Electrical connectors – With supporting means for coupling part – Supporting means comprising face plate or closure member for...
Reexamination Certificate
2003-08-26
2004-08-24
Nasri, Javaid H. (Department: 2839)
Electrical connectors
With supporting means for coupling part
Supporting means comprising face plate or closure member for...
C439S313000, C439S314000, C439S334000, C439S092000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06780049
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a ceiling fan or light fixture hanging system and in particular to a male and female ramp lock quick connect electrical connection, which allows a quick, easy, and less cumbersome, installation of a ceiling fan or light fixture to an electric outlet box located on the ceiling.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Traditionally, ceiling fans have been installed by a laborious, time consuming and often cumbersome practice. The conventional ceiling plate is secured to an electric outlet box by passing the lead wires of the outlet box through a central circular opening in the ceiling plate. Mounting screws are passed through two elongated openings in the ceiling plate to threadingly engage with two threaded holes diagonally separated from each other on the periphery of the outlet box. Alternatively, wood screws are passed through the ceiling plate and the outlet box and into a wood stud which supports the outlet box. In either event, the screws are tightened until the ceiling plate is securely mounted on the outlet box.
The typical ceiling plate includes a hanging hook having a first portion which extends vertically downward from the ceiling plate at a location approximately one-half way between one end and the central circular opening. The hanging hook terminates in a second portion having a free end, which is bent back up towards the central opening of the ceiling plate.
When a typical ceiling fan assembly is mounted to the ceiling plate, the motor, fan blades and an optional light assembly are secured to a canopy by a down rod or hanger rod. The down rod passes through a central opening in the canopy with a ball mount located at an end of the down rod engaged by a periphery of the opening of the canopy. A radially inwardly extending prong projecting from the periphery of the opening of the canopy engages a slot in the ball mount to allow pivoting of the fan assembly with respect to the canopy.
The canopy includes at each of two opposite locations, a hole and an L-shaped groove. When assembled, the fan assembly is lifted by the canopy so that one hole on one side of the canopy is fitted through the free end of the ceiling hook. The fan assembly is thereby suspended from the ceiling hook.
The electrical lead wires from the ceiling plate are then connected to the lead wires from the fan motor. When the electrical connections are completed, a screw is installed in each of the two screw holes located on opposite sides of the ceiling plate.
The installer of the fan assembly, who is usually positioned at an elevated height by a ladder or some other means, must then lift the entire fan assembly and free the fan assembly from the ceiling plate by removing the canopy from engagement with the free end of the ceiling hook. The amount of allowable movement of the fan assembly is limited by the connection of the electrical wire leads. Therefore, only a small amount of movement of the fan assembly is possible before strain is placed on the connections of the wire leads.
The canopy and fan assembly are lifted until the L-shaped grooves on opposite sides of the canopy are fitted over the shanks of the screws secured in the opposite sides of the ceiling plate. The canopy is at first lifted vertically until the shank of each screw engages the bottom of the portion of the L-shaped groove, which is initiated at the uppermost edge of the canopy. The canopy and therefore the entire fan assembly is then twisted so that the shanks of the screws in the ceiling plate slide in the remaining portion of the L-shaped grooves in the canopy.
The canopy of the fan assembly is twisted until the holes at the opposite sides of the canopy are aligned with the two remaining screw holes in the opposite sides of the ceiling plate. A third and fourth screw are inserted, respectively, through the opposite sides of the canopy and into the ceiling plate to anchor the canopy and thus the entire fan assembly on the ceiling plate and suspend the fan from the ceiling.
Prior art patents have not adequately addressed the problem of providing a quick release ceiling electrical ceiling fixture.
U.S. Pat. No. 2,300,487, issued Nov. 3, 1942 to Conteville, discloses an outlet fitting for electric currents, which is composed of two half-parts. The first half-part is a fixed part that is rigidly attached to the ceiling or similar inaccessible position. The detachable second half-part is adapted to be attached to or detached from the fixed half of the device. Both the fixed part and the detachable part are equipped with electrical contacts, which maintain good electrical when the two half-parts are locked together. The contacts of the detachable part are spring pressed against the corresponding contacts of the fixed part. The detachable part may be have a lamp holder or a similar suspended fixture mounted directly therein. The two half-parts of the device lock together by means of a pin structure that protrudes from the detachable portion, which slides into and seats in a slot provided in the fixed portion, thereby engaging the electrical contacts.
U.S. Pat. No. 1,639,125, issued Agu. 16, 1927 to Benjamin, indicates an electrical connector device that provides the means to support a fixture in position with respect to a receptacle in such a manner that it can be readily connected and disconnected both electrically and mechanically.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,558,537, issued Sep. 24, 1996 to Su, provides a ceiling fixture mounting structure that includes a ceiling fixture holder fixed to the ceiling around the wire hole on the ceiling. The structure also includes a circular mounting plate detachably fastened to the ceiling fixture holder by swivel joint, which has a connecting block with a cut at the center. The structure further includes a ceiling fixture body fastened to the mounting plate by screws, wherein by matching the cut on the connecting block with a stop plate on the ceiling fixture holder, the mounting plate is accurately fastened to the ceiling fixture holder, causing the contact metal plates of on the connecting block respectively and positively disposed in contact with the contact metal plates on the ceiling fixture holder.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,952,157, issued Agu. 28, 1990 to Hudson, illustrates an electrical coupling device for detachably securing a fixture to an electrical outlet box, which comprises male and female interconnecting components. The fixture is connected to the male component where the male component is secured to the female component by rotating the male component. The male component has a plurality of catches. The male has a plurality of studs for insertion and engagement with the catches by way of rotational movement of the studs into the catches. The catches are spaced apart in a circular array at a first radius. The improvement comprises at least two spaced apart female resilient clips of electrically conductive metal. The clips are located in a circular pattern at a second radius on the female component. The male component has at least two spaced-apart contacts of electrically conductive metal. The contacts are located in a circular pattern at the second radius. The male contacts are in register with the clips when the studs are in register with the catches. Rotation of the male component to engage the studs with the catches simultaneously engages the contacts with the clips to depress the clip slightly to ensure electrical contact The electrical coupling device is characterized by minimal protrusion into the electrical junction box; direct mounting by means of a simple one-step rotation; and applicability to a wide range of fixtures and sizes of electrical outlet boxes; and direct mounting without the requirement of an outlet box.
U.S. Patent Application No. 20020163812, published Nov. 7, 2002 by Tseng, illustrates a fast assembling structure for ceiling fan lamp and ceiling fan, which includes a base tray and a lamp seat. The base tray has an upward extending tube. An inner wall of the tube is formed with two radially opposite slid
D'Angelo Carlo Armond
D'Angelo Lisa Ann
Meeker Donald W.
Nasri Javaid H.
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