Lighting housing

Abstract

The lighting housing 100 (e.g., for a downlight) comprises a closed wall 102 with a securing member 110 on an interior thereof. The closed wall is open at each end and defines a cavity. In use the sec

Description

This invention relates to a lighting housing for including an intumescent material, and to a lighting housing assembly including a lighting housing and an intumescent material Plaster board ceilings act as an aesthetic material and, more importantly, when fire rated, create a fire barrier to stop the spread of a fire in a structure. Recessed downlights are often mounted into plaster board ceilings, and in order to mount such downlights openings are cut into the plaster board ceilings. Creating these openings in plaster board ceilings creates a fire hazard. In the event of a fire, the openings in the plasterboard created for the downlight provides a gateway that can allow a fire to spread through. Once a fire starts to spread through these openings the fire is often in direct contact with the structural features of the structure in which the fire rated plasterboard and downlights are installed. In the UK, the Electrical Safety Council (ESC) recommends that fire rated downlights should be used in all ceilings. Fire rated down lights act to seal off the openings, retaining or surpassing the original fire rating of the substrate / material it is installed into, and slowing the spread of fire. Modern fire rated downlights are fitted with an intumescent pad or similar barrier which swells up, sealing the opening in the plasterboard and filling the void created by the volume of the downlight housing, helping the plasterboard retain its original fire rating. When heated the intumescent material may reach its critical temperature, thereby triggering the intumescent material to start to swell and expand filling any openings and / or voids with intumescent material and helping to block or delay the spread of fire and / or smoke. By retaining the effectiveness of fire barriers, several critical safety factors are affected by reducing the speed that a fire can spread and minimising the spreading of smoke, such as allowing people to escape, and aiding fire and rescue services with valuable time to extinguish a fire. It is known to provide pads of intumescent material in a lighting assembly for a downlight, typically secured to an end of the tubular lighting housing "can" and often forming an end cap of the lighting can. Intumescent material may instead or additionally be provided as a ring, typically placed on or sandwiched between metal ring(s) which is then secured to the outside permitter of the lighting can or placed inside the lighting can. Either way, the intumescent material is rivetted and / or glued to the metal support, which is then secured to the lighting can. According to a first aspect of the invention there is provided a lighting housing comprising a closed wall defining a cavity therein, the closed wall being open at each end, the lighting housing further including a securing member on the interior of the closed wall, the securing member being configured to, in use, cooperate with a primary surface of an intumescent material strip to hold the strip in place relative to the lighting housing such that the primary surface of the intumescent material is positioned flush against the interior of the closed wall. Including the securing member on the interior of the closed wall allows for the intumescent material to be installed without changing the overall footprint or shape of the lighting housing. Moreover, the securing member being configured to (in use) hold the strip of intumescent material in the flush arrangement described reduces the risk that the intumescent material interferes with other components of the lighting assembly when it is in an inactive state (i.e. not expanded). Moreover, the primary surface (which is understood to be the larger surface, i.e. width, of the intumescent material strip) being held against the closed wall allows for securing of the intumescent material to the housing without the need for an additional support because it is the larger surface of the material that interacts with the securing member, thus providing a large surface for the securing member to successfully hold the intumescent material in place. According to a second aspect of the invention there is provided a lighting housing assembly comprising a lighting housing and a strip of intumescent material having a primary surface that has a larger dimension than the remaining surfaces of the material, the lighting housing comprising a closed wall defining a cavity therein, the closed wall being open at each end, the lighting housing further including a securing member on the interior of the closed wall, the securing member being configured to cooperate with the primary surface of the intumescent material to hold the strip of intumescent material in place relative to the lighting housing, wherein the primary surface of the intumescent material is positioned flush against the interior of the closed wall. It will be understood that related features of the second aspect of the invention apply to the first aspect of the invention. Moreover, the advantages set out above in relation to the first aspect of the invention apply to the second aspect of the invention. Optionally, the securing member bears against the primary surface of the intumescent material to hold the strip of material in place. Preferably, the securing member is biased towards a holding position in which it presses against the primary surface of the intumescent material to hold the strip of material in place. This provides a secure hold for the intumescent material and reduces the risk of it becoming dislodged over time. Optionally, the securing member is resiliently deformable. The securing member may be resiliently deformable to receive and release and intumescent material such that the intumescent material may be removed and inserted many times without undue wear to the securing member. In some aspects, this may also increase the ease with which the intumescent material may be installed, removed and / or replaced. Optionally, the securing member presses into a complementary aperture formed in the closed wall. This further increases the security of the hold of the securing member on the strip of intumescent material. Optionally, the securing member is integrally formed with the closed wall. The securing member may be in the form of an opened ended clip, the open end being configured to receive the intumescent material when the material is being positioned in the cavity. Preferably, the securing member includes a lip at the open end, an edge of the intumescent material abutting the lip when the material is being held in place by the securing member. The lighting housing may include more than one securing member spaced along or around the closed wall. Optionally, the intumescent material includes a cutout creating a location portion for being received by the securing member. Preferably, the cut out is sized so that the remainder of the primary surface of the intumescent material complements the size of the securing member relative to at least one dimension thereof. The cutout provides a guide for installation and also improves the security of the intumescent material fitment. The intumescent material may be an annular band extending around the interior of the closed wall. Preferably, the annular band extends fully around the interior of the closed wall. When the intumescent material is activated, the annular band, especially when the annular band extends fully around the interior of the closed wall, prevents fire spreading through the lighting housing. The annular band may be made up from two or more separate strips of intumescent material, the separate strips of intumescent material together forming the annular band extending around the interior of the closed wall. Optionally there may be more than one annular band of intumescent material extending fully around the interior of the closed wall, each annular band being positioned axially from each other on the interior of the closed wall. This arrangement provides several points of protection. Preferably, the lighting housing is substantially cylindrical. Preferably the lighting housing assembly further comprises a light source. Preferably the lighting housing is for a downlight. A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of a nonlimiting example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 shows a first view of a lighting housing with an insertable / removable intumescent layer in place; Figure 2 shows a second view of the lighting housing; and Figure 3 shows a third view of the lighting housing. The following description is presented to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the system, and is provided in the context of a particular application. Various modifications to the disclosed embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art. Turning now to the figures, Figures 1-3 illustrate an exemplary lighting housing 100 and an intumescent material strip 200 by which one or more aspects of the invention may be implemented. It should be clear that other embodiments may include additional or equivalent parts in accordance with the present invention. The illustrated lighting housing 100 is made from a robust material which would be resistant to common and / or household fires. For example, and not limitation, the lighting housing 100 may be made from steel. The lighting housing 100 has a closed wall or cylindrical body 102 defining a cavity therein and / or enclosing a volume. Each end of the cylindrical body 102 is open. The lighting housing 100 also has a bezel 104 which extends radially from the cylindrical body 102 at one of the open ends of said cylindrical body 102. There are a pair of upstanding portions 106a and 106b each with a spring-loaded tab 108a and 108b to allow the lighting housing to be mounted into a reciprocal fitting not forming part of the invention (not shown), for example a ceiling light fitting. The lighting housing 100 has at least one protrusion or securing member 110 on an interior of the closed wall 102. The protrusion 110 is positioned to engage with an intumescent material strip 200 in the internal volume / next to the interior of closed wall 102. The securing member 110 is configured to bear against the intumescent material strip 200 to hold the material 200 in place. The securing member 110 may be biased towards a holding position to improve the security of the hold. The protrusion or securing member 110 is made from a resiliently deformable material, for example a metallic or polymer material, such that it is not unduly worn by inserting or removing the intumescent material strip 200 and is able to withstand the wear of many replacements without failing. There may be a complementary aperture or groove in the closed wall 102 which is positioned to receive at least a portion of the securing member 110. For example, the securing member may have a projection which is configured to be received and held by a complementary aperture in wall 102 to improve the security of the intumescent material 200 in the securing member 110. In some embodiments, the securing member 110 may be part of or integrally formed with the closed wall 102. In other embodiments, the securing member 110 may be attached to the closed wall 102, for example it may be glued to the closed wall 102 or attached by screws, or by any other suitable method which does not inhibit the functioning of the lighting housing and apparatus. There may be more than one securing member 110 spaced around the closed wall 102. In the pictured embodiment, the securing members 110 are placed close to the upstanding portions 106a and 106b. In other embodiments, the securing members 110 may be placed in other areas on the wall 102. For instance, they may be evenly distributed around the interior of the closed wall 102 or arranged according to other requirements. They may vary in size when compared with the pictured embodiment. The securing member 110 may be in the form of a clip. In the embodiment of Figures 1-3 the intumescent material strip 200 is retained by a protrusion 110 in the form of a clip with the open end of the clip facing the bezel 104 of the lighting housing 100. In such embodiments the fitment 200 is secured in place by the clip abutting or bearing against the primary surface 202 of the intumescent material. The clip may further include a lip at the open end which supports and secures the base of the intumescent material 200 when the lighting assembly is installed. In another embodiment, the open end of the clip may face the open end of the cylindrical body 102 without the bezel 104. In such embodiments, the intumescent material strip 200 is at least partially supported and retained by the closed end of the clip when the lighting assembly is installed such that the bezel 104 of the light housing 100 is facing downwards. The closed end of the clip provides a "stop" or lip for the bottom of the intumescent material 200 which secures it in place. Further embodiments may include more than one securing member 110 in the form of a clip. The clips may be arranged such that the open end of each clip is facing the same end of the cylindrical body 102, or they may be arranged such that some clips have open ends facing the bezel 104 end of the cylindrical body 102 while others have open ends facing the opposing end of cylindrical body 102. The intumescent material strip 200 of the pictured embodiment is an annular piece of intumescent material. When the intumescent material is heated beyond a threshold temperature for a threshold duration, for example by a fire, the annular intumescent material 200 may be activated and expand. The activated intumescent material expands to fill at least a portion of the internal volume of the cylindrical body 102 of the lighting housing 100. In this manner, the expanded intumescent material 200 seals the internal volume of the cylindrical body 102 of the lighting housing 100 and prevents the spread of fire through the lighting housing 100. The intumescent material strip 200 has a primary surface 202 positioned flush against the interior surface of the cylindrical body 102 and is arranged such that light from a lighting unit or light source (not pictured) may pass through. It will be appreciated that the intumescent material strip 200 may be any shape suitable for engaging with the lighting housing 100 and / or the securing members 110. For example, the intumescent material strip 200 may be discontinuous or may comprise more than one piece of intumescent material. There may be multiple strips of intumescent material which form an annular ring once installed in the lighting housing 100. The fitment 200 has location portions in the form of cutouts 210 for being received by the securing member. The cutouts 210 in the intumescent material 200 have a size and shape which is complementary to at least one dimension of the securing members 110. In some aspects this may increase the efficacy of the hold on the intumescent material 200 by the securing member 110. Further embodiments may include a plurality of annular bands of intumescent material 200 arranged axially along the interior of the closed wall 102. Such embodiments may further include corresponding securing members 110 spaced axially to support each band of intumescent material 200. The lighting housing assembly may further comprise a light source. The light source may be, for example, a light bulb. The lighting housing assembly may be for a downlight, or it may be used in another light fitting. Numerous modifications, adaptations and variations to the embodiments described herein will become apparent to a person skilled in the art having the benefit of the present disclosure, and such modifications, adaptations and variations that result in additional embodiments are also within the scope of the accompanying claims. Although in the above-described embodiments the intumescent material layer is an annular ring and is held against the interior surface of a cylindrical body 102, in other embodiments of the invention the intumescent material layer may take a non-annular form. For example, the intumescent material may be substantially rectangular or oval. Likewise, the interior surface of the closed wall 102 and the cavity defined thereby may have a substantially rectangular or oval cross-section and is not limited to the circular cross-section shown in Figures 1-3.

Claims

1. A lighting housing comprising a closed wall defining a cavity therein, the closed wall being open at opposite ends, the lighting housing further including a securing5 member on an interior of the closed wall, the securing member being configured to, in use, cooperate with a first primary surface of an intumescent material strip to hold the strip in place relative to the lighting housing such that a second primary surface on an opposing side of the intumescent material from the first primary surface is positioned flush against the interior of the closed wall,10 wherein the securing member is configured to be biased towards a holdingposition in which it presses towards a complementary aperture formed in the closed wall and is thereby configured to, in use, press against the first primary surface of the intumescent material to hold the strip of material in place.15 2. A lighting housing assembly comprising a lighting housing and a strip ofintumescent material having a first primary surface and a second primary surface on an opposing side of the intumescent material from the first primary surface, each of the first and second primary surfaces having larger dimensions than the remaining surfaces of the material, the lighting housing comprising a closed wall defining a cavity20 therein, the closed wall being open at opposite ends, the lighting housing further including a securing member on the interior of the closed wall, the securing member being configured to cooperate with the first primary surface of the intumescent material to hold the strip of intumescent material in place relative to the lighting housing, wherein the second primary surface of the intumescent material is positioned flush25 against the interior of the closed wall,wherein the securing member is configured to be biased towards a holding position in which it presses towards a complementary aperture formed in the closed wall and is thereby configured to, in use, press against the first primary surface of the intumescent material to hold the strip of material in place.

303. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 2 wherein the securing member is resiliently deformable.

4. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein the 35 securing member is integrally formed with the closed wall.15 08 255. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 4 wherein the securing member is in the form of an opened ended clip, the open end being configured to receive the intumescent material when the material is being positioned in the cavity.5 6. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 5 wherein the securing memberincludes a lip at the open end, an edge of the intumescent material abutting the lip when the material is being held in place by the securing member.

7. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 5 or Claim 6 further including 10 more than one securing member spaced along or around the closed wall.

8. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 7 wherein the intumescent material includes a cutout creating a location portion for being received by the securing member159. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 8 wherein the cut out is sized so that the remainder of the first and second primary surfaces of the intumescent material complements the size of the securing member relative to at least one dimension thereof.2010. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 9 wherein the intumescent material is an annular band extending around the interior of the closed wall.25 11. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 10 wherein the annular bandextends fully around the interior of the closed wall.

12. A lighting housing assembly according to Claim 10 or Claim 11 wherein the annular band is made up from two or more separate strips of intumescent material, 30 the separate strips of intumescent material together forming the annular band extending around the interior of the closed wall.

13. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 10 to 12 further comprising more than one annular band of intumescent material extending fully around 35 the interior of the closed wall, each annular band being positioned axially from each other on the interior of the closed wall.

14. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 13 wherein the lighting housing is substantially cylindrical.

15. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 14 further 5 comprising a light source.

16. A lighting housing assembly according to any one of Claims 2 to 15 wherein the lighting housing is for a downlight.LDCM

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