Illumination – Housing – With mounting means
Reexamination Certificate
1999-11-09
2001-10-02
Cariaso, Alan (Department: 2875)
Illumination
Housing
With mounting means
C362S249070, C362S147000, C362S367000, C362S432000, C439S220000, C439S537000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06296377
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to lighting fixtures and, more particularly, to a wall-mountable lantern for indoor or outdoor use.
2. Related Art
Wall-mounted outdoor lanterns have become an increasingly popular means of providing supplemental lighting for both commercial and residential buildings and for enhancing the exterior appearance of the buildings. Wall-mounted outdoor lanterns typically include a mounting assembly having a mount plate which is attached to and interfaces with an electrical junction box included in the residential or commercial structure, and a hollow arm protruding from the mount plate. Electrical wiring is routed from the junction box through the hollow arm to the light fixture included in the lantern.
Wall-mounted outdoor lanterns may generally be subdivided into the following two classifications: standard or low outlet configuration; and high outlet configuration. With standard or low outlet configuration lanterns, the arm of the mounting assembly is mechanically attached to a lower portion of the lantern housing which contains the included light fixture, with the electrical wiring entering the lantern through a lower portion of the lantern housing. An example of a standard or low outlet lantern is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 388,219, issued to Hsu.
With high outlet lanterns, the mounting assembly is mechanically connected to an upper portion of the lantern housing with the electrical wiring entering the lantern through the upper portion of the housing. An example of a high outlet lantern is illustrated in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 314,834 issued to Rottner.
Wholesale and retail purchasers of wall mounted lanterns often require a wide variety of configurations or “looks” in order to satisfy their customers. For instance, in a residential subdivision, an electrician may be required to install a wide variety of outdoor lanterns to satisfy the desire of one or more home purchasers to have a distinctive exterior appearance for their home. However, although conventional outdoor lanterns offer some variation in appearance, for instance by replacing a finial with a tail assembly, they are relatively inflexible with regard to achieving a variety of configurations from the same basic lantern. As an example, with conventional wall-mounted outdoor lanterns which are known by the inventors, the electrical wires leading from the electrical junction box are “hard wired” to the light fixture included in the lantern. This feature does not permit the lantern to be converted from a low to a high outlet configuration, or vice versa, while retaining the light fixture in the same position, without rewiring the lantern which requires a professional and is generally not practical. Rotating the lantern 180° to change the lantern from a low to a high outlet configuration, or vice versa, is also generally not practical. In the first instance, known lanterns typically are not symmetrical with regard to the included upper and lower portions, thereby preventing such a rotation. In the second instance, even if the lantern has such symmetry, this rotation would result in a changed position of the included lamp sockets and light bulbs, since the lamp sockets are hard wired. For instance, bulbs originally disposed in a “base-down” burning configuration would be changed to a “base-up” burning configuration. When candelabra based light bulbs are used, a base-up burning configuration is generally considered to be unacceptable since this configuration adversely affects the service life of the light bulbs due to overheating of the light bulbs.
Additionally, although conventional outdoor lanterns are known to include either open or closed bottom configurations, the inventors are unaware of any existing lantern which is available in both configurations.
SUMMARY
In view of the foregoing needs, the present invention is directed to a convertible modular lantern which may be mounted to the electrical junction box of a residential or commercial structure. Alternatively, the convertible modular lantern may be mounted directly to a wall of the residential or commercial structure if desired, or necessary, for instance due to the absence of an electrical junction box in older structures. Although the convertible modular lantern of the present invention may be advantageously utilized in either indoor or outdoor applications, the convertible modular lantern of the present invention has particular application for outdoor use. The convertible modular lantern of the present invention may be configured as either a high outlet or a low outlet lantern, may have an open bottom or a closed bottom and may include either a decorative finial or a tail assembly attached to and extending below a lower housing of the configurations including a closed bottom. Each configuration of the convertible modular lantern may be converted from a high outlet to a low outlet configuration, or vice versa, due to the incorporation of a downrod and light cluster assembly which has upper and lower electrical connectors which are selectively connected to a mating connector coupled to the source of 120 vac electrical power of the structure, for instance via connection with the electrical wires leading from the junction box of the structure to which the lantern is mounted. For instance, if a standard, or low outlet configuration is desired, the connector coupled to the source of 120 vac electrical power of the structure is connected to the lower connector of the downrod and light cluster assembly. Alternatively, if a high outlet configuration is desired, the connector coupled to the source of 120 vac electrical power is connected to the upper connector of the downrod and light cluster assembly. The incorporation of the downrod and light cluster assembly in each embodiment of the modular lantern of the present invention, combined with the mating connector and associated wiring, allows the lantern to be converted from high a outlet to low outlet configuration, or vice versa, while retaining the included lamp sockets disposed toward the bottom end of the lantern shade assembly and oriented such that the included light bulbs are in a “base-down” burning configuration, as opposed to a base-up burning configuration. This is particularly important when candelabra based light bulbs are used. Candelabra based light bulbs have a significantly increased service life when operated in a base-down burning configuration due to heat problems associated with a base-up burning configuration which causes the bulbs to overheat, thereby adversely affecting the service life of the candelabra based light bulbs.
Additionally, the use of interchangeable parts in the various embodiments of the convertible modular lantern of the present invention allow a user to create a wide variety of distinctly different “looks” or variations of the lantern. At least five different basic configurations may be achieved, corresponding to the below listed configurations, with additional variations achieved by substituting alternate finial designs and materials of construction:
high outlet, with open bottom;
high outlet, with closed bottom and finial attached to the lower housing;
high outlet, closed bottom with tail assembly attached to the lower housing;
low outlet, closed bottom with tail assembly attached to the mount assembly proximate the lower housing; and
low outlet, closed bottom with finial attached to the mount assembly proximate the lower housing.
This ability to create a wide variety of different looks or variations of an outdoor lantern is extremely important to a retailer who would have to stock at least three and possibly five different lanterns to achieve the various looks or variations that are possible with the modular lantern of the present invention, if the retailer were to use existing conventional lanterns. This allows the retailer to save shelf space and sell other profitable products. This is referred to in the art as “s.k.u. reduction” and is very important as it greatly increases the value of the retailer
Martini Laszlo Henry
Pape Robert J.
Patz Jason D.
Wilson Robert E.
Baker, Donelson Bearman & Caldwell
Cariaso Alan
Hunter Fan Company
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