GB2620640A

GB2620640A - Adjustable downlight

Info

Publication number: GB2620640A
Application number: GB2210450.9A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Shemie James
Original assignee: All Led Ltd
Current assignee: All Led Ltd
Priority date: 2022-07-15
Filing date: 2022-07-15
Publication date: 2024-01-17
Also published as: GB202210450D0

Abstract

The adjustable downlight 10 for securing in a ceiling comprises a light unit 16 containing a light assembly 18 and an electronics unit 24 containing an electrical circuit. Each of the light unit and electronics unit is sealed but for a respective cable aperture 23a,23b. An adjustable mount 30 hingedly secures the light unit facing out of a recess 28 in a downlight bracket 26. The electrical circuit and light assembly are electrically coupled by a cable 32 passing through the cable apertures. First and second sealing members 34,36 (e.g., rubber grommets) seal the cable apertures. The cable is slack between the sealing members to permit tilting of the light unit. The recess may include a barrier 30 between the light and electronics units. A third cable aperture 23c in the barrier may be sealed by a sealing member. Optionally the first or second sealing member is secured to the third aperture.

Description

ADJUSTABLE DOWNLIGHT

This invention relates to an adjustable downlight for securing within a ceiling.

It is known to instal a downlight assembly into a ceiling for providing directional light into a room. The downlight assembly can be adjustable in that the housing which contains the light assembly (i.e. the lens and lamp/bulb/LED) can be tilted to change the angle of direction of the light being provided by the light assembly.

According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided an adjustable downlight for securing within a ceiling, the downlight comprising: a light unit containing a light assembly, the light assembly including a light emitting element, the light unit having a first cable aperture but otherwise being a sealed unit; an electronics unit containing an electrical circuit for operating a light assembly in use, the electronics unit having a second cable aperture but otherwise being a sealed unit; a downlight bracket with a recess within which the light unit is located with the light emitting element of the light assembly facing out of the recess; an adjustable mount hingedly securing the light unit to the downlight bracket to permit tilting of the light unit within the recess of the downlight bracket; a cable extending between the light unit and the electronics unit through the first and second cable apertures to electrically couple the electrical circuit to the light assembly to permit operation of the light emitting element in use; a first sealing member secured to the light unit at the first cable aperture and a second sealing member secured to the electronics unit at the second cable aperture, the first and second sealing members being configured to create a seal between the cable and each respective cable aperture, wherein a portion of the cable present between the first and second sealing members is slack to permit tilting of the light unit.

The above arrangement provides a fully 1P65 rated adjustable downlight. The light unit and electronics unit are both sealed save from the aperture which is present to let the cable pass through. Providing a seal between the cable and each of the light and electronics units blocks that aperture which would otherwise allow the ingress of water, dust or air. Meanwhile the slack portion in the cable means that the light unit can tilt without need to pull the cable through the cable apertures, and so the light and electronics units stay sealed even when the light unit is adjusted.

Preventing water, dust and air from entering the light unit and the electronics unit helps to protect the downlight component. It also means the downlight is fire rated, waterproof and IP65 rated. Therefore, the downlight of the invention provides a barrier that is equivalent or superior to the material or barrier onto which it is being installed (e.g. the ceiling).

In contrast, existing adjustable (or gimble) downlights typically have exposed components (i.e. not in a sealed unit), as well as openings between the electrical circuit and light assembly for cable connections which are not sealed -especially to permit titling of the light assembly. Typically, these types of existing adjustable downlights reach of maximum IP rating of IP44. Conventional gimbal downlights usually have a physical gap between the light engine and outer bezel which allows air, water and dust to penetrate the cavity in which they are installed.

It will be understood that "IP65 rated" is a rating defined in international standard EN 60529 (British BS EN 60529:1992, European IEC 60509:1989). The standard is used to define levels of sealing effectiveness of electrical enclosures against intrusion from foreign bodies (tools, dirt etc) and moisture. "IP" is "ingress protection"; "6" means it is dust tight (full protection against dust and other particulates, including a vacuum seal, tested against continuous airflow); "5" means protection against low-pressure jets (6.3 mm) of directed water from any angle (limited ingress permitted with no harmful effects). Thus an IP65 rated enclosure is rated as "dust tight" and protected against water projected from a nozzle. A person skilled in the art would be familiar with these standards and how to test the enclosures to meet such standards.

Preferably, the sealing members are or include rubber grommets.

The recess of the downlight bracket may include a barrier positioned between the light unit and the electronics unit, the barrier having a third cable aperture for passing of the cable therethrough.

Providing such a barrier in the bracket further helps to prevent the ingress of water, air or dust into the downlight. In particular, it helps to prevent such ingress into the ceiling void. As part of building regulations, certain ingress protection ratings are required in order to allow installation in certain areas such as outdoors, in bathrooms or wet areas. Airflow should be restricted in order to improve insulative properties of a building or ceiling. Restricting airflow also improves the ability of the unit to restrict the travel of sound between rooms. Where there is air transfer (usually the downlight is placed on the ceiling), due to heat rising, the airflow can be quite rapid and as a result dust can rapidly accumulate in ceiling voids and potentially build and pose a fire risk.

Optionally, the adjustable downlight further includes a sealing member secured to the third cable aperture to create a seal between the cable and the third cable aperture.

Providing such a seal makes the barrier a fully sealed barrier which adds to the IP65 rating of the downlight. This prevents water, air, dust from passing through the cable aperture and into the ceiling void.

Preferably one of the first or second sealing members is secured to the third cable aperture.

is Such an arrangement makes use of a sealing member already required in the downlight to seal another part of the downlight. Thus, fewer components are required.

Optionally, the downlight bracket is formed from a single piece of material.

Making the downlight bracket from a single piece of material reduces manufacturing complexities and the number of components in the downlight.

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of a non-limiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows an adjustable downlight according to the invention installed in a ceiling; Figure 2 shows the underside of a portion of the adjustable downlight.

An adjustable downlight 10 according to the invention is shown in Figures 1 and 2. In Figure 1, the downlight 10 is shown installed within a ceiling 12 behind which there is a ceiling void 14.

The downlight 10 includes a light unit 16 which contains a light assembly 18. The light assembly 18 shown includes a light emitting element 20 and a lens 22. The light assembly 18 may include additional components to alter and produce a specific type of light, e.g. it may include a baffle and/or a mesh. The light unit 16 has a first cable aperture 23a but is otherwise a sealed unit.

The downlight 10 also includes an electronics unit 24 which contains an electrical circuit (not shown) configured to operate a light emitting element in use. The electronics unit 24 has a second cable aperture 23b but is otherwise a sealed unit.

s The downlight 10 further includes a downlight bracket 26 which has a recess 28 within which the light unit 16 is located with the light emitting element 20 facing out of the recess 28 (i.e. so that the light emitting element 20 directs light downwards out of the downlight 10 when installed in the ceiling 12).

Further still, the downlight 10 includes an adjustable mount 30 that hingedly secures the light unit 16 to the downlight backet 26.

The recess 28 of the downlight bracket 26 in this embodiment creates a barrier 30 which extends between the light unit 16 and the electronics unit 24. In this way, the recess 28 has an enclosed "roof". The barrier 30 includes a third cable aperture 23c but otherwise fully extends between the sides of the recess 28. In other embodiments, the recess 28 may instead only partially extend between the sides of the recess 28 (i.e. it may have an opening).

The downlight 10 additionally includes a cable 32 that extends between the light unit 16 and the electronics unit 24 and through the first, second and third cable apertures 23a, 23b, 23c. The cable 32 is configured to electrically couple the electrical circuit to the light assembly 18 to permit operation of the light emitting element 20 in use.

Moreover, the downlight 10 includes a first sealing member 34 that is secured to the light unit 16 at the first cable aperture 23a, and a second sealing member 36 that is secured to the electronics unit 24 and the downlight bracket 26 at the second and third cable apertures 23b, 23c. In the latter regard, the same (second) sealing member 36 is used to seal the second and third cable apertures 23b, 23c. In other embodiments, a third sealing member may be present which seals the third cable aperture 23c while the second sealing member 36 seals only the second cable aperture 23b.

The cable 32 and sealing members 34, 36 are shown more clearly in Figure 2, in which the light unit 16 has been removed.

In the embodiment shown, each of the first and second sealing members 34, 36 is a rubber grommet. The sealing members 34, 36 may take any suitable form to create a seal between the cable 32 and each of the cable apertures 23a, 23b, 23c, for example any suitable silicone or rubber component (e.g. a silicone or rubber ring component).

As shown more clearly in Figure 2, the portion of the cable 32 which is present between the first and second sealing members 34, 36 (i.e. the portion which lies outside of the light and electronics units 16, 24) is slack to permit titling of the light unit 16. The amount of slack required will depend on how much tilt is available in the light unit 16 (i.e. if only a little tilt is available then only a small amount of slack is needed).

It will be understood that the cable 32 is fixed at the sealing members 34, 36 in that it is not able to be pulled through the cable apertures 23a, 23b, 23c.

In the embodiment shown, the downlight bracket 26 is formed by a single piece of material which is stamped into the desired shape. In this instance, the shape is symmetrical and includes a bevel portion 38, from which the recess 28 is stamped back/inwards.

The adjustable mount 30 is secured at either side of the light unit 16 and to the sides of the recess 28 of the downlight bracket 26. In this embodiment, the adjustable mount 30 is two rivets which allow tilting of the light unit 16. The adjustable mount may take any suitable form.

In the embodiment shown, the light unit 16 and electronics unit 24 are positioned substantially in line with one another. Specially, the units 16, 24 are positioned with the electronics unit 24 above the light unit 16 when looking at the downlight 10 installed in the ceiling 12. Moreover, the electronics unit 24 is positioned on the barrier 30 of the bracket recess 28 such that is sits on top of the barrier 30. In other embodiments, the light and electronics units 16, 242 may be positioned in a manner that is not in line with one another. For example, the barrier 30 may instead sit directly on top of the light unit 16 and in such cases the first and third cable apertures 23a, 23c may share the first sealing member 34.

The downlight 10 further includes a pair of spring clips 40 which aid in installation of the downlight 10 into the ceiling 12.

In the embodiment shown, the light unit 16 is made from metal (e.g. steel), the electronics unit 24 is made from plastic and the downlight bracket 26 is made from metal (e.g. steel). The skilled person would understand the choices of material available for these components to make the units 1P65 rated.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. An adjustable downlight for securing within a ceiling, the downlight comprising: s a light unit containing a light assembly, the light assembly including a light emitting element, the light unit having a first cable aperture but otherwise being a sealed unit; an electronics unit containing an electrical circuit configured to operate a light emitting element in use, the electronics unit having a second cable aperture but otherwise being a sealed unit; a downlight bracket with a recess within which the light unit is located with the light emitting element of the light assembly facing out of the recess; an adjustable mount hingedly securing the light unit to the downlight bracket to permit tilting of the light unit within the recess of the downlight bracket; is a cable extending between the light unit and the electronics unit through the first and second cable apertures to electrically couple the electrical circuit to the light assembly to permit operation of the light emitting element in use; a first sealing member secured to the light unit at the first cable aperture and a second sealing member secured to the electronics unit at the second cable aperture, the first and second sealing members being configured to create a seal between the cable and each respective cable aperture, wherein a portion of the cable present between the first and second sealing members is slack to permit tilting of the light unit.
2. An adjustable downlight according to Claim 1 wherein the sealing members are or include rubber grommets.
3. An adjustable downlight according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the recess of the downlight bracket includes a barrier positioned between the light unit and the electronics unit, the barrier having a third cable aperture for passing of the cable therethroug h.
4. An adjustable downlight according to Claim 3 further including a sealing member secured to the third cable aperture to create a seal between the cable and the third cable aperture.
5. An adjustable downlight according to Claim 4 wherein one of the first or second sealing members is secured to the third cable aperture.
6. An adjustable downlight according to any one of Claims 1 to 5 wherein the downlight bracket is formed from a single piece of material.