WO2011124886A2

WO2011124886A2 - An adapter

Info

Publication number: WO2011124886A2
Application number: PCT/GB2011/000533
Authority: WO
Inventors: Johnson Andrew
Original assignee: Aurora Limited
Priority date: 2010-04-09
Filing date: 2011-04-07
Publication date: 2011-10-13
Also published as: EP2556291A2; AU2011236645A8; WO2011124886A8; AU2011236645B2; WO2011124886A3; AU2011236645A1; GB201005925D0; EP2556291B1; ZA201207622B

Abstract

An adapter (20, 30, 130, 230) for a light fitting (10), said adapter including; a first end (34, 134, 234) having a contact portion (32, 132, 232), said contact portion being adapted to contact the light fitting in use; a second end (38, 138, 238) having a plate portion (36, 136, 236); a wall portion (40, 140, 240) extending from the first end to the second end; an attachment means (50, 150, 250) adapted to attach to the light fitting in use; and a venting means (46, 146, 246) adapted to allow air to flow through the adapter in use.

Description

An Adapter

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an adapter for a light fitting. It is particularly applicable to an adapter for a downlighter, more particularly to a fire rated downlighter.

Background of the Invention

Downlighters that are adapted to be installed into ceiling and/or roof spaces are inherently at risk of compromising the integrity of the ceiling and/or roof space. They are generally installed into an aperture in the ceiling that has to be relatively wide to accommodate the downlighter assembly and thereby compromises the ability of the ceiling to contain a fire in a room or even a fire caused by the light fitting itself failing. In order to compensate against these increased risks, it is generally required that downlighters incorporate adaptations to improve their fire barrier capabilities and which generally include the provision of intumescent materials associated with the downlighter assembly and which expand in the heat of fire to occlude the openings defined by the downlighter.

Since downlights generate a substantial amount of heat in operation, it is generally necessary that they be provided with ventilation apertures. However, fire rating requires that any ventilation apertures be sealed off by the intumescent material in event of a fire. In operation it is important that the intumescent material is stable and not triggered by the high levels of heat generated in normal operation of the light but that in event of a fire it expands to reliably occlude the openings.

Normal measures to fire rate downlighters include, for example, provision of hoods or tents that seat over the downlighter assembly in the manner of a shroud and which effectively entomb the downlighter in event of a fire. See, for example, GB- 2,270,936. More recently downlighter assemblies have been adapted to incorporate intumescent material more intimately associated with the downlighter itself and commonly mounted in immediate proximity to the casing of the downlighter at the rear end of the casing in order specifically to occlude ventilation apertures in the rear end of the casing. In general the intumescent material is applied as a sheet/layer that is laminated or sandwiched to the end wall of the lamp casing either internally or externally. However, the positioning of a layer of intumescent material at the end of a downlighter assembly may compromise the flow of air through the downlighter. This can cause excessive heat to build up during operation. This has at least two disadvantages. Firstly, bulb life may be significantly reduced and secondly, the intumescent material may be triggered to expand because of the excessive heat resulting from continuous running of the bulb. In order to avoid this, intumescent material which starts to expand at a higher temperature tends to be used. This makes the whole assembly less sensitive and slower to close up in the event of a fire. Further drawbacks of this prior art include that they need to be used only with aluminium reflector lamps, being incompatible for use with the popular dichroic reflector lamps since these latter direct the heat from the lamp rearwardly and which would cause excessive heat build up inside the casing reducing lamp life and risking premature activation of the intumescent material. In addition, in order to retrofit a downlighter with the necessary hood and tent in order to fire rate the downlighter loft or attic access is required.

Another recent alternative to the hood or tent is the fitting of a raised plate to the top of the outer casing of the downlighter. The plate is screwed, bolted or welded into position prior to the downlighter being installed in location. The problem is that the plate is not readily retro-fittable to existing downlighter casings and there is still the possibility for material, such as insulation, in the loft or attic space to get between the plate and the top of the outer casing of the downlighter. Summary of the Invention

According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided an adapter for a light fitting, said adapter including; a first end having a contact portion, said contact portion being adapted to contact the light fitting in use; a second end having a plate portion; a wall portion extending from the first end to the second end; an attachment means adapted to attach to the light fitting in use; and a venting means adapted to allow air to flow through the adapter in use. The use of an adapter is advantageous as not only is the adapter retro-fittable to any existing light fitting, in particular to the outer casing of a downlighter, but also allows for the retro-fitting by simply removing the downlighter from the ceiling in the room that it is located in without the need to access the attic or loft space or pull up the floorboards of the room above. The adapter is retro-fittable due to the fact that it can simply click into place with existing ventilation apertures in the downlighter casing. Suitable attachment means include spring loaded clips which may be formed of metal or plastics material which may in addition include barbs which stop the adapter from becoming dislodged from the light fitting. The adapter can be fitted without needing to access the attic or loft space because the adapter is the same size or smaller than the light fitting. The existing fitted downlighter can simply be removed from the ceiling, the adapter snap fitted into place on the top of the outer casing of the downlighter and then the downlighter can be put back through the same hole in the ceiling and fitted into place.

The adapter acts to maintain an air gap and ventilation pathway to the ventilation holes located in the top of the casing of the downlighter. This stops the downlighter from overheating and becoming a fire risk. The fitting of the adapter results in a standard downlighter being transformed into a fire rated downlighter at minimal cost and expense, without the need for purchasing a new downlighter or access to the attic or loft space to install a hood or tent over the light fitting. The adapter stops the insulation located in most attic or loft spaces (or other ceiling spaces) from coming into contact with the top of the casing of the downlighter which would otherwise risk blocking the ventilation holes, become hot, and risk fire.

In one alternative the contact portion is a substantially annular ring, this is to match the annular nature of the casing of the downlighter to which the adapter is to be fitted. Preferably the plate portion is also substantially annular to match, and the wall portion is also preferably a substantially annular ring substantially perpendicular to the contact portion and/or plate portion. This essentially forms an upside down small bowl or dish shape.

The contact portion may have substantially the same diameter as the plate portion. In this version the wall portion will be parallel and straight sided directly connecting the two elements together. In the alternative the contact portion may have a larger diameter than the plate portion. In this version the wall portion includes either a substantially frustoconical portion only or a substantially parallel portion and a substantially frustoconical portion. It is preferable in certain cases for the plate portion and the wall portion to include a cut out portion which corresponds to the location of a transformer fitting on the light fitting which the adapter is to be fitted to in use. If no transformer fitting is present on the light fitting then such a cut out portion will not be required.

Preferably the adapter is either the same diameter or has a smaller diameter than the light fitting which the adapter will be fitted to in use. This enables the adapter either to be retro-fitted or simply fitted to a light fitting which can then be installed through the same size hole in the ceiling as would normally be employed without the need to access the attic or loft space.

Preferably the venting means includes an aperture or a plurality of apertures in the plate portion. In addition or in the alternative the venting means includes an aperture or plurality of apertures in the wall portion. The apertures may be circular, oval, square or oblong for example.

The attachment means may include an attachment portion which is adapted to move from a first expanded position to a second contracted position. The attachment means is also preferably adapted to attach to the casing of a downlighter utilising a pre-existing hole located in the light fitting which the adapter is to be fitted to in use. During fitting the attachment portion is adapted to move from the first expanded position to the second contracted position whilst the attachment portion passes through the pre-existing hole during fitting of the adapter in use, and is adapted to move from the second contracted position back to the first expanded position after the attachment portion has passed through the pre-existing hole after fitting of the adapter in use. This is advantageous as the adapter can simply be snap fitted into place without the need for drilling the existing casing or using complicated or fiddly fastening means which may have components which need fixing both inside and outside of the casing. The attachment portion may include a spring-loaded clip or a spring-loaded barb. The attachment means may attach to any suitable portion of the adapter; this may be the plate portion or the wall portion or even be located directly on the contact portion.

The adapter may be formed from a metal or metal alloy or a plastics material. The adapter is suitable for any light fittings, but particularly so for a surface mounted light fitting such as one mounted in a wall or ceiling i.e. a downlighter. Although the adapter when fitted will fire rate a standard downlighter, it can also be fitted to already fire rated downlighters to give even greater levels of security and reduce fire risk even further.

According to a second aspect of the present invention there is also provided a light fitting including an adapter as described above and in the claims. According to a third aspect of the present invention there is provided a light fitting including an adapter, said adapter including; a first end having a contact portion which contacts the outer casing of the light fitting; a second end having a plate portion; a wall portion extending from the first end to the second end; an attachment means adapted to attach to the light fitting; and a venting means adapted to allow air to flow through the adapter in use.

Features of the various aspects and embodiments described are intended to be interchangeable and not intended to be limited to the specific examples only in isolation.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view of a downlighter in situ in a loft or attic space without any means to keep insulation and the like away from the top of the casing of the downlighter; Figure 2 is a view of a downlighter in situ in a loft or attic space with a prior art plate as a means to keep insulation and the like away from the top of the casing of the downlighter;

Figure 3 is a view of a downlighter in situ in a loft or attic space fitted with an embodiment of the adapter of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of a downlighter fitted with another embodiment of the adapter of the present invention; Figure 5 is a front view of a downlighter fitted with an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 6 is a side view of a downlighter fitted with an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 7 is a bottom view of a downlighter fitted with an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 8 is a top view of a downlighter fitted with an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 9 is an exploded perspective view of a downlighter fitted with an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 10 is a perspective view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 11 is a bottom view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 12 is a top view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 13 is a back view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 14 is a side view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 15 is a top perspective view of another embodiment of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 16 is a bottom perspective view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 17 is a bottom view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 18 is a front view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 19 is a top view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 20 is a side view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 21 is a top perspective view of a further embodiment of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 22 is a bottom perspective view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 23 is a bottom view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 24 is a front view of an adapter of the present invention;

Figure 25 is a top view of an adapter of the present invention; and

Figure 26 is a side view of an adapter of the present invention. Description of the Preferred Embodiment

Figure 1 illustrates a downlighter 10 fitted into a ceiling 12 with insulation 14 potentially obscuring the ventilation holes 16 located in the top of the downlighter 10. Figure 2 illustrates a downlighter 10 fitted into a ceiling 12. The downlighter 10 has been fitted with a prior art plate 18. The insulation 14 still potentially obscures the ventilation holes 16 located in the top of the downlighter 10. Figure 3 illustrates a downlighter 10 fitted into a ceiling 12. The downlighter 10 has been fitted with an adapter 20 according to the present invention. The insulation 14 no longer obscures the ventilation holes 16 located in the top of the downlighter 10.

Figures 4 to 9 illustrate an embodiment of the adapter 30 of the present invention fitted to a downlighter 10. The same adapter 30 can be seen individually in more detail in Figures 10 to 14. The adapter 30 has a contact portion 32 located at the first end 34 of the adapter 30. The contact portion 32 is designed to contact the top surface 22 of the outer casing of the downlighter 10 in use. The contact portion 32 needs to contact the top surface 22 of the downlighter rather than standing proud so that insulation 14 does not inadvertently enter into the gap which would be created and block the ventilation holes 16. The adapter 30 also has a plate portion 36 located at the second end 38 of the adapter 30. Connecting the plate portion 36 to the contact portion 32 is a wall portion 40. In the example shown because the diameter of the contact portion 32 is larger than the diameter of the plate portion 36 the wall portion 40 has a parallel section 42 and a f rustoconical section 44. In the alternative the wall portion 40 could simply all be f rustoconical, or if the diameter of the contact portion 32 was the same as the diameter of the plate portion 30 then the wall portion 40 could simply all be parallel. In this embodiment both the plate portion 36 and wall portion 40 have a plurality of apertures 46, in this version the apertures 46 are circular, they could of course be any other suitable shape or size. The adapter 30 is also provided with an attachment means 48. The attachment means 48 is fixed to the plate portion 36 of the adapter 30 with nuts and bolts 50. In an alternative the attachment means 48 may be integral with the adapter 30 and may be attached to the adapter 30 by another suitable means such as welding for example. Also in the alternative the attachment means 48 may be attached to a different portion of the adapter such as the wall portion 40. The attachment means has an attachment portion 52 which in the embodiment illustrated is a spring clip which is capable of clipping into pre-existing holes such as one of the ventilation holes 16 in the top surface of the casing of the downlighter 10. The adapter 30 is also provided with a cut out portion 54 in the wall portion 40, plate portion 36 and contact portion 32. The cut out portion 54 is provided to enable the fitting of the adapter 30 onto a downlighter 10 around the transformed fittings 24 and transformer 26.

Figures 15 to 20 illustrated another embodiment of the adapter 130 of the present invention. The adapter 130 has a contact portion 132 located at the first end 134 of the adapter 130. The contact portion 132 is designed to contact the top surface 122 of the outer casing of the downlighter 110 in use. The contact portion 132 needs to contact the top surface 22 of the downlighter rather than standing proud such that insulation 14 does not inadvertently enter into the gap which would be created and block the ventilation holes 16. The adapter 130 also has a plate portion 136 located at the second end 138 of the adapter 130. Connecting the plate portion 136 to the contact portion 132 is a wall portion 140. In the example shown because the diameter of the contact portion 132 is larger than the diameter of the plate portion 136 the wall portion 140 has a parallel section 142 and a frustoconical section 144. In the alternative the wall portion 140 could simply all be frustoconical, or if the diameter of the contact portion 132 was the same as the diameter of the plate portion 130 then the wall portion 140 could simply all be parallel. In this embodiment both the plate portion 136 and wall portion 140 have a plurality of apertures 146, in this version the apertures 146 are circular, they could of course be any other suitable shape or size. The adapter 130 is also provided with an attachment means 148. The attachment means 148 is integral with the plate portion 136 of the adapter 130. In an alternative the attachment means 148 may be fixed to the adapter 130 with nuts and bolts or any other suitable means such as welding for example. Also in the alternative the attachment means 148 may be attached to a different portion of the adapter such as the wall portion 140. The attachment means has an attachment portion 152 which in the embodiment illustrated is a barbed spring clip which is capable of clipping into pre-existing holes such as one of the ventilation holes 16 in the top surface of the casing of the downlighter 10. The adapter 130 is also provided with a cut out portion 154 in the wall portion 140, plate portion 136 and contact portion 132. The cut out portion 154 is provided to enable the fitting of the adapter 130 onto a downlighter 10 around the transformer fittings 24 and transformer 26.

Figures 21 to 26 illustrate a further embodiment of the adapter 230 of the present invention. The adapter 230 has a contact portion 232 located at the first end 234 of the adapter 230. The contact portion 232 is designed to contact the top surface 222 of the outer casing of the downlighter 210 in use. The contact portion 232 needs to contact the top surface 22 of the downlighter rather than standing proud so that insulation 14 does not inadvertently enter into the gap which would be created and block the ventilation holes 16. The adapter 230 also has a plate portion 236 located at the second end 238 of the adapter 230. Connecting the plate portion 236 to the contact portion 232 is a wall portion 240. In the example shown because the diameter of the contact portion 232 is larger than the diameter of the plate portion 236 the wall portion 240 has a parallel section 242 and a frustoconical section 244. In the alternative the wall portion 240 could simply all be frustoconical, or if the diameter of the contact portion 232 was the same as the diameter of the plate portion 230 then the wall portion 240 could simply all be parallel. In this embodiment both the plate portion 236 and wall portion 240 have a plurality of apertures 246, in this version the apertures 246 are oblong slots, they could of course be any other suitable shape or size. The adapter 230 is also provided with an attachment means 248. The attachment means 248 is integral with the plate portion 236 of the adapter 230. In an alternative the attachment means 248 may be fixed to the adapter 230 with nuts and bolts or any other suitable means such as welding for example. Also in the alternative the attachment means 248 may be attached to a different portion of the adapter such as the wall portion 240. The attachment means has an attachment portion 252 which in the embodiment illustrated is a barbed spring clip which is capable of clipping into pre-existing holes such as one of the ventilation holes 16 in the top surface of the casing of the downlighter 10. The adapter 230 is also provided with a cut out portion 254 in the wall portion 240, plate portion 236 and contact portion 232. The cut out portion 254 is provided to enable the fitting of the adapter 230 onto a downlighter 10 around the transformer fittings 24 and transformer 26.

The adapter or insulation cover can be put onto an existing downlight and make fire- rated.

The box covers previously used to box in the downlights required access from the attic. These adapters or covers do not, you just take the light out of the ceiling and fit the cover and replace. This is a new part of the product. This adapter or cover will stop insulation getting in from the side. The adapter or cover can be made in various sizes so it fits on any down light (not particularly fire rated down lights) to keep the light away from the insulation.

Claims

Claims:

1. An adapter for a light fitting, said adapter including; a first end having a contact portion, said contact portion being adapted to contact the light fitting in use; a second end having a plate portion; a wall portion extending from the first end to the second end; an attachment means adapted to attach to the light fitting in use; and a venting means adapted to allow air to flow through the adapter in use.

2. An adapter as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the contact portion is a substantially annular ring.

3. An adapter as claimed in Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the plate portion is substantially annular.

4. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the contact portion has substantially the same diameter as the plate portion.

5. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 3 wherein the contact portion has a larger diameter than the plate portion.

6. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the wall portion is a substantially annular ring.

7. An adapter as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the wall portion includes a substantially frustoconical portion.

8. An adapter as claimed in Claim 5 or Claim 6 wherein the wall portion includes a substantially parallel portion and a substantially frustoconical portion.

9. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the plate portion and the wall portion include a cut out portion which corresponds to the location of a transformer fitting on the light fitting which the adapter is to be fitted to in use.

10. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim which has the same diameter or has a smaller diameter than the light fitting which the adapter will be fitted to in use.

11. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the venting means includes an aperture in the plate portion.

12. An adapter as claimed in Claim 11 wherein the venting means includes a plurality of apertures in the plate portion.

13. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the venting means includes an aperture in the wall portion.

14. An adapter as claimed in Claim 13 wherein the venting means includes a plurality of apertures in the wall portion.

15. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 10 to 14 wherein the aperture is circular.

16. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 10 to 15 wherein the aperture is oval.

17. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 10 to 16 wherein the aperture is square.

18. An adapter as claimed in any of claims 10 to 17 wherein the aperture is oblong.

19. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the attachment means includes an attachment portion which is adapted to move from a first expanded position to a second contracted position.

20. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the attachment means is adapted to attach to a pre-existing hole located in the light fitting which the adapter is to be fitted to in use.

21. An adapter as claimed in Claim 20 when dependent on Claim 19 wherein the attachment portion is adapted to move from the first expanded position to the second contracted position whilst the attachment portion passes through the preexisting hole during fitting of the adapter in use, and is adapted to move from the second contracted position back to the first expanded position after the attachment portion has passed through the pre-existing hole after fitting of the adapter in use.

22. An adapter as claim in any of claims 19 to 21 wherein the attachment portion includes a spring loaded clip.

23. An adapter as claim in any of claims 19 to 21 wherein the attachment portion includes a spring loaded barb.

24. An adapter as claim in any preceding claim formed from a metal or metal alloy.

25. An adapter as claim in any preceding claim formed from a plastics material.

26. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim for a surface mounted light fitting.

27. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim for a wall or ceiling mounted light fitting.

28. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim for a downlighter.

29. An adapter as claimed in any preceding claim for a fire rated downlighter.

30. An adapter substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 3 to 26.

31. A light fitting including an adapter as claimed in any of claims 1 to 30.

32. A light fitting including an adapter, said adapter including; a first end having a contact portion which contacts the outer casing of the light fitting; a second end having a plate portion; a wall portion extending from the first end to the second end; an attachment means adapted to attach to the light fitting; and a venting means adapted to allow air to flow through the adapter in use.

33. A light fitting including an adapter substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in any of Figures 3 to 26.