WO2023020828A1 - System for positioning a device in a luminaire, said device having an antenna - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a system for positioning a device (1) in a luminaire, said device having an antenna (3). The holding apparatus comprises the device (1), which has the antenna (3) and a housing, and a holding unit (2, 2a..2f), which has a first portion for fastening the holding unit (2, 2a..2f) in the luminaire and a second portion for fastening the device to the holding unit (2, 2a..2f). The second portion and the housing are connected by means of a form-fitting connection, by virtue of which the housing can be moved relative to the second portion in order to position the device (1) in the luminaire.

Description

System for positioning a device having an antenna in a

Luminaire description:

The present invention relates to a system for fixing a device in a lamp.

In building automation, control devices receive signals from sensors and/or send control signals to lights or other devices via cables or using wireless transmission methods.

WO 2012/089355 Ai discloses a safety or emergency lighting system in which a control device transmits radio signals for controlling the prescribed regular function tests to the safety lights directly or by means of a repeater.

DE 10 2011007416 Ai discloses a lighting system in which ceiling lights are equipped with a radio network module in order to provide Internet access for WLAN-enabled devices.

Devices that have an antenna for signal transmission are often arranged inside the lamp, and not just for aesthetic reasons. Here, however, metallic elements in the immediate vicinity of the antenna (reactive near field) can severely impair the quality and range of the radio connection. Such interference can come from metallic housing or fastening elements of the lamp or other devices, antennas and cables arranged in the lamp. Since the installation conditions for devices in luminaires can vary greatly, it is often difficult to arrange the devices in the luminaire in such a way that a radio connection with sufficient range and connection quality can be ensured.

The invention is based on the object of enabling positioning of the antenna which reduces the problems described. In particular, it is to provide a system with which a device having an antenna can be arranged in a luminaire in such a way that a good radio connection is possible. This object is solved according to the features of independent claim 1 . The invention is further developed by the features of the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, a system for positioning a device having an antenna in a luminaire has the device having the antenna and a housing and a holding device. The holding device has a first section for attaching the holding device in the lamp and a second section for attaching the device to the holding device, the second section and the housing being connected by means of a positive connection with which the housing can be displaced with respect to the second section, to position the device in the luminaire.

The holding device according to the present invention enables the device to be positioned flexibly even with fixed attachment points in the lamp. Thus, even if the first section of the holding device is attached to a predetermined attachment point in the lamp, the device or the antenna of the device can be moved in order to obtain a sufficiently large distance from metallic elements. The distance or the displaceable area of the holding device preferably corresponds to >X/4. The position of the antenna in or on the device can be known to the fitter and/or marked on the housing, so that the fitter can move or mount the device with respect to an existing metallic element in such a way that the minimum distance marked on the housing, for example, > 15mm at 2.4 GHz, or better > 31.25mm (> X/4), is maintained. Alternatively, a minimum distance may be specified relative to a case edge or face, where the specified minimum distance may be less than X/4 if the antenna is located further inside the device.

The device can be an operating device for lamps with a radio module (WLAN, NFC or Bluetooth), a sensor with a radio module or a separate radio module. The lamp can be a portable lamp or a non-portable lamp, such as a light line system. At least the second section can consist of a non-metallic material, eg a plastic. The first section and the second section may be sections on a unitary component such as a plastic strip/rod or separate components.

The housing can have a cover and/or strain relief, with the cover or strain relief being connected to the device by means of a screw connection or a snap connection and having at least one connecting element, and the second section can be connected to the connecting element by means of the positive connection. This allows existing devices to be retrofitted with the holding device using components that can be easily replaced or retrofitted.

If the position/point at which the holding device is connected to the device can be selected, the positioning of the device in the luminaire can also be carried out by selecting the connection point. For this purpose, the device can have at least one connecting element on at least two different sides of the housing, the second section being optionally connectable to one of the connecting elements by means of the positive connection. In particular, at least one connecting element can be arranged on at least two opposite sides of the housing.

The connecting elements can be recesses into which the second section can be inserted or into which the second section can be displaced. The positive connection can be detachable.

The housing may be slidable relative to the second portion along a first axis, the second portion being slidable relative to the first portion along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis.

The holding device can have a cable guide for cables connected to the device and/or a holder for an actuating element for actuating a button arranged inside the device. The cable guide can be used as a clamp, pipe or cable duct and enables exact positioning and high repeatability of the cable routing in the vicinity of the device or the antenna.

Devices often have a switch designed as a button, with which the device can be reset or another function (e.g. test mode) activated. This button is often arranged on a printed circuit board and can be actuated via a small opening in the housing or a cover for the protection against accidental contact. The problem with actuation is that using an unsuitable tool (e.g. a screwdriver that is too large) can damage the housing or other components. It is therefore provided according to a development to have a suitable tool or the actuating element ready for the button, with the holder for the actuating element being attached to the holding device from which the fitter can remove the actuating element if necessary. In terms of its dimensions, the actuating element fits through the opening and is designed to actuate the button when the actuating element is pressed in the direction of the button. The actuating element can consist at least partially of plastic in order to prevent damage and to ensure protection against accidental contact.

The holding device can have a metallic screen for the antenna, for example in order to achieve specific resonance, reflection or shielding effects for specific areas.

The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

1 shows a schematic representation of a first exemplary embodiment of a holding device according to the present invention,

FIG. 2 shows the holding device shown in FIG. 1 in a side view, 3 shows a second embodiment of a holding device according to the present invention,

4 shows a third exemplary embodiment of a holding device according to the present invention

5 shows a fourth exemplary embodiment of a holding device according to the present invention

6 shows a fifth embodiment of a holding device according to the present invention and

7 shows a sixth exemplary embodiment of a holding device according to the present invention.

Components with the same functions are identified in the figures with the same reference symbols.

1 shows a top view of a simplified schematic representation of a holding device consisting of an electrical device 1 and a plastic strip 2 attached to the device 1 according to the present invention. The holding device is used to position and fasten the device 1, which has an antenna 3, in a lamp (not shown). The device 1 is in particular an operating device for operating the lamps of the lamp and has a first connection terminal 4 for connecting a mains voltage line, a DC voltage converter 5, which generates the currents/voltages required for the lamps, a second connection terminal 6 for connecting the lamps, a power factor correction circuit 7, which converts the mains voltage into an operating voltage for the DC-DC converter 5 and corrects the power factor, a radio module 8 having the antenna 3, a button 9 and a control device 10, which controls the DC-DC converter 6 and the power factor correction circuit 7. The control device io can be designed as a processor, a microprocessor, a controller, a microcontroller or an application-specific special circuit (ASIC) or a combination of the units mentioned and can receive wireless control commands for switching on/off and/or dimming via the radio module 8. The control device 10 can be brought into a defined initial state or reset by means of the button 9 . This may be necessary if the control device 10 no longer functions properly and does not respond to the control commands. The plastic strip 2 forms a holding device for the device 1 and has two bores 11, 12 for screws, by means of which the plastic strip 2 and thus the device 1 can be fastened in the lamp. The device 1 itself is connected to the plastic strip 2 by means of a positive connection and can be displaced in the area/section between the bores 11 and 12 on the plastic strip 2 in the indicated directions (left and right) of the double arrow Fi when the screws are in the holes are located. By moving the distance between the antenna 3 and metallic elements at the installation site can be increased, the device 1 shown in FIG. 1 being shifted to the left when the metallic element is to the right of the antenna 3 and to the right when the metallic element is to the left of antenna 3.

2 shows the device 1 and the plastic strip 2 that has not yet been pushed into the device 1, in a side view. The device 1 has in its housing on the underside a recess 13 as a connecting element, into which the plastic strip 2 can be inserted. The recess 13 and the plastic strip 2 have the outline of an isosceles trapezium in the side view, which tapers downwards for the form-fitting connection. The housing of the device 1 and the plastic strip 2 are shaped in such a way that when the screws are loosened the device 1 can be moved on the inserted plastic strip 2 and when the screws are tightened the underside of the housing rests in the light in such a way that the device 1 can no longer be moved . Alternatively or additionally, the recess 13 and the plastic strip 2 can be shaped in such a way that the static friction between them allows the fitter to move for positioning, but prevents unintentional movement during operation, for example due to vibrations. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the holding device, ie the plastic strip 2, is made in one piece. Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 3, the holding device can have two plastic strips 2a and 2b. The plastic strips 2a and 2b are each inserted into the recess 13 (not shown) on the underside of the device 1 and are fastened to the housing 15 of the lamp with a screw 14a, 14b. For a good radio connection between the device mounted in the metal housing 15 of the lamp and a transmitter (not shown) located outside the lamp, an opening 16 is provided on the underside of the housing 15 Material can be closed.

The device 1 has a marking 17 which indicates the position of the antenna 3 arranged in the device 1 . As shown in Fig. 3, the device 1 is positioned over the opening 16, the device 1 being pushed in the direction of the screw 14a by means of the plastic strips 2a and 2b which can be pushed into the recess 13 in order to increase the distance between the antenna 3 and the Mark 17 and the side of the housing 15 of the lamp to which the screw 14b is fixed to enlarge.

In the example shown in FIG. 3, the recess 13 is attached to the underside of the device 1. FIG. Alternatively or additionally, the recess 13 can be attached to other points of the device 1, for example to rotate the device 1 by 90 or 180 degrees, possibly with respect to different sides and/or to move the device 1 in different or mutually perpendicular directions can. With a large number of differently arranged recesses 13, not only can the antenna 3 be brought into a desired direction of emission or directed towards the opening 16, but also the installation of the device 1 in the lamp can be facilitated by an improved possibility of adapting to spatial conditions. FIG. 4 shows the device 1 in which the recess 13 is provided at the top and the device 1 is positioned hanging below the opening 16 .

In the example shown in FIG. 5, the device 1 can be displaced both in the horizontal direction (to the left and right) (with respect to a mounting plane) and in the vertical direction (up and down). For this purpose, the holding device has two plastic strips 2c, 2d pushed into the recess 13 and two plastic strips 2e, 2f, which are fastened to the housing 15 of the lamp with the screws 14a, 14b. The plastic strips 2c, 2d are each connected to the plastic strips 2e, 2f by means of the positive connection described, the plastic strips 2e, 2f having the trapezoidal recess and the plastic strips 2c, 2d having a trapezoidal projection (nose) inserted in the recess. With the holding device shown in FIG. 5, the device 1 can not only be positioned one-dimensionally (right-left) in the lamp, but any existing height difference between the fastening locations of the screws 14a, 14b can also be compensated.

A holder 18a, 18b, which holds an actuating element 19 for the button 9, is attached to the plastic strip 2c. The actuating element 19 can be pulled out of the holder 18a, 18b in order to actuate the button 9 arranged inside the device 1 with it. For this purpose, the device has an opening (not shown) on the top 1 above the button 9 through which the actuating element 19 can be inserted up to the button 9 . The actuator 19 is a 90 degree bent plastic pin with a long and a short straight section, similar to an Allen key (Allen key), the short section can be used in a cramped assembly where components are located above the opening. Alternatively, the holder 18a, 18b for the actuating element 19 can be attached to one of the other plastic strips 2a, 2b, 2d, 2e or 2f.

In the example shown in FIG. 6, the plastic strip 2b has a cable guide 20a, 20b for a cable 21 connected to the second connection terminal 6. The cable guide 20a, 20b guides or positions the cable 21 in such a way that the cable 21 causes less interference in the vicinity of the antenna 3. The cable guide 20a, 20b can be formed by plastic hooks, clamps or eyes, in or through which the cable 21 is laid after the device 1 has been positioned with respect to the opening 16 or other metallic element in the luminaire. Due to the easily reproducible cable routing, the influences of the supply line on the transmitted radio signal are the same for all devices 1 . In the example shown in FIG. 7, the device 1 is spaced horizontally from the metal housing 15 of the lamp by the plastic strips 2c..2f. In addition, a metallic screen 22 for the antenna 3 is attached to the plastic strip 2f, by means of which the propagation of the radio signal in the housing 15 is dampened in an undesired propagation direction F2 or additionally amplified in the desired propagation direction F3. It can thus be prevented that the radio signal/energy reaches areas such as a power rail and is forwarded there undesirably or radio energy is lost in a part of the light. The screen 22 can be used to achieve specific radio/antenna effects, eg for resonance, reflection or shielding for certain areas, without influencing the near field too much.

The screen 22 is a bent metal sheet which is electrically conductively connected to the housing 15 and is preferably not arranged at a distance of an integral multiple of X/4 from the antenna 3 . In the example shown, the screen 21 is curved. Alternatively, the screen 22 can be an angled sheet of metal.

In the examples shown, the recess 13 is arranged on a fixed housing part of the device 1 . Alternatively or additionally, the recess 13 can be arranged on a housing part that can be attached to the device 1 . This enables the holding device to be easily retrofitted to existing or built-in devices. Such a housing or device part can be a strain relief or a cover for the connection terminals 4, 6. The form-fitting connection can alternatively be formed by a plastic strip 2, 2a..2f with a square cross-section and a correspondingly shaped recess 13 or opening, so that the device 1 can be used selectively in one of the four different orientations (0°, 90°, 180°). °, 270 °) can be pushed onto plastic strips 2, 2a..2f.

In the illustrated embodiments, individual plastic strips 2, 2a..2f are shown as holding devices. Alternatively, however, they can also be configured in pairs and, in particular, arranged parallel to one another in order to prevent twisting of the device 1 to prevent. This is particularly advantageous for devices 1 with a higher weight.

Claims

Expectations : 1. System for positioning a device (1) having an antenna (3) in a lamp, comprising the device (1) having the antenna (3) and a housing, and a holding device (2, 2a..2f) with a first Section for attaching the holding device (2, 2a..2f) in the lamp and a second section for attaching the device (1) to the holding device (2, 2a..2f), wherein the second section and the housing by means of a form sch are connected to a loose connection with which the housing can be displaced with respect to the second section in order to position the device (1) in the luminaire, the housing having a cover and/or a strain relief, the cover or the strain relief by means of a screw connection or is connected to the device (1) by a snap connection and has at least one connecting element (13), and the second section can be connected to the connecting element (13) by means of the positive connection. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein at least the second portion is made of a non-metallic material. 3. System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the device (1) has at least one connecting element (13) on at least two different sides of the housing and the second section can be optionally connected to one of the connecting elements (13) by means of the positive connection. 4. System according to claim 3, wherein in each case at least one connecting element (13) is arranged on at least two opposite sides of the housing. 5. System according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the connecting elements (13) are recesses. 6. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the positive connection is releasable. 7. The system of any preceding claim, wherein the housing is slidable relative to the second portion along a first axis and the second portion is slidable relative to the first portion along a second axis perpendicular to the first axis. 8. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2, 2a..2f) a cable guide (20a, 20b) for the device (1) connected cable (21) and / or a holder (18a, 18b) for an actuating element (19) for actuating a button (9) arranged inside the device (1). 9. System according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the holding device (2, 2a..2f) has a metallic screen (22) for the antenna (3).