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(11) | EP 2 273 188 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Lighting device with sensor Beleuchtungsvorrichtung mit Sensor Dispositif d'éclairage avec capteur |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
(a) Technical Field of the Invention
[0001] The present invention generally relates to lighting devices, and especially relates to a lighting device integrating a sensor assembly whose direction could be easily and conveniently adjusted.
(b) Description of the Prior Art
[0002] Various sensor devices have been widely applied in daily lives. One common application is to use a sensor device to turn on/off a lighting device or to activate/deactivate a video surveillance device so as to achieve efficient energy or resource usage.
[0003] Regardless its type and quality, a sensor usually has a specific sensing direction and a specific coverage. As such, the sensor has to be manually adjusted to aim at the desired direction and coverage or some automatic adjustment means is required so that the sensor can detect the entrance or exit of an object into or out of the coverage. Therefore, the sensor is usually mounted on some pivot and could be adjusted by some lever. However, with these additional means, the sensor becomes bulky and the adjustable rage is usually limited by the pivot or lever. Blind spots where the sensor cannot effectively perform detection are therefore often inevitable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0005] Accordingly, a novel lighting device with an integrated sensor assembly is provided herein to obviate the foregoing shortcomings of the prior arts.
[0006] The lighting device mainly contains an upper casing, a middle casing, a circuit board, a lower casing, and a sensor assembly. The middle casing has a number through holes around a top circumference and a number of ventilation slots around a middle circumference. Circumferential threads are provided between the through holes and the ventilation slots, and beneath the ventilation slots. A number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are configured on a top surface and a bottom surface of a top side of the middle casing, and the sensor assembly is configured among the LEDs. A bottom side of the lower casing is joined to a power socket and, inside the lower casing, the circuit board is configured and connected to the LEDs and the sensor assembly. The sensor assembly contains a cylindrical casing with a spherical top end and a ring. The cylindrical casing is threaded through the ring, jointly constituting a substantially spherical shape. The sensor assembly is then rotatably configured in a spherical concave on the top side of the middle casing.
[0007] The sensor assembly could be easily turned to point to a desired coverage area by manually twisting the ring. The sensor assembly is specifically configured into a spherical shape and therefore its rotational angle is not limited by any pivot or lever as in the prior arts. In addition, as no lever or pivot is used, the sensor assembly could have a smaller dimension and could be more flexibly applied to various lighting devices. To achieve even easier assembly and lower production cost, the upper casing could actually be replaced by an enlarged casing.
[0008] The foregoing objectives and summary provide only a brief introduction to the present invention. To fully appreciate these and other objects of the present invention as well as the invention itself, all of which will become apparent to those skilled in the art, the following detailed description of the invention and the claims should be read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Throughout the specification and drawings identical reference numerals refer to identical or similar parts.
[0009] Many other advantages and features of the present invention will become manifest to those versed in the art upon making reference to the detailed description and the accompanying sheets of drawings in which a preferred structural embodiment incorporating the principles of the present invention is shown by way of illustrative example.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010]
FIG 1 is a perspective diagram showing a lighting device according to an embodiment of the present invention.
FIG 2 is a perspective break-down diagram showing the various components of the lighting device of FIG 1.
FIG 3 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing a sensor assembly of the lighting device of FIG 1.
FIG 4 is a schematic diagram showing the directional adjustment of the sensor assembly of FIG 3.
FIG 5 is a schematic diagram showing the sensor assembly of FIG 3 is pointed sideways.
FIG 6 is an enlarged schematic diagram showing a sensor assembly of a lighting device according to another embodiment of the present invention.
FIGS. 7-10 are schematic diagrams showing lighting devices according alternative embodiments of the present invention.
FIG 11 illustrates a modification of the lighting device which is not sought for patent protection in this application.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0011] The following descriptions are exemplary embodiments only, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability or configuration of the invention in any way Rather, the following description provides a convenient illustration for implementing exemplary embodiments of the invention. Various changes to the described embodiments may be made in the function and arrangement of the elements described without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.
[0012] As illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 5, a lighting device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention mainly contains an upper casing 1, a middle casing 2, a circuit board 3, a lower casing 4, and a sensor assembly 20.
[0013] As exhibited in FIGS. 1 and 2, the middle casing 2 has a tubular shape with a number through holes 23 around a top circumference and a number of axially-oriented ventilation slots 24 around a middle circumference of the middle casing 2. Circumferential threads (not numbered) are provided between the through holes 23 and the ventilation slots 24, and beneath the ventilation slots 24, for joining with the upper and lower casings 1 and 4, respectively A number of light emitting diodes (LEDs) 21 are configured on a top surface and a bottom surface of a top side of the middle casing 2, surrounding the sensor assembly 20. A bottom side of the lower casing 4 is joined to a power socket (not shown) and, inside the lower casing 4, the circuit board 3 is configured and connected to the LEDs 21 and a sensor inside the sensor assembly 20. The sensor assembly 20 contains a cylindrical casing 203 with a spherical top end and a ring 202. The cylindrical casing 203 is threaded through the ring 32, jointly constituting a substantially spherical shape. The sensor assembly 20 is then rotatably configured in a spherical concave 201 on the top side of the middle casing 2 and is further confined by a circular center opening of an upper cover 11 housed in the upper casing 1.Alternatively, the concave 201 and the upper cover 11 could be an integral part of the upper casing 1 so that the sensor assembly 20 is configured directly on the upper casing 1, as shown in FIG 6.
[0014] As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the sensor assembly 20 is rotatably positioned in the spherical concave 201 and the upper cover 11 is positioned higher than the center of the sensor assembly 20 so that the sensor assembly 20 is reliably confined between the spherical concave 201 and the upper cover 11. As described and illustrated, the sensor assembly 20 (and therefore the sensor inside) could be easily turned to point to a desired coverage area by manually twisting the ring 202. When a person or some object has entered the coverage area, the sensor inside the sensor assembly 20 would detect the object and turn on the LEDs 21 of the lighting device. When the object leaves the coverage area, the sensor could turn off the LEDs 21 so as to save energy consumption. Please note that the sensor assembly 20 is specifically configured into a spherical shape and therefore its rotational angle is not limited by any pivot or lever as in the prior arts. In addition, as no lever or pivot is used, the sensor assembly 20 could have a smaller dimension and could be more flexibly applied to various lighting devices.
[0015] FIGS. 7∼10 provide various equivalent configurations of the sensor assembly 20 according to alternative embodiments of the present invention. FIG 11 illustrates a modification of the slighting device which is not sought for patent protection in this application.
[0016] While certain novel features of this invention have been shown and described and are pointed out in the annexed claim, it is not intended to be limited to the details above, since it will be understood that various omissions, modifications, substitutions and changes in the forms and details of the device illustrated and in its operation can be made by those skilled in the art without departing in any way from the scope of the present invention, as defined by the appended claims.
a lower casing (4) having a bottom side connected to a power socket;
a circuit board (3) housed inside said lower casing (4);
an upper casing (1) having an upper coven (11) inside;
a middle casing (2) having a plurality of through holes (23) around a top circumference, a plurality of ventilation slots (24) around a middle circumference, circumferential threads around said top circumference and a bottom circumference for joining with said upper and lower casings;
a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (21) on a top side of said middle casing (2); and
a sensor assembly (20) having a cylindrical casing (203) threaded in a ring (202), thereby jointly constituting a substantially spherical shape, said sensor assembly (20) rotatably housed in a spherical concave (201) adjacent to said light emitting diodes (21) on said top side of said middle casing (2).
ein unteres Gehäuse (4) mit einer Unterseite verbunden mit einer Steckdose;
eine Leiterplatte (3) untergebracht im Inneren des unteren Gehäuses (4);
ein oberes Gehäuse (1) mit einer oberen Abdeckung (11) im Inneren;
ein mittleres Gehäuse (2) mit einer Vielzahl von Durchgangslöchern (23) rund um einen Deckel Umfang, eine Vielzahl von Lüftungsschlitzen (24) um einen mittleren Umfang, umlaufende Fäden rund um den besagten Deckel Umfang und ein unterer Umfang für die Verbindung mit den besagten oberen und unteren Gehäusen;
eine Vielzahl von Leuchtdioden (LEDs) (21) auf der oberen Seite des besagten mittleren Gehäuses (2); und
ein Sensor (20) mit einem zylindrischen Gehäuse (203) eingefädelt in einen Ring(202), dadurch bilden diese gemeinsam eine deutlich sphärische Form der besagten sensor-Baugruppe (20) die sich drehbar in einer kugelförmigen Höhlung (201) befindet angrenzend an die besagten Leuchtdioden (21) auf der besagten oberen Seite des mittleren Gehäuses (2).
Un boitier inférieur (4) dont la face inférieure est connectée à une prise secteur;
Un circuit imprimé (3) à l'intérieur du boitier inférieur (4);
Un boitier supérieur (1) avec un couvercle supérieur (11) à l'intérieur;
Un boitier central (2) comprenant une pluralité d'orifices (23) autour d'un périphérique supérieur,
une pluralité de fentes d'aération (24) autour du périphérique médiane, des filets périphériques autour du périphérique supérieur et un périphérique bas reliant les boitiers supérieurs et inférieurs;
une pluralité de diodes luminescentes (LED) (21) sur la partie supérieure du boitier central (2); et
les composants du capteur (20) comprenant un boitier cylindrique (203) fileté dans un anneau (202), constituant ainsi une forme sensiblement sphérique, les composants du capteur (20) logés en rotation dans une sphérique concave (201) adjacents aux diodes luminescentes (21) de la partie supérieure du boitier central (2).
REFERENCES CITED IN THE DESCRIPTION
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.
Patent documents cited in the description