Integrated Gasket for Utility Light Fixtures

Abstract

An integrated gasket that provides both wildlife protection and ingress protection in a light fixture. The integrated gasket comprises a body that extends from a top annular edge to a bottom annular edge and defines a through cavity. The body includes a bottom flanged portion and a top pipe receiving portion. The top pipe receiving portion includes a first pipe portion and a second pipe portion that are detachably coupled. Further, the body includes a wiper flange that extends radially inward from the bottom annular edge towards the internal through cavity.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An integrated gasket comprising:
 a front edge that defines a front opening of the integrated gasket;   a rear edge;   a body that defines an internal through cavity that extends between the front edge and the rear edge, the internal through cavity being configured to receive one of a first mounting pipe and a second mounting pipe therethrough, wherein the first mounting pipe is larger in diameter than the second mounting pipe, wherein the body comprises:
 a flanged portion that comprises at least one flange extending radially outward from the body and configured to couple the integrated gasket to a housing of a light fixture; 
 a wiper flange that extends radially inward into the internal through cavity from the rear edge to define a rear opening having a first diameter; and 
 a pipe receiving portion disposed adjacent the flanged portion, wherein the pipe receiving portion comprises:
 a first pipe portion adjacent the flanged portion and having a second diameter that is substantially similar to the first diameter of the rear opening such that when the first mounting pipe is disposed through the internal through cavity, the first pipe portion and the wiper flange circumferentially engage an outer surface of the first mounting pipe at two different locations on the first mounting pipe to create a first mounting pipe seal and a wiper flange seal,
 wherein when the first mounting pipe is disposed through the body of the integrated gasket, a second pipe portion of the body is detached from the first pipe portion, and 
 
 the second pipe portion disposed adjacent and detachably coupled to the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion having a third diameter that is smaller than the first diameter and the second diameter such that when the second mounting pipe is disposed through the body of the integrated gasket, the second pipe portion circumferentially engages an outer surface of the second mounting pipe to create a second mounting pipe seal. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein a center of the first pipe portion is offset from a center of the second pipe portion. 
     
     
         3 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein the first mounting pipe seal, the wiper gasket seal, and the second mounting pipe seal provide a wildlife intrusion protection and an ingress protection for the light fixture. 
     
     
         4 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein the flanged portion comprises:
 a first flange that extends radially outward from the bottom annular edge; and   a second flange that is offset from the first flange such that a groove is formed between the first flange and the second flange.   
     
     
         5 . The integrated gasket of  claim 4 , wherein the second flange extends radially outward from the body and is parallel to first flange. 
     
     
         6 . The integrated gasket of  claim 4 :
 wherein the housing of the light fixture defines an opening that is configured to receive one of the first mounting pipe and the second mounting pipe therethrough to mount the light fixture, and   wherein the flanged portion of the integrated gasket is configured to couple the integrated gasket to the housing of the light fixture by receiving, within the groove, an edge of the housing of the light fixture that defines the opening.   
     
     
         7 . The integrated gasket of  claim 4 , wherein the flanged portion of the integrated gasket is configured to couple the integrated gasket to the housing of the light fixture such that: (a) the first flange is disposed on an outer surface of the housing, (b) the second flange is disposed on an inner surface of the housing, and (c) an edge of the housing is disposed between the first flange and the second flange. 
     
     
         8 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein a center of the front opening defined by the front edge of the integrated gasket is offset from a center of the rear opening defined by the wiper flange. 
     
     
         9 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein the rear opening is co-centric with the first pipe portion, and wherein a center of the rear opening is offset from a center of the second pipe portion. 
     
     
         10 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the body where the first pipe portion is detachably coupled to the second pipe portion is perforated. 
     
     
         11 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein a front edge of the first pipe portion defines an intermediate opening that is concentric with the rear opening defined by the wiper flange. 
     
     
         12 . The integrated gasket of  claim 1 , wherein the body of the integrated gasket is made using a flexible material that allows the first mounting pipe and the second mounting pipe to be mounted at different mounting angles with respect to the housing of the light fixture. 
     
     
         13 . An integrated gasket comprising:
 a body that extends between a front edge and a rear edge, the body being configured to receive one of a first mounting pipe and a second mounting pipe therethrough at a given time, wherein the first mounting pipe is larger in diameter than the second mounting pipe, wherein the body comprises:
 a wiper flange that extends radially inward from the rear edge of the integrated gasket towards an internal through cavity defined by the body such that an edge of the wiper flange defines a rear opening of the integrated gasket, the rear opening having a first diameter; 
 a first pipe portion having a second diameter that is substantially similar to the first diameter such that when the first mounting pipe is disposed through the body of the integrated gasket, the first pipe portion and the wiper flange circumferentially engage an outer surface of the first mounting pipe at a first portion of the first mounting pipe to create a first seal around the outer surface thereof and at a second portion of the first mounting pipe to create a second seal around the outer surface thereof, respectively; and 
 a second pipe portion that is detachable from the first pipe portion, the second pipe portion disposed adjacent the first pipe portion and configured to receive the second mounting pipe therethrough and create a third seal around at least a portion of the second mounting pipe,
 wherein a center of the first pipe portion is offset from a center of the second pipe portion. 
 
   
     
     
         14 . The integrated gasket of  claim 13 ,
 wherein the first seal, the second seal, and the third seal provide a wildlife intrusion protection for the light fixture.   
     
     
         15 . The integrated gasket of  claim 13 , wherein the first seal, the second seal, and the third seal provide an ingress protection for the light fixture. 
     
     
         16 . The integrated gasket of  claim 13 , wherein a portion of the body where the second pipe portion is detachable from the first pipe portion comprises perforations. 
     
     
         17 . The integrated gasket of  claim 13 ,
 wherein when the second mounting pipe is disposed through the body of the integrated gasket, the second pipe portion circumferentially engages the second mounting pipe at a first location on the second mounting pipe to create the third seal, and at least a portion of the first pipe portion and at least a portion of the edge of the wiper flange circumferentially engage at least a portion of the second mounting pipe at a second location and a third location on the second mounting pipe, respectively.   
     
     
         18 . The integrated gasket of  claim 13 , wherein the body further comprises a rear flanged portion that comprises at least one flange. 
     
     
         19 . The integrated gasket of  claim 18 , wherein the rear flanged portion comprises:
 a first flange that extends radially outward and from the rear edge; and   a second flange that is offset from the first flange such that a groove is formed between the first flange and the second flange.   
     
     
         20 . The integrated gasket of  claim 19 , wherein the second flange extends radially outward from the body and is parallel to first flange.