Track lighting system current limiting device

• US 8,144,025 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2011
• Issued: 03/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify North America Corporation (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Genlyte Thomas Group LLC (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Mier-Langner, Alejandro, O'Boyle, Michael S., Kuchar, James Edward, Mackenzie, IV, Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US13/025,615
• Publication Number:
  US 20110133671A1
• Time in Patent Office: 410 Days
• Field of Search: 340/638, 340/635, 340/636.12, 340/636.17, 340/639, 340/664, 324/509, 361/643, 361/673, 315/209.R, 307/125
• US Class Current: 340/638
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/35 with direct electrical contact between the supporting element and electric conductors running along the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 71/0264 Mountings or coverplates for complete assembled circuit breakers, e.g. snap mounting in panel

Abstract

A current limiting system in accordance with the present invention comprises an accessory or canopy mount device that is permanently installed between a source of electrical power 1 and a track lighting system 2. The system may be installed integrally with a track lighting system to supply power to a plurality of lighting tracks from a plurality of power sources or circuits, as desired by a user or lighting designer. The system may also be configured to be compatible with a wide variety of track lighting system power tracks and is difficult to remove once properly installed, thereby making it tamper-proof.

Claims

1. A current limiting system for limiting the electrical current supplied by a source of electrical power to a track lighting circuit comprising:

at least one conditional current limiting device to limit electrical power to said track lighting circuit in an over current situation and otherwise output a received voltage substantially unaltered;

at least one lighting track connector electrically coupled to said at least one current limiting device; and

wherein said lighting track connector is securable to said track lighting circuit.

2. A current limiting system for limiting the electrical current supplied by a source of electrical power to a track lighting circuit as claimed in claim 1 comprising:

a plurality of current limiting devices; and

a plurality of lighting track connectors.

3. A current limiting system for limiting the electrical current supplied by a source of electrical power to a track lighting circuit as claimed in claim 1 wherein said lighting track connector is capable of being secured to a current-carrying lighting track.

4. A current limiting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said current limiting device comprises a visual load indicator for monitoring the electrical power supplied to said circuit.

5. A current limiting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said visual load indicator comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes indicative of predetermined amounts of power supplied to said circuit.

6. A current limiting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said current limiting device is sized to limit electrical current to a predetermined maximum based upon the length of track secured thereto.

7. A current limiting system as claimed in claim 1 wherein said at least one current limiting device comprises a circuit breaker.