Holmes Products Corporation

The Holmes Group, Inc.

Robert J Livergood

David Lo

Charles T Thrasher, Jr

Tom Turner

John Rudolph

Thomas M Turner

A ceiling fan assembly includes a fan and a light-sensitive circuit for controlling an illumination level of a light as a function of an ambient illumination level surrounding the ceiling fan assembly by selectively controlling or fixing a conduction phase angle of an AC power signal provided to the light. The light-sensitive circuit includes a photocell, a phase control circuit and a cutoff Circuit which prevents flicker at low illumination levels. The photocell is responsive to the ambient illumination level and has a conduction state. The conduction state changes in response to the ambient illumination level. The phase control circuit selectively varies or fixes a conduction phase angle associated with the AC power signal, which correspondingly determines a variation in the illumination level of the light. In response to the photocell, the phase control circuit selectively varies or fixes the conduction phase angle, and thus the illumination level associated with the light when the photocell exhibits an open circuit, and conversely, prevents the AC power signal from being provided to the light when the photocell exhibits a short circuit.

Ceiling fan with a light-sensitive circuit

A ceiling fan assembly includes a fan and a light-sensitive circuit for controlling an illumination level of a light as a function of an ambient illumination level surrounding the ceiling fan assembly by selectively controlling or fixing a conduction phase angle of an AC power signal provided to the light. The light-sensitive circuit includes a photocell, a phase control circuit and a cutoff circuit which prevents flicker at low illumination levels. The photocell is responsive to the ambient illumination level and has a conduction state. The conduction state changes in response to the ambient illumination level. The phase control circuit selectively varies or fixes a conduction phase angle associated with the AC power signal, which correspondingly determines a variation in the illumination level of the light. In response to the photocell, the phase control circuit selectively varies or fixes the conduction phase angle, and thus the illumination level associated with the light when the photocell exhibits an open circuit, and conversely, prevents the AC power signal from being provided to the light when the photocell exhibits a short circuit.

A lamp with improved safety features to avoid fire and burn hazards. The lamp includes an electrical circuit having a thermostat connected in series with the bulb of the lamp. The thermostat is mounted in close proximity to the lamp's bulb and, upon the ambient air temperature in the vicinity of the thermostat reaching a predetermined temperature, the thermostat effectively opens the electrical circuit, shutting the lamp off. Once power is turned off for a period of time, the thermostat resets and the lamp may be operated again. A protective guard is positioned over at least a portion of the bulb of the lamp to prevent accidental burning.

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Wilmington, VT, United States of America

Robert J Livergood