The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Sep. 12, 2000
Filed:
Oct. 07, 1998
Joseph A Hentz, Crawfordsville, IN (US);
NSI Enterprises, Inc., Atlanta, GA (US);
Abstract
A lighting fixture intended for mounting in a relationship with a shower stall for illumination of the shower stall, the fixture of the invention particularly taking the form of a recessed downlight fixture mounted above the ceiling of a shower stall or the like with light from the fixture entering the shower stall through an opening formed in the shower ceiling surmounted by the fixture. In this extremely wet location, a finishing trim of the fixture acts not only to cover the ceiling opening but also to provide means for preventing moisture capable of damaging electrical components of the fixture from coming into contact with said components. The finishing trim acts in concert with sealing structure which can take the form of gaskets, flexible bellows or the like to comprise the means for preventing potentially damaging moisture contact with said electrical components in certain embodiments of the invention. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, however, the finishing trim acts in concert with a lamp, particularly an indoor/outdoor lamp or lamp rated for moisture contact, to restrict the ability of moisture, especially in the form of splash, to move through an otherwise apparently open pathway existing between opposing surfaces of the lamp and of the finishing trim, such a restricted pathway acting to prevent contact of moisture with said electrical components.