Recessed light fixture retrofit kit
View Patent ↗This disclosure relates to retrofit systems and methods for lighting installations, and in particular, to retrofit systems and methods used to retrofit troffer-style lighting installations with LED light sources. Retrofit systems can be used with different light fixtures, but those described are particularly adapted for use with troffer-style fixtures. These retrofit systems can provide the same amount of light as traditional light fixtures already do, for example 1600-4000 lumens or more. The retrofit systems can be used with many different light sources but are particularly well-suited for use with solid state light sources or light engines, such as those utilizing LEDs. Some embodiments of the present invention comprise a mechanical mounting system for installing an LED light engine within an existing lighting system housing or pan, such as a troffer pan, without penetrating the ceiling plenum.
1. A system for mounting a light source in a fixture, comprising:
at least two mounting brackets configured to be mounted within an existing light fixture, in which the mounting bracket further comprises a wire path for at least a wire providing power to the light source bar, in which the wire path comprises a covered portion enclosing at least a portion of the wire path, wherein said wire path runs orthogonal to said light source bar; and
light source bars configured to engage each of the mounting brackets.
2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the light source bars engage the mounting brackets by a mechanism comprising snap fit, press fit, interference fit, adhesive, screw or twist.
3. The system of claim 1 , in which the mounting brackets are held in place by a feature of the existing light fixture.
4. The system of claim 3 , in which the feature is a raceway cover.
5. The system of claim 1 , in which the mounting bracket includes a temporary fastener.
6. The system of claim 1 , further comprising a power supply connected to the light source bars.
7. The system of claim 6 , in which the mounting bracket comprises a living hinge portion.
8. The system of claim 6 , in which the mounting bracket comprises a removable cover.
9. The system of claim 1 , in which the mounting brackets further comprise guides for consistent mounting.
10. The system of claim 1 , in which the plurality of mounting brackets are configured to be mounted within a troffer pan.
11. The system of claim 1 , in which at least one of the mounting brackets is mounted proximate to an edge of the fixture.
12. The system of claim 1 , in which the light source bar comprises a housing, a circuit board and a plurality of LEDs on the circuit board.
13. The system of claim 12 , in which the light source bar is rigid.
14. The system of claim 12 , in which the light source bar comprises multiple rigid portions.
15. The system of claim 12 , in which the light source bar is capable of dissipating heat without the use of a heat sink.
16. The system of claim 12 , in which the light source bar is capable of dissipating heat using traces on the circuit board.
17. The system of claim 12 , in which the circuit board is held in place by at least a portion of the housing.
18. The system of claim 12 , in which the housing comprises features which allow it to snap fit with the mounting brackets.
19. A system for mounting a light source in a fixture, comprising:
at least two mounting brackets configured to be mounted within an existing light fixture; and
light source bars, each of which is positioned between and configured to engage at least two of said mounting brackets, said light source bars comprising a housing, a circuit board and a plurality of LEDs on the circuit board, in which the circuit board is held in place by a snap fit connection.
20. A system for mounting a light source in a fixture, comprising:
at least two mounting brackets configured to be mounted within an existing light fixture; and
light source bars, each of which is positioned between and configured to engage at least two of said mounting brackets, said light source bars comprising a housing, a circuit board and a plurality of LEDs on the circuit board, in which the housing further comprises a lens portion.
21. A system for retrofitting existing lighting troffer pans, comprising:
a plurality of mounting brackets configured to be mounted within the troffer pan, in which said mounting brackets are configured to be held in place by a raceway cover of the troffer pan; and
light source bars comprising a mechanism that allows the light source bars to engage with the mounting brackets, such that said light source bars are positioned against a bottom surface of said mounting bracket.
22. The system of claim 21 , in which the mechanism includes at least one of a snap fit, press fit, interference fit, adhesive, screw or twist.
23. The system of claim 21 , in which the mounting bracket comprises a wire path for at least a wire providing power to the light source bar.
24. The system of claim 23 , in which the wire path comprises a covered portion enclosing at least a portion of the wire path.
25. The system of claim 21 , in which the mounting brackets are held in place by an interference fit with the raceway cover of the troffer pan.
26. The system of claim 21 , in which the mounting bracket includes a temporary fastener.
27. The system of claim 21 , further comprising a power supply connected to the light source bars.
28. The system of claim 27 , in which the mounting bracket comprises a living hinged portion.
29. The system of claim 27 , in which the mounting bracket comprises a removable cover.
30. The system of claim 21 , in which the mounting brackets comprise guides for consistent mounting.
31. The system of claim 21 , in which at least one of the mounting brackets is mounted proximate to an edge of the troffer pan.
32. The system of claim 21 , in which the light source bar is comprised of a housing, a circuit board and a plurality of LEDs on the circuit board.
33. The system of claim 32 , in which the light source bar is rigid.
34. The system of claim 32 , in which the light source bar comprises multiple rigid portions.
35. The system of claim 32 , in which the LEDs are spaced equidistantly across the circuit board.
36. The system of claim 32 , in which the light source bar is capable of dissipating heat generated by the LEDS without the use of a heat sink.
37. The system of claim 32 , in which the light source bar is capable of dissipating heat generated by the LEDs using traces on the circuit board.
38. The system of claim 32 , in which the circuit board is held in place by at least a portion of the housing.
39. The system of claim 38 , in which the circuit board is held in place by a snap fit.
40. The system of claim 32 , in which the housing comprises a lens portion.
41. The system of claim 32 , in which the housing comprises features which allow it to snap fit with the mounting brackets.
42. The system of claim 21 , in which the mounting brackets are mounted within the troffer pan by a mechanism including at least one of a snap fit, press fit, interference fit, adhesive, screw or twist.
43. A system for retrofitting existing lighting troffer pans, comprising:
a plurality of mounting brackets configured to be mounted within the troffer pan; and
light source bars comprising a mechanism that allows the light source bars to engage with the mounting brackets said mounting bracket comprising a temporary fastener, in which the temporary fastener is an adhesive, in which the light source bar is comprised of a housing, a circuit board and a plurality of LEDs disposed on the circuit board.
44. A method for retrofitting a light source in an existing fixture, comprising:
providing a plurality of mounting brackets configured to be mounted in a fixture;
securing the mounting brackets to the existing fixture, in which the mounting brackets are configured to be secured by a raceway cover of the fixture; and
engaging at least one light source bar with the mounting bracket.
45. The method of claim 44 , further comprising passing power wires through a wire path of at least one of said mounting brackets.
46. The method of claim 44 , further comprising connecting the light source bar to a power source via said power wires.
47. The method of claim 44 , further comprising providing a power supply.
48. The method of claim 44 , in which the mounting brackets are configured to be secured to a troffer pan of a fixture.
49. The method of claim 44 , in which engaging comprises engaging with at least one of a snap fit, press fit, interference fit, adhesive, screw or twist.
50. The method of claim 44 , in which securing the mounting bracket comprises using an interference fit with a raceway cover of the fixture.
51. The method of claim 44 , further comprising temporarily attaching the mounting bracket with a temporary fastener.
52. The method of claim 51 , in which the temporary fastener is an adhesive.
53. The method of claim 45 , further comprising enclosing a portion of the wire path.
54. The method of claim 53 , in which enclosing comprises using a living hinged portion of the mounting bracket.
55. The method of claim 53 , in which enclosing comprises using a removable cover.
56. The method of claim 44 , in which the mounting brackets comprise guides for consistent mounting.
57. The method of claim 44 , in which at least one of the mounting brackets is mounted proximate to an edge of the fixture.
58. The method of claim 44 , in which the light source bar comprises a housing, a circuit board and a plurality of LEDs on the circuit board.
59. The method of claim 44 , in which the light source bar is rigid.
60. The method of claim 44 , in which the light source bar comprises multiple rigid portions.
61. The method of claim 58 , in which the LEDs are spaced equidistantly across the circuit board.
62. The method of claim 58 , further comprising dissipating heat from the plurality of LEDs without the use of a heat sink.
63. The method of claim 58 , further comprising dissipating heat from the plurality of LEDs using traces on the circuit board.
64. The method of claim 58 , in which the circuit board is held in place by at least a portion of the housing.
65. The method of claim 64 , in which the circuit board is held in place by a snap fit.
66. The method of claim 58 , in which the housing comprises a lens portion.
67. The method of claim 58 , in which the housing comprises features which allow it to snap fit with the mounting brackets.
68. The method of claim 44 , in which securing comprises using at least one of a snap fit, press fit, interference fit, adhesive, screw or twist.