Patent Application
20100013391
This application relates to apparatus and methods for supporting and powering fluorescent lamps. In particular, the application relates to apparatus and methods for distributing power from a ballast to a lamp holder.
Normally, when a fluorescent fixture is built by a fixture manufacturer, the manufacturer will start with an enclosure (typically sheet metal) and insert fluorescent lamp holders at either end of the fixture a nominal distance apart. The distance will usually depend on the length of fluorescent lamp or tube for which the fixture is designed. When multiple lamps are to be installed, the lamp holders will be positioned across the width of the fixture at nominal distances. Then, a ballast will be mounted to the enclosure in a location that is hidden from the end user. Then wires will be connected from the ballast to each lamp holder (the wires may already be part of the ballast).
In order to assemble a fluorescent fixture in this manner, several manual steps need to be performed. There may be numerous wires that connect the ballast to the lamp holders that the factory and installer may have to contend with. This can lead to wiring errors or simply an unappealing installation.
Lamps that are assembled in this manner may require features that are designed for a predetermined width-wise placement of the lamps. For example, the installation of lamps at 2-inch center-to-center distances would require a crossbar configured to engage lamp holders, and provide power, at those locations. If it were then desirable to manufacture a fixture having lamps at different center-to-center distances, a different crossbar would be required.
It would be desirable, therefore, to provide apparatus and methods that reduce the likelihood of manufacturing errors.
It would also be desirable, therefore, to provide apparatus and methods that reduce the requirement for fixture components having different center-to-center distances.
It is an object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods that reduce the likelihood of manufacturing errors. It is a further object of the invention to provide apparatus and methods that reduce the requirement for different fixture components having different center-to-center distances.
Accordingly, apparatus and methods for supporting and energizing a fluorescent lamp are provided. The apparatus may include a ballast, a rigid power distribution unit; and a lamp holder. The lamp holder may be in electrical communication with the rigid power distribution unit such that when the lamp holder supports a lamp, the lamp holder is configured to provide power from the rigid power distribution unit to the lamp. Some embodiments, therefore, may not require the use of wires to transmit power from the ballast to the lamp holder. The lamp may be any suitable lamp, including T5, T8 and T12 lamps. The rigid power distribution unit may include a track that has conducting rails for supplying power to lamp holders. The track may be used to position lamp holders at any desired spacing so the track may be used in connection with fixture designs requiring different center-to-center lamp spacing.
In some embodiments, the rigid power distribution unit may include a printed circuit board. The lamp holder may clamp onto or be otherwise mechanically and electrically connected to the printed circuit board and draw power from it. The printed circuit board may have traces for each lamp holder. In some embodiments, conductive buses may be used either as traces on the printed circuit board or separate from the printed circuit board.
The objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout, and in which:
Apparatus and methods for supporting and powering a fluorescent lamp are provided. The apparatus preferably includes a ballast, a rigid power distribution unit; and a lamp holder. The ballast receives power from a standard power line, such as a 110 VAC power line or any other suitable power line. The ballast preferably has a reactive coil and a power conditioner for providing appropriate current to the lamp via the rigid power distribution unit. The rigid power distribution preferably distributes the power to one or more lamp holders. The lamp holders preferably are directly supported by the rigid power distribution unit.
The lamp holders shown and described herein may hold and excite one end of a tube-shaped lamp. Generally, when long tubes are used, two opposing lamp holders (one at each end of the lamp) are usually required—one to support and excite each end of the lamp. Each of the opposing lamp holders may be supported by a rigid power distribution unit.
The lamp holder may is in electrical communication with the rigid power distribution unit such that when the lamp holder supports a lamp, the lamp holder is configured to provide power from the rigid power distribution unit to the lamp. Some embodiments, therefore, may not require the use of wires to transmit power from the ballast to the lamp holder. The lamp may be any suitable lamp, including T5, T8 and T12 lamps.
In some embodiments, the rigid power distribution unit includes a track that has conducting rails for supplying power to lamp holders. The rails may run along a portion of the track so that lamp holders engaging the portion may receive power from the rails. The track may include a slot or edge along which the lamp holders may slide. The track may include one or more detents to maintain a lamp holder in a position along the track. In manufacturing, the track may be used to position lamp holders at any desired spacing so the track may be used in connection with fixture designs requiring different center-to-center lamp spacing. The spacing may optionally be standardized to accommodate one or more of the various industry standards.
In some embodiments, a method for manufacturing a fluorescent lamp support includes mating a ballast connector to a rigid power distribution unit connector to form an electrical connection between them. The method further includes sliding a lamp holder from a first position in the track to a second position in the track. The rigid power distribution unit may include a track along which the lamp holder may slide. The rigid power distribution unit may include conducting rails for providing power to the lamp holder at different positions along the track.
In some embodiments, the rigid power distribution unit may include a printed circuit board. The lamp holder may clamp or be otherwise mechanically and electrically secured to the printed circuit board and draw power from it. The printed circuit board may have traces from each lamp holder to be plugged into it. The printed circuit board may be part of a ballast printed circuit board assembly. The lamp holder printed circuit board may be connected to the ballast by any suitable connectors, such as male/female connectors. The ballast may be located either inside or outside a housing that may enclose the rigid power distribution unit. In some embodiments, the printed circuit board may be in electrical communication with the lamp holder via flat cable and male/female connectors.
In some embodiments, the rigid power distribution unit includes rails made of any suitable conducting metal such as copper, silver, brass or the like. For example, the conducting metal may be an abrasion-resistant metal, such as brass. The rigid power distribution unit may include a housing. The housing may be made of plastic, metal or other suitable enclosure material.
In some embodiments, the rigid power distribution unit includes a track. The track may be open on one or both ends for insertion of a lamp holder. An open end of the track may be blocked by a skirt after insertion of one or more lamp holders. The skirt may include any suitable material, such as a polymer or elastomer such as ethylene acrylic elastomer (“AEM”) such as that available under the trademark “VAMAC” from E. I. DuPont and Co., located in Wilmington, Del. The material may be an elastomer, such as neoprene.
Rigid power distribution units 106 and 110 may be affixed to an enclosure (not shown). Ballast 104 receive power via leads 102 and provide the power to lamp holders 108 via rigid power distribution unit 106. Rigid power distribution unit 106 may be connected to ballast 104 by connector 114. Connector 114 may be a pin connector or any other suitable connector. Rigid power distribution unit 110 may receive power from ballast 104 via leads 116.
One or both of rigid power distribution units 106 and 110 may include a printed circuit board for delivering power along traces or conductors to lamp holders 108 and 112, respectively. Positive and negative conductors, each corresponding to one of leads 102 and one of leads 116, may be provided along edges 118 and 120, respectively, of rigid power distribution units 106 and 110. The positive and negative conductors may match corresponding positive and negative terminals of lamp holders 108 and 112. The positive and negative conductors may be arranged in any suitable configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the positive and negative conductors may be, respectively, on top and bottom of edges 118 and 120. In some embodiments, both the positive and negative conductors both may on one side (top or bottom) of edges 118 and 120. The positive and negative conductors may be routed through their respective rigid power distribution units in any suitable manner to deliver power to positions on edges 118 and 120 where power is or may be desired. In some embodiments, power may be routed to points on edges 118 and 120. In some embodiments, power may be routed to elongated segments of edges 118 and 120. The segments may allow lamp holders 108 and 112 to be positioned with greater flexibility.
In some embodiments the segments may be sufficiently elongated that the lamp holder may be attached subject to an appropriate mechanical tolerance, but sufficiently restricted such that a properly installed lamp holder will shield the segment from contact with other objects. In some embodiments, the traces may be below the surface of the rigid power distribution unit. In those embodiments, the lamp holders may be provided with crimps or fasteners to make electrical contact with the traces. Rigid power distribution units 106 and 110 should be sufficiently rigid to mechanically support lamp holders 108 and 112 such that corresponding lamp holders can support and power a lamp.
Rigid power distribution unit 504 may be mounted to plate 512. Plate 512 may have any suitable features for attaching lamp support 500 to a lamp enclosure (not shown) or any other suitable structure.
Thus, apparatus and methods for supporting and energizing a lamp have been provided. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that the present invention can be practiced by other than the described embodiments, which are presented for purposes of illustration rather than of limitation, and the present invention is limited only by the claims which follow.
