Field replaceable power supply cartridge

• US 9,565,782 B2
• Filed: 02/11/2014
• Issued: 02/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 02/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Korrus Incorporated (MKD Electric, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: EcoSense Lighting Inc.
• Inventors: Alexander, Clayton
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Hoa C
• Application Number:
  US14/178,157
• Publication Number:
  US 20140233193A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,092 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/67 characterised by the arrangement of fans
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 12/7088 Arrangements for power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6271 Latching means integral with the housing H01R13/6276, H01R13/6277, H01R13/6278 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/64 Means for preventing incorrect coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/6675 with built-in power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0026 provided with connectors and printed circuit boards [PCB], e.g. automotive electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0221 Locks; Latches
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 5/0286 Receptacles therefor, e.g. card slots, module sockets, card groundings
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/10 Plug-in assemblages of components , e.g. IC sockets
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 7/1455 Coding for prevention of wrong insertion

Abstract

A field replaceable power supply cartridge is provided for coupling with a socket. The cartridge has a latch mechanism that can be actuated by the user to couple the cartridge to the socket, such that latches of the cartridge releasably engage recessed portions in the socket. The cartridge has a key feature that corresponds to a key feature on the socket, allowing the cartridge to be coupled to the socket in only one orientation, thereby preventing the incorrect electrical connection between the cartridge and the socket. The cartridge can have a multi-pin electrical connector for coupling to a corresponding connector on the socket. The socket can be a relatively short socket, where the electrical wires are bottom fed, or can be a relatively tall socket, where the electrical wires are side fed via one or more openings in the body of the socket.

Claims

1. A field replaceable LED driver system, comprising:

an LED driver cartridge body, the cartridge body having a key feature defined on a bottom side of the cartridge body;

one or more gripping members spring loaded relative to a portion of the cartridge body, the one or more ripping members configured to actuate one or more latches and configured to be pushed by a user to move the one or more latches inward relative to the cartridge body;

an electrical connector on the bottom side of the cartridge body;

a socket having a socket body coupleable to an electrical box and configured to releasably couple to the cartridge body, the socket body comprising one or more recess portions configured to releasably engage the one or more latches, the socket body having a key portion defined on a top side thereof, the key portion having a shape corresponding to a shape of the key feature such that the LED driver cartridge body couples to the socket in a single predetermined orientation,

wherein the key feature of the cartridge body and the key portion of the socket facilitate coupling of the LED driver cartridge body to the socket body in the single predetermined orientation.

2. The system of claim 1, further comprising a printed circuit board coupled to the cartridge body, the printed circuit board connected to the electrical connector.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the key feature comprises a protruding portion that protrudes from a bottom surface of the cartridge body and the key portion comprises a recessed portion on the top side of the socket body.

4. The system of claim 3, wherein the protruding portion defines a socket opening into which the electrical connector at least partially extends.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein the electrical connector comprises a multi-pin electrical connector.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein the socket comprises another electrical connector on said top side of the socket body, the another electrical connector configured to connect to the electrical connector of the cartridge body when the LED driver cartridge body is coupled to the socket body.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the socket comprises an opening on a side surface of the socket body configured to receive one or more electrical wires therethrough into an inner space of the socket body, said one or more electrical wires connectable to said another electrical connector of the socket.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein a surface of the LED driver cartridge body is configured to contact a surface of the socket body when the cartridge body is coupled to the socket body to thereby transfer heat from the LED driver cartridge to the socket.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the key feature comprises a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface opposite the third side surface, wherein the first and second side surfaces have the same length and the third and fourth side surfaces have different lengths.

10. The system of claim 1, wherein the key portion is defined by a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall opposite the third side wall, wherein the first and second side walls have the same length and the third and fourth side walls have different lengths.

11. A field replaceable LED driver system, comprising:

an LED driver cartridge body, the cartridge body having a key feature defined on a bottom side of the cartridge body;

one or more gripping members being flexible relative to a portion of the cartridge body, the one or more gripping members configured to actuate one or more latches and configured to be pushed by a user to move the one or more latches inward relative to the cartridge body;

an electrical connector on the bottom side of the cartridge body;

a socket having a socket body coupleable to electrical wires and configured to releasably couple to the cartridge body, the socket body comprising one or more recess portions configured to releasably engage the one or more latches, the socket body having a key portion defined on a top side thereof, the key portion having a shape corresponding to a shape of the key feature such that the LED driver cartridge body couples to the socket in a single predetermined orientation,

wherein the key feature of the cartridge body and the key portion of the socket facilitate coupling of the LED driver cartridge body to the socket body in the single predetermined orientation.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein the one or more gripping members are spring loaded relative to the portion of the cartridge body.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein the socket body is coupleable to an electrical box, and wherein the electrical wires are bottom fed into the socket.

14. The system of claim 11, further comprising a printed circuit board coupled to the cartridge body, the printed circuit board connected to the electrical connector.

15. The system of claim 11, wherein the key feature comprises a protruding portion that protrudes from a bottom surface of the cartridge body and the key portion comprises a recessed portion on the top side of the socket body.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein the protruding portion defines a socket opening into which the electrical connector at least partially extends.

17. The system of claim 11, wherein the socket comprises another electrical connector on said top side of the socket body, the another electrical connector configured to connect to the electrical connector of the cartridge body when the LED driver cartridge body is coupled to the socket body.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein the socket comprises an opening on a side surface of the socket body configured to receive one or more electrical wires therethrough into an inner space of the socket body, said one or more electrical wires connectable to said another electrical connector of the socket.

19. The system of claim 11, wherein a surface of the LED driver cartridge body is configured to contact a surface of the socket body when the cartridge body is coupled to the socket body to thereby transfer heat from the LED driver cartridge to the socket.

20. The system of claim 11, wherein the key feature comprises a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface opposite the third side surface, wherein the first and second side surfaces have the same length and the third and fourth side surfaces have different lengths.

21. The system of claim 11, wherein the key portion is defined by a first side wall, a second side wall opposite the first side wall, a third side wall and a fourth side wall opposite the third side wall, wherein the first and second side walls have the same length and the third and fourth side walls have different lengths.

22. A field replaceable LED driver system, comprising:

an LED driver cartridge body including a bottom side having an electrical connector, the cartridge body also including one or more gripping members being flexible relative to a portion of the cartridge body, the cartridge body further including one or more latches;

a key feature being defined on the bottom side of the cartridge body, the key feature having a shape being in correspondence with another shape of a key portion defined on a top side of a socket body being coupleable to electrical wires, the correspondence of the shape and the another shape facilitating releasable coupling of the cartridge body to such a socket body in a single predetermined orientation;

the one or more gripping members of the cartridge body being configured to be pushed by a user to actuate the one or more latches by moving the latches inward relative to the cartridge body, the one or more latches being configured to releasably engage one or more recess portions of such a socket body.

23. The system of claim 22, wherein the key feature includes a protruding portion that protrudes from a bottom surface of the cartridge body.

24. The system of claim 23, wherein the protruding portion is in correspondence with a recessed portion of the key portion of such a socket body.

25. The system of claim 23, wherein the protruding portion defines a socket opening into which the electrical connector at least partially extends.

26. The system of claim 25, wherein the key feature includes a first side surface, a second side surface opposite the first side surface, a third side surface and a fourth side surface opposite the third side surface, wherein the first and second side surfaces have the same length and the third and fourth side surfaces have different lengths.

27. The system of claim 26, wherein the one or more gripping members are spring loaded relative to the portion of the cartridge body.