US-20260126167-A1 - A SYSTEM FOR LINKING TOGETHER A PLURALITY OF LUMINAIRES

US20260126167A1US 20260126167 A1US20260126167 A1US 20260126167A1US-20260126167-A1

Abstract

A system for connecting a plurality of luminaires including an inner linking element having opposed sides, each side including a central mounting hole and concentric fixing holes, an outer linking element including opposed sides, each side having a central mounting hole and protruding elements arranged concentrically thereabout, where each side of the inner linking element is disposed against and secured to two adjacent luminaires, one end of the outer linking element is disposed atop one end of the inner linking element such that the protruding elements are received within the fixing holes, and the opposing end of the outer linking element is secured to a third luminaire, where relative angular position of the inner and outer links may be varied as desired, and the system may be expanded by introducing additional luminaries and linking elements.

Inventors

Paul R. Ford
Allison K. Schieffelin

Assignees

SYLVAN R. SHEMITZ DESIGNS, LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251105

Claims (13)

1 . An inner linking element for connecting a plurality of luminaires, comprising: a first circular portion; a second circular portion arranged opposite from the first circular portion; an elongated portion extending between and connecting the first circular portion and the second circular portion; a mounting hole formed through a center of each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion; and a plurality of fixing holes formed through each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion and arranged concentrically around the respective central hole.
2 . The inner linking element of claim 1 , further comprising a cap shaped complimentary to the first circular portion and the second circular portion and having a mounting hole formed centrally therethrough with a plurality of protruding elements arranged concentrically around the mounting hole.
3 . The inner linking element of claim 2 , wherein the cap is configured to be disposed upon at least one of the first and second circular portions, where the protruding elements are received in the fixing holes, and the mounting holes are aligned to allow a fixation member to pass therethrough to fix the inner linking element upon a luminaire.
4 . An outer linking element for connecting a plurality of luminaires, comprising: a first circular portion, a second circular portion arranged opposite from the first circular portion, an elongated portion extending between and connecting the first circular portion and the second circular portion, a mounting hole formed through a center of each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion, and a plurality of protruding elements disposed on an inside surface of each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion and arranged concentrically around the respective central hole.
5 . The outer inking element of claim 4 , further comprising a spacer shaped complimentary to the first circular portion and the second circular portion, the spacer having a mounting hole formed centrally therethrough and a plurality of fixing holes formed therethrough and arranged concentrically around the central hole.
6 . The outer linking element of claim 5 , wherein the spacer is configured to be disposed between the inside surface of one of the first and second circular portions and a luminaire such that the pins are received in the fixing holes and such that the mounting holes are aligned to allow a fixation member to pass therethrough to fix the linking element upon a luminaire.
7 . A system for linking a plurality of luminaires, comprising: an inner linking element comprising the linking element of claim 1 ; an outer linking element comprising the linking element of claim 4 ; and a fixation element; wherein the plurality of fixing holes of the inner linking element are arranged correspondingly with the plurality of protruding elements of the outer linking element such that the protruding elements are received within the fixing holes when one of the circular portions of the outer linking element is positioned atop one of the circular portions of the inner linking element; and wherein the mounting holes of the inner and outer linking elements are arranged correspondingly such that the mounting hole of the outer linking element is aligned with the mounting hole of the inner linking element when said one of the circular portion of the outer linking element is positioned atop said one of the circular portions of the inner linking element; wherein the fixation element extends through the aligned mounting holes and is configured to be received and retained by a luminaire to affix the inner and outer linking elements thereto.
8 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a cap shaped complimentary to the first circular portion and the second circular portion of the inner linking element and having a mounting hole formed centrally therethrough with a plurality of protruding elements arranged concentrically around the mounting hole.
9 . The system of claim 8 , wherein the cap is configured to be disposed upon at least one of the first and second circular portions of the inner linking element, where the protruding elements are received in the fixing holes, and the mounting holes are aligned to allow the fixation member to pass therethrough to fix the inner linking element upon the luminaire.
10 . The system of claim 7 , further comprising a spacer shaped complimentary to the first circular portion and the second circular portion of the outer linking element, the spacer having a mounting hole formed centrally therethrough and a plurality of fixing holes formed therethrough and arranged concentrically around the central hole.
11 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the spacer is configured to be disposed between the inside surface of one of the first and second circular portions of the outer linking element and the luminaire such that the pins are received in the fixing holes and such that the mounting holes are aligned to allow the fixation member to pass therethrough to fix the linking element upon the luminaire.
12 . A lighting fixture assembly, comprising: a first luminaire having a first end and an opposing second end; a second luminaire having a first end and an opposing second end; a third luminaire having a first end and an opposing second end; wherein the inner linking element of claim 1 is connected to the first ends of the first and second luminaires; and wherein the outer linking element of claim 4 is disposed atop the inner linking element at the first end of the second luminaire and is affixed thereto; and wherein the outer linking element is connected to the first end of the third luminaire.
13 . The light fixture assembly of claim 12 , further comprising a fourth luminaire having a first end and an opposing second end wherein a second outer linking element is disposed atop the inner linking element at the first end of the first luminaire and is affixed thereto, and wherein the second outer linking element is connected to the first end of the fourth luminaire.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION This application is related to and claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/716,790, filed on 6 Nov. 2024, the entire contents of which are herein incorporated by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The disclosure relates to the field of lighting in general and, in particular, to a system for affixing a plurality of lighting fixtures together into a configurable unit. BACKGROUND Often, multiple lighting fixtures or luminaires are needed to properly illuminate a space. For example, brightness can be increased by arranging several luminaires into a single space. Additionally, desired lighting effects, such as uplighting, downlighting, wall washing, etc., can be created by disposing several luminaires together. However, existing technologies do not allow for multiple luminaires to easily be arranged and oriented in tandem, thus complicating installations. What is needed is system for system for linking together multiple luminaires that allows for ease of installation and customization of the number, type, and position of the luminaires. BRIEF SUMMARY A system is disclosed for linking a plurality of luminaires, including an inner linking element, an outer linking element, a cap, a spacer, and a fixation element. The inner linking element includes a first circular portion, a second circular portion arranged opposite from the first circular portion, an elongated portion extending between and connecting the first circular portion and the second circular portion, a mounting hole formed through a center of each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion; and a plurality of fixing holes formed through each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion and arranged concentrically around the respective central hole. The outer linking element includes a first circular portion, a second circular portion arranged opposite from the first circular portion, an elongated portion extending between and connecting the first circular portion and the second circular portion, a mounting hole formed through a center of each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion, and a plurality of protruding elements disposed on an inside surface of each of the first circular portion and the second circular portion and arranged concentrically around the respective central hole. The plurality of fixing holes of the inner linking element are arranged correspondingly with the plurality of protruding elements of the outer linking element such that the protruding elements are received within the fixing holes when one of the circular portions of the outer linking element is positioned atop one of the circular portions of the inner linking element. The mounting holes of the inner and outer linking elements are arranged correspondingly such that the mounting hole of the outer linking element is aligned with the mounting hole of the inner linking element when said one of the circular portion of the outer linking element is positioned atop said one of the circular portions of the inner linking element. The fixation element extends through the aligned mounting holes and is configured to be received and retained by a luminaire to affix the inner and outer linking elements thereto. The relative angular position of mated inner and outer linking elements can be established as desired by rotating the protruding elements of the outer linking element about the fixing holes of the inner linking element until the desired position is reached and then mating the linking elements such that the protruding elements enter the respective fixing holes. The system enables a simple and elegant connection of a plurality of luminaires, where the number and relative positioning of each may be customized and varied as desired. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings and detailed description, wherein like reference numerals represent like parts, in which: FIG. 1 shows an inner linking element; FIG. 2 shows a cap; FIG. 3 shows an outer linking element; FIG. 4 SHOWS A SPACER; FIG. 5 shows an exploded view of a plurality of luminaires connected by the disclosed system; FIGS. 6A-6B and 7 show a plurality of luminaires connected linearly; FIGS. 8 and 9A-9B show a plurality of luminaires connected in V-shaped configurations; FIGS. 10A-B and 11A-B show a plurality of luminaires connected in zig-zag configurations; FIGS. 12A-C show a plurality of luminaires connected in a curved configuration; FIGS. 13A-B show two luminaires connected together; FIG. 14 shows three luminaires connected together; FIG. 15 shows an exploded view of two connected luminaires; and FIG. 16 shows a plurality of connected luminaires and cross-sections thereof. DETAILED DESCRIPTION FIG. 1 shows an inner linking element 10 having a first circular por