Horticulture lighting controller methods

• US 9,839,182 B2
• Filed: 04/27/2015
• Issued: 12/12/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/11/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: HGCI, Inc. (Scotts Miracle-Gro Company)
• Original Assignee: IP Holdings LLC
• Inventors: Mason, Martin R.
• Primary Examiner(s): TRINH, MINH N
• Application Number:
  US14/696,487
• Publication Number:
  US 20160165809A1
• Time in Patent Office: 960 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 7/045 with electric lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A01G 9/249 Lighting means with special arrangements for promoting growth A01G7/045
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 60/14 Measures for saving energy, e.g. in green houses

Abstract

Methods of installing and using a horticulture lighting controller having a substantially rectangular shaped housing with an in-operation removable front cover panel, the methods preferably comprising mounting the fully assembled lighting controller to a mounting surface without first having to remove any component of the controller, remove a front or outer cover of the controller, perform any wiring connections on a backside or backplane of the controller chassis, or pre-wire any connections whatsoever, and then removing the front cover panel to connect the controller to a power supply circuit.

Claims

1. A method of installing and using a lighting controller 202 comprising steps of:

providing 102 an assembled lighting controller having a chassis enclosure for enclosing one or more power outlets 204 and wiring means for selectably providing electrical power to said one or more power outlets 204, the chassis enclosure and internal components defining a backplane assembly 600, and a removable front cover plate 502;

fully mounting 104 the assembled lighting controller 202 to a vertical mounting surface;

loosening or removing 106 one or more fasteners or latch members retaining the front cover plate of the controller chassis to the assembled lighting controller;

removing 108 the front cover plate from the rest of the assembled lighting controller 202;

connecting 110 wiring to provide electrical power to wiring means of the controller 202;

replacing 118 the front cover plate to the rest of the assembled lighting controller;

activating 126 power to energize the wiring connected to provide power to the controller; and

plugging 134 in at least one ballast 208 or self-ballasted lighting fixture into one of the controller power outlets 204 for energizing a lighting fixture 212 or self-ballasted lighting fixture.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising inserting 138 a timing appliance 226, 224 between a trigger cord 220, 218 and an external power outlet 222, 216 providing power to the trigger cord 220, 218.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein inserting 138 a timing appliance 226, 224 between the trigger cord 220, 218 and the external power outlet 222, 216 allows for setting a schedule for on/off operation of the connected lighting fixture 212.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein inserting 138 a timing appliance comprises inserting 140 a 120 volt timing appliance 226, 224 between a 120 volt external power outlet 222, 216 and a trigger cord 220, 218.

5. The method of claim 1 further comprising steps of testing 128 one or more of the lighting controller power outlets 204 by plugging 130 a trigger cord 220, 218 in to an external power outlet 222, 216 corresponding to the particular controller power outlet 204 to be tested, and

checking 132 the voltage available at the power outlet 204 to be tested.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein mounting 104 the fully assembled lighting controller 202 is:

without having to remove any component of the lighting controller 202;

without having to remove a front cover 502;

without having to perform any wiring connections on a backside of the controller chassis; and

without having to pre-wire any connections associated with operation of said lighting controller 202.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein loosening or removing 106 one or more fasteners or latch members comprises loosening each one of multiple fasteners enough to release front cover 502 from the rest of the assembled lighting controller 202.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein connecting 110 wiring to provide electrical power comprises connecting said wiring means to an 80 amp external circuit to provide power to the controller 202.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein replacing 118 the front cover plate 502 further comprises tightening each one of multiple fasteners previously loosened to remove the front cover 502.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein plugging 134 in at least one ballast 208 for energizing a lighting fixture 212 comprises plugging 136 in the lighting fixture 212 to the ballast 208.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein mounting 104 the fully assembled lighting controller 202 comprises using a first fastener to hang the controller 202 on a vertical mounting surface and a second fastener to further secure the controller 202 to the mounting surface.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the first fastener is used in a key-hole shaped cutout 312 in a top flange 306 of the controller 202, and the second fastener is used in a slot-shaped cutout 410 in a bottom flange 330 of the chassis 202, where both fasteners when fastened secure a backplane 510 of the controller 202 to the mounting surface, allowing for separate and in-operation removal of the front cover plate 502 of the lighting controller controller 202.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein connecting 110 power to the lighting controller 202 comprises pulling 112 wires into an already mounted controller 202, up through an opening 412 in a lower backplane enclosure member 504 and connecting 114 the power wires to a terminal block 604.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein connecting 110 power further comprises tightening 116 lugs on the terminal block 604.

15. The method of claim 1 wherein replacing 118 the front cover plate 502 comprises steps of re-attaching the front panel 502 by setting 120 a cover plate lower edge 336 on a controller backplane assembly lower edge 338, rotating 122 the front cover onto the rest of the backplane assembly 600 so that the lower edge 336 of the front cover 502 rests on the lower edge 338 of the lower backplane enclosure member 504 and the front cover upper edge 334 rests against a corresponding mating upper surface 536 of the backplane assembly 600, and tightening 124 at least one fastener or latch member for retaining the front cover plate 502 to the backplane assembly 600.

16. The method of claim 1 wherein removing 108 the front cover plate 502 of the lighting controller 202 comprises steps of:

rotating 122 the front cover 502 away from the rest of the backplane assembly 600 so that a cover plate lower edge 336 of the front cover 502 rests on a lower edge 338 of the lower backplane enclosure member 504 as the front cover upper edge 334 moves away from a corresponding mating upper surface 536 of the backplane assembly 600; and

detaching the front panel 502 by pulling the cover plate lower edge 336 away from the lower edge 338 of the lower backplane enclosure member 504.