Connector with surge protection structure

• US 9,000,672 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2012
• Issued: 04/07/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: Mercier, Martin
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DON P
• Application Number:
  US14/113,381
• Publication Number:
  US 20140042908A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 315/125, 361/42, 361/48
• US Class Current: 315/125
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/50 responsive to malfunctions or undesirable behaviour of LEDs; responsive to LED life; Protective circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/24 Circuit arrangements for protecting against overvoltage
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/25 Circuit arrangements for protecting against overcurrent
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

A connector (10) is provided that includes a housing supporting a plurality of individual connection blocks (30, 35, 40) each having a power source input and an electronics output. Surge protection structure (51-54) is embedded within the housing of the connector (10) and is electrically coupled to at least some of the individual connection blocks (30, 35, 40). The connector (10) may be implemented within a lighting fixture (100).

Claims

1. A lighting fixture, comprising:

a light source;

electronics electrically coupled to and powering said light source;

a terminal block connector, said terminal block connector being within the lighting fixture and having a housing supporting a live connection block, a neutral connection block, and a ground connection block;

said live connection block, said neutral connection block, and said ground connection block each having a high voltage power source input and a lighting fixture electronics output;

each said lighting fixture electronics output electrically connected to said power source input;

said lighting fixture electronics output of at least said live connection block and said neutral connection block electrically connected to said electronics;

said terminal block connector further including a first varistor electrically connected between said live connection block and said neutral connection block, a second varistor electrically connected between said live connection block and said ground connection block, and a third varistor electrically connected between said neutral connection block and said ground connection block;

wherein said first varistor, said second varistor, and said third varistor are inaccessibly enclosed within said housing.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said electronics include an LED driver.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said electronics include a step-down transformer electrically interposed between said terminal block connector and said LED driver.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3, wherein said electronics include an occupancy sensor.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said first varistor, said second varistor, and said third varistor may not be physically contacted without destroying said housing.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said first varistor, said second varistor, and said third varistor may not be physically contacted without disassembling said housing.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said terminal block connector further includes a fourth varistor electrically connected between said live connection block and said neutral connection block.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said light source is LED-based.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said ground connection block (10) is affixed to structure within said lighting fixture.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 3, wherein said ground connection block (40) is electrically connected to said LED driver (64) through said step-down transformer.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 10, wherein said live connection block and said neutral connection block are electrically connected to said LED driver through said step-down transformer and said ground connection block is electrically connected to said LED driver independent of said step-down transformer.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said housing includes a base and said live connection block (30), said neutral connection block, and said ground connection block are all supported atop said base (20).

13. The lighting fixture of claim 7, wherein said varistors are substantially embedded within said base.