US-20260126168-A1 - POLYMER HOUSING FOR A LIGHTING SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING SAME

Abstract

A housing assembly for a recessed lighting system includes a housing with integrally formed cable routing features, mounting features, and alignment features. The integration of multiple features into the housing is enabled by forming the housing from a polymer using an injection molding process instead of sheet metal. For a new construction installation, the housing includes integrally formed bar hanger holders to support and guide bar hangers for installation onto two or more support structures, nail-in features for installation onto a single support structure, and one or more alignment features to position the housing against the single support structure when the nail-in features are used for installation. For a remodel installation, the housing includes a flange to abut a bottom surface of a ceiling and one or more spring clips mounted to the housing to abut a top surface of the ceiling.

Inventors

• William Wai-Loong Young
• Amir Lotfi
• Vincent Williams
• Nolan Gunsolley

Assignees

• DMF, Inc.

Dates

Publication Date

20260507

Application Date

20250128

Priority Date

20210716

Claims (20)

1. 1 . (canceled)
2. 2 . A housing assembly for a recessed lighting system, the housing assembly comprising: a polymer housing, comprising: a sidewall having a first end, a second end, and at least two spring clip openings; a cover joined to and enclosing the second end of the sidewall, the cover and the sidewall defining a cavity having an opening at the first end to access the cavity; and a flange disposed on the first end of the sidewall; and at least two spring clips, directly coupled to the polymer housing, to couple the housing assembly to a drywall panel when the housing assembly is installed onto the drywall panel, each spring clip of the at least two spring clips matching with a corresponding spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings, each spring clip of the at least two spring clips comprising: a bent section coupled to the polymer housing and disposed outside the cavity of the polymer housing; and a push flange joined to the bent section and inserted through the corresponding spring clip opening such that a portion of the push flange is disposed in the cavity of the polymer housing, wherein when the housing assembly is installed onto the drywall panel: the flange of the polymer housing abuts a first side of the drywall panel; and the push flange of each spring clip is displaced through the corresponding spring clip opening so as to displace the bent section of the spring clip towards a second side of the drywall panel opposite the first side, the bent section and the flange of the polymer housing together forming a clamping mechanism to couple the housing assembly to the drywall panel.
3. 3 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein: the at least two spring clip openings comprises: a first spring clip opening; and a second spring clip opening disposed diametrically opposite to the first spring clip opening; and the at least two spring clips comprises: a first spring clip partially inserted through the first spring clip opening; and a second spring clip disposed diametrically opposite to the first spring and partially inserted through the second spring clip opening.
4. 4 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein: each spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings is a T-shaped opening comprising: a wide portion; and a narrow portion; and the push flange of each spring clip of the at least two spring clips comprises: a wide section configured to pass through the wide portion of the corresponding spring clip opening; and a narrow section configured to pass through the wide portion and the narrow portion of the corresponding spring clip opening.
5. 5 . The housing assembly of claim 4 , wherein: the narrow portion of each spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings is disposed above the wide portion; and when the housing assembly is installed onto the drywall panel: the wide section of the push flange of each spring clip passes through the wide portion of the corresponding spring clip opening followed by the narrow section of the push flange so as to displace the bent section of the spring clip; and when the push flange is sufficiently displaced such that the narrow section is disposed within the corresponding spring clip opening, the narrow section is moved from the wide portion to the narrow portion of the corresponding spring clip opening thereby locking the spring clip in place.
6. 6 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein: the bent section of each spring clip of the at least two spring clips includes a pair of flat sections forming a V-shaped bend; and the flat sections are not oriented vertically.
7. 7 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein each spring clip of the at least two spring clips further comprises: a base section, joined to the bent section, to couple the spring clip to the polymer housing, the base section having a hook that wraps around the first end of the sidewall of the polymer housing.
8. 8 . The housing assembly of claim 7 , wherein the base section of each spring clip of the at least two spring clips further includes a plurality of teeth that dig into the sidewall of the polymer housing thereby securely coupling the spring clip to the polymer housing.
9. 9 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein: the flange of the polymer housing has a width defined as a distance between an inner edge of the flange joined to the sidewall and an outer edge of the flange along a radial axis, the radial axis intersecting a centerline axis of the polymer housing; and the width of the flange near one spring clip of the at least two spring clips is greater than the width of the flange at a midpoint located between the at least two spring clips.
10. 10 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein the sidewall of the polymer housing has at least one of a round shape or a tapered shape.
11. 11 . The housing assembly of claim 2 , wherein the polymer housing further comprises: at least one of a knockout or a feedthrough tab.
12. 12 . A housing assembly for a recessed lighting system, the housing assembly comprising: a polymer housing, comprising: a sidewall having a first end and a second end; a cover joined to and enclosing the second end of the sidewall, the cover and the sidewall defining a cavity having an opening at the first end to access the cavity; and a flange, disposed on the first end of the sidewall, having a width defined as a distance between an inner edge of the flange joined to the sidewall and an outer edge of the flange along a radial axis, the radial axis intersecting a centerline axis of the polymer housing; and at least two spring clips, directly coupled to the polymer housing, to couple the housing assembly to a drywall panel when the housing assembly is installed onto the drywall panel, wherein the width of the flange varies around the first end between the at least two spring clips.
13. 13 . The housing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the width of the flange near one spring clip of the at least two spring clips is greater than the width of the flange at a midpoint located between the at least two spring clips.
14. 14 . The housing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the width of the flange varies in a smooth and continuous manner.
15. 15 . The housing assembly of claim 12 , wherein: the sidewall of the polymer housing includes at least two spring clip openings; each spring clip of the at least two spring clip matches with a corresponding spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings, the spring clip comprising: a bent section coupled to the polymer housing and disposed outside the cavity of the polymer housing; and a push flange joined to the bent section and inserted through the corresponding spring clip opening such that a portion of the push flange is disposed in the cavity of the polymer housing.
16. 16 . The housing assembly of claim 15 , wherein: each spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings is a T-shaped opening comprising: a wide portion; and a narrow portion; and the push flange of each spring clip of the at least two spring clips comprises: a wide section configured to pass through the wide portion of the corresponding spring clip opening; and a narrow section configured to pass through the wide portion and the narrow portion of the corresponding spring clip opening.
17. 17 . The housing assembly of claim 12 , wherein the sidewall of the polymer housing has at least one of a round shape or a tapered shape.
18. 18 . A housing assembly for a recessed lighting system, the housing assembly comprising: a round-shaped polymer housing, comprising: a sidewall having a first end, a second end, and at least two spring clip openings, each spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings being a T-shaped opening with a wide portion and a narrow portion; a cover joined to and enclosing the second end of the sidewall, the cover and the sidewall defining a cavity having an opening at the first end to access the cavity; and a flange disposed on the first end of the sidewall; and at least two spring clips, directly coupled to the polymer housing, to couple the housing assembly to a drywall panel when the housing assembly is installed onto the drywall panel, each spring clip of the at least two spring clips matching with a corresponding spring clip opening of the at least two spring clip openings, each spring clip of the at least two spring clips comprising: a bent section coupled to the polymer housing and disposed outside the cavity of the polymer housing; and a push flange joined to the bent section and inserted through the corresponding spring clip opening such that a portion of the push flange is disposed in the cavity of the polymer housing, the push flange having a wide section configured to pass through the wide portion of the corresponding spring clip opening and a narrow section configured to pass through the wide portion and the narrow portion of the corresponding spring clip opening, wherein when the housing assembly is installed onto the drywall panel: the flange of the polymer housing abuts a first side of the drywall panel; and the push flange of each spring clip is displaced through the corresponding spring clip opening so as to displace the bent section of the spring clip towards a second side of the drywall panel opposite the first side, the bent section and the flange of the polymer housing together forming a clamping mechanism to couple the housing assembly to the drywall panel.
19. 19 . The housing assembly of claim 18 , wherein: the at least two spring clip openings comprises: a first spring clip opening; and a second spring clip opening disposed diametrically opposite to the first spring clip opening; and the at least two spring clips comprises: a first spring clip partially inserted through the first spring clip opening; and a second spring clip disposed diametrically opposite to the first spring and partially inserted through the second spring clip opening.
20. 20 . The housing assembly of claim 18 , wherein each spring clip of the at least two spring clips further comprises: a handle, joined to the push flange and disposed in the cavity of the housing, to displace the push flange from within the cavity of the housing.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S) The present application is a continuation of, and claims priority to, U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 17/723,370, filed Apr. 18, 2022, entitled “POLYMER HOUSING FOR A LIGHTING SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING SAME,” which is a continuation of U.S. Non-Provisional application Ser. No. 17/379,748, filed Jul. 19, 2021, entitled “POLYMER HOUSING FOR A LIGHTING SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING SAME,” which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/121,163, filed Dec. 3, 2020, entitled “HOUSING WITH INTEGRATED BAR HANGER HOLDERS FOR A LIGHTING SYSTEM,” U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/053,260, filed Jul. 17, 2020, entitled “HOUSING WITH INTEGRATED BAR HANGER HOLDERS FOR A LIGHTING SYSTEM,” and Canadian Application No. 3124976, filed Jul. 16, 2021, entitled “POLYMER HOUSING FOR A LIGHTING SYSTEM AND METHODS FOR USING SAME.” Each of the aforementioned applications is incorporated by reference herein in its entirety. BACKGROUND A conventional lighting system (also referred to herein as a “lighting fixture”) typically includes a housing (also referred to as an “enclosure”) to contain a lighting module, which includes a light source, a driver, and/or one or more wires. The housing is typically supported by various components (e.g., a pan frame, bar hanger holders, bar hangers) to form a housing assembly. The supporting components include mounting features to facilitate installation of the housing assembly onto one or more support structures in the environment. The mounting features often vary depending on the type of installation (e.g., a remodel lighting fixture, a new construction lighting fixture) and the type of support structure disposed in the environment to support the housing assembly. For example, a conventional housing assembly for a recessed lighting system typically includes a can housing to contain a light source and a junction box to receive and contain wires from an electrical power supply of a building and wire splices to electrically couple the wires to the light source. In a new construction installation, the can housing and the junction box are generally supported by a pan frame and one or more adjustable bar hanger assemblies coupled to the pan frame to mount the housing assembly to various support structures located within the ceiling (e.g., a wood joist or stud, a metal joist or stud, a T-bar). Each bar hanger assembly generally includes (1) a pair of telescopically adjustable bar hangers slidably coupled to the pan frame and (2) a bar hanger head on each bar hanger with one or more mounting features to couple to various support structures. Once the housing assembly is mounted to the support structures, a piece of drywall (or a wood panel) is then installed to cover the ceiling and an opening is then cut to expose the housing. A lighting module may then be inserted into the housing with a trim to cover the opening formed in the ceiling. In a remodel installation, the can housing and the junction box are supported by a frame and the housing assembly is inserted directly through an opening formed in the drywall already installed in the ceiling. Said in another way, a remodel installation does not require access to support structures disposed within the ceiling for installation. The can housing typically includes multiple spring clips to directly mount the housing assembly to the drywall. Once the housing assembly is mounted to the drywall, the lighting module and the trim may be installed in the same manner as in the new construction installation. SUMMARY The Inventors, via previous innovative designs of lighting systems, have recognized and appreciated recessed lighting systems offer several benefits for ambient and task lighting including, but not limited to, making the environment appear larger (e.g., low ceiling environments), greater flexibility in tailoring lighting conditions (e.g., wall wash, directional, accent, general lighting), and fewer limitations on the installation location (e.g., a sloped ceiling, a vaulted ceiling, a wall). However, the Inventors have also recognized several limitations in the design and use of conventional housing assemblies for recessed lighting systems. First, a conventional housing assembly typically includes a housing and other supporting components formed from sheet metal. Conventional sheet metal forming processes, however, are generally unsuitable for the production of complex-shaped components, such as a part with a variable wall thickness or a part with a rounded, enclosed wall with protruding structural features or flat sections. The formation of more complex structural features often entails additional processing steps, which can result in appreciably higher manufacturing costs. Furthermore, structural features that protrude from the surface of a part formed from sheet metal (e.g., a rib to structurally reinforce the part) can also be difficult to include, often entailing additional processing