Modular light fixture with power pack

• US 8,337,043 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2012
• Issued: 12/25/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/03/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Orion Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Verfuerth, Neal R., Ernst, Ronald E., Wetenkamp, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Assistant Examiner(s): CRANSON JR, JAMES W
• Application Number:
  US13/424,056
• Publication Number:
  US 20120182729A1
• Time in Patent Office: 281 Days
• Field of Search: 362/217.05, 362/217.07, 362/217.09, 362/221, 362/148, 362/220, 362/260
• US Class Current: 362/221
• 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 23/026 Fastening of transformers or ballasts
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

A light fixture includes a first raceway disposed at a first end of the light fixture, a second raceway disposed at a second end of the light fixture, and a detachable cover that is removably coupled to the first raceway and to the second raceway. A ballast and power input wiring is coupled to the detachable cover, and an elongated lamp electrically coupled to the ballast. The light fixture also includes a power input connector having a socket portion and a plug portion, one of the socket portion and the plug portion coupled to the detachable cover and electrically connected to the power input wiring, and the other of the socket portion and the plug portion connectable to a power supply line to provide electrical power to the light fixture from a power source.

Claims

1. A light fixture comprising:

a first raceway at a first end of the light fixture and a second raceway at a second opposing end of the light fixture;

at least one reflector extending between and secured to the first and second raceways;

a first lampholder coupled to the first raceway and a second lampholder coupled to the second raceway, wherein the first and second lampholders are configured to hold a fluorescent tube adjacent a first side of the at least one reflector;

a power pack provided adjacent a second side of the at least one reflector opposite the first side, wherein the power pack includes at least one ballast, power input wiring that is configured to receive power for the light fixture, and ballast output wiring that is configured to be electrically coupled to the first and second lampholders;

a cover provided over the at least one ballast, the ballast output wiring, and the power input wiring, wherein the cover is coupled to the first and second raceways and has a modular power input connector coupled thereto that is configured to allow a power cord to supply power to the light fixture without removing the cover.

2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the cover is configured to be removable from the first and second raceways.

3. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the power pack is configured to be detachable from the light fixture.

4. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the modular power input connector comprises a socket portion and a plug portion, wherein one of the socket portion and the plug portion are coupled to power input wiring and the other of the socket portion and the plug portion are configured to be coupled to the power cord.

5. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflector comprises a plurality of reflectors.

6. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein each of the first and second raceway have a plurality of lampholders coupled thereto such that the light fixture is configured to hold a plurality of fluorescent tubes.

7. The light fixture of claim 1, further comprising a ballast channel configured to at least partially contain the at least one ballast, the ballast output wiring, and the power input wiring.

8. The light fixture of claim 7, wherein the cover is provided over the ballast channel.

9. A light fixture comprising:

a first raceway disposed at a first end of the light fixture;

a second raceway disposed at a second end of the light fixture;

a detachable cover that is removably coupled to the first raceway and to the second raceway;

a ballast and power input wiring coupled to the detachable cover;

an elongated lamp electrically coupled to the ballast; and

a power input connector having a socket portion and a plug portion, one of the socket portion and the plug portion coupled to the detachable cover and electrically connected to the power input wiring, and the other of the socket portion and the plug portion connectable to a power supply line to provide electrical power to the light fixture from a power source.

10. The light fixture of claim 9, further comprising a first lampholder coupled to the first raceway and a second lampholder coupled to the second raceway, wherein the first and second lampholders are configured to support an elongated lamp for the light fixture and are electrically coupled to the ballast and to the power input wiring.

11. The light fixture of claim 10, further comprising at least one reflector extending between the first and second raceways and an elongated lamp extending between the first and second lampholders, wherein the at least one reflector is located between the detachable cover and the elongated lamp.

12. The light fixture of claim 11, wherein the elongated lamp is a fluorescent lamp.

13. The light fixture of claim 10, wherein the first lampholder is one of a first plurality of lampholders coupled to the first raceway and the second lampholder is one of a second plurality of lampholders coupled to the second raceway, wherein the first and second pluralities of lampholders are configured to hold a plurality of fluorescent lamps therebetween.

14. The light fixture of claim 9, wherein the ballast and power input wiring are configured to be detachable from the light fixture.

15. The light fixture of claim 9, further comprising a ballast channel configured to at least partially contain the ballast and power input wiring.

16. A method comprising:

providing a preassembled light fixture, wherein the light fixture comprises a first raceway and a second raceway configured to have a power pack extending at least partially between the first and second raceway, a detachable cover provided over the power pack and extending between the first and second raceways, and a power input connector coupled to the detachable cover and configured to receive power from a power source and to direct power to the power pack, the power input connector configured to be coupled to the power source without removing the detachable cover from the light fixture; and

connecting the power input connector to a power supply line electrically coupled to the power source without removing the detachable cover.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the power input connector comprises a socket portion and a plug portion, and the step of connecting the power input connector to a power supply line comprises connecting the power supply line to one of the socket portion or the plug portion.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising disconnecting the power input connector from the power supply line without removing the detachable cover.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising removing the detachable cover and power input connector from the light fixture and decoupling the power pack from the light fixture.

20. The method of claim 16, wherein the cover is secured to the first and second raceways.