Recessed square fluorescent luminaire

Claim 2

A fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type for use in a modular ceiling system, said fluorescent luminaire comprising: a substantially rectangular housing having a top wall, parallel side walls, parallel end walls and a bottom wall with the relative lengths of said end Walls to said side walls being in a ratio of about 3:4; a substantially square opening in said bottom wall, each side of said opening in said bottom wall being approximately equivalent to the length of said end walls; and lamp holders mounted on the interior surface of said end walls, said lamp holders being constructed and arranged to receive fluorescent lamps of a length approximately 1/3 greater than a side of said opening.

Claim 3

A fluorescent luminaire according to claim 1 wherein door means is releasably retained in said opening in said bottom wall thereby closing off said opening.

Claim 4

In a modular ceiling system, a fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type, said luminaire comprising: a housing having a length-to-width ratio of approximately 4:3 and an approximately square opening in the bottom wall thereof with each side of said opening approximately equivalent to the width of said housing, spaced lamp holder pairs within said housing constructed and arranged to receive fluorescent lamps of a length approximately equivalent to the length of said luminaire whereby the ratio of the space between said lamp holder pairs and a side of said opening is approximately 4:3.

Claim 5

In a modular ceiling system, a fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type, said luminaire comprising: a housing having a length-to-width ratio of approximately 4:3 and an approximately square opening in the bottom wall thereof with each side of said opening approximately equivalent to the width of said housing, spaced lamp holder pairs within said housing constructed and arranged to receive fluorescent lamps of a length approximately equivalent to the length of said luminaire whereby the ratio of the space between said lamp holder pairs and a side of said opening is approximately 4:3.

Claim 6

A luminaire according to claim 3 wherein said approximately square opening includes a ceiling flange there around and a framed translucent lens is mounted within said flange.

Claim 7

A fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type for forming a part of modular ceiling system, said fluorescent luminaire comprising: a substantially rectangular housing having a top wall, parallel side walls, parallel end walls joining to said side walls, and a bottom wall, with the relative lengths of said end walls to said side walls being in a ratio of about 3:4; a substantially square opening in said bottom wall, each side of said opening in said bottom wall having a length substantially equal to the length of each said end wall; means for mounting said luminaire in said ceiling with said bottom wall substantially parallel to said ceiling but recessed therefrom by a sufficient amount to permit ceiling panel members to be positioned below same; a plurality of pairs of fluorescent lamp holders mounted proximate the interior surface of said end walls and recessed from said bottom wall by a distance which is greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamps to be received, and each pair of said lamp holders adapted to receive and retain a fluorescent lamp having a length about 1/3 greater than the length of each said side of said opening; retaining members depending from the periphery of said opening in said bottom wall and terminating in peripheral lip means adapted to retain ceiling panel members; and light-transmitting shield means substantially occupying said opening in said bottom wall, whereby said luminaire is adapted to receive and operate fluorescent lamps having a length which substantially exceeds the length dimension of the bottom wall opening, and said bottom wall is screened by ceiling panel members to provide a uniform appearance.

Claim 8

A fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type for forming a part of modular ceiling system, said fluorescent luminaire comprising: a substantially rectangular housing having a top wall, parallel side walls, parallel end walls joining to said side walls, and a bottom wall, with the relative lengths of said end walls to said side walls being in a ratio of about 3:4; a substantially square opening in said bottom wall, each side of said opening in said bottom wall having a length substantially equal to the length of each said end wall; means for mounting said luminaire in said ceiling with said bottom wall substantially parallel to said ceiling but recessed therefrom by a sufficient amount to permit ceiling panel members to be positioned below same; a plurality of pairs of fluorescent lamp holders mounted proximate the interior surface of said end walls and recessed from said bottom wall by a distance which is greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamps to be received, and each pair of said lamp holders adapted to receive and retain a fluorescent lamp having a length about 1/3 greater than the length of each said side of said opening; retaining members depending from the periphery of said opening in said bottom wall and terminating in peripheral lip means adapted to retain ceiling panel members; and light-transmitting shield means substantially occupying said opening in said bottom wall, whereby said luminaire is adapted to receive and operate fluorescent lamps having a length which substantially exceeds the length dimension of the bottom wall opening, and said bottom wall is screened by ceiling panel members to provide a uniform appearance.

Claim 9

A fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type for forming a part of a modular ceiling system, said fluorescent luminaire comprising: a substantially rectangular housing having a top wall, parallel side walls, parallel end walls joining to said side walls, and a bottom wall, with said side walls being a predetermined amount longer than said end walls; a substantially square opening in said bottom wall, each side of said opening in said bottom wall having a length substantially equal to the length of each said end wall; means for mounting said luminaire in said ceiling with said bottom wall substantially above said ceiling recessed therefrom by a sufficient amount to permit ceiling panel members to be positioned and supported below same; a plurality of pairs of fluorescent lamp holders mounted proximate the interior surface of said end walls and recessed from said bottom wall by a distance whiCh is greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamps to be received, and each pair of said lamp holders adapted to receive and retain a fluorescent lamp having a length which is a predetermined amount greater than the length of each said side of said opening; retaining members depending from the periphery of said opening in said bottom wall and terminating in peripheral support means adapted to retain ceiling panel members; and light-transmitting shield means supported proximate and substantially occupying said opening in said bottom wall, whereby said luminaire is adapted to receive and operate fluorescent lamps having a length which substantially exceeds the length dimension of said bottom wall opening, and remaining portions of said bottom wall are adapted to be screened by underlying ceiling panel members to provide a uniform appearance.

Claim 10

A fluorescent luminaire of the recessed type for forming a part of a modular ceiling system, said fluorescent luminaire comprising: a substantially rectangular housing having a top wall, parallel side walls, parallel end walls joining to said side walls, and a bottom wall, with said side walls being a predetermined amount longer than said end walls; a substantially square opening in said bottom wall, each side of said opening in said bottom wall having a length substantially equal to the length of each said end wall; means for mounting said luminaire in said ceiling with said bottom wall substantially above said ceiling recessed therefrom by a sufficient amount to permit ceiling panel members to be positioned and supported below same; a plurality of pairs of fluorescent lamp holders mounted proximate the interior surface of said end walls and recessed from said bottom wall by a distance whiCh is greater than the diameter of the fluorescent lamps to be received, and each pair of said lamp holders adapted to receive and retain a fluorescent lamp having a length which is a predetermined amount greater than the length of each said side of said opening; retaining members depending from the periphery of said opening in said bottom wall and terminating in peripheral support means adapted to retain ceiling panel members; and light-transmitting shield means supported proximate and substantially occupying said opening in said bottom wall, whereby said luminaire is adapted to receive and operate fluorescent lamps having a length which substantially exceeds the length dimension of said bottom wall opening, and remaining portions of said bottom wall are adapted to be screened by underlying ceiling panel members to provide a uniform appearance.