Hinge-Mounted Rotating Base Spotlight Friction Adjustment

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current adjustable light fixtures lack the ability to maintain selected orientations without cumbersome or obtrusive hardware, often falling out of adjustment due to inadequate mechanisms.

Innovation Solution

A light fixture design featuring a hingedly coupled emitter housing to a rotatable mounting surface, utilizing friction to hold adjustments and minimize hardware, allowing for angular articulation and rotation while keeping the hinge hidden from view, with features like cooling fins and removable reflector housings for improved functionality.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If adjustment mechanisms are made simple and minimal, then ease of operation and design unobtrusiveness improve, but the ability to maintain selected orientation deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight fixture adjustmentVSAvoidposition holding

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces traditional mechanical adjustment mechanisms (screws, locks, brackets) with a friction-based system. The emitter housing uses a friction surface that contacts the rotatable portion to maintain position, eliminating complex mechanical hardware while achieving both ease of adjustment and reliable position holding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent changes the physical parameter of friction between contacting surfaces. By designing surfaces with appropriate friction coefficients, the system achieves sufficient holding force without mechanical locks, allowing simple adjustment while maintaining selected orientation reliably.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Device complexity

If hardware is minimized, then device complexity reduces, but the ability to maintain adjustment deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehardwareVSAvoidposition holding

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The patent eliminates mechanical hardware (screws, locks, brackets) by substituting with a friction-based positioning system. The emitter housing and rotatable portion use friction contact to maintain adjustment, achieving minimal hardware while preserving reliable position holding capability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The friction-based system is self-regulating and requires no additional hardware or active control. The friction contact automatically maintains the selected position without mechanical locks, and the system self-adjusts as needed without external intervention.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

3Device complexity

If friction is used to hold adjustments, then hardware is minimized, but the mechanism becomes less obvious

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovehardwareVSAvoidadjustment mechanism visibility

Core Design Contradiction:

Device complexityVSDifficulty of detecting and measuring

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces visible mechanical hardware with invisible friction-based positioning. The friction contact between the emitter housing and rotatable portion is not visually obvious, yet effectively holds adjustments without requiring observable mechanical mechanisms.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The design provides simple and unobtrusive light fixture adjustments with minimal hardware, effectively maintaining selected orientations and allowing for precise control of light direction without the need for excessive or visible mechanisms.

Implementation Method 1

the hinge is configured to releasably hold a selected angular displacement of the emitter housing relative to the rotatable portion through friction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

the base is configured to releasably hold a selected planar rotation of the rotatable portion relative to the stationary portion through friction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 3

a plurality of cooling fins disposed on an interior surface of an outer wall of the emitter housing and extending a distance from the second end towards the first end along a longitudinal axis of the emitter housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 4

the outer wall, the cooling fins, and the interior wall cooperate to define a plurality of air cooling channels

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConduction (thermal): Conduction (thermal)

Data Source

PatentEP2989383B1Hinge-mounted rotating base spotlight

Publication Date: 2019.04.10 LUCIFER LIGHTING CO

Figure 1A
Figure 1B~1C
Figure 2A

AI summary

This disclosure includes adjustable light fixtures and methods for using the same. Some light fixtures use or include a base having a stationary portion with first and second ends, where the first end defines an opening and the second end is configured to secure the fixture to a structure, and a rotatable portion having a mounting surface, where the rotatable portion is configured to be disposed within the opening and to rotate relative to the stationary portion in the plane of the first end, an emitter housing having a first end and a second end, where the first end defines an aperture and the emitter housing defines an interior volume configured to receive a light source, and a hinge coupled to the mounting surface and the second end of the emitter housing, where the hinge is configured to permit angular displacement of the emitter housing relative to the rotatable portion.