EP0983471B1 - Electric light fittings - Google Patents

Electric light fittings Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0983471B1
EP0983471B1 EP98922922A EP98922922A EP0983471B1 EP 0983471 B1 EP0983471 B1 EP 0983471B1 EP 98922922 A EP98922922 A EP 98922922A EP 98922922 A EP98922922 A EP 98922922A EP 0983471 B1 EP0983471 B1 EP 0983471B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
downlighter
hood
collar
reflector
casing
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP98922922A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0983471A1 (en
Inventor
Derek Alfred Ward
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Environmental Seals Ltd
Original Assignee
Environmental Seals Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Environmental Seals Ltd filed Critical Environmental Seals Ltd
Publication of EP0983471A1 publication Critical patent/EP0983471A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0983471B1 publication Critical patent/EP0983471B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S8/00—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation
    • F21S8/02—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters
    • F21S8/026—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21S—NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
    • F21S8/00—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation
    • F21S8/02—Lighting devices intended for fixed installation of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V25/00—Safety devices structurally associated with lighting devices

Definitions

  • This invention relates to electric light fittings suitable for mounting within a ceiling space of a building. More especially the invention concerns a mains connected light fitting having an integral hood which in the event of fire isolates the light fitting from the ceiling space in which it is mounted and reacts to prevent or minimise the passage of flames and/or smoke to other areas of the building.
  • Light fittings recessed into ceiling spaces are well known. Such light fittings are known as downlighters and are referred to as such hereinafter.
  • the heat generated by downlighters can be considerable and represents a fire hazard.
  • the ceiling space in which a downlighter is mounted can itself provide a path for fire and smoke to other rooms or areas of a building.
  • Fire resistant covers for downlighters have previously been proposed. Such a cover is disclosed in GB-A-2297609. This cover is separate from a downlighter to be protected and consequently needs to be carefully positioned over and spaced from the exterior of the downlighter. These covers also rely upon fixings into a surface of a ceiling structure for securement purposes. In practice correct alignment of a cover with respect to a downlighter can be difficult particularly where access to the ceiling space is limited. Furthermore fixing a cover to a ceiling can be difficult and can detract aesthetically from the decor of the ceiling.
  • a thermally protected recessed lighting fixture is disclosed in US-A-4754377.
  • the present invention sets out to provide a downlighter which includes an integral protective hood and which eliminates or at least alleviates many of the disadvantages discussed above.
  • a downlighter which comprises a casing for housing electrical connections for connecting the downlighter to a source of mains electricity and a downwardly extending electrical contact collar for receiving a bulb, fluorescent tube or other light fitting, a reflector extending downwardly from the casing to a position below the light fitting, and a fabric hood coated or impregnated with a liquid based intumescent material which extends downwardly from the underside of the casing around the external wall of the reflector and is connected at its lower end to an annular base of the downlighter, the hood including a top to which is secured an intumescent gasket formed with an aperture through which the downlighter collar extends with a clearance between the boundary of the aperture and the collar exterior.
  • the fabric is preferably a fibrous cloth (e.g. a glass fibre cloth) which is coated on one or both of its surfaces with a liquid based intumescent material.
  • the intumescent gasket may comprise a suitably shaped piece of card which overlies a similarly shaped piece of intumescent cloth.
  • the reflector may be connected at its upper end to the collar; thus the collar may be externally threaded and receive complementary internal threading of a sleeve located within a neck of the reflector.
  • the downlighter casing may be connected to its annular base by a plurality of elongate relatively rigid straps, the fabric hood being trapped between these straps and the reflector exterior.
  • the annular base may be formed with a radially outwardly extending lip on which an outwardly extending end piece of the hood lies. This hood end piece may be secured to the lip.
  • the downlighter illustrated in the drawings has an upper casing 1 which houses electrical connectors, receptors for connecting the downlighter through wiring to a source of mains electricity.
  • the casing may also house items such as starters and/or capacitors for fluorescent tubes.
  • Protruding downwardly from the casing 1 is a light fitting electrical contact collar 2 which is open at its lower end to receive a conventional light bulb or fluorescent tube (not shown).
  • the outer face of the collar is threaded for connection to an internally threaded sleeve 3 positioned within the upper open end of a frusto-conical hollow reflector 4.
  • the height of the reflector is such that it entirely encompasses the light fitting of the downlighter.
  • the base of the downlighter is defined by an annular collar 5 formed with an outwardly extending radial lip 6 and secured to the casing 1 through a plurality of elongate relatively rigid straps 7.
  • Each strap 7 includes a flexible clip 8 to assist location of the downlighter within a ceiling space.
  • the hood 9 is produced from a fibrous woven cloth (e.g. a glass fibre woven cloth) which has been coated on one or both of its sides with an intumescent paint or other intumescent material. Preferably the cloth is impregnated with intumescent.
  • the hood 9 is frusto-conical and comprises an upstanding side wall 10 and a top 11.
  • the side wall 10 is produced from a length of glass fibre cloth which is sewn together at the cloth ends, the top 11 then being secured to the upper margin of the side wall again by sewing.
  • the hood top 11 has secured to it a circular piece of card which overlies and is bonded to a similarly shaped piece of intumescent material to define an intumescent gasket 12.
  • This material typically comprises fibrous material impregnated with an intumescent such as carbon granules.
  • the gasket 12 comprising the card and intumescent may be adhered to the hood or secured to the hood by studs or rivets.
  • the gasket is formed with a central opening 14 through which passes the light fitting collar 2. The size of the opening 14 is such that the border of the opening 14 is at least partially spaced from the exterior of the collar to facilitate ventilation of the downlighter interior.
  • the hood 9 is formed at its lowermost end with an outwardly extending fabric piece 15 which locates on the upper surface of the downlighter lip 6.
  • the fabric piece 15 may be secured to the lip 6.
  • hood 9 is trapped between the straps 7 and the external surface of the reflector 4. Studs or rivets 16 pass through the adjoining surfaces of the straps, the hood and the reflector.
  • the annular base 5 of the downlighter may receive a translucent cover which effectively seals the lower end of the reflector.
  • heat generated by a downlighter can represent a fire hazard.
  • the intumescent coating of the hood 9 and the intumescent gasket 12 quickly expands to isolate the downlighter entirely from the surrounding structure thereby confining the fire and any resulting. smoke and maintaining the fire resistance of the structure.
  • Covers in accordance with the invention have been subjected to fire testing with no failure of the integrity criterion at the end of four hours testing.

Abstract

A downlighter comprises a casing 1 for housing electrical connections for connecting the downlighter to a source of mains electricity and a downwardly extending electrical contact collar 2 for receiving a bulb, fluorescent tube or other light fitting. A reflector 4 extends downwardly from the casing to a position below the light fitting, and a fabric hood 9 coated or impregnated with a liquid based intumescent material extends downwardly from the underside of the casing around the external wall of the reflector. The hood is connected at its lower end to an annular base of the downlighter and includes a top 11 to which is secured an intumescent gasket 12 formed with an aperture 14 through which the downlighter collar 2 extends with a clearance between the boundary of the aperture and the collar exterior.

Description

  • This invention relates to electric light fittings suitable for mounting within a ceiling space of a building. More especially the invention concerns a mains connected light fitting having an integral hood which in the event of fire isolates the light fitting from the ceiling space in which it is mounted and reacts to prevent or minimise the passage of flames and/or smoke to other areas of the building.
  • Light fittings recessed into ceiling spaces are well known. Such light fittings are known as downlighters and are referred to as such hereinafter. The heat generated by downlighters can be considerable and represents a fire hazard. Also the ceiling space in which a downlighter is mounted can itself provide a path for fire and smoke to other rooms or areas of a building.
  • Fire resistant covers for downlighters have previously been proposed. Such a cover is disclosed in GB-A-2297609. This cover is separate from a downlighter to be protected and consequently needs to be carefully positioned over and spaced from the exterior of the downlighter. These covers also rely upon fixings into a surface of a ceiling structure for securement purposes. In practice correct alignment of a cover with respect to a downlighter can be difficult particularly where access to the ceiling space is limited. Furthermore fixing a cover to a ceiling can be difficult and can detract aesthetically from the decor of the ceiling.
  • A thermally protected recessed lighting fixture is disclosed in US-A-4754377.
  • The present invention sets out to provide a downlighter which includes an integral protective hood and which eliminates or at least alleviates many of the disadvantages discussed above.
  • According to the present invention there is provided a downlighter which comprises a casing for housing electrical connections for connecting the downlighter to a source of mains electricity and a downwardly extending electrical contact collar for receiving a bulb, fluorescent tube or other light fitting, a reflector extending downwardly from the casing to a position below the light fitting, and a fabric hood coated or impregnated with a liquid based intumescent material which extends downwardly from the underside of the casing around the external wall of the reflector and is connected at its lower end to an annular base of the downlighter, the hood including a top to which is secured an intumescent gasket formed with an aperture through which the downlighter collar extends with a clearance between the boundary of the aperture and the collar exterior.
  • The fabric is preferably a fibrous cloth (e.g. a glass fibre cloth) which is coated on one or both of its surfaces with a liquid based intumescent material. The intumescent gasket may comprise a suitably shaped piece of card which overlies a similarly shaped piece of intumescent cloth.
  • The reflector may be connected at its upper end to the collar; thus the collar may be externally threaded and receive complementary internal threading of a sleeve located within a neck of the reflector.
  • The downlighter casing may be connected to its annular base by a plurality of elongate relatively rigid straps, the fabric hood being trapped between these straps and the reflector exterior. The annular base may be formed with a radially outwardly extending lip on which an outwardly extending end piece of the hood lies. This hood end piece may be secured to the lip.
  • The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying diagrammatic drawings in which:-
  • Figure 1 is a side view partly in section of a downlighter in accordance with the invention; and
  • Figure 2 is a plan view from below of the downlighter shown in Figure 1.
  • The downlighter illustrated in the drawings has an upper casing 1 which houses electrical connectors, receptors for connecting the downlighter through wiring to a source of mains electricity. The casing may also house items such as starters and/or capacitors for fluorescent tubes. Protruding downwardly from the casing 1 is a light fitting electrical contact collar 2 which is open at its lower end to receive a conventional light bulb or fluorescent tube (not shown). The outer face of the collar is threaded for connection to an internally threaded sleeve 3 positioned within the upper open end of a frusto-conical hollow reflector 4. The height of the reflector is such that it entirely encompasses the light fitting of the downlighter.
  • The base of the downlighter is defined by an annular collar 5 formed with an outwardly extending radial lip 6 and secured to the casing 1 through a plurality of elongate relatively rigid straps 7. Each strap 7 includes a flexible clip 8 to assist location of the downlighter within a ceiling space.
  • Positioned about the external circumference of the reflector 4 is a hood 9. The hood 9 is produced from a fibrous woven cloth (e.g. a glass fibre woven cloth) which has been coated on one or both of its sides with an intumescent paint or other intumescent material. Preferably the cloth is impregnated with intumescent. As shown the hood 9 is frusto-conical and comprises an upstanding side wall 10 and a top 11. Typically the side wall 10 is produced from a length of glass fibre cloth which is sewn together at the cloth ends, the top 11 then being secured to the upper margin of the side wall again by sewing. The hood top 11 has secured to it a circular piece of card which overlies and is bonded to a similarly shaped piece of intumescent material to define an intumescent gasket 12. This material typically comprises fibrous material impregnated with an intumescent such as carbon granules. The gasket 12 comprising the card and intumescent may be adhered to the hood or secured to the hood by studs or rivets. The gasket is formed with a central opening 14 through which passes the light fitting collar 2. The size of the opening 14 is such that the border of the opening 14 is at least partially spaced from the exterior of the collar to facilitate ventilation of the downlighter interior.
  • The hood 9 is formed at its lowermost end with an outwardly extending fabric piece 15 which locates on the upper surface of the downlighter lip 6. The fabric piece 15 may be secured to the lip 6.
  • As shown the hood 9 is trapped between the straps 7 and the external surface of the reflector 4. Studs or rivets 16 pass through the adjoining surfaces of the straps, the hood and the reflector.
  • The annular base 5 of the downlighter may receive a translucent cover which effectively seals the lower end of the reflector.
  • In use, heat generated by a downlighter can represent a fire hazard. In the event of such a fire, the intumescent coating of the hood 9 and the intumescent gasket 12 quickly expands to isolate the downlighter entirely from the surrounding structure thereby confining the fire and any resulting. smoke and maintaining the fire resistance of the structure. Covers in accordance with the invention have been subjected to fire testing with no failure of the integrity criterion at the end of four hours testing.
  • It will be appreciated that the forgoing is merely exemplary of downlighters in accordance with the invention and that modifications can readily be made thereto without departing from the true scope of the invention as set out in the appended claims.

Claims (9)

  1. A downlighter which comprises a casing (1) for housing electrical connections for connecting the downlighter to a source of mains electricity and a downwardly extending electrical contact collar (2) for receiving a bulb, fluorescent tube or other light fitting, and a reflector (4) extending downwardly from the casing to a position below the light fitting, the downlighter being characterised by a fabric hood (9) coated or impregnated with a liquid based intumescent material which extends downwardly from the underside of the casing (1) around the external wall of the reflector (4) and is connected at its lower end to an annular base (6) of the downlighter, the hood (9) including a top to which is secured an intumescent gasket (12) formed with an aperture (14) through which the downlighter collar extends with a clearance between the boundary of the aperture and the collar exterior.
  2. A downlighter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the fabric is a fibrous cloth which is coated on one or both of its surfaces with a liquid based intumescent material.
  3. A downlighter as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the fibrous cloth is a glass fibre cloth.
  4. A downlighter as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 3 wherein the intumescent gasket (12) comprises a suitably shaped piece of card which overlies a similarly shaped piece of intumescent cloth.
  5. A downlighter as claimed in any one of the preceding Claims wherein the reflector (4) is connected at its upper end to the collar (2).
  6. A downlighter as claimed in Claim 5 wherein the collar (2) is externally threaded and receives complementary internal threading of a sleeve located within a neck of the reflector (4).
  7. A downlighter as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein its casing (1) is connected to its annular base by a plurality of elongate relatively rigid straps (7), the fabric hood (9) being trapped between these straps and the reflector exterior.
  8. A downlighter as claimed in Claim 7 wherein the annular base is formed with a radially outwardly extending lip (6) on which an outwardly extending end piece (15) of the hood lies.
  9. A downlighter as claimed in Claim 8 where the hood end piece (15) is secured to the lip (6).
EP98922922A 1997-05-29 1998-05-20 Electric light fittings Expired - Lifetime EP0983471B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB9711005 1997-05-29
GB9711005A GB2326467A (en) 1997-05-29 1997-05-29 Downlighter with integral fire-resistant hood
PCT/GB1998/001459 WO1998054512A1 (en) 1997-05-29 1998-05-20 Electric light fittings

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0983471A1 EP0983471A1 (en) 2000-03-08
EP0983471B1 true EP0983471B1 (en) 2002-01-23

Family

ID=10813176

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP98922922A Expired - Lifetime EP0983471B1 (en) 1997-05-29 1998-05-20 Electric light fittings

Country Status (6)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0983471B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE212427T1 (en)
AU (1) AU7538698A (en)
DE (1) DE69803567D1 (en)
GB (1) GB2326467A (en)
WO (1) WO1998054512A1 (en)

Cited By (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2108881A2 (en) * 2005-05-23 2009-10-14 Aurora Limited Improvements to fire rated downlights

Families Citing this family (15)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US7114294B2 (en) 2000-03-08 2006-10-03 Hubbell Incorporated Fire assembly for recessed electrical fixtures
DE10216373A1 (en) * 2002-04-12 2003-10-30 Gessler Accumulatorentechnik G Fireproof safety lamp installation for use in tunnel, has metal housing surrounding gas- or vapor-discharge lamp and starter circuit and lined with panels of gypsum and fireproof fibrous material
CN100529526C (en) * 2004-06-09 2009-08-19 武良举 Inserted fire-proof lamp
AU2005252280B2 (en) * 2004-06-09 2008-11-13 Liangju Wu A built-in light fitting for fire preventing
GB0413655D0 (en) * 2004-06-18 2004-07-21 Scolmore Int Ltd Heat resistant casing
AU2005255186B2 (en) * 2004-06-18 2008-02-21 Scolmore International Limited Heat resistant casing
CN100483023C (en) * 2004-08-20 2009-04-29 武良举 Embedded lamp
GB2421070B (en) * 2005-01-27 2007-01-10 Rd Europe Ltd Fire-resistant cover for lighting fitting
GB2422191B (en) * 2005-01-27 2007-01-10 Rd Europe Ltd Fire-resistant lighting fitting
GB2426300B (en) * 2005-05-18 2010-03-10 Environmental Seals Ltd Improvements in and relating to intumescent gaskets
GB2429052B (en) * 2005-08-08 2010-09-22 Laurence Kovacs Lighting assemblies
US7651238B2 (en) 2007-01-10 2010-01-26 O'brien Aaron Fireproof trim and insulated lighting assembly
GB2463533A (en) 2008-09-22 2010-03-24 Intumescent Systems Ltd Fire resistant cover for downlight.
US11578858B2 (en) 2018-09-21 2023-02-14 Fischer Lighting Holding Aps Modular lighting device
US11739921B2 (en) 2019-06-18 2023-08-29 Fischer Lighting Holding Aps Modular lighting device comprising an adjustable mounting mechanism

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4754377A (en) * 1986-02-21 1988-06-28 Thomas Industries, Inc. Thermally protected recessed lighting fixture
GB9220478D0 (en) * 1992-09-29 1992-11-11 Hamilton Arthur P Fire stop covering device for aperture in fire resistant structure
GB9501391D0 (en) * 1995-01-25 1995-03-15 Environmental Seals Ltd Ventilated covers for electrical fittings

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP2108881A2 (en) * 2005-05-23 2009-10-14 Aurora Limited Improvements to fire rated downlights
EP2108881A3 (en) * 2005-05-23 2010-05-12 Aurora Limited Improvements to fire rated downlights

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0983471A1 (en) 2000-03-08
GB9711005D0 (en) 1997-07-23
ATE212427T1 (en) 2002-02-15
GB2326467A (en) 1998-12-23
WO1998054512A1 (en) 1998-12-03
AU7538698A (en) 1998-12-30
DE69803567D1 (en) 2002-03-14

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