Universal load control cabinet

• US 9,490,611 B2
• Filed: 04/18/2014
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Westrick, Richard L. Jr., Zulim, Dalibor
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Tung X
• Application Number:
  US14/256,244
• Publication Number:
  US 20140313643A1
• Time in Patent Office: 935 Days
• Field of Search: 315292-295, 315/316, 315/317, 315/324, 361/42, 361/45, 361/49, 361/50
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G09G 3/3406 Control of illumination source illumination devices structurally associated with liquid crystal cells G02F1/1336
• CPC Class Codes: H02B 1/32 Mounting of devices therein
• CPC Class Codes: H02H 3/00 Emergency protective circuit arrangements for automatic disconnection directly responsive to an undesired change from normal electric working condition with or without subsequent reconnection specially adapted for specific types of electric machines or apparatus or for sectionalised protection of cable or line systems H02H7/00; systems for change-over to standby supply H02J9/00 ; integrated protection for motors H02H7/0822
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 1/327 against abnormal temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/156 with automatic control of output voltage or current, e.g. switching regulators
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 3/158 including plural semiconductor devices as final control devices for a single load
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/293 using semiconductor devices only
• CPC Class Codes: H02M 5/2935 using reverse phase control, i.e. turn-on of switches in series with load at zero crossing of input voltage, turn-off before next zero crossing
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 41/2828 using control circuits for the switching elements H05B41/2827 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 315/07 Starting and control circuits for gas discharge lamp using transistors

Abstract

A universal load control module may include a power supply that operates over a wide voltage range, a microcontroller, and one or more functional control blocks. A functional control block may include a dimmer circuit for controlling a lighting load that provides reverse phase cut mode dimming, forward phase cut mode dimming, and hybrid phase cut mode dimming, as well as thermal protection. One or more universal control modules may be housed in a cabinet that include a cabinet control module. The cabinet may include additional thermal protection measures.

Claims

1. A cabinet, comprising:

a main circuit breaker, wherein the main circuit breaker is capable of operating over a wide voltage range;

a plurality of branch circuit breakers, wherein each branch circuit breaker is capable of operating over the wide voltage range and an input of each branch circuit breaker is connected to an output of the main circuit breaker;

a plurality of load control modules, wherein each load control module is connected to an output of at least one of the branch circuit breakers and each load control module includes a power supply capable of operating over the wide voltage range, and wherein each of the load control modules controls at least one lighting load;

a cabinet control module, wherein the cabinet control module configures the load control modules and provides an external communication interface;

a first set of conductors for connecting the load control modules with the outputs of the branch circuit breakers; and

a second set of conductors for connecting the load control modules with the cabinet control module.

2. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the load control modules includes a first functional control block that provides lighting control and a second functional control block that provides a communication or control interface.

3. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein at least one of the load control modules includes a first functional control block that includes a dimmer circuit and a first power supply block that provides isolation between a high voltage and a low voltage, a microcontroller, and a zero cross detection circuit.

4. The cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a control module that provides a control or communication interface, wherein the control module includes a power supply that operates over the wide voltage range by detecting an input voltage and adjusting its operation based on the input voltage to provide at least one output voltage to components of the load control module.

5. The cabinet of claim 1, wherein the cabinet includes an access panel to provide access to the branch circuit breakers and the cabinet control module.

6. The cabinet of claim 1, further comprising a display device, wherein the cabinet control module interfaces with the display device.

7. The cabinet of claim 1, further comprising an input device, wherein the cabinet control module interfaces with the input device.

8. A cabinet, comprising:

a plurality of branch circuit breakers, wherein each branch circuit breaker is capable of operating over a wide voltage range;

a plurality of load control modules, wherein each load control module is connected to an output of at least one of the branch circuit breakers and each load control module includes a power supply capable of operating over the wide voltage range and wherein each of the load control modules controls at least one lighting load;

a cabinet control module, wherein the cabinet control module configures the load control modules and provides an external communication interface;

a first set of conductors for connecting the control modules with the outputs of the branch circuit breakers; and

a second set of conductors for connecting the control modules with the cabinet control module.

9. The cabinet of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of terminal blocks, wherein one of the terminal blocks connects one of the load control modules to one of the conductors of the first set of conductors.

10. The cabinet of claim 8, wherein the cabinet includes an access panel that allows access to the branch circuit breakers and the cabinet control module.

11. The cabinet of claim 8, further comprising a distribution block, wherein the distribution block is connected to a main circuit breaker that is external to the cabinet and to the branch circuit breakers.

12. The cabinet of claim 8, wherein at least one of the load control modules includes a first functional control block that includes a dimmer circuit and a first power supply block that provides isolation between a high voltage and a low voltage, a microcontroller, and a zero cross detection circuit.

13. The cabinet of claim 8, further comprising a display device, wherein the cabinet control module interfaces with the display device.

14. The cabinet of claim 8, further comprising an input device, wherein the cabinet control module interfaces with the input device.

15. A cabinet, comprising:

a plurality of load control modules, wherein each load control module includes a power supply capable of automatically detecting an input voltage and adjusting operations to operate over a wide voltage range and wherein each of the load control modules controls at least one lighting load;

a cabinet control module, wherein the cabinet control module configures the load control modules and provides an external communication interface;

a first set of conductors for providing power to the control modules; and

a second set of conductors for connecting the control modules with the cabinet control module.

16. The cabinet of claim 15, wherein the first set of conductors are connected to a plurality of branch circuit breakers located external to the cabinet.

17. The cabinet of claim 15, further comprising a plurality of branch circuit breakers, wherein each branch circuit breaker is capable of operating over the wide voltage range and each load control module is connected to an output of at least one of the branch circuit breakers.

18. The cabinet of claim 17, wherein an input of each branch circuit breaker is connected to an output of a main circuit breaker, wherein the main circuit breaker is located in the cabinet or external to the cabinet.

19. The cabinet of claim 15, further comprising a display device, wherein the cabinet control module interfaces with the display device.

20. The cabinet of claim 15, further comprising an input device, wherein the cabinet control module interfaces with the input device.