Luminaire with an external starter
View Patent ↗An overhead luminaire includes an externally accessible plug-in starter module that is electrically connectable to a starter receptacle located within a luminaire housing without having to open the housing and without the need for tools.
1. A luminaire comprising:
a lamp;
a ballast circuit including a starter receptacle;
a luminaire housing for housing the lamp and the ballast circuit, the starter receptacle of the ballast circuit being positioned in the housing to allow external access thereto; and
a starter module electrically connectable to the starter receptacle from outside the luminaire housing without opening the luminaire housing,
wherein the starter receptacle is snap-fitted into an external opening of the housing.
2. The luminaire as defined in claim 1 , wherein the starter module includes a plug-in connector for electrical connection to the starter receptacle without the use of tools.
3. The luminaire as defined in claim 2 , wherein the luminaire housing comprises an upper housing and a lower housing.
4. The luminaire as defined by claim 2 , wherein the starter module includes snap-lock connectors that engage openings in the starter receptacle.
5. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the ballast circuit further includes at least one capacitor and wherein the housing includes a cavity for receiving the capacitor, the capacitor being press-fit into the cavity for insertion and/or removal without the use of tools.
6. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the luminaire housing further includes a photoelectric control cell receptacle integrally molded to a top surface thereof, and the luminaire further including a plug-in photoelectric cell selectively inserted into the receptacle and replaceable without the use of tools.
7. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the luminaire housing comprises:
an upper housing having a first portion, including a reflective inner surface surrounding the lamp, and a second portion adjacent the first portion comprising a ballast compartment; and
a lower housing mountable to the upper housing to form the luminaire housing, the lower housing having a first lens portion and a second portion comprising a surface for mounting the starter receptacle adjacent the first portion, the lower housing second portion including the external opening.
8. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed from a corrosion resistant fiber reinforced polymer material.
9. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed from a corrosion resistant metallic material.
10. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the external opening comprises grooves.
11. The luminaire as defined by claim 10 , wherein the starter receptacle comprises connectors with projections at distal ends thereof for engaging the grooves.
12. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the starter module includes snap-lock connectors that engage openings in the starter receptacle.
13. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the external opening is integrally formed in the housing.
14. The luminaire as defined by claim 1 , wherein the external opening is not integrally formed in the housing.
15. The luminaire as defined in claim 1 , wherein the external opening is in an upper portion of the housing.
16. The luminaire as defined in claim 1 , wherein the external opening is in a lower portion of the housing.
17. A method for manufacturing a luminaire having an externally accessible starter module comprising:
forming a luminaire housing for housing a lamp and a ballast circuit, the housing being formed with an external opening;
electrically connecting a starter receptacle to a ballast circuit housed within the housing;
snap-fitting the starter receptacle into the external opening of the housing thereby permitting external access to the starter receptacle; and
electrically connecting a starter module to the starter receptacle from outside the luminaire housing.
18. The method as defined by claim 17 , wherein the starter module includes a plug-in connector for electrical connection to the starter receptacle without the use of tools.
19. The method as defined by claim 17 , wherein the luminaire housing is formed comprising: an upper housing having a first portion, including a reflective inner surface for surrounding a lamp, and a second portion adjacent the first portion comprising a ballast compartment for housing the ballast circuit; and a lower housing mountable to the upper housing to form the luminaire housing, the lower housing having a first lens portion and a second portion having the external opening formed therein.
20. The method as defined by claim 17 , wherein the housing is formed from a corrosion resistant fiber reinforced polymer material.
21. The method as defined by claim 17 , wherein the housing is formed from a corrosion resistant metallic material.
22. A method for retrofitting a luminaire housing to permit external access to a starter module comprising:
forming an opening through the housing adjacent a ballast circuit housed within the housing;
electrically connecting a starter receptacle to the ballast circuit within the housing;
snap-fitting the starter receptacle into the opening of the housing thereby permitting external access to the starter receptacle; and
electrically connecting a starter module to the starter receptacle from outside the housing.
23. The method as defined by claim 22 , wherein the starter module includes a plug-in connector for electrical connection to the starter receptacle without the use of tools.