IMPROVED PENDANT OR CEILING MOUNTED LUMINAIRE WITH QUICK DISCONNECT FEATURES

Abstract: The luminaire (10) is capable of being ceiling mounted and has a through-way electrical connection formed in a fixed housing (12) which is mounted on the ceiling or suspended from the ceiling by an attached pipe (34). The top fixed housing (12) contains a finger-safe female terminal block and a through-way means allowing building wire to be pulled straight through the housing. A pivotable housing (14) is pivotably connected to the fixed housing (12) and contains a mating male terminal block (42) which is positioned within the housing. The fixed housing and the pivotable housing may be locked together by means of a locking latch (44) so that upon release of the latch, the intermediate pivotable housing is capable of pivoting away from the fixed housing to electrically disconnect the fixture from the electrical circuit. The new and novel luminaire may be fused as desired adjacent to one or two of the male terminal connections.

Description: IMPROVED PENDANT OR CEILING MOUNTED LϋMINAIIΪE ' WITH ODICK DISCONECT FEATURES Background of the Invention This invention relates to pendant and ceiling mounte luminaires in general and in particular, to an improved pendant o ceiling mounted luminaire having new and novel quick disconnec features as herei.πafter described. It is known to provide pendant and ceiling mounted lurr naire having various configurations designed to provide accessibility to th interior of the luminaire containing the electrical wiring, variou types of luminaires have been devised also having fused element contained in the electrical connections of the luminaire. Luminaire have also been provided having housing sections for containing th ballasts utilized in the luminaire. Despite these features, prior ar luminaires do not provide adequate safety features necessary to protec the electrician that ma have to maintain the device. Suπmary of the Invention In order to overcome the aforementioned problems and to pro vide a new and improved luminaire having improved safety installatio and maintenance characteristics, there is provided by the subjec invention an improved luminaire which comprises a top pendant o ce.il.ing mounted fixed housing, and an intermediate .pivotable housin adapted to hang from the fixed housing. The fixed housing can be use for pendant mounting with an electrical supply entering via a concui or cable through the top of the housing. In addition, the fixe housing can be used in a generally horizontal plane with the condui thus allowing building wire to be pulled straight through the sides o the housing. The fixed housing can be installed, wired and left t receive the rest of the luminaire at any stage and thus serve as power hanger for the rest of the luminaire. In one -siibodimait of the invention the pivotable housing contains a- mating male terminal block positioned within the housing designed to mate with a female terminal block positioned in the fixed housing whenever the two housings are couρled together. Latching means is provided- for locking the tw housings together and. to electrically connect the male and femal terminals. The male terminal connection in the pivotable housing ma be fused with one or two fuse elements. Accordingly, it is an object and advantage of the inventio to provide an jjπproved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire havin improved safety characteristics which allow the luminaire to be quickl disconnected by swinging a pivotable housing downwardly to expose safety protected electrically hot female terminal block. Another object and advantage of the invention is to provide new and improved luminaire which may be ceiling mounted and which lia through-way capabilities permitting building electrical wiring to b run straight through the top castings of the luminaire and othe luminaires which . are installed at the same time as the electrica conduit and permanent building electrical boxes. Yet another object and advantage of the invention is t provide a new and novel pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire which ha internal fusing capabilities contained within a male terminal bloc which is disconnected from the power source for servicing when th pivotable housing is swung downward. Ωiese -and other objects and advantages of the invention wil become apparent from a review of the drawings and from a study of th preferred embodiment which is given by way of illustration only. Brief Description of the Drawings PIG. 1 is a side view of Applicant's new and improved pendan or ceiling mounted luminaire; PIG.2 is an end view, taken along line 2-2 of PIG. 1; FIG. 2A is a sice view of the fixed housing of Applicant' invention; FIG.2B is a partial perspective view of the fixed housing o Applicant's invention illustrating the outside casing of the fixe housing adapted to receive a pivotable housing to mount a luminaire; PIG. 3 is a partial perspective view of the fixed housin with its cover removed illustrating the swinging down of the pivotabl housing disconnecting a female ta__mir_al block and a male termina block; OMPI FIG. 4 is a view, looking along line 4-4 of PIG. 3 sho the female terminal block position in the top fixed housing but shewing the housing proper for purposes of clarity; FIG, 5 is a sectional view, taken along line 5-5 of FIG showing internal electrical terminal connections and showing the fi safe safety feature positioned over the electrical connections; FIG. 6 is a side view, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4 she in further detail the female terminal block positioned in " the top f housing of the Applicant's invention; PIG. 7 is a plan view, taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3 look into the intermediate pivotable housing portion of the Applican improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire and showing internally positioned male terminal block of the Applicant's inventi and; FIG. 8 is a sectional view, taken along line 8-8 of FIG showing the male electrical connections of the terminal block and a showing the fuse connections positioned on each side of the m connections. Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is show side view of the Applicant's improved pendant or ceiling moun luminaire, generally indicated by the reference numeral 10. luminaire 10 includes a fixed housing 12, a pivotable housing 14, an ballast housing 16. The ballast housing 16 contains a ballast for appropriate lamp and also serves as a heat sink for the ballast. ballast housing 16 E__y be formed in the configuration shown in FIG. or may be formed in other configurations known in the art. The ballast housing 16 of FIG. 1 also contains a socket for receiving the lamp of the luminaire, the lamp not being shown the drawing. Attached to the bottcm of the ballast housing is a w yoke assembly 60 supporting a reflector 20 which surrounds the lamp the luminaire and reflects the light downwardly to the user of luminaire. - The reflector 20 is attached by suitable means to a y assembly 60, The fixed housing 12 has formed thεrecn a through-way mea hereinbefore described which ccmpri≤es a pair of drilled and tap holes 22 and 24 which are formed in ouoosite sice walls 26 and 28 the top fixed housing in 12. The drilled and tapped holes 22 and allow a plurality of electrical conduits 30 and 32 to be positio thereiji permitting electrical connection of similarily positio luminaires. The luminaire 10 may be ceiling mounted by mounting the fixed housing 12 directly to a ceiling or as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. may be mounted on a pipe 34 in order to be positioned closer ' to t floor of the area to be lighted. H e pipe 34 may be screwed into t top wall of the top fixed housing 12 in a drilled and tapped h formed in the top wall but not shewn in the drawings. Alternately hook, loop or other flexible hanging method may be screwed into the wall of this top fixed housing 12. Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B of the drawings, the fix housing can be installed, wired and left to receive the rest of t luminaire and thus serve as a power hanger for the rest of t luminaire. A solid hinge 38 formed on and extending outwardly frαα t fixed housing 12 is provided with a plurality of rib strengtheners and is adapted to receive an easily removable hinge bar 36. The hin bar 36 is fastened to the pivotable housing 12 by a pair of screws 3 A latch engaging surface 46 on the fixed housing 12 is adapted cooperate with a pivotable latch 44 {shown in PIG.3} . In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in PIG. 3 t cov-er for the electrical elements contained therein has been remov for purposes of clarity. The pivotable housing 14 is pivotab downwardly from the top fixed housing 12 by means of the hinge bar and the solid hinge 38. When pivoted downwardly about the hinge b 36, the pivotable housing 14 disconnects a female terminal block 40 the top fixed housing 12. A male terminal block 42 is positioned the pivotable housing 14. The female terminal block 40 is electrical hot being connected to electrical connections entering through eith the mounting pipe 34 or the holes 22 and 24 as hereinbefore describe In order to disconnect the male terminal block 42 from the feπa terminal block 40, the pivotable latch 44 is disengaged from the lat engaging surface 46 formed on the fixed housing. ' The pivotable lat 44 is contained by a pin 48 mounted between two upstanding pin holde 50 and 52. The pivotable latch 44 contains on the end thereof a wash 54 and a wing nut 56 which is threaded on the threaded outer end of t latch. It can be seen in PIG. 3 then how the washer 54 is utilized engage the latch engaging surface 46 to lock the top fixed housing and the pivotable hous.ing 14 together. The ballast housing 16 may be positioned immediately benea the pivotable 14 and is fixedly attached thereto by means of plurality of bolts or other devices -as is known in the art. It can seen then by referring to PIGS. 1 and 2 of the drawings, that electrically disconnecting the terminal blocks 40 and 42 of t Applicant's invention, the pivotable housing 14 and the attach ballast housing 16 would be swung downwardly in the direction shown the arrcw 58 to pivot about the horizontally positioned hinge bar shown in FIG. 3. The lamp socket 18 along with the reflector 20 wou also pivot accordingly since they are attached to the ballast housi 16. FIG. 3 would then represent the manner in which the pivotab housing 14 would be pivoted downwardly upon the opening of t Applicant's improved luminaire. Referring new to FIG. 4 of the drawings, there is shown detail the fenale terminal block 40 positioned in the fixed housi 12. The female terminal block 40 contains a plurality of wings 62 a 64 having formed therein a plurality of holes 66 and 68 to which may b positioned a plurality of screws 70 and 72, shown in FIG. 3 of th drawing. The screws 70 and 72 are screwed into a drilled and tappe boss formed on the internal surface of the fixed housing 12 and ar used to secure the female terminal block 40 tightly within the fixe housing 12. The drilled and tapped bosses are not shewn in the drawin for purposes of clarity. The female terminal block 40 contains plurality of fenale clips 74, 76, and 78 which are positioned withi the terminal block 40 in the manner shewn. Each female clip i electrically connected internally in the fen-ale block as will b described more fully hereinafter and to a plurality of terminal screw 80, 82 and 84 respectively. The electrical parts of the femal terminal, block, being electrically hot, are enclosed by an underwriter Laboratory, Inc. finger-safe plastic, cover 86 so as to be electricall safe in accordance with the underwriters Laboratory Standard 1572 dated March 26, 1980 herein incorporated by reference. Referring now to FIG. 5 of the drawings, there is a sectiona view, taken along 5-5 of FIG. 4, shewing the female clips 74, 76 and 7 OMPI VrTPO positioned within the female terminal block 40 and further shewing .t plurality of screws 80, 82 and 84. It can be seen that the screws ■are electrically connected to the fenale clips by means of t electrical connection 88. Referring now to PIG. 6 of the drawings, there is shown side view, taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 4, illustrating in great detail the plurality of screws 80, 82 and 84 and hew they a electrically connected to the various electrical wires utilized wi the luminaire. As has been previously mentioned, an electric connector 88 connects the female clip 78 with its electrical scr attachment 84. In a similar manner, an electrical connection electrically connects the fenale clip 76 with its electrical screw 8 T e electrical connection 92 electrically connects the f male clip with its screw 80. In this manner, the electrical wires 94, 96 and 9 may be connected to the various female block terminals to electrical hot wire the terminal for use in the luminaire. Referring now to FIG. 7 .and FIG. 8 of the drawings, there shown in greater detail the internal portions of the pivotable hcus.i 14 showing the mating male terminal block 42 of Applicant's inventio The mating terminal male terminal block 42 is positioned in t pivotable housing 14 and comprises an elongated rectangular shap terminal block having formed in the central portion thereof a plurali of electrical male terminal elements 100, 102 and 104. The ma terminal block 42 is fixedly attached to the pivotable housing 14 means of a plurality of screws 106 and 108 positioned in a drilled a tajced set of holes formed in the casting for the housing 14. Sie ma terminal block 42 also contains at least two fused receptacles 110 a 112 which are positioned on opposite sides of the male electric terminal eleaents 100, 102 and 104 and are designed for receipt of fuse where desired by the user of the luminaire. The fuse receptac 110 is adapted to electrically connected to the male terminal eleme 100 and the fuse receptacle 112 is adapted to electrically connected the male terminal element 104 internally or by means of external jump leads in the male terminal block 42 with fuses being positioned in t _ fuse receptacles 110 and 112 as desired. The central male termin element 102 may be utilized to ground the intermediate pivotab housing casing 14 by means of a wire 114 fixedly attached to t OMPI housing by means of a screw 116 fixed in a drilled and tapped h formed in the housing. Referr-ing now to FIG. 8 of the drawings, there is shown greater detail, a cross sectional view, taken along line 8-8 of FIG shewing the three male terminal elements 100, 102 and 104 positio within a plurality of recesses 118, 120 and 124 formed in the plas male terminal block 42. The three male terminal elements 100, 102 104 are fixedly attached to the male terminal block 42 by means of rivets 124, 126 and 128. It can also be seen in FIG. 8 hew the f receptacles 110 and 112 are fixedly attached to the male te.rmi.nai bl 42 by means of the rivets 130 and 132. From the foregoing it can be seen that there has b provided by the subject invention, a new and improved pendant ceil.ing mounted luminaire having improved quick disconnect features the type hereinbefore described. It should also become apparent th many changes may be made in the arrangement of parts and in t positioning of the various structural f-eaturεs in the various housin without departing frαn the spirit and scope of the invention. T preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown by way illustration only. Having described ny invention, I claim: OMPI

Claims: 1. An improved power hanger for hanging an easily removabl pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire comprising: a fixεd housing having formed thereon means for mountin said fixed housing to the ceiling, means in said fixed housing fo receiving electrical conduits, and hinge means formed on said fixe housing for receiving and pivotably mounting said luminaire. 2. An improved power hanger as defined in Claim 1 wherei said fixed housing has formed thereon through-way means allowin building electrical conduits to be pulled straight through th housing. 3. An improved power hanger as defined in Claim 2 wherei said fixed housing contains a female terminal block having a pluralit of electrical terminals positioned therein. 4. An improved power hanger as defined in Claim 3 wherei the female terminal block positioned in the fixed housing has forme thereon a finger-safe plastic cover over at least the top portion o the terminal block. 5. In a pendent or ceiling mounted luminaire, th improvement comprising: (a) a fixed housing having formed thereon means fo mounting said fixed hous-Lng to the ceil-Lng, means in said fixed housin for receiving electrical conduits and hinge means for receiving pivotable housing; (b) an easily ranovable pivotable housing pivotably hun on said hinge means of said housing and; (c) latching means associated with the fi.xεd housing an the pivotable housing for locking the housings together. 6. In a pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire, imprσ/ed quic disconnect features, comprising: (a) a fixed housing having formed thereon means fo mounting the housing to the ceiling, the top fixed housing containing female teimiinal block having a plurality of electrical terminal positioned therein; the top housing further having formed thereo through-way means allowing building electrical wire to be pulle straight through the housing; (b) a pivotable housing pivotably connected to the fi housing and containing a mating male terminal, block positioned wit the pivotable housing, the mating male terminal block being designed connect with the fenale terminal block positioned in the top fi housing whenever the pivotable housing is pivoted upward and the ma and female terminal blocks engage, the male terminal block furth being designed to disconnect from the female terminal block whenev the intermediate pivotable housing is pivoted downwardly and; (c) means, associated with the fixed housing and t intermediate pivotable housing for locking the housings together. 7. An improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire defined in Qaim 6 wherein the means for mounting the fixed housing the ceiling comprises in part a drilled and tapped hole formed in t top wall of the top fixed housing. 8. An improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire defined in Claim 7 wherein the female terminal block positioned in t fixed housing has formed thereon a finger-safe plastic cover over least the top portion of the terminal block. 9. An improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire defined in Claim 6 wherein the through-way means formed on the t housing comprises a pair of drilled and tapped holes formed in opposi side walls of the top fixed housing. 10. An improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire defined in Claim 6 wherein the male terminal block positioned in t pivotable housing comprises an elongated, rectangular shaped termin block having formed thereon at least three electrical male termin elements in the central portion thereof and further comprises at lea two fuse receptacles positioned on opposite sides of the mal electrical elements for receipt of a fuse, the fuse receptacle element being electrically connected to at least two of the male termina elements so that the male terminal block may be used without a fuse with one fuse or with two fuses as desired. 11. The improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire a defined in Claim 10 wherein the male terminal block contains at leas one fuse positioned in the fuse element for fusing at least one of th three electrical terminal elenents in the terminal block. 12. An improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire defined in Claim 10 wherein the male terminal block contains at lea two fuse elements for connecting at least two of the three electric terminal elements of the terminal block. 13. An improved pendant or ceiling mounted luminaire defined in Claim 6 wherein the means for locking the fixed housing a the pivotable housing together comprises a pivotable latch po-sition on one of the housings and a latch engaging surface formed on the oth housing. 14. An improved pendant or ce.il.ing mounted luminaire defined in Claim 13 wherein the pivotable latch is positioned on t pivotable housing and the locking surf ce is positioned on the f.ix housing. 15. An improved quick disconnect feature for a pendant ceiling mounted luminaire, comprising; (a) a fixed housing having formed thereon means f mounting the housing to the ceiling, the top fixed housing containing enale terminal block having a plurality of f nale electrical termina positiαied therein; (b) a pivotable hous.ing pivotably connected to the fix housing and containing a mating male terminal block having a plurali of male electrical terminals positioned within the pivotable housin the mating male terminal block being designed to connect with t fenale terminal block positioned in the top fixed housing whenever t pivotable housing is pivoted upward and the male and female termin blocks engage; and (c) the fenale and male electrical terminals being least three in number and further at least one of the male electric terminals is a ground connection and is positioned higher than t other male terminals so that upon connection with the female termina it connects first and upon disconnection with the female terminals disconnects last thereby providing a safety improvenent in t luminaire which prevents shforts from coming in contact with the pers activating the disconnect feature. O PI 16. Ihe improvenent as defined in- Claim 15 wherein female and male electrical terminals are three in number and the cen male electrical terminal is positioned higher than the other two m electrical terminals. OMPI

Inventors: HOKE MERLE CRIST, HOKE, MERLE, CRIST
Applicants: MANVILLE SERVICE CORP, MANVILLE SERVICE CORPORATION
Application year: 1983
Main classification: F21V23
IPC codes: F21V21, F21V23