Photocontrol devices and methods for forming the same

• US 20090050785A1
• Filed: 08/23/2007
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/23/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Flaherty, Richard Charles
• Granted Patent: US 7,547,876 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/205
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0457 the sensor sensing the operating status of the lighting device, e.g. to detect failure of a light source or to provide feedback to the device
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/0203 Cooling of mounted components H05K1/0272 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/189 characterised by the use of a flexible or folded printed circuit H05K3/326 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/056 Folded around rigid support or component
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10121 Optical component, e.g. opto-electronic component

Abstract

A photocontrol device includes a housing assembly and a flexible circuit board assembly. The housing assembly defines an enclosure cavity. The flexible circuit board assembly includes a flexible substrate and a photocontrol circuit mounted on the flexible substrate. The circuit board assembly is disposed in the enclosure cavity in a bent position.

Claims

1. A photocontrol device comprising:

a housing assembly including an outer wall and defining an enclosure cavity, wherein the outer wall has an inner surface, the inner surface defining at least a portion of the enclosure cavity; and

a flexible circuit board assembly including a flexible substrate and a photocontrol circuit mounted on the flexible substrate, wherein the circuit board assembly is disposed in the enclosure cavity in a bent position wherein the circuit board assembly has a generally cylindrical shape;

wherein the inner surface of the outer wall has a generally cylindrical shape substantially complementary to the generally cylindrical shape of the bent circuit board assembly, and the circuit board assembly engages the inner surface of the outer wall to promote heat transfer from the circuit board assembly.

2. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the photocontrol circuit includes a photosensor mounted on the flexible substrate.

3. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the photocontrol circuit includes a switching device mounted on the flexible substrate.

4. The photocontrol device of claim 3 wherein the switching device includes a relay.

5. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein at least a portion of the photocontrol circuit is printed on the flexible substrate.

9. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the housing assembly includes a base assembly including a body and at least one contact member adapted to electrically connect the photocontrol device with a lighting device.

10. The photocontrol device of claim 9 wherein the circuit board assembly is coupled to the base assembly by at least one lead extending from the at least one contact member to the circuit board assembly.

11. The photocontrol device of claim 10 wherein the at least one lead is bendable and semi-rigid.

12. The photocontrol device of claim 9 including a cover mounted on the base assembly.

13. The photocontrol device of claim 12 wherein the cover defines a cover cavity forming at least a part of the enclosure cavity and the circuit board assembly is disposed in the cover cavity.

14. The photocontrol device of claim 13 wherein the cover includes a light transmissive wall, the photocontrol circuit includes a photosensor mounted on the flexible substrate, and the photosensor is positioned adjacent the light transmissive wall to receive light therethrough.

15. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate has a tensile strength of between about 20,000 and 24,000 psi.

16. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the flexible substrate comprises a material selected from the group consisting of polymide and polyester.

19. The photo control device of claim 1 wherein the circuit board assembly has a generally circular or semi-circular cylindrical shape.

6. (canceled)

7. (canceled)

8. (canceled)

17. A lighting system comprising:

a lighting fixture including a lamp and a photocontroller connector; and

a photocontrol device operatively connected to the photocontroller connector, the photocontrol device comprising;

a housing assembly including an outer wall and defining an enclosure cavity wherein the outer wall has an inner surface, the inner surface defining at least a portion of the enclosure cavity; and

a flexible circuit board assembly including a flexible substrate and a photocontrol circuit mounted on the flexible substrate, wherein the circuit board assembly is disposed in the enclosure cavity in a bent position wherein the circuit board assembly has a generally cylindrical shape;

wherein the inner surface of the outer wall has a generally cylindrical shape substantially complementary to the generally cylindrical shape of the bent circuit board assembly, and the circuit board assembly engages the inner surface of the outer wall to promote heat transfer from the circuit board assembly;

wherein the photocontrol device is operative to control the lighting fixture responsive to light incident on the photocontrol device.

18. A method for manufacturing a photocontrol device, the method comprising:

constructing a flexible circuit board assembly including a flexible substrate and a photocontrol circuit mounted on the flexible substrate;

bending the circuit board into a bent position wherein the circuit board assembly has a generally cylindrical shape; and

placing the circuit board assembly in the bent position into an enclosure cavity of a housing assembly, the housing assembly including an outer wall having an inner surface defining at least a portion of the enclosure cavity and having a generally cylindrical shape substantially complementary to the generally cylindrical shape of the bent circuit board assembly, including engaging the circuit board assembly with the inner surface of the outer wall to promote heat transfer from the circuit board assembly.

20. The method of claim 18 including, after placing the circuit board assembly in the bent position into the enclosure cavity, releasing the circuit board assembly to permit the circuit board assembly to radially expand to engage the inner surface of the outer wall.