Pivoting Recessed Light Fixture for Sloped Ceilings
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing recessed lighting fixtures for inclined ceilings often suffer from degraded optical performance and installation difficulties across a range of inclinations, particularly in cathedral ceilings with pitches from 3/12 to 12/12.
Innovation Solution
A recessed light fixture design featuring a pivotable lighting assembly within an enclosure, adjustable trim elements, a bubble level, and angle indicators to ensure vertical alignment of the optical axis across various inclinations, facilitating easy installation and improved optical quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a recessed lighting fixture is designed for inclined ceilings, then it can be installed in sloped ceilings, but the optical performance degrades and installation becomes difficult across a range of inclinations
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting assembly is made pivotable relative to the enclosure about a horizontal pivot axis, allowing dynamic adjustment of the optical axis orientation. This enables the fixture to adapt to various ceiling inclinations while maintaining proper vertical light alignment, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and optical performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The fixture allows changing the relative angle parameter between the lighting assembly and enclosure within a range of at least 15 degrees. By adjusting this parameter, the optical axis can be kept vertical across different inclination angles, maintaining optical performance while adapting to various ceiling pitches.
2Adaptability or versatility
If a recessed lighting fixture is designed for inclined ceilings, then it can be installed in sloped ceilings, but installation difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
A bubble level is integrated into the lighting assembly to provide self-aligning capability during installation. The bubble level indicates when the optical axis is vertically aligned, allowing installers to easily adjust and install the fixture without specialized tools or complex procedures, thus improving installation ease while maintaining adaptability.
Solution Approach 2:
The bubble level replaces complex mechanical alignment systems with a simple gravitational reference. This substitution provides an intuitive visual indicator for proper alignment, significantly simplifying the installation process across various inclination angles.
3Reliability
If the lighting assembly is made pivotable to adjust optical axis alignment, then optical performance is maintained across inclinations, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single pivot mechanism provides the necessary degrees of freedom to maintain vertical optical axis alignment across various ceiling inclinations. This simple rotational degree of freedom achieves the optical performance goal without introducing excessive complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The bubble level acts as an intermediary indicator that simplifies the control of the pivotable lighting assembly. It provides clear visual feedback for proper alignment, making the adjustment process intuitive and reducing the perceived complexity for installers.
4Adaptability or versatility
If multiple trim elements are provided for different inclination ranges, then adaptability to various inclinations is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of providing multiple static trim elements for different inclination ranges, the invention uses a single dynamic pivotable lighting assembly that can adapt to various inclinations through angular adjustment. This eliminates the need for multiple trim variants, reducing device complexity while maintaining broad adaptability.
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 allows for easy installation and maintains improved optical performance across a range of inclinations, ensuring the optical axis is aligned vertically or to a desired orientation, enhancing both installation ease and lighting quality.
Implementation Method 1
The lighting assembly includes a bubble level fixed thereto and visible through the aperture, and the bubble level is adapted to indicate when the optical axis is aligned in a predetermined orientation.
Data Source
AI summary
A recessed lighting fixture for installation in an inclined ceiling has an enclosure and a lighting assembly pivotal relative to the enclosure through a first and second range of relative angles such that an optical axis can be aligned vertically for the first and second ranges. First and second trim element are adapted for use with the first and second ranges of inclinations. The first and second trim elements have optical element aligned at different angles, and a relative angle between the optical elements and the reflector plane is less than or equal to 10 degrees. An angle indicator provides a proper relative angle of the lighting assembly and a trim indicator provides an indication of a proper trim element.