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A CEILING DOWNLIGHT

This invention relates to a ceiling downlight.

Ceiling downlights are well known and they are in popular use in homes, restaurants and offices. A first known type of ceiling downlight must be wired directly to mains electricity wiring. The wiring must be stripped back and connected directly to the ceiling downlight. If another downlight is required then two electrical cables are required, one being an infeed for the electricity and the other being an outfeed for the electricity. This procedure is typically repeated for each extra downlight that is required. The connections to the mains electricity wiring take a long time to make. Furthermore, the installation of the ceiling downlights is typically done in two stages. The first stage is the installation of the required wiring grid for the ceiling downlights. The second stage is the connection and installation of the actual ceiling downlights. However before the second stage can be commenced, the ceiling typically needs to be painted. The entire procedure is more time consuming than is desirable.

A second and improved type of ceiling downlight is also known. These ceiling downlights have a plug and socket arrangement. The socket is prewired on a flylead and the plug has to be wired to the mains electricity wiring. The same amount of wiring is required as in the first known type of ceiling downlight. However, the second ceiling downlights with their plug and socket arrangement are easier to install because the second stage is able to be effected by simply plugging into the cable hanging out of the ceiling. Thus the second stage of connection and installation of the actual ceiling downlights is relatively easily accomplished and without the need for a qualified electrician.

It is an aim of the present invention to provide an improved ceiling downlight which is easier to install than the above mentioned two known types of ceiling downlights.

Accordingly, in one non-limiting embodiment of the present invention there is provided a ceiling downlight comprising a body and a socket, wherein the socket is formed as an integral part of the ceiling downlight, and wherein the socket enables the ceiling downlight to be connected to mains electricity wiring via a plug which plugs into the socket.

The ceiling downlight of the present invention is advantageous in that it is simpler to connect to mains electricity wiring, especially when several ceiling downlights need to be connected as is typically the case. The plug simply needs to be plugged into the integrally formed socket in the ceiling downlight.

The ceiling downlight may be one in which the socket is positioned inside the body, and in which the socket is such that it is able to receive the plug when the plug is pushed into the socket from outside the body. Preferably the socket is such that it is able to receive the plug when the plug is pushed into the socket from a side of the body. The socket may be positioned elsewhere in the body if required. The ceiling downlight may be one in which the ceiling downlight comprises a locating flange and a pair of spring locating clips, and wherein the spring locating clips are such that in use they locate the ceiling spotlight in an aperture in a ceiling, with a part of the ceiling surrounding the aperture being sandwiched between the locating flange and the spring locating clips.

The present invention also extends to the combination of a ceiling spotlight of the invention and a first flylead, and in which the flylead has a first end for connection to the mains electricity wiring, and a second end comprising a first plug and a second plug, and wherein the first plug is for plugging into the socket in the ceiling downlight, and wherein the second plug is for plugging into a socket in a first end of a second flylead.

The combination may be one which includes the second flylead, and wherein the second flylead has the first end with the socket, wherein the second flylead has a second end comprising a first plug and a second plug, wherein the first plug is for plugging into a socket of a second ceiling downlight, and wherein the second plug is for plugging into a third flylead which is the same as the second flylead.

The combination may be one in which the second flylead is such that the second plug of the second flylead has a capping formation for covering terminals of the second plug of the second flylead if the second plug is the last one in a chain of connected ceiling downlights and is thus not connected to another second ceiling downlight.

Preferably, the capping formation is connected to the second flylead, whereby the capping formation is always available for use or non-use. The connection of the capping formation to the second flylead prevents the capping formation becoming lost and/or simply not conveniently available when required.

The combination may include the third flylead. There may be a plurality of the third flyleads, with each third flylead being the same as the second flylead.

The ceiling downlight of the present invention is advantageous that as many of the downlights as are required can simply and easily be connected to the mains electricity wiring up to the acceptable load able to be taken by the mains electricity wiring.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described solely by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1 illustrates schematically the connection of a plurality of first known ceiling downlights;

Figure 2 illustrates schematically the connection of a plurality of second and improved known ceiling downlights;

Figure 3 illustrates schematically the connection of a plurality of ceiling downlights of the present invention;

Figure 4 is a perspective view of three ceiling downlights of the present invention connected together in series;

Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the ceiling downlights shown in Figure 4; Figure 6 is an enlarged view of one of the flyleads shown in Figure 4; and

Figure 7 shows the flylead of Figure 6 but with a capping formation in a non-use position.

Referring to Figure 1, there is shown a plurality of first known ceiling downlights 2 and how they are connected to mains electricity wiring 4 in a ceiling 6. It will be seen that the first ceiling downlight 2 must be connected directly to the mains electricity wiring 4. The mains electricity wiring 4 must be stripped back in order to be connected directly to a first ceiling downlight 2. Because there are further ceiling downlights 2 in the entire ceiling downlight system, it will be noted that there have to be two electrical cables 8, 10 for each ceiling downlight 2. One electrical cable 8 provides an infeed whilst the other electrical cable 10 provides an outfeed. The requirement for the two electrical cables 8, 10 means that the connection to the mains electricity wiring 4 is done in a first fixing stage. The electrical cables 8, 10 then have to be left hanging out of the ceiling 6. The ceiling 6 is then decorated, for example painted. Once the decoration has been done, the ceiling downlights 2 can then be secured in position in a second fixing stage, which requires the ceiling downlights 2 to be connected to the electrical cables 8, 10 and then fixed in the ceiling 6.

Referring now to Figure 2, there is shown a second and improved known ceiling downlight 12. The ceiling downlight 12 is provided with a plug and socket arrangement 14 having a plug 16 and a socket 18. The plug 16 is prewired by a flylead 20 to the ceiling downlight 12. The plug 16 has to be wired to mains electricity wiring 22. The same amount of wiring is required as with the system shown in Figure 1. However, with the system shown in Figure 2, the second stage fixing of the ceiling downlights 12 to a ceiling 24 is more easily effected in that the plugs 16 can hang out of the ceiling 24. The ceiling spotlights 12 can thus easily be connected electrically by pushing the plugs 16 into the sockets 18. Thus the second stage fixing of the ceiling downlights 12 is more easily accomplished than with the system shown in Figure 1.

Referring now to Figure 3, there are shown four ceiling downlights 26, 28, 30, 32 of the present invention connected in a ceiling downlight system 34.

The first ceiling downlight 26 is connected to mains electricity wiring 36 by a connector 38. The ceiling downlight 26 is connected to the mains electricity wiring 36 by a first flylead 40. The first flylead 40 has a first end 42 which connects via the connector 38 to the mains electricity wiring 36. The first flylead 40 has a second end 44 comprising a first plug 46 and a second plug 48. The first plug 46 is for plugging into a socket 50 in the ceiling downlight 26. The second plug 48 is for plugging into a socket 52 at a first end 54 of a second flylead 56.

The second flylead 56 additionally has a second end 58 comprising a first plug 60 and a second plug 62. The first plug 60 is for plugging into the socket 52 of the second ceiling downlight 28. The second plug 62 is for plugging into a third flylead 64 which is the same as the second flylead 56. As shown in Figure 3, the ceiling downlight system 34 comprises a fourth flylead 66 which connects the ceiling downlight 30 to the ceiling downlight 32. Because the second, third and fourth flyleads 56, 64, 66 are the same, they have been given the same reference numerals.

Referring now to Figure 4, there is shown in more detail the ceiling downlight system 34 shown in Figure 3.

In Figure 4, the ceiling downlight 26 comprises a body 68 which is provided with the socket 50. The socket 50 is formed as an integral part of the ceiling downlight 26. The socket 50 enables the ceiling downlight 26 to be connected to the mains electricity wiring 36 as described above. The socket 50 is positioned inside the body 68. The socket 50 is such that it is able to receive the first plug 46 when the plug 46 is pushed into the socket 50 from outside the body 68. More specifically, the socket 50 is such that it is able to receive the plug 46 when the plug 46 is pushed into the socket 50 from a side of the body 68.

The ceiling downlight 26 comprises a locating flange 72 and a pair of spring locating clips 74. The spring locating clips 74 are provided one on each side of the body 68. In use, the body 68 is pushed through a hole 76 cut in a ceiling 78. A part 80 of the ceiling 78 surrounding the hole 76 becomes sandwiched between the spring locating clips 74 on an upper side 82 of the ceiling 78, and the locating flange 72 on a lower side 84 of the ceiling 78.

Figure 4 shows in detail the connector 38, the first flylead 40, the second flylead 56, the third flylead 64 and the fourth flylead 66. Similar parts as in Figure 3 have been given the same reference numerals in order to facilitate an easy comparison of Figures 3 and 4. Figure 5 is an enlarged perspective view of the first ceiling downlight 26. The ceiling downlights 28, 30, 32 are of the same construction as the ceiling downlight 26. Figure 5 shows how the socket 52 has terminals 86, 88. Figure 5 also shows how the spring locating clips 74 are provided on mounting members 90 which are connected to a lower part of the body 68 of the ceiling downlight 26.

Figure 6 shows the second flylead 56. The second flylead 56 is provided with a capping formation 92. The capping formation 92 is for covering terminals of the second plug 62 of the second flylead 56 if the second plug 62 is the last one in the chain of connected ceiling downlights. All of the flyleads 40, 56, 64, 66 are the same. Thus, referring to Figures 3 and 4 it is only the fourth flylead 66 that is required to have the capping formation 92 closed. In the other flyleads, the capping formation 92 is open as shown in Figure 7. As also shown in Figure 7, the capping formation 92 is connected to the second end 58 of the flylead 56 by a flexible connecting strip 94. The flexible connecting strip 94 ensures that the capping formation 92 is always available for use or non-use as may be required.

It is to be appreciated that the embodiments of the invention described above with reference to the accompanying drawings have been given by way of example only and that modifications may be effected. Thus, for example, more or less than the illustrated four ceiling downlights 26, 28, 30, 32 may be connected together. Also, the body 68 and the socket 70 may be of shapes different to those shown. Other types of spring locating clips 74 may be employed. Individual components shown in the drawings are not limited to use in their drawings and they may be used in other drawings and in all aspects of the invention. The invention also extends to the individual components mentioned and/or shown above, taken singly or in any combination.