WO2025016982A1

WO2025016982A1 - Recessed luminaire rotation

Info

Publication number: WO2025016982A1
Application number: PCT/EP2024/070036
Authority: WO
Inventors: Sagar Ashok PATIL; Oliver Ernst
Original assignee: Signify Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2023-07-20
Filing date: 2024-07-15
Publication date: 2025-01-23

Abstract

A rotary plate is provided for retaining a recessed luminaire in a ceiling opening. The rotary plate can be configured to allow rotation of the recessed luminaire relative to the ceiling opening while the rotary plate remains stationary relative to the ceiling opening. The rotary plate can further include one or more mousetrap brackets that are configured to retain the rotary plate and the recessed luminaire in the ceiling opening, and the rotary plate can also include one or more grooves defined in the plate. The rotary plate can engage with the recessed luminaire and/or a mounting bracket.

Description

Recessed luminaire rotation

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates generally to luminaire systems, and more particularly to recessed luminaires.

BACKGROUND

Recessed lighting often uses various luminaire designs to provide additional lighting in a room, such as to provide general lighting, wall wash lighting, accent lighting, etc. However, recessed luminaire fixtures often encounter obstructions within ceilings that prevent desired rotation and/or aiming of the fixture at various desired angles (such as being able to rotate in a full circle or 360 degrees within a ceiling opening). For example, ceiling joists or other obstacles may block rotation of the structures that are used to mount and retain the luminaire fixture within a recessed ceiling opening.

Thus, a solution that enables rotation and/or aiming of a recessed luminaire fixtures even when the luminaire retaining structures are obstructed may be desirable.

SUMMARY

The present disclosure relates generally to luminaire systems, and more particularly to recessed luminaires. In an example embodiment, a rotary plate is provided for retaining a recessed luminaire in a ceiling opening. The rotary plate includes mousetrap brackets that are configured to retain the rotary plate in the ceiling opening, and a plurality of grooves defined in the plate. The plurality of grooves are configured to allow rotation of the recessed luminaire relative to the ceiling opening while the rotary plate remains stationary relative to the ceiling opening.

The rotary plate can have a variety of embodiments. For example, the rotary plate can further include a plurality of screws that are configured to engage the recessed luminaire through the plurality of grooves. In another example, a spring can engage each of the mousetrap brackets to a corresponding bracket opening on the rotary plate. In still another example, the rotary plate can include a central engagement point that is configured to allow at least one screw to engage the recessed luminaire therethrough. In a further example, the rotary plate can include a plurality of support structures on the rotary plate, and the plurality of support structures can be configured to provide structural support to the rotary plate.

In another aspect, a luminaire system is provided that is configured to be installed in a ceiling. The luminaire system includes at least a luminaire and a rotary plate configured to engage the luminaire. The rotary plate is configured to allow the luminaire to move from a first position in the ceiling to a second position in the ceiling while the rotary plate remains stationary relative to the ceiling.

The luminaire system can have numerous variations. For example, the luminaire system can include a mounting bracket. The mounting bracket can be configured to directly engage the luminaire, and the rotary plate can be configured to directly engage the mounting bracket. In another example, the rotary plate can have a plurality of mousetrap brackets configured to move from a compressed position to an expanded position, and the plurality of mousetrap brackets can be configured to support the recessed luminaire system in the ceiling in the expanded position. In still another example, the rotary plate can have a plurality of grooves, and the grooves can be configured to allow the luminaire to move from the first position to the second position while the rotary plate remains stationary.

In still another aspect, a recessed luminaire system is provided that is configured to be installed in a ceiling opening. The recessed luminaire system includes a recessed luminaire, a mounting bracket that is configured to engage the recessed luminaire, and a rotary plate that is configured to engage the mounting bracket. The rotary plate has one or more mousetrap brackets and one or more rotation grooves. The one or more mousetrap brackets are configured to retain the luminaire system in the ceiling opening, and the rotation grooves are configured to allow rotation of the recessed luminaire in the ceiling opening independently of rotation of the rotary plate.

The recessed luminaire system can have various different embodiments. For example, the recessed luminaire system can further include a plurality of screws that are configured to engage the rotary plate to the mounting bracket through the one or more rotation grooves. In another example, the recessed luminaire system can include a plurality of screws that are configured to engage the mounting bracket to the recessed luminaire through a plurality of openings defined in the mounting bracket. In still another example, one or more springs can couple the one or more mousetrap brackets to the rotary plate, and the one or more mousetrap brackets can be configured to move from a first, compressed position to a second, relaxed position. These and other aspects, objects, features, and embodiments will be apparent from the following description and the appended claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, and wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates a perspective view of a rotary plate, mounting bracket, and luminaire fixture according to an example embodiment;

Fig. 2 illustrates a partially exploded perspective view of the rotary plate, mounting bracket, and luminaire fixture according to the example embodiment of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 illustrates a perspective view of the rotary plate according to the example embodiment of Figure 1;

Fig. 4 illustrates a perspective view of the rotary plate, mounting bracket, and luminaire fixture installed in a ceiling according to the example embodiment of Figure 1;

Fig. 5 illustrates atop down view of the rotary plate, mounting bracket, and luminaire fixture installed in the ceiling according to the example embodiment of Figures 1 and 4;

Fig. 6 illustrates a perspective view of a rotary plate according to another example embodiment; and

Fig. 7 illustrates a perspective view of a rotary plate according to another example embodiment.

The drawings illustrate only example embodiments and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The elements and features shown in the drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon clearly illustrating the principles of the example embodiments. Additionally, certain dimensions or placements may be exaggerated to help visually convey such principles. In the drawings, the same reference numerals used in different drawings may designate like or corresponding but not necessarily identical elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following paragraphs, example embodiments will be described in further detail with reference to the figures. In the description, well known components, methods, and/or processing techniques are omitted or briefly described. Furthermore, reference to various feature(s) of the embodiments is not to suggest that all embodiments must include the referenced feature(s).

In some example embodiments, a rotary plate is configured to allow a recessed luminaire fixture to rotate in a circle when the luminaire fixture is installed in an opening in a ceiling, including in situations in which the rotary plate itself is unable to rotate relative to the ceiling. For example, a rotary plate can be configured to engage a mounting bracket, which in turn engages a recessed luminaire fixture. After installation of the luminaire fixture in an opening in a ceiling, the rotary plate can act to support and retain the luminaire fixture in the ceiling. Once installed, orientation of the luminaire fixture can be changed to alter the light generated by the fixture based on desired lighting needs of an environment by rotating the luminaire fixture, the mounting bracket, and the rotary plate. In some situations, however, the rotary plate may encounter obstructions, such as ceiling joists, that may prevent further rotation of the rotary plate. Embodiments of the disclosed rotary plate are thus configured to allow further rotation of the luminaire fixture even when the rotary plate is no longer able to rotate, for instance allowing the luminaire fixture to rotate in a full circle (or 360 degrees) even when the rotary plate cannot continue to rotate.

For example, Figures 1-5 illustrate one embodiment of a rotary plate 100 configured to be engaged to a mounting bracket 200 and a recessed luminaire fixture 300, and the rotary plate 100 is configured to allow the luminaire fixture 300 to rotate in a circle when the luminaire fixture 300 is installed in a recessed opening in a ceiling 500. For instance, rotation of the luminaire fixture 300 can occur even when the rotary plate 100 comes into contact with obstructions in the ceiling 500 that prevent the rotary plate 100 itself from continued rotation, such as ceiling j oists 550 as further discussed below. The illustrated rotary plate 100 is attached to the mounting bracket 200 via screws 400, which is similarly attached to the luminaire fixture 300 via screws 410, as additionally discussed below.

The illustrated rotary plate 100 includes at least grooves 120 defined in the plate 100, mousetrap brackets 110, a central engagement point 130, and support structures 140. The plate 100 is formed in a generally circular shape and can be formed out of a variety of materials, such as sheet metal, plastics, alloys, etc.

The grooves 120 are configured to allow screws 400 engaged with the luminaire fixture 300 to slide along the grooves 120, thus allowing rotation of the luminaire fixture 300 when the fixture 300 is installed in a recessed opening in the ceiling 500. The grooves 120 allow the shafts of the screws 400 to pass therethrough while engaging and supporting the heads of the screws 400. The shafts of the screws 400 can then thread into openings on the mounting bracket 200, which in turn is secured to the recessed luminaire fixture 300 by screws 410. Once the screws 400 are secured through the plate 100 and into the mounting bracket 200 and the fixture 300, the grooves 120 are configured to guide the screws 400 in a circular rotation about a central axis Al of the rotary plate 100 while the relative position of the rotary plate 100 is maintained, which in turn allows the luminaire fixture 300 to be guided in a similar circular rotation. The grooves 120 extend around the rotary plate 100 in a generally semicircular shape, and two grooves 120 are arranged opposite each other in the illustrated embodiment. However, in other embodiments, one or more grooves can be defined in the plate, and they can be positioned at a variety of different points around the rotary plate depending on desired engagement points on various luminaire fixtures.

The rotary plate 100 also has a central engagement point 130 that receives the shaft of a screw 400 therethrough and supports the head of the screw 400, similar to the grooves 120. The central engagement point 130 is located at the center of the rotary plate 100 along the central axis Al, and it is configured to help support and secure the rotary plate 100 to the mounting bracket 200 while allowing rotation of the mounting bracket 200 (and in turn the luminaire fixture 300) relative to the rotary plate 100 about the central axis Al.

Additionally, the illustrated mousetrap brackets 110 engage with bracket openings 112 on the rotary plate 100 through spring portions 114, and are configured to support the rotary plate 100 and the luminaire fixture 300 in the ceiling 500 after installation. The brackets 110 are configured to flatten along the body of the recessed luminaire fixture 300 during installation and return to their former open state once installed in the ceiling 500 to engage with the ceiling 500 and retain the luminaire fixture 300 in the recessed opening of the ceiling 500. There are two mousetrap brackets 110 in the illustrated embodiment arranged across the rotary plate 100 from each other. However, in other embodiments, one or more mousetrap brackets can be provided, and they can be arranged at a variety of points around the rotary plate.

Support structures 140 are provided on the rotary plate 100 to provide additional strength and structural integrity to portions of the plate 100. There are three illustrated support structures 140 in the shape of ridges of additional material around the region of the plate 100 where the mousetrap brackets 110 engage with the bracket openings 112. In other embodiments, one or more support structures can have different shapes and be arranged in different locations depending on where additional support is desired. Furthermore, the rotary plate 100 has openings 150 therein that function to reduce overall weight and material used of the rotary plate 100. While the illustrated rotary plate has two openings 150 with semicircular shapes between the central engagement point 130 and the grooves 120, there can be any number of openings in a variety of different shapes in the plate depending on desired weight and structural integrity.

The illustrated luminaire fixture 300 is a wall wash module configured to be installed in a recessed opening in the ceiling 500. As discussed above, the luminaire fixture 300 is configured to indirectly engage with the rotary plate 100 through the mounting bracket 200, and the luminaire fixture 300 is configured to provide lighting to a room and rotate in a circle about the central axis Al once installed in the ceiling 500. The illustrated luminaire fixture 300 is a Halo ML flex series wall wash design. However, a number of different recessed luminaire fixtures can be used in various embodiments. Additionally, the mounting bracket 200 is configured to engage the rotary plate 100 to the luminaire fixture 300 and help facilitate rotation of the fixture 300 by the plate 100. The illustrated mounting bracket 200 has an approximately U shape with three openings 210 configured to receive screws 400 from the rotary plate 100 and two openings 220 configured to receive screws 410 that thread into openings 310 on the luminaire fixture 300. However, the mounting bracket can have a variety of different shapes and a variety of different numbers and positions of openings depending on what luminaire fixture is used and how the rotary plate is configured to engage to the particular luminaire fixture through the mounting bracket in each embodiment. Furthermore, the mounting bracket can be excluded entirely in some embodiments, in which case the rotary plate can be configured to engage directly to the luminaire fixture. Thus, in some embodiments, the mounting bracket can directly engage the rotary plate and/or the luminaire fixture, and in some embodiments, the rotary plate can directly or indirectly engage the luminaire fixture. The mounting bracket 200 can be made out of a variety of different materials, such as metal, plastic, alloys, etc.

In use, the rotary plate 100 is attached to the mounting bracket 200 via screws 400 passing through the grooves 120 of the rotary plate 100 and threading into the openings 210 of the mounting bracket 200, and the mounting bracket 200 is attached to the luminaire fixture 300 via screws 410 passing through openings 210 of the mounting bracket 200 and threading into the openings 310 of the luminaire fixture 300.

A user installs the luminaire fixture 300 into a recessed opening 510 defined in the ceiling 500. During insertion of the luminaire fixture 300 into the opening 510, the mousetrap brackets 110 flatten along the body of the recessed luminaire fixture 300 by bending at the spring portions 114 as the user pushes the luminaire fixture 300 into the ceiling 500. When the user fully inserts the luminaire fixture 300 into the opening 510 in the ceiling 500, the mousetrap brackets 110 spring back into their former open state and engage the ceiling 500 to hold the luminaire fixture 300 in the recessed opening 510, as illustrated in Figure 4.

Once the luminaire fixture 300 is installed, the fixture 300 can be rotated about the central axis Al to a desired orientation based on the lighting needs of a room. During rotation, the mousetrap brackets 110 may encounter obstacles in the ceiling 500, such as ceiling joists 550. Figure 5 illustrates an exemplary scenario in which arrows illustrate an exemplary direction of rotation and a broken circle highlights an exemplary point of contact between one of the mousetrap bracket 110 and one of the illustrated ceiling joists 550. In the illustrated example, once the mousetrap bracket 110 encounters the ceiling joist 550, the rotary plate 100 may no longer be able to rotate because of the obstruction. The luminaire fixture 300 may still need to be rotated further based on desired lighting in the room. So the grooves 120 on the rotary plate 100 allow the luminaire fixture 300 to continue to be rotated because the screws 400 connecting the rotary plate 100 to the mounting bracket 200 (which in turn is connected to the luminaire fixture 300) can continue to travel along the grooves 120 even with the main body of the rotary plate 100 remaining fixed in position. While ceiling joists are illustrated in Figures 4 and 5, any number of different obstructions in ceilings may prevent rotation of the rotary plate 100 and thus necessitate rotation of the luminaire fixture thanks to grooves.

Thus, the rotary plate is configured to allow the luminaire fixture 300 to continue to rotate about the central axis Al relative to the ceiling 500 even when the rotary plate 100 itself is obstructed (and consequentially immobile relative to the ceiling 500).

Only one embodiment of the rotary plate has been provided above, and the rotary plate can have a variety of different embodiments. For example, Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of a rotary plate 600 that is similar to the rotary plate 100 discussed above. For example, the rotary plate 600 has grooves 620 similar to the grooves 120 discussed above that can receive screws therethrough and allow rotation of a luminaire fixture, and the plate 600 has a plurality of bracket openings 612 similar to the bracket openings 112 discussed above that can receive one or more mousetrap brackets therein. The rotary plate 600 is configured to allow a user a variety of options as to where to attach one or more mousetrap brackets based on a particular arrangement of a ceiling and possible ceiling obstructions. One or more of the elements of and/or descriptions provided above with respect to the rotary plates 100, 600 can be incorporated with the other rotary plate 100, 600. Furthermore, Figure 7 illustrates another embodiment of a rotary plate 700 that is similar to the rotary plates 100, 600 discussed above. For example, the rotary plate 700 has a plurality of openings 712 defined therein similar to the bracket openings 112 discussed above that are configured to receive one or more mousetrap brackets therein. The rotary plate 700 is configured to allow a user a variety of options as to where to attach one or more mousetrap brackets based on a particular arrangement of a ceiling and possible ceiling obstructions. The rotary plate 700 additionally has one or more mounting brackets 715 extending therefrom that are configured to engage with a luminaire fixture directly via screws extending through openings 717 that can thread directly into corresponding openings on a luminaire fixture, thus removing the need for a separate and distinct mounting bracket to allow the rotary plate 700 to engage with a luminaire fixture. The specific number and arrangement of openings and/or mounting brackets can be altered based on a corresponding luminaire fixture. Additionally, as discussed above, one or more of the elements of and/or descriptions provided above with respect to the rotary plates 100, 600, 700 can be incorporated with any of the other rotary plate(s) 100, 600, 700.

Although particular embodiments have been described herein in detail, the descriptions are by way of example. The features of the example embodiments described herein are representative and, in alternative embodiments, certain features, elements, and/or steps may be added or omitted. Additionally, modifications to aspects of the example embodiments described herein may be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the following claims, the scope of which are to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass modifications and equivalent structures.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A luminaire system configured to be installed in a ceiling, the luminaire system comprising: a luminaire (300); a rotary plate (100) configured to engage the luminaire (300), the rotary plate (100) being configured to allow the luminaire (300) to move from a first position in the ceiling to a second position in the ceiling while the rotary plate (100) remains stationary relative to the ceiling, the rotary plate (100) having a plurality of grooves (120), and the plurality of grooves (120) being configured to allow the luminaire (300) to move from the first position to the second position while the rotary plate (100) remains stationary.

2. The luminaire system of claim 1, further comprising a mounting bracket (200), wherein the mounting bracket (200) is configured to directly engage the luminaire (300), and the rotary plate (100) is configured to directly engage the mounting bracket (200).

3. The luminaire system of claim 1, wherein the rotary plate (100) has a plurality of mousetrap brackets (110) configured to move from a compressed position to an expanded position, and the plurality of mousetrap brackets (110) being configured to support the luminaire system in the ceiling in the expanded position.

4. A rotary plate for retaining a recessed luminaire in a ceiling opening, the rotary plate comprising: mousetrap brackets (110) configured to retain the rotary plate in the ceiling opening; and a plurality of grooves (120) defined in the plate, the plurality of grooves (120) being configured to allow rotation of the recessed luminaire relative to the ceiling opening while the rotary plate remains stationary relative to the ceiling opening.

5. The rotary plate of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of screws (400) configured to engage the recessed luminaire through the plurality of grooves (120).

6. The rotary plate of claim 4, wherein a spring (114) engages each of the mousetrap brackets (110) to a corresponding bracket opening (112) on the rotary plate.

7. The rotary plate of claim 4, further comprising a central engagement point (130) configured to allow at least one screw (400) to engage the recessed luminaire therethrough.

8. The rotary plate of claim 4, further comprising a plurality of support structures (140) on the rotary plate, the plurality of support structures (140) configured to provide structural support to the rotary plate.

9. A recessed luminaire system configured to be installed in a ceiling opening, the recessed luminaire system comprising: a recessed luminaire (300); a mounting bracket (200) configured to engage the recessed luminaire (300); and a rotary plate (100) configured to engage the mounting bracket (200), the rotary plate (100) having one or more mousetrap brackets (110) and one or more rotation grooves (120), the one or more mousetrap brackets (1100) being configured to retain the luminaire system in the ceiling opening, the rotation grooves (120) being configured to allow rotation of the recessed luminaire (300) in the ceiling opening independently of rotation of the rotary plate (100).

10. The recessed luminaire system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of screws (400) configured to engage the rotary plate (100) to the mounting bracket (200) through the one or more rotation grooves (120).

11. The recessed luminaire system of claim 9, further comprising a plurality of screws (410) configured to engage the mounting bracket (200) to the recessed luminaire (300) through a plurality of openings (210) defined in the mounting bracket (200).

12. The recessed luminaire system of claim 9, wherein one or more springs (114) couple the one or more mousetrap brackets (110) to the rotary plate (100), and the one or more mousetrap brackets (110) are configured to move from a first, compressed position to a second, relaxed position.