Illuminator controlled with touchless sensor

• US 9,332,618 B2
• Filed: 04/09/2015
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 08/26/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IRIS Ohyama Incorporated (Oyama KK)
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Nagashima, Yoshiaki, Igaki, Masaru
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hammond, Dedei K
• Application Number:
  US14/682,530
• Publication Number:
  US 20150216020A1
• Time in Patent Office: 390 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/27 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/278 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48091 Arched
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2224/48247 connecting the wire to a bond pad of the item
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00012 Relevant to the scope of the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00014 the subject-matter covered by the group, the symbol of which is combined with the symbol of this group, being disclosed without further technical details
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/181 Encapsulation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/357 specially adapted for retrofit LED light sources
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/105 in response to determined parameters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/115 by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

An LED lamp includes LED chips, a translucent cover housing the LED chips, a motion sensor unit, a condensing lens, and a power unit. The motion sensor unit includes a light receiving element for light of a predetermined wavelength. The lens condenses light of the predetermined wavelength onto the light receiving element. The power unit controls the state of operation of the LED chips based on an output from the motion sensor unit. The motion sensor unit includes a light shielding member disposed to overlap the light receiving element in an optical axis direction of the condensing lens and also to surround the light receiving element as viewed in the optical axis direction. The light shielding member is made of a material having a lower light transmissivity than that of the condensing lens for a range of wavelengths including the predetermined wavelength.

Claims

1. An illuminator comprising:

a light source;

a touchless sensor for non-contact detection of approach or movement of a detection target in a range of a detection distance;

a control unit for an ON/OFF control of the light source based on an output from the touchless sensor; and

an enabling unit connected to the control unit,

wherein the control unit includes a data memory for storage of threshold value that defines the detection distance, and reflected-light intensity information regarding a reflected light coming from the detection target to the touchless sensor,

the control unit has a normal mode and an adjustment mode, the control unit performs the ON/OFF control in the normal mode, and the control unit adjusts in the adjustment mode the threshold value stored in the data memory, and

the enabling unit switches the normal mode and the adjustment mode.

2. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the control unit performs the ON/OFF control to the light source upon approach of the detection target to a predetermined proximity from the touchless sensor.

3. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the reflected-light intensity information stored in the data memory is rewritable.

4. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the control unit sends a signal for light intensity measurement of the reflected light to the touchless sensor at a predetermined timing.

5. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the touchless sensor includes:

at least one light emitter which, if plural, are located at different positions within one plane for simultaneous or sequential emission of light;

a light receiver for detection of light reflected by the detection target and hitting the light receiver simultaneously or sequentially following the simultaneous or sequential emission of light from said at least one light emitter; and

a reflected-light intensity information generator for generation of at least a piece of reflected-light intensity information indicating an intensity of the reflected light detected by the light receiver; and

a data register for storage of the generated reflected-light intensity information.

6. The illuminator according to claim 5, wherein each of said at least one light emitter is provided by an infrared LED which emits an infrared ray.

7. The illuminator according to claim 5, wherein the control unit compares the reflected-light intensity information sent from the touchless sensor at a predetermined timing with the threshold value stored in the data memory, and performs the ON/OFF control of the light source if the reflected-light intensity information is determined to be greater than the threshold value.

8. The illuminator according to claim 7, wherein the control unit performs:

a step of receiving reflected-light intensity information and store it in the data memory at one time point;

a step of receiving reflected-light intensity information at another time point which is adjacent to said one time point; and

a step of determining, by using these pieces of information, whether or not received reflected-light intensity information is greater than the threshold value.

9. The illuminator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a case incorporating the light source, the touchless sensor and the control unit; and

an arm attached to the case.

10. The illuminator according to claim 9, wherein the touchless sensor is disposed near an arm bracket to which the arm is attached.

11. The illuminator according to claim 1, further comprising a case incorporating the light source, the touchless sensor and the control unit, wherein the case is to be installed below a wall-hung fixture which has at least one outer surface fixed to a wall surface.

12. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the light source is installed in a ceiling whereas at least one outer surface of a case including the touchless sensor and the control unit is fixed to a wall surface other than the ceiling.

13. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the light source includes at least one LED.

14. An adjustment method for the illuminator according to claim 1, the method comprising:

a step of preparing an illuminator which includes a touchless sensor and a detection target;

a step of moving the detection target by a predetermined distance from the touchless sensor;

a step of emitting light from the touchless sensor to hit the detection target;

a step of detecting an intensity of light reflected by the detection target;

a step of generating reflected-light intensity information from the detected light intensity;

a step of comparing the reflected-light intensity information with a light intensity threshold value stored in the control unit; and

a step of determining whether or not a range in which the touchless sensor and the control unit respond to the detection target is within a predetermined specification.

15. The adjustment method according to claim 14, further comprising:

a step of detecting an intensity of reflected infrared rays casted onto the touchless sensor;

a step of generating reflected-light intensity information from the detected light intensity;

a step of subtracting a predetermined marginal value from the reflected-light intensity information; and

a step of storing new reflected-light intensity information obtained by the subtraction in the control unit as a new threshold value,

for a case where the range in which the touchless sensor and the control unit respond to the detection target is not within the predetermined specification.

16. The illuminator according to claim 1, wherein the enabling unit provides at least two kinds of signals to the control unit, and the normal mode and the adjustment mode are switched by the at least two kinds of signals provided by the enabling unit.