Abstract:
A lighting system including at least one electrical load, at least one electrical connector, each electrical connector electrically connected to a corresponding electrical load and an electrical splitter electrically connectable to at least one electrical connector. The electrical splitter having a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle configured to receive a corresponding electrical connector and a plurality of visual indicators, each visual indicator uniquely associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of receptacles, each visual indicator indicating a connection of one electrical connector with the corresponding one of the plurality of receptacles.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
       [0001]    This is a non-provisional application based upon U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/368,002, entitled “OVERHEAD LIGHTING CIRCUIT SPLITTER”, filed Mar. 27, 2002. 
     
    
     
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
         [0002]    1. Field of the Invention  
           [0003]    The present invention relates to overhead electrical distribution systems, and, more particularly, to an overhead lighting splitter system.  
           [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art  
           [0005]    Lighting fixtures are often hard-wired by an electrician requiring considerable skill and labor. For example, lighting fixtures for an industrial environment are connected individually to junction boxes and electrically connected to wiring therein. Lighting fixtures that are thus wired may be connected to a particular phase of electricity, which can be determined by removing a portion of a lighting fixture or plate on a junction box to determine which circuit the lighting fixture is wired to.  
           [0006]    Some lighting systems utilize converter adaptors to plug into connectors to thereby switch electrical systems to different phases. These require the use of stacked plug/connectors and in some instances up to five such connectors are utilized. This increases the possibility of poor electrical connections within the stacked connector plug assemblies.  
           [0007]    Other solutions include the use of plugs which will mate only with selected receptacles, thereby preventing incorrect connections. While preventing incorrect connections a substantial number of plugs and receptacles are then required to be held in inventory. Regardless of the electrical solution used, an operator must closely inspect the connection to be able to determine the circuit to which a lamp is attached.  
           [0008]    What is needed in the art is a system for which a branch circuit determination can be made some distance away from the actual connection.  
         SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
         [0009]    The present invention provides an electrical splitter used to split circuits in a overhead lighting system.  
           [0010]    The invention comprises, in one form thereof, a lighting system including at least one electrical load, at least one electrical connector, each electrical connector electrically connected to a corresponding electrical load and an electrical splitter electrically connectable to at least one electrical connector. The electrical splitter having a plurality of receptacles, each receptacle configured to receive a corresponding electrical connector and a plurality of visual indicators, each visual indicator uniquely associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of receptacles, each visual indicator indicating a connection of one electrical connector with the corresponding one of the plurality of receptacles.  
           [0011]    The present invention advantageously allows an electrician or other observer to determine the branch circuit to which a lighting fixture is connected from the floor even in a high ceiling industrial setting.  
           [0012]    Another advantage is that the visual indicator can provide circuit information to an electrician even if no electricity is present in the splitter.  
           [0013]    A further advantage of the present invention is that a individual can change a circuit to which a light fixture is connected without disconnecting power to any circuit.  
           [0014]    A still further advantage of the present invention is that the connectors on the lighting fixtures may be electrically identical with each other. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0015]    The above-mentioned and other features and advantages of this invention, and the manner of attaining them, will become more apparent and the invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of embodiments of the invention taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:  
         [0016]    [0016]FIG. 1 is a perspective of an embodiment of an overhead lighting splitter of the present invention;  
         [0017]    [0017]FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of the electrical splitter of the overhead lighting system of FIG. 1; and  
         [0018]    [0018]FIG. 3 is a schematicized wiring diagram of the electrical splitters of FIGS. 1 and 2. 
     
    
       [0019]    Corresponding reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views. The exemplifications set out herein illustrate one preferred embodiment of the invention, in one form, and such exemplifications are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention in any manner.  
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0020]    Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown a overhead lighting system  10  which generally includes an electrical load  12 , a power transfer assembly  14  and an electrical splitter  16 . Electrical load  12 , which may be a lamp assembly  12  includes lamp fixture  18 , lamp power conductors  20 , lamp assembly connector  22  and light bulb  24 . Lamp fixture  18  is configured to accept light bulb  24  in a replaceable manner. Lamp power conductors  20  provide at least a power and a power return line to lamp fixture  18  from lamp assembly connector  22 .  
         [0021]    Lamp assembly connector  22  electrically interfaces with electrical splitter  16  and includes a visual indicator shield  26 . Visual indicator shield  26  is configured to at least partially obstruct a visual indicator on electrical splitter  16 . Visual indicator shield  26  provides a covering of an otherwise visible indicator to thereby provide information to an observer that a particular circuit is in use. Alternatively, visual indicator shield  26  may be a visual indicator enhancer  26 , which optically enhances an underlying visual indicator.  
         [0022]    Power transfer assembly  14  includes power transfer connector  28  and power transfer conductors  30 . Power transfer assembly  14  has a power transfer connector  28  on each end of power transfer conductors  30  to thereby transfer power from one electrical splitter  16  to another electrical splitter  16 . While power transfer connector  28  is shown interconnecting with an end connector of electrical splitter  16 , power transfer connector  28  can also connect with any connector on electrical splitter  16 . Alternatively, electrical splitter  16  may transfer  3  phases of power to any connector thereon thereby allowing electrical splitter  16  to split power circuits and not just lighting circuits.  
         [0023]    Electrical splitter  16  includes housing  32 , mounting protrusions  34 , power transfer interfaces  36 , first receptacle  38 , second receptacle  40 , third receptacle  42 , first visual indicator  44 , second visual indicator  46 , third visual indicator  48  and housing face  50 . Housing  32  may be of modular construction allowing  32  to be snapped, glued or otherwise assembled together. Alternatively, housing  32  may be injection molded as an integral unit. Mounting protrusions  34  allow electrical splitter  16  to be easily mounted on a surface, generally in a ceiling area. Power transfer interfaces  36  are provided on each end of electrical splitter  16 , thereby allowing electrical power to be transferred through electrical splitter  16  to another electrical splitter  16  by way of power transfer assembly  14 .  
         [0024]    First receptacle  38 , second receptacle  40  and third receptacle  42  are substantially identical as they are arranged along and attached to housing  32 . The positions that are electrically available, known as terminal recesses  52  in receptacles  38 ,  40 , and  42  may be configured to be connected to different phases of electricity that are available in respective locations in each of receptacles  38 ,  40  and  42  thereby allowing lighting circuits to utilize different phases from a single electrical splitter. Additionally, since there are ten terminal recesses  52  in each of receptacles  38 ,  40  and  42 , not only can a selected phase of electricity be available on a respective position of receptacles  38 ,  40  and  42 , a return line and a ground line can be selected. This leaves seven connections available to be wired so that electrical splitter  16  may transfer power or control signals to other splitters. Alternatively, receptacles  38 ,  40  and  42  may be wired only to supply separate phases of electricity and passing unused circuits through electrical splitter  16  from one power transfer interface  36  to the other power transfer interface  36 .  
         [0025]    Along housing face  50  there are situated first visual indicator  44 , second visual indicator  46  and third visual indicator  48 , respectively, along the sides of receptacles  38 ,  40  and  42 . Visual indicators  44 ,  46  and  48  may each be a separate color or identical colors. Visual indicators  44 ,  46  and  48  may include alphanumeric characters. When lamp assembly  12  is electrically connected with electrical splitter  16  by the connecting of lamp assembly connector  22  thereto, as shown in FIG. 1, thereby shielding first visual indicator  44  by the presence of visual indicator shield  26 , thereby at least partially blocking first visual indicator  44 . In a like manner visual indicators  46  and  48  would be obscured upon the use of receptacles  40  and  42  by other lamp assemblies  12 . The information thereby available, to someone standing on the floor of an industrial facility, is to see which circuits are available by way of which visual indicators indicate circuit availability and circuit assignment.  
         [0026]    Now, additionally referring to FIG. 2, there is shown an exploded view of another embodiment of an electrical splitter  116  including insulated conductors  100 , electrical contacts  102  having a crimp portion  104 , housing portion  132 , receptacle housing portion  134 , connectors  136 , a first receptacle  138 , a second receptacle  140 , a third receptacle  132 , a first visual indictor  134 , a second visual indicator  146  and a third visual indicator  148 . Several portions of the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 are similar to the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 and have numbers associated therewith, which have 100 added to those of FIG. 1.  
         [0027]    Insulated conductors  100  transfer power from one connector  136  to another connector  136 . Insulated conductors  100  have their insulation pierced by crimp portions  104  of electrical contact  102 . Electrical contact  102  is inserted into an appropriate terminal recess  152 , in receptacle  136 ,  138  or  142 . Multiple electrical contacts  102  can be crimped by way of crimp portion  104  onto a single insulated conductor  100 , thereby allowing common electrical connections between receptacles  138 ,  140  and  142 . An insulated conductor  100  can simply transfer power from one electrical connector  136  to another electrical connector  136  without having any electrical contact  102  installed thereon. Housing portion  132  connects with receptacle housing portion  134  and also connects connectors  136  to thereby form a single assembly embodied as electrical splitter  116 . Along a side of receptacle housing portion  134 , visual indicators  134 ,  146  and  148  are electrically energized either when a connector is connected or constantly as long as power is connected to electrical splitter  116 .  
         [0028]    Now, additionally referring to FIG. 3, there is shown a schematic view of some of the wiring in electrical splitter  16  or  116 . Although three methods are illustrated in FIG. 3, it is anticipated that only one method will be used in each electrical splitter  16  or  116 . One mode of illuminating visual indicator  148  is shown in schematic form, related to receptacle  142  in FIG. 3. In this example, when connector  122  is connected to receptacle  142  electrical contacts in connector  122  supply power to visual indicator  148  causing lamp  150  to illuminate, thereby giving a visual indication of a connected live circuit. Second receptacle  140  illustrates second visual indicator  146  as not being powered so when lamp assembly connector  22  is connected thereto, visual indicator shield  26  will block the view of second visual indicator  146 . In yet a third mode, first receptacle  138  is shown with visual indicator  144  having a lamp  150 , which is illumined whenever power is applied to electrical splitter  16  or  116 . Illumined visual indicator  144  can simply be used to indicate an availability of a circuit which does not have a visual indicator shield  26  thereover. In the event that a connector, such as connector  122  that does not having a visual indicator shield  26 , is connected to first receptacle  138 , then visual indicator  144  simply indicates that a circuit is powered and the observer then looks for an adjacent connector to see if a lamp assembly  12  is connected thereto. As can also be seen in FIG. 3, electrical contacts  102  may be connected to different conductors  100  in electrical splitter  16  or  116 .  
         [0029]    In using lighting system  10  an installer or maintenance individual places electrical splitters  16  or  116  in positions where lamp assembly  12  are to be wired thereto. Lamp assemblies  12  have sufficiently long power conductors  20  to allow an electrical splitter  116  to be located some distance from the lamp fixture  18 . The electrician/maintenance person then obtains power transfer assemblies  14  to interconnect electrical splitter  16  or  116  thereby providing power to each of splitters  16  or  116 . Lamp assembly connectors  22  or  122  are then plugged into the desired position on electrical splitter  16  or  116 . Once installed, the connection of lamp assembly  12  can be observed from the floor so as to determine which receptacle is being utilized by a particular lamp assembly  12 .  
         [0030]    While this invention has been described as having a preferred design, the present invention can be further modified within the spirit and scope of this disclosure. This application is therefore intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of the invention using its general principles. Further, this application is intended to cover such departures from the present disclosure as come within known or customary practice in the art to which this invention pertains and which fall within the limits of the appended claims.