Patent Description:
Beacon light devices are used for warning maritime or airborne vessels of the presence of an obstacle. These devices are designed to output a particular light pattern that conforms to the prevailing standards governing such emissions. The devices are typically installed in tall buildings or buoys so as to maximize visibility. Such locations are, however, typically remote and/or difficult to reach. Due to poor reachability, serviceability is a concern because simply arriving to the device is time consuming and because the service personnel must carry the required equipment during the strenuous ascent to the service location.

On the other hand, as the requirements for data transmission between the devices and various networks increases, the devices are becoming ever more complex. The complexity not only emphasizes the serviceability aspect but also sets challenges for the design of the devices to output clear light and data signals.

There is therefore a need for a beacon light device that is constructed in a manner that facilitates convenient servicing and enables effective data transfer. Document <CIT> discloses a beacon light device comprising a circuit board. Documents <CIT> and <CIT> are also considered prior art relevant to the present invention.

It is herein proposed a novel beacon light device with a circuit board and an enclosure which at least partially encloses the circuit board. The circuit board features a leading board section, a trailing board section, and a neck board section between the leading board section and the trailing board section. The neck board section is narrower than the leading board section and the trailing board section. The enclosure features a wide opening section, which has a width equal to or greater than that of the leading board section for permitting passage of the leading board section through the opening. The enclosure also features a narrow opening section, which has a width that is smaller than that of the leading board section for preventing passage of the leading board section through the opening. The neck board section extends, when installed to the enclosure, through the opening at the narrow opening section of the opening.

Various embodiments of the novel proposition may comprise at least one feature from the following itemized list:.

Considerable benefits are gained with aid of the present proposition. The novel idea of using a circuit board that extends out of the enclosure enables mounting of electronic components such to be more exposed to the ambient, which, in turn, improves the performance of those components. On the other hand, the novel proposition improves the maintenance of beacon light devices as the electronics of the device may be swapped out all at once without touching the optics. That way the device need not be detached from the host structure making servicing more convenient. Further benefits will be discussed in tandem with the description of specific embodiments.

In the following certain exemplary embodiments are described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:.

In the present context the expression beacon light device refers to illuminators that are suitable for use as a marker for aiding maritime navigation or aviation safety, i.e. an anti-collision light. Such suitability requires the output of light in a pattern that meets the maritime or aviation requirements for a marker light. Examples for such illuminators include marker lights fitted to buoys as well as obstruction illuminators fitted to tall buildings, such as skyscrapers, wind power plants, and tall bridges. Beacon light devices according to the present meaning are configured to be installed into fixed, i.e. non-moving, objects as opposed to moving vehicles, such as boats or airplanes which may feature anti-collision lights that are not meant by the present expression "beacon light".

In the following paragraphs it is described how, according to certain embodiments, the assembly and disassembly of a beacon light device is facilitated with aid of a novel construction, where a non-uniform circuit board is installed through a non-uniform opening in the enclosure.

<FIG> illustrates a general view of a beacon light device <NUM> according to an exemplary embodiment. The beacon light device <NUM> has an enclosure <NUM> with an elongated body <NUM> which connects the rest of the elements to the receiving structure, such as a tower or a wind power plant, through a bracket <NUM>. The body <NUM> has a closed profile for enclosing the internals of the device <NUM>. The bottom of the enclosure <NUM> is closed with a bottom lid <NUM> which is attached to the bottom end of the body <NUM> with affixers <NUM>, such as screws. The bottom lid <NUM> includes connectors <NUM> for connecting the beacon light device <NUM> to the host infrastructure. The connectors <NUM> may be terminals, feedthroughs, etc. The top end of the body <NUM> is closed with a top lid <NUM> which is fixed to the top end of the top end of the body <NUM> with affixers <NUM>, such as screws. The connection between the lids <NUM>, <NUM> and the body <NUM> is preferably sealed with a seal between the respective mating surfaces of the lids <NUM>, <NUM> and the body <NUM>.

The cross-sectional view shown <FIG> reveals the construction and internals of the beacon light device <NUM> in greater detail. Firstly it is noted that the bottom lid <NUM> and top lid <NUM> are different to one another. The bottom lid <NUM> includes an end plate <NUM> extending across the bottom lid <NUM> and forming a mounting platform. The connectors <NUM> run through the end plate <NUM> of the bottom lid <NUM>. The top lid <NUM>, however, is a frame without an integrated end plate. The top lid <NUM> secures a transparent cover <NUM> against the enclosure <NUM>. More specifically, the cover <NUM> has a bottom flange <NUM> which is pressed against the top end surface of the body <NUM> by the top lid <NUM>. A seal is preferably provided between the bottom flange <NUM> of the cover <NUM> and the body <NUM> of the enclosure <NUM> for sealing the internals of the beacon light device <NUM> from the elements. Alternatively the seal may be provided between the top lid and the body of the enclosure (not illustrated). The present construction therefore provides for an effective sealing of the device with only two sealing surfaces. Otherwise the cover <NUM> is a conventional transparent dome which preferably does not affect the light output of the beacon light device <NUM>. In other words, it is preferable that the cover <NUM> does not have optically distorting properties so that the light output may pass through the cover <NUM> uninterrupted. Suitable materials for the cover <NUM> include glass and optical grade polymers, such as polycarbonate, acryl, polystyrene, etc..

The top lid <NUM> and the cover <NUM> also secure an end plate <NUM> against the body <NUM> of the enclosure. The top end of the body <NUM> includes a recess for receiving the end plate <NUM> which serves as mounting platform for a light tower <NUM> and as a feedthrough for the exposed part of a circuit board <NUM>. The bottom flange <NUM> of the cover <NUM> extends inbound over the end plate <NUM> locking it into place. The end plate <NUM> includes an opening <NUM> which is defined by an edge <NUM>. In the illustrated embodiment the edge is circular thus producing an equally circular opening <NUM>. It should, however, be understood that other shapes are also foreseeable to provide a similar effect which will be discussed at greater length hereafter.

As briefly mentioned above, a light tower <NUM> is provided to the space between the end plate <NUM> and the cover <NUM>. The light tower <NUM> is attached to the end plate <NUM> by a bracket (not shown), welding, threading, etc., or it is formed as an integral part of the plate through additive manufacturing, i.e. casting or 3D printing. The light tower <NUM> has a hollow body <NUM>. The inner space of the body <NUM> houses an exposed part of the circuit board <NUM>. The outer surface of the body <NUM> hosts a plurality of light sources. In the illustrated embodiment the light source includes an LED circuit board <NUM> which carries at least one LED chip <NUM> and a lens <NUM> covering the LED chip <NUM>. The LED circuit board or boards are supplied with control and power signals by the circuit board <NUM> through a cable connection running through a particular passage in the body or end plate of the enclosure or through the hollow body <NUM>. Preferably, the cables running from the LED circuit boards terminate to terminals inside the body, whereby the circuit board <NUM> may be connected to these terminals with adequate leads. The illustrated exemplary light tower <NUM> features eight such light sources arranged in two angularly deviated layers of four light sources. The body <NUM> of the light tower has an octagonal cross-section so as to provide four faces at a <NUM> angles on both layers with a <NUM> degree angle deviation between the layers. The light tower <NUM> may include and preferably does include separate LEDs for a visible and non-visible spectrums of light. <FIG> shows each LED circuit board <NUM> featuring a lens <NUM> for LEDs <NUM> producing light in the visible spectrum and separate IR lenses <NUM> for LEDs producing light in the non-visible spectrum. Both types of LED and lens may be mounted on the same circuit board <NUM>.

<FIG> also reveals the novel construction of the circuit board <NUM> of the beacon light device <NUM>. According to the illustrated embodiment, the circuit board <NUM> features three sections, namely a leading board section <NUM>, a neck board section <NUM>, and a trailing board section <NUM>. The circuit board <NUM> is shaped such that the section that is inside the enclosure <NUM>, namely the trailing board section <NUM> is relatively wide for the purposes of being able to host a large number of electronic components, such as the power supply, power electronics, and control circuitry for the LEDs. The circuit board <NUM> is mounted to the end plate <NUM> of the bottom lid <NUM> with a simple bracket <NUM>. The trailing board section <NUM> need not be able to fit through the opening <NUM> of the end plate <NUM>. The neck board section <NUM> is shaped and dimensioned to fit through the opening <NUM> and along the space inside the hollow body <NUM> of the light tower <NUM>. The neck board section <NUM> is narrower than the trailing board section <NUM>. On the other hand, the neck board section <NUM> is narrower than the leading board section <NUM>, whereby a shoulder <NUM> is created there between.

The leading board section <NUM> is also dimensioned to fit through the opening <NUM> and along the space inside the hollow body <NUM> of the light tower <NUM>. However, the leading board section <NUM> can only be pushed through the opening <NUM> in a certain position as will be discussed in greater detail here after. The leading board section <NUM> preferably protrudes outside the enclosure and at least partly outside light tower <NUM> so as to expose the leading end of the leading board section <NUM>. The electronic component or components <NUM> mounted on the leading board section <NUM> are designed to be visible to the outside through the transparent cover <NUM>. As a result, electronic components <NUM>, such as WIFI chips, GPS chips, photocells, alarm LEDs, etc. are more effective as they are not covered by the enclosure <NUM>. A damper <NUM>, such as rubber isolator, is preferably provided between the body <NUM> of the light tower <NUM> and the circuit board <NUM> to prevent vibrations of the circuit board <NUM>. The damper <NUM> may be designed to maintain the circuit board <NUM> in slight tension.

Let us turn next to <FIG> which provide a simplistic illustration of the cooperation between the circuit board <NUM> and the rest of the beacon light device <NUM>. In the simplistic illustration the profile of the bodies <NUM>, <NUM> has been changed to cylindrical. In a general sense the enclosure <NUM>, light tower <NUM>, circuit board <NUM>, and cover <NUM> remain assembled during use. During assembly and maintenance, a circuit board sub-assembly of the circuit board <NUM> and the bottom lid <NUM> are moved in respect to the rest of the assembly.

Upon final stages of assembly and with the enclosure <NUM>, top lid <NUM>, end plate <NUM>, light tower <NUM>, and cover <NUM> in place, the circuit board sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM> is installed by introducing the circuit board <NUM> into the enclosure <NUM>. As is shown in <FIG> and <FIG>, the leading board section <NUM> enters the enclosure <NUM> first. The side edges of the trailing board section <NUM> are lined up with corresponding guides <NUM> on the inner surface of the body <NUM> of the enclosure <NUM>. The guides <NUM> thus extend along the main extending dimension of the circuit board <NUM>. The insertion is continued until the leading board section <NUM> makes contact with the edge <NUM> of the opening <NUM> on the end plate <NUM>. The end edge of the leading board section <NUM> preferably includes reliefs <NUM>, such as chamfers. When the contact is initially made, the circuit board <NUM> approaches the opening <NUM> at a narrow opening section 142a shown in <FIG>, where the light tower has been removed for illustrational purposes. The opening <NUM> may be divided into sections that can prevent or permit the passage of the leading board section <NUM>. The sections are in the present context referred to as the narrow opening section 142a, 142c and the wide opening section 142b, respectively. In the circular example of <FIG>, the opening <NUM> has two narrow opening sections <NUM>, 14c with one wide opening section 142c there between. The narrow opening section 142a, 142c is dimensioned to be narrower than the leading board section <NUM> to achieve the passage preventing effect. On the other hand, the narrow opening section 142a, 142c is dimensioned to be wider than the neck board section <NUM> to allow the passage of the neck board section <NUM> through the opening. The wide opening section 142b, on the other hand, is dimensioned to be wider than the leading board section <NUM> to achieve the passage permitting effect.

During the insertion movement, the relieved corners of the leading board section <NUM> will automatically guide the leading board section <NUM> towards the wide opening section 142b, i.e. towards the middle of the opening <NUM>. It should be noted that the center point <NUM> of the opening, i.e. the passage permitting section of the opening, is offset from the normal main extending dimension of the circuit board <NUM>, when installed. During the passage through the opening <NUM>, the circuit board <NUM> is according to one embodiment manipulated from a normal planar state to a non-planar state. The simplest way to achieve such manipulation is to provide for elastic deformation by selecting the material of the circuit board and the circuitry such to allow for a slight bending in a resilient manner. To facilitate the passage, the operator may also promote the deformation by bending the circuit board by hand through the relatively short body <NUM> of the light tower <NUM>.

Alternatively the circuit board may include a mechanical joint (not illustrated), e.g. a hinge, between trailing board section and the neck board section with jumper wires passing the joint.

Instead of manipulation between a planar and non-planar state, the guides may, according to another embodiment, feature enough play to allow for the whole circuit board to be translated between alignment with the passage preventing and permitting sections of the opening (not illustrated). Such embodiment would require additional means for securing the circuit board into place after assuming alignment with the narrow opening section of the opening. Such means may include elastic fillings, wedges, or other pieces for filling the play between the guide and the circuit board.

With the leading board section <NUM> cleared through the opening <NUM>, the circuit board <NUM> assumes its normal planar non-alignment with the wide opening section 142b. The insertion movement towards the cover <NUM> is continued with the neck board section <NUM> extending through the opening <NUM> at the narrow opening section 142a. The insertion movement is continued until the bottom lid <NUM> meets the end surface of the body <NUM> of the enclosure <NUM>. With the lid <NUM> fixed into the body <NUM>, the internals, i.e. the light tower <NUM> and the circuit board <NUM>, are sealed from the elements with two seals between the body <NUM> of the enclosure and the lids <NUM>, <NUM> or cover <NUM>. In addition, electronic components <NUM>, which benefit from being visible to the ambient, are visually exposed through the transparent cover <NUM> by protruding through the hollow light tower <NUM> with aid of the elongated circuit board <NUM>.

While the present construction is considerably convenient to assemble, disassembly for maintenance purposes is particularly efficient. After removing the affixers <NUM>, the bottom lid <NUM> is free to become detached from the body <NUM>. At that point, there is a risk of dropping the circuit board sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM>. However, because the neck board section <NUM> extends at the passage preventing narrow opening section 142a, the circuit board sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM> cannot inadvertently fall out of the enclosure <NUM>. Should the operator suddenly release the sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM>, the neck board section <NUM> would fall through the opening <NUM> until the shoulder <NUM> between the neck board section and the wider leading board section <NUM> would make contact with the end plate <NUM> at the narrow opening section 142a thus stopping the motion. This position may also be used for maintenance purposes by leaving the sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM> hanging for servicing other internals of the beacon light device <NUM>, such as checking the connections of the terminals <NUM> or replacing the bottom seal.

The circuit board assembly <NUM>, <NUM> is then finally released from the enclosure <NUM> by performing the passage routine described above in reverse order. According to the elastic deformation or mechanical joint embodiment, the operator may manipulate the circuit board <NUM> by pushing the leading board section <NUM> into alignment with the passage permitting wide opening section 142a. According to the play embodiment, the operator may remove the fillings between the guide and the circuit board for facilitating said alignment.

Beacon light devices <NUM> are typically installed in locations that are difficult to get to, e.g. remote buoys, wind turbine towers, etc. It is therefore beneficial to be able to replace the electronics of the device without detaching the device from the location for service. With aid of the novel solution, the operator may arrive to the device with a new circuit board sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM> and simply replace the entire circuit board <NUM>. The new circuit board sub-assembly <NUM>, <NUM> preferable also includes a new seal readily installed. Because the circuit board <NUM> may be detached without touching the optics or detaching the device from the host structure, the device need not be re-oriented after servicing.

Claim 1:
A beacon light device (<NUM>) comprising:
- a circuit board (<NUM>) comprising:
o a leading board section (<NUM>) having a width,
o a trailing board section (<NUM>), and
o a neck board section (<NUM>) located between the leading board section (<NUM>) and the trailing board section (<NUM>) and having a width that is smaller than that of the leading board section (<NUM>) and the trailing board section (<NUM>), and
- an enclosure (<NUM>) at least partially enclosing the circuit board (<NUM>) and comprising an opening (<NUM>), which comprises:
o a wide opening section (142b) having a width equal to or greater than that of the leading board section (<NUM>) for permitting passage of the leading board section (<NUM>) through the opening (<NUM>), and
o a narrow opening section (142a) having a width that is smaller than that of the leading board section (<NUM>) for preventing passage of the leading board section (<NUM>) through the opening (<NUM>),
characterized in that the neck board section (<NUM>) extends, when installed to the enclosure (<NUM>), through the opening (<NUM>) at the narrow opening section (142a) of the opening (<NUM>).