Electrical connecting device
AssigneePhilips Electronics North America Corporation
InventorsGeorge Wozniczka, Robert Holmes
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An electrical connecting device is provided which includes a housing comprising at least one orifice having disposed therein a connector for making electrical connection between electrical power-providing components and electrical power-receiving components. The connector includes inner and outer flange structures which substantially envelop edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal between at least side and bottom edge portions of the orifice and connect. In especially preferred embodiments, the edge portions of the orifice are contained in a groove formed between the inner and outer flange structures.
Claims26
An electrical connecting device which includes a housing comprising at least one orifice having disposed therein a connector for making electrical connection between electrical power-providing components and electrical power-receiving components, said connector comprising inner and outer flange means which substantially envelop edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal between at least side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and said connector.
An electrical connecting device which comprises a housing comprising at least one orifice having disposed therein a connector for making electrical connection between electrical power-providing components and electrical power-receiving components, said connector comprising first half-connector means comprising inner and outer flange means which substantially envelop edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal between at least side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and said connector.
An electrical connecting device, which comprises:
- a housing having at least one orifice formed in a wall thereof, said orifice being defined by at least top edge, side edge, and bottom edge portions;
- a first internal half-connector having at least one longitudinally extending chamber, each chamber including an electrical contact longitudinally disposed therein, said internal half-connector also including inner and outer flange means which form a substantially continuous seal about at least the side and bottom edge portions of said orifice;
- and
- a second external half-connector for detachable connection to said first internal half-connector, said second half-connector having at least one longitudinally extending chamber, the chambers of one of said half-connectors receiving the chambers of the other half-connector to establish electrical contact of electrical components connected thereto.
In combination, a ballast and connecting apparatus for use in a fluorescent-lamp fixture comprising:
- at least one electrical winding;
- plural electrical leads operatively connected to the winding, for carrying electrical power to and from the winding;
- generally enclosing the winding and leads, a housing having a bottom wall, two generally upstanding sidewalls, and at least one end wall comprising at least one orifice defined by at least top, side and bottom edge portions;
- an electrical half-connector disposed in said orifice at least one end wall of the housing, said connector comprising inner and outer flange means which substantially envelop edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal between at least side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and said half-connector;
- and
- plural electrical contacts formed from or operatively connected to ends of the electrical leads respectively, and fixed within the half-connector for making electrical contact outside the housing.
An electrical ballast comprising a housing having at least one wall and comprising an electrical connector disposed in at least one orifice of said at least one wall, the connector and wall portion of the ballast housing having complementary parts whereby upon assembly of the connector into the orifice, there is provided a substantially continuous seal between at least inner and outer side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and inner and outer side and bottom portions of said connector, said seal comprising inner and outer flange means provided on the connector which envelop said outer and inner side and bottom edge portions of the orifice.
In combination, a ballast and connecting apparatus for use in a fluorescent-lamp fixture comprising:
- at least one electrical winding;
- plural electrical leads operatively connected to the winding, for carrying electrical power to and from the winding;
- generally enclosing the winding and leads, a housing having a bottom wall, two generally upstanding sidewalls, and at least one end wall comprising at least one orifice defined by at least top, side and bottom edge portions;
- an electrical half-connector disposed in said orifice at least in one end wall of the housing, said connector comprising inner and outer flange means having a groove formed therebetween which substantially envelops edge portions of the orifice to provide a substantially continuous seal about the periphery of at least the side and bottom edge portions of said orifice and said half-connector, at least one edge portion of the orifice comprising a tongue and said half-connector including a wall portion having a groove complementary with said tongue formed therein;
- and
- plural electrical contacts formed from or operatively connected to ends of the electrical leads respectively, and fixed within the half-connector for making electrical contact outside the housing.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.