IP Library Granted Patent US 7,637,642
Granted Patent B2
US 7,637,642 · App. 11/864,300 · Granted Dec 29, 2009

Light fixture support system

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 7,637,642
App. No.
11/864,300
Granted
Dec 29, 2009
Kind
B2
Abstract

The inventive ceiling-mounted light-fixture support assembly includes a mounting bracket having upper and lower surfaces, a length, and a width between two width sides. The assembly also includes a fixture attachment member having a top with portions defining a top opening which has a width narrower than the width of the mounting bracket. The fixture attachment member further has a recessed portion defining a slideway which (a) is in lateral communication with the top opening, (b) has a width wider than the width of the mounting bracket, and (c) is spaced sufficiently lower than the opening-defining portions of the top to receive the two width sides of the mounting bracket. In use, the fixture attachment member can be positioned so that the mounting bracket is at least partially within the slideway and then repositioned so that the mounting bracket is within the top opening for light-fixture support.

Claims (27)

1. A ceiling-mounted light-fixture support assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket having upper and lower surfaces, a length, and a width between two width sides; and

a fixture attachment member having a top with portions defining a top opening which has a width narrower than the width of the mounting bracket, the fixture attachment member further having a recessed portion defining a slideway which (a) is in lateral communication with the top opening, (b) has a width wider than the width of the mounting bracket, and (c) is spaced sufficiently lower than the opening-defining portions of the top to receive the two width sides of the mounting bracket,

whereby the fixture attachment member can be positioned so that the mounting bracket is initially at least partially within the slideway and then subsequently repositioned so that the mounting bracket is mounted within the top opening for light-fixture support.

2. The light fixture support assembly of claim 1 wherein the fixture attachment member includes a side wall around a perimeter of the fixture attachment member extending away from the support assembly opposite the top and wherein a slideway opening in communication with the slideway is defined within the side wall.

3. The light fixture support assembly of claim 2 wherein the slideway opening is the same width as the slideway.

4. The light fixture support assembly of claim 2 wherein at least part of the recessed portion of the fixture attachment member is in a overlapping relationship with the portion of the fixture attachment member defining the top opening.

5. The light fixture support assembly of claim 4 wherein the fixture attachment member is formed as a cage.

6. The light fixture support assembly of claim 5 wherein the mounting bracket includes a hook.

7. The light fixture support assembly of claim 6 wherein the hook extends away from the lower surface of the mounting bracket.

8. The light fixture support assembly of claim 5 wherein the mounting bracket includes a side flange extending from each width side and offset from the lower surface of the mounting bracket wherein the width of the mounting bracket is the width between ends of the side flanges opposite the mounting bracket.

9. The light fixture support assembly of claim 8 wherein the mounting bracket further includes an end flange extending from a length side and offset from the bottom side of the mounting bracket whereby at least a portion of the end flange is in an overlapping relationship with the recessed portion of the fixture attachment member.

10. The light fixture support assembly of claim 5 further including an LED floodlight fixture attached to the fixture attachment member, the floodlight including:

a housing forming a substantially water/air-tight chamber;

at least one electronic LED driver enclosed within the chamber; and

an LED assembly secured with respect to the housing adjacent thereto in non-water/air-tight condition, the LED assembly having at least one LED-array module mounted on an LED heat sink;

whereby the fixture attachment member is attached to the floodlight at least partially enclosing the at least one LED assembly.

11. The fixture support assembly of claim 10 wherein the floodlight further includes an interlock of the housing to the LED assembly, the interlock having:

a slotted cavity extending along the housing; and

a cavity-engaging coupler which extends from the heat sink of the LED assembly and is received within the slotted cavity.

12. The fixture support assembly of claim 10 wherein the LED assembly includes a plurality of LED modules separately mounted on individual interconnected heat sinks, each heat sink having:

a base with a back surface, an opposite surface, two base-ends and two opposite sides, one of the LED modules being against the back surface;

a female side-fin and a male side-fin, one along each of the opposite sides and each protruding from the opposite surface to terminate at a distal fin-edge, the female side-fin including a flange hook positioned to engage the distal fin-edge of the male side-fin of an adjacent heat sink; and

at least one inner-fin protruding from the opposite surface between the side-fins.

13. The fixture support assembly of claim 10 wherein the housing includes substantially water/air-tight wire-access(s) receiving wires from the LED assembly into the chamber.

14. The fixture support assembly of claim 10 wherein the housing includes a first border structure forming a first border-portion of the chamber, the first border structure receiving wires from the at least one LED-array module and the LED heat sink being interlocked with the first border structure.

15. The fixture support assembly of claim 14 wherein the housing includes a second border structure forming a second border-portion of the chamber, the LED heat sink being interlocked with the second border structure.

Assignments (6)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2026
From: LUMEN ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, LLC
To: LED-IP MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 075624/0358 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2023
From: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
To: FGI WORLDWIDE LLC
Reel/Frame 064897/0413 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 26, 2019
From: CREE, INC.
To: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
Reel/Frame 049880/0524 →
MERGER Recorded Aug 13, 2014
From: RUUD LIGHTING, INC.
To: CREE, INC.
Reel/Frame 033525/0529 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Mar 11, 2010
From: RUUD, ALAN J.
To: RUUD LIGHTING, INC.
Reel/Frame 024065/0550 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Dec 11, 2007
From: KINNUNE, BRIAN L.
To: RUUD LIGHTING, INC.
Reel/Frame 020226/0095 →