US 5,510,948 AGranted

Low voltage power supply and distribution center

AssigneeQ Tran, Inc.

InventorsSusan C. Tremaine, John M. Tremaine

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A low voltage power supply and distribution center comprises a housing (12) having three internal compartments including: a high voltage compartment (17), a low voltage distribution compartment (19), and a transformer compartment (21). The housing (12) is designed for surface or recessed mounting on or in a wall or ceiling. For recessed mounting, with the housing (12) surrounded with 20 cm (8 inches) of insulation, the maximum surface temperature of the housing is less than 90.degree. C. The three compartments (17,19,21) are formed by a removable power tray (15) having a torodial transformer (132) mounted thereon. The low voltage compartment (19) comprises a fuse panel (150) for mounting a plurality of plug-in fuses (153) from which the low voltage power is distributed. The high voltage compartment (17) comprises a switch or a dimmer (131) in a high voltage line between the transformer (132) and the incoming high voltage line, or the dimmer or switch may be remotely installed on a wall. An optional choke (133) may be provided in the high voltage compartment (17) for use with a dimmer. Additionally, a primary current protection circuit (135) may be provided to add additional protection for over current conditions. A mounting cover (54) is provided to cover the housing (12) to provide a more refined appearance, and vent holes (60) are provided in the cover (54) in the area of the transformer (132). The low voltage power supply and distribution center may be used for a National Electrical Code (NEC) class 1 and/or a class 2 wiring installation.

Claims28

Dependent claims

A low voltage power supply and distribution center, for mounting in or on a wall or ceiling, connected between a high voltage supply line and at least one low voltage distribution line, each low voltage distribution line being electrically connected to at least one low voltage load which is located remotely from said low power supply and distribution center, said low voltage power supply and distribution center comprising:

a housing having side housing walls extending generally perpendicular from a rear housing wall, thereby forming a housing chamber therein;
a power tray removably mounted within said housing chamber, said power tray dividing said housing chamber into three compartments including a high voltage compartment, a low voltage compartment and a transformer compartment;
a toroidal transformer, having primary windings and secondary windings, mounted within said transformer compartment, said primary windings being connected to the high voltage supply line in said high voltage compartment, said toroidal transformer reducing high voltage, supplied from said high voltage compartment on the high voltage supply line to said primary windings, into a lower voltage on said secondary windings;
low voltage distribution means mounted in said low voltage compartment and connected between said secondary windings and the low voltage distribution lines, said low voltage distribution means comprising circuit protection means for interrupting current to a low voltage distribution line in response to the current on the low voltage distribution line exceeding a predetermined threshold rating of said circuit protection means;
and
a housing cover, removably mounted to said side housing walls, opposite to said rear housing wall, for covering said housing chamber.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.