WO2016166677A1

WO2016166677A1 - Control device for lamps

Info

Publication number: WO2016166677A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/052100
Authority: WO
Inventors: Claudio CASASSA
Original assignee: Hikari Srl
Current assignee: Hikari Srl
Priority date: 2015-04-14
Filing date: 2016-04-13
Publication date: 2016-10-20
Anticipated expiration: 2017-10-14
Also published as: ITVR20150061A1; CN107535030A; EP3284323A1

Abstract

A control device for lamps, comprising a controller, characterized in that the controller receives in input the power supply and emits in output a power supply signal and receives a control signal on a single output line, in order to drive the lamps, at least one control element (14a-14c) being associated with the output line (13) in order to send a control signal to the controller (11) so as to drive all the lamps (15a-15c) of a same output line (13).

Description

CONTROL DEVICE FOR LAMPS

The present invention relates to a control and/or monitoring device for resistive loads, particularly but not exclusively for lamps, specifically for lamps of the LED type.

As is known, in order to control a plurality of LED lamps or lamps in general, switches are provided which are used as in the diagrams shown in Figures 1 and 2.

In particular, Figure 1 shows a first type of use, in which the reference numeral 1 designates the power supply input line to a capacitive switch 2, the output 3 of which drives one or more lamps, which can be controlled only simultaneously.

A second type of switch is shown in Figure 2, in which there is a control unit 4 that is supplied with power at the input 5, which is adapted to drive, by means of corresponding outputs, an equal number of lamps to be controlled even independently of each other.

The control unit 4 can be programmed so as to program the various outputs to drive the individual lamps.

The solutions proposed above suffer the drawback that they are either able to control the lamps only simultaneously (Figure 1) or have to provide multiple outputs for a corresponding number of lamps, therefore with the drawback of having to provide an output line from the control unit for each lamp and therefore of having to wire a large number of lines.

WO2014/134637 discloses a control device for an LED lamp integrated with a controller which receives in input the power supply by means of a power supply line.

Along the power supply line there is a switch or sensor, for example of the capacitive type, which allows to drive the lamp.

The switch is therefore arranged along the power supply line and in particular upstream of the controller which, as already specified, is integrated with the LED lamp. WO2013/067550 illustrates and discloses a classic lamp with a sensor and/or capacitive switch.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a control device for lamps, particularly of the LED type, which can also be used to control and/or monitor resistive loads of another type, such as for example motors, in which the wiring is reduced to the minimum indispensable amount, though being able to control the lamps of a same line individually.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a control device for lamps that uses a programmable control unit.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a control device for lamps that is highly reliable, is relatively simple to provide and at competitive costs..

This aim, as well as these and other objects that will become better apparent hereinafter are achieved by a control device according to the contents of appended claim 1.

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become better apparent from the description of a preferred but not exclusive embodiment of the device according to the present invention, illustrated by way of nonlimiting example in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 and Figure 2 show respectively a first embodiment and a second embodiment of the control device for lamps of the known type;

Figures 3 to 10 are schematic views of some constructive variations of the control device for lamps according to the present invention.

With reference to the figures, in particular to Figures 3 to 10, which show the device according to the invention, the control device according to the invention, designated generally by the reference numeral 10, comprises a controller 1 1 that is adapted to be powered by an input line 12 and has an output line 13 to which at least one lamp 15a and preferably at least two lamps 15a, 15b are connected.

Figure 3 is a view of the connection of three lamps 15a, 15b, 15c. The controller 1 1 emits in output a power supply signal and receives a command signal on the same output line 13 to drive the lamps 15a- 15c.

The control device 10 comprises at least one control element 14a, which is associated with the output line 13 in order to send a command signal to the controller 1 1 so as to drive all the lamps 15a- 15c of a same output line 13.

In practice, the output line 13, in addition to supplying power to the lamps 15a- 15c connected thereto, is also used to send the control signal from each control element 13a- 13c associated with the output line 13 toward the controller 1 1 so as to allow to drive simultaneously all the lamps 15a- 15c associated with the same output line 13.

The output line 13 of the controller 1 1 allows to carry both the power supply and the control signal of the lamps 15a- 15c, which therefore travel along a single line constituted by two wires. This allows to reduce wiring to the minimum indispensable amount, having a single input line 12 and a single output line 13 to which the various lamps 15a- 15c and various control elements 14a- 14c are connected.

The communication from the control elements 14a- 14c toward the controller 1 1 and from the controller 1 1 toward the lamp or lamps 15a- 15c utilizes the same physical medium, i.e., the two wires that constitute the output line 13, over which analog signals (from the control elements 14a- 14c toward the controller 1 1 ) and digital signals (from the controller 1 1 toward the lamps 15 a- 15 c) are sent.

Both the control elements 14a- 14c and the controller 1 1 are adapted to decode such digital and analog signals so as to allow operation, and in particular control and monitoring, of the lamps 15a- 15c or of the resistive loads connected thereto. Preferably, the various lamps 15a- 15c are each controlled (each group on the same line) by a respective control element 14a- 14c.

In practice, both the lamp or lamps 15a- 15c and the control element or elements 14a- 14c are associated with the output line 13 from the controller 1 1 and therefore are arranged downstream of the controller 1 1 with respect to the input line 12.

It is noted that in known solutions the controller is either integrated with the lamps (and in this case it is evident that the control element must be arranged along the input line) or connected to the respective control elements by means of dedicated cables.

In practice, on the output line 13, which supplies power to the lamps, the signal is transmitted (in a first direction) from the control elements 14a- 14c toward the controller 1 1 and the same output line 13 is used to transmit the signal in the opposite direction from the controller 1 1 toward each one of the lamps 15a- 15c associated with the same output line 13.

In practice, the output line 13, conveniently constituted by two wires, supplies power to the lamps 15a-15c and to the control elements 14a-14c; at the same time, the same output line provides communication between the control elements 14a- 14c and the controller 1 1 and between the controller 1 1 and the lamps 15a-15c.

Advantageously, communication from the controller 1 1 toward the lamps 15a- 15c and from the control elements 14a- 14c toward the controller 1 1 occurs with different voltage levels.

Conveniently, communication from the control elements 14a- 14c toward the controller 1 1 occurs by means of a current signal (not a voltage signal).

Substantially, on board the controller 1 1 there is an absorption sensor that is capable of detecting the absorption signals produced by the control elements 14a- 14c, and this renders it furthermore immune to noise.

According to a preferred embodiment, for example shown schematically in Figure 3, the output line 13 comprises a main line 13a and connecting line portions 13b between the main line and a respective lamp 15a- 15c. Obviously, there can be at least one control element 14a- 14c connected to a respective portion of connecting line 13b.

In this case also, each control element 14a- 14c is adapted to drive all the lamps 15a-15c of a same output line 13.

As shown in Figure 4, not all the connecting portions 13b might be associated with a respective control element 14a- 14c.

With reference to the embodiment shown in Figure 5, the control elements 14a- 14c can be connected directly to the main line 13a.

Advantageously, the control element 14a- 14c comprises a button or a capacitive switch.

Conveniently, the lamp 15a- 15c is an LED lamp.

Obviously, the lamp 15a-15c can be replaced with any load of the resistive type, such as for example an electric motor.

The output line 13 is connected in parallel to the at least two lamps 15a- 15c.

The control element 14a- 14c, if it is a button or a capacitive switch, advantageously comprises a body for supporting at least one lamp 15a- 15c: in order to obtain this result it is possible to arrange a metallic supporting body behind a plastic covering, or it is possible to connect the ground of the capacitive sensor to the metallic body of the lamp 15a- 15c.

In this manner, by touching the metallic supporting body the capacitive value changes and the control input that activates the system is generated.

According to a preferred embodiment, the present invention can be used in lighting devices that are considerably extended in terms of length, such as for example lighting lamps associated with kitchen wall units.

In such situations it can be very useful to be able to control all the lamps associated with the same output line.

Another application of the invention may relate to a lighting system for wardrobes or walk-in wardrobes. In this case, the capacitive switches are activated/deactivated by the doors of the wardrobe and allow, when a door is opened, to turn on all the lights of the wardrobe.

Conveniently, the buttons or the capacitive switches 14a- 14c comprise the support of the respective lamp 15a- 15c.

The controller 1 1 can be associated with one or more jumper devices intended for example to allow the timing or the activation of the control element 14a- 14c by contact or with a proximity sensor.

In practice it has been found that the control device according to the present invention achieves fully the intended aim and objects, since it allows to control two or more lamps by using a control element that is connected to a single output line by a controller that receives the power supply from a single input power line. In this manner, the control signal and the power supply signal are sent over a single line in output from the controller to reach the control elements and the lamps.

In order to implement the invention it is sufficient to insert a controller 1 1 upstream of the lamp or lamps 15a- 15c and insert one or more control elements 14a- 14c in any point of the output line 13 in order to manage the power-on, power-off and/or dimming of all the lamps 15a- 15c associated with said output line 13.

The proposed solution further allows to control a series of resistive loads, for example lamps, without adding wiring or wires in addition to the ones used to supply power to the resistive loads.

The control elements (sensors) 14a- 14c, according to the requirements, can be integrated in the lamps 15a- 15c and/or arranged along the output line 13 (remote).

The control device thus conceived is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the appended claims. All the details may further be replaced with other technically equivalent elements. In practice, the materials used, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to requirements and to the state of the art.

The disclosures in Italian Patent Application no. VR2015A000061 ( 102015902344259), from which this application claims priority, are incorporated herein by reference.

Where technical features mentioned in any claim are followed by reference signs, those reference signs have been included for the sole purpose of increasing the intelligibility of the claims and accordingly such reference signs do not have any limiting effect on the interpretation of each element identified by way of example by such reference signs.

Claims

1. A control device (10) for at least one lamp (15a- 15c), comprising a controller ( 1 1 ), characterized in that said controller (1 1) receives in input the power supply ( 12) and emits in output a power supply signal and receives a control signal on a single output line (13), in order to drive said lamps (15a-15c), at least one control element (14a-14c) being associated with said output line (13) in order to send a control signal to said controller (1 1) so as to drive all the lamps (15a- 15c) of a same output line (13).

2. The control device (10) according to claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least two lamps (15a-15c) associated with the same output line (13).

3. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said controller is connected in input to an input line (12) and in output to said output line (13), which comprises two wires.

4. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that communication from said control elements ( 14a- 14c) toward said controller (1 1) and from said controller (1 1) toward said lamps (15a- 15c) is performed by means of said two wires of said output line (13).

5. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that analog signals from said control elements (14a- 14c) toward said controller (1 1) and digital signals from said controller (1 1) toward said lamps (15a- 15c) are sent along said output line (13).

6. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that communication from said controller (1 1 ) toward said lamps (15a- 15c) and from said control elements (14a- 14c) toward said controller (1 1 ) occurs with different voltage levels.

7. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that communication from said control elements (14a- 14c) toward said controller (1 1) occurs by means of a current signal.

8. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said output line (13) comprises a main line ( 13a) and portions of a connecting line (13b) between said main line (13a) and a respective lamp (15a- 15c), there being at least one control element (14a- 14c) that is connected to a respective portion of a connecting line ( 13b), each control element (14a- 14c) being adapted to drive all the lamps ( 15a- 15c) of a same output line (13).

9. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control element (14a- 14c) comprises a button or a capacitive switch.

10. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said at least one lamp (15a- 15c) is an LED lamp.

1 1. The control device ( 10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said output line (13) is connected in parallel to said at least two lamps ( 15a- 15c).

12. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that the controller (1 1) is programmable.

13. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said control element (14a- 14c) comprises a button or a capacitive switch that comprises a metallic supporting body for at least one lamp (15a- 15c).

14. The control device (10) according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that instead of said lamp (15a- 15c) it comprises a resistive load.