Light Fixture Frame With Reinforced Corners And Adjustable I-Brackets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing frames for supporting light fixtures often fail to handle heavier loads due to inadequate reinforcement, and they are not versatile enough to accommodate different ceiling thicknesses.
Innovation Solution
A frame assembly with reinforced double-walled corner regions and I-brackets that allow for adjustable height settings of the light fixture can relative to the frame, enabling compatibility with various ceiling thicknesses.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the frame uses single-walled corner regions, then the frame structure is simpler and easier to manufacture, but the frame cannot support heavier loads and may fail over time
Solution Approach 1:
The frame is segmented into single-walled and double-walled regions. The corner regions are divided into multiple wall layers (double-walled) while the mid-sections remain single-walled, allowing reinforcement only where structurally necessary to support heavy loads without unnecessarily complicating the entire frame structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame structure has non-uniform wall thickness: corner regions have double walls for enhanced strength and load-bearing capacity, while mid-sections have single walls for simplicity. This local differentiation ensures structural integrity at critical stress points while maintaining ease of manufacture in non-critical areas.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the frame is designed for a fixed ceiling thickness, then the manufacturing and installation process is simpler, but the frame cannot accommodate different ceiling thicknesses
Solution Approach 1:
The frame incorporates adjustable I-brackets with movable components that can be positioned at different heights along the frame structure. This dynamic adjustability allows the light-fixture-can assembly to accommodate various ceiling thicknesses while maintaining a relatively simple overall frame design without requiring multiple fixed-size frames.
Solution Approach 2:
The frame design with adjustable I-brackets serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, accommodates different ceiling thicknesses, and allows for height adjustment of the light fixture. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for different frame models for different ceiling configurations.
3Strength
If the corner regions are reinforced with double walls and mechanical fasteners, then the frame can support heavier loads, but the manufacturing process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The frame manufacturing process is segmented into stages: first constructing the simple single-walled main body, then adding double-walled reinforcement only to corner regions. This segmentation allows the majority of the frame to be manufactured quickly and easily, with the more complex reinforced corners being added in a separate, focused operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The reinforced double-walled construction with mechanical fasteners is applied locally only to corner regions where structural strength is critical for supporting heavy loads. The mid-sections maintain simple single-walled construction that is easier and faster to manufacture, thus balancing strength requirements with manufacturing efficiency.
Data Source
AI summary
A frame for supporting a light fixture has regions of its sidewall corners that are double walled and secured with at least one mechanical-fastener (e.g., a rivet) at each such region of the sidewall corners. This results in a stronger frame that is able to support heavier loads as compared to a frame without such reinforced corner regions. The frame also has holes on its largest-planar-member for attaching to I-brackets and the I-brackets may be attached to a light-fixture-can of the light fixture. The frame also has different holes, on opposing sidewalls, that may be attached to a junction-box that covers over a largest-hole of the frame. Each I-bracket has a concave-surface for concentrically pressing up against an exterior surface of the light-fixture-can. Each I-bracket may attached to the light-fixture-can and to the frame. The I-brackets permit a height of the light-fixture-can to be set at different heights.