Insulated enclosure for recessed light fixture

This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/711,318, filed on May 13, 2015, and also claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 61/992,508, filed on May 13, 2014, both applications being incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

This invention relates to housings for recessed light fixtures in an attic.

Ceilings in homes are commonly insulated by a loose fill insulation, usually fiberglass and the like. Recessed light fixtures installed in such ceilings can create drafts coming in through the light fixture, contribute to heat loss by air flow past the recessed light fixture, and transfer humidity into the home from the recessed light.

The present invention provides a means for minimizing undesirable air flow past recessed light fixtures installed in an attic.

A cubical enclosure for a recessed light fixture in an attic is provided by means of a blank which is transformable from a flat configuration into a cubical housing that envelops a recessed light fixture.

In a preferred embodiment the blank is a cruciform sheet of a thermally resistant material provided with spaced intersecting living hinges that define the sheet into five connected square panels of substantially the same size and overall dimensions. Each living hinge permits pivoting movement of adjacent panels of at least 90 degrees but no more than 270 degrees. More particularly, the cruciform sheet defines first and second pair of uniformly spaced living hinges, the living hinges in each pair being parallel to one another. The living hinges of one pair intersect the living hinges of the other pair at a right angle.

In an alternate embodiment, the blank is a square sheet of a thermally resistant material provided with spaced intersecting living hinges that define the sheet into nine square panels each having substantially the same size and overall dimensions. Prior to transformation of this particular blank into a cubical housing, the four corner panels of the sheet are removed to provide the aforementioned cruciform configuration.

The aforementioned blanks can be compactly packaged by folding one or more of the panels 180 degrees against an adjacent panel in a back-to-back relationship and juxtaposing the sheets relative to one another so that the folded back panels abut one another.

In the drawings,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an enclosure for a recessed light fixture installed over the light fixture;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a blank suitable for forming the enclosure of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the blank shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 a is a side elevation of a compact package comprising a pair of blanks shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 b is a perspective view of a compact package comprising a pair of blanks shown in FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of another blank suitable for forming the enclosure of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 a is a side elevation of a compact package comprising a pair of blanks shown in FIG. 5 ; and

FIG. 6 b is a perspective view of a compact package comprising a pair of blanks shown in FIG. 5 .

Referring to FIG. 1 , enclosure 10 , constituted by joined panels of a thermally resistant material, envelops recessed light fixture 12 in an attic, mounted between framing members 14 and 16 . Conduits 18 and 20 are operably connected to light fixture 12 . A bead of insulation such as polyurethane foam bead 22 provides an insulating seal between enclosure 10 and ceiling 24 . The space between framing members 14 and 16 can be filled with insulation 26 , if desired.

A blank suitable for forming enclosure 10 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 . In particular, blank 30 is a square sheet of a thermally resistant material partitioned by pairs of spaced living hinges 50 , 52 , 54 and 56 into exactly nine square panels 32 , 34 , 36 , 38 , 40 , 42 , 44 , 46 and 48 having substantially the same shape and overall dimensions. One pair of living hinges, i.e., living hinge 50 and living hinge 52 , intersects another pair of living hinges, i.e., living hinge 54 and living hinge 56 , at right angles.

The term “living hinge” as used herein and in the appended claims is a relatively thin flexure bearing made of the same material as the adjacent panels it connects, but thinner than the panels. Living hinges keep the panels together but allow the panels to fold or pivot relative to one another. Preferably, thickness of the living hinge is no more than one sixteenth the thickness of adjacent panels.

A compact package of blanks such as blank 30 can be formed for storage and shipping as shown in FIGS. 4 a and 4 b . Blanks 60 and 80 , having the same configuration as blank 30 shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 , are juxtaposed relative to one another. One row of panels in blank 60 , i.e., the row beginning with panel 78 , is folded back or pivoted about 180 degrees against an adjacent row of panels, i.e., panels 76 , 70 and 64 , in a back-to-back relationship. Similarly, one row of panels in blank 80 , i.e., the row beginning with panel 82 , is folded back against an adjacent row of panels, i.e., the row beginning with panel 84 , in a back-to-back relationship. Blanks 60 and 80 with panels folded as described hereinabove are juxtaposed relative to one another so that outside edges of the folded back row of panels are juxtaposed relative to one another as illustrated by outside edge 79 of panel 78 abutting outside edge 83 of panel 82 .

Typical size for a blank of nine panels is 36 inches by 36 inches, with each square panel measuring 12 inches by 12 inches. Thickness of the blank can vary, but usually is about ½ inch to about ¾ inch. All panels in a blank have substantially the same size and overall dimensions.

To form the insulating enclosure such as enclosure 10 , four corner panels 32 , 36 , 44 and 48 are removed, and the five remaining joined panels, i.e., panels 34 , 38 , 40 , 42 and 46 are folded to form the inverted, box-like structure of enclosure 10 .

Edges of individual panels that are contiguous with the living hinges preferably are beveled as illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 . In this manner pivoting movement of individual panels through an arc of 90 degrees to 270 degrees can be provided.

An alternate, cruciform configuration of a blank suitable for forming the insulated enclosure is shown in FIG. 5 . In this particular embodiment, blank 100 is a sheet of thermally resistant material having a cruciform configuration with living hinges 110 , 112 , 114 , 116 partitioning blank 100 into five square panels 120 , 122 , 124 , 126 , 128 having substantially the same shape and overall dimensions. To form the insulating enclosure, panels 120 , 122 , 124 , 126 and 128 are folded to form an insulated, inverted box-like cubical structure similar to enclosure 10 .

A compact package of two cruciform sheets 100 and 130 having the same configuration as cruciform sheet depicted in FIG. 5 is shown in FIGS. 6 a and 6 b which show sheets 100 and 130 juxtaposed relative to one another. Sheet 100 has panel 126 pivoted or folded under panel 124 . Sheet 130 has panel 146 pivoted or folded over a panel adjacent to panel 148 in a back-to-back relationship. Edge 127 of panel 126 is juxtaposed relative to edge 147 of panel 146 . Panel 142 is juxtaposed with panel 126 as shown in FIG. 6 b . Likewise, panel 146 is juxtaposed with panel 122 .

Suitable materials of construction for the aforedescribed blanks are vinyl-coated, extruded polyethylene sheet, and the like.

The foregoing description is illustrative, but is not to be taken as limiting. Still other variants within the spirit and scope of the invention are possible and will readily present themselves to those skilled in the art.