Electronics enclosure and associated mounting apparatus

• US 7,813,111 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2007
• Issued: 10/12/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/06/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: LED Roadway Lighting Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Streetlight Intelligence, Inc. (LED Roadway Lighting Ltd.)
• Inventors: Braithwaite, Ian, Anderson, James A., Langlois, Damon H., Jacklin, Gregory P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gandhi; Jayprakash N
• Assistant Examiner(s): SMITH, COURTNEY L
• Application Number:
  US11/784,377
• Publication Number:
  US 20070236869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,285 Days
• Field of Search: 361/173, 361/600, 361/641, 361/651, 361/710, 361/714, 361/674, 361/807, 361/810
• US Class Current: 361/674
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/026 Fastening of transformers or ballasts
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/105 of arenas or the like

Abstract

An enclosure is arranged for housing electronics associated with a luminaire and includes a first member including a mounting interface arranged to couple the first member to the luminaire and a second member mechanically coupled to the first member. The mounting interface facilitates provisionally coupling the first member to the luminaire and securing the enclosure to the luminaire. A corresponding mounting apparatus for securing an enclosure to a luminaire includes a mounting member having an opening and configured to be secured to a surface of a luminaire and a neck portion extending from the enclosure and configured to pass through the opening. The neck portion includes a neck opening that is configured to allow wiring to be routed from the electronics to the luminaire. The neck portion and the mounting member may include respective complementary surfaces to provide a mounting interface for provisionally coupling the enclosure to the luminaire.

Claims

1. An enclosure arranged and constructed for housing electronics associated with a luminaire, the enclosure comprising:

a first member including a mounting interface arranged to facilitate coupling the first member to the luminaire; and

wherein a neck portion extends relative to the first member such that when the first member is coupled to the luminaire, a threaded end of the neck portion extends through an opening in a lower surface of the luminaire

a second member mechanically coupled to the first member, the first member and the second member providing the enclosure for electronics; and

an antenna, wherein the antenna is secured to, and extends away from the enclosure.

2. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein the first member with the mounting interface is further arranged and configured to be secured to the lower surface of the luminaire when the luminaire is installed in an operating configuration.

3. The enclosure of claim 1 wherein the first member further comprises the neck portion that facilitates coupling the first member to the luminaire.

4. The enclosure of claim 3 further comprising a mounting member with a mounting opening, the mounting member arranged and configured to be secured to the surface of the luminaire, wherein the neck portion extends through the mounting opening when the first member is coupled to the luminaire.

5. The enclosure of claim 4 wherein the neck portion includes a keying surface and the mounting member includes a complementary keying surface that aligns with the keying surface when the first member is coupled to the luminaire thus establishing a predetermined angular position of the first member with respect to the mounting member.

6. The enclosure of claim 4 wherein the mounting member is arranged to be temporarily coupled to the first member by one or more resilient tabs engaging one or more complementary recesses.

7. The enclosure of claim 6 wherein the mounting member includes the one or more resilient tabs and the one or more resilient tabs include corresponding projecting members and wherein the neck portion includes the one or more complementary recesses.

8. An enclosure arranged and constructed for housing electronics associated with a luminaire, the enclosure comprising:

a first member including a mounting interface arranged to facilitate coupling the first member to the luminaire, wherein the first member further comprises a neck portion that facilitates coupling the first member to the luminaire;

a second member mechanically coupled to the first member, the first member and the second member providing the enclosure for electronics;

and a locking nut;

wherein the neck portion includes a neck opening that is generally circular in cross section, the neck opening configured to allow wiring to be routed from the electronics to the luminaire;

wherein the neck portion extends perpendicular to a plane of the first member such that when the first member is coupled to the luminaire a threaded end of the neck portion extends through an opening in a surface of the luminaire; and

wherein the locking nut is configured to secure the first member to a surface of the luminaire by engaging the threaded end.

9. The enclosure of claim 8 wherein the first member with the mounting interface is further arranged and configured to be secured to a lower surface of the luminaire when the luminaire is installed in an operating configuration.

10. The enclosure of claim 8 further comprising a mounting member with a mounting opening, the mounting member arranged and configured to be secured to a surface of the luminaire, wherein the neck portion extends through the mounting opening when the first member is coupled to the luminaire.

11. The enclosure of claim 10 wherein the mounting member is arranged to be temporarily coupled to the first member by one or more resilient tabs engaging one or more complementary recesses.

12. An enclosure mounting apparatus for securing an enclosure for electronics to a luminaire, the enclosure mounting apparatus comprising:

a mounting member having a mounting opening and configured to be secured to a surface of the luminaire at a luminaire opening in the surface; and

a neck portion extending from the enclosure and configured to pass through the mounting opening, the neck portion including a neck opening that is configured to allow wiring to be routed from the electronics to the luminaire, the neck portion and the mounting member including respective complementary surfaces to provide a mounting interface for provisionally coupling the enclosure to the luminaire; and

a locking nut,

wherein the neck portion further comprises a threaded end and the neck opening is generally circular in cross section at a plane perpendicular to an axis of the neck opening;

the threaded end extending through the mounting opening; and

wherein the locking nut is configured to secure the neck portion and the enclosure to the surface of the luminaire by engaging the threaded end.

13. The enclosure mounting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the mounting member is further arranged and configured to be secured to a lower surface of the luminaire when the luminaire is installed in an operating configuration.

14. The enclosure mounting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the mounting member includes a surface with raised ridges and the locking nut further comprises a surface that controllably interferes with the raised ridges when the neck portion is secured to the luminaire by the locking nut.

15. The enclosure mounting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the neck portion includes a keying surface and the mounting member includes a complementary keying surface that aligns with the keying surface when the enclosure is coupled to the luminaire thus establishing a predetermined angular position of the neck portion with respect to the mounting member.

16. The enclosure mounting apparatus of claim 12 wherein the mounting member is arranged to be provisionally coupled to the neck portion by resilient tabs engaging complementary recesses.

17. The enclosure mounting apparatus of claim 16 wherein the mounting member includes the resilient tabs and the resilient tabs include projecting members and wherein the neck portion includes the complementary recesses, the projecting members engaging the complementary recesses when the mounting member is provisionally coupled to the neck portion.

18. The enclosure mounting apparatus of claim 17 wherein the projecting members and the complementary recesses include one or more angled surfaces selected to control the force needed to engage and disengage the projecting members and the complementary recesses.

19. An enclosure arranged and constructed for housing electronics and being secured to a luminaire, the enclosure comprising:

a first member including a neck portion extending generally perpendicular from a plane of the first member and configured to pass through a mounting opening in a mounting member and facilitate coupling the first member to the mounting member, the mounting member configured to be secured to a surface of the luminaire at an opening in the surface; and

a second member mechanically coupled to the first member, the first member and the second member providing the enclosure for the electronics; and

a locking nut,

wherein the neck portion includes a neck opening that is generally circular in cross section, the neck opening configured to allow wiring to be routed from the electronics to the luminaire;

wherein the neck portion extends perpendicular to a plane of the first member such that when the first member is coupled to the luminaire a threaded end of the neck portion extends through the opening in the surface of the luminaire; and

wherein the locking nut is configured to secure the first member to a surface of the luminaire by engaging the threaded end.

20. The enclosure of claim 19 wherein the mounting member further comprises one or more resilient tabs and the neck portion further comprises one or more recesses, the neck portion being configured to be provisionally coupled to the mounting member when the resilient tabs engage the complementary recesses.

21. The enclosure of claim 20 wherein the neck portion includes a keying surface and the mounting member includes a complementary keying surface that aligns with the keying surface when the enclosure is coupled to the luminaire thus establishing a predetermined angular position of the neck portion with respect to the mounting member such that the resilient tabs are aligned with the complementary recesses.

22. The enclosure of claim 19 wherein the locking nut includes an opening for the wiring and can engage the threaded end and when so engaged secure the first member to the mounting member.