Light Sensor Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016103016-A1
Application number	US-201414512942-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Oct 13, 2014
Priority date	Oct 13, 2014
Publication date	Apr 14, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A light sensor assembly includes a base configured to be fixedly mounted to a housing of a light fixture. The base holds contacts configured to be electrically connected to terminals of the light fixture. A photocell module is provided on the base and includes a photocell electrically connected to the contacts. A sensor lid is coupled to the base. The sensor lid has a lightpipe directing light from an exterior of the sensor lid to the photocell. The sensor lid is variably positionable at different angular positions relative to the base to change an orientation of the lightpipe relative to the photocell.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A light sensor assembly comprising:
a base configured to be fixedly mounted to a housing of a light fixture, the base holding contacts configured to be electrically connected to terminals of the light fixture; a photocell module on the base, the photocell module including a photocell electrically connected to the contacts; and a sensor lid coupled to the base, the sensor lid having a lightpipe directing light from an exterior of the sensor lid to the photocell, the sensor lid being variably positionable at different angular positions relative to the base to change an orientation of the lightpipe relative to the photocell.

2 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lightpipe extends between a light receiving end and a light emitting end, the light emitting end being aligned with the photocell and directing light to the photocell.

3 . The light sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the light emitting end is aligned with the photocell at each of the various angular positions.

4 . The light sensor assembly of claim 2 , wherein the light receiving end is moved with the sensor lid as the sensor lid is positioned at the various angular positions to change a facing direction of the light receiving end.

5 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the photocell remains stationary as the sensor lid is moved to the various angular positions.

6 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the photocell is positioned along a central axis of the light sensor assembly, the sensor lid rotating about the central axis with the lightpipe directing the light along the central axis toward the photocell at each of the various angular positions.

7 . The light sensor assembly of claim 6 , wherein the lightpipe includes a light emitting end aligned with the central axis.

8 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor lid includes a top and a bottom, the sensor lid including a side wall extending between the top and the bottom, the lightpipe being exposed at the side wall to receive light.

9 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the lightpipe has a light receiving segment extending to a light receiving end and a light emitting segment extending to a light emitting end, the light receiving segment being angled transverse with respect to the light emitting segment.

10 . The light sensor assembly of claim 9 , wherein the light receiving segment is oriented generally perpendicular to the light emitting segment.

11 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor lid includes a sensor lid securing feature configured to clip onto the base and allow the sensor lid to be rotatably coupled to the base to change the relative position of the sensor lid with respect to the base.

12 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the photocell module includes a circuit board, the photocell being mounted to the circuit board.

13 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , wherein the sensor lid includes a cavity extending along a central axis, the lightpipe being received in the cavity and extending from the central axis toward a side wall of the sensor lid, the photocell module being received in the cavity below the lightpipe with the photocell aligned with the central axis.

14 . The light sensor assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a direction indicator on a top of the sensor lid, the sensor lid being rotated until the direction indicator is positioned generally north.

15 . A light sensor assembly comprising:
a base configured to be fixedly mounted to a housing of a light fixture, the base holding contacts configured to be electrically connected to terminals of the light fixture; a photocell module on the base, the photocell module including a photocell electrically connected to the contacts; and a sensor lid coupled to the base, the sensor lid having a top and a bottom with a side wall extending between the top and the bottom, the sensor lid having a cavity open at the bottom, the sensor lid having a lightpipe in the cavity, the lightpipe extending from a light receiving end to a light emitting end, the light receiving end being positioned at the side wall, the light emitting end being aligned with the photocell and directing light to the photocell, the sensor lid being variably positionable at different angular positions relative to the base to change an orientation of the lightpipe relative to the photocell, the light emitting end being aligned with the photocell at the various angular positions.

16 . The light sensor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the light receiving end is moved with the sensor lid as the sensor lid is positioned at the various angular positions to change a facing direction of the light receiving end, and wherein the photocell remains stationary as the sensor lid is moved to the various angular positions.

17 . The light sensor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the photocell is positioned along a central axis of the light sensor assembly, the sensor lid rotating about the central axis with the lightpipe directing the light along the central axis toward the photocell at each of the various angular positions.

18 . The light sensor assembly of claim 17 , wherein the light emitting end is aligned with the central axis.

19 . The light sensor assembly of claim 15 , wherein the sensor lid includes a sensor lid securing feature configured to clip onto the base and allow the sensor lid to be rotatably coupled to the base to change the relative position of the sensor lid with respect to the base.

20 . A light sensor assembly comprising:
a base configured to be fixedly mounted to a housing of a light fixture, the base holding contacts configured to be electrically connected to terminals of the light fixture, the base being circular and having a central axis; a photocell module on the base, the photocell module including a photocell electrically connected to the contacts, the photocell being aligned with the central axis; and a sensor lid coupled to the base, the sensor lid having a top and a bottom with a side wall extending between the top and the bottom, the sensor lid having a circular cross-section, the sensor lid having a lightpipe extending from a light receiving end to a light emitting end, the light receiving end being positioned at the side wall, the light emitting end being aligned with the photocell along the central axis and directing light to the photocell, the sensor lid being rotatably coupled to the base and variably positionable at different angular positions relative to the base to change a facing direction of the light receiving end of the lightpipe, the light emitting end being aligned with the photocell at the various angular positions.

Assignees

• Tyco Electronics Corp

Inventors

• Weber Ronald Martin

Classifications

• G01J1/0266

  Field-of-view determination; Aiming or pointing of a photometer; Adjusting alignment; Encoding angular position; Size of the measurement area; Position tracking; Photodetection involving different fields of view for a single detector · CPC title

• G01J1/0448 Primary

  Adjustable, e.g. focussing · CPC title

• G01J2001/4266

  for measuring solar light · CPC title

• F21W2131/103

  of streets or roads · CPC title

• G01J1/0271

  Housings; Attachments or accessories for photometers · CPC title