Integral dimming photo-control receptacle

• US 9,148,936 B2
• Filed: 05/01/2013
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wagner, Phillip R., Kelly, Rick Martin, Dorogi, Michael Jay, Wilson, Justin Charles, McCracken, Edward R. Jr., Burt, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): PAUMEN, GARY F
• Application Number:
  US13/874,749
• Publication Number:
  US 20140302715A1
• Time in Patent Office: 881 Days
• Field of Search: 439/651, 439/107
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/18 via data-bus transmission
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/72 in street lighting

Abstract

Aspects provide photo-control receptacles having contact terminals via which control signals can be communicated. In one aspect, a photo-control receptacle is provided. The photo-control receptacle includes an interface having a neutral conductor and a line voltage conductor. Each of the neutral conductor and the line voltage conductor can form a first electrical connection for providing power to a photo-control via alternating current. The photo-control receptacle also includes one or more additional contact conductors adjacent to the interface. The one or more additional contact conductors can form a second electrical connection for providing control signals to the photo-control.

Claims

1. A photo-control receptacle comprising:

three conductors arranged in a circular pattern, wherein the three conductors are configured to form a first electrical connection for providing power to a photo-control via alternating current; and

at least one additional contact conductor that has a flat surface in a common plane with a body of the photo-control receptacle and that is positioned external to the three conductors arranged in a circular pattern, wherein the at least one additional contact conductor is configured to form a second electrical connection for providing control signals between the photo-control and an additional device.

2. The photo-control receptacle of claim 1, wherein the second electrical connection is configured for communicating the control signals as low voltage analog control signals or digitally modulated control signals.

3. The photo-control receptacle of claim 2, wherein the at least one additional contact conductor is included in a group of two additional contact conductors configured for communicating 0-10 V analog dimming control signals, wherein the two additional contact conductors for providing the second electrical connection are electrically isolated from the three conductors for providing the first electrical connection.

4. The photo-control receptacle of claim 2, wherein the at least one additional contact conductor is included in a group of two additional contact conductors configured for communicating Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface signals, wherein the two additional contact conductors for providing the second electrical connection are electrically isolated from the three conductors for providing the first electrical connection.

5. The photo-control receptacle of claim 2, wherein the at least one additional contact conductor is included in a group of four additional contact conductors, wherein two of the four additional contact conductors are configured for communicating 0-10 V analog dimming control signals or Digitally Addressable Lighting Interface signals and another two of the four additional contact conductors are configured for communicating additional low voltage signals.

6. The photo-control receptacle of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional contact conductor comprises a plurality of contact pads.

7. The photo-control receptacle of claim 1, wherein the at least one additional contact conductor is positioned to mate with a contact of the photo-control and has a surface adapted to contact a terminal of the photo-control.