Fire-initiation-safe lighting system

• US 5,998,936 A
• Filed: 11/22/1993
• Issued: 12/07/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1984
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Beacon Point Capital LLC
• Original Assignee: Ole K Nilssen
• Inventors: Nilssen, Ole K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Neyzari, Ali
• Application Number:
  US08/155,519
• Time in Patent Office: 2,206 Days
• Field of Search: 315/209 R, 315/DIG. 2, 315/DIG. 3, 315/DIG. 5, 315/246, 315/315, 315/219, 315/307, 315/56, 315/DIG. 1
• US Class Current: 315/209.00R
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/282 with semiconductor devices H05B41/2806, H05B41/288, H05B41/295 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3925 by frequency variation H05B41/3922 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/3927 by pulse width modulation H05B41/3922 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/00 Energy efficient lighting technologies, e.g. halogen lamps or gas discharge lamps

Abstract

A lighting system for a suspended ceiling comprises a plurality of power conditioning units permanently wired-in with the 120 Volt/60 Hz power line and mounted in various suitable locations on the permanent ceiling above the suspended ceiling. Each power conditioning unit conditionally provides a voltage at each of several multi-connector power output ports. Each power output port is operable: (i) to connect with a special lighting fixture by way of a light-weight flexible disconnectable connect cord; and (ii) on receipt of a special signal from the lighting fixture, to power the lamp(s) therein. Plural such special lighting fixtures are mounted in the suspended ceiling, with each lighting fixture being connected with and powered from one of the power output ports of a power conditioning unit mounted somewhere nearby on the permanent ceiling above. Due to the manifestly power-limited nature of the output of each of the power output ports, as combined with the light-weight flexible and detachable nature of the connect cords, each special lighting fixture may be made without the usual concerns with respect to fire-initiation safety and may be treated as a plug-in portable lighting product; which implies particularly low cost and a high degree of flexibility in installation and use.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising:

a pair of power line conductors across which exists an AC power line voltage of frequency lower than 100 Hz;

the amount of power available from the power line conductors being distinctly higher than the maximum amount usually considered safe from fire-initiation hazard;

a power conditioner having (i) a pair of power input terminals connected with the power line conductors, and (ii) a pair of DC output terminals across which is conditionally provided a DC supply voltage;

the power conditioner including sensing and control circuitry operative to prevent any power drawn from the DC output terminals from exceeding the maximum amount usually considered safe from fire initiation hazard;

an electronic ballast having (i) a pair of DC input terminals disconnectably connected with the DC output terminals by way of a flexible connect cord, and (ii) a pair of AC output terminals at which is conditionally provided an AC ballast voltage of frequency higher than 10 kHz; and

a lighting panel mounted in a ceiling grid system suspended some distance below a permanent ceiling;

the lighting panel having (i) a pair of AC input terminals connected with the AC output terminals, and (ii) gas discharge lamp means connected in circuit with the AC input terminals.

2. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that:

(i) the waveform of the AC power line voltage is substantially sinusoidal; and

(ii) any current drawn by the power conditioner from the power line conductors is of substantially sinusoidal waveform, a substantially sinusoidal waveform being defined as a waveform having less than 10% total harmonic distortion.

3. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the DC supply voltage is not present except when the power conditioner'"'"'s DC output terminals are indeed connected with the electronic ballast'"'"'s DC input terminals.

4. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the flexible connect cord has a length in excess of one foot.

5. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the connect cord is coiled.

6. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the lighting panel'"'"'s AC input terminals are disconnectably connected with the electronic ballast'"'"'s AC output terminals.

7. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the power conditioner has at least one additional pair of DC output terminals;

which additional pair of DC output terminals is also prevented from supplying more power than what is usually considered safe from fire-initiation hazard.

8. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the maximum amount of power usually considered safe from fire-initiation hazard is defined as being 100 Watt.

9. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the absolute magnitude of the DC supply voltage is distinctly higher than the absolute peak magnitude of the AC power line voltage.

10. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the electronic ballast is detachably attached to the lighting panel.

11. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that the lighting panel has no electrical conductor having galvanic connection with either of the power line conductors.

12. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that, as long as the electronic ballast is not connected with the power conditioner, a ground-connected person will not be subjected to a hazardous electric shock if touching either of the DC output terminals.

13. The arrangement of claim 1 further characterized in that, as long as the electronic ballast is not connected with the power conditioner, a person will not be subjected to a hazardous electric shock even if touching both of the DC output terminals.

14. The arrangement of claim 1 wherein the connect cord has a linear length substantially longer than the distance between the DC output terminals and the DC input terminals.

15. An arrangement comprising:

a pair of power line conductors across which exists an AC power line voltage;

the amount of power available from the power line conductors being far higher than 100 Watt;

a power conditioner having;

(i) a pair of power input terminals connected with the power line conductors; and

(ii) plural power output ports, each one of which having a pair of DC output terminals and being conditionally operable to provide a DC supply voltage across this pair of DC output terminals;

plural lighting means;

each one;

(i) having ballasting means and lamp means, the ballasting means being connected in circuit with the lamp means and conditionally operative to provide an alternating lamp current thereto;

(ii) being mounted in a ceiling grid suspended some distance below a permanent ceiling;

(iii) having a power input port with a pair of DC input terminals; and

(iv) producing luminous output whenever an appropriate DC voltage is provided across the DC input terminals; and

plural connect cords;

each connect cord being operable to provide disconnectable connection between one of the plural power output ports and the power input port of one of the plural lighting means, thereby to cause said DC supply voltage to be provided across the DC input terminals of that power input port and to constitute said appropriate DC voltage;

the arrangement being further characterized in that the power conditioner provides the DC supply voltage across the DC output terminals of a given one of its plural power output ports only if that given power output port is connected with the power input port of one of the plural lighting means by way of one of the plural connect cords.

16. The arrangement of claim 15 additionally characterized in that the absolute magnitude of the DC supply voltage is distinctly higher than the absolute peak magnitude of the AC power line voltage.

17. The arangement of claim 15 additionally characterized in that the maximum amount of power available from any one of the plural power output ports is 100 Watt.

18. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein at least one of the plural connect cords is characterized as being a coiled cord.

19. The arrangement of claim 15 wherein at least one of the connect cords is characterized as being stretchable.

20. The arrangement of claim 15 additionally characterized in that the power conditioner provides, to a lighting means connected with one of its power output ports, not only said DC supply voltage but also an auxiliary AC voltage of frequency different from that of said alternating lamp current.

21. An arrangement comprising:

a pair of power line conductors across which exists an AC power line voltage;

a power conditioner;

(i) having a pair of power input terminals connected with the power line conductors;

(ii) having a power output port with a pair of DC output terminals; and

(iii) being conditionally operable to provide a DC supply voltage across the DC output terminals;

a lighting means;

(i) having ballasting means and lamp means, the ballasting means being connected in circuit with the lamp means and conditionally operative to provide an alternating lamp current thereto;

(ii) having a power input port with a pair of DC input terminals; and

(iii) producing luminous output whenever an appropriate DC voltage is provided across the DC input terminals; and

a connect cord operable to provide disconnectable connection between the power output port and the power input port, thereby to cause said DC supply voltage to be provided across the DC input terminals of the power input port and to constitute said appropriate DC voltage;

the arrangement being further characterized in that the power conditioner provides the DC supply voltage across the DC output terminals of its power output port only if the power output port is connected with the power input port by way of the connect cord.

22. The arrangement of claim 21 additionally characterized in that:

(i) the power output port includes more terminals than said pair of DC output terminals; and

(ii) whenever said connect cord is disconnected, if a ground-connected person were to touch any one of the terminals of the power output port, he would not be subjected to an electric shock-hazard.

23. The arrangement of claim 21 additionally characterized in that:

(i) the power output port includes more terminals than said pair of DC output terminals; and

(ii) whenever said connect cord is disconnected, an auxiliary AC voltage exists between two of the terminals of the power output port.

24. An arrangement comprising:

a pair of power line conductors across which exists an AC power line voltage;

a power conditioner;

(i) having a pair of power input terminals connected with the power line conductors;

(ii) having a power output port with a pair of DC output terminals; and

(iii) being conditionally operable to provide a DC supply voltage across the DC output terminals; and

a light-producing means having a power input port with a pair of DC input terminals;

the power input port being disconnectably connected with the power output port;

the DC output voltage existing across the DC input terminals as well, but only as long as the power input port is indeed connected with the power output port;

the arrangement being further characterized in that, if the power input port were not to be connected with the power output port, the DC supply voltage would not exist across the DC output terminals.

25. An arrangement comprising:

a light-generating structure having a power input port with a pair of DC input terminals;

the light-generating structure being functional to generate light whenever an appropriate DC voltage exists across the DC input terminals; and

a power conditioner;

(i) having a pair of power input terminals connected with the AC power line voltage of an ordinary electric utility power line;

(ii) having a power output port with a pair of DC output terminals, the power output port being disconnectably connected with the power input port in such manner that the DC output terminals get connected with the DC input terminals and such that any voltage existing between the DC output terminals must exist across the DC input terminals as well; and

(iii) being operable, but only when the power output port is indeed connected with the power input port, to provide a DC supply voltage across the DC output terminals, the DC supply voltage, when indeed present across the DC input terminals, constituting said appropriate DC voltage.

26. The arrangement of claim 25 further characterized in that the absolute magnitude of the DC supply voltage, when it indeed exists across the DC output terminals, is distinctly higher than the peak absolute magnitude of the AC power line voltage.

27. An arrangement comprising:

a power supply (i) having a pair of AC input terminals connected with the AC power line voltage on the power line conductors of an ordinary electric utility power line, (ii) including a pair of DC terminals across which exists a DC voltage, and (iii) having a pair of power output terminals across which is supplied an output voltage;

the power supply being further characterized by including circuitry operative to limit the maximum amount of power extractable from said pair of power output terminals to 100 Watt, and

a light-generating structure mounted in a ceiling grid suspended some distance below a permanent ceiling and having a pair of power input terminals connected with the power output terminals by way of a flexible connect cord, thereby to be provided with said output voltage across its power input terminals, thereby to generate light.