High and low voltage separating driver brackets for lighting systems and methods for installation

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9903575-B2
Application number	US-201614992380-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 11, 2016
Priority date	Jan 9, 2015
Publication date	Feb 27, 2018
Grant date	Feb 27, 2018

Abstract

Described are embodiments of driver brackets having dividers that separate low voltage wires from high voltage wires within a driver enclosure so as to reduce the risk of high and low voltage wires coming into contact within the driver enclosure. Also described are embodiments of driver brackets that support a driver entirely on one side of the driver bracket.

First claim

That which is claimed is:

1. A light fixture comprising:
a hollow driver enclosure having a first enclosure end, a second enclosure end, and an inner surface;
a driver bracket positioned within the driver enclosure and comprising:
a base extending in a plane and having a front surface, a back surface, a first bracket end, and a second bracket end opposite the first bracket end; and
a divider associated with the base and extending in a plane that is non-perpendicular relative to the plane of the base; and

a light engine driver mounted entirely on the front surface of the base and comprising a high voltage driver end proximate the first bracket end and a low voltage driver end proximate the second bracket end,
wherein the driver bracket substantially divides the driver enclosure into a low voltage region and a high voltage region.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the driver bracket further comprises an arm extending upwardly from the base proximate the first bracket end and wherein the divider is connected to the base via the arm.

3. The light fixture of claim 1 , further comprising:
a power input wire having a voltage, wherein the power input wire enters the first enclosure end, extends along a first side of the divider and within the high voltage region of the driver enclosure, and engages the light engine driver at the high voltage driver end; and
a power output wire having a voltage lower than the voltage of the power input wire,
wherein the power output wire extends from the light engine driver at the low voltage driver end and exits the second enclosure end.

4. The light fixture of claim 3 , wherein the driver bracket further comprises a back plate extending upwardly from the base proximate the second bracket end.

5. The light fixture of claim 4 , wherein an exit clearance is provided in the back plate to accommodate the power output wire extending from the light engine driver.

6. The light fixture of claim 3 , further comprising an additional input wire having a voltage lower than the voltage of the power input wire, wherein the additional input wire enters the first enclosure end, extends along a second side of the divider and within the low voltage region of the driver enclosure, and engages the driver at the low voltage driver end.

7. The light fixture of claim 6 , wherein a wire clearance is provided in the base of the driver bracket proximate the low voltage driver end and wherein the additional input wire crosses from the low voltage region of the driver enclosure into the high voltage region of the driver enclosure via the wire clearance before engaging the driver.

8. The light fixture of claim 6 , further comprising an endplate mounted on the first enclosure end to enclose the driver enclosure at the first enclosure end, wherein the endplate comprises a plurality of apertures and wherein, when the endplate is mounted on the first enclosure end:
a first aperture of the plurality of apertures is disposed on a first side of the divider so as to be in communication with the high voltage region of the driver enclosure and receives the power input wire; and
a second aperture of the plurality of apertures is disposed on a second side of the divider opposite the first side so as to be in communication with the low voltage region of the driver enclosure and receive the additional input wire.

9. The light fixture of claim 3 , further comprising a light engine assembly powered at least partially by the power output wire.

10. The light fixture of claim 9 , wherein the light engine assembly is movably connected to the driver enclosure.

11. The light fixture of claim 10 , wherein the light engine assembly is movably connected to the driver enclosure with a bracket.

12. The light fixture of claim 10 , wherein the light engine assembly is movably connected to the driver enclosure with a flexible conduit.

13. The light fixture of claim 12 , wherein the power output wire extends between the driver enclosure and the light engine assembly within the flexible conduit.

14. The light fixture of claim 3 , further comprising an endplate mounted on the first enclosure end to enclose the driver enclosure at the first enclosure end.

15. The light fixture of claim 14 , wherein the divider contacts the endplate when the endplate is mounted on the first enclosure end so as to entirely separate the low voltage region and the high voltage region at the first enclosure end.

16. The light fixture of claim 1 , further comprising at least one channel on the inner surface of the driver enclosure, wherein at least one of a top edge or a bottom edge of the driver bracket engages the at least one channel when positioned within the driver enclosure.

17. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the divider is provided proximate the first bracket end.

18. A driver bracket comprising:
a base extending in a plane and having a front surface, a back surface, a first end, and a second end opposite the first end, wherein the base is adapted to support the entirety of a light engine driver on the front surface;
a back plate extending upwardly from the base proximate the second end of the base;
an arm extending upwardly from the base proximate the first end of the base; and
a divider supported by the arm and extending in a plane that is non-perpendicular relative to the plane of the base; and
the light engine driver positioned entirely on the front surface of the base.

19. A method for installing a light engine driver in a driver enclosure having a first enclosure end and a second enclosure end, the method comprising:
providing a driver bracket comprising a base extending in a plane and having a front surface, a back surface, a first bracket end, a second bracket end opposite the first bracket end and a divider associated with the base and extending in a plane that is non-perpendicular relative to the plane of the base;
aligning a low voltage driver end with the first bracket end;
aligning a high voltage driver end with the second bracket end;
mounting the light engine driver entirely on the front surface of the base;
connecting a power input wire having a voltage to the high voltage driver end;
connecting a power output wire having a voltage lower than the voltage of the power input wire to the low voltage driver end;
routing the power input wire along a first side of the divider; and
inserting the driver bracket and the light engine driver into the first enclosure end;
wherein the driver bracket substantially divides the driver enclosure into a low voltage region and a high voltage region and wherein the power input wire is within the high voltage region.

20. The method of claim 19 , further comprising connecting an additional input wire having a voltage lower than the voltage of the power input wire to the low voltage driver end and routing the additional input wire along a second side of the divider and within the low voltage region of the driver enclosure.

21. The method of claim 20 , further comprising mounting an endplate with a plurality of apertures on the first enclosure end, wherein:
a first aperture of the plurality of apertures is disposed on the first side of the divider so as to be in communication with the high voltage region of the driver enclosure and receives the power input wire; and
a second aperture of the plurality of apertures is disposed on the second side of the divider opposite the first side so as to be in communication with the low voltage region of the driver enclosure

Assignees

• Abl Ip Holding Llc

Inventors

• Ilenbiluan Seun
• Feldman Aaron
• Juda Mike Ken
• Shaner Jeff

Classifications

• F21V23/008 Primary

  the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V17/002

  with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function (F21V17/10 takes precedence) · CPC title

• F21S8/026

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