Adapters for existing light fixtures

• US 10,190,761 B1
• Filed: 06/16/2017
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Cooper Technologies Company (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Winters, Philip D., Kumar, Jyoti, Bilal, Bryant A., Doheny, Seth
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaiser, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US15/624,870
• Time in Patent Office: 592 Days
• Field of Search: 362231, 36224901, 362255, 315307
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/001 the elements being electrical wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0435 activated by remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/175 by remote control
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission

Abstract

A retrofitted light fixture can include a power source that delivers primary power. The retrofitted light fixture can also include at least one light fixture component of an existing light fixture, where the at least one light fixture component, as part of the existing light fixture, was directly coupled to the power source. The retrofitted light fixture can further include an adapter coupled to the power supply and the at least one light source, where the adapter comprises a controller, where the adapter receives the primary power from the power source, where the controller delivers power to the at least one light fixture component based on instructions.

Claims

1. A retrofitted light fixture, comprising:

a coupling feature of a power source that delivers primary power;

at least one light fixture component of an existing light fixture, wherein the at least one light fixture component comprises a power supply, wherein the at least one light fixture component, as part of the existing light fixture, was directly coupled to the power source; and

an adapter coupled to the coupling feature of the power source and the power supply of the at least one light fixture component, wherein the adapter comprises a controller and a communication module, wherein the adapter receives the primary power from the coupling feature of the power source, wherein the controller delivers power to the power supply of the at least one light fixture component based on instructions, wherein the communication module allows the controller to communicate with an external component that is external to the retrofitted light fixture,

wherein the existing light fixture, without the adapter, continues to operate but is unable to communicate with the external component.

2. The retrofitted light fixture of claim 1, wherein the adapter further comprises a transceiver coupled to the controller and the communication module, wherein the transceiver of the adapter receives the instructions.

3. The retrofitted light fixture of claim 2, wherein the transceiver communicates using wireless communication.

4. The retrofitted light fixture of claim 1, wherein the instructions are stored in the adapter.

5. The retrofitted light fixture of claim 1, wherein the at least one light fixture component comprises a power supply that receives the power from the adapter.

6. The retrofitted light fixture of claim 1, wherein the adapter is disposed within a housing of the existing light fixture.

7. An adapter for retrofitting an existing light fixture, the adapter comprising:

a first coupling feature configured to couple to a power source that provides primary power;

a second coupling feature configured to couple to a power supply of the existing light fixture; and

an adapter housing coupled to and disposed between the first coupling feature and the second coupling feature, wherein the adapter housing comprises a controller and a communication module, wherein the controller is configured to;

receive the primary power from the power source through a first connector end; and

deliver, using instructions, power based on the primary power to at least one light fixture component of the existing light fixture,

wherein the communication module is configured to allow the controller to communicate with an external component that is external to the existing light fixture, and

wherein the existing light fixture, without the communication module of the adapter housing, continues to operate but is unable to communicate with the external component.

8. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the first connector end is configured to couple to a first complementary connector end of the power source.

9. The adapter of claim 8, wherein the second coupling feature comprises a second connector end that is configured to couple to a second complementary connector end of the at least one light fixture component.

10. The adapter of claim 9, wherein the second connector end is configured substantially similar to the first complementary connector end of the at least one light fixture component, and wherein the first connector end is configured substantially similar to the second complementary connector end of the power source.

11. The adapter of claim 8, further comprising:

a first electrical wire disposed between the first connector end and the adapter housing, wherein the first electrical wire is configured to transmit the primary power from the first connector end to the adapter housing.

12. The adapter of claim 11, further comprising:

a second electrical wire disposed between the second connector end and the adapter housing, wherein the second electrical wire is configured to transmit the power from the adapter housing to the second connector end.

13. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the adapter housing further comprises a hardware processor and memory coupled to the controller, wherein the hardware processor executes the instructions using the memory.

14. The adapter of claim 13, wherein the adapter housing further comprises a storage repository coupled to the controller, wherein the storage repository stores the instructions.

15. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the adapter housing further comprises a transceiver coupled to the controller, wherein the transceiver receives the instructions from an external source.

16. The adapter of claim 15, wherein the transceiver communicates with the external source using wireless technology.

17. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the adapter housing further comprises a timer coupled to the controller, wherein the instructions are pre-set schedules of operation for the at least one light fixture component, wherein the pre-set schedules are tracked by the timer.

18. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the instructions are for providing the power and ceasing to provide the power to the at least one light fixture component.

19. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the instructions are for providing a reduced amount of the power to the at least one light fixture component.

20. The adapter of claim 7, wherein the instructions are for having a light source of the existing light source emit a particular color, wherein the light source is among the at least one light fixture component.