Plug-in dimmer module for lighting control systems
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A dimmer module comprising:
- a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top and bottom incorporating plug-in electric contacts for input power, control signals and load connection,at least one circuit breaker located within the housing;
a power device comprising at least one dimmer circuit having at least one input lead frame element secured into electrical contact with the circuit breaker and at least one output lead frame element;
a heat sink attached to the power device in thermal transfer relation therewith; and
at least one toroidal inductor electrically connected to the output lead frame element at its input side and to the load connection at its output side whereby the module can be mechanically plugged into, and removed from, sources of input power and control signals and output load connection points.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A dimmer module including a dimmer circuit for use in controlling lighting used in theatrical and architectural operations. The module features a low cost, compact, thermally efficient design incorporating circuit breakers, a power device including solid state switches, and toroidal chokes, all components being interconnected using with prefabricated tooled interconnections eliminating conventional wiring in a housing adapted to make all external connections on a plug in basis. The housing structure incorporates a built-in handle and a plurality of parallel air flow paths to maximize cooling efficiency.
34 Citations
17 Claims
-
1. A dimmer module comprising:
-
a housing having a top portion and a bottom portion, said top and bottom incorporating plug-in electric contacts for input power, control signals and load connection, at least one circuit breaker located within the housing; a power device comprising at least one dimmer circuit having at least one input lead frame element secured into electrical contact with the circuit breaker and at least one output lead frame element; a heat sink attached to the power device in thermal transfer relation therewith; and at least one toroidal inductor electrically connected to the output lead frame element at its input side and to the load connection at its output side whereby the module can be mechanically plugged into, and removed from, sources of input power and control signals and output load connection points.
-
-
2. A module according to claim 2 wherein the power device comprises a pair of dimmer circuits, each circuit having an input lead frame element and an output lead frame element;
- and
the module further comprises a first and second circuit breaker and a first and second inductor, each of said circuit breakers and inductors being associated with a respective one of said dimmer circuits and in electric circuit relation therewith. - View Dependent Claims (3, 4, 5, 6)
- and
-
7. A power device for a dimmer module comprising:
-
a printed circuit (PC) substrate having a plurality of input contacts disposed thereon for receiving control signals and a plurality of PC electrical leads and circuit elements disposed thereon extending from the contacts for interconnecting components of the device; a plurality of lead frames mounted on the PC substrate in electric circuit relation with the PC leads, each lead frame having an integral lead frame element extending away from the PC substrate, said lead elements being adapted to be electrically connected by a secure connection to other circuit elements; solid state switching devices mounted on said lead frames in electric circuit relation therewith; and preformed circuit means for electrically interconnecting the switching devices to each other and to certain predetermined electrical leads on the PC substrate. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
Specification