International Business Machines Corporation

Jrs Technology Inc.

Technical Consumer Products, Inc.

Litecontrol Corporation

Hubbell Limited

David W Dranchak

Robert H Katyl

Robert M Murcko

James R Petrozello

Fletcher W Chapin

Thomas G Macek

David E Engle

Richard Ronald Hall

Alan D Knight

George J Saxenmeyer, Jr

David Peter Pagnani

Jeremy W Yon

Patrick Robert Zippetelli

Raymond A Busacco

Robert Joseph Kelleher

Marc D Pierce

Jeremy W Ogg

Jean-Denis Wilnick

Scott W Knauss

Chi Shih Chang

Wai Mon Ma

Jaynal Abedin Molla

Derek Bruce Baker

Robert D Topa

John R Susko

John J Squires

David E Hessian

Rod A Smith

Systems and apparatus for joining structures, such as light fixture sections, are provided. In some example embodiments, a joiner assembly can include a hook element having an opening defined in at least one side portion of the hook element and a translational element passing through the opening of the hook element. The joiner assembly further includes an actuator operably connected to the translational element such that rotational movement of the actuator causes the translational element rotate the hook element from a first position to a second position.

Externally actuated joiner assembly for connecting adjacent structures

Example aspects of the present disclosure allow an end user to determine how a finite amount of a measurable resource is allocated among the various balanceable and feature zones of control defined within the overall measurable resource control system, and which can be implemented using a wide variety of hardware/components. A control program allows the end user unprecedented flexibility and control to determine how the resource is allocated among the various zones or types of resource use within the application, as long as the total resource consumed does not exceed the predetermined/predefined total maximum allowable resource. When the end user adjusts a feature or balanceable zone level, the control program adjusts the other balanceable zones based on predefined algorithms, when necessary, to ensure that the maximum measurable resource consumed by the system does not exceed the predetermined/predefined overall maximum resource allocation.

Resource control system with local reallocation

The present invention relates to an electronic ballast that energizes fluorescent lamps connected in a parallel configuration. The ballast employs a power factor correcting boost converter that can be used over a wide range of AC line voltages to provide regulated power to a self-oscillating sine wave inverter that drives the fluorescent lighting load at high frequencies. The inverter employs special networks that limit a certain type of shoot-through current, and thus improve the efficiency of the unit. Also included is a restart circuit that limits power losses during the zero lamp condition, by periodically interrupting the inverter operation when the zero lamp state is detected. To improve operation of the power factor correcting circuitry over the wide range of AC line voltages, a DC offset is added to the sampled AC voltage at the higher AC line voltages by Zener diode based coupling circuit.

Instant start electronic ballast with universal AC input voltage

The present invention features an electronic ballast for use with gas discharge lamps incorporating a microprocessor-based network controller which facilitates the direct attachment of the ballast to a local or building-wide energy management systems. The use of the inventive ballast allows the production of a lighting luminaire whose light output, power consumption, and other operational or environmental parameters can be monitored and controlled as part of the distributed building control network. A building control computer network can control lighting functions, such as power on/off and dimming. The ballast of the present invention includes provision allowing connection to a local utility so that lighting in large buildings can be cut back in times of high power demand to help balance system loading.

Electronic ballast with embedded network micro-controller

A system is described for remotely controlling the dimming level of ballasts for fluorescent lamps through standard two-wire AC power wiring normally used within buildings. The system makes use of a unique dimming control that creates a small positive-negative voltage asymmetry, or DC offset, and encodes this control signal onto the power lines that supply the ballasts to be dimmed. The control unit can be integrated with a wall switch as part of a variable dimming control to supply &ldquo;local&rdquo; remote control. It can be interfaced to a building control computer. A small decoding module preferably located in the lighting fixture near the ballast recovers the control signal from the applied asymmetry of the power voltage, processes it if necessary, and feeds it to the ballast. To minimize power losses in the dimming control, a DC offset of zero volts, or no asymmetry, produces full light output. For full dimming, an offset of about 15 volts is used. The resulting maximum dissipation is only a few watts when dimming up to six, 32-watt fluorescent lamps. The advantages include savings in re-wiring costs, higher power factor levels, lower harmonic distortion and lower radio frequency interference compared to other two-wire dimming methods.

Remote dimming control system for a fluorescent ballast utilizing existing building wiring

The invention features an electronic dimming ballast for use with a gas-discharge lamp. The ballast is adapted to receive a wide variety of control signals, both from sensors near the ballast or from sensors and/or controllers located away from the ballast. The ballast is constructed on a main circuit board which contains an interface into which a wide variety of daughter circuit boards may be attached so that the ballast may be customized for a particular application or system. Typical dimming input 'commands' may be from light level sensors, proximity sensors, portable, hand-held remote controllers, building energy management systems, etc. Unique interface and/or control circuitry to adapt the basic dimming ballast to these inputs is generally contained on the pluggable daughter cards.

Modular, configurable dimming ballast for a gas-discharge lamp

An electronic package assembly for being electrically connected to a conducting member (e.g., a printed circuit board) wherein the assembly includes a pair of substrates. The first substrate includes opposing circuit patterns, those on one surface being of higher density and thus adapted for having high density electronic devices mounted thereon. This high density pattern is electrically coupled to the lesser density second pattern which is connected to conductors of a second substrate. These conductors are of the lesser density also, and extend through a dielectric member for being coupled to conductors (e.g., copper circuit pads) on the conducting member. These conductors are in contact with the dielectric member at only three locations before the dielectric is connected to the electronic package assembly and the conducting member. Ready separability of various parts of the assembly is thus assured.

Dual substrate package assembly having dielectric member engaging

An electronic package assembly for being electrically connected to a conducting member (e.g., a printed circuit board) wherein the assembly includes a pair of substrates. The first substrate includes opposing circuit patterns, those on one surface being of higher density and thus adapted for having high density electronic devices mounted thereon. This high density pattern is electrically coupled to the lesser density second pattern which is connected to contacts of a second substrate. These contacts are of the lesser density also, and extend through a dielectric member for being coupled to conductors (e.g., copper circuit pads) on the conducting member. Ready separability of various parts of the assembly is thus assured.

Dual substrate package assembly coupled to a conducting member

A large inrush of electrical current flow occurs during a short interval after switch closure, when power is applied to a conventional electronic ballast commonly used for fluorescent lighting. This inrush current flows as the main filter capacitor in the ballast charges to its steady state value. For a lighting circuit that contains a multiplicity of ballasts, the combined magnitude of the inrush is potentially large enough to cause contact failure of the switching device due to arcing and contact welding. The invention features a circuit for limiting inrush current having a current-limiting resistor that is active for a brief interval during startup. The resistor is subsequently bypassed from the principal current path by a switching transistor. The transistor is controlled by electrical signals normally present in conventional electronic ballasts. The advantage of the inventive circuitry is the use of only two inexpensive components to accomplish inrush current protection.

Inrush protection circuit

The present invention features an integrated, electronic fluorescent ballast fixture which includes an electronic ballast packaged with a set of fluorescent lamp connectors into an integral fixture. The fixture has a circuit board that selectably supports up to four fluorescent lamps. The housing of the fixture id configured to receive a number of lamp connectors. The connectors are electrically, connected to the circuit board use wire and poke-in type connectors. When used with conventional, straight fluorescent lamps, a second set of sockets at the far end of the lamps are also connected to the circuit board using wires received in poke-in connector on the circuit board. The integrated ballast package also works with U-shaped lamps. The housing of the fixture is shaped to accommodate projecting electronic ballast components attached to the circuit board. The transformers and transistors of the circuit board may be thermally sinked, so that their heat is carried to the housing by thermally conductive means. The housing consists of two halves that are assembled together with snap-in action latches, making the fixture quickly and easily fabricated. The ballast fixture can be used with a wide variety of light fixtures because of its modularity, affording a high degree of universality.

Ballast fixture for fluorescent lighting

The present invention features an electronic fluorescent lighting ballast which provides a way to transmit data by modulating the light that is emitted from lamps in a luminaire. The modulation occurs at a sufficiently high frequency, so that it is imperceptible in the range of human vision. Data can be represented in the emitted light by frequency-, phase- or amplitude-modulation. Communication methods can be either simplex or duplex. In the preferred embodiment, a simple modification of the base circuit of a typical, Class D, bipolar, push-pull inverter permits frequency- or phase-modulation of the inverter waveform. This causes modulation of the emitted light from the lamps of the luminaire. The transmission of data through an otherwise conventional lighting luminaire is desirable for many commercial applications. One example of its usage is in the transmission of audio or digital information in a grocery or department store from a centralized computer to display units on store shelves. Another example of its usage is in the transmission of audio or digital information from a central computer to various fixed or portable display terminals in an airport, providing arrival and departure information.

Fluorescent light ballast with information transmission circuitry

An electrical connector for interconnecting a pair of circuit members (e.g., a circuit board and module), which, in one embodiment, includes a housing, at least one flexible circuit within the housing and a spring means attached to the flexible circuit at two spaced locations for exerting force against the flexible circuit to cause the circuit to engage respective conductive pads on the circuit members when the circuit members are moved toward each other (e.g., compressed). The shape of the spring means conforms substantially to the portion of the flexible circuit between the locations of attachment. In another embodiment, a connector for interconnecting such circuit members includes a housing adapted for being located between both members and at least one elongated, compressible contact member in the housing and including conductive end portions for engaging the circuit members. The contact occupies a first, prestressed position before engagement and is adapted for moving to a second, compressed position during the engagement. The conductive end portions of the flexible circuit in the first embodiment and the contact member in the second embodiment preferably comprise a plurality of dendrites for providing enhanced connections.

High density connector

A method of forming conductive end portions on a flexible circuit member having a dielectric layer (e.g., polyimide) with at least one conductive element (e.g., copper) thereon. The method comprises the steps of forming (e.g., punching) an opening through both dielectric and conductive element, providing (e.g., additive plating) an electrically conducting layer on the opening's internal surface, providing (e.g., electroplating) a plurality of dendritic elements on the conducting layer's surface, and thereafter removing (e.g., punching) a portion of the dielectric and conductive element such that the formed dendritic elements (e.g., palladium) project from the flexible circuit's conductive ends.

Growing community of inventors

Endwell, NY, United States of America

David W Dranchak