third and fourth side walls extending substantially downward from the upper base panel, an opening being defined by lower edges of the first, second, third and fourth side walls, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a reflector and at least one pair of fasteners adapted to secure the reflector in the housing, said reflector is a substantially flat flexible sheet; and placing the reflector between the first and the second side walls of the housing, adjusting the curved shape of the reflector against the third and fourth side walls, and securing the reflector using said at least one pair of fasteners.

15 . The method according to claim 14 , wherein the opening of the housing has a rectangular shape with a length (L 1 ) and a width (W 1 ), L 1 being the distance between the lower edges of the first and second side walls, W 1 being the distance between the lower edges of the third and fourth side walls, the reflector has a second rectangular shape with a length (L 2 ) and a width (W 2 ) in the range of: 0.9L 1 <L 2 <L 1 ; 0.9W 1 <W 2 <W 1 .

16 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
providing a first and a second mounting brackets; coupling at least one pair of fasteners to the first and the second mounting brackets respectively; and coupling the first and the second mounting brackets to the housing adjacent to the first and the second side walls of the housing respectively.

17 . The method according to claim 14 , further comprising:
providing at least one light module, at least one pair of fixing components adapted to secure the at least one light module in the housing, and a power supply component; coupling the power supply component to the housing; and coupling the at least one light module between the first and the second side walls of the housing using said at least one pair of fixing components and electrically coupling the light module to the power supply component.

18 . The method according to claim 17 , further comprising:
providing a first and a second mounting brackets; coupling at least one pair of fasteners to the first and the second mounting brackets respectively; and coupling the first and the second mounting brackets to the housing adjacent to the first and the second side walls of the housing respectively.

Assignees

• Ge Lighting Solutions Llc

Inventors

• Fang Min
• Bugenske Matthew A
• Fu Yingchun
• He Jianxue

Classifications

• F21V7/05

  plane · CPC title

• F21V7/005

  with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources · CPC title

• F21V7/10

  Construction · CPC title

• F21Y2103/10

  comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements · CPC title

• F21K9/27

  Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes · CPC title