Recessed lighting

Details Recessed lighting Recessed lighting

2002-04-30

2004-04-27

O'Shea, Sandra (Department: 2875)

Illumination

Housing

Recessed

C362S365000, C362S444000, C362S396000

Reexamination Certificate

active

06726347

ABSTRACT:

BACKGROUND
This invention relates to recessed lighting.
Light fixtures that are recessed in thermal barriers in buildings may form conducting thermal conduits across the barriers. For example, a light fixture recessed in a ceiling separating a heated room from an unheated attic may penetrate into insulation above the ceiling and form a low resistance path for the flow of heated air from the room to the attic, decreasing the energy efficiency of the house and increasing the monthly energy bill of the homeowner.
SUMMARY
To limit the flow of air across a thermal barrier, a recessed light fixture may include a light source enclosure face defining an aperture. The enclosure face may include a spring retainer spaced outward from the aperture. The spring retainer may include a bridge portion forming a portion of the circumference of the aperture and a slot defined between the bridge portion and the enclosure face.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features. For example, the enclosure face may be a reflector face. The aperture may be dimensioned to pass a connection portion of alight source. The slot may be oriented substantially transversely relative to the aperture. The bridge portion may be substantially coplanar with the enclosure face. The bridge portion may be inside the light source enclosure bounded by the enclosure face, for example, the bridge portion may be less than about ⅛ of an inch inside. The bridge portion may be joined to the enclosure face by a pair of joining portions at the ends of the bridge portion.
The recessed light fixture may also include a socket configured to connect to a light source. The socket may be mounted in alignment with the aperture. The recessed light fixture may also include a spring received in the slot to mount the socket in alignment with the aperture. The aperture may be substantially circular and the spring retainer may be spaced radially outward from the aperture.
The light source enclosure face may also include a second spring retainer including a second bridge portion forming a second portion of the circumference of the aperture and a second slot defined between the second bridge portion and the enclosure face. The spring may include a pair of legs, with each leg joined to the socket and having a curved latching end. The spring retainers may be diametrically opposed about the aperture.
In another general aspect, a recessed light fixture includes a light source enclosure face defining an aperture and a slot spaced outward from the aperture. The slot may be oriented substantially transversely relative to the aperture.
Implementations may include one or more of the following features and one or more of the features noted above. For example, the light source enclosure face may define a second slot spaced radially outward from the aperture. The second slot may be oriented substantially transversely relative to the aperture. The slots may be diametrically opposed about the aperture. The aperture may be substantially circular, and the slot may be spaced radially outward from the aperture.
The details of one or more implementations are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.


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