Control module for a lighting fixture

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12480647-B2
Application number	US-202418784088-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 25, 2024
Priority date	Oct 22, 2021
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

A control module configured to be mounted in a fixture opening of a lighting fixture may comprise an antenna (e.g., a dipole antenna) having a majority of primary radiating structures located outside of the lighting fixture when mounted to the lighting fixture. The control module may comprise a detector positioned to receive infrared energy through a lens for detecting occupancy or vacancy conditions. The antenna may comprise two elements electrically connected in a dipole antenna configuration and comprising respective curved portions that are positioned to curve around the detector outside of the lighting fixture. The control module may comprise an enclosure comprising clips that each have teeth for attaching the control module within the fixture opening. The clips may be located adjacent to each other and the teeth may be staggered relative to each other, such that one tooth of either clip engages the fixture opening at a single time.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A control module comprising:
an enclosure having an enclosure opening at a first end; a cover portion connected to the enclosure and covering the enclosure opening, the cover comprising an aperture in which a lens is located; an antenna located within the cover portion; a wireless communication circuit electrically coupled to the antenna for transmitting wireless signals at a transmission frequency; a detector positioned to receive infrared energy through the lens of the cover portion, the detector comprising one or more pyroelectric elements that are responsive to the infrared energy and a housing having a front surface with a first opening through which the pyroelectric elements receive the infrared energy; a control circuit electrically coupled to the wireless communication circuit and the detector, the control circuit configured to detect at least one of an occupancy condition or a vacancy condition in a space surrounding the control module in response to the infrared energy received through the first opening of the detector; and a shield located over the front surface of the housing of the detector and electrically coupled to a circuit common of the control module, the shield having a second opening arranged overtop of the first opening of the housing, the second opening of the shield being sized to shield the pyroelectric elements from the wireless signals transmitted by the antenna in response to the wireless communication circuit.

2 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein the enclosure defines a central axis of the control module that extends in a longitudinal direction, and the aperture of the cover portion, the lens, and the detector are centered along the central axis of the control module.

3 . The control module of claim 2 , further comprising:
a printed circuit board on which the control circuit and the wireless communication circuit are mounted, the printed circuit board extending through the enclosure in the longitudinal direction.

4 . The control module of claim 3 , wherein antenna comprises first and second antenna elements electrically coupled to the wireless communication circuit in a dipole antenna configuration, each of the first and second antenna elements extending from the printed circuit board to respective curved portions that are positioned between the cover portion and the enclosure, the respective curved portions curving around the detector.

5 . The control module of claim 4 , wherein the curved portions of the first and second antenna elements each comprise a circular segment having a center aligned with the central axis of the control module.

6 . The control module of claim 5 , wherein the first and second antenna elements comprise respective elongated portions extending in the longitudinal direction from the printed circuit board and through the enclosure opening of the enclosure.

7 . The control module of claim 6 , wherein the first and second antenna elements comprise respective offset portions extending between the respective elongated portions and respective curved portions, the offset portions configured such that the curved portions are located farther away from the central axis than the elongated portions, the elongated portions extending parallel to each other between the printed circuit board and the respective offset portions.

8 . The control module of claim 5 , wherein the respective curved portions of the first and second antenna elements define respective inner edges that extend along a circular path that has a center at the central axis of the control module, and wherein an area of the first opening of the detector is located within and area of the circular path of the first and second antenna elements.

9 . The control module of claim 3 , wherein the control printed circuit board comprises one or more first attachment tabs extending from sides of the control printed circuit board, the one or more first attachment tabs configured to attach the control printed circuit board to a fabrication panel during manufacturing of the control module, and wherein, after the control printed circuit board is detached from the fabrication panel, the one or more first attachment tabs are configured to be received within gaps in the enclosure of the control module to align the control printed circuit board within the enclosure.

10 . The control module of claim 1 , further comprising:
a printed circuit board on which the detector is mounted; wherein the shield comprises a sidewall surrounding the housing of the detector and projections that extend from the sidewall and are configured to be electrically coupled to the circuit common of the control module on the printed circuit board.

11 . The control module of claim 10 , wherein the projections extend from a lower edge of the sidewall, the projections configured to be received in through-holes in the printed circuit board and electrically coupled to electrical pads surrounding the through-holes for electrically coupling the shield to the circuit common of the control module.

12 . The control module of claim 10 , wherein the projections extend perpendicularly from the sidewall and are configured to be electrically coupled to electrical pads on the printed circuit board for electrically coupling the shield to the circuit common of the control module.

13 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein the housing of the detector is electrically conductive and is coupled to the circuit common of the control module, and the shield comprises a conductive material electrically coupled to the housing of the detector.

14 . The control module of claim 13 , wherein the conductive shield comprises a conductive adhesive for electrically coupling the shield to the housing of the detector.

15 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein the detector is located relative to the antenna such that energy of the wireless signals transmitted by the antenna is at a maximum level.

16 . The control module of claim 15 , wherein a transmit power of the wireless communication circuit and the antenna is greater than 10 dBm.

17 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein the second opening of the shield is circularly-shaped and has a diameter between approximately 1/20 and 1/50 of a wavelength of the wireless signals at the transmission frequency.

18 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein the second opening of the shield is rectangularly-shaped and the longest dimension of the second opening has a length that is between approximately 1/20 and 1/50 of a transmission wavelength of the wireless signals at the transmission frequency.

19 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein an area of the second opening of the shield is smaller than an area of the first opening of the housing.

20 . The control module of claim 1 , wherein the control module is configured to be mounted in a fixture opening of a housing of a lighting fixture, the enclosure configured to be received in the fixture opening of the lighting fixture and comprising first and second clips located adjacent to each other and configured to mount the control module within the fixture opening, each of the first and second clips comprising a plurality of teeth configured to engage a structure surrounding the fixture opening; and
wherein the teeth of the first and second clips are staggered relative to each other, such that one tooth of the first clip or the second clip is configured to engage the fixture opening at a single time.

Assignees

• Lutron Tech Co Llc

Inventors

• Bhutani Ankit
• Camden Richard S
• Gascho Kevin L
• Phillips Stephen
• Millner Kevin

Classifications

• H05B47/199

  Commissioning of light sources · CPC title

• H05B47/19 Primary

  via wireless transmission · CPC title

• H05B47/115

  by determining the presence or movement of objects or living beings · CPC title

• H05B47/13

  by using passive infrared detectors · CPC title

• H05K9/0024

  Shield cases mounted on a PCB, e.g. cans or caps or conformal shields · CPC title