US 12,136,847 B2
Central unit for supplying emergency lighting means on a DC bus
Thomas Fitz, Göfis (AT); and Christoph Stadler, Mäder (AT)
Assigned to Zumtobel Lighting GmbH, Dornbirn (AT)
Appl. No. 17/777,343
Filed by ZUMTOBEL LIGHTING GMBH, Dornbirn (AT)
PCT Filed Dec. 16, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/086567
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 17, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/130089, PCT Pub. Date Jul. 1, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19219187 (EP), filed on Dec. 23, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0407347 A1, Dec. 22, 2022
Int. Cl. H02J 9/06 (2006.01); G01R 19/165 (2006.01); H02J 7/00 (2006.01); H02J 7/02 (2016.01)
CPC H02J 9/061 (2013.01) [G01R 19/1659 (2013.01); H02J 7/0029 (2013.01); H02J 7/0068 (2013.01); H02J 7/02 (2013.01); H02J 2207/20 (2020.01)] 14 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system comprising a central unit (100) and an output circuit (109) on a detachable, modular card (111), wherein a DC bus (101) connected to an output terminal (113) on the central unit (100) is able to supply DC bus voltage to at least one emergency lighting means (101a, 101b) is connected to the DC bus (101), wherein the central unit (100) comprises:
a base body (102) having an output terminal (113) and a slot that receives the detachable modular card,
an AC input (103) for receiving an AC supply signal,
an AC/DC converter (104) configured to convert the AC supply signal into a DC supply signal,
an electrical energy storage (105), in particular a battery, configured to be charged by the DC supply signal, wherein the electrical energy storage (105) is configured to supply electrical power in an emergency situation,
a control unit (115) for the output circuit (109) arranged in the base body (102) of the central unit (100), and
a DC/DC converter (107) configured to convert a DC output signal of the electrical energy storage (105) into a DC bus voltage and to forward the DC bus voltage to the lighting means (101a, 101b) on the DC bus (101) via the output circuit (109); and further
wherein the output circuit (109) is arranged on a modular card (111
that is detachably connectable to the base body (102) of the central unit (100), and
the output circuit (109) on the modular card (111) comprises a power interface (117) configured to receive the DC bus voltage from the DC/DC converter (107) and to forward processed DC bus voltage to the output terminal (113) on the central unit (100) connected to the DC bus (101); and a communication interface (119) that exchanges communication data between the control unit (115) and the output circuit (109) on the modular card (111);
wherein the DC bus (101) is able to remain connected to output terminal (113) on the central unit (100) even when the modular card (111) is removed and detached from base body (102).