Selectively extendable modular lighting fixture, and method of making and assembly

Abstract

A lighting fixture which includes an elongate modular lineal section fabricated of an extruded high-strencth metal alloy. The extrusion comprises an elongate generally flat base integrally joined at a pair of opposed lingitudinal edges thereof to upwardly extending sidewalls. The sidewalls are formed at opposed respective upper edge portions thereof with channel-like upwardly opening grooves for matingly receiving therewithin laterally spaced elongate free edge portions of a lens of a high strength plastics composition. The lens bridges opposed sidewalls of the extruded metal base to complete a lighting fixture housing section or module open at each end. Configured for matingly engaging and for positive attachment to each end of the housing section is a skeletal bridge-like end plate formed with through framed openings. Attachable to each or to either end plate is a skeletal adapter ring for facilitating attachment of an additional housing section or module to provide a lighting fixture comprised of two or more modular housing sections. End caps provide fluid-tight closures of the assembly. In other embodiments of the invention the modular structures may be connected to provide lighting fixtures which form L, T, cross, X, as well as closed-loop configurations.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An extendable modular lighting fixture including means for rendering said fixture functionally operable as a fixture with a single modular section and alternatively as a row-mount lighting fixture having a plurality of modular sections, 
 said row-mount lighting fixture comprising an array of housing sections joined to ome another endwise;    interconnecting means for providing physical and electrical continuity throughout a lineal expanse of said lighting fixture;    said lighting fixture being further chacterized as being, through structural configuration of components thereof and through composition, inherently effectively tolerant of and resistant to physical abuse as well as to environmental hazards;    said lighting fixture further comprising housing means for carrying therewithin an illumination source to extend interiorly therealong;    a lighting track in said housing means;    said lighting track including passageway means for accommodating electrical conductor means for connecting said lighting fixture to an independent electrical power supply for energizing said lighting fixture;    wire-way means formed within said lighting fixture for accommodating conductive wires residing in said housing means and extending along a lineal expanse thereof;    elongate lens means extending along a lineal expanse of said lighting fixture and secured thereto for defining and controlling distribution of illuminating light emanating from said lighting fixture; and    removable cap means for closing and sealing opposed ends of end units of said lighting fixture.    
     
     
         2  A lighting fixture as set forth in clain  1  and comprising a row-mount configuration and including a plurality of housing means, and wherein each said housing means constitutes a module of said lighting fixture, 
 each said module of said housing fixture characterized in that corresponding structural components of each are operatively comprised of the same mechanical configeration;  
 an end plate mounted on each said module at each of opposed ends thereof;  
 ring-like coupler means for establishing a mechanical joinder of two adjacent said modules to one another endwise at opposed said modules at each said end plate thereof presented to said coupler means, thereby to establish a positive joinder of said modules to one another and to establish a modular row-mount fixture of a selectable lineal expanse.  
 
     
     
         3 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 2 , and further comprising additional modules connected into said row-mount configuration of said lighting fixture to constitute extensions thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lighting fixture includes an elongate extruded skeletal structure defining a body-like lineal support frame for said lighting fixture.  
     
     
         5 . A ligfhting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  and further comprising gasket means seated and secured in said housing means along an expanse thereof and in sealing engagement for sealing said housing means against invasion by objectional ambient and foreign substances.  
     
     
         6 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lens means is of a high impact, shock resistant plastics composition including acrylic plastics and polycarbonate plastics.  
     
     
         7 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  and further comprising an end plate affixed at each of opposed ends of each said module of said lighting fixture, and wherein each said end plate is formed therein with longitudinally extending, inwardly directed groove means for slideably receiving to seat therewithin longitudinally extending marginal end edge portions of said lens means in sealing engagement within said groove means.  
     
     
         8 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said hoising means is formed along a lineal expanse at opposed upper edge zones thereof with upwardly opening slot-like grooves, and wherein said lens means is formed along opposed longitudinally coextending lower free edge zones thereof with web means for slideably penetrating and seating in said groove in said housing means to esrablish a protective shield between said housing means and said lens means.  
     
     
         9 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 8  and further comprising flange means carried by said lens means along a lineal expanse thereof for overlying said housing means along a full lineal expanse theeof.  
     
     
         10 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said lighting fixture is comprised of a single modular section only.  
     
     
         11 . A lighting fixture for selective ceiling, wall and corner installation; said fixture comprising an elongate body, and said body defining a lineal expanse including a tubular channel in said body, and coextensive therewith; 
 said channel comprising elongate, chanber-like spatial means for accommodating an illuminating element within said fixture;    said body of said fixture having an opening at each end thereof, and an elongate passageway open along said lineal expanse of said body and coextensive therewith;    said body defining a housing;    wire raceway means within said housing for accommodating conductive wires to extend longitudinally within said housing along said lineal expanse thereof;    a lens, and means for securing said lens to said body to cover said opening along said lineal expanse of said housing; said lens constituting means for transmittal of illuminating light from said lighting fixture;    an end cap for each end of said lighting fixture, and means for coupling said end cap to said body of said fixture to provide a stable mechanical closure structure therefor.    
     
     
         12 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said channel includes space means for accommodating a source for illumination for operation functionally within said lighting fixture.  
     
     
         13 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said body of said fixture includes an extruded section of a metallic composition.  
     
     
         14 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 11 , and further comprising gasket means functionally disposed between said body of said fixture and said lens for establishing a fluid-impervious seal between said body of said fixture and said lens.  
     
     
         15 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said lens is integrally formed with a flange extending along each of opposed longitudinal edges of said lens, and wherein said means for securing said lens to said body includes upwardly opening slot-like grooves formed in said body of said fixture to extend along a lineal expanse of opposed sidewalls of said body of said fixture to receive each respective said flange of said lens therewithin, and to establish a fluid-impervious seal between said body of said fixture and said lens.  
     
     
         16 . A fixture as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each said end cap is formed with a circumambient outwardly-presented groove for receiving therewithin in sealing engagement therewith an end portion of said lens, at each end thereof.  
     
     
         17 . The method of making and assembling a lighting fixture having any selectable length and finding utility in ceiling, wall and corner installations including suspended mounts; 
 said method utilizing modular components in selectable numbers, each component being of any desired length, and said components being connectable to one another endwise as a sealed, unitary, operating assemblage constituting a lighting fixture;    said method including the fabrication of a modular component of said fixture, and comprising the steps of: 
 forming an extrusion having a generally planar floor-like base integrally joined at opposed lateral lineally-extending side edges thereof with generally upwardly projecting wall sections;  
 forming said wall sections of said extrusions at lineally-extending opposed edge portions thereof with upwardly-directed coupler structures for attaching a lens thereto at opposed said lineally-extending said edge portions of said extrusions, and lineally coextensive therewith;  
 fabricating a separate, lineally-extending lens of a plastics composition and having opposed parallel, lineally-extended free edge portioins traversing a lineal expanse of said lens;  
 forming each opposed said lineally extended free edge portion of said lens with a configuration for matingly connecting said lens to said upwardly extending said wall sections of said extrusioin for sealing therewith along a full lineal expanse of said extrusion and said lens, and establishing an elongate, open-ended housing section having any sought lineal expanse;  
 fabricating a first casting, and forming said first casting with a plate-like configuration to serve as an end wall appendage of said housing section at each of opposite ends of said lighting fixture;  
 also forming said first casting to define a perimetric contour corresponding to a perimetric contour of each end edge of said housing section, including a surmounting lens of said housing section;  
 forming said first casting to define as well a lattice-like wall configuration including a plurality of deviders and through openings demarking passageways in said end walls of said housing section;  
 forming said first casting at an inwardly-presented limit thereof with coupler means for engaging end structures of functionally-united, intercoupling, longitudinally-extending ends of inter-connected said extrusion and said lens, and also  
 forming said first casting at a side thereof remote from an end of said extrusion and said lens with a circumscribing perimetriuc shoulder for sealingly selectively engaging either one of a coupler ring to be sleevedly attached thereto at an end cap to be secured thereon;  
   said method including the further optional steps of forming a plurality of lineally joined module-like housing sections; and the further steps of 
 fabricating a second casting for use in the method of optionally connecting two, and optionally more, separate modular sections of said lighting fixture to one another endwise as a unitary linear array;  
 forming said second casting as a bilateral coupler to be secured to a free end of a said first casting mounted on an end of a body section of said body section of said lighting fixture;  
 forming said second casting to constitute a ring-like structure including at a circumscribing top wall thereof integrally-formed, laterally extending ring-like flanges including a first flange and a second flange; said flanges each being dimensioned and configured to overlie in sealing engagement therewith a mating said top wall of said first casting; whereby said second casting operates to establish a positive endwise joinder of two said housing sections to one another in a lineal array;  
   said method further including the steps of forming an end cap of a unitary one-piece configuration having a base, an upstanding endwall, and a top, and defining an integrally-formed, uninterrupted, circumscribing free edge contoured to be congruently superimposable over a corresponding said circunscribing perimetric shoulder of said first casting in sealing engagement therewith;    assembling a lighting fixture having a single housing section and including the steps of: 
 securedly mounting said first casting at each respective ends of said housing section in sealing engagement therewith;  
 affixing said end cap positively to each of opposed ends of said housing section in sealing engagement with outwardly perimetric said shoulders of said first casting; and  
 assembling a lighting fixture which includes two housing sections, including the steps of: 
 securedly mounting a first said casting at each respective ends of a first end of second said housing section;  
 affixing a described said first casting to each opposed ends of said first housing section and to said second housing section;  
 connecting a first side of said second casting to a free end of a first said housing section in sealing engagement therewith;  
 connecting a second said housing section to a second side of said second casting to couple two said housing sections together as a linked, lineally-extending assembly; and  
 affixing a said end cap to each free end of each said housing section to provide a completed, elongate, unitary, multi-sectional lighting fixture.  
 
   
     
     
         18 . A lighting fixture as set forth in  claim 1  constituting a non-lineal structure selected from the group consisting of: 
 two modular sections joined to one another to form an L-node, corner configured lighting fixture assembly;  
 four modular sections joined to one another by adapters as a fixture in the form of a closed rectangular loop;  
 three modular sections joined to one another by a joinder adapter to define a T node, T-shaped lighting fixture assembly; and  
 four modular sections joined to one another by a joinder adapter to constitute an X node, X mode configured lighting fixture.