Abstract: An under cabinet halogen light fixture with an internal wire raceway includes a housing having a base and a removable cover, which when mated, define a hollow interior. The light fixture also includes at least one lamp assembly mounted inside the housing. Adjacent each lamp assembly there is a corresponding bezel assembly mounted in a respective aperture formed in the cover. A wall member located in the base defines at least one internal wire raceway in the interior of the housing, which routes electrical wires to each lamp assembly from an external wire raceway, or from a hole in the base of the housing where the electrical wires enter the housing. If needed, the hole in the base of the housing is created by removing a punch out portion from the base. To mate the internal wire raceway with an external wire raceway, a breakaway portion formed in the housing adjacent the internal wire raceway is removed from the housing to create a passageway that is shaped to receive the external wire raceway.

Abstract: A light fixture comprising a metal housing and at least one lamp assembly mounted inside the housing. The housing, includes a metal backing plate and a metal cover secured to the backing plate. The lamp assembly is mounted in an interior of the housing providing light through an aperture in the metal cover. The backing plate is formed with at least one projecting tongue that can be inserted between the base and cover section of a metal raceway. Electrical conductors may be pulled through the raceway for connection to the lamp assembly.

Abstract: A light fixture comprises a lamp assembly, a cylindrical housing surrounding and supporting the lamp assembly, and a cylindrical mounting ring surrounding and supporting the cylindrical housing. The mounting ring includes an upper edge with a plurality of circumferentially spaced projections for engaging a support surface to define a plurality of airflow gaps. The mounting ring also has a pair of radially inwardly directed mounting tabs extending from the upper edge of the mounting ring for receiving fastener screws.

Abstract: A U-shaped plastic heat shield is mounted over a control surface region of the metal cover of a halogen light fixture. A manually actuable rocker switch mounted in the cover extends through a switch aperture in the heat shield for turning a halogen lamp assembly ON and OFF, and for dimming the same. The heat shield is sized and configured so that a user's finger tips will not directly contact the metal cover when the switch is actuated. The heat shield is removably attached to the cover with the same bolt and nut that hold the cover to the metal backing plate of the light fixture. The heat shield reduces the amount of heat otherwise felt by the user when manually actuating the switch.

Abstract: The present invention provides a very low actuation force touch control switch for use in brightness control of illumination devices. The control switch comprises a flexible membrane having a plurality of conductors disposed on one surface and secured to a rigid support surface. The conductors are interwoven in a present pattern with portions of the conductors being exposed. A conductive surface is formed in an area under the exposed conductors. The membrane is fastened to the rigid support surface so that a very small spacing is maintained between the exposed conductors and the fixed conductive surface, allowing a very light touch to cause one or more exposed conductors to be shorted to the conductive surface. A microprocessor periodically polls the leads of the membrane to determine which are shorted together and causes an output power level to be adjusted accordingly.

Abstract: The described embodiment of the present invention provides a very low pressure electrical switch for use in brightness control of lamps. The electrical switch includes a flexible membrane on which printed leads are interlaced in a regular fashion. Portions of the interlaced electrical leads are exposed. The membrane is fastened to the surface of a rigid surface. In the area under the exposed conductor, a fixed conductor is formed. The membrane is fastened to the surface of the rigid surface so that a very small spacing is maintained between the exposed conductors and the fixed conductor. Because of this small spacing, a very light touch is required to cause the exposed conductors to be shorted to the fixed conductor. A microprocessor then determines which leads of the membranes are shorted together and causes the light to dim appropriately.

Abstract: A high gain bandpass amplifier for amplifying low frequency, low level signals ouptut from ceramic infrared sensors. The amplifier includes an input capacitor having a pair of terminals with one of the terminals for receiving the infrared sensor output signal. A first MOS operational amplifier having inverting and noninverting inputs and an output, has its inverting input connected to the other terminal of the input capacitor. A first feedback network is coupled between the first amplifier inverting input and output. A resistor having a pair of terminals has one terminal connected to the first amplifier output. A second MOS operational amplifier also having inverting and noninverting inputs and an output has its inverting input connected to the other terminal of the resistor. The noninverting inputs of the first and second amplifiers are connected together and receive the reference voltage. A second feedback network is coupled between the second amplifier inverting input and output.

Abstract: A touch-responsive socket for receiving an electric light bulb and controlling the power delivered to the bulb in response to the touching of an electrically-conductive member includes a housing with a touch-responsive electrical circuit disposed in it between a light socket shell and a mounting base. The mounting base is assembled from electrically dissimilar base portions. An electrically-nonconductive base portion provides support for power conductors and means for connecting the circuit to the conductors. An electrically-conductive base portion, which fits to the nonconductive base portion, provides electrical conductivity between a touch-control signal input to the touch-control circuit and an electrically-conductive member that is touched to control the illumination of an electric light bulb in the socket shell.