Lighting device

Abstract

A lighting device, comprising a power setting unit for setting an electrical power of a light source electrically coupled to the power setting unit, a programmable control unit connected to the power setting unit for controlling the power setting unit, a light control interface unit connected to the control unit for supplying a control signal, and a housing made of an electrically insulating material, which provides a power connection for connecting to an electrical power supply network. The housing encloses at least the power setting unit and the control unit so that they are protected. The control signal is predefinable via the light control interface from outside the housing. The control unit provides a programming interface having at least two contact surfaces for electrically contacting the programming interface and an isolation unit for the programming interface and the housing has a passage opening in a housing wall for each contact.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising: a power setting unit for setting an electrical power of a light source electrically coupled to the power setting unit, a programmable control unit connected to the power setting unit for controlling the power setting unit, a light control interface unit connected to the control unit for supplying a control signal for setting the power of the power setting unit, and a housing made of an electrically insulating material, which provides a power connection for connecting to an electrical power supply network, and which housing encloses at least the power setting unit and the programmable control unit so that they are protected from touch, wherein the control signal is predefinable via the light control interface from outside the housing, wherein the programmable control unit comprises: a programming interface having at least two contact surfaces for electrically contacting the programming interface, an isolation unit configured to electrically isolate the programming interface from the power setting unit; and wherein the housing has an associated passage opening in a housing wall for each contact surface arranged opposite to the associated contact surface, wherein each passage opening has a diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 mm and a respective passage opening wall of the passage opening has an axial length of greater than or equal to 3 mm.

2. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connection unit, which is connected to the power setting unit, for the light source.

3. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light source is arranged in the housing and the housing has a light exit opening for letting through light generated by the light source.

4. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passage opening has a passage opening orifice arranged directly adjacent to the respective associated contact surface.

5. The lighting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the contact surfaces and at least partially the control unit are arranged on a separate potential-isolated assembly carrier.

6. The lighting device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the contact surface closes the passage opening orifice.

7. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passage opening is formed at least partially circular-cylindrical.

8. The lighting device as claimed claim 1, wherein the passage opening is formed at least partially conical such that an internal diameter of the passage opening decreases in the direction of the contact surface.

9. The lighting device as claimed claim 1, wherein the passage opening wall has at least one circumferential step protruding radially inward.

10. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passage opening wall has a coating which increases a leakage current resistance.

11. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the passage opening has a sleeve formed with the housing, which extends from the housing wall in the direction of the contact surface.

12. The lighting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least two of the passage openings have different diameters.

13. A lighting device, comprising: a power setting unit for setting an electrical power of a light source electrically coupled to the power setting unit, a programmable control unit connected to the power setting unit for controlling the power setting unit, a light control interface unit connected to the control unit for supplying a control signal for setting the power of the power setting unit, and a housing made of an electrically insulating material, which provides a power connection for connecting to an electrical power supply network, and which housing encloses at least the power setting unit and the programmable control unit so that they are protected from touch, wherein the control signal is predefinable via the light control interface from outside the housing, wherein the programmable control unit comprises: a programming interface having at least two contact surfaces for electrically contacting the programming interface, an isolation unit for the programming interface; and wherein the housing has an associated passage opening in a housing wall for each contact surface arranged opposite to the associated contact surface, wherein each passage opening has a diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 mm and a respective passage opening wall of the passage opening has an axial length of greater than or equal to 3 mm; wherein the passage opening wall has at least one circumferential step protruding radially inward.

14. A lighting device, comprising: a power setting unit for setting an electrical power of a light source electrically coupled to the power setting unit, a programmable control unit connected to the power setting unit for controlling the power setting unit, a light control interface unit connected to the control unit for supplying a control signal for setting the power of the power setting unit, and a housing made of an electrically insulating material, which provides a power connection for connecting to an electrical power supply network, and which housing encloses at least the power setting unit and the programmable control unit so that they are protected from touch, wherein the control signal is predefinable via the light control interface from outside the housing, wherein the programmable control unit comprises: a programming interface having at least two contact surfaces for electrically contacting the programming interface, an isolation unit for the programming interface; and wherein the housing has an associated passage opening in a housing wall for each contact surface arranged opposite to the associated contact surface, wherein each passage opening has a diameter of less than or equal to 2.5 mm and a respective passage opening wall of the passage opening has an axial length of greater than or equal to 3 mm; wherein the passage opening wall has a coating which increases a leakage current resistance.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the drawings, like reference characters generally refer to the same parts throughout the different views. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, emphasis instead generally being placed upon illustrating the principles of the disclosed embodiments. In the following description, various embodiments described with reference to the following drawings in which:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic top view of a light module as a lighting device according to the description;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a detail of a perspective side view of the light module according to FIG. 1 along a section line II-II;

(4) FIG. 3 shows an enlarged side view of a detail of the view in FIG. 2;

(5) FIG. 4 shows an enlarged illustration of a left upper detail from the light module according to FIG. 1; and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a perspective view of the detail according to FIG. 4.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(7) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration in a top view of a light module 10 as a lighting device, as is used in the present case for building lighting, in particular interior lighting. The light module 10 includes a power setting unit 11 (FIG. 3) for setting an electrical power of a light-emitting diode arrangement 12 electrically coupled to the power setting unit 11 as the lighting means. The light module 10 furthermore includes a programmable control unit 13 for controlling the power setting unit 11. Furthermore, the light module 10 includes a DALI interface 14 connected to the control unit 13 as a light control interface unit for supplying a control signal for setting the power of the power setting unit 11. Finally, the light module 10 includes a housing 15 made of an electrically insulating material, in the present case a plastic such as PET or the like.

(8) The housing 15 provides a power connection 16 for connection to an electrical power supply network, the public power supply network here. The power setting unit 11, which acquires electrical energy for the intended operation of the light module 10 via the power connection 16, is connected in the housing interior to the power connection 16. The housing 15 encloses the power setting unit 11 and the control unit 13 including the programming interface 27 and the light-emitting diode arrangement 12 in a manner protected from touch in the present case. The housing 15 is secured in a manner not shown in greater detail against unauthorized opening, by only being able to be opened by its destruction in the present case.

(9) The control unit 13 is connected to the power setting unit 11 and provides a power control signal, by means of which an electrical power results at the power setting unit 11, which is emitted to the light-emitting diode arrangement 12. Furthermore, the control unit 13 includes a potential isolation unit 18 and a programming interface 27. The potential isolation unit 18 enables an electrical isolation in relation to the power setting unit 11 and/or the units connected to the power connection 16 to be provided.

(10) In the present case, the programming interface 27 has four contact surfaces 17, via which programming of the control unit 13 may be performed. For this purpose, the control unit 13 has a microprocessor (not shown in greater detail). The contact surfaces 17 are arranged on a printed circuit board 24 as the assembly carrier of the control unit 13.

(11) The housing 15 has a housing wall 19, in which the power connection 16 is arranged in an integrated manner, as is the DALI interface 14. Sealing of the housing 15 may thus be achieved in the region of the power connection 16 and the DALI interface 14.

(12) The housing wall 19 has an associated borehole 20 as a passage opening for each contact surface 17, which is arranged opposite to the respective associated contact surface 17. Each of the boreholes 20 has a diameter of 1.5 mm. Furthermore, each borehole 20 has a respective borehole wall 21 as the passage opening wall, wherein an axial length of the borehole 20 is 3.1 mm.

(13) The housing 15 furthermore includes a light exit opening 22 for letting through light generated by the light-emitting diode arrangement 12.

(14) Each borehole 20 has a borehole orifice 23 as a passage opening orifice, which is arranged directly adjacent to the respective associated contact surface 17. Furthermore, the boreholes 20 are formed conically in the present case, and therefore an internal diameter of the boreholes decreases in the direction of the contact surfaces 17. Guiding of contact pins to be inserted is achieved in this way, which may therefore be supplied reliably to the contact surface when they are inserted into the boreholes 20.

(15) It is apparent in the present case from FIGS. 4 and 5 that the boreholes 20 have a sleeve 25 integrally formed with the housing 15, which extend from the housing wall 19 in the direction of the contact surfaces 17. The housing 15 thus does not have to be formed with respect to its thickness over the required extension of the borehole. Material may thus be conserved with respect to the housing 15 and structural space may be provided.

(16) Printed circuit boards having programmable logic controllers in a housing, which may no longer be opened nondestructively after assembly, may therefore be tested or programmed later, for example, in the case of troubleshooting or in the case of updates. In this manner, even after complete assembly of the housing 15 and/or the light module 10, testing, programming, and also an update may be carried out. The contacting required for this purpose may take place automatically by means of an adapter, which has corresponding contact pins. It may be provided for this purpose, for example, that a movable contact adapter holds correspondingly arranged testing pins and is moved by a suitable guide, for example, by means of a robot arm or the like, into a contact position with the programming interface 27, to be able to perform corresponding programming or testing, respectively, after the contact is established. For this purpose, the contact pins may be mounted spring-loaded on the adapter and may have tips formed appropriately for reliable contacting.

(17) The control unit 13 having the programming interface 27 and the contact surfaces 17 is arranged on the printed circuit board 24 as a separate assembly carrier. This printed circuit board 24 is arranged offset in relation to a printed circuit board 28 which bears the components of the power setting unit 11, in the present example above the printed circuit board 28 (FIGS. 2, 3). The potential isolation unit 18 is arranged on the assembly carrier 24 in a connecting region between the assembly carrier 24 and the printed circuit board 28. Alternatively, however, it may also be arranged on the printed circuit board 28 in the region of the electrical connection. The assembly carrier 24 may thus be formed completely isolated from the electrical potential on the printed circuit board 28. Advantages result in this way with respect to requirements regarding the electrical safety.

(18) Furthermore, by way of the embodiment of the programming interface 17, undesired accesses to the control unit 13 are made more difficult, because electrical contacting by means of contact pins is required for this purpose. This also distinguishes the description in relation to a solution which would enable wireless programming. Moreover, in relation to wireless programming, for example, by means of radio, infrared, or the like, it is not possible to engage in an interfering and undesired manner during the programming, so that the programming result is faulty.

(19) The non-limiting embodiment is merely used by way of explanation and is not restrictive for the latter. Thus, of course, functions, the construction of the housing, and the selection of the materials and further features may be designed arbitrarily, without leaving the concept of the description.

(20) In addition, of course, the invention may be used not only inside buildings for the lighting thereof, but rather also in an outside region, in particular in the region of buildings, for example, for lighting a path, a road, a working region, and/or the like. The lighting device may therefore also be an exterior light, a streetlamp, and/or the like. In this case, the housing may also be formed hermetically sealed, in particular against a penetration of liquids, gases, solid particles, and/or the like.

(21) While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to specific embodiments, it should be understood by those skilled in the art that various changed in form and detail may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. The scope of the invention is thus indicated by the appended claims and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(22) 10 light module 11 power setting unit 12 light-emitting diode arrangement 13 control unit 14 DALI interface 15 housing 16 power connection 17 contact surface 18 potential isolation unit 19 housing wall 20 borehole 21 borehole wall 22 light exit opening 23 borehole orifice 24 printed circuit board 25 sleeve 27 programming interface 28 printed circuit board