CONTACTLESS COUPLING AND METHOD FOR USE WITH AN ELECTRICAL APPLIANCE

• US 20120228529A1
• Filed: 11/12/2010
• Published: 09/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 300K Enterprises Pty., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: 300K Enterprises Pty., Ltd.
• Inventors: Trewin, Christopher Scott, Russell, Johnny Fabian, Weimann, Christian Albin, Rodway, Michael
• Granted Patent: US 9,040,947 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/551
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/116 Fixing lighting devices to arms or standards F21V21/002 takes precedence
• 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 25/02 coming into action when lighting device is disturbed, dismounted, or broken
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 25/12 Flameproof or explosion-proof arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/101 of tunnels or the like, e.g. under bridges
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/402 for working places
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01F 38/14 Inductive couplings for wireless supply or distribution of electric power using inductive coupling H02J50/10
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 50/10 using inductive coupling
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/21 of two or more light sources connected in parallel
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49208 by assembling plural parts

Abstract

The present invention relates to a coupling and various methods of use of the coupling. In one embodiment the invention provides a coupling for use with an appliance operated by a power supply, which coupling allows mounting/dismounting of the appliance without electrical isolation from the supply said coupling comprising: a) a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said member being suitable for fixing to a structure; and b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member is suitable for holding or for connecting thereto an appliance, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to an appliance; c) wherein engagement of the first and second members is able i) to cause induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element enabling powering of an appliance and ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and an appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and wherein disengagement of the first and second members results in no induction and no carriage of the signal.

Claims

1-29. -29. (canceled)

30. A coupling for use with an appliance operated by a power supply, which coupling allows mounting/dismounting of the appliance without electrical isolation from the supply said coupling comprising:

a) a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said mounting member being suitable for fixing to a structure; and

b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member is suitable for holding or for connecting thereto an appliance, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to an appliance;

c) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member is able i) to cause induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element enabling powering of an appliance and ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and an appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in no induction and no carriage of the signal.

31. The coupling of claim 30 wherein said controls allows the appliance to operate in a range of power supply voltages and/or detect the presence or absence of the appliance on the coupling.

32. The coupling of claim 30 wherein the signal is carried by a communications path between said controls of the first encapsulated transformer element and said other controls of the second encapsulated transformer element wherein the communications path is an optical path comprising infrared light.

33. The coupling of claim 32 wherein the optical path is a light tube.

34. The coupling of claim 33 wherein communication is provided by an IR LED and an IR receiver.

35. The coupling of claim 30 wherein the appliance is selected from the group comprising a lamp fitting, instrumentation, electrical motor, process control/instrumentation devices, flow control valve, electricity meter, smart meter, submeters and status indicators including proximity switches, pressure switches, flow indicators, valves, pH meters and the like.

36. The coupling of claim 30 wherein the appliance is a lamp fitting comprising LED.

37. The coupling claim 30 wherein the members are configured so as to i) ensure alignment of the communication path when the members are engaged and ii) form a protective housing having a longitudinal axis, wherein outer surfaces of the encapsulated elements are physically contactable through 360°

of rotation about the axis.

38. The coupling of claim 30 suitable for use with an industrial or commercial lamp fitting and wherein, when engaged, the members form a weather resistant housing.

40. Use of the coupling of claim 30 to mount an appliance to a structure.

44. The coupling of claim 30 wherein the encapsulated transformer elements comprise windings in the form of suitable printed or etched material.

49. The coupling of claim 30 wherein the controls and other controls comprise appropriately programmed CPU.

39. An integrated lamp fitting and holder member suitable for coupling with a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said member being suitable for fixing to a structure.

41. A method of manufacture of coupling for use with an appliance operated by a power supply, which coupling allows mounting/dismounting of the appliance without electrical isolation from the supply said method comprising producing a coupling:

by assembling a) a mounting member comprising a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said mounting member being suitable for fixing to a structure; and

by assembling b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member is suitable for holding or for connecting thereto an appliance, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to an appliance;

c) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member is able i) to cause induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element enabling powering of an appliance and ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and an appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in no induction and no carriage of the signal.

42. An improved method of mounting an appliance operated by a power supply, which method allows mounting/dismounting of the appliance without electrical isolation from the supply said method comprising:

providing a) a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said member being suitable for fixing to a structure; and

engageable with said mounting member, b) a holder member suitable for holding or for connecting thereto an appliance said member having a second encapsulated transformer element and other suitable controls able conduct power to the appliance;

c) wherein engagement of the mounting member and holder member is able i) to cause induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element enabling powering of an appliance and ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and an appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and holder member results in no induction and no carriage of the signal; and

fixing said mounting member to a structure, connecting it to the power supply, engaging the holder member and associated appliance with the mounting member.

43. An improved method of maintenance of lamp fittings or other appliances operated by a power supply which method allows mounting/dismounting of the fittings or other appliances without electrical isolation from the supply said method comprising:

provision of lamp fittings or other appliances associated with couplings each coupling comprising a) a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said mounting member being suitable for fixing to a structure; and

b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member is suitable for holding or for connecting thereto an appliance, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to an appliance;

c) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member is able i) to cause induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element enabling powering of an appliance and ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and an appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in no induction and no carriage of the signal the improvement comprising that replacement of lamp fittings or other appliances can be carried out under full power load by disengaging said the holder member and replacing it with a fresh lamp fitting or other appliance attached to a second holder member directly, or via a cable.

45. A method of providing proximity activated control of luminescence in at least one lamp comprising providing:

a lamp fitting operated by a power supply and mounted on a structure in a location, wherein the lamp is associated with a coupling which allows mounting/dismounting of the lamp without electrical isolation from the supply, the coupling comprising a) a mounting member mounted on a structure having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connected to the power supply;

b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member holds or has connected thereto a lamp, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to the lamp;

c) where one of the members includes a wireless digital radio transceiver able to receive signals from and transmit signals to said coupling attached to the structure within range and receive signals from and transmit signals to a control station;

d) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member causes i) induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element to power the lamp; and

ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and lamp to control and/or monitor the lamp; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in no induction and no carriage of the signal; and

e) wherein luminescence of the lamp is controlled by a remote controller via the radio transceiver said remote controller being operational within a predetermined distance from the coupling and/or manually.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the remote controller is carried by a person or vehicle.

47. A method of providing a distributed supervision control and data acquisition network for controlling appliances remotely comprising providing:

lamp fittings or other appliances operated by a power supply and mounted on power poles or other structures in a location and wherein the appliances are associated with couplings which allow mounting/dismounting of the appliances without electrical isolation from the supply, each coupling comprising a) a mounting member mounted on a power pole or other structure having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connected to the power supply;

b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member holds or has connected thereto the appliance, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to the appliance;

c) where one of the members includes a wireless digital radio transceiver able to receive signals from and transmit signals to couplings attached to other poles or structures within range and receive signals from and transmit signals to a control station;

d) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member causes i) induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element to power the appliance; and

ii) is able to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and the appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in no induction; and

e) wherein the coupling is able to receive signals from and transmit signals to the control station allowing remote control of the appliance in b) or another appliance associated with the network.

48. A method of operating and controlling an appliance by inductively coupling the appliance to a power supply via a coupling which coupling allows mounting/dismounting of the appliance without electrical isolation from the supply said method comprising providing a coupling comprising:

a) a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable control circuitry connected to the power supply; and

b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member holds or has connected thereto an appliance, said holder member having suitable control circuitry and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to the appliance;

c) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member i) causes induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element thereby powering the appliance and ii) causes a signal to be carried between the control circuitry and the appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance; and

wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in no induction and no carriage of the signal.

50. An industrial, non domestic coupling for use with an industrial, non domestic appliance operated by a power supply, which coupling allows safe and intrinsically safe mounting/dismounting of the appliance without electrical isolation from the supply said coupling comprising:

a) a mounting member having a first encapsulated transformer element and suitable controls connectable to the power supply, said member being suitable for fixing to a structure; and

b) a holder member engageable with said mounting member, wherein the holder member is suitable for holding or for connecting thereto an industrial, non domestic appliance, said holder member having other suitable controls and a second encapsulated transformer element able conduct power to an appliance;

c) wherein said members are securable together and of suitable configuration and strength to support the appliance;

d) wherein engagement of the mounting member and the holder member is able;

i) to cause induction of current in the second encapsulated transformer element enabling powering of the other controls;

ii) to indicate the presence an appliance engaged with the second transformer element by a signal being carried between said controls and to allow powering of an appliance;

iii) to cause a signal to be carried between the controls and an appliance to control and/or monitor the appliance and wherein disengagement of the mounting member and the holder member results in the absence of communication between said controls and results in said first encapsulated transformer element going into a power off condition.

51. The coupling of claim 50 wherein the signal is carried by a communications path between the mounting member and the holder member and the members are configured so as to ensure alignment of the path when the members are engaged.