Granted Patent B2

US 9,447,953 · App. 14/291,433 · Granted Sep 20, 2016

Abstract

Claims (53)

1. A light fixture comprising:

a hollow main body element that defines a shape that approximates a spherical segment with a central top opening and a bottom opening, wherein the bottom opening defines a bottom plane;

a lamp assembly comprising:

a light source;

an inner element;

an outer element, wherein the light source, the inner element and the outer element are operatively coupled together with the outer element positioned above the hollow main body element and the inner element positioned above the bottom plane with the hollow main body element positioned between the outer element and the inner element;

a central portion, carrying the light source, wherein the central portion extends through the central top opening of the hollow main body element and operatively couples the inner element to the outer element; and

a biasing element positioned below the inner element, wherein the biasing element forms an abutting relationship between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element, wherein the abutting relationship results in a frictional force that prevents movement between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element;

wherein the lamp assembly is constructed and arranged to be selectively movable according to a selective rotation of the outer element relative to the hollow main body element, wherein the selective rotation of the outer element is based on application of an external force on one or more elements of the lamp assembly that overcomes the frictional force caused by the abutting relationship, wherein moving the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element alters both a relative position of the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element and an angular orientation of the light source relative to the bottom opening and wherein the lamp assembly is constructed and arranged such that, regardless of the position of the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element, no portion of the lamp assembly extends below the bottom plane of the hollow main body element.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a peripheral flange that extends away from the bottom opening of the hollow main body element.

3. The light fixture of claim 2 , further comprising a light fixture housing that is constructed and arranged to be recess mounted in a wall or ceiling structure, wherein the light fixture housing is constructed and arranged to receive the hollow main body element with the peripheral flange positioned substantially flush with a surface of the wall or ceiling structure in which the light fixture housing is mounted.

4. The light fixture of claim 3 , further comprising a trim constructed and arranged to cover the housing and at least a portion of the peripheral flange.

5. The light fixture of claim 4 , wherein the light source has a direction of primary light emission, wherein the lamp assembly and the hollow main body element are constructed and arranged such that the direction of primary light emission passes through an approximate middle of the bottom of the hollow main body element regardless of the position of the light relative to the hollow main body element.

6. The light fixture of claim 2 , wherein the peripheral flange lies approximately along a great circle of the hollow spherical segment that defines the shape of the hollow main body element.

7. A light fixture comprising:

a hollow main body element that defines a shape that approximates a spherical segment with a central top opening and a bottom opening;

a lamp assembly comprising:

a light source;

an inner element;

an outer element, wherein the light source, the inner element and the outer element are operatively coupled together with the outer element positioned above the hollow main body element and the inner element positioned below the hollow main body element with the hollow main body element positioned between the outer element and the inner element;

a central portion, carrying the light source, wherein the central portion extends through the central top opening of the hollow main body element and operatively couples the inner element to the outer element; and

an actuation mechanism constructed and arranged to selectively move the position of the inner element relative to the outer element, wherein moving the inner element towards the outer element increases a frictional force that prevents movement between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element;

wherein the lamp assembly is constructed and arranged to be selectively movable according to relief of the frictional force caused by the actuation mechanism and selective rotation of the outer element relative to the hollow main body element, wherein the selective rotation of the outer element is based on application of an external force on one or more elements of the lamp assembly, wherein moving the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element alters an orientation of the light source relative to the bottom opening and wherein a position of the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element may be selectively secured by operation of the actuation mechanism.

8. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the biasing element comprises a locking collar that is threadingly engaged with the central portion such that the locking collar can be selectively moved relative to the hollow main body element by rotating it relative to the lamp assembly, wherein selective rotation of the locking collar reduces the frictional force that prevents movement between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element.

9. The light fixture of claim 7 , wherein the inner element, the outer element and the hollow main body element each have radial arc angles that are substantially equal.

10. The light fixture of claim 7 , wherein the outer element defines a concave shape that approximates a segment of a sphere.

11. The light fixture of claim 10 , further comprising an intermediate element that defines a shape that approximates a hollow spherical segment, wherein the intermediate element is positioned between the inner and outer elements of the lamp assembly and wherein the intermediate element is constructed and arranged to cover any void between the hollow main body element and the outer element for any position of the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element.

12. The light fixture of claim 11 , wherein the outer element, the intermediate element and the hollow main body element all have radial arc angles that are substantially equal.

13. The light fixture of claim 12 , wherein the inner element defines a shape that approximates a portion of a sphere and wherein the inner element has a radial arc angle that is substantially equal to the radial arc angle of the hollow main body element.

14. A light fixture comprising:

a hollow main body element that defines a shape that approximates a spherical segment with a central top opening and a bottom opening;

a lamp assembly comprising:

a light source;

an inner element;

an outer element, wherein the light source, the inner element and the outer element are operatively coupled together with the outer element positioned above the hollow main body element and the inner element positioned below the hollow main body element with the hollow main body element positioned between the outer element and the inner element;

a central portion, carrying the light source, wherein the central portion extends through the central top opening of the hollow main body element and operatively couples the inner element to the outer element;

an intermediate element that defines a shape that approximates a hollow spherical segment, wherein the intermediate element is positioned between the inner and outer elements of the lamp assembly and wherein the intermediate element freely moves with respect to the lamp assembly; and

a locking collar positioned below the inner element, wherein the locking collar is engaged with the central portion such that the locking collar can be selectively moved relative to the inner element to form an abutting relationship between the outer element, the hollow main body element, the intermediate element, and the inner element, wherein the abutting relationship results in a frictional force that prevents movement between the outer element, the hollow main body element, the intermediate element, and the inner element;

wherein the lamp assembly is constructed and arranged to be selectively movable according to relief of the frictional force caused by the locking collar and a selective rotation of the outer element relative to the hollow main body element, wherein the selective rotation of the outer element is based on application of an external force on one or more elements of the lamp assembly, wherein moving the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element alters an orientation of the light source relative to the bottom opening.

15. The light fixture of claim 14 , wherein the inner element has a radial arc angle substantially equal to a radial arc angle of the hollow main body element.

16. The light fixture of claim 14 , wherein the locking collar comprises a releasable clamping mechanism constructed and arranged to selectively urge the inner element, the hollow main body element, the intermediate element and the outer element together.

17. A light fixture comprising:

a hollow main body element that defines a shape that approximates a spherical segment with a central top opening and a bottom opening;

a lamp assembly comprising:

a light source;

an inner element that defines a shape that approximates a portion of a sphere;

an outer element, wherein the light source, the inner element and the outer element are operatively coupled together with the outer element positioned above the hollow main body element and the inner element positioned below the hollow main body element with the hollow main body element positioned between the outer element and the inner element;

a central portion, carrying the light source, wherein the central portion extends through the central top opening of the hollow main body element and operatively couples the inner element to the outer element, wherein the arc angle of the hollow main body element is between approximately 35 degrees and 45 degrees; and

a biasing element positioned below the inner element, wherein the biasing element forms an abutting relationship between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element, wherein the abutting relationship results in a frictional force that prevents movement between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element;

wherein the lamp assembly is constructed and arranged to be selectively movable according to relief of the frictional force caused by the abutting relationship and a selective rotation of the outer element relative to the hollow main body element, wherein the selective rotation of the outer element is based on application of an external force on one or more elements of the lamp assembly that overcomes the frictional force caused by the abutting relationship, wherein moving the lamp assembly relative to the hollow main body element alters an orientation of the light source relative to the bottom opening.

18. The light fixture of claim 17 , wherein the arc angle of the hollow main body element is approximately 40 degrees.

19. The light fixture of claim 17 , wherein the hollow main body element has an arc angle between approximately 80 percent and approximately 120 percent of an arc angle of the inner element.

20. The light fixture of claim 7 , wherein the actuation mechanism comprises a locking collar that is engaged with the central portion, wherein the locking collar can be selectively moved relative to the hollow main body element through actuation of a plurality of levers coupled to the locking collar, wherein selective actuation of the plurality of levers reduces the frictional force that prevents movement between the outer element, the hollow main body element, and the inner element.

Assignments (18)