Mounting base assembly for a lighting device used in an exit sign

Claim 2

A mounting base assembly for use in a lighting device having a housing and engageable with an electrical socket of a lighting fixture, comprising: (a) an insulator mounted on the housing of the lighting device for rotation therewith; (b) a first electrical contact centrally located through said insulator and mounted for rotation therewith; (c) a second electrical contact mounted for rotation with said insulator and spaced from said first electrical contact; (d) a base member dimensionally sized to be matingly received in full mating engagement with the electrical socket of the lighting fixture and mounted on said insulator for 360 degree rotation relative thereto, said base member electrically insulated from said first electrical contact and electrically connected to said second electrical contact; and (e) means rotatable with said base member for retaining said base member and said insulator to the housing of the lighting device, whereby said retaining means and said base member can be rotated until full mating engagement of said base member with the electrical socket of the lighting fixture is achieved and thereafter said insulator, said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact can be rotated with the housing of the lighting device relative to and without disturbing the full mating engagement of said base member and the electrical socket.

Claim 3

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said retaining means includes a cap portion rotatable with the base member and a flange portion, said flange portion being mounted on the housing of the lighting device and being engaged by said cap portion for retaining said base member and said insulator to the housing of the lighting device.

Claim 4

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein said cap portion has an opening through which said base member and said insulator protrude.

Claim 5

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 2, wherein said cap portion has detents which engage said flange portion.

Claim 6

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said retaining means has an opening through which said base member and said insulator protrude.

Claim 7

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 1, wherein said second electrical contact is a cantilevered leaf spring captured between said base member and said insulator.

Claim 8

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 6, wherein said second electrical contact has a curved end engaging said insulator and biasing said second electrical contact into electrical engagement with said base member.

Claim 9

The mounting base assembly in accordance with claim 1, further including a coil spring contact positioned between and electrically connecting said base member and said second electrical contact.

Claim 10

A lighting device engageable with an electrical socket of a lighting fixture, comprising: (a) a housing; (b) illumination means in said housing; (c) a mounting base assembly comprising: (i) an insulator mounted on said housing for rotation therewith; (ii) a first electrical contact centrally located through said insulator and mounted for rotation therewith; (iii) a second electrical contact mounted for rotation with said insulator and spaced from said first electrical contact; (iv) a base member dimensionally sized to be matingly received in the electrical socket of the lighting fixture and mounted on said insulator for 360 degree rotation relative thereto, said base member electrically insulated from said first electrical contact and electrically connected to said second electrical contact; and (v) means rotatable with said base member for retaining said base member and said insulator to said housing, whereby said retaining means and said base member can be rotated until full mating engagement of said base member with the electrical socket of the lighting fixture is achieved and thereafter said insulator, said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact can be rotated with said housing and illumination means without disturbing the full mating engagement of said base member and the electrical socket.

Claim 11

A lighting device engageable with an electrical socket of a lighting fixture, comprising: (a) a housing; (b) illumination means in said housing; (c) a mounting base assembly comprising: (i) an insulator mounted on said housing for rotation therewith; (ii) a first electrical contact centrally located through said insulator and mounted for rotation therewith; (iii) a second electrical contact mounted for rotation with said insulator and spaced from said first electrical contact; (iv) a base member dimensionally sized to be matingly received in the electrical socket of the lighting fixture and mounted on said insulator for 360 degree rotation relative thereto, said base member electrically insulated from said first electrical contact and electrically connected to said second electrical contact; and (v) means rotatable with said base member for retaining said base member and said insulator to said housing, whereby said retaining means and said base member can be rotated until full mating engagement of said base member with the electrical socket of the lighting fixture is achieved and thereafter said insulator, said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact can be rotated with said housing and illumination means without disturbing the full mating engagement of said base member and the electrical socket.

Claim 12

The lighting device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said retaining means includes a cap portion and a flange portion, said flange portion being mounted on said housing and being engaged by said cap portion for retaining said base member and said insulator to said housing.

Claim 13

The lighting device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said cap portion has an opening through which said base member and said insulator protrude.

Claim 14

The lighting device in accordance with claim 10, wherein said cap portion has detents which engage said flange portion.

Claim 15

The lighting device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said retaining means has an opening through which said base member and said insulator protrude.

Claim 16

The lighting device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said second electrical contact is a cantilevered leaf spring captured between said base member and said insulator.

Claim 17

The lighting device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said second electrical contact has a curved end engaging said insulator and biasing said second electrical contact into electrical engagement with said base member.

Claim 18

The lighting device in accordance with claim 9, wherein said illumination means are a plurality of light emitting diodes.

Claim 19

The lighting device in accordance with claim 9, further including a coil spring contact positioned between and electrically connecting said base member and said second electrical contact.

Claim 20

A lighting fixture such as an exit sign, comprising: (a) a sign housing defining an enclosure therein; (b) an electrical socket in said sign housing; (c) a lighting device matingly engaged with said electrical socket and comprising: (i) a lighting device housing; (ii) illumination means in said lighting device housing; (iii) a mounting base assembly comprising: an insulator mounted on said lighting device housing for rotation therewith; a first electrical contact centrally located through said insulator and mounted for rotation therewith; a second electrical contact mounted for rotation with said insulator and spaced from said first electrical contact; a base member matingly received in full mating engagement with said electrical socket and mounted on said insulator for 360 degree rotation relative thereto, said base member electrically insulated from said first electrical contact and electrically connected to said second electrical contact; and means rotatable with said base member for retaining said base member and said insulator to said lighting device housing, whereby, while said base member is in full mating engagement with said electrical socket, said insulator, said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact can be rotated with said lighting device housing and illumination means relative to and without disturbing the full mating engagement of said base member and said electrical socket.

Claim 21

A lighting fixture such as an exit sign, comprising: (a) a sign housing defining an enclosure therein; (b) an electrical socket in said sign housing; (c) a lighting device matingly engaged with said electrical socket and comprising: (i) a lighting device housing; (ii) illumination means in said lighting device housing; (iii) a mounting base assembly comprising: an insulator mounted on said lighting device housing for rotation therewith; a first electrical contact centrally located through said insulator and mounted for rotation therewith; a second electrical contact mounted for rotation with said insulator and spaced from said first electrical contact; a base member matingly received in full mating engagement with said electrical socket and mounted on said insulator for 360 degree rotation relative thereto, said base member electrically insulated from said first electrical contact and electrically connected to said second electrical contact; and means rotatable with said base member for retaining said base member and said insulator to said lighting device housing, whereby, while said base member is in full mating engagement with said electrical socket, said insulator, said first electrical contact and said second electrical contact can be rotated with said lighting device housing and illumination means relative to and without disturbing the full mating engagement of said base member and said electrical socket.

Claim 22

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 18, wherein said retaining means includes a cap portion and a flange portion, said flange portion being mounted on said lighting device housing and being engaged by said cap portion for retaining said base member and said insulator to said lighting device housing.

Claim 23

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 19, wherein said cap portion has an opening through which said base member and said insulator protrude.

Claim 24

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 19, wherein said cap portion has detents which engage said flange portion.

Claim 25

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 18, wherein said retaining means has an opening through which said base member and said insulator protrude.

Claim 26

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 18, wherein said second electrical contact is a cantilevered leaf spring captured between said base member and said insulator.

Claim 27

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 23, wherein said second electrical contact has a curved end engaging said insulator and biasing said second electrical contact into electrical engagement with said base member.

Claim 28

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 18, wherein said illumination means are a plurality of light emitting diodes.

Claim 29

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 18, further including a primary electric power circuit operationally connected to said electrical socket for supplying power to said lighting device and emergency electric power circuit operationally connected to said primary electric power circuit to detect failure thereof and thereafter provided auxiliary power to said lighting device through said electrical socket.

Claim 30

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 26, wherein said emergency electric power supply is at least one rechargeable battery.

Claim 31

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 27, wherein said emergency electric power circuit includes a charging device for keeping said at least one rechargeable battery fully charged during periods of nonuse.

Claim 32

The lighting fixture base assembly in accordance with claim 18, further including a coil spring contact positioned between and electrically connecting said base member and said second electrical contact.

Claim 33

A lighting fixture such as an exit sign, comprising: (a) a sign housing defining an enclosure therein; (b) an electrical socket in said enclosure of said sign housing; (c) a lighting device matingly engaged with said electrical socket and comprising: (i) a lighting device housing; (ii) illumination means in said lighting device housing; (iii) a mounting base assembly with a base member matingly received in full mating engagement with said electrical socket and mounted for 360 degree rotation relative to said lighting device housing and said illumination means, and electrical contact means for providing an electrical contact between said illumination means and said electrical socket, whereby, while said base member is in full mating engagement with said electrical socket, said lighting device housing and illumination means can be rotated relative to said base member and said electrical socket without disturbing the full mating engagement thereof and without disturbing the electrical contact between said illumination means and said electrical socket.

Claim 34

A lighting fixture such as an exit sign, comprising: (a) a sign housing defining an enclosure therein; (b) an electrical socket in said enclosure of said sign housing; (c) a lighting device matingly engaged with said electrical socket and comprising: (i) a lighting device housing; (ii) illumination means in said lighting device housing; (iii) a mounting base assembly with a base member matingly received in full mating engagement with said electrical socket and mounted for 360 degree rotation relative to said lighting device housing and said illumination means, and electrical contact means for providing an electrical contact between said illumination means and said electrical socket, whereby, while said base member is in full mating engagement with said electrical socket, said lighting device housing and illumination means can be rotated relative to said base member and said electrical socket without disturbing the full mating engagement thereof and without disturbing the electrical contact between said illumination means and said electrical socket.

Claim 35

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 30, wherein said electrical contact means has a first electrical contact centrally located through said mounting base assembly and electrically insulted from said base member.

Claim 36

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 31, wherein said electrical contact means has a second electrical contact electrically connected to said base member.

Claim 37

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 32, wherein said second electrical contact is a cantilevered leaf spring biased into electrical contact with said base member.

Claim 38

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 30, wherein said illumination means are a plurality of light emitting diodes.

Claim 39

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 30, further including a primary electric power circuit operationally connected to said electrical socket for supplying power to said lighting device and emergency electric power circuit operationally connected to said primary electric power circuit to detect failure thereof and thereafter provided auxiliary power to said lighting device through said electrical socket.

Claim 40

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 35, wherein said emergency electric power supply is at least one rechargeable battery.

Claim 41

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 36, wherein said emergency electric power circuit includes a charging device for keeping said at least one rechargeable battery fully charged during periods of nonuse.

Claim 42

The lighting fixture in accordance with claim 32, further including a spring contact positioned between and electrically connecting said base member and said second electrical contact.