PHOTOCONTROL DEVICES AND METHODS FOR FORMING THE SAME

• US 20100252715A1
• Filed: 04/02/2009
• Published: 10/07/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TE Connectivity Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Original Assignee: Tyco Electronics Corporation (TE Connectivity Ltd. (United Kingdom))
• Inventors: Flaherty, Richard Charles
• Granted Patent: US 8,143,568 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/206
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/02 Details
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/0271 Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers
• CPC Class Codes: G01J 1/4204 with determination of ambient light solar light G01J2001/4266
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/405 Securing in non-demountable manner, e.g. moulding, riveting
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 33/72 Three-pole devices
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A photocontrol device for controlling a powered device includes a housing assembly defining a cavity and including a base assembly. The base assembly includes an outer base member having a base opening, and an inner base member separately formed from the outer base member and mounted in the base opening. A circuit board is disposed in the cavity. A photosensor is connected to the circuit board. An elongate contact member is mechanically and electrically coupled to the circuit board. The elongate contact member is mounted on and extends through the inner base member. The elongate contact member is adapted to electrically connect the photocontrol device with the powered device.

Claims

1. A photocontrol device for controlling a powered device, the photocontrol device comprising:

a housing assembly defining a cavity and including a base assembly, the base assembly including;

an outer base member having a base opening; and

an inner base member separately formed from the outer base member and mounted in the base opening;

a circuit board disposed in the cavity;

a photosensor connected to the circuit board;

an elongate contact member mechanically and electrically coupled to the circuit board, wherein the elongate contact member is mounted on and extends through the inner base member, the elongate contact member being adapted to electrically connect the photocontrol device with the powered device.

2. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the inner base member is welded to the outer base member.

3. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the inner base member is mechanically secured to the outer base member by interlock features.

4. The photocontrol device of claim 1 including an O-ring interposed between the inner base member and the outer base member to provide an environmental seal.

5. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the housing assembly includes a cover member mounted on the outer base member and defining the cavity.

6. The photocontrol device of claim 5 wherein the cover member includes a translucent portion to expose the photosensor to ambient light.

7. The photocontrol device of claim 1 including a conductor layer on a side of the circuit board opposite the inner base member.

8. The photocontrol device of claim 7 wherein the conductor layer is a wave soldered layer.

9. The photocontrol device of claim 7 including a plurality of electronic components mounted on a side of the circuit board proximate the inner base member, wherein the electronic components have contacts that extend through the circuit board and are electrically connected by the conductor layer.

10. The photocontrol device of claim 1 wherein the powered device is a lighting device.

11. A lighting system comprising:

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

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

a housing assembly defining a cavity and including a base assembly, the base assembly including;

an outer base member having a base opening; and

an inner base member separately formed from the outer base member and mounted in the base opening;

a circuit board disposed in the cavity;

a photosensor connected to the circuit board;

an elongate contact member mechanically and electrically coupled to the circuit board, wherein the elongate contact member is mounted on and extends through the inner base member;

wherein the elongate contact member engages the photocontroller connector to electrically connect the photocontrol device with the lighting device; and

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

12. A method for manufacturing a photocontrol device for controlling a powered device, the method comprising:

mounting an elongate contact member in an inner base member, wherein the elongate contact member is adapted to electrically connect the photocontrol device with the powered device;

mounting the elongate contact member on a circuit board electrically connected to a photosensor; and

mounting the inner base member with the elongate contact member in an opening of an outer base member to form a base assembly.

13. The method of claim 12 including applying a conductor layer to the circuit board with the elongate contact member mounted in the inner base member and the circuit board to electrically connect the elongate contact member to the circuit board.

14. The method of claim 13 including applying the conductor layer to a side of the circuit board opposite the inner base member.

15. The method of claim 14 including:

mounting a plurality of electronic components a side of the circuit board proximate the inner base member such that contacts of the electronic components extend through the circuit board; and

thereafter

applying the conductor layer to the side of the circuit board opposite the inner base member to electrically connect the contacts to the circuit board by the conductor layer.

16. The method of claim 12 applying the conductor layer to the circuit board includes wave soldering the conductor layer onto the circuit board with the elongate contact member mounted in the inner base member and the circuit board to electrically connect the elongate contact member to the circuit board.

17. The method of claim 16 including:

forming a unitary circuit board assembly including a plurality of circuit boards;

providing a plurality of inner base members, a plurality of outer base members, and a plurality of elongate contact members;

mounting each of the elongate contact members in a respective one of the inner base members;

mounting each of the elongate contact members on a respective one of the circuit boards;

thereafter

wave soldering an assembly conductor layer onto the unitary circuit board assembly;

separating the circuit boards from one another to form subunits each including a respective elongate contact member, a respective inner base member, a respective circuit board, and a respective conductor layer from the assembly conductor layer electrically connecting the respective elongate contact member to the respective circuit board; and

mounting each subunit in a respective outer base member such that the inner base member of the subunit is received in an opening of the respective outer base member to form a base assembly.

18. The method of claim 17 including mounting a respective cover member on each of the base assemblies.

19. The method of claim 12 including welding each inner base member to the outer base member in which it is received.

20. The method of claim 12 including mechanically securing each inner base member to the outer base member in which it is received using interlock features.