US3646401A - Weatherproof unpotted ballast construction - Google Patents

Weatherproof unpotted ballast construction Download PDF

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Publication number
US3646401A
US3646401A US110897A US3646401DA US3646401A US 3646401 A US3646401 A US 3646401A US 110897 A US110897 A US 110897A US 3646401D A US3646401D A US 3646401DA US 3646401 A US3646401 A US 3646401A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
base
heat
power supply
supply apparatus
ballast
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US110897A
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English (en)
Inventor
Ernest M Freegard
Sol Hasson
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Advance Transformer Co
Original Assignee
Advance Transformer Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Advance Transformer Co filed Critical Advance Transformer Co
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3646401A publication Critical patent/US3646401A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01F—MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
    • H01F27/00—Details of transformers or inductances, in general
    • H01F27/24—Magnetic cores
    • H01F27/26—Fastening parts of the core together; Fastening or mounting the core on casing or support
    • H01F27/266—Fastening or mounting the core on casing or support
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01F—MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
    • H01F27/00—Details of transformers or inductances, in general
    • H01F27/08—Cooling; Ventilating
    • H01F27/085—Cooling by ambient air
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01F—MAGNETS; INDUCTANCES; TRANSFORMERS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR MAGNETIC PROPERTIES
    • H01F27/00—Details of transformers or inductances, in general
    • H01F27/40—Structural association with built-in electric component, e.g. fuse
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S174/00—Electricity: conductors and insulators
    • Y10S174/02—Ballasts

Definitions

  • a ballast for gaseous discharge devices especially intended for connection to outdoor mercury lamps which is constructed to [52 ⁇ 11.8. C1. ..317/l00,317/99, 174/DlG. 2, run cool and to be weatherproof.
  • a transformer and con- 174/52 R denser are mounted as a unit within a housing on an integral l 5 base of high heat conductivity metal and separated together [58] Field 0! Search ..3l7/99, 100, 120; 174/D1G. 2, from [he canister 0 housing by airspace and likewise 7 R, 77 R separated from one another by airspace and a heat barrier.
  • ballast is unpotted and transfers heat to the housing wall [56] References by convection and radiation and to the base by condition, the
  • the housing is UNITED A S PATENTS mounted on the base with an elastomer gasket between the 965,684 7/1910 Bierce et a1. ...l74/77 R housing and the base.
  • the leads from the ballast are led to a 1,345,473 7/1920 Benjamin 174/77 R nipple through wire-carrying channels integrally formed in the 1,469,034 9/1923 Benjamin --l7 /7 R base.
  • the nipple is also integral with the base and the leads 2,477,132 7/ 949 Rowe 1 74/DIG- 2 emerge from the ballast' by way of a frustoconical elastomer 3,l Harvey).
  • the invention herein is concerned with the construction of a power supply such as a ballast for furnishing the ignition and operating voltages for mercury lamps or the like operated primarily outdoors.
  • Reliability is one of the most important factors in the contion achieves reliability in a weatherproof ballast that runs cool and does it in a very economical way.
  • the invention is not concerned with the type of mercury or sodium vapor lamp ballast in which there is a fixture within which the ballast is mounted.
  • the ballast of the invention is expected to be exposed to the weather.
  • ballasts'of the prior art have, for the most part, been potted with some potting compound. This is an easy way to achieve a good'degree of weatherproofing and to hold the parts of the ballast in place, but it has disadvantages.
  • the technique of potting requires special capital equipmenni requires the handling of potting compounds in liquid states which is'messy and expensive; increases the weight of the ballast; may result in locations within the ballast which have increased temperatures and hence require materials which are expensive in the construction of the ballast; does not permit as 'readytransfer of heat to the canister of the ballast; prevents ready inspection of the interior of the ballast; gives rise to possible damages through high liquidity of the potting com pound upon failure of the ballast.
  • ballast for use with mercury lamps is described using a condenser and transformer. It should be kept in mind that the advantages of the invention apply to many other types of outdoor power supplies including those which use a reactor alone or'with one or more condensers, and which usea transformer alone or with one or more 70 condensers. Likewise, the invention'maybe used in the case of incandescent lamps requiring transformers for providing operating voltages. No limitations are to be inferred from the specific reference to a ballast for mercury lamps using a high leakage reactance transformer and a condenser.
  • the ballast of the invention comprises an integral base of high heat-conductive metal with an integral depending nipple by means of which the ballast may be mounted to a securing bracket.
  • Mounted on top of the'base in heat-conductive relationship therewith is the transformer portion of the ballast which is the principal heat-producing component so that heat tends to be transmitted to the base by conduction, the base serving as a heat sink in'this regard.
  • the condenser portion of I the ballast is spaced from the transformer and there is a heat barrier of some insulating material between the transformer and condenser so that the minimum of heat will be transferred to the condenser from the transformer.
  • FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a ballast constructed-according to the invention taken generally along the line 1-1 of FIG. 2 and in .the .indicated direction with portions being broken away and other portions being shown'in elevation;
  • FIG. 2 is a bottom plan view of the ballast with portions shown broken away, the ballast in this case being shown free of the bracket to which the same is secured as in FIG. l;
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional detail taken along the line 3-3 of FIG. 1 and in the indicated direction;
  • FIG. 4. is a fragmentary exploded sectional view showing the manner in which the lead wires are secured in the plug during the assembly of the ballast.
  • the reference character 10 designates generally the ballast of the invention, said ballast comprising an inner unit 12, a base 14 and an outer housing in the form of a cylindrical canister 16 mountedon the base.
  • a ballast is a device which provides the igniting voltage for gaseous discharge devices and after ignition, provides the operating voltage .for suchdevices. As such, it transfers power for maintaining the dischargedevices in operation.
  • the voltages for ignition of gaseous discharge devices such as for example the mercury vapor lamps forwhich the ballast of this specification .is especially intended are substantially higher than the operating voltages which are required to maintain the lamps ignited.
  • the impedance of the lamp is that of the are between the interior electrodes thereof and this 'is quite low. Accordingly, it is necessary to stabilize the are by introducing a substantial reactance in the lamp circuit and this is accomplished in the modern ballast either by means of a condenser or the high leakage reactance-bu'ilt into the transformer of the ballast.
  • the condenser is used forvarious purposes, including power factor correction;
  • The'principal heat-producing component of a ballast is the transformer since its copper losses and eddy currents in the 'laminations produce the principal heat.
  • a condenser will have better operating characteristics and longer life if kept insulated from the heat of the transformer unit, and this is achieved in the invention as will be described in such power supplies as use condensers.
  • the transformer of the ballast is shown at 18 with its bottom surface in intimate contact with the upper surface of the base 14 as shown at 20, there normally being a conductive cementor compound of some kind applied here to transfer heat from the transformer 18 to the base 14.
  • the laminations and windings of the transformer are held in assembly by any suitable means suchas clamps, welding, adhesive and the like and the transformer itself is impregnated in varnish and preferably painted black so that it will radiate efficiently.
  • the framework 22 having flanges 24 at the. bottom end thereof by means of which the transformer 18 and the entire unit 12 are connected firmly with the base 14 through the use of suitable fasteners 26.
  • the upper part of the framework 22 comprises a channellike yoke 28 having angled legs 30 which are held to the upper flanges 32 by means of the fasteners 34.
  • the member 36 comprises a heat barrier and will be referred to hereinafter as such.
  • the member can be made of any heat-resisting and heat-insulating material having sufficient strength to serve in the manner described.
  • the bridging heat barrier 36 closes the bottom of the yoke 28 to provide a boxlike space 38 within which the condenser 40 of the ballast 10 is disposed.
  • the frame 22 and the yoke 28 are normally made of some robust metal such as sheet steel so that the unit 22 is sturdy and does not chatter or vibrate.
  • the condenser 40 is wrapped in a layer 42 of so-called fish paper or some other insulating sheet material to keep it insulated from the yoke 28, but it lies on top of the heat barrier 36 and preferably is tightly wedged between the yoke 28 and the heat barrier 36.
  • the heat barrier 36 not only helps to support the condenser 40, but it also insulates it from the heat'generated by the transformer 18. In this way, the oil in the condenser 40 is not unduly heated thereby preventing deterioration thereof.
  • This feature of the construction of the ballast l0 promotes long life of the condenser.
  • the base 14 is preferably in the form of a casting of aluminum having a central integral threaded hollow nipple 44 with its interior bore 46 occupied by a plug 48.
  • the electrical leads 50 connect the electrical components of the ballast with the lamps (not shown) and the external source of power (not shown). They must pass from the interior of the ballast to the exterior thereof, and the plug 48 carries these leads in weatherproof disposition to the exterior of the ballast.
  • the base 14 may be lightened by having segment-shaped recesses such as shown at 52 formed in the bottom surface thereof, these recesses being separated by strengthening ribs 54.
  • One or more wire-carrying grooves 56 may be cast into the upper surface of the base 14, these grooves enable the wires 50 to be laid under the transformer end and conducted to the bore 46.
  • the plug 48 is shown to be of frustoconical configuration, with its taper decreasing toward the end first inserted into bore 46. It has the same number of passageways 58 as there are leads 50 passing to the exterior of the ballast 10, and during assembly these leads or wires 50 are threaded through the passageways 58 after which the plug 48 is forced into the bore 46.
  • a shoulder 60 formed on the interior of the end of the nipple 44 limits the amount of axial movement of the plug 48 during this assembly procedure. This action constricts the passageways 58 and, as a result, the leads 50 are tightly engaged within the plug 48.
  • the leads are usually in the form of coated wire, the coating being a smooth synthetic plastic or the like so that there is avery close clamping action.
  • the plug 48 itself is made of some elastomer such as any of the synthetic rubbers or polymers which preserve their elasticity over long periods of time. Some success has been had with a polymer known as ethylenepropylene-terpolymer.
  • the unit 12 is secured in place by the fasteners 26 after the plug 48 has been pushed home.
  • the canister 16 is an aluminum cylinder' with a closed end 62 and its bottom end open and formed on its bottom edge with an annular flange 64.
  • Fasteners such as screws 66 pass through circumferentially spaced perforations in the flange 64 and through a narrow annular gasket 68 into suitable aligned screw-threaded sockets 70 formed in the base 14.
  • the gasket 68 is formed of an elastomer such as any of the synthetic rubbers available, and when the screws 66 are tightened, the connection is waterproof. Neoprene has been used successfully.
  • the canister 16 is deep-drawn or spun from sheet aluminum and is anodized black to provide for good radiation of the heat which the canister wall in turn receives by radiation from the transformer 18.
  • the ballast 10 is adapted to'be mounted onto a bracket 72 such as that disclosed in a copending application, Ser. No. 64,470, filed Aug. 17, 1970 by one of the applicants herein. Any other suitable bracket can be utilized, however, so long'as it provides a passageway 74 within which the nipple 44 may be received and to which the ballast 10 may be secured by a nut 76 engaged over the end of the nipple 44 which protrudes from the bottom of the upper plate of the bracket 72.
  • the ballast 10 normally will be sold with the nut 76.
  • the wedging engagement of the plug 48 with the bore 46 of the nipple 44 serves several purposes. It evenly spaces the leads 50 as they emerge from the ballast 10; it tightly engages these leads and thereby renders the junction of the leads 50 with the plug 48 waterproof while tightly engaging the plug within the only opening to the interior of the ballast also in waterproof condition; and it takes up any strain to which the leads 50 are subjected while the ballast 10 is being handled.
  • Another important feature of the invention as described hereinabove is the mounting of the interior unit 12 upon the base 14 spaced from the interior of the canister wall so that there is no contact with the canister. Also, the canister 16 need not have the strength for supporting the components. The outer surface is in contact with'the atmosphere and efficiently radiates the heat from its black surface. The canister need not be made of steel which requires expensive galvanizing prior to painting.
  • ballast In order to give some understanding of the actual physical nature of the ballast of the invention, an example of the same will be described. Insofar as size is concerned, the diameter of the canister 16 of a typical ballast was about six and one-half inches, and its length was eight inches. Other dimensions may be scaled from the drawing. This ballast was used for connection to one 250W-H37 mercury vapor lamp energized either from a l20-volt or 240-volt source (depending upon primary winding transformer connections) at 60 Hertz.
  • the features of the invention are also applicable to other types of power supplies for gaseous discharge as well as incandescent lamps.
  • a power supply apparatus for lamps to be used outdoors which comprises:
  • a one-piece canister of thin-walled heat-conducting material formed as a cylinder having one end closed and the other end open,
  • the power unit having a plurality of electrical leads and the leads extending from the interior of the apparatus to the exterior thereof by way of the hollow of the nipple and being disposed therein in waterproof association therewith.
  • the power supply apparatus as claimed in claim 4 in which the hollow is tapered to receive the plug and has a shoulder at its end to limit the movement of the plug into the hollow.
  • the power unit includes a condenser in addition to said heat-producing component, a framework providing spacing between the condenser and the heat-producing component and a heat barrier is provided between the condenser and heat-producing component in addition to said spacing.
  • a weatherproof power supply apparatus construction which includes a base, a power unit mounted on the base and a canister also mounted on the base and enclosing the power unit, means for leading electrical leads from the'int erior of the apparatus to the exterior thereof, comprising: an integral externally protruding hollow nipple on said base, an elastomeric plug wedged into the bore of said nipple from the interior of the ballast, passageways formed in the plug and the leads being tightly engaged in said passageway by reason of said wedging engagement.
  • means for insulating the condenser from heat generated in the transformer comprising: the framework including a channelshaped yoke opening toward the transformer, support members for connecting the yoke to the transformer, a pair of angled legs on the yoke attached to said support members and a heat barrier disposed between the angled legs and the support members and closing off the opening of the yoke to provide with, the yoke a boxlike formation, and the condenser being disposed within the boxlike formation.
  • the heat barrier comprises a sheet member of heat-resistant insulating material.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Power Engineering (AREA)
  • Arrangement Of Elements, Cooling, Sealing, Or The Like Of Lighting Devices (AREA)
  • Regulation Of General Use Transformers (AREA)
  • Housings And Mounting Of Transformers (AREA)
  • Transformer Cooling (AREA)
US110897A 1971-01-29 1971-01-29 Weatherproof unpotted ballast construction Expired - Lifetime US3646401A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US11089771A 1971-01-29 1971-01-29

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3646401A true US3646401A (en) 1972-02-29

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ID=22335524

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US110897A Expired - Lifetime US3646401A (en) 1971-01-29 1971-01-29 Weatherproof unpotted ballast construction

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3646401A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
JP (1) JPS568486B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
CA (1) CA923607A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)
ZA (1) ZA711554B (enrdf_load_stackoverflow)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3702421A (en) * 1970-10-06 1972-11-07 Ferguson Transformers Pty Choke unit
US4393435A (en) * 1980-07-21 1983-07-12 Bruce Industries, Inc. Repairable fluorescent lamp ballast
US4712157A (en) * 1987-03-16 1987-12-08 General Electric Company Stud mounted non-metallic electric enclosure
US4810897A (en) * 1987-07-01 1989-03-07 Shotey Michael J Timer assembly with weatherproof housing
US5477439A (en) * 1994-04-28 1995-12-19 Good Earth Lighting, Inc. Fluorescent lighting system
US5600537A (en) * 1991-02-06 1997-02-04 Musco Corporation Ballast box for integrated location of ballasts and electrical connections
USD411096S (en) * 1998-05-13 1999-06-15 Musco Corporation Spacer between pole and cross-arm
US6250596B1 (en) 1998-05-13 2001-06-26 Musco Corporation Spacer between pole and cross-arm
US7171793B2 (en) 1990-01-31 2007-02-06 Musco Corporation Means and method for rigidly elevating a structure
US7182233B1 (en) * 2003-11-07 2007-02-27 Topline Mfg. Inc. Universal platform system for holding accessories on the roof of a wheeled vehicle

Families Citing this family (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPS5213825U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1975-07-16 1977-01-31
JPS5297628A (en) * 1976-02-12 1977-08-16 Nippon Signal Co Ltd:The Card processing unit with clock signal decision unit
JPS52148479U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1976-05-06 1977-11-10
JPS54144875U (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) * 1978-03-31 1979-10-08

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3702421A (en) * 1970-10-06 1972-11-07 Ferguson Transformers Pty Choke unit
US4393435A (en) * 1980-07-21 1983-07-12 Bruce Industries, Inc. Repairable fluorescent lamp ballast
US4712157A (en) * 1987-03-16 1987-12-08 General Electric Company Stud mounted non-metallic electric enclosure
US4810897A (en) * 1987-07-01 1989-03-07 Shotey Michael J Timer assembly with weatherproof housing
US7171793B2 (en) 1990-01-31 2007-02-06 Musco Corporation Means and method for rigidly elevating a structure
US5600537A (en) * 1991-02-06 1997-02-04 Musco Corporation Ballast box for integrated location of ballasts and electrical connections
US5477439A (en) * 1994-04-28 1995-12-19 Good Earth Lighting, Inc. Fluorescent lighting system
USD411096S (en) * 1998-05-13 1999-06-15 Musco Corporation Spacer between pole and cross-arm
US6250596B1 (en) 1998-05-13 2001-06-26 Musco Corporation Spacer between pole and cross-arm
US7182233B1 (en) * 2003-11-07 2007-02-27 Topline Mfg. Inc. Universal platform system for holding accessories on the roof of a wheeled vehicle

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
JPS4841567A (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1973-06-18
ZA711554B (en) 1971-12-29
JPS568486B2 (enrdf_load_stackoverflow) 1981-02-24
CA923607A (en) 1973-03-27

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