Patent ID: 12203642

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

FIG.1shows a housing10of a luminaire head in a schematic way, not drawn to scale. The housing may have any suitable size or shape. The housing10ofFIG.1typically accommodates a light source and a driver for driving the light source. The driver may receive power and/or data from an internal wiring provided in the housing of the luminaire head. The driver is typically powered from a mains wiring and may be further connected to one or more modules, typically control modules, plugged on the luminaire head via one or more receptacle socket assemblies50. The one or more optional modules may be configured for performing controlling and/or sensing and/or processing and may be configured for instance for wireless communications, for light sensing, for external processing as known in the art.

From International Application PCT/EP/2019/081006 in the name of the present applicant, which is included herein by reference, is known for instance that lighting equipment for roadways, parking lots and other outdoor areas typically use plug twist-lock control modules containing different control blocks and/or sensors. Such a control module may comprise e.g. a light sensor for sensing the light level of ambient light to automatically switch light fixtures on at dusk and off at dawn. For uniformity throughout the lighting industry, electrical receptacles for receiving such control modules are mostly made according to specific standards such as standards approved by American National Standards Institute, Inc. (ANSI). Such receptacles are typically mounted on the top of a housing of the lighting equipment and are electrically connected to various components of the lighting equipment through wires. A module may be plugged into a receptacle50to provide for instance control for the lighting equipment.

The housing10ofFIG.1constitutes an enclosure for the connection structure of the luminaire head. It is noted that although schematically represented as a box without a bottom, the housing10is meant as defining an enclosed area and the figures should be understood as showing only part of the housing10.

The housing10comprises a cable opening11for accommodating a first wiring and a cap opening12for accommodating a removable cap30(shown inFIG.2). The first wiring may be the mains wiring providing power to the driver, the light source, any available module arranged in a receptacle socket assembly50in the housing and any other component of the luminaire head. The first wiring may enter the housing via the opening11as a cable accommodating a plurality of wires. The removable cap30illustrated inFIG.2may be provided to close the cap opening12in the housing10. The removable cap30may have an inner side31facing the inside of the housing10when the cap30is closing the cap opening12and an outer side32facing the outside of the housing10when the cap is closing the cap opening32. The cap30may further be rotatable around an axis A in the cap opening12between a first position in which the cap30is free from the housing10and a second position in which the cap closes the cap opening12. For instance between the cap30and the housing20a thread or a bayonet mechanism36may be provided such that an operator may close the housing10by rotating the cap30in the cap opening12. The axis of rotation A may be in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface of the cap opening12.

FIG.3illustrates a view when the cap30closes completely the cap opening12.FIG.3shows a screw driver slit on the outer side32of the cap30. Yet other embodiments with other configurations and shapes of outer side32of the cap30may be envisaged to allow the removable cap30to be fixed toolless to the housing.FIG.3further shows how a cable gland14may be provided at the cable opening11to provide a water, dust-, dirt-proof interface at the opening11letting through the first wiring20.

FIG.4illustrates a view in which the removable cap30is free from the housing10and the inner side31of the cap30is exposed. One or more connectors40may be provided to the inner side31of the removable cap30for connecting a first wiring20to a second internal wiring25. The first wiring20may comprise wires of a mains cable running through the cable opening11. The second internal wiring25may be an internal wiring of the luminaire head, which may be further connected to a component in the luminaire head, e.g. the driver. The first wiring20and the second internal wiring25may each comprise a plurality of wires for power and/or data, which may extend through the cap opening12. For instance the first wiring20and the second internal wiring25may each comprise five wires as represented inFIG.4and may be arranged in two bundles of wires, which may extend through the cap opening12towards the inner side31of the cap30. One of the connectors40may receive at least one wire20afrom the first wiring20and at least one wire25afrom the second internal wiring25to create an interconnection. An operator upon installation and maintenance may choose to interconnect corresponding sorts of wires from the first wiring20and the second internal wiring25. The one or more connectors40may be standard connectors. The connectors40may be snap-fit connectors enabling an easy insertion of the wires inside the one or more connectors40.

Each connector40may be configured for receiving two wires of the same sort, that is to say wires serving the same purpose. For instance, the first wiring may be for high voltage AC power, for instance 230V connected to the driver. The first wiring may comprise typically a first line wire L, a neutral wire N, optionally a ground or equipotential wire G or PE, and a second line wire Lp. A second line wire Lp may be an alternate L wire for night electricity for instance. Additionally two low voltage DC wires may be present in the first wiring. Such DC mains wires coming in the luminaire head as part of the first wiring20may be interconnected with the two DC inputs of the driver present in the second internal wiring25. Alternatively the low voltage DC wires may be used for data signals, typically for dimming. More precisely a ground wire coming from the mains and the corresponding ground wire coming from the driver may be fit in a connector40configured to receive and interconnect two wires, a neutral wire coming from the mains and the corresponding neutral wire coming from the driver may be fit in a connector40configured to receive and interconnect two wires while an AC potential wire L coming from the mains and the corresponding AC potential wire coming from the driver may be fit in another connector40, also configured to receive and interconnect two wires. Similarly data wires coming from an external controller module may be connected with data inputs/outputs of the driver via additional connectors40, each configured to receive and interconnect two wires, one coming from the driver and the other, corresponding one, coming from the receptacle socket assembly50, on which the external controller module may be plugged. Optionally a safety cable (equipotential or ground) may be present between the cap and the housing.

After installation and/or during maintenance, when all wires of the first wiring20and of the second internal wiring25are interconnected, the cap30although still free from the cap opening12has a limited range of movement due to the harness of wires extending through the cap opening12towards the cap30. The cap30in this situation may no longer fall off the housing. The first wiring20and the second internal wiring25may be arranged such that their length allows for the easy removal of the cap30and the easy access of the inner side31of the cap30. The first wiring20and the second internal wiring25may be pulled outside of the housing10when the cap30is removed for installation and/or maintenance and pushed back inside the housing10when the cap30is put back into the cap opening12.

FIG.5illustrates an enlarged view of the inner side of a cap30. In the cap30, one or more connectors40may be accommodated in one or more compartments34. The compartments34may be integral to cap30, for instance the cap30may be moulded with the compartments34, or compartments34may be provided separately on the cap30. The one or more connectors40may be oriented to guide the first wiring20and the second internal wiring25substantially parallel to the axial direction A of the cap30. The wires, for instance a wire20a, and a wire25a, from the first wiring20and the second internal wiring25, when connected to the connectors40, may then be guided in parallel to each other and form a harness, as discussed above, holding the cap30when the cap30is removed and free from the housing10. Each connector40may further be fixed in the cap30through a snap-fit mechanism35holding the connector40inside a compartment34. Alternatively, the connectors could be fixed to the cap using other means, including for instance screw and/or glue. Each connector40may be configured for receiving at least two wires, preferably at least three wires while the first wiring20and the second internal wiring25may each comprise at least two wires, preferably at least three wires to transmit either DC power, AC power or data signals.

Further a bayonet mechanism36may be provided on the periphery of the cap30to interact with the cap opening12. In this way the cap30may be rotated and locked in the cap opening11in a toolless manner. A seal37may be provided between the cap30and the cap opening12to prevent the ingress of water, dirt or dust inside the housing once the cap30is locked in position and closes the cap opening12. The seal37may be arranged at the periphery of the cap and compressed when inserting the cap30in the cap opening12as illustrated inFIG.6.

Further the largest dimension of the removable cap30may be smaller than 15 centimeters to be held in the hand of an operator. For example, the cap opening12may be substantially round and the diameter of the cap opening12may be between 4 and 15 centimeters, e.g. between 4 and 10 centimeters, between 5 and 7 centimeters. Other rotation symmetrical shapes may be envisaged as well.

In a further embodiment, the housing10may also be meant as an enclosure for protection elements like fuses and act as a fuse compartment. The housing10may comprise a fuse holder guiding assembly60for holding one or more fuse holders65, the fuse holder guiding assembly60and the one or more fuse holders65being accessible through the cap opening12. As illustrated inFIGS.7A and7B, a fuse holder guiding assembly60may be fixed on an inner wall of the housing10and may be located in the vicinity of the cap opening12, in particular fixed on the inner side of the wall on which the cap opening12is located. The cap opening12may be dimensioned such that the one or more fuse holders65can be removed through the cap opening12. During maintenance and/or installation, an operator may thus remove the cap30, access fuse holder guiding assembly60to replace a defective fuse or install a new fuse in an easy manner. The same cap30used for accessing the connection structure of the luminaire head may in this way serve as well as a lid to the fuse compartment of the luminaire head. The fuse holder guiding assembly60may be configured with a rail such that the one or more fuse holders65can slide under the cap opening12. A fuse holder65may contain a fuse which may be released from the fuse holder65via a latch mechanism. The latch mechanism is represented closed inFIG.7aand open inFIG.1. Either the fuse holder65or only the fuse inside the fuse holder65may be replaced through the cap opening12, depending on circumstances.

FIG.7Afurther illustrates an exemplary embodiment where the housing10has a socket opening13, and where a receptacle socket assembly50is mounted in the socket opening13. The socket opening13may be located on the wall of the housing10where the cap opening12is located. The receptacle socket assembly50may in this way be exposed to the outside of the luminaire head, such that an operator may plug a module in the receptacle socket assembly50and at the same time may easily access the removable cap30. The first wiring20may comprise at least one wire connected to the inner side51of the receptacle socket assembly50. For instance the two or three AC main wires (L, N and/or G) coming in the luminaire head may be interconnected with the two or three AC inputs of the driver (L, N and/or G) and with the two or three AC inputs of an external module (L, N and/or G) plugged in the receptacle socket assembly50. For example, the three line wires (L) of the mains, the driver and optionally the socket assembly may be fit in a connector40configured to receive and interconnect two or optionally three wires while the three neutral potential wires (N) of the mains, the driver and optionally the socket assembly may be fit in another connector40configured to receive and interconnect two or optionally three wires. Data wires (D+, D−) coming from an external controller module via the receptacle socket assembly50may be connected to data inputs/outputs of the driver via further additional connectors40, each configured to receive and interconnect two wires. An operator may establish connections between an external wiring like the mains, a receptacle socket assembly50for a module and an internal wiring25from the driver via the connectors40provided to the inner side31of the removable cap30.

The receptacle socket assembly may be one of a NEMA or a Zhaga socket assembly. The receptacle socket assembly may comprise a plurality of receptacle contacts. For example, a first plurality of receptacle contacts may extend substantially along a first cylindrical surface around the central axis of the assembly, and a second plurality of receptacle contacts may extends substantially along a second cylindrical surface around the central axis of the assembly. For example, a first plurality of receptacle contacts may fulfil the requirements of the NEMA standard. Alternatively, the front contact portions of a first plurality of receptacle contacts may extend flush with the front side of the receptacle. For example, the front contact portions of a plurality of receptacle contacts may fulfil the requirements of the ANSI C136.41-2013 standard or the ANSI C136.10-2017 standard. Alternatively, the front contact portions of a plurality of first receptacle contacts may be accessible via apertures in the front side of the receptacle and extend near the front side of the receptacle. For example, the front contact portions of a plurality of receptacle contacts may fulfil the requirements of the Zhaga standard (Book 18, Edition 1.0, July 2018, see https://www.zhagastandard.org/data/downlaodables/1/0/8/1/book_18.pdf.

FIG.8shows a view illustrating the replacement of a fuse holder65, where the fuse holder65has been moved along the rail of the holder60towards the opening12and tilted off the rail to be extracted out of the opening.FIG.9shows a view of an exemplary embodiment of the fuse holder guiding assembly60. The fuse holder guiding assembly60comprises a rail extending at a distance and parallel to the wall of the housing10away from the cap opening12. The fuse holder65is stored in a storage position on the rail at a distance from the opening12. During maintenance an operator may get hold of the fuse holder65via the cap opening12and may slide the fuse holder65along the rail of the fuse holder guiding assembly60towards the cap opening12. The operator may then remove the old fuse holder65via the cap opening12and bring a new fuse holder in the housing via the cap opening12. The operator may fix the new fuse holder in the fuse holder guiding assembly60and slide the fuse holder65back to the storage position. In this way the process of replacing a fuse holder65is simplified, and the movement of the fuse holder65is controlled, avoiding any damage to the connections and wirings inside the housing10.

Alternatively once the fuse holder65is under the cap opening12, the operator may choose to replace only the fuse contained in the fuse holder65, by opening a latch (represented inFIG.1) giving access to a fuse inside the fuse holder65, replacing the fuse and closing the latch. Finally the fuse holder65may be put back into the storage position.

FIG.10shows a side view of an exemplary second embodiment of a cap. When compared to the cap30shown in the previous figures, the cap300ofFIG.10comprises further a cable opening311, arranged in the middle part of the cap300. The cable opening311may create a passage between the inner side310and the outer side320such that a wiring20may extend through the cable opening311inside the housing10. In such an embodiment, the cable opening311may for instance serve as the cable opening11in the housing10of the previous embodiments. It is noted that the cable opening11may be further combined with a cable opening311to bring e.g. two different wirings inside the housing. For the ease of the description, a correspondence in reference numbers may be found between reference signs of the first embodiment in the range31-70and reference signs of the second embodiment in the range310-370. As an example compartments340of the exemplary second embodiment correspond to compartments34of the exemplary first embodiment.

The cable opening311may be arranged in the middle of the cap300and compartments340for accommodating the connectors40may be located on the inner side of the cap300and around the cable opening311. A cable gland330may be used to control the movements of the first wiring20with respect to the cap300. The cable gland330may comprise a tubular element331threaded on a first longitudinal side to interact with a thread provided in the cable opening311and threaded on the opposite longitudinal side to interact with a nut element332to lock/unlock the first wiring20. Further the screwing direction of element331may be the same as the screwing direction of element332(see alsoFIG.11).

Upon installation, the cap300may be removed from the cap opening. The cable gland nut332may then be untightened. Next, through the cable gland330, the first wiring20may be connected to the connectors40. The following step is to pull back the first wiring20to a fixing position. Next the cable gland nut332is tightened. The first wiring20may then no longer be pulled out of the cap300and the first wiring20may be fixed such that it is not twisted when the cap300closes the cap opening12. Next step is to put the cap300back into the cap opening and fix it in said cap opening by rotating it into place. Preferably the tubular element331may be screwed in place inside the cable opening311and the nut element332may be screwed in place with the tubular element331to lock any further movement of the first wiring20

The cable gland330may seal the cable opening311receiving the first wiring20to prevent the ingress of water, dirt or dust inside the housing once the wiring20is locked with respect to the cable opening311. The connection between the first wiring20and the connectors40may be effected in the same way as for the first exemplary embodiment and the arrangement of the compartments340for the connectors40, using snap-fits mechanisms350is to be understood as identical to the one described for the compartments40of the exemplary first embodiment.

FIG.11shows a section of a cap according to the exemplary second embodiment fixed on a housing. Similarly to the first exemplary embodiment, a bayonet mechanism360may be provided on the periphery of the cap300to interact with the cap opening12. In this way the cap300may be rotated and locked in the cap opening12in a toolless manner. A seal370may be provided between the cap300and the cap opening12to prevent the ingress of water, dirt or dust inside the housing once the cap300is locked in position and closes the cap opening12. The seal370may be arranged at the periphery of the cap and compressed when inserting the cap300in the cap opening12as illustrated inFIG.11.

FIG.12shows a perspective view of a cap according to the exemplary second embodiment fixed on a housing and viewed from the outside of the housing. Preferably protrusions as for instance fins380may be provided on the surface of the outer side320of the cap300such that a user may close the cap in a toolless manner.

FIG.13shows a perspective view of a cap according to the exemplary second embodiment fixed on a housing and viewed from the inside of the housing. In this embodiment the first wiring20is represented as comprising five wires20a-20ewhich may each be connected to a connector40for further connection with a second internal wiring25(not represented). The way of connecting the first wiring20may be as for the first embodiment but may however be envisaged in many more ways.

As seen inFIG.13, the cable opening311in the cap300may be central, providing an equi-distant connection between the wires20a-20eof the wiring20and their respective connector40. The compartments340, the snap-fit mechanisms350and the connectors40may be distributed in a regular manner around the rotation axis A of the cap300, providing a rotational symmetric arrangement of the inner side of the cap300.

Besides although represented as fixed on a housing, the cap300is like in the first embodiment removable to allow a user to access the connectors40provided on the inner side310of the removable cap300for connecting the first wiring20to a second internal wiring25of the luminaire head. It is to be understood that all the functionalities described for the first embodiment also apply in the second embodiment.

According to another embodiment, not illustrated in the figures, a cap300can also be envisaged without the connectors40. Preferably a cap300with a cable opening311may be envisaged to close a cap opening12in the vicinity of a fuse holder60arranged in the housing10, for holding one or more fuses65. The fuse holder60may then be accessible through the cap opening12while the cap300also serves as an entry point for a first wiring20inside the housing10. Preferably similar arrangements as shown inFIGS.7a,7b,8and9may be envisaged with a cap300provided with a cable opening310for a first wiring20but without connectors40.

FIGS.14A and14Billustrate perspective views of an exemplary embodiment of a luminaire head mounted on a pole (not represented) comprising a removable cap. A luminaire head mounted on a pole comprises typically a light source and a driver housed in a housing10comprising a top surface10aand a bottom surface10b, wherein the bottom surface has a transparent portion such that the light of the light source may go through the transparent portion. The housing10may further comprise a side surface10chaving a cable opening11for receiving power from the mains via a pole. The side surface10cmay also be used for connecting the housing10to the pole. A removable cap30(or300not represented) may then be provided on the top surface10atogether with an optional receptacle socket assembly50for an optional controller module. The cap opening may then be provided in the surface10a, optionally in the vicinity of the socket opening13, and preferably in the vicinity of an edge between the surface10aand the surface10csuch that the cable opening11, the cap opening and the socket opening are substantially in the same part of the housing. Alternatively the cap opening and the socket opening may be excentered from the connection of the housing10to the pole.

Such luminaire heads are typically used for outdoor luminaires.

FIGS.15A,15B and15Cillustrate schematic views of internal connections inside a cap30according to the first exemplary embodiment for three different configurations. InFIG.15Ano receptacle socket assembly50is present on the housing10, while inFIG.15Ba NEMA receptacle socket assembly50ais present on the housing10, and inFIG.15Ca Zhaga receptacle socket assembly50bis present on the housing10. A driver is in all three configurations present in the housing10for driving a light source.

As illustrated inFIG.15A, an internal controller may provide dimming signal D+ and D- to the driver. The driver may be powering the internal controller, with for instance low DC power, e.g. 24V. Alternatively the internal controller may be powered from the mains wiring. The mains wiring20may comprise typically a line wire L and a neutral wire N, optionally a ground wire may also be present (not represented). On the inner side of the cap30, two connectors may be provided. Two connectors for either the line wire L or the neutral wire N may each receive two wires for interconnecting the mains wiring to the driver.

As illustrated inFIG.15B, an external controller plugging into the NEMA receptacle socket assembly50amay provide dimming signal D+ and D- to the driver. Power for the external controller may be derived directly from the mains wiring20while power for the driver may be derived from the controller via a line wire Lout. The mains wiring20may comprise typically a line wire L and a neutral wire N, optionally a ground wire may also be present (not represented). On the inner side of the cap30, two connectors may be provided. Two connectors may each receive two or three wires for interconnecting the mains wiring, the driver and the receptacle socket assembly. These connectors may be dedicated for either the line wire L or the neutral wire N. One connector may receive two wires for interconnecting the line wire L with a line wire Lin of the controller, while the other connector may receive three wires for interconnecting the neutral line wire N of the mains wiring20with the controller and the driver.

As illustrated inFIG.15C, an external controller plugging into the Zhaga receptacle socket assembly50bmay provide dimming signal D+ and D- to the driver. Power for the external controller may be derived directly from the mains or optionally from the driver, for instance low DC power e.g. 24V. The mains wiring20may comprise typically a line wire L and a neutral wire N, optionally a ground wire may also be present (not represented). On the inner side of the cap30, two connectors may be provided. Two connectors for either the line wire L or the neutral wire N may each receive two wires for interconnecting the mains wiring to the driver.

FIGS.16A and16Billustrate views in which a third exemplary embodiment of a removable cap30is free from the housing10and the inner side31of the cap30is exposed. The embodiment ofFIGS.16A and16Bdiffers from the embodiment ofFIG.4in that the one or more connectors40may be provided on a support plate39protruding from the inner side31of the removable cap30. In an embodiment the one or more connectors40may be located on at least one side of the support plate39. It is noted that, although only connectors on one side of the support plate39have been represented inFIG.7, in an alternative embodiment, connectors may be provided on both sides of the support plate39.

The one or more connectors40may be standard cheap connectors. The connectors40may be screw-down connectors for fixing the wires of the first and second wiring inside the one or more connectors40using screws. The connectors40may be arranged next to each other, for instance in a strip of screw down terminals, and may be snap fit into the support plate39, for instance via holes through the support plates39. The connectors40may be oriented such that the wires of the first wiring and the wires of the second wiring are guided to be parallel with each other. For example, the wires of the first and second wiring may be arranged two by two, facing each other, in a respective connector. More in particular, a wire of the first wiring may be connected to one side of a connector while the corresponding wire of the second wiring may be connected on the opposite side of that connector. In this way, an easy installation of all the wires may be achieved. Other fixing ways may be contemplated by a person skilled in the art.

The support plate39may be configured as a plate extending perpendicularly from a surface38of the inner side31of the removable cap30. The support plate39may extend substantially parallel to an axial direction A of the cap30. The support plate39may be configured as a plate intersecting the inner side31of the removable cap30along a diameter of said cap30. The support plate39may have a width smaller than the diameter of the cap. The support plate39may have a length configured for housing the at least one or more connectors40.

The support plate39may be integral to the cap30and may be for instance moulded as one piece with the cap30. The rest of the cap30may be identical to the cap of the embodiment ofFIG.4, especially as far as the general geometry and interaction with the housing are concerned.

FIG.17shows for instance, where similar reference numbers are used for similar elements, a section of the cap ofFIGS.16A and16Bwhen mounted in an opening12where a bayonet mechanism is provided on the periphery of the cap to interact with the cap opening. In this way the cap30may be rotated and locked in the cap opening12in a toolless manner. A seal37may be provided between the cap30and the cap opening12to prevent the ingress of water, dirt or dust inside the housing once the cap30is locked in position and closes the cap opening12. The seal37may be arranged at the periphery of the cap and compressed when inserting the cap30in the cap opening12.

Whilst the principles of the invention have been set out above in connection with specific embodiments, it is understood that this description is merely made by way of example and not as a limitation of the scope of protection which is determined by the appended claims.