Modular light unit

• US 5,658,067 A
• Filed: 08/17/1995
• Issued: 08/19/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Munters Corporation
• Original Assignee: Munters Corporation
• Inventors: Howard, John R., Engle, Joseph D., Boznos, George S., Machacek, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US08/516,208
• Time in Patent Office: 733 Days
• Field of Search: 362/219, 362/222, 362/223, 362/225, 362/374, 362/217, 362/221, 362/226, 439/115, 439/119, 439/226, 439/228, 439/235
• US Class Current: 362/222
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0048 Office articles, e.g. bookmarks, desk lamps with drawers, stands for books or music scores
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6315 allowing relative movement between coupling parts, e.g. floating connection for coupling devices specially adapted for printed circuits, flat or ribbon cables, or like generally planar structures, H01R12/91 takes precedence

Abstract

A modular light unit is disclosed which has a housing including an openable access panel with an electric lamp mounted in the housing. The housing has opposed ends which respectively mount male and female double insulated electrical connector plug means therein for electrically connecting the light unit to another light unit. The double insulated connector is formed with fully isolated terminals.

Claims

1. A light unit comprising a housing including an openable access panel, said housing having opposed ends, said opposed ends respectively having male and female double insulated electrical connector plug means therein for electrically connecting said unit to another light unit;

said opposed ends of the housing each including end caps and said double insulated electrical connector plug means being removably mounted in said end caps;

said end caps each having a peripheral rib extending outwardly from the cap and a recessed mounting panel, said mounting panel having at least one opening formed therein for receiving an associated plug means, said plug means extending from their associated panels a predetermined distance selected such that when a male and female plug means of adjacent light units are mated in electrical contact, the peripheral ribs of the units abut each other to form a gap-free joint therebetween.

2. A light unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing and end caps include cooperating means for snap fitting the end caps on the housing.

3. A light unit as defined in claim 2 wherein said cooperating means includes a guide channel formed in said housing and an elongated guide tongue on the end cap extending inwardly therefrom into said channel.

4. A light unit as defined in claim 3 wherein said end caps are formed of insulating material.

5. A light unit as defined in claim 4 wherein said plug means have fully isolated terminals.

6. A light unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said access panel is pivotally mounted on said housing.

7. A light unit as defined in claim 6 wherein said housing has at least one pair of internal longitudinally extending parallel spaced ribs, said panel being pivotally mounted to said housing along an axis parallel to said ribs, and at least one self tapping screw engaged with said panel and threaded between said ribs to releasably secure said access panel to the housing in a closed position thereby to define a wire way in the housing.

8. A light unit as defined in claim 7 including means for mounting and electric lamp in the housing outside of said wire-way.

9. A light unit as defined in claim 8 wherein said electric lamp is a halogen lamp.

10. A light unit as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing is formed of extruded aluminum.

11. A light unit as defined in claim 1 including end caps removably mounted on said opposed ends of said unit for selectively receiving said connector plugs.

12. A light unit as defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of said end caps has an opening formed therein which is at least partly circular in shape for selectively receiving one of said insulated electrical connection plug means and for selectively receiving a conventional power supply cord to supply electrical power to the interior of the unit.

13. A light unit as defined in claim 1 including means for mounting said unit to an overhead surface and allowing sliding of said unit relative to said surface.

14. A light unit as defined in claim 13 including at least two electric lamps mounted in the housing and switch means for selectively supplying power to either or both of said electric lamps.

15. A modular light unit comprising an elongated generally L-shaped in cross section housing, an elongated generally L-shaped in cross section access panel pivotally connected at the end of one of its legs to the end of one leg of the housing such that in a closed position the legs of the housing and panel are generally parallel to each other, the longer leg of the L-shaped housing being longer than the parallel leg of the access panel whereby a portion of the housing extends beyond the access panel, said housing and access panel together defining a wire-way for the unit and the portion of the housing extending beyond the panel defining an enclosure area for an electric lamp, said housing having opposed ends, said opposed ends respectively having male and female double insulated electrical connection plug means having fully isolated terminals for electrically connecting said unit to another light unit, and a removable cover for said electric lamp enclosure area.

16. A modular light unit as defined in claim 15 including means for mounting said electric lamp on said access panel.

17. A modular light unit as defined in claim 15 including means for mounting said electric lamp on said cover.

18. A modular light unit as defined in claim 17 wherein said electric lamp is a halogen lamp.

19. A light unit as defined in claim 15 wherein said opposed ends of the housing each include an end cap and said double insulated electrical connector plug means are removably mounted in said end caps.

20. A light unit as defined in claim 19 wherein said end caps each have a peripheral rib extending outwardly from the cap and a recessed mounting panel, said mounting panel having at least one opening formed therein for receiving an associated plug means, said plug means extending from their associated panels a predetermined distance selected such that when a male and female plug means of adjacent light units are mated in electrical contact, the peripheral ribs of the units abut each other to form a gap-free joint therebetween.

21. A light unit as defined in claim 20 wherein said housing and end caps include cooperating means for snap fitting the end caps on the housing.

22. A light unit as defined in claim 21 wherein said cooperating means includes a guide channel formed in said housing and an elongated guide tongue on the end cap extending inwardly therefrom into said channel.

23. A light unit as defined in claim 22 wherein said end caps are formed of insulating material.

24. A light unit as defined in claim 23 wherein said housing has at least one pair of internal longitudinally extending parallel spaced ribs, said panel being pivotally mounted to said housing along an axis parallel to said ribs, and at least one self tapping screw engaged with said panel and threaded between said ribs to releasably secure said access panel to the housing in a closed position thereby to define a wire way in the housing.

25. A light unit as defined in claim 24 wherein said housing is formed of extruded aluminum.

26. A light unit as defined in claim 24 including end caps mounted on said opposed ends of said unit for selectively receiving said connector plug means.

27. A light unit as defined in claim 24 wherein at least one of said end caps has an opening formed therein which is at least partly circular in shape for selectively receiving one of said insulated electrical connection plug means and for selectively receiving a conventional power supply cord to supply electrical power to the interior of the unit.

28. A light unit as defined in claim 15 including means for mounting said unit to an overhead surface by sliding said unit relative to said surface.

29. A light unit as defined in claim 15 including at least two electric lamps mounted in the housing and switch means for selectively supplying power to either or both of said electric lamps.