Patent Application
20100046215
The present invention relates to accessible hatches for ballasts of fluorescent light fixtures.
Fluorescent light fixtures using tubular lamps are common and efficient. One or more ballasts are required in each fixture to operate the lamps. Access to these ballasts during assembly and for later servicing or replacement is required. For some fixtures with separate reflector wings emanating from a central housing, a long narrow housing cover is removable to gain access to the ballast from the underside.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,102,550 of Edwards, Jr. shows a ballast built into an end bracket which also supports the lamp sockets in a fluorescent fixture. Access is from the underside with shorter reflectors permitting such access. U.S. Pat. No. 4,674,015 of Smith shows a removable ballast accessible from the side of the housing above the reflector. U.S. Pat. No. 4,220,986 of Matteo et al. describes a hinged ballast tray which swings out of a rectangular luminaire after a glazed door is opened.
Some fluorescent light fixtures for one or more tubular lamps use carefully shaped contoured reflectors to achieve specific patterns of lighting as their objective. Kassay, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,070,303 shows several fixtures with careful attention to the amount of uplighting emanating from the edge of the reflector. In these fluorescent fixtures, the central section of the fixture has a continuous reflector.
Therefore, it is a desirable object to be able to access the ballast of a fluorescent fixture from the underside, without removing the reflector, even if the reflector is continuous over the central section.
In the present invention, a fluorescent lighting fixture with a continuous reflector covering the central section has a hatch covered by a cover of compatible contour cut through the reflector underneath the location of the ballast in the housing above the reflector. The hatch cover is finished in the same surface as that of the reflector to minimize any disruption to the intended reflective pattern and to blend visually with the reflector. At least one quick release fastener, preferably two or more preferably quick-connect fasteners (such as quarter-turn types) attach the hatch cover to the reflector.
The procedure for gaining access to the ballast is to remove the lens or diffuser (if used) and then to remove any fluorescent lamp tubes that interfere with the hatch cover. The hatch cover is then removed to gain unobstructed access to the ballast. This is conveniently accomplished from the underside of the fixture even if a continuous reflector is used.
The present invention can best be understood in connection with the accompanying drawings. It is noted that the invention is not limited to the precise embodiments shown in drawings, in which:
Fixture 1 shown in
Convex contoured hatch cover 9 is shown in
For example, the end view of
The hatch cover 27 detail of
Any fluorescent lamp fixture using a continuous reflector can benefit from this invention to provide easy access to a ballast from the underside of the fixture.
In the foregoing description, certain terms and visual depictions are used to illustrate the preferred embodiment. However, no unnecessary limitations are to be construed by the terms used or illustrations depicted, beyond what is shown in the prior art, since the terms and illustrations are exemplary only, and are not meant to limit the scope of the present invention.
It is further known that other modifications may be made to the present invention, without departing the scope of the invention, as noted in the appended Claims.
