Wireless light fixture

• US 9,210,773 B1
• Filed: 05/29/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/29/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Technical Consumer Products, Inc. (Quality Light Source GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Technical Consumer Products, Inc. (Quality Light Source GmbH)
• Inventors: Sargent, Donald A., Chen, Timothy
• Primary Examiner(s): Tan, Vibol
• Application Number:
  US14/290,359
• Publication Number:
  US 20150351195A1
• Time in Patent Office: 558 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/012 Housings with variable shape or dimensions, e.g. by means of elastically deformable materials or by movement of parts forming telescopic extensions of the housing body
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/009 the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/19 via wireless transmission
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10295 Metallic connector elements partly mounted in a hole of the PCB
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 3/366 substantially perpendicularly to each other H05K3/361 takes precedence

Abstract

A light fixture may have a housing containing a lighting element and any number of PCBs. A first PCB section may have circuitry that controls the lighting element. A second PCB section may have an antenna and circuitry that converts RF signals into control signal input to the first PCB section. The second PCB section may be operatively interconnected with the first PCB section, and may be contained in the housing in an orientation projecting from the first PCB section.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having an outer wall with an aperture;

a lighting element;

a first PCB section contained in the housing and having circuitry configured to control the lighting element; and

a second PCB section having an antenna and circuitry configured to convert RF signals into control signal input to the first PCB section, the second PCB section being operatively interconnected with the first PCB section;

wherein the second PCB section is installed in an orientation projecting outward through the aperture in the outer wall of the housing, with the antenna located at least partially outside the outer wall of the housing.

11. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the outer wall of the housing is foamed of material that includes metallic material.

12. An apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein the housing includes a nonmetallic antenna cover received over the second PCB section and covering the second PCB section outside the outer wall of the housing.

13. An apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein the antenna cover has a part projecting outward through the aperture in the outer wall of the housing.

14. An apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein the antenna cover has a separate part received over the part that projects outward through the aperture in the outer wall of the housing.

15. An apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein the separate part of the antenna cover is fastened to the outer wall of the housing over the aperture in the outer wall.

2. An apparatus comprising:

a housing having an outer wall with an aperture;

a lighting element;

a driver box contained in the housing;

a driver box cover closing the driver box and having an aperture;

a first PCB section contained in the driver box and having circuitry configured to control the lighting element; and

a second PCB section having an antenna and circuitry configured to convert RF signals into control signal input to the first PCB section, the second PCB section being operatively interconnected with the first PCB section inside the driver box;

wherein the second PCB section projects outward from the driver box through the aperture in the driver box cover, and projects further outward through the aperture in the outer wall of the housing, with the antenna located at least partially outside the outer wall of the housing.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the housing includes a nonmetallic antenna cover received over the second PCB section and covering the second PCB section outside the outer wall of the housing.

4. An apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein the antenna cover has a part projecting outward through the aperture in the driver box cover.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the part of the antenna cover that projects outward through the aperture in the driver box cover is interlocked with the driver box cover.

6. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein the antenna cover has a separate part received over the part that projects outward through the aperture in the driver box cover.

7. An apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein the separate part of the antenna cover is fastened to the outer wall of the housing over the aperture in the outer wall.

9. An apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein the first PCB section is part of a first PCB and the second PCB section is part of a second PCB coupled with the first PCB.

8. An apparatus as defined in 2 wherein the antenna is located entirely outside the outer wall of the housing.

10. An apparatus as defined in 1 wherein the antenna is located entirely outside the outer wall of the housing.