Patent Publication Number: US-6337792-B1

Title: Outdoor luminaire and method replacing electrical components thereof

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is directed to an improved housing unit and electrical component subassembly configuration to facilitate replacement thereof in an outdoor luminaire and to the method of such replacement. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     In an outdoor environment, access to the electrical components for lighting is limited and, often, replacement of electrical components is difficult due to weather conditions. Further, electrical components for outdoor lighting may experience problems due to the outdoor environment and require immediate correction. 
     Luminaire assembly designs in the prior art include a housing for enclosing and protecting electrical components required for operation of the luminaire and an optical assembly. The optical assembly is generally comprised of a lighting unit and a refractor for producing and directing light of various intensities. These prior art designs often utilize electrical assemblies that are wired directly to the lighting unit through the use of a plurality of wires, splicing means, and/or permanent connecting means. 
     Direct wired electrical assemblies of the type referenced above have heretofore been used to ensure proper electrical contact between system components. Those skilled in the art will recognize, however, that such prior art designs have resulted in increased installation and maintenance time and cost because the minimal flexibility afforded by the mechanical design. These maintenance procedures often include the disassembly of sometimes heavy and awkward parts as well as the removal, splicing and reconnection of electrical wires. Because of the direct wired design of the prior art systems, these maintenance proedures must also be performed on-site or, in the alternative, the luminaire must be temporarily disabled while the particular component is repaired in the laboratory or factory. These time consuming and labor intensive maintenance procedures must be performed on-site and on a regular basis. 
     It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that the maintenance procedures referenced above are, of course, further hindered during adverse weather conditions, including heavy winds, rain and snow as well as extreme temperature gradients. The maintenance complications inherent in the prior art luminaire assembly designs have resulted in increased labor and maintenance costs which, in turn have caused purchasers and luminaire designers to turn their attention toward viable design alternatives. 
     Recent inventions have attempted to address the need to provide for quick and easy installation of electrical components. For example, instead of individually mounting small components such as starters, ballasts and capacitors to a lighting unit, it may be possible to instead attach them to a base or platform. This platform would then comprise a subassembly which is then mounted to the lighting unit. Modified or new electrical components may then be incorporated into the platform. The platform can be modified to accept new components inexpensively and quickly without affecting any other part of the luminaire. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 4,791,539 issued to Ewing on Dec. 13, 1998 discloses prior art luminaire designs of the type referenced above. The Ewing patent discloses a mounting arrangement for electrical components in a luminaire where the electrical components are mounted on an electric plate which is detachably secured to a support plate with quick disconnect means being provided for detaching said electrical plate from said support plate. Similarly, Canadian Patent No. 984,359 issued to Wese on Feb. 24, 1976 discloses tracks disposed in the housing of an outdoor luminaire where the tracks permit the ballast to be properly seated within the housing. Although the maintenance and time for replacing electrical components is reduced with the inventions disclosed in the &#39;539 and &#39;359 patents, these inventions require a user to have tools to affix the electrical component subassembly to the fixture and/or to open and close the housing unit. Particularly with pole top lighting fixtures, it is difficult for a user to access electrical components while also handling other tools. Consequently, a need exists to quickly and easily access and replace electrical components without the use of tools. 
     DISCLOSURE OF INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide improved installation of luminaire components. 
     It is also an object and advantage of this invention to provide improved access to the components inside the housing. 
     It is an object and advantage of this invention to provide for improved time efficient replacement of internal components. 
     It is yet another object of the invention to provide an improved method for quickly and easily removing and replacing the unitized electrical subassembly without having to disassemble the entire luminaire. 
     A more specific object of this invention is to provide an outdoor luminaire which includes a base or housing having a hollow interior, a cover and an electrical component subassembly. The hollow interior of the base or housing is integrally configured to define an access opening, a seat, a fastener keeper and a cover retainer. The cover interfits with the housing&#39;s cover retainer to close the access opening. The cover is releaseable from the interfit to open the access opening. The electrical component subassembly includes electrical components such as a ballast, capacitor, photo control, and photo control receptacle in addition to a mounting plate and a quarter-turn fastener. The mounting plate of the electrical component subassembly unitizes the electrical components and the quarter turn fastener. The mounting plate of the electrical component subassembly cooperates with the seat of the housing to tiltably position the electrical component subassembly in the hollow interior of the base/housing so that the quarter turn fastener aligns with the fastener keeper. 
     The housing unit of the present invention provides a design for quick and easy installation of the electrical components of a luminaire without the use of tools. The design also provides for efficient access to electrical components inside the housing. Accordingly, replacement of internal components is quick and easy. This design allows a user to change wattage or voltage without replacing entire luminaire or substantial disassembly and without using tools. This is accomplished by providing an entry to housing which consists of single die cast access cover fitting onto housing and by using a unitized electrical component subassembly. The electrical components are affixed to a mounting plate which in turn is secured to the housing via a quarter turn fastener. The single die cast access cover does not use fasteners. Cover is removed by merely prying the cover open at the prypoint and the cover is locked into place by merely inserting cover onto housing. 
     The housing unit of the present invention consists of a die cast base. The interior of the housing includes a seat area on top of pole fitter hub for securing electrical subassembly. At the underside of the socket casting is located quarter turn stud receptacle or a fastener keeper that accepts quarter turn stud which is mounted on unitized electrical component subassembly. Seat area and quarter turn stud affix unitized electrical component subassembly to housing. Ignitor sits in recess in front of unitized electrical subassembly and is connected to the unitized electrical component subassembly by harness. Harness supplies line voltage and lamp voltage. Harness is connected to terminal block and engages connector on electrical subassembly by supplying power to various components and returning excitation power to luminaire. 
     With respect to unitized electrical subassembly, subassembly may be pivoted out for removal. Removal is accomplished by unplugging harness and then unlocking quarter turn fastener on unitized electrical component subassembly. By tilting the top out, subassembly can be completely removed. Installation of unitized electrical component subassembly may be performed by inserting the bottom end of the subassembly into base/housing having the top end tilted out. The bottom of the subassembly is then slid along rails that slope down to seat area. Right and left side rails are formed into housing in which the sides of the subassembly are positioned within. Upon contacting backstop, subassembly is pivoted up and quarter turn fastener is turned to secure the subassembly within the housing. Harness is then reconnected to connector on subassembly. The housing is then enclosed by merely snapping the cover into place. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention are readily apparent from the following detailed descriptions of the best modes for carrying out the invention when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of an ornamental street/walkway luminaire in accordance with this invention shown with a die cast access cover removed revealing the electrical component subassembly; 
     FIG. 2 is an elevational view of the ornamental street/walkway luminaire shown with the die cast access cover removed revealing the electrical component subassembly tilted out for removal; 
     FIG. 3 is an isometric view of the housing with the unitized electrical component subassembly removed to show the area where the component subassembly rests on the housing; 
     FIG. 4 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the ornamental street/walkway luminaire with the die cast access cover and unitized electrical component subassembly removed showing the terminal block, harness and the fastener keeper; 
     FIG. 5 is an isometric view of the housing showing the placement of the die cast access cover gasket; 
     FIG. 6 is an isometric view showing how the die cast access cover engages the housing; 
     FIG. 7 is a front elevational view of the ornamental street/walkway luminaire shown with the die cast access cover in place. This access cover shows an optional photocontrol window; 
     FIG. 8 is a front view of the unitized electrical component subassembly; 
     FIG. 9 is a side view of the unitized electrical component subassembly. 
    
    
     BEST MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION 
     With reference to the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the invention will be described. FIG. 1 shows a luminaire  46  with die cast access cover  16  (not shown) removed. The components comprising the invention consist a housing  10  having a hollow interior, a cover  16  and an electrical component subassembly  22 . 
     FIG. 2 shows a view of luminaire  46  with die cast access cover  16  removed. Also shown is unitized electrical component subassembly  22  pivoted out for removal. Removal is accomplished by unplugging harness  32  and then unlocking quarter turn fastener  26  on unitized electrical component subassembly  22 . By tilting the top out, subassembly  22  can be completely removed. In order to install subassembly  22 , the user is merely required to insert the lower end of unitized electrical component subassembly  22  into housing  10  having the top end tilted out. Once the lower end of subassembly  22  is seated into housing  10 , the upper portion may be locked into housing  10 . Harness  32  is then reconnected to connector  36  on subassembly  22 . 
     FIG. 3 illustrates a view of housing  10  looking into seat area  18 , right/left rails  40 ,  42 , seat area  18 , back stop  44  and pole fitter hub  20 . The right rail  40  and the left rail  42  guide the unitized electrical component subassembly to the backstop  44 . This drawing also illustrates safety cable boss  48  and two inclined surfaces  50 . The hollow interior of the housing  10  is also integrally configured to define a cover retainer. The cover (not shown) interfits with the housing&#39;s cover retainer to close the access opening  23 . The cover is releaseable from the interfit to open the access opening  23 . 
     FIG. 4 shows a frontal view of the luminaire  46  with die cast access cover  16  and unitized electrical component subassembly  22  removed. Also illustrated is terminal block  34 , harness  32 , and quarter turn stud receptacle  24 . 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a view of housing  10  that affords the visibility of gasket  52  mounted to socket casting  54 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a view of die cast access cover  16  fitting into housing  10 . Retaining clip  56  is mounted on die cast access cover  16  and engages with clip receptacle  59  to lock die cast access cover  16  in its closed position. 
     FIG. 7 illustrates luminaire  46  with die cast access cover  16  in place on die cast housing  10 . Access cover  16  has an optional photocontrol  60  window included. No fasteners need be removed or replaced to open or close this cover  16 . Access cover  16  is held in place under rim  58  of socket casting  54  and retaining clip  56  which engages clip receptacle  59  of housing. 
     With reference to FIG. 8, a frontal view of the subassembly is illustrated. Capacitor  62  is mounted near the bottom of mounting plate  64  using single mounting strap  66  and anti-rotation insulator  68 . Twist lock photocontrol receptacle  70  is affixed above capacitor  62 . Twist lock style photocontrol  72  is attached to photocontrol receptacle  70 . If the photocontrol option is not required, twist lock photocontrol receptacle  70  and twist lock photocontrol  72  are omitted from unitized electrical component subassembly  22 . With respect to mounting plate  64 , quarter turn stud  26  is located at the middle/top of mounting plate  64 . In the upper left corner of mounting plate  64 , electrical disconnect  74  is located. Electrical disconnect  74  receives line voltage and returns excitation voltage. The wiring necessary to operate the required components is self-contained on the subassembly  22 . An interconnect harness  32 , for ignitor (not shown) if required, originates from wiring on the subassembly  22 . 
     With reference to FIG. 9, the electrical component subassembly includes electrical components such as a ballast  80 , ballast strap  82 , and capacitor  62 , in addition to a mounting plate  64  and a quarter-turn fastener  26 . The mounting plate  64  of the electrical component subassembly  22  unitizes the electrical components and the quarter turn fastener  26 . The mounting plate  64  of the electrical component subassembly cooperates with the seat of the housing to tiltably position the electrical component subassembly  22  in the hollow interior of the base or housing  10  so that the quarter turn fastener  26  aligns with the fastener keeper  24 . 
     While embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it is not intended that these embodiments illustrate and describe all possible forms of the invention. Rather, the words used in the specification are words of description rather than limitation, and it is understood that various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.