Patent Description:
It is known to fit a luminaire with a module for providing sensor inputs or to enable communication with a network. There are for example existing socket designs which are applied to a luminaire housing to enable connection in a watertight manner of an external module. An example is the standardized interface of components to LED luminaires provided by Zhaga.

For street lighting, the socket to which the module is to be attached is for example mounted in a horizontal plane. In some cases, it is desirable to be able to select a rotational orientation of the module about the vertical axis. For example, the module may need to face towards another module for communication between the modules, or the module may have a desired direction for sensing e.g. traffic on a road or pedestrians on a sidewalk. A microwave motion sensor is for example used for this purpose.

By rotating the module, the field of view of a sensor or communications module may thereby be adjusted. For example a detection range may be adjusted. However, the standard socket is not designed to allow coupling of a module in any desired orientation.

It would be desirable to have a module design which allows adjustment of the angular position of a main body of the module relative to the luminaire socket. Furthermore, it would be desirable for this to be achieved in a simple manner, for example without the need for tools. <CIT> discloses a module according to the preamble of claim <NUM>.

According to examples in accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a module adapted for fitting to a luminaire, comprising:.

This module is rotationally adjustable by deforming the deformable region to allow rotation between the rotate plate and the main module housing. The deformation and rotation can be performed by hand so not requiring any tools. This is a particular advantage for example when fitting a module to a luminaire in a dangerous location, for example high up in the case of a street light. The selected rotational position is locked when the deformable region returns to its default position by the elasticity of the rotate plate.

The locking feature is preferably an integral part of the rotate plate.

The rotate plate may comprise a disc having an arc slot and the main module housing comprises a marker pin which projects into the arc slot to indicate the selected relative rotational position.

Thus, feedback is provided during adjustment.

The engagement between the arc slot and the marker pin may also define the limits of the relative rotational position.

The deformable region is for example a region of the rotate plate which is located radially outside the arc slot. This is for example an arc of material outside the slot, which is thin enough (in the radial direction) to be deformable but also sufficiently strong to withstand the deformation and to return elastically to a locked position.

The region of the rotate plate may comprise a set of openings along a circumferential direction, each opening representing a particular relative rotational position.

The openings may provide an additional visible indicator. For example, a colored indicated may be visible through one of the openings, thereby indicating the selected rotational position.

The locking feature is for example located at a position of the deformable region corresponding to a middle of the arc slot along a circumferential direction. This is the most easily deformed area.

The rotate plate may comprise a finger tab at the location of the locking feature. This guides the user as to the location of the deformable region. The user for example pushes on the finger tab and then rotates the rotate plate.

The locking feature for example comprises a projection extending from the rotate plate and the retaining feature comprises a plurality of receiving elements, wherein the projection can be received in a selected one of the receiving elements to lock the rotate plate to the main module housing. This provides a set of possible rotational positions. The receiving elements are for example the gaps between spaced teeth (such as cog teeth), grooves, recesses, channels, or indeed any feature which can engage with the projection.

The main module housing for example comprises a base plate and a component chamber, wherein a seal is provided between the base plate and the rotate plate. The seal prevents fluid ingress while allowing the relative rotation between the two parts.

The rotatable electrical connection for example comprises a conductor track plate rotationally fixed to one of the rotate plate and the main module housing, and a spring contact plate rotationally fixed to the other of the rotate plate and the main module housing. The conductor track plate and the spring contact plate thus rotate relative to each other.

The track plate may comprise a set of arcuate conductor tracks and the spring contact plate comprises a corresponding set of spring contacts each for contacting a respective one of the arcuate conductor tracks. There are for example three or four tracks and contacts.

The module may comprise a wireless communications module in the main module housing. The module thus enables the luminaire to be connected to a network by wireless communication, e.g. between adjacent luminaires which are within the network.

The module may instead or as well comprise a presence sensor in the main module housing. The module then enables automated lighting control based on presence detection.

The invention also provides a luminaire comprising:.

The luminaire for example comprises a street light luminaire.

The invention provides a module for fitting to a luminaire. It has a main module housing and a rotate plate rotatable relative to the main module housing with a rotatable electrical connection between them. The rotate plate connects to the luminaire. It has a locking feature which engages with a retaining feature of the main module housing to lock the rotate plate with a selected relative rotational position. The locking feature is formed on an elastically deformable support so that it can be brought out of engagement from the retaining feature by manual deformation with no tools.

<FIG> shows a module <NUM> to be mounted to a luminaire <NUM> (only a portion of an external surface of the luminaire is shown in <FIG>). It is known that it is desirable for the module to be rotatable so that a field of view of the module can be selected. This may be a field of view of a sensor, for example a microwave sensor for pedestrian and/or traffic sensing, or a communications module for communicating with another module.

<FIG> shows that the module has an x-axis and a y-axis to be in a horizontal plane and a z-axis to be vertical, when the module is installed.

<FIG> shows that for a street lighting application, it is recommended that the module is mounted such that the y-axis is perpendicular to length axis of the road and is pointing towards the center of the road. However, the z-axis may be upward or downward facing, as shown, depending on the luminaire design, with sensors mounted on the top side or the bottom side of the luminaire respectively.

A sensor mounted on the bottom side (facing downwardly) is for example a motion sensor, to be aligned towards the road. A sensor mounted on the top side (facing upwardly and hence with the orientation shown in <FIG>) is for example a light sensor, and the performance of the light sensor may depend on the orientation.

It is thus desirable to mount the module with a correct rotational orientation around the vertical z-axis. This may not correspond to the orientation of a socket on the luminaire, e.g. the orientation of a Zhaga socket. Thus, it is desirable that the module can support onsite rotational adjustment.

<FIG> shows three street lights 20a, 20b, 20c over a road with different rotational orientations of the fields of view 22a, 22b, 22c of integrated sensor modules. This enables the coverage of the sensors to extend to the whole street.

<FIG> shows a luminaire <NUM> in the form of a street light with a module <NUM> having its z-axis facing downwardly.

<FIG> shows a first design of the module <NUM> to enable rotational adjustment of the module relative to part which fixes to the luminaire. This first design has been considered by the inventors, but the invention relates to an improvement described further below.

In the example of <FIG>, the module comprises a main module housing <NUM> and a rotate plate <NUM> coupled to the main module housing, and rotatable relative to the main module housing.

The main module housing <NUM> contains electrical circuitry. The electrical circuity may comprise a wireless communications module to enable the luminaire to be connected to a network by wireless communication, e.g. between adjacent luminaires which are within the network. It may additionally or alternatively include a presence sensor such as a microwave sensor for automated lighting control based on presence detection.

A connection interface <NUM> is provided for connecting the module to a corresponding connection interface of a luminaire. The connection interface <NUM> is fixedly connected to the rotate plate <NUM>.

The Zhaga socket connection interface allows connection to a corresponding connection interface of the luminaire with only one possible angular orientation. Thus, there is one possible orientation for a top mounted device (as shown in the left part of <FIG>) and one possible orientation for a bottom mounted device (as shown in the right part of <FIG>).

The connection interface comprises a set of electrical connections, such as a set of four pins <NUM> of the connection interface <NUM> and four slots of the corresponding connection interface of a luminaire.

A rotatable electrical connection is provided between the rotate plate <NUM> and the main module housing <NUM> so that electrical connection is made regardless of the rotational orientation.

By making a rotational adjustment as shown in the left image of <FIG>, the rotational orientation of the main module housing relative to the luminaire can be adjusted while retaining an electrical connection to the components in the module housing.

In the example of <FIG>, a locking screw <NUM> slides in a slot <NUM> of the rotate plate <NUM> during rotational adjustment. By tightening the locking screw <NUM>, the rotational position can be fixed. However, this requires use of a tool, namely the screwdriver <NUM> as shown in the right image of <FIG>.

The invention provides an improved design compared to <FIG>, as shown most clearly in <FIG> shows the module from above and <FIG> shows the module from below.

Instead of a separate locking screw, the rotate plate <NUM> comprises an integrated locking feature <NUM> which engages with a retaining feature <NUM> of the main module housing <NUM> to lock the rotate plate <NUM> with a selected relative rotational position between the rotate plate <NUM> and the main module housing <NUM>. The rotate plate has a ridged outer rim to enable easy gripping by a user.

The locking feature <NUM> in this example comprises a projection which is provided on an elastically deformable region <NUM> of the rotate plate <NUM>. It extends from the rotate plate <NUM> towards the main module housing in the z-axis direction. Thus, the locking feature <NUM> can be brought out of engagement from the retaining feature <NUM> by manual deformation of the deformable region <NUM> thereby to enable selection of the relative rotational position.

As in the example above, the rotate plate <NUM> comprises a disc having an arc slot <NUM> and the main module housing comprises a marker pin <NUM> which projects into the arc slot <NUM> to indicate the selected relative rotational position. The engagement between the arc slot <NUM> and the marker pin <NUM> defines the limits of the relative rotational position.

In this example, a range of adjustment of around <NUM> degrees is enabled by a slot with angular length of around <NUM> degrees. With two possible connection orientations of the rotate plate to the luminaire, this gives full <NUM> degree adjustability.

The deformable region <NUM> is a region of the rotate plate <NUM> which is located radially outside the arc slot <NUM>. This is a relatively thin strip of material, thus having inherently greater deformability than the rest of the disc, without needing to be formed of a different material. The deformability is greatest at a middle position along the strip (adjacent a middle of the arc slot <NUM> along a circumferential direction). Thus, the locking feature <NUM> is at this position, and the rotate plate <NUM> comprises a finger tab <NUM> at the location of the locking feature <NUM> to guide the user as to the location of the deformable region and to assist in implementing the desired deformation. The user for example pushes on the finger tab <NUM> and then rotates the rotate plate while holding the main module housing still (in the other hand).

The module is in this way rotationally adjustable by deforming the deformable region <NUM> to allow rotation between the rotate plate <NUM> and the main module housing <NUM>. The deformation and rotation can be performed by hand so not requiring any tools. The selected rotational position is locked when the deformable region returns to its default position by the inherent elasticity of the rotate plate.

The deformable region <NUM> for example has a set of openings <NUM> along a circumferential direction, each opening representing a particular relative rotational position. By way of example, one opening (e.g. next to the tab <NUM>) may reveal a colored, e.g. red, area so that the rotational setting can be easily seen. An angle indicator (e.g. a number of degrees) may be provided for each opening. The openings also allow the deformability and elasticity of the deformable region to be set by design, to give the desired material properties for the deformation and elastic return of the deformable region, i.e. the unlocking and locking of the rotational adjustment.

The retaining feature <NUM> comprises a plurality of receiving elements <NUM>. The locking feature projection can be received in a selected one of the receiving elements to lock the rotate plate <NUM> to the main module housing.

The receiving elements in this example comprise slots between a set of teeth, so that the projection is clamped in a slot between a pair of teeth. Any suitable receiving elements may be used such as grooves or recesses.

<FIG> shows an exploded view of the module. It shows that the main module housing is made up of a base plate <NUM> and a cover <NUM> which defines a component chamber.

The rotatable electrical connection <NUM> is also shown. It comprises a conductor track plate <NUM> rotationally fixed to one of the rotate plate <NUM> and the main module housing, and a spring contact plate <NUM> rotationally fixed to the other of the rotate plate and the main module housing.

In the example shown, the conductor track plate is connected to the rotate plate <NUM> and the spring contact plate <NUM> is connected to the main module housing, in particular to the cover <NUM>. The conductor track plate and the spring contact plate thus rotate relative to each other during adjustment.

The conductor track plate <NUM> comprises a set of arcuate conductor tracks <NUM> and the spring contact plate <NUM> comprises a corresponding set of spring contacts (not seen in <FIG> because they are at the underside of the spring contact plate <NUM>) each for contacting a respective one of the arcuate conductor tracks.

The spring contact plate <NUM> connects to a printed circuit board <NUM> which carries the electrical components of the module, such as a signal reflector <NUM>. The angular orientation of the signal reflector determines orientation of the field of view of the sensor or communications equipment of the module.

A seal <NUM> couples the two parts <NUM>, <NUM> of the main module housing.

<FIG> shows the assembled module in cross section. It shows that a seal <NUM> is provided between the base plate <NUM> and the rotate plate <NUM> to prevent fluid ingress while allowing the relative rotation between the two parts.

<FIG> shows a view from underneath the module.

<FIG> shows the rotatable electrical connection <NUM> in more detail in exploded perspective view. <FIG> shows the same parts in exploded side view.

Between the conductor track plate <NUM> and the spring contact plate <NUM> is a set of spring contact arms <NUM>. Each arm <NUM> makes electrical connection between a terminal <NUM> of the spring contact plate <NUM> and a (copper) track <NUM> of the conductor track plate <NUM>. The terminals <NUM> of the spring contact plate pass through openings <NUM> and then connect in a fixed manner to the electrical circuitry of the module. The terminals <NUM> are copper tails which can be soldered to the electrical circuitry. There may typically be three or four terminals and a corresponding number of spring terminals.

<FIG> shows a cross sectional view of the module locked into a rotational position. The locking feature <NUM> is held by one of the receiving elements <NUM> (e.g. a space between a pair of teeth).

<FIG> shows a cross sectional view of the module with the deformable region displaced to unlock the rotate plate from the main module housing <NUM>, <NUM>.

Claim 1:
A module (<NUM>) adapted for fitting to a luminaire (<NUM>), comprising:
a main module housing (<NUM>);
a rotate plate (<NUM>) coupled to the main module housing, and rotatable relative to the main module housing;
a connection interface (<NUM>) for connecting the module to a corresponding connection interface of the luminaire, wherein the connection interface (<NUM>) is connected to the rotate plate; characterized by
a rotatable electrical connection (<NUM>) between the rotate plate and the main module housing,
wherein the rotate plate (<NUM>) comprises a locking feature (<NUM>) which engages with a retaining feature (<NUM>) of the main module housing to lock the rotate plate with a selected relative rotational position between the rotate plate and the main module housing, wherein the locking feature (<NUM>) is provided on an elastically deformable region (<NUM>) of the rotate plate such that the locking feature can be brought out of engagement from the retaining feature by manual deformation of the deformable region (<NUM>) thereby to enable selection of the relative rotational position.