Luminaire assembly

Electricity: electrical systems and devices – Housing or mounting assemblies with diverse electrical... – For electrical power distribution systems and devices

Reexamination Certificate

Rate now

  [ 0.00 ] – not rated yet Voters 0   Comments 0

Details

C174SDIG002

Reexamination Certificate

active

06175487

ABSTRACT:

TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to a luminaire assembly and particularly one of the high-intensity discharge type.
BACKGROUND ART
Luminaire manufacturers must balance several factors in designing luminaires, in terms of part cost, assembly cost and timing, and the particular application to which a luminaire is directed. Typically, the manufacture and assembly of luminaires, and particularly high-intensity discharge (HID) luminaires, requires a lead time from the point of customer order to the date of delivery due to the many steps involved in the preparing and assembling the subcomponents of the luminaire. Such components that may require such lead time include the electrical assembly. Thus, luminaires do not typically lend themselves to just-in-time manufacturing. Customers of any product demand a timely delivery of goods after ordering, and luminaire buyers are no different. Therefore, manufacturers of lighting systems must often rely upon building up an inventory of parts and subassemblies ahead of time and keeping goods in stock in anticipation of the next order. However, this is a costly proposition which involves having working capital tied up in inventory that is not yet sold to a customer.
Luminaires typically include an optical assembly and an electrical assembly. The optical assembly contains the lamp and the refractor and/or reflector, which produces and directs light at varying degrees. The electrical assembly provides power to the lamp and has a housing which is generally formed of metal and which encloses the electrical circuitry including the ballast. The ballast is used to provide necessary circuit conditions for starting and operating an electric-discharge lamp, such as high intensity electric-discharge lamps of the high pressure sodium, metal halide, or mercury type.
The ballast itself is typically impregnated through a lengthy impregnation dipping process which is complete before the ballast is assembled within an electrical assembly. Impregnation bonds together the laminations which are present in a ballast, reducing the magnetically-induced vibrations which may cause noise. Impregnation also increases the dielectric strength of the insulation system which protects against voltage stress and breakdown from corona. Further, impregnation provides for corrosion resistance and reduces the operating temperature of the ballast.
Moreover, the electrical assembly of a luminaire, and particularly its housing, is sometimes large due to need for relatively large surface area to dissipate ballast heat. The housing size may also be needed in order to provide the clearance necessary for the tools to fit and function to assemble the luminaire and its various subcomponents. Depending on the positioning of the electrical assembly relative to the optical assembly (i.e. above or below), the size of the housing could result in less uplight or downlight, respectively, and thus contribute to an overall less efficient lighting system.
Consequently, the need has developed for an indoor luminaire assembly which permits for a relatively quick and less expensive assembly. The luminaire assembly should not require significant lead time for the manufacture and assembly of its subcomponents and should allow for just-in-time assembly, without the necessity of costly inventory levels. The luminaire should provide for the desired amount of illumination for its application. And the luminaire should include an electrical assembly or housing which is relatively small in order to achieve efficient lighting and not impede the uplight or downlight of the assembly. Further, the electrical assembly should be able to be assembled and finished concurrently with the ballast so as to avoid the lengthy lead time currently required.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object according to the present invention to provide a luminaire assembly which allows for a relatively quick and less expensive assembly than current luminaires.
It is another object according to the present invention to provide a luminaire assembly which does not require significant lead time for the manufacture and assembly of the subcomponents.
It is a further object according to the present invention to provide a luminaire assembly which permits for just-in-time assembly and does not require building up a costly inventory of stock.
It is a still further object according to the present invention to provide a luminaire which is also relatively easy to assemble.
It is yet another object according to the present invention to provide a luminaire for generating the desired amount of illumination for its application, and particularly a great amount of uplight and downlight for retail and light industrial applications.
It is moreover a further object according to the present invention to provide a luminaire assembly and method for manufacturing the same, which allows for the manufacturing and finishing of the ballast concurrently with the luminaire in order to reduce the total overall manufacturing time.
In carrying out the above objects, features and advantages of the present invention, provided is an electrical assembly adapted for use with a luminaire and which includes a housing formed of metal and having an interior surface defining a cavity therein. The electrical assembly also includes an unimpregnated ballast which is positioned within the cavity and which has coil leads projecting therefrom. The ballast is encapsulated within a thickened mixture of, preferably, a curable thermoset polymer resin and finely divided inorganic particulate which engages the interior surface of the housing. In a preferred embodiment, the finely divided inorganic particulate mixture and the polymer resin is preferably provided in, respectively, a 3:1 ratio by weight.
In keeping with the teachings according to the present invention, also provided is a luminaire assembly which has an optical assembly for directing light generated by a lamp. The luminaire assembly includes an electrical assembly which has a housing formed of metal. The housing includes a body portion and a removable cover portion which therein defines a cavity. The removable cover portion has at least one electrical component mounted thereto which projects into the cavity. A ballast is disposed within the cavity of the housing and is encapsulated within a curable mixture of polymer resin and finely divided inorganic particulate. This curable mixture thickens and secures the ballast therein.
The above objects and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention are readily apparent from the following detailed description of the best mode for carrying out the invention when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.


REFERENCES:
patent: 2683766 (1954-07-01), Cunningham
patent: 2795009 (1957-06-01), Gosnell et al.
patent: 2862992 (1958-12-01), Franz
patent: 3747037 (1973-07-01), Earing
patent: 4393435 (1983-07-01), Petrina
patent: 4570207 (1986-02-01), Takahashi et al.
patent: 4916363 (1990-04-01), Burton
patent: 5006764 (1991-04-01), Swanson
patent: 5386086 (1995-01-01), Sayles
patent: 5623123 (1997-04-01), Umehara
patent: 5686697 (1997-11-01), Miller et al.
patent: 5727873 (1998-03-01), Tyson
patent: 464421 (1950-04-01), None

LandOfFree

Say what you really think

Search LandOfFree.com for the USA inventors and patents. Rate them and share your experience with other people.

Rating

Luminaire assembly does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Luminaire assembly, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Luminaire assembly will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

     

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2469959

  Search
All data on this website is collected from public sources. Our data reflects the most accurate information available at the time of publication.