Secure system for energy consuming device

• US 9,220,178 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Issued: 12/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/15/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Molex LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: O'Connor, Kevin, Serwacki, Megan E., Sheldon, Stephen L., Zaderej, Victor V.
• Primary Examiner(s): HINES, ANNE M
• Application Number:
  US13/992,321
• Publication Number:
  US 20130294081A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 362/285, 362/382
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/53 Modular mounting systems, e.g. using tracks, rails or multiple plugs
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/038 intended to be mounted on a light track suspended from a light track F21S8/066; details of supporting elements displaceable along a guiding element F21V21/34
• 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 17/105 using magnets
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0015 Fastening arrangements intended to retain light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/00 Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices F21V17/00, F21V19/00 take precedence; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q, stands for supporting apparatus or articles in general F16M11/00; Hand grips
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/096 Magnetic devices
• 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: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/713 in direct thermal and mechanical contact of each other to form a single system
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/301 for furniture
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6205 Two-part coupling devices held in engagement by a magnet
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/147 Low voltage devices, i.e. safe to touch live conductors
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/12 Resilient or clamping means for holding component to structure
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/2039 : characterised by the heat transfer by conduction from the heat generating element to a dissipating body arrangements for increasing/decreasing heat-transfer, e.g. fins details, F28F13/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 : Light emitting diode

Abstract

A support structure includes a groove and a channel. The grove can be defined by a wall and a lip. An energy consumption device includes a housing that supports a magnet and a first and second terminal and the magnet helps couple the energy consumption device to the support structure. The housing is positioned in the groove and the groove helps retain the housing in the support structure while the channel allows the energy consumption device to be visible. To help secure the energy consuming device, a header can be provided on both ends of the support structure so that the housing can be translated along the groove but cannot be removed from the support structure.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a support structure that includes a base wall, a first wall and a second wall and a groove that opens toward the second wall, the groove defined by the a first wall and a first lip that extends from the first wall, the support structure providing a channel that is in communication with an exterior of the support structure;

a first powered contact and a second powered contact supported by the base wall, the first and second powered contacts electrically separated from the base wall and each other; and

an energy consuming device with a housing positioned in the groove, the energy consuming device including a first terminal and a second terminal and a magnet configured to urge the housing toward the base wall so that first and second terminals are respectively in electrical contact with the first and second powered contacts, the energy consumption device being in communication with an exterior of the support structure via the channel, wherein the housing is configured so as to be non-removable from the support structure while allowing, in operation, the energy consumption device to be translated along the groove, wherein the energy consuming device includes an LED array and a thermal bridge thermally coupled to the LED array, the thermal bridge urged against the base wall via the magnet so that the thermal bridge is pressed against the base wall with a force sufficient to provide at least 3 PSI.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein a thermal resistance between the LED array and the base wall is less than 3°

C./W.

3. The system of claim 1, further comprising a first header and a second header coupled to the support structure, the first and second headers configured to limit translation of the energy consumption device along the groove.

4. A system comprising:

a support structure that includes a base wall, a first wall and a second wall and a groove that opens toward the second wall, the groove defined by the a first wall and a first lip that extends from the first wall, the support structure providing a channel that is in communication with an exterior of the support structure;

a first powered contact and a second powered contact supported by the base wall, the first and second powered contacts electrically separated from the base wall and each other; and

an energy consuming device with a housing positioned in the groove, the energy consuming device including a first terminal and a second terminal and a magnet configured to urge the housing toward the base wall so that first and second terminals are respectively in electrical contact with the first and second powered contact, the energy consumption device being in communication with an exterior of the support structure via the channel, wherein the housing is configured so as to be non-removable from the support structure while allowing, in operation, the energy consumption device to be translated along the groove, wherein the support structure comprises a top support structure and a bottom support structure, the top and bottom support structures secured together.

5. The system of claim 4, further comprising at least one lock to secure the top and bottom structures together.

6. A system comprising:

a support structure that includes a base wall, a first wall and a second wall and a groove that opens toward the second wall, the groove defined by the a first wall and a first lip that extends from the first wall, the support structure providing a channel that is in communication with an exterior of the support structure;

a first powered contact and a second powered contact supported by the base wall, the first and second powered contacts electrically separated from the base wall and each other; and

an energy consuming device with a housing positioned in the groove, the energy consuming device including a first terminal and a second terminal and a magnet configured to urge the housing toward the base wall so that first and second terminals are respectively in electrical contact with the first and second powered contacts, the energy consumption device being in communication with an exterior of the support structure via the channel, wherein the housing is configured so as to be non-removable from the support structure while allowing, in operation, the energy consumption device to be translated along the groove, wherein the groove is a first groove, the support structure further providing a second groove facing the first groove, the second groove defined by the second wall and a second lip extending from the second wall, wherein the base wall, first and second wall and the first and second lip are a unitary structure, the system further comprising a first and second header configured to be mounted to the support structure, wherein the first header includes a lock that releasably couples the first header to the support structure and wherein the energy consuming device includes an LED array and a thermal bridge thermally coupled to the LED array, the thermal bridge urged against the base wall via the magnet so that the thermal bridge is pressed against the base wall with a force sufficient to provide at least 3 PSI.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein a thermal resistance between the LED array and the base wall is less than 3°

C./W.

8. The system of claim 6, wherein a thermal resistance between the LED array and the base wall is less than 2°

C./W.