Patent Application
20170207042
The present disclosure relates generally to a lighting control device, and more particularly to a wireless lighting control device.
Lighting systems are frequently controlled with a switch to supply power to one or more light fixtures. The switch can directly supply power to the light fixtures, or can provide an input to a lighting controller that energizes and de-energizes the light fixtures in accordance with signals received from the switch. Light emitting diodes (LEDs) and light strips can be used in lighting systems, and can be controlled with a switch.
Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the description provided herein. It should be understood that the description and specific examples are intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure.
A wireless lighting control device includes a removeable inner housing that is useable as a wireless remote control for a lighting system. The inner housing is magnetically maintained in a predetermined position in an outer housing. The outer housing can be fixedly mounted to any external structure. The inner housing is readily removeable by a user from the outer housing by manual disengagement of magnetic attraction between the outer housing and the inner housing. The inner housing includes an ergonomic design to accommodate ease of removal from the outer housing, to comfortably fit a hand of a user, and to provide convenient and comfortable capability to manually change lighting levels in a lighting system within which the inner housing wireless communicates.
An example of a wireless lighting control device can include an inner housing and an outer housing. The inner housing can include an enclosure forming a back and sides of the inner housing, and a user controllable switch forming a front surface of the inner housing. The enclosure can include a wireless transmitter and a light control switch. The outer housing can include a floor and intersecting walls, which form an aperture to receive the inner housing such that the back and sides of the inner housing are positioned within the outer housing in respective alignment with the floor and walls, and the front surface of the inner housing protrudes to extend outwardly from the aperture away from the outer housing. A permanent magnet can be included in at least one of the inner housing or the outer housing, and a ferromagnetic member can be included in at least one of the inner housing and the outer housing such that the permanent magnet or the permanent magnet and the ferromagnetic member attractively maintain the inner housing in the aperture and magnetically adhered to the outer housing.
Another example of a wireless lighting control device can include an inner housing and an outer housing. The outer housing can include a first ferromagnetic member, a floor, a first pair of opposed perimeter walls extending perpendicular to the floor, and a second pair of opposed perimeter walls extending perpendicular to the floor. The first pair of perimeter walls can intersect the second pair of perimeter walls perpendicularly to define a rectangular cavity. The rectangular cavity can include a plurality of corners formed by the perimeter walls and the floor. Each of the corners can have a predetermined radius of curvature.
The inner housing can include a rectangular enclosure and a user controllable switch cover. The rectangular enclosure can include a second ferromagnetic member. At least one of the first ferromagnetic member and the second ferromagnetic member is a permanent magnet. The rectangular enclosure can be formed with rounded corners having the predetermined radius of curvature of the corners included in the outer housing so that the rounded corners of the inner housing are alignable in the rectangular cavity with the corners of the outer housing. The inner housing can be magnetically held in a predetermined removable position within the outer housing by the first and second ferromagnetic members.
An interesting aspect of the wireless lighting control device relates to a planar floor surface of one of the outer housing or the inner housing that includes a lug, and an other of the planar floor surface of the outer housing or the inner housing includes a keeper sized to receive and engage the lug. In an example system, the inner housing can be received and removably maintained in the recess by alignment of first and second ferromagnetic materials only when the floor of the inner housing and the floor of the outer housing are aligned in parallel by the lug being engaged with the keeper.
Another interesting aspect of the wireless lighting control device relates to a user controllable switch mechanism that includes a moveable front planar face extending to a periphery of the recess formed in the outer housing when the inner housing is received and removably maintained in the outer housing. The front planar face is a user interface and defines an outer perimeter edge of the inner housing.
Other systems, methods, features and advantages will be, or will become, apparent to one with skill in the art upon examination of the following figures and detailed description. It is intended that all such additional systems, methods, features and advantages be included within this description, be within the scope of the invention, and the following claims.
The system may be better understood with reference to the following drawings and description. The components in the figures are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead being placed upon illustrating the principles of the invention. Moreover, in the figures, like referenced numerals designate corresponding parts throughout the different views.
The drawings described herein are for illustration purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.
The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, application, or uses.
Referring to
During operation of the lighting system 100, wireless signals 108 can be communicated from the wireless lighting control device 106 to a lighting controller 110 to control energization or de-energization of one or more light fixtures 112. The wireless signals 108 can be short range or long range wireless signals, and can be a proprietary protocol, or standard communication protocol, such as Bluetooth®, IEEE 802.11, or any other wireless communication protocol. The lighting controller 110 can be any form of device or system capable of controlling a supply of power to the one or more light fixtures 112. Thus, the controller 110 can include voltage regulation, voltage conversion, and/or monitoring, as well as providing dimming and on/off functionality to the light fixture 112. The light fixture 112 can be any form of electrically powered device capable of emitting lumens of light energy, such as LED, neon, fluorescent, incandescent, high intensity discharge (HID), or any other form of electrically powered light emitting device.
At least two different wireless control signals 108 can be wirelessly provided to the lighting controller 110 to control one or more light fixtures 112. For example, a first wireless control signal may be provided to a lighting controller 110 to instruct the controller 110 to energize and/or increase the lumen output of one or more light fixtures 112, and a second wireless control signal can be provided to instruct the controller 110 to deenergize and/or decrease the lumen output of one or more light fixtures 112. In other examples, any other control signals and/or feedback signals may be communicated as wireless signals 108.
The wireless lighting control device 106 can include an outer housing 116 and an inner housing 118. The outer housing 116 can be integrally formed as a single unitary structure in a formable rigid material such as plastic. In an example, the outer housing 116 and the inner housing 118 are both made of a non-conducting material, such as plastic, so that any inadvertent contact with a power source would not cause energization of the outer housing 116 or the inner housing 118.
The outer housing 116 may be formed with intersecting walls 122 and 124 to define a recess 126. The walls 122 can be a pair of opposing perimeter walls that intersect with the walls 124, which are also a pair of opposing perimeter walls to form the recess 126 as rectangular. In addition, the outer housing 116 can include mounting brackets 128 integrally formed as part of the outer housing 116 and extending outwardly from outer housing 116. The mounting brackets 128 can be used to couple the outer housing 116 to an external structure, such as the wall box 102 and/or the mounting plate 104.
The outer housing 116 can also include a lug or a keeper 210 formed in a floor 212 of the outer housing 116. When the outer housing 116 is formed to include the lug 210, the floor 212 is formed to include a protuberance of predetermined dimensions extending into the recess 126. The lug 210 can be sized to engage a corresponding keeper or aperture of predetermined dimensions formed or included in an outer surface of the inner housing 118. Alternatively, where the outer housing 116 is formed to include the keeper 210, the floor 212 is formed to include the keeper in form of an aperture of predetermined dimensions in order to receive and engage a lug formed in an outer surface of the inner housing 118.
The floor 212 is a planar surface extending to the intersecting walls 122 and 124 such that the walls 122 and 124 form a perimeter around the floor 212 and extend perpendicularly away from the floor 212. The floor 212 and the intersecting walls 122 and 124 define the recess 126. In the illustrated example, the first pair of opposed perimeter walls 122 extending perpendicular to the floor 212, and the second pair of opposed perimeter walls 124 extending perpendicular to the floor 212 such that the first pair of perimeter walls 122 intersects the second pair of perimeter walls 124 perpendicularly to define the recess 126 as a rectangular cavity. The intersection of the walls 122 with the walls 124 form corners 214 in the outer housing 116. Each of the corners 214 can have a predetermined radius of curvature. In addition, the walls 124 can include a surface contour 216 that has a predetermined radius of curvature. The surface contour 216 can result an ergonomic design conducive to handling by a user. In addition, the surface contour 216 can result in a portion of the walls 124 being substantially perpendicular to the floor 212 and the floor 212 having an hourglass shape, as illustrated in
In
Referring again to the example of
The ferromagnetic member 312 can be any material, such as iron, nickel or cobalt that is attracted to a magnetic field. Alternatively, or in addition, the ferromagnetic member 312 can be a permanent magnet. The ferromagnetic member 312 can be used to magnetically couple the outer housing 116 and the inner housing 118.
Referring again to
The front planar face 136 can be a user controllable switch cover. In the illustrated example of the user controllable switch 132, the front planar face 136 is in the form of a two-way rocker switch such that the front planar face 136 is formed in a rectangular shape that is entirely a user interface for the two-way rocker switch. Accordingly, during operation a user can actuate the two-way rocker switch by applying pressure to either end of the front planar face 136. Such pressure can be applied while the inner housing 118 is mounted in the outer housing 116, or when the inner housing 118 is in a hand of a user.
Since the inner housing 118 is removable from the recess 126 of the outer housing 116, the user controllable switch 132 can be operated by a user while installed and mounted in the recess 126. Alternatively, a user can use the inner housing 118 external to the outer housing as a remote control. Operation of the inner housing 118 as a remote control may be performed by removing the inner housing 118 from the recess 126, and, for example, maintaining the inner housing 118 in a hand of the user. In this situation, a user can actuate the user controllable switch 132 to transmit wireless signals from any of a variety of locations within wireless transmission range of the lighting controller 110. The front planar face 136 included in the user controllable switch 132 is moveable as a user controllable switching mechanism with respect to the enclosure 134 to generate wireless signals.
The enclosure 134 includes an opposing back surface that can be received in the recess 126. When the back surface of the enclosure 134 is received in the recess 126, the peripheral edge 138 of the front planar face 136 can extend to surround and enclose a portion of enclosure 134 such that at least a front surface of the front planar face 136 is positioned at least partially outside the outer housing 116 and is moveable with respect to the enclosure 134.
At the opposing outer peripheral ends 510 and 512, the peripheral edge 138 includes an integrally formed shelf 514. The shelf 514 can facilitate manual removal by a user of the inner housing 118 from the recess 126 formed in the outer housing 116 by disengagement from a magnetic field formed therebetween. Since the front surface of the front planar face 136 is positioned at least partially outside the outer housing 116 when the inner housing 118 is positioned in the outer housing 116, the shelf 514 is accessible by a user as a lever point to remove the inner housing 118.
As also illustrated in
In addition, the sides 604 may include a depression 610 formed with a predetermined radius of curvature. The depression 610 may be formed in the sides 604 to facilitate grip and handling of the inner housing 118 when separated from the outer housing 116 and being used as a remote control in a hand of a user. The depression 610 may be formed with a radius of curvature that corresponds to the radius of curvature of the surface contour 216 included in the outer housing 116. Due to the correspondence between the rounded corners 606 and the corners 216, and between the depression 610 and the surface contours 216, the inner housing 118 fits snugly and securely in the outer housing 116 while still allowing ease of removal of the inner housing 118 from the outer housing 116 when use as a remote control is desired.
Referring again to
Included in the enclosure cavity 520 is circuitry 536, a conductor 538 and a ferromagnetic member 540. In other examples, fewer or additional elements may be included in the enclosure cavity 520. The circuitry 536 may include wireless transmitter circuitry 540 and detection circuitry 542 that is included as part of the user controllable switch 132. In
In the illustrated example, the light control switch functionality includes a first contact closure 542A and a second contact closure 542B. The first and second contact closures 542A and 542B can be separately and independently manually actuated by a user. In an example operation, the previously discussed two-way rocker switch may be actuated by pivoting the front planar face 136 to separately initiate one of the first and second contact closures 542A and 542B. Upon receiving one of the first and second contact closures 542A and 542B, the detection circuitry 542 can initiate transmission of a corresponding wireless signal. Thus, the light control switch can provide detection and corresponding transmission of two different wireless signals such as raise and lower signals used to increase and decrease light intensity of one or more lighting fixtures.
The conductor 538 can be electrically coupled with the circuitry 536 to provide electrical power from a power storage device 542, such as a battery. The power storage device 542 may be mounted in the base 518 in a power storage device receptacle 546, behind an access door 548 detachably coupled to the base 518 and forming a portion of the back surface 608. The base 518 may also include one or more mounts 550 upon which the circuitry 536 can be positioned within the enclosure cavity 520.
The ferromagnetic member 540 can be fixedly mounted in the base 518, such as by adhesion, a fastener or friction fit. Alternatively, or in addition, ferromagnetic material may be included in the base 518, and/or the ferromagnetic member 540 may be molded within the base 518. The ferromagnetic member 540 can be any material, such as iron, nickel or cobalt, which is attracted to a magnetic field. Alternatively, or in addition, the ferromagnetic member 540 can be a permanent magnet that creates a magnetic field. The ferromagnetic member 540 can be used to magnetically couple the outer housing 116 and the inner housing 118 based on magnetic attraction between the ferromagnetic member 540 and the ferromagnetic member 312 included in the outer housing 116.
The base 518 can also include one of a lug and a keeper 552. In the example of
The inner housing 118 is configured to contiguously align with the floor 212 included in the outer housing 116 and be surrounded by the walls 122 and 124 upon receipt in the recess 126 formed in the outer housing 116. The inner housing 118 is received and removably maintained in the recess by alignment of the first and second ferromagnetic materials only when the floor of the inner housing and the floor of the outer housing are aligned in parallel by the lug 210 being engaged with the keeper 552. In some examples, only one alignment position of the inner housing 118 with respect to the outer housing 116 magnetically holds the inner housing 118 in a predetermined removable position in the outer housing 116. The only one alignment position can be dictated by engagement of the lug 201 with the keeper 552.
The user controllable switch mechanism 132 and a ferromagnetic material, such as the ferromagnetic member 540 can be included in the inner housing 118, and a ferromagnetic material such as the ferromagnetic member 312 can be included in the outer housing 116. At least one of the ferromagnetic member 312 and the ferromagnetic member 540 is a permanent magnet. Thus, the inner housing 118 is removably maintained in the recess 126 formed in the outer housing 116 by magnetic attraction between the ferromagnetic member 312 and the ferromagnetic member 540.
Accordingly, it is now apparent that there are many advantages of the invention provided herein. In addition to the advantages that have been described, it is also possible that there are still other advantages that are not currently recognized but which may become apparent at a later time.
While preferred embodiments of the invention have been described, it should be understood that the invention is not so limited, and modifications may be made without departing from the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims, and all devices that come within the meaning of the claims, either literally or by equivalence, are intended to embrace them.
