GB2248104A - "A fixing for a fluorescent lamp" - Google Patents

Abstract

A fixing for a fluorescent lamp comprises a housing (2) for attachment to a supporting structure (3). A ballast and a terminal block are mounted on the base portion of the housing (2). The present invention mitigates the problems of the prior art fluorescent lamps by use of a ballast without a mounting plate or integral terminal block so as to enable a reduction in the size of the housing. <IMAGE>

Description

"A Fixina For a Fluorescent Lams The invention relates to fixings for fluorescent lamps.

Conventional picture lights have generally not used fluorescent lamps because of the problem of mounting the ballast for the fluorescent lamp in a suitable position. A number of attempts have been made to produce picture lights with fluorescent lamps by mounting the ballast in a wall mounted box which supports the arm of a picture light.

However, these previous fluorescent picture lights have used ballasts having a mounting plate and an integral terminal block and this has resulted in a relatively large wall mounted box to support the arm of the picture light.

In accordance with the present invention, a fixing for a fluorescent lamp comprises a housing for attachment to a supporting structure, and a ballast and a terminal block located within the housing, the ballast being mounted directly onto a portion of the housing and the terminal block also being mounted on a portion of the housing and being separate from the ballast.

Preferably, the ballast is mounted on the base portion of the housing and the base portion is attached to the supporting structure. Typically, the terminal block may also be mounted on the base portion. Preferably, the base portion comprises a base plate.

Typically, the housing forms a support for an arm of a light which is preferably a picture light.

Typically, the ballast is a Schwabe L7/9/11.352 ballast and typically a thermal cut-out switch is also located in the housing which is preferably connected in series between the ballast and the terminal block. Typically, the thermal cut-out switch could be located in a recess in the base portion which may be below the ballast.

An example of a fixing for a fluorescent lamp in accordance with the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows a side view of a picture light secured to a wall; Fig. 2 is a front view of the picture light shown in Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a plan view of a base plate which forms part of a housing for use with the picture light shown in Figs. 1 and 2; and, Fig. 4 is a plan view of the base plate shown in Fig. 3 with the components removed.

Fig. 1 shows a picture light 1 which comprises a housing 2 which is secured to a supporting wall 3 by means of two screws 4. Attached to the front of the housing 2 is a tubular arm 5 which is supported by the housing 2. At the other end of the arm 5 a luminaire 6 is attached by a ball and socket joint 7.

As shown in Fig. 2 the luminaire 6 is mounted horizontally and extends parallel to the wall 3.

Within the luminaire 6 is a fluorescent lamp (not shown) which is connected to a terminal block 8 within the housing 2 (see Fig. 3) via an electrical cable (not shown) which is routed from the luminaire 6 to the housing 2 through the arm 5 which is tubular.

The housing 2 has a recessed base plate 9 which is shown in detail in Figs. 3 and 4. The base plate 9 is fixed to the external cover of the housing 2 by three screws 10. As shown in Fig. 3 two of the screws 10 also mount a bracket 11 to the base plate 9 which secures a ballast 12 to the base plate 9.

The ballast 12 is located over a recess 13 (see Fig. 4) in which a thermal cut-out switch 14 is located, which is shown in phantom in Fig. 3. The terminal block 8 is mounted by two nuts and bolts 15 to the base plate 9 by means to two apertures 16 in the base plate 9. There are also two diametrically opposite apertures 17 through which the screws 4 pass in order to mount the base plate and hence the picture light 1 to the wall 3.

In addition, the base plate 9 has an earth connection 18 to enable the picture light to be electrically earthed and an aperture 19 which has its edges protected by a grommet 20. A mains electrical cable (not shown) passes through the aperture 19 into the picture light housing 2 and the grommet 20 prevents the cable being abraded by the edges of the base plate 9 which form the aperture 19. The mains cable is connected to the terminal block 8 and the line terminal of the terminal block is connected to the ballast and the thermal cut-out switch so that the ballast and thermal cut-out switch 14 are in series with each other and the fluorescent lamp.

As shown in Fig. 3, the ballast 12 does not have an integral mounting plate or terminal block and is mounted directly onto the base plate 9 via the bracket 11 and a separate terminal block 8 is provided which is mounted separately on the base plate 9 via the bolts 15. By using a ballast which does not have an integral base plate and terminal block it is possible for the present invention to mitigate the problems of prior picture lights having fluorescent lamps by reducing the size of the housing 2 for the ballast 12, the terminal block 8 and the thermal cut-out switch 14. This results in a more aesthetically pleasing picture light 1 which does not have a bulky housing for the ballast 12 attached to the wall 3.

Modifications and improvements may be incorporated without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims (7)

1 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp comprising a housing for attachment to a supporting structure and a ballast and a terminal block located within the housing, the ballast being mounted directly on to a portion of the housing and said terminal block also being mounted on a portion of the housing and being separate from the ballast.

2 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp according to Claim 1, wherein the ballast is mounted on the base portion of the housing and the base portion being adapted for attachment to the supporting structure.

3 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp according to Claim

1 or Claim 2, wherein the terminal block is mounted on the base portion of the housing.

4 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp according to any of the preceding Claims, wherein the housing forms a support for an arm of a light.

5 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp according to any of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a thermal cut-out switch is also located in the housing and is connected in series between the ballast and the terminal block.

6 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp according to Claim 5, wherein the thermal cut-out switch is located between the base portion and the ballast.

7 A fixing for a fluorescent lamp, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.