Electrical connector adapters for light fixtures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9500320-B1
Application number	US-201414268443-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	May 2, 2014
Priority date	May 2, 2014
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

An electrical connection adapter for an existing light fixture is described herein. The adapter can include a housing having at least one wall that forms a chamber disposed between a top side and a bottom side of the housing. The adapter can also include a first connection feature disposed within the top side of the housing and configured to couple to an electrical connector for the existing light fixture. The adapter can further include a second connection feature disposed within the bottom side of the housing. The adapter can be configured to couple to a light source of a retrofit light fixture. The adapter can also include a power transfer device disposed within the chamber of the housing, where the power transfer device has a first end electrically coupled to the first connection feature and a second end electrically coupled to the second connection feature.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical connection adapter for an existing light fixture, comprising:
a housing comprising at least one wall and at least one coupling feature, wherein the at least one wall forms a chamber disposed between a top side and a bottom side of the housing, and wherein the at least one coupling feature is disposed on the at least one wall;
a first connection feature disposed within the top side of the housing, wherein the first connection feature comprises a plurality of pins, wherein the plurality of pins is configured to directly couple to an electrical connector for the existing light fixture, wherein the electrical connector comprises a plurality of pin receivers;
a second connection feature disposed within the bottom side of the housing, wherein the second connection feature is configured to couple to a light source of a retrofit light fixture; and
a power transfer device disposed within the chamber of the housing, wherein the power transfer device comprises a first end electrically coupled to the first connection feature and a second end electrically coupled to the second connection feature, wherein the power transfer device is configured to receive a power input at the first end from the first connection feature, and wherein the power transfer device is configured to deliver a power output at the second end to the second connection feature,
wherein the at least one coupling feature is configured to secure the housing to a component of a lighting system, wherein the lighting system comprises the existing light fixture and the retrofit light fixture; wherein the at least one coupling feature comprises a base, an aperture, and a recess, wherein the base is disposed at the bottom side of the housing, wherein the aperture traverses the base, and wherein the recess is disposed in the wall of the housing between the base and the top side of the housing.

2. The electrical connection adapter of claim 1 , wherein the power transfer device comprises a rectifier, wherein the power input is alternating current, and wherein the power output is direct current.

3. The electrical connection adapter of claim 1 , wherein the second connection feature is at least one wire, wherein the at least one electrical wire is configured to couple to a light source of the retrofit light fixture.

4. The electrical connection adapter of claim 3 , wherein the at least one wall of the housing comprises at least one wireway that traverses therethrough, wherein the at least one wireway is configured to receive the at least one electrical wire.

5. The electrical connection adapter of claim 1 , wherein the chamber protrudes above a top wall of the at least one wall.

6. The electrical connection adapter of claim 1 , wherein the aperture of the at least one coupling feature is configured to receive a complementary coupling feature, wherein the complementary coupling feature comprises a screw.

7. The electrical connection adapter of claim 1 , wherein the at least one coupling feature comprises a first coupling feature and a second coupling feature, wherein the first coupling feature and the second coupling feature are disposed substantially opposite each other relative to the housing.

8. A light fixture, comprising:
an existing light fixture comprising an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector comprises a plurality of pin receivers; and
a retrofit light fixture comprising:
a light source; and
a connection adapter electrically coupled to the electrical connector and the light source, wherein the retrofit light fixture comprises:
a housing comprising at least one wall and at least one coupling feature, wherein the at least one wall forms a chamber disposed between a top side and a bottom side of the housing, and wherein the at least one coupling feature is disposed on the at least one wall;
a first connection feature disposed within the top side of the housing, wherein the first connection feature comprises a plurality of pins, wherein the plurality of pins of the first connection feature is directly coupled to the plurality of pin receivers of the electrical connector of the existing light fixture;
a second connection feature disposed within the bottom side of the housing, wherein the second connection feature is coupled to the light source of the retrofit light fixture; and
a power transfer device disposed within the chamber of the housing, wherein the power transfer device comprises a first end electrically coupled to the first connection feature and a second end electrically coupled to the second connection feature, wherein the power transfer device is configured to receive a power input at the first end from the connection feature, and wherein the power transfer device is configured to deliver a power output at the second end to the light source,
wherein the at least one coupling feature secures the housing to the existing light fixture or the retrofit light fixture; wherein the at least one coupling feature comprises a base, an aperture, and a recess, wherein the base is disposed at the bottom side of the housing, wherein the aperture traverses the base, and wherein the recess is disposed in the wall of the housing between the base and the top side of the housing.

9. The light fixture of claim 8 , wherein the existing light fixture further comprises a power source electrically coupled to the electrical connector, wherein the power source generates the power input.

10. The light fixture of claim 8 , wherein the light source operates using the power output.

11. The light fixture of claim 8 , wherein the second connection feature comprises at least one electrical wire that is coupled to the light source of the retrofit light fixture.

12. The light fixture of claim 8 , wherein the light source of the retrofit light fixture comprises at least one light-emitting diode (LED).

13. The light fixture of claim 12 , wherein the at least one LED replaces a replaced light source of the existing light fixture.

14. The light fixture of claim 13 , wherein the power transfer device is a driver for the at least one LED of the retrofit light fixture.

15. The light fixture of claim 8 , wherein the power transfer device comprises a rectifier that receives the power input that is alternating current power and generates the output power that is direct current power.

16. The light fixture of claim 8 , wherein the electrical connector is part of a wire whip of the existing light fixture.

17. A lighting system, comprising:
an existing light fixture portion comprising a power source and an electrical connector, wherein the electrical connector comprises a plurality of pin receivers; and
a retrofit light fixture portion comprising:
a light source; and
a connection adapter electrically coupled to the electrical connector and the light source, wherein the connection adapter comprises:
a housing comprising at least one wall and at least one coupling feature, wherein the at least one wall forms a chamber disposed between a top side and a bottom side of the housing, and wherein the at least one coupling feature is disposed on the at least one wall;
a first connection feature disposed within the top side of the housing, wherein the first connection feature comprises a plurality of pins, wherein the plurality of pins of the first connection feature are directly coupled to the plurality of pin receivers of the electrical connector of the existing light fixture;
a second connection feature disposed within the bottom side of the housing, wherein the second connection feature is coupled to the li

Assignees

• Green Russell Bryant
• Ingram DeShawn Anwar
• Cooper Technologies Co

Inventors

• Green Russell Bryant
• Ingram DeShawn Anwar

Classifications

• F21K9/13 Primary

  Mechanical Engineering · mapped topic

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V19/04

  with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret {(auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006)} · CPC title

• H01R33/90

  adapted for co-operation with two or more dissimilar counterparts · CPC title

• F21S8/026 Primary

  intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling · CPC title