Female electric connector plug apparatus for and method of attachment to flourescent tube luminaire fixture assembly

• US 7,401,942 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2003
• Issued: 07/22/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Verfuerth, Neal R., Potts, Michael J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Choi; Jacob Y
• Application Number:
  US10/361,991
• Time in Patent Office: 1,988 Days
• Field of Search: 362/226, 362/260, 362/262, 362/217, 362/221, 362/147, 362/148, 362/220, 362224-225, 362/640, 362/657
• US Class Current: 362/217.05
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/743 integral with the housing
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64

Abstract

This invention is for electric power line attachment apparatus to hanging luminaire including fluorescent tube luminaire assembly, and includes a female connector attached to the luminaire and a power line connector cord male segment plugged into the female segment attached to the luminaire and the female segment and male segment of the connector cord is preferably a UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK insulated connector which is a trademark of AMP CO., a division of Tyco Co. of Harrisburg, Pa.

Claims

1. A fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly comprising:

a reflector assembly comprising a bottom side adapted to reflect light from a fluorescent tube and a top side opposite the bottom side;

a first raceway coupled to the reflector assembly and configured to secure a first end of the fluorescent tube such that the fluorescent tube is adjacent to the bottom side of the reflector assembly;

a second raceway coupled to the reflector assembly and configured to secure a second end of the fluorescent tube;

a spine coupled to the top side of the reflector assembly and extending between the first raceway and the second raceway;

a female electric plug mounted to the spine; and

a connector cord comprising a first male electric plug and a second male electric plug, wherein the first male electric plug is configured to plug into an electric power source, and further wherein the second male electric plug is configured to plug into said female electric plug.

2. The fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly of claim 1, further comprising a spine mounted to the first and second raceways to form an I-shaped assembly.

3. The fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly of claim 2, wherein the female electric plug is mounted to a top surface of the spine.

4. The fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly of claim 1, wherein the female electric plug is mounted within an aperture in a spine which is mounted to the top side of the reflector assembly, and further wherein the female electric plug comprises a flexible leg tooth configured to secure the female electric plug through contact with a top surface of the spine.

5. The fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly of claim 4, wherein the female electric plug further comprises a protrusion bumper stop configured to secure the female electric plug through contact with a bottom surface of the spine.

6. A method of attaching an electric power line apparatus to a hanging fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly, the method comprising:

attaching a first male electric plug of a connector cord to an electric power source;

attaching a second male electric plug of the connector cord to a female electric plug, wherein the female electric plug is mounted to a spine the spine extending between a first raceway and a second raceway and coupled on a top side of a reflector assembly, the reflector assembly comprising the top side and a bottom side opposite the top side, wherein the first and second raceways are configured to secure a fluorescent tube adjacent to the bottom side, and the reflector assembly is configured to reflect light from the fluorescent tube, and further wherein the second male electric plug of the connector cord is configured to mate with the female electric plug.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein the female electric plug is mounted to a top surface of a spine which is mounted to the top side of the reflector assembly.

8. The method of claim 6, further comprising mounting the first raceway to the reflector assembly, wherein the first raceway is configured to secure a first end of the fluorescent tube such that the fluorescent tube is adjacent to the bottom side of the reflector assembly.

9. The method of claim 8, further comprising mounting the second raceway to the reflector assembly, wherein the second raceway is configured to secure a second end of the fluorescent tube such that the fluorescent tube is adjacent to the bottom side of the reflector assembly.

10. The method of claim 6, wherein a spine is mounted to the first and second raceways to form an I-shaped assembly.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising mounting the female electric plug to a top surface of the spine.

12. The method of claim 6, further comprising mounting the female electric plug within an aperture in a spine which is mounted to the top side of the reflector assembly, and further wherein the female electric plug comprises a flexible leg tooth configured to secure the female electric plug through contact with a top surface of the spine.

13. The method claim 12, wherein the female electric plug further comprises a protrusion bumper stop configured to secure the female electric plug through contact with a bottom surface of the spine.