Lamp with proximity sensing

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9719641-B1
Application number	US-201615180008-A
Country	US
Kind code	B1
Filing date	Jun 11, 2016
Priority date	Jun 11, 2016
Publication date	Aug 1, 2017
Grant date	Aug 1, 2017

Abstract

A lamp is described. The lamp includes a housing made at least partially from an electrically and thermally conductive material. The lamp also includes a primary light source positioned within the housing such that the housing dissipates heat generated by the primary light source. The primary light source configured to emit light in a first direction relative to the housing. The lamp also includes at least one indicator light source positioned relative to the housing to emit light in a second direction relative to the housing, the second direction being substantially opposite the first direction. The lamp also includes a capacitive proximity sensor electrically connected to the housing that triggers illumination of the at least one indicator light source if a user's hand approaches the housing.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lamp, comprising:
a housing made at least partially from an electrically and thermally conductive material;
a primary light source positioned within the housing such that the housing dissipates heat generated by the primary light source, the primary light source configured to emit light in a first direction relative to the housing;
at least one indicator light source positioned relative to the housing to emit light in a second direction relative to the housing, the second direction being substantially opposite the first direction;
a user interface; and
a first sensor electrically connected to the housing, wherein the first sensor is a capacitive proximity sensor that triggers illumination of the at least one indicator light source if a user's hand approaches the housing, wherein the housing comprises a head of the lamp, wherein the user interface is positioned on the housing opposite the primary light source, and wherein the at least one indicator light source is adjacent to the user interface.

2. The lamp according to claim 1 , wherein the capacitive proximity sensor uses dynamic sensing to monitor for a change of capacitance that occurs if the user's hand approaches the housing.

3. The lamp according to claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor, the second sensor being a capacitive sensor with a track pad, the track pad arranged adjacent to the at least one indicator light source and configured to receive commands to alter operation of the primary light source.

4. The lamp according to claim 3 , further comprising a third sensor, the third sensor being a motion sensor, the motion sensor configured to extinguish the primary light source if no motion has been detected for a predetermined amount of time.

5. The lamp according to claim 4 , wherein the motion sensor is configured to activate the primary light source if motion is detected at a time after the primary light source was extinguished by the motion sensor.

6. The lamp according to claim 1 , further comprising:
at least one support arm supporting the housing at a joint, the joint configured to allow relative motion between the at least one support arm and the housing,
wherein the joint comprises a sliding electrical contact and a torque insert, and
wherein the at least one support arm is electrically conductive, and a ground wire is grounded to the support arm, the support arm being in electrical contact with the torque insert.

7. The lamp according to claim 6 , wherein the sliding electrical contact comprises a wave washer contacting with an annular contact as the wave washer rotates relative to the annular contact.

8. The lamp of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is electrically connected to the electrically and thermally conductive material of the housing.

9. The lamp of claim 8 , wherein the electrically and thermally conductive material of the housing forms at least a portion of an exterior of the housing.

10. The lamp according to claim 1 , wherein:
the housing is connected to a support, the support comprising:
a first support portion at least partially comprising an electrically conductive material;
a second support portion at least partially comprising an electrically conductive material;
a first joint comprising a torque insert formed with a conductive exterior housing, the first joint connecting the first support portion to the second support portion to allow relative movement between the first support portion and the second support portion;

wherein the first joint provides two current conducting paths from the first support portion to the second support portion,
wherein a first current conducting path comprises electrically charging the first support portion and contact conduction from the electrically conductive material of the first support portion to the electrically conductive material of the second support portion through the exterior housing of the torque insert, and
wherein a second current conducting path comprises a sliding electrical contact electrically isolated from the conductive material of the first support portion, the conductive material of the second support portion, and the torque insert.

11. The lamp of claim 10 , wherein at least one of the first support portion and the second support portion is an elongated arm that does not have a constant cross section along a length thereof.

12. The lamp of claim 11 , wherein the elongated arm comprises at least one channel along an outside thereof for receiving a wire.

13. The lamp of claim 12 , further comprising at least one cover sheet attached to the arm for hiding the wire.

14. The lamp of claim 10 , wherein the first joint further comprises a spacer having a body formed from an electrically conductive material.

15. The lamp of claim 14 , wherein the spacer further comprises an insulating portion and a lead, the lead being adjacent to the insulating portion to be electrically isolated from the body, where the lead forms half of the sliding electrical contact.

16. The lamp of claim 10 , wherein the sliding electrical contact comprising a wave washer rotatable with respect to and in pressing contact with an annular contact.

17. The lamp of claim 10 , wherein the support further comprises:
a third support portion at least partially comprising an electrically conductive material; and
a second joint connecting the second support portion to the third support portion to allow relative movement between the second support portion and the third support portion;
wherein the second joint also provides two current conducting paths from the second support portion to the third support portion,
wherein the first current conducting path comprises electrically charging the second support portion and contact conduction from the electrically conductive material of the second support portion to the electrically conductive material of the third support portion, and
wherein the second current conducting path comprises a second sliding electrical contact electrically isolated from the conductive material of the second support portion and the conductive material of the third support portion.

18. A lamp, comprising:
a head made at least partially from an electrically and thermally conductive material;
at least one first light source positioned within the head such that the head dissipates heat generated by the at least one first light source, the at least one first light source configured to emit light in a first direction relative to the head in a pattern and at an intensity suitable for task lighting;
at least one second light source positioned relative to the head opposite the at least one first light source, the at least one second light source configured to provide an indication of an operating condition of the lamp when illuminated;
a user interface positioned on the head adjacent to the at least one second light source, and positioned on the head opposite the at least one first light source, the user interface configured to accept commands to change the operating condition of the lamp; and
wherein, if a user's hand approaches or touches the head, a capacitive proximity sensor operably causes activation of at least one of the at least one second light source.

19. The lamp of claim 18 , wherein the user interface comprises a track pad as part of the capacitive proximity sensor.

20. The lamp head of claim 19 , further comprising a motion sensor in operable connection with the at least one first light source.

21. The lamp of c

Assignees

• Humanscale Corp

Inventors

• Volek Robert
• CHEN Jin
• Brunner Todd
• Sosniak Krzysztof

Classifications

• F21V5/04

  of lens shape · CPC title

• F21S6/003

  for task lighting, e.g. for reading or desk work, e.g. angle poise lamps · CPC title

• F21V29/89

  Metals · CPC title

• F21V29/70

  characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks · CPC title

• F21V23/0471

  the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person · CPC title