Fail-safe uninterruptible lighting system

• US 5,471,114 A
• Filed: 06/15/1994
• Issued: 11/28/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 12/18/1990
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Dynamic Patents LLC, Harold Levine
• Original Assignee: DMI Holdings Inc.
• Inventors: Watson, W. Joe, Edwards, M. Larry
• Primary Examiner(s): Pascal, Robert J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHINGLETON, MICHAEL B
• Application Number:
  US08/260,487
• Time in Patent Office: 531 Days
• Field of Search: 315/86, 315/119, 315/160, 315/161, 315/175, 315/176, 315/219, 315/DIG. 7, 315/208, 307/46, 307/48, 307/66, 320/14, 320/13
• US Class Current: 315/86
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 7/0069 Charging or discharging for charge maintenance, battery initiation or rejuvenation
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/061 for DC powered loads

Abstract

A fail safe power supply system specially adapted for supplying power to devices such as lights. A battery is provided to supply power to the devices, and during normal operation, charge on the battery is maintained within selected levels by a charging control system that is connected to a source of commercial power. During a commercial power outage, the battery continues to supply normal power to the devices for a prolonged period of time, usually until commercial power is restored, thus obviating the necessity for a separate backup power source.

Claims

1. A lighting system for use with a source of alternating current power and providing fail-safe uninterruptible light comprising:

(a) A flourescent lighting element;

(b) A battery; and

(c) Control means, including control circuits for controlling said lighting element, effective;

(i) when in a first mode for interconnecting said lighting element concurrently with said battery and with said source of alternating current power to normally energize said lighting element from both said battery and said source of alternating current power and for providing continuing uninterrupted and unswitched power to said lighting element from said battery when said source of alternating current power is interrupted;

(ii) when in a second mode for sensing the power-on/power-off condition of voltage applied to said lighting element and, when voltage is applied to said lighting element to concurrently supply said lighting element from both said battery and said source of alternating current power when said alternating current power is uninterrupted, said control means being normally and selectively effective when in said second mode, when a voltage is not applied to said lighting element and when said alternating current power is interrupted, to energize and turn on said lighting element from said battery;

said control circuits including circuits for sensing the mode of said control means and when said control circuits are in a first selectable condition and said control means is in said first mode for ensuring energization of said lighting element, said circuits being effective when in a second selectable condition, when said control means is in said second mode, when said voltage is not applied to said lighting element and when said alternating current power is interrupted, to prevent energization of said lighting element from said battery.

2. A fail-safe uninterruptible lighting system for use with a source of alternating current power and providing fall-safe uninterruptible light comprising:

(a) A plurality of alternating current fluorescent lighting elements and ballasts for said lighting elements;

(b) A battery; and

(c) Control means, including control circuits for controlling the lighting elements, effective;

(i) when in a first mode for interconnecting said plurality of lighting elements concurrently with said battery and with said source of alternating current power to normally energize said lighting elements from both said battery and said source of alternating current power and for providing continuing uninterrupted and unswitched power to said plurality of lighting elements from said battery when said source of alternating current power is interrupted;

(ii) when in a second mode for sensing the power-on/power-off condition of voltage applied to said lighting elements and, when voltage is applied to said lighting elements to concurrently supply said lighting elements from both said battery and said source of alternating current power when said alternating current power is uninterrupted, said control means being normally and selectively effective when in said second mode, when a voltage is not applied to said lighting elements and when said alternating current power is interrupted, to energize and turn on said lighting elements from said battery;

said control circuits including circuits for sensing the mode of said control means, and when said control circuits are in a first selectable condition and said control means is in said first mode for ensuring energization of said lighting elements, said control circuits being effective when in a second selectable condition, when said control means is in said second mode, when said voltage is not applied to said lighting elements and when said alternating current power is interrupted, to prevent energization of said lighting elements from said battery.

3. A lighting system for use with a source of commercial power and providing fail-safe uninterruptible light comprising:

(a) a lighting element and ballast for said lighting element;

(b) a battery;

(c) a switch having a first position and a second position;

(d) a control means including said switch, effective when said switch is in said first position for interconnecting said lighting element concurrently to both said source of commercial power and said battery to normally energize said lighting element from both said battery and said source of commercial power and for providing continuing uninterrupted and unswitched power to said lighting element from said battery when said source of commercial power is disabled;

said control means being effective when said switch is in said second position for disconnecting said lighting element from said source of commercial power and said battery thereby to de-energize said lighting element and, when said source of commercial power is disabled, to automatically and fully energize said lighting element from said battery; and

(e) override circuits effective when in a first mode for overriding said control means and for energizing said lighting element irrespective of the condition of said switch and said source of commercial power.

4. A fail-safe uninterruptible lighting system for use with a source of alternating current power and providing fail-safe uninterruptible light comprising:

(a) A fluorescent lighting element;

A battery;

(c) Control means, including a latch circuit for controlling said lighting element, normally effective;

(i) when in a first mode for interconnecting said lighting element concurrently with said battery and with said source of alternating current power to normally energize said lighting element from both said battery and said source of alternating current power for providing continuing uninterrupted and unswitched power to said lighting element from said battery when said source of alternating current power is interrupted;

(ii) when in a second mode for sensing the power-on/power-off condition of voltage applied to said lighting element and, when voltage is applied to said lighting element to concurrently supply said lighting element from both said battery and said alternating current power when said alternating current power is uninterrupted, said control means being further effective when in said second mode, when a voltage is not applied to said lighting element and when said alternating current power is interrupted, to energize and turn on said lighting element from said battery; and

(d) override circuits effective when in an override mode for overriding said control means and for energizing said lighting element irrespective of the condition of said control means and said source of alternating current power.

5. A fail-safe uninterruptible lighting system for use with a source of alternating current power and proving fail-safe uninterruptible light comprising:

(a) A plurality of alternating current fluorescent lighting elements and ballasts for said lighting elements;

(b) A batter;

(c) Control means, including a latch circuit for controlling the lighting elements, normally effective;

(i) when in a first mode for interconnecting said plurality of lighting elements concurrently with said battery and with said source of alternating current power to normally energize said lighting elements from both said battery and said source of alternating current power, and for providing continuing uninterrupted and unswitched power to said plurality of lighting elements from said battery when said source of alternating current power is interrupted;

(ii) when in a second mode for sensing the power-on/power-off condition of voltage applied to said elements and, when voltage is applied to said lighting elements to concurrently supply said lighting elements from both said battery and said alternating current power when said alternating current power is uninterrupted, said control means being further effective when in said second mode, when a voltage is not applied to said lighting elements and when said alternating current power is interrupted, to energize and turn on said lighting elements from said battery; and

(d) override circuits effective when in an override mode for overriding said control means and for energizing said lighting elements irrespective of the condition of said control means and said source of alternating current power.