Ballast

Claim 2

A ballast comprising a power supply, at least one contact lug on an external end thereof, an electrical connector for establishing electrical contact between said lug and stripped wire ends, said connector comprising a socket of insulating material, a first set of apertures aligned on one side of said socket for receiving said external lug, said apertures having a shape conforming to that of said lugs, a second set of aligned apertures on a side of said socket opposite the side accommodating said first set of apertures, said second set of apertures being arranged for receiving therethrough said wire ends, a substantially S-shaped resilient strip arranged within said socket for establishing electrical contact between said lugs and said wire ends, one of the legs of said strip being arranged for engagement at an acute angle with said lug so that said resilient strip exerts an axial force oN said lug thereby preventing the lug from being removed from the socket, and the other leg of said strip being arranged for contact with at least one of said wire ends.

Claim 3

The ballast according to claim 1 wherein the common transverse axis passing through the first set of apertures is parallel to and offset from the common transverse axis passing through the second set of apertures.

Claim 4

A ballast comprising a power supply unit, a plurality of contact lugs extending externally of said unit, an electrical connector connected on one side thereof to said plurality of external lugs and said electrical connector arranged for connection on the other side thereof to stripped wire ends, comprising a socket of insulating material having a base member and a cover, a plurality of apertures aligned in said base having a shape conforming to said lugs for receiving said lugs therethrough, a second set of aligned apertures in said cover arranged for receiving therethrough said wire ends, a resilient strip member mounted within said socket between said base and said cover for establishing electrical contact between said lugs and said wire ends, said strip comprising a pair of oppositely extending legs resiliently connected by a strip, one of said legs being arranged for engagement at an acute angle with said lugs so that said resilient leg exerts an axial force on said lug thereby securing said lug within said socket between the leg and a wall of said base member and preventing the lug from being removed from the socket, and the other leg being arranged for contact with at least one of said wire ends so as to wedge said wire end between said leg and another wall of said base member, said leg engaging said wire end at an acute angle therewith so as to exert an axial force on said wire end in a direction opposing removal of said wire end from said socket, and means to allow relieving of said axial force on said wire end to thereby permit removal of the wire from the socket.

Claim 5

A ballast comprising a power supply unit, a plurality of contact lugs extending externally of said unit, an electrical connector connected on one side thereof to said plurality of external lugs and said electrical connector arranged for connection on the other side thereof to stripped wire ends, comprising a socket of insulating material having a base member and a cover, a plurality of apertures aligned in said base having a shape conforming to said lugs for receiving said lugs therethrough, a second set of aligned apertures in said cover arranged for receiving therethrough said wire ends, a resilient strip member mounted within said socket between said base and said cover for establishing electrical contact between said lugs and said wire ends, said strip comprising a pair of oppositely extending legs resiliently connected by a strip, one of said legs being arranged for engagement at an acute angle with said lugs so that said resilient leg exerts an axial force on said lug thereby securing said lug within said socket between the leg and a wall of said base member and preventing the lug from being removed from the socket, and the other leg being arranged for contact with at least one of said wire ends so as to wedge said wire end between said leg and another wall of said base member, said leg engaging said wire end at an acute angle therewith so as to exert an axial force on said wire end in a direction opposing removal of said wire end from said socket, and means to allow relieving of said axial force on said wire end to thereby permit removal of the wire from the socket.

Claim 6

The ballast according to claim 3 wherein said cover is arranged opposite said base and wherein the apertures in the cover for receiving the wire ends are arranged along a line which is parallel to and offset from a line along which the apertures in the base for receiving the lugs are arranged.

Claim 7

The ballast according to claim 4 wherein said means for allowing removal of said wire end comprises an aperture in said socket for introducing a tool by which the resilient force of said strip on the wire ends can be eliminated.

Claim 8

A ballast for gas discharge lamps comprising a power supply unit, a plurality of contact lugs extending externally of said power supply unit, a connector attached to said external lugs for receiving stripped wire ends and establishing electrical contact between said wire ends and said external lugs, said connector comprising a socket of insulating material, means on one side of said socket for nondetachably engaging said lugs, means on the opposite side of said socket for detachably engaging the wire end comprising a plurality of apertures, a resilient substantially S-shaped strip mounted within said socket having one leg thereof resiliently engageable with the wire ends so as to exert a force in the axial direction of said wire thereby preventing said wire from sliding out of said socket, the other leg being arranged for engagement at an acute angle with said lug so that an axial force is exerted on said leg thereby preventing the lug from being removed from the socket, and means for releasing the axial force on the end of said wire to allow removal of said wire from said socket, the overall dimension of the connector in the direction of insertion of said lugs being less than twice the length of said lugs, and said means for engaging said contact lugs being arranged so that the connector can be attached to the power supply unit in only one manner.

Claim 9

A ballast for gas discharge lamps comprising a power supply unit, a plurality of contact lugs extending externally of said power supply unit, a connector attached to said external lugs for receiving stripped wire ends and establishing electrical contact between said wire ends and said external lugs, said connector comprising a socket of insulating material, means on one side of said socket for nondetachably engaging said lugs, means on the opposite side of said socket for detachably engaging the wire end comprising a plurality of apertures, a resilient substantially S-shaped strip mounted within said socket having one leg thereof resiliently engageable with the wire ends so as to exert a force in the axial direction of said wire thereby preventing said wire from sliding out of said socket, the other leg being arranged for engagement at an acute angle with said lug so that an axial force is exerted on said leg thereby preventing the lug from being removed from the socket, and means for releasing the axial force on the end of said wire to allow removal of said wire from said socket, the overall dimension of the connector in the direction of insertion of said lugs being less than twice the length of said lugs, and said means for engaging said contact lugs being arranged so that the connector can be attached to the power supply unit in only one manner.