Remote ballast assembly
US5174642A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Feb 27, 1992 |
| Grant date | Dec 29, 1992 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Feb 27, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC F)Mechanical Engineering; Lighting; Heating
- CPC primaryF21V23/02
- WIPO fieldElectrical machinery, apparatus, energy
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
A remote ballast assembly is disclosed for suspending a lighting fixture from a drop ceiling which forms the bottom boundary of a recessed plenum. The recessed plenum or ceiling cavity is typically bounded by a plurality of spaced apart cross members which form a support grid for the drop ceiling. The remote ballast assembly comprises a housing, a junction box, a bracket, a transformer, and a relay. The housing engages the cross members which define the recessed plenum to support the housing in the recessed plenum. The junction box is affixed to the housing proximate an opening in the housing, and the bracket is affixed to the junction box. The bracket includes a hook which engages a loop bracket on the lighting fixture to thereby suspend the lighting fixture in a vertical position, regardless of the orientation of the housing. The transformer is mounted to the housing, and provides electrical power from a remote source to the primary lamp during normal operation. The relay is normally open, but closes a circuit to provide electrical power to the secondary lamp when electrical power to the primary lamp is interrupted.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.