Patent Document

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Luminaires intended to be hung from a ceiling have a cord for connection to an electric power line as part of the complete assembly, and having such an attached cord presents a problem of handling while hanging the luminaire assembly, and to obviate such a problem this present invention eliminates the attached connector cord, and instead there is mounted on the spine of the luminaire a female plug apparatus, and this female plug segment to accept a male plug attached to the electric power line source. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   This invention discloses and claims a luminaire and having a female plug mounted on the spine in the back of the luminaire, which female plug may be a conventional female receptacle or preferably a female UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK which is a trademark of AMP division of TYCO ELECTRONICS CORPORATION, OF HARRISBURG, PA. The economic advantage of this invention is that a connector cord from the power line to the installed hanging fluorescent luminaire fixture assembly can be made for the proper length for the power line connection without having to cut or splice the power line connector when assembled to the fluorescent fixture assembly, prior to hanging the fixture. 
   OBJECTS OF THIS INVENTION 
   An object of this invention is to disclose and claim a luminaire light assembly having a female connector segment mounted on the luminaire and wired to the lights of the luminaire and the female connector segment to accept a mating insulated power line male plug connector segment. 
   Another object is to disclose and claim a fluorescent tube light luminaire assembly, having a female connector segment mounted on the fluorescent luminaire light assembly, and this female connector segment wired to ballast and light tubes and to accept a mating power line electrically insulated male plug connector segment. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1 . Perspective view of top of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 2 . Plan view of top of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 3 . Side elevation view of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 4 . Elevation view of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly and connector cord with male ends only. 
       FIG. 5 . Isolated plan view of female UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK plug mounted on back spine of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 6 . Enlarged plan view of female UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK plug segment mounted on spine of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 7 . Plan view of prior art with connector cord attached to spine of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 8 . Elevation view of prior art with connector cord attached to spine of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 9 . Elevation view of female UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK segment mounted in spine of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. 
       FIG. 10  Elevation view of female universal MATE-N-LOK segment to snap fit into aperture in spine of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture. 
       FIG. 11  Alignment assembly of UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK connector cord male end segment to plug into UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOCK female segment. 
       FIG. 12  Segment of spine and aperture for female UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK segment. 
   

   LEGENDS DESCRIPTIONS 
   
       
         1  Luminaire fixture assembly. 
         2  UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK female segment. 
         3  Spine of luminaire fixture assembly. 
         3 ′ Top surface of spine of luminaire fixture assembly. 
         4  Light tube reflectors in luminaire fixture assembly. 
         4 ′ Top convex surface of reflectors in luminaire fixture assembly. 
         5  Sockets for fluorescent tube plug in. 
         6  Socket mount/wire raceway. 
         7  Flexible tooth leg. 
         8  Hanger chain attachment. 
         9  Electric power lines from female UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK segment to ballast/fluorescent light tubes in light fixture. assembly 
         9 ′ Electric power lines to ballast/fluorescent light tubes in prior art fluorescent tube light fixture assembly. 
         10  Hanger chain or cord. 
         11  UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK male segment. 
         12  Connector cord from electric power source to UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK female segment to fluorescent tube lights in fixture assembly. 
         13  Protrusion bumper stop on female segment of UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK connector. 
         14  Prior art connector cord wire attached to fluorescent light fixture assembly. 
         15  Aperture in the back of luminaire assembly. 
     
  
   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION 
   This invention discloses apparatus and method of assembly of a luminaire fixture assembly,  1 ,  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3  having a universal MATE-N-LOK female segment electrical plug  2 , mounted on the back of the luminaire, as shown in  FIG. 1 , perspective view,  FIG. 2 , plan view of top of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and  FIG. 3  side elevation view of fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly. As shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 , and  3 , the universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , is mounted on the back or top side of the fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly  1 , in the top surface  3 ′ of spine  3 , of the luminaire fixture assembly  1 . Hanger chain or cord  10  may be attached by hanger chain/cord attachment  8  to the spine  3  to facilitate hanging of the fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly  1 . Reflectors  4  for down lighting are shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2  which show the convex side of the reflectors assembly, in the luminaire assembly. The sockets  5  for fluorescent tube plug in and socket mount/wire raceway  6  are shown in  FIG. 1 . 
   Reference is now made to  FIGS. 7 and 8  showing prior art segments, with the power line  14  attached to the spine  3  of the fluorescent tube luminaire assembly  1 , and the electric power lines  9 ′ to ballast/fluorescent light tubes in light-fixture assembly. This present invention then obviates the necessity of having a dangling electrical connector cord, as shown in prior art  FIGS. 7 and 8 . attached to the fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly, and further, the connector cord  12 , of this invention having a male plug  16  to plug into the power supply outlet, and on the opposite of the connector cord, a MATE-N-LOK male connector  11  to plug into the female connector  2  component mounted in the back or spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly 
   Reference is now made to  FIG. 4 , showing a side elevation view of this present invention of luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , attached to the spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly  1 . The connector cord  12 , (see  FIGS. 4 and 11 ) from electric power source to MATE-N-LOK female segment has a male plug  11 , to plug into electric power source and a universal MATE-N-LOK male segment  11 , and this male segment  11  to plug into universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , attached to the spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly  1 . 
     FIG. 5  is a small plan view of universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , mounted in the spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly.  FIG. 6  is an enlarged plan view of universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2  mounted in spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and flexing toothed arms  7 , ride on edges of spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and holds iniversal MATE-N-LOK female segment in aperture  15  (see  FIGS. 10 and 11 ) of the spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly, in conjunction with the protrusion bumper stop  13 . on female segment  2  of universal MATE-N-LOK connector. 
   Referring to  FIG. 9 , which is a side elevation view of universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , mounted in aperture  15  of spine  3 . of luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and protrusion bumper stops  13  of universal MATE-N-LOK female segment shown by dashed lines.  FIG. 10  shows the alignment of universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2  with the aperture  15  in spine of luminaire fixture assembly  3 , and protrusion bumper stops  13  on the outer periphery of the MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , and flexible leg tooth  7  of this female segment  2 , contacting the outer rim surface of the aperture  15  in spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly  1 , and  FIG. 9  shows the universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2 , mounted in spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly and held in the aperture  15  (see  FIG. 12 ) by protrusion bumper  13  shown by dashed lines on under side of the spine  3  of luminaire fixture assembly and by flexible leg tooth  7  on the outer surface of the spine  3  to thus hold the universal MATE-N-LOK female segment  2  in the aperture  15  of the spine  3 . of luminaire assembly. Hereinafter UNIVERSAL MATE-N-LOK segments male and female may be referred to as “MATE-N-LOK” male or female segments. 
   The power lines  9 , of this present invention, extend from female MATE-N-LOK connector to the ballast and fluorescent tubes and become the power source when the male MATE-N-LOK segment  11 , of connector cord  12 , is plugged into the female MATE-N-LOK connector segment, which is in contrast to the prior art power lines  9 ′ which are connected to the power connector cord  14 , see  FIGS. 7 and 8 . 
   In the discussion and claims, a hanging fluorescent tube luminaire assembly, may also be described in the alternative as, fluorescent tube luminaire fixture assembly, or luminaire fixture assembly. 
   Referring now to prior art,  FIGS. 7 and 8 , one size (length) of prior art connector cord  14  does not fit all installation situations thus having connector cords  12  from electric power source to MATE-N-LOK female segment as a separate component makes for better economy from the standpoint of ease of installation, and economy of lengths of connector cord  12  in various situations. 
   “Fluorescent tube” is meant to include conventional fluorescent light tubes, and the term “light fixture” is synonymous with “fixture assembly”. 
   The prior art patents cited do not singly anticipate, or collectively obviate this present invention.

Technology Category: f