Connector for electrified ceiling grid and method of installing the same
AssigneeTyco Electronics Corporation
InventorPhilip Clay Brandberg
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A connector for installation on a grid having conductors therein and a method of installation therefore. The connector has a housing with at least one contact mounted in the housing which makes an electrical connection with the conductors of the grid when the connector is mated with the grid. At least one mounting member is movable between a first position in which a grid mounting section of the at least one mounting member is positioned in the housing and a second position in which the grid mounting section extends beyond a top surface of the housing to provide a mechanical connection between the grid and the connector.
Claims17
A connector for installation on a ceiling grid having conductors therein, the connector comprising:
- a housing with a projection fixedly mounted to a surface of the housing, the housing having a device mating contact provided to make electrical engagement with a low voltage device;
- contacts mounted in the housing, the contacts having contact arms which extend from the projection, contact portions of the contact arms positioned to make an electrical connection with the conductors of the ceiling grid when the connector is mated with the ceiling grid;
- at least one mounting member movable between a first position in which a grid mounting section of the at least one mounting member is positioned in the housing and a second position in which the grid mounting section extends beyond the surface of the housing, the at least one mounting member being rotatable to allow the grid mounting section to engage the ceiling grid and provide a mechanical connection between the ceiling grid and the connector.
A connector for installation on a grid having conductors therein, the connector comprising:
- a housing with at least one contact mounted in the housing, the at least one contact having contact arms which extend from a surface of the housing, contact portions of the contact arms positioned to make an electrical connection with the conductors of the ceiling grid when the connector is mated with the ceiling grid;
- at least two mounting members movable between a first position in which a grid mounting sections of the at least two mounting members are positioned in the housing and a second position in which the grid mounting sections extends beyond the surface of the housing to provide a mechanical connection between the ceiling grid and the connector, the at least two mounting members being movable independently from each other.
A method of installing an electrical connector assembly to a ceiling grid element having conductors therein, the method comprising:
- moving the connector assembly toward the grid element such that a longitudinal axis of the connector assembly is positioned essentially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the grid element;
- inserting a projection of the connector assembly between flanges of the grid element;
- rotating the connector assembly and the projection such that the longitudinal axis of the connector assembly is positioned essentially parallel to and in the same plane, as the longitudinal axis of the grid element;
- mounting a low voltage electrical device to the connector assembly;
- whereby as the connector assembly and the projection are rotated, contact portions of contact terminals which extend from the projection engage the conductors of the grid element to make an electrical connection therebetween.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.