Granted Patent B1

US 10,415,802 · App. 16/029,048 · Granted Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

Claims (27)

1. A linear lighting fixture abutment mechanism comprising:

a first portion mounted on a longitudinal wall of a first lighting fixture housing, the first portion including a first structure, the first lighting fixture housing including a lateral edge;

a second portion mounted on a longitudinal wall of a second lighting fixture housing, the second portion including a second structure, the second lighting fixture housing including a lateral edge;

the first portion and the second portion located at a position proximate to the lateral edge of respective first and second lighting fixture housings;

the first structure and the second structure configured to interlock together to retain the lateral edges of the first and the second lighting fixture housings in rigid proximity; and

the abutment mechanism configured to generate opposing longitudinal forces on the first and the second lighting fixture housings, the opposing longitudinal forces generated by a force that is at least one of movement along a lateral axis of the first or the second lighting fixture housings and a movement about the lateral axis.

2. The mechanism of claim 1 , including:

the first structure having a first set of knuckles;

the second structure having a second set of knuckles;

the first and the second set of knuckles positioned at opposing and offset complementary locations along the lateral axis;

a pin insertable into alternating ones of the first and second set of knuckles to generate the opposing longitudinal forces; and

the opposing longitudinal forces drawing the first and the second sets of knuckles into an interlocking arrangement.

3. The mechanism of claim 2 , including the pin insertable into the first and second set of knuckles by at least one of a linear movement along the lateral axis and a rotation about the lateral axis.

4. The mechanism of claim 2 , including the first set of knuckles having a spatial center that is non-concentric with the spatial center of at least an adjacent knuckle.

5. The mechanism of claim 2 , including the second set of knuckles having a spatial center that is non-concentric with the spatial center of at least an adjacent knuckle.

6. The mechanism of claim 2 , including each of the first set and second set of knuckles having a spatial center that is non-concentric with the spatial center of the opposing complementary knuckle.

7. The mechanism of claim 1 , including:

the first portion having a cable winder and a first interlocking profile; and

the second portion having one or more posts and a second interlocking profile.

8. The mechanism of claim 7 , including:

rotation of the cable winder generating the opposing longitudinal forces; and

the opposing longitudinal forces drawing the first and the second interlocking profiles into an interlocking arrangement.

9. The mechanism of claim 8 , the cable winder including an anti-backlash feature, the anti-backlash feature being one of a ratchet mechanism and a one-way bearing mechanism.

10. The mechanism of claim 1 , including:

the cable winder having a shaft with one or more openings, the openings configured to receive and secure a cable;

the cable winder including a moveable keyway, the keyway configured to generate rotation of the cable winder about the lateral axis; and

the posts configured to receive and secure the cable.

Assignments (6)