Retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus
View Patent ↗Retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus of this invention includes a metal reflector of an inverted wave shape and fluorescent light tubes, attached to sockets, mounted in the troughs of the inverted wave shape, and a formed plastic having the same contour as the inverted wave shape, and the formed plastic fitting intimately on the back of the reflectors to be a sub-assembly, and this subassembly fitting onto a ceiling mount channel wherein side walls of the ceiling mount channel fitting into slots in sidewalls of the formed plastic backing, and the side walls of the formed plastic backing attached to live plastic hinges also attached to the formed plastic backing. Preferred material for the formed plastic backing is a rigid polyvinylchloride (PVC), and flexible PVC for the live plastic hinge. The live plastic hinge allows drop down of either side of the fixture apparatus without de-mounting from the ceiling mount channel.
1. Retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus comprising a subassembly having:
a—a light reflector,
b—a formed plastic backing for said light reflector,
c—said formed plastic backing and said light reflector having the same cross section contour,
d—said light reflector intimately attached to said formed plastic backing by means of edges of said light reflector, fitting in slots in outer edges of said formed plastic backing,
e—fluorescent light tube sockets mounted on each end of said light reflector,
f—a ballast mounted and held in position by friction fit between side walls of channel on said formed plastic backing,
g—wires from said ballast connected to said fluorescent light tube sockets mounted at ends of said light reflector,
h—said sub-assembly attached to a ceiling mount channel, by means of slots in side walls of said formed plastic backing, said slots in side walls fitting over downward extending edges of said ceiling mount channel,
i—two live plastic hinges and each said live plastic hinge connected to a side wall of said formed plastic backing mid said formed plastic backing for said light reflector,
j—electric power lines extending from ceiling through aperture in said ceiling mount channel, to said ballast,
k—screw fasteners extending through said side walls of said formed plastic backing, and said downward extending edges of said ceiling mount channel and,
l—fluorescent light tubes installed in said fluorescent light tube sockets to complete a retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus.
2. A retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a—said light reflector having an inverted double wave shape cross section contour trough of said light reflector
b—an inverted double wave shape cross section contour of said formed plastic backing intimately joined to said inverted double wave shape cross section contour trough of said light reflector
c—said fluorescent light tube sockets mounted on ends of inverted double wave shape cross section trough and,
d—said fluorescent light tubes mounted in said fluorescent light tube sockets in said inverted wave shape cross section trough.
3. A retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a—said light reflector selected from the group consisting of aluminum, steel, stainless steel, and chrome plated steel.
4. A retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus, of claim 1 , further comprising:
a—a formed plastic backing, selected from the group consisting of rigid polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and polyethylene.
5. A retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
a—said live plastic hinge selected from the group consisting of flexible polyvinylchloride, polypropylene, polycarbonate, and polyethylene.
6. A retrofit fluorescent light tube fixture apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
said ceiling mount channel formed of material selected from the group consisting of metal and plastic.