Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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Ventilation Fixture
The present invention relates to a ventilation fixture. In embodiments, the
present
invention relates to a ventilation device with adjustable airflow. In
embodiments, the
present invention relates to a ventilation system adaptable for inflow and
outflow.
Particularly where indoor spaces are concerned it is desired to provide
effective
ventilation using devices which are as small and as streamlined as possible.
Such
systems are of particular importance in bathrooms where air can become damp
and
needs to be effectively replaced, or in office spaces which may be required to
house a
large number of workers throughout the day. To this end ducting is provided
within the
walls and ceilings of the building to remove air to the exterior. Ducts
connect to vents
through which air flows from the room. In some cases a hole is required to be
provided in
the ceiling through which the duct can extend. Although various forms of
grating may be
provided to improve the appearance of these inlets, such a configuration may
be
unattractive, and this is clearly undesirable. These also either do not
provide sufficient
possibility to adjust the airflow from the room, or provide only for the
ventilation system to
be turned on and off.
The desire for attractive fittings often results in the integration of
ventilation
systems, but also of lighting systems, into a ceiling or wall in various ways.
Spotlights, for
example, may be installed so that they lie more or less flush with a ceiling
surface.
Components required to provide the lighting (circuit boards, bulb connectors,
and so on)
are therefore hidden behind the ceiling surface providing overall a more
attractive
appearance.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
ventilation
fixture comprising: a main housing with a cavity; and a cap configured to be
coupled to
the housing such that it is movable away from and towards the cavity to open
and close
a gap between the main housing an outer edge of the cap, wherein the cap or
the
housing includes a rim around an edge thereof, the rim comprising one or more
cut out
portions to reduce air speed as air flows through the gap and into the cavity.
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In embodiments, the rim is on the outer edge of the cap. This way air flow is
diverted through the cut out portions and towards the centre of the cavity.
The present invention provides a fitting which functions to provide adjustable
ventilation to an interior space, and which is adaptable to fit with most
building ventilation
systems independent of the size of the ducting used. Means of flow control are
provided
and the fitting can be ceiling or wall mounted with its interior parts largely
hidden once
installed, which means that the appearance is more streamlined. To prevent the
airflow
through the fitting from producing unwanted noise, and to provide a smooth and
laminar
flow of air therethrough, cut-outs are provided on an adjustable cap. This
allows the
airflow to diverge to an extent on passing through the fixture which tends to
slow the
airflow desirably to reduce noise. This is important where the size of the gap
for air flow
is adjustable since in some configurations a very small gap may be provided
(i.e. when
the air flow through the fixture is nearly but not quite cut off).
In an embodiment, the ventilation fixture comprises a vent cage configured to
sit
within the cavity and coupled to the cap such that the position of the cap is
adjustable
towards and away from the vent cage to open and close the gap. This way the
adjustable ventilation function can be provided as a module removable from the
rest of
the fixture, i.e. from the housing of the device. This provides a greater
level of flexibility.
In particular it is possible that the specific ventilation fixture described
below could be
supplemented or replaced by a fixture that includes additional or alternative
functionality
as described for example in our co-pending patent applications GB1715056.6 and
PCT/EP2018/074231. Examples of other fittings that could be included within
the
housing, either separately or integrated into the ventilation fixture, would
be a Passive
Infrared Sensor (PI R) or alarm.
If desired the cap can be completely removed such that the module functions
only as a light, or so that vacuum air flow through the fixture is completely
uninhibited
which may be desirable in certain situations. This could be, for example, when
vacuum
cleaning of the fixture is performed, which can also be achieved as part of
the hygiene
maintenance of the entire ventilation system.
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In an embodiment, the cap is adjustable by way of a bolt and thread such that
the
cap can be rotated to move the cap towards and away from the vent cage. The
size of
the air gap is completely adjustable between a fully open and a fully closed
configuration. Finger holds or the like may be provided to assist with turning
of the cap in
some embodiments, although the simple appearance of a smooth cap from the
outside
of the fixture may be preferable. Here "outside" refers to the side of the
fixture visible
from the room once the fixture has been installed in a ceiling or wall.
In an embodiment, the inner surface of the cap is provided with fins extending
from the rim towards the centre of the cap. Inner surface here refers to the
side of the
cap facing inwards, or away from the room in which the fixture is installed.
This surface
will therefore generally not be visible from the room. These fins assist with
provision of a
laminar flow.
The fins are predominantly structural and allow the part to be moulded or
otherwise formed with a thinner wall thickness than would otherwise be
required to
maintain required rigidity and/or strength whilst minimising cost. In the
examples
described below and shown in he figures, such as Figures 4A and 5 to 7, the
fins are
shows as straight members. In other examples, the fins could be curved, such
as in the
shape of a circular arcs, or they could be curved with varying radius of
curvature.
In an embodiment, the rim of the cap comprises more than one cut out portion
and one fin is provided between each pair of cut out portions. Again, this
configuration is
optimal in terms of providing for smooth air flow through the interior of the
fixture.
In an embodiment, between 6 and 10 rims are provided on the cap. In an
embodiment, 8 rims and 8 cut out portions are provided on the cap.
In an embodiment, the cut out portions are substantially rectangular in shape.
Cut-outs may not extend the entire depth of the rim and may also include
rounded
corners and/or chamfers which can further prevent eddies from forming as air
flows past
and/or through them. The cut-out shape can be chosen so as to ensure that the
air flow
within the fixture is as desired. For example these could be rounded in shape,
semi- or
part-circular, semi- or part-elliptical, chamfered, trapezoidal or any other
configuration to
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go with the geometry of the fixture. Furthermore, the edges of the cut-outs
are
preferably rounded or curved so as to avoid presenting a sharp edge to the
airflow as it
passes through.
In an embodiment, the vent cage includes a central hub for coupling to the cap
and a circular rim and comprises legs extending from the rim to the central
hub.
In an embodiment, between 2 and 6 legs are provided on the vent cage. In an
embodiment, 4 legs are provided on the vent cage.
In an embodiment, illumination means are provided on the main housing. The
ventilation fixture can be integrated with a light easily. The illumination
means may be
provided on a front surface of the main housing. The appearance of the fixture
once
installed is very compact and covers openings to ventilation ducts and
provides an
attractive lighting device. Running ventilation through an illumination device
can also
help with cooling of the device. Such cooling is not required for the normal
operation of
the illumination device which will operate safely and efficiently without such
ventilation.
However, the ventilation but does provide additional cooling.
Typically within a building, ventilation ducts will be provided within the
ceiling or
wall. As will be described below when the ventilation fixture is installed an
end of the
ventilation duct may be fed through a hole formed in the wall or ceiling ready
for a
lighting installation all from the visual side of the hole. The entire
assembly can then be
pushed back in to complete the light assembly without requiring access to the
ceiling or
wall internals.
In an embodiment, the ventilation fixture comprises a vent housing coupled to
a
back surface of the main housing, wherein the vent housing includes coupling
means for
fixing to a duct such that a closed path is provided from the front of the
main housing to
the duct through the vent housing. Again, back surface here refers to the side
of the
housing furthest from a room-facing surface once the fixture is installed. The
back-
surface will then generally sit behind a ceiling or wall panel and will not be
visible.
Including an additional vent housing, which may be provided separately or
integrally with
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the main housing, means that the fixture can be adapted to fit to various
sizes and types
of ventilation duct. This makes it flexible for use in different environments.
In an embodiment, the vent cage and main housing comprise magnets to
5 removably retain the vent cage within the housing cavity. The vent cage
(along with the
adjustable cap) can be easily removed and replaced for cleaning without
needing to
dismantle any other part of the fixture.
In an embodiment, the cap can be moved towards the main housing to
completely close the gap between the main housing and the cap to shut off air
flow. The
fixture can therefore be configured as a vent and light combination, or simply
as a light if
desired or if no ventilation is required.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
.. ventilation system comprising a ventilation fixture according to the first
aspect and an air
inlet cap configured to be removably coupled to the housing, the air inlet cap
comprising
openings through which air can flow from the cavity out of the front of the
housing,
wherein the coupling means for coupling the cap and the air inlet cap to the
housing are
such that the cap and the air inlet cap are interchangeable. The device can be
adapted
for inflow or outflow without it being necessary to dismount the device
itself. A set of
identical housing portions (potentially including a lighting function as
described below)
can be mounted to a wall or ceiling and coupled to ducting as desired. The
additional
inflow and outflow modules can be easily inserted and removed to and from the
housing
once mounted and as necessary to provide the desired ventilation to the room.
The cap
.. of the first aspect need not necessarily comprise the rim with cut-out
portions, but may
be of another configuration allowing for adjustable airflow out of the room
and into the
cavity of the housing. The cap may be shaped as a simple disk, for example.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
ventilation fixture comprising: a main housing having a cavity; illumination
means located
on the main housing; and an air inlet cap configured to be removably coupled
to the
housing, wherein the air inlet cap includes one or more openings configured to
allow air
to pass from the cavity and out of the front of the housing.
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In other embodiments, the present invention relates to an improved lighting
apparatus, such as a lighting apparatus with a detachable portion. In
embodiments, the
present invention relates to a lighting apparatus with a removable
illumination portion, a
removable bulb unit, or a removable rim.
In the field of lighting systems, and particularly where lights are required
to be
fitted to the ceilings of indoor spaces, there is a desire to achieve
effective illumination of
the space whilst providing a fitting which does not dominate visually, but
which is easy to
replace and/or maintain. Lights which are recessed into the ceiling or walls
of a room so
that they are substantially flush with the ceiling or walls are now common.
These have
typically comprised one or more conventional bulbs in the centre of a rim
portion which
hides a hole in the ceiling in which the recessed light sits. More recently,
this type of
recessed ceiling or wall light has been designed to use LED bulbs, which are
more
environmentally friendly as well as being more efficient than traditional
lightbulbs.
This type of light is attractive, however changing the bulb or bulbs when
these fail
is notoriously difficult and the placement of the bulbs or other illumination
means within
the light, which does not have a shade in the same way as hanging lights
generally will,
can result in a patchy appearance or non-uniform illumination because the
bulbs
themselves are visible through the front of the device.
In the case of LED lights, it is also difficult if not impossible to replace
the bulbs or
LED chips without needing to replace the entire unit. This, of course, means
pulling the
unit out of the ceiling in the case of recessed lights which requires effort
or professional
input and is costly. US-A-2018/0266635, for example, describes a recessed LED
light
including a central optoelectronic module which includes all of the
electronics required to
power the LED bulbs. The light also includes a separate rim module. The
optoelectronic
portion is pushed into a central opening in the rim module for installation.
The rim
includes fasteners which then securely fix the rim to the ceiling. Once this
action has
been completed it is extremely difficult to detach the rim module from the
rest of the
device, and thus it is also difficult to replace or remove the separate
optoelectronic
module.
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According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a
lighting
apparatus comprising: a main housing with a first attachment means for
securing the
apparatus to a mounting surface; and a detachable portion configured to form a
front
surface of the apparatus and having a first PCB and illumination means fixedly
coupled
thereto and a second attachment means for removably coupling the detachable
portion
to the main housing such that the detachable portion, the PCB, and the
illumination
means can be removed from the main housing and replaced as one piece. The
detachable portion, PCB, and illumination means together (optionally with
additional
parts such as an integral lens or filter) can be referred to as a "halo bulb
unit". The halo
.. bulb unit is lightweight, is manufactured as one integral unit, and can be
easily detached
from a front surface of the housing and reattached thereto without having to
move,
reconfigure, or detach any other part of the lighting apparatus.
The fact that the halo bulb unit is lightweight, together with its location at
the front
of the apparatus, make it easy to access and remove even after the main
housing has
been installed in a wall or ceiling acting as the mounting surface.
Particularly in the case
of LED lighting systems, it has previously been necessary to replace entire
units even in
the case of failure of a single LED chip. This is inconvenient and costly
because a
replacement unit often requires a complex installation which cannot be
completed by the
user themselves.
In an embodiment, the second attachment means comprises a bayonet fitting. A
bayonet fitting means that the detachable portion need only be pushed and then
turned
in order to provide the reversible coupling to the main housing. Because of
the position
of the tabs it is easy to determine whether or not the detachable portion is
in its secured
position, at which point electrical connectors on the detachable portion and
main housing
will line up and a connection will be made with the PCB on the detachable
portion in
order to power the illumination means.
In an embodiment, electrical connectors are provided on each of the main
housing and the detachable portion. The connectors on the detachable portion
are in
contact with the connectors on the main housing to allow current to flow
between the two
when the detachable portion is coupled to the main housing. If spring loaded
connectors
are used these also provide a positive pressure to assist with maintaining the
electrical
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connection. In an embodiment, the electrical connectors are pogo pin
connectors (see
figure 210 for a possible location of the connectors 128). It is possible via
the use of
pogo pins for the electrical connection to be made only when the detachable
portion is in
its fully secured position which may increase safety of the device. This
selective
connection is controlled by means of a contact position of the pogo pins on
the LED
PCBA. During the turning motion required to fix the detachable portion in
place, the
negative pogo pin is in constant contact with a contact track on the LED PCBA
which
extends a part of the way around the rim (the track will lie in the vicinity
of the area
indicated as numeral 146 in figure 21D). At a later point in the rotation, the
positive pogo
pin contacts a smaller conductive pad when the rotation is complete, the
mechanical
connection has been made, and the detachable portion is securely in place and
removably coupled to the main housing. This ensures that the negative pogo pin
always
contacts before the positive pogo pin. Even when a snap-fit mechanical
coupling is used,
the detachable portion may need to be rotated until the connection with the
positive pogo
pin is made.
In an embodiment, the front surface formed by the detachable portion is ring-
shaped. The detachable portion therefore forms a rim around the edge of and a
hole
directly above a central cavity in the main housing into which a functional
module or
blanking cap can be fitted without it being necessary to remove the detachable
portion.
In an embodiment, the LED PCB and the illumination means are coupled to the
rear surface of the detachable portion such that the light is emitted in a
direction away
from the front surface of the apparatus once installed. Because light does not
travel
directly from the illumination means towards the room in which the light is
mounted the
lights are not visible as separate hot spots.
In an embodiment, the illumination means are LED chips.
In an embodiment, the main housing comprises a light guide to reflect light
emitted by the illumination means back towards the front of the housing. The
reflective
surface which reflects the light back out of the front of the device can also
be shaped to
direct light into the room in a particular way (to form a ring or a circular
patch on the floor
of the room, for example).
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In an embodiment, the light guide is formed from a reflective polycarbonate.
In
embodiments, the light guide can be formed from a reflective ABS polymer.
In an embodiment, the light guide directs light through a lens or filter on
the
detachable portion.
In an embodiment, the lens or filter is ring-shaped. This ring-shaped filter
may sit
inside the ring-shaped front surface of the detachable portion. The two may be
manufactured as one integral piece.
In an embodiment, the light guide is configured to reflect light to cover a
circular
area on the floor of a room when the apparatus is installed on the ceiling of
the room.
This may provide a better lighting to the environment and may improve
visibility in the
room. In an embodiment, the circular area corresponds to a circular area of
the floor
doused with water when a fire sprinkler is installed within a cavity in the
central housing
and is activated. Ensuring that areas of the floor which will be illuminated
and doused
with water in the event that a sprinkler is activated correspond makes
planning the layout
of a room easier.
In an embodiment, the lighting apparatus comprises a PCB coupled to the main
housing. These parts of the apparatus may need to connect up to the mains and
may be
bulky and heavy. Removal and replacement of the detachable portion does not
involve
any rearrangement of the heavier parts of the device and thus can be a
simplified
process carried out by a user without the involvement of a qualified
electrician. The PCU
PCBA in the main housing provides isolation from the mains voltage at 240V.
The LED
PCBA uses a lower voltage of 20V meaning that the detachable portion is safe
for
removal without a qualified electrician being present.
According to a fifth aspect of the present invention there is provided a
detachable
portion for a lighting apparatus, the detachable portion comprising:
attachment means
for removably coupling the detachable portion to the front of a main housing
to form a
front surface of the lighting apparatus, wherein at least one illumination
means and at
least one PCB are fixedly coupled to the detachable portion such that the
illumination
means, PCB, and detachable portion can be removed from the main housing as one
piece.
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According to a sixth aspect of the present invention there is provided a
lighting
apparatus comprising: a main housing with a first attachment means for
securing the
apparatus to a mounting surface; a light guide coupled to the main housing and
5 configured to reflect light emitted by illumination means coupled to the
apparatus
towards the front surface of the housing to cover a circular area on the floor
of a room
when the apparatus is installed in the ceiling of the room; a fire sprinkler
module
configured to be coupled to the main housing such that the area of the floor
of the room
doused with water when the sprinkler is activated corresponds to the circular
area.
Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 illustrates a fixture including vent housing;
Figure 2 illustrates a fixture installed in a ceiling panel and coupled to a
ventilation duct;
Figure 3A illustrates the main housing and vent housing prior to assembly;
Figure 3B illustrates the main housing and vent housing once assembled;
Figure 30 illustrates the main housing and vent housing assembled and coupled
to a ventilation duct;
Figure 4A illustrates a cap, vent cage and main housing prior to assembly;
Figure 4B illustrates a vent cage installed within the main housing prior to
installation of the cap;
Figure 40 shows the fixture once the cap has been coupled to the vent cage;
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Figure 5 shows a cross sectional view of the fixture and illustrates air flow
through the mechanism;
Figure 6 again shows a cross section through the fixture with arrows to
indicate
the direction of air flow;
Figure 7 shows the vent cage and cap coupled together;
Figure 8A illustrates the fixture with the cap in the open configuration;
Figure 8B illustrates the fixture with the cap in an intermediate
configuration;
Figure 80 illustrates the fixture with the cap closed to prevent the flow of
air
through the main housing;
Figure 9 shows a perspective view of a housing equipped with an air vent
module;
Figure 10 shows a front view of the housing and air vent module;
Figure 11 shows a cross-section of a housing with vent module;
Figure 12 shows a cross-section of a housing with vent module illustrating air
flow through the module;
Figure 13 shows the module attachment to the housing;
Figure 14 illustrates a possible configuration for illumination means on the
housing;
Figure 15A shows a lighting apparatus mounted to a mounting surface;
Figure 15B shows a lighting apparatus including a central functional module;
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Figure 16A shows a front view of a mounted lighting apparatus;
Figure 16B shows a side view of a mounted lighting apparatus;
Figure 17 shows a cross section of a lighting apparatus;
Figure 18A shows a half cross section of a lighting apparatus with the path of
light rays indicated;
Figure 18B illustrates the beam angle in one configuration of a lighting
apparatus;
Figure 19 shows a cross section of a light guide with dimensions indicated;
Figure 20 shows a room layout illustrating portions of the floor of the room
which
will be doused with water when a sprinkler incorporated into a lighting
apparatus is
activated;
Figure 21A shows a front perspective view of a lighting apparatus including
the
detachable portion, in this case a removable rim, and main housing sections;
Figure 21B shows a rear perspective view of a lighting apparatus including the
detachable portion and main housing sections;
Figure 210 shows the underside of the main housing, including the position of
the pogo pin connectors;
Figure 21D shows the assembled main housing and detachable portion with
pogo pin connectors providing an electrical coupling between the two;
Figure 22 shows a rear view of a lighting apparatus;
Figure 23 illustrates an optional means for connecting the lighting apparatus
to a
mains power supply;
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Figure 24 shows a front perspective view of a lighting apparatus and blanking
cap;
Figure 25 shows a half cross section of a lighting apparatus including a seal
or
seals for fire prevention;
Figure 26A is a plot showing contours of equal luminosity at different
distances
from a point directly below the centre of the lighting apparatus as a
proportion of the
luminosity at that point.
Figure 26B is a luminous intensity distribution diagram relating beam angle to
luminous intensity.
The present invention can, in embodiments, integrate both lighting and
ventilation
in a single device which can be simply and easily mounted in a ceiling or a
wall panel.
Air flow through the device can be adjusted, and is tuned so that air flow
does not cause
unwanted noise as will be described in further detail below. The lighting can
be both
room lighting and emergency light within the same device. As will be
appreciated from
the description below the ventilation is provided by allowing airflow through
a ventilation
fixture that is arranged within a main housing 2. It is possible that the
specific ventilation
fixture described below could be supplemented by a fixture that includes
additional
functionality as described for example in our co-pending patent applications
GB1715056.6 and PCT/EP2018/074231. Examples of other fittings that could be
included within the housing, either separately or integrated into the
ventilation fixture,
would be a Passive Infrared Sensor (PIR) or alarm.
A modular ventilation fixture 1 is shown in figure 1 and includes a main
housing 2
which in the embodiment shown also supports an illumination portion 4.
Lighting, such
as one or more LED bulbs, are fixed to the illumination portion may be formed
as a rim
on the main housing. The main housing has a cylindrical shaped cavity 6 in the
centre
and located behind the front surface (more clearly seen in figures 3A and 4A).
Illumination means may be located on a rim surrounding the cavity.
Illumination means
or devices such as LED chips or bulbs and the like may be situated in a light
pipe with a
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frosted cover so that they are less visible. If this is the case a muted light
may appear in
a ring shaped area on the front surface or rim of the main housing. The
housing 2 is
designed to extend into a ceiling or wall panel, for example through a hole
formed
therein. Only the front surface of the housing will therefore be visible once
the fixture is
.. installed. The fitting is designed to fit into a standard ceiling hole such
as may be used to
install a ventilation duct or a spotlight.
As shown in figure 2, when the fixture is assembled and arranged fitted within
a
wall or ceiling, the main housing extends from behind the ceiling or wall
panel through a
hole formed for installation. The hole may, for example, be between 80mm and
100mm
in diameter or may be between 90mm and 95mm in diameter (or around 92mm
diameter
in size). This way standard 80mm ducting 8 can be easily coupled to the
fixture by way
of a jubilee clip or by other means. The main housing may have a diameter
slightly
smaller than the hole so long as the diameter of the rim is larger than the
hole to cover it
as shown. The distance from the front surface 10 of the main housing 2 to the
jubilee clip
12 used to attach the duct may be between 60mm and 100mm, preferably between
70mm and 90mm, more preferably between 80mm and 82mm. The main housing 2 may
extend into the wall to a distance of between 20mm and 50mm, preferably
between
30mm and 40mm, and more preferably around 36mm.
Coupled to the main housing is a vent housing 3, and it is this vent housing,
which in the embodiment shown in the figures forms a cup shaped portion for
coupling to
the main housing at one end, and to the ventilation duct at the other end. In
use, when
the ventilation fixture is installed an end of the ventilation duct 8 may be
fed through the
.. hole formed in the wall or ceiling ready for installation from the visual
side of the hole.
The vent housing 3 is coupled to ventilation duct 8 and the entire assembly
can then be
pushed back in to complete the assembly without requiring access to the
ceiling or wall
internal space.
Figure 3A shows the fixture 1 prior to assembly of the vent housing 3 with the
main housing 2. The fixture includes a sprung clip 20 coupled to the main
housing which
can be used to secure it in place within a hole in a ceiling or wall panel. A
vent module or
vent housing is secured to the main housing by way of screws (although any
other
means of coupling, such as clips, adhesive, or even forming of the vent
housing
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integrally with the main housing, can be used). The assembled module is shown
in figure
3B, and in figure 30 with a duct attached via a jubilee clip to the vent
housing 3. A seal,
such as a sealing ring 14 formed of rubber or a similar material, may be
situated
between the main and vent housings during installation to prevent leakage of
air or fluid
5 as it passes through the system from the interior of the room to a
ventilation duct and
then out of the building. The main housing and the vent housing are shown
coupled
together by way of screws 22, however as mentioned any means of coupling may
be
used including the formation of the vent housing and main housing as a single
piece.
10 The vent housing 3 includes an indented rim 16 which can be used to
attach a
jubilee clip to form an effective seal between the vent housing and duct pipe
8. In the
embodiment shown, the duct has an 80mm diameter, however other sizes of duct
can be
accommodated by replacement of the vent housing with a housing having a larger
jubilee clip guide or rim. As an alternative, or in addition, a length of
smaller ducting pipe
15 can be attached, and a step down duct 18 used as shown in figure 2 with
jubilee clip
guides at each end for moving between the smaller duct and a larger duct (such
as
between an 80mm duct and a 100mm duct) if necessary. In this way the system is
flexible and can be adapted to fit to different ventilation systems within
different
buildings.
The pathway for air through the fitting is carefully designed to provide good
ventilation to the building and to be easily and fully adjustable in terms of
the airflow
without producing unwanted noise. Figures 4A-40 show the fitting in various
stages of
assembly. The main housing 2 includes a cavity 6 in the centre as mentioned
above. A
vent cage 24 fits within this cavity and can be held in place magnetically,
which makes
removal and/or replacement simple to achieve. The vent cage 24 in the
embodiment
shown includes an internal thread 26 which is configured to receive a threaded
bolt or
screw 28 coupled to a disk shaped cap 30. Clearly the bolt may be coupled to
the vent
cage and the thread to the cap if desired. The cap covers internal mechanisms
once the
fixture is installed and provides a more attractive appearance but
advantageously in this
case also serves as a means to control airflow through the device.
In embodiments, the adjustment between the cap 30 and vent cage 24 may be
by other means than a coupled screw and thread. For example, the two portions
may
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16
push, rather than screw, together. If this is the case, it could be possible
for the cap to
have another configuration such as a square, rectangular, or hexagonal shape.
The
shape of the cavity and potentially also the vent cage could then be made to
match the
shape of the cap in order to provide the required adjustable air gap between
the main
housing and the cap. The air gap will usually extend all of the way around the
cap for
any shape of cap, however this may not be the case.
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate air flow through the device with the cap 30 and
vent
cage 24 installed. Arrows in these figures illustrate the direction of the air
flow. The air
flows from the room through the space between the main housing and the cap (or
potentially in the opposite direction from a duct into the room in some
situations).
Although this would be possible even without the cut-outs, air flows past the
cut-outs
which allows the air flow to diverge as shown helping to slow flow and
reducing the
appearance of eddies. The particular shaping of the cap and vent cage help to
achieve
this smoother airflow. In the embodiment shown in the figures, the front
surface of the
housing and the cavity appear circular when viewed from the front, such as
when viewed
from the inside of a room with the fixture installed. In this case the cavity
is substantially
cylindrical and extends backwards into the ceiling or wall once installed
between 20mm
and 50mm from the front surface, preferably between 30mm and 40mm, or a
maximum
.. of 36mm.
The shape of both the cap and vent cage are shown in figure 7. As can be seen,
the cap includes a series of fins 32 spaced around its inner surface, which in
this case is
disk shaped. The inner surface refers to the surface which faces inward
towards the rest
of the fixture once installed (and which will therefore also face away from
the room in
which the fixture is installed). These fins extend radially across the surface
of the disk
from a protruding rim 34 which extends around the outer edge of the disk on
the inner
surface to a hole or hub 36 in the centre which couples the cap to the bolt.
This coupling
may be via a clipping portion as shown in figure 6. The coupling may allow the
screw to
be removed for replacement and may work by means of a removable clip. The
screw
may alternatively be formed integrally with the cap, or another means of
fixing between
the screw and cap may be provided, which may or may not allow the screw to be
decoupled from the cap. The embodiment shown includes a total of eight fins 32
spaced
equidistantly around the cap, which has been shown to be optimal in terms of
the air
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flow. Other numbers of fins may be provided, however, and these may be
equidistantly
spaced around the inner surface or not depending on the desired airflow.
The number of fins may be defined by the number and arrangement of the cut-
.. outs. As the fins in the cap provide structural support the number is
defined to avoid
them clashing with the air path which is itself defined by the cut-outs in the
cap. The fins
in the cap are preferably configured so as to improve the airflow performance.
Their
location & height is preferably selected to keep out of the way of airflow,
i.e. avoid
obstruction of airflow, entering through the cut-outs in side wall of the cap.
The outer rim 34 of the cap also includes a series of cut-outs 38 located on
the
rim between each fin. The provision of these cut-out portions ensures that
when the cap
is assembled, and particularly when it is screwed further in towards the vent
cage in
order to reduce airflow through the fixture, the speed of the air flowing
between the cap
and the housing is reduced so that air flowing through the gap between the
main
housing and the cap is less subject to eddies due to interruptions in the
airflow. Including
cut-outs within a rim rather than doing away with the rim altogether again
optimises
airflow but also provides the required level of structural rigidity to the
cap. This is
particularly important where the cap is adjustable away from and towards the
main
housing to control airflow. In addition, when the cap is closest to the main
housing,
airflow through the tightest section of the path will move particularly fast
through a thin
gap, and this may lead to whistle or shear noise as the air passes through
this section.
Including the cut-outs reduces or eliminates this noise.
Air passes through the substantially circular gap between the main housing and
the cap, moves up through or past cut-out portions on the inner surface of the
cap into
the cavity around the vent cage. Air is then diverted up through the vent
cage, then the
vent housing, and finally into the attached ducting as shown in figure 5 and
figure 6.
The cut-out portions on the rim of the cap may be substantially rectangular,
such
that the edge of the rim furthest from the rest of the cap appears crenelated.
As
mentioned above, the cut-outs may have slanted edges and/or rounded corners
and
preferably, may extend into the rim to the same depth such that all of the cut-
outs are of
the same size. For example these could be rounded in shape, semi- or part-
circular,
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semi- or part-elliptical, chamfered, trapezoidal or any other configuration to
go with the
geometry of the fixture. The cut-outs may be located between each two fins as
shown,
so that where 8 fins are present and these are spaced equidistantly, 8 cut-
outs will also
be provided, and these will also be spaced equidistantly around the rim.
Similarly, the vent cage itself includes a number of legs 40 (four in the
embodiment shown) which extend upwards from a circular rim 42 on which the
magnets
sit to a threaded central hub 44 through which the screw coupled to the cap
can extend
once the fitting is installed. These legs 40 may be curved at the end nearest
to the rim as
shown, which again optimises the geometry in terms of airflow through the
system. The
number and configuration of the legs provides the required structural rigidity
to the vent
cage whilst minimising interruption to the air flow through the cavity in the
main housing.
It has been recognised that in this application, sharp edges of components in
the
airflow path are likely to cause shear & eddies as air passes through and past
the edges.
Preferably, the configuration of the components including the legs 40 is such
that the
geometry is soften or smoothed out within the airflow path as much as possible
without
impacting structural rigidity. This practice is to allow air to flow over it
as cleanly as
possible. This reduces risk of shear noise from airflow.
Once the cap and vent cage are coupled by way of the bolt and thread the cap
can be turned to move it further up the bolt and towards the vent cage to
close the gap
46 between the vent cage and the cap (or the main housing and the cap) in
order to
adjust airflow. The leg profiles of the vent cap as well as the hub position
and the shape
of the hub also help to minimise acoustic shear and avoid interrupting the
flow of air as
far as possible. Although other configurations for the cap, rim, cut-outs, and
vent cage
can be used, the shapes described above in relation to the figures has been
shown to be
the optimum in terms of reducing eddies and noise due to air flow.
As can be seen from figure 4 in particular, in order to install the fixture
the cap
and vent cage are coupled together using the complementary screw and thread
mechanism, and the vent cage and cap are placed within the main housing of the
fixture
and held there by way of the magnets located on the outer rim of the vent cage
and
within a flange at the back of the cavity. The vent housing is coupled to the
main housing
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and this is itself fixed to a ventilation duct by way of a jubilee clip (not
shown in the
figure) so that air from the room can be sucked out through the duct through
the fixture
(or possibly vice versa in some situations).
Figure 8 illustrates adjustment of the airflow once the removable cap and vent
cage are installed. In figure 8A the fixture is shown in the fully open
configuration. The
cap has been partly unscrewed so that it sits further from the vent cage
leaving a larger
gap between the main housing and the cap for the passage of air. There may be
a stop
provided (which may be removable when the vent cage is taken out of the
cavity) to
prevent the cap from decoupling completely from the vent cage which the
fixture is
installed.
In figure 8B the cap has been screwed further in towards the vent cage so that
the gap between the main housing and cap is smaller or is minimised. In this
configuration, which may be the normal configuration for the fixture, air has
to flow
through a fairly small gap and will flow fast which could potentially lead to
whistle as
explained above. This prevented, again as explained above, by the shaping of
the cap
and vent cage. Figure 80 shows the cap in its fully closed position. No air
flows through
the fitting, and so no ventilation is provided. Clearly, the flexibility of
being able to adjust
air flow in this way without undesirable noises from airflow with the cap in
any position is
beneficial. The look of the fixture from inside a room in which it is
installed is also simple
and attractive.
A continuous set of possible positions for the cap exist between the fully
open
and fully closed configuration. It may be possible to limit the positions to a
discrete set or
at least encourage a user to adjust air flow between a discrete set of
positions using
some type of indicator. In its simplest form this indicator may take the form
of markings
on the cap and front surface of the housing which are aligned in certain
positions to
allow a user to more easily determine whether the airflow is on, off, or at
one of a set
number of positions in between. Some type of tactile indication may be
provided
additionally or instead via a clicking mechanism with protrusions and
indentations
provided on the cap and housing respectively.
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In place of the vent cage and cap, an air inlet cap or air inlet module 48 can
be
coupled to the housing to allow air to pass from the duct through the housing
and into a
room in which the housing is mounted. Of course, such a component will also
allow air to
flow from the room and into the duct, however the vent cage and cap provide
the
5 advantages described above and the air inlet cap described below is
designed
specifically for use in allowing passive airflow from the duct and out into
the room
through the device housing in order to provide fresh air, from outside of the
building for
example, into the room. Valves or similar can be included to allow air flow
only in one
direction if desired. This will usually involve allowing for airflow into the
room and
10 blocking airflow out of the room. Air flow can be passive, as mentioned,
or alternatively a
fan can be included within the housing or the duct to increase the airflow if
and when
desired.
The air inlet cap is shown in figure 9. The cap 48 fits snuggly into the
cylindrical
15 cavity 6 within the housing 2 and is coupled to it by removable
fixtures. The air inlet cap
can be mounted in place of the vent cage described above. All other features
of the
housing, ducting, and the coupling with the ducting are the same or similar to
those
described above in respect of the ventilation cage and cap, which allow for
airflow out of
the room. The cap includes a series of slits or openings 50 through which air
can pass
20 from the ducting, through the cavity in the housing, and into the room.
Figure 10 shows
the same ventilation module from the front. Here a set of 11 slits 50 are
shown.
Of course, the number and shape of these openings can be adjusted depending
on the desired airflow and/or the desired appearance of the module.
Preferably, the cap
includes between 5 and 15 thin slits, and these slits extend almost the full
way across
the front of the cap from one side to another. Openings need not be in the
form of slits
and can take any form provided that air is able to pass through the cap
through these
openings. The air inlet cap may provide a seal with the housing once installed
which
helps to ensure a more controlled and consistent airflow, however in some
embodiments
air may be able to flow also through a gap between the edge of the cap and the
housing.
The cap may be provided with a series of small, circular holes through which
air can
flow, or a series of circular slits increasing in diameter from the center of
the cap. In such
a case some form of frame would need to exist behind each ring shaped portion
to
support these.
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Airflow can be made adjustable by the addition of closable slits or closable
holes
for the flow of air. Slits, openings, or holes 50 can then be open, partially
closed, or fully
closed as desired.
Figure 11 shows a cross section through the housing and air inlet cap. The air
inlet cap 48 in the embodiment shown includes flexible clip portions 52 which
couple to a
slit 54 on the main housing. The cap can be made to be removable by including
parts of
the slit which are filled in or raised to the same level as the rest of the
cavity wall so that
the air inlet cap can be twisted until the flexible clip portions are again
pushed inward
and the cap can be pulled out of the housing. These filled portions of the
slit may include
sloped edges to ease movement of the flexible edges inwards as the cap turns
and
projections 56 pass over the filled portions.
Instead of a slit in which a projection 56 on the back of the flexible clip 52
sits,
projections or a rim can be provided on the main housing for coupling to
projections 56
on the back of the clip portion. Three flexible clips may be provided around
the rim of the
ventilation module, and preferably between two and six clips are provided.
Three is the
optimum number to provide stability without introducing unnecessary complexity
to the
structure. Any suitable mechanism can be provided for coupling of the air
inlet cap to the
housing, such as a magnetic coupling or a screw thread. As can be seen in the
figure,
the grille of the cap in cross-section has a corrugated appearance, which
provides
additional strength to the structure.
Figure 12 illustrates the airflow through the cap 48. Air passes from outside
the
room through the ducting, then through the cylindrical cavity of the housing,
and finally
through the slits 50 in the air inlet cap and into the room. Figure 13 shows
the cap 48
being inserted into (or removed from) the housing 2. Flexible clips 52 and the
projections
56 on the back of these are visible, as is the slit 54 on the wall of the
housing cavity
within which the projections sit to hold the cap in place once inserted. The
air inlet cap
may be formed as one piece out of plastic or a similar material. This provides
some
strength to the component but is malleable enough to allow for the flexibility
required for
the clips to work as intended. The ventilation module may, however, be formed
of any
suitable material or plurality of materials.
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Of course, a number of devices providing airflow functionality can be mounted
within a single wall, ceiling, or room. Lighting may be provided along with
one or both
airflow modules (the vent cage and cap and/or the air inlet cap) on the
housing, such as
on the rim 4 of the housing surrounding the ventilation module. The
illumination means
are described in more detail below. Where more than one module is used,
airflow into
the building may be provided for by the air inlet cap described above with
reference to
figures 9 to 13, and airflow out of the building may be provided for by the
vent cage and
adjustable cap described above with reference to figures 4 to 8. Obviously the
correct
ducting and means for producing airflow, if required, must be provided in each
case to
ensure airflow in the right direction. The ducting attachment mechanism,
housing
measurements, and attachment means for coupling the housing to a ceiling or
wall can
be the same for all fixtures (as shown in figures 1 to 3). This way, air
ventilation both into
and out of a room is extremely flexible. Some modules can be configured for
air inflow to
the room and others for adjustable air outflow, and the configurations of the
different
fixtures can be easily adapted simply by removing a module of one type and
replacing
with a module of the other type.
Including ventilation means (inflow or outflow) in combination with
illumination
means as part of a single device provides a large degree of flexibility. Some
additional
cooling of the circuitry used for lighting may also be achieved where these
two functions
are combined.
The illumination means may be provided as LED lights located around the
central
cavity on the rim 4 as mentioned. In some embodiments, LED chips may be
located
around the rim such that light is emitted back towards the housing or the
ceiling on which
the device is mounted. The light may then be reflected by a light guide
through a
transparent or semi-transparent ring of material such that an even appearance
to the
illuminated portion is achieved. The portion of the main housing including the
LED lights
can be fixed to the rest of the housing or can be removable as in the
embodiment
described below.
A possible configuration of the lighting means is shown in figure 14. The
lighting
means comprises a detachable portion configured to form a front surface of the
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apparatus and having a first PCB 62 and illumination means 64 fixedly coupled
thereto
and a second attachment means for removably coupling the detachable portion to
the
main housing such that the detachable portion, the PCB, and the illumination
means can
be removed from the main housing 2 and replaced as one piece. The detachable
portion, PCB, and illumination means together (optionally with additional
parts such as
an integral lens or filter) can be referred to as a "halo bulb unit". The halo
bulb unit is
lightweight, is manufactured as one integral unit, and can be easily detached
from a front
surface of the housing and reattached thereto without having to move,
reconfigure, or
detach any other part of the lighting apparatus.
The fact that the halo bulb unit is lightweight, together with its location at
the front
of the apparatus, make it easy to access and remove even after the main
housing 2 has
been installed in a wall or ceiling acting as the mounting surface.
Particularly in the case
of LED lighting systems, it has previously been necessary to replace entire
units even in
the case of failure of a single LED chip. This is inconvenient and costly
because a
replacement unit often requires a complex installation which cannot be
completed by the
user themselves. The second attachment means may comprise a bayonet fitting. A
bayonet fitting means that the detachable portion need only be pushed and then
turned
in order to provide the reversible coupling to the main housing. Because of
the position
of the tabs it is easy to determine whether or not the detachable portion is
in its secured
position, at which point electrical connectors on the detachable portion and
main housing
will line up and a connection will be made with the PCB 62 on the detachable
portion in
order to power the illumination means 64.
Electrical connectors can be provided on each of the main housing and the
detachable portion. The connectors on the detachable portion are in contact
with the
connectors on the main housing to allow current to flow between the two when
the
detachable portion is coupled to the main housing. If spring loaded connectors
are used
these also provide a positive pressure to assist with maintaining the
electrical
connection. The electrical connectors can be pogo pin connectors. It is
possible via the
use of pogo pins for the electrical connection to be made only when the
detachable
portion is in its fully secured position which may increase safety of the
device. This
selective connection can be controlled by means of a contact position of the
pogo pins
on the LED PCBA. During the turning motion required to fix the detachable
portion in
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place, the negative pogo pin is in constant contact with a contact track on
the LED PCBA
which extends a part of the way around the rim. At a later point in the
rotation, the
positive pogo pin contacts a smaller conductive pad when the rotation is
complete, the
mechanical connection has been made, and the detachable portion is securely in
place
and removably coupled to the main housing. This ensures that the negative pogo
pin
always contacts before the positive pogo pin. Even when a snap-fit mechanical
coupling
is used, the detachable portion may need to be rotated until the connection
with the
positive pogo pin is made.
The front surface formed by the detachable portion can be ring-shaped. The
detachable portion therefore forms a rim 4 around the edge of and a hole
directly above
the central cavity 6 in the main housing 2 into which a functional module or
blanking cap
can be fitted without it being necessary to remove the detachable portion. The
functional
module referred to may be one of either the vent cage and cap designed for air
outflow
from the room or the air inlet cap designed to allow air to flow into the
room. Obviously if
this is the case then the main housing 2 will need to be coupled to a duct for
airflow in or
out of the room as described above.
The LED PCB 62 and the illumination means, which may be LED chips 64, may
be coupled to the rear surface of the detachable portion such that the light
is emitted in a
direction away from the front surface of the apparatus once installed. Because
light does
not travel directly from the illumination means towards the room in which the
light is
mounted the lights are not visible as separate hot spots. The main housing can
include a
light guide 58 to reflect light emitted by the illumination means back towards
the front of
the housing. The reflective surface which reflects the light back out of the
front of the
device can also be shaped to direct light into the room in a particular way
(to form a ring
or a circular patch on the floor of the room, for example). The light guide
can be formed
from a reflective polycarbonate or from a reflective ABS polymer, and may
direct light
through a lens or filter 60 on the detachable portion. The lens or filter can
be ring-
shaped. This ring-shaped filter may sit inside the ring-shaped front surface
of the
detachable portion. The two may be manufactured as one integral piece.
The light guide 58 can be configured to reflect light to cover a circular area
on the
floor of a room when the apparatus is installed on the ceiling of the room.
This may
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provide a better lighting to the environment and may improve visibility in the
room. In an
embodiment, the circular area corresponds to a circular area of the floor
doused with
water when a fire sprinkler is installed within a cavity in the central
housing and is
activated. Ensuring that areas of the floor which will be illuminated and
doused with
5 water in the event that a sprinkler is activated correspond makes
planning the layout of a
room easier.
The lighting apparatus may include a PCB coupled to the main housing. These
parts of the apparatus may need to connect up to the mains and may be bulky
and
10 .. heavy. Removal and replacement of the detachable portion does not
involve any
rearrangement of the heavier parts of the device and thus can be a simplified
process
carried out by a user without the involvement of a qualified electrician. The
PCU PCBA in
the main housing provides isolation from the mains voltage at 240V. The LED
PCBA
uses a lower voltage of 20V meaning that the detachable portion is safe for
removal
15 without a qualified electrician being present.
Figures 15A and 15B illustrate an example of an LED lighting apparatus 112,
which will be described in detail below. The apparatus is intended for use as
a ceiling
downlight but can also be installed in any surface including walls, outdoor
mounting
20 surfaces, or even tables or flooring if desired. The light is shown in
figures 15A and 15B
installed in a wall or ceiling and includes a rim section or detachable
portion 114 on
which LED lights are provided and to which these lights are fixedly coupled.
Fixedly
coupled refers to the fact that these parts are not easily removed or detached
and are
not intended to be removed. Because of the particulars of the design and the
positioning
25 of PCBs and LEDs within the device, the size and the thickness of the
portion of the
apparatus that is visible when the apparatus is installed are both small in
comparison to
previous models. The diameter of the outer rim/front face of the detachable
portion may
be between 50mm and 150mm, or more preferably between 90mm and 130mm, or more
preferably between 100mm and 120mm, or more preferably around 110mm as shown
in
figure 16A. The thickness of the rim as measured from the mounting surface and
in a
direction away from the mounting surface (which may be a ceiling or wall
surface) when
installed is between 4mm and 7mm, or more preferably between 5mm and 6mm, or
more preferably around 5.5mm as shown in figure 16B.
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The edges of the detachable portion may be chamfered as shown, so that the
portion of the detachable portion protruding above the mounting surface once
installed is
frustoconical. This provides a more attractive appearance and reduces the
likelihood of
catching. The detachable portion 114 may be smooth in order to provide a
streamlined
appearance as shown in the figures or may include finger holds or other
protruding
portions to aid its removal from front of the main housing.
The LED chips 116 face away from the front surface of the light so that the
light
emitted by the chips is reflected by a light guide 118 and then back through a
transparent or semi-transparent ring of material 110 (which may be a filter or
lens) on the
front surface of the detachable portion 114. This way individual bulbs are not
visible, at
least at any acute angle, and an attractive and consistent appearance of the
illuminated
halo is achieved. The front lens (which may be formed in its entirety but at
least in part
from polycarbonate-talc) is coupled to the detachable portion, which may be
formed of
polycarbonate and may have a brushed aluminium front surface bonded thereto to
provide a sleeker appearance. The detachable portion 114 may also have a
brushed
aluminium cover or coating at least on the parts which will be visible in use
in order to
improve the appearance of the front surface of the apparatus. An attractive
and workable
choice for the specification of the brushed aluminium is AA5052-H32. The
finished article
is IP compliant and the visible portion of the apparatus once installed is
thinner than for
previous ceiling or wall lights of a similar type, which tend to be bulky. The
lens/filter and
the detachable portion may be over moulded together to ensure 1P68
suitability. After
manufacture these are not separable parts but form one integral piece. Any
functional
module or blanking cap may also have a brushed aluminium surface bonded to the
front
surface thereof to provide consistency with the front of the detachable
portion.
The centre of the main housing provides a cavity 121 (see figure 24), which in
the
case of the light shown in figures 15A and 15B is a cylindrical cavity within
the main
housing 141, and behind the hole 116 in the centre of the ring shaped
detachable
portion 114. Replaceable modules 118 can be fitted to the apparatus within
this cavity.
These will generally also be substantially cylindrical in shape so that they
fit snuggly
within the cavity 112 and may be held in place using magnetic attachments,
bayonet
fittings, by means of a snap fit mechanism, or by any other means so that one
module
may be easily replaced by another if desired. The fitting will generally be
snap-fit as
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shown in figure 24, for example, which can support both heavier and lighter
functional
modules. The snap fit mechanism comprises a plurality of bendable tabs 111 on
a rim
extending from the blanking cap or functional module which can snap into a
groove 113
within the wall of the cavity to hold the functional module in place. If a
snap-fit connection
is used, the functional module may need to be removed by application of
pressure from
behind, which may require the unit to be pulled out of the ceiling hole
slightly. This would
not require full removal of the unit. A mechanism for causing pressure to be
applied from
the back of the functional module without it being necessary to pull the unit
away from
the mounting surface could be devised, such as a string or similar bendable
device for
passing over the back of the unit which can then be pulled. For heavier
functional
modules (which may be cameras or speakers) a bayonet fitting can be provided
in
addition to, or instead of, magnetic attachment means and/or the snap-fit
mechanism.
Magnetic attachment means are generally used more for lighter modules and
blanking
caps. The cavity 121 in the main housing 141 may comprise both bayonet and
magnetic
.. fittings so that either means can be used to attach a functional module, in
which case
heavier functional modules may comprise the corresponding parts of the bayonet
fittings
and the lighter modules the corresponding parts of the magnetic fittings to
allow each to
be secured within the cavity.
The central cylindrical modules 181 can provide additional functions such as a
sprinkler, camera, or speaker. A blanking cap 122 may alternatively be fitted
within the
cavity if no functional module is used in order to avoid the cavity being
visible and to
retain an attractive and consistent appearance. Blanking caps will generally
be held in
place using the same snap-fit mechanism, magnetic attachment means, or bayonet
fittings as the functional modules but can be held in place using any means.
Figure 15A
shows a lighting apparatus with a blanking cap 122 fitted and figure 15B with
a functional
module 181 installed (a speaker in this case).
Figure 17 illustrates a slice through the apparatus. The semi-circular light
pipe or
.. light guide 118 is visible, and this will typically (although not
necessarily) extend all of the
way around the rim of the apparatus 112 and be coupled to the main housing
rather than
to the detachable portion. This light guide 118 may be formed of a reflective
polycarbonate which helps to achieve a "true halo" effect where no visible
LEDs or
hotspots are evident. The assembly comprises a removable rim section or
detachable
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portion 114 which can be easily dismounted from the front of the apparatus and
which
can equally as easily be replaced itself or replaced with a similar detachable
portion. A
part or surface of the detachable portion 114 forms a front surface 124 of the
lighting
apparatus 112 once the apparatus is installed, for example in a ceiling or
wall. The front
.. surface refers to a surface of the apparatus which faces the room or which
faces away
from the mounting surface, and which is usually visible when the apparatus is
installed.
Obviously, depending on where the apparatus is mounted this surface may face
downwards (if mounted in a ceiling) or sideways (if mounted in a wall) but it
will always
be referred to as the front surface. The front surface may be substantially
parallel to the
mounting surface when the apparatus is mounted and may include a chamfered
portion
which is slightly at an angle to the mounting surface. This front surface of
the detachable
portion may be any shape and does not necessarily cover the whole of the front
of the
main housing. In a preferred embodiment, the front surface 124 of the
detachable
portion (and of the lighting apparatus) is ring shaped as shown in figure 21A.
When a functional module is installed within the apparatus, this may also
extend
further forwards than the front surface formed by the detachable portion (as
in the case
of the speaker shown in figure 15B). In most cases the front surface 124 of
the
detachable portion will be ring shaped or shaped as a rim so that a functional
module
181 can be pushed through a hole in the middle of the rim in order to be able
to be
installed when the detachable portion is already removably coupled to the main
housing
141. This means that the detachable portion and the functional module can each
be
separately and easily removed from the main housing for replacement.
If a bayonet fixing is used to couple the rim to the main housing then the
user
simply has to twist the rim section and then pull to remove, or push and then
twist to
replace. It is also conceivable that other methods could be used to fix the
rim to the main
housing, such as magnetic connectors or snap-fit connectors. Any type of
fixing can be
used as long as the rim is able to be repeatedly removed and replaced. The rim
section
comprises the light emitting device or devices 116, which will typically be
one or more
LED chips, along with a first printed circuit board 126 (the LED PCB).
Connectors 128 on
the main housing 141 and the detachable portion 114 provide an electronic
connection
to the power supply and additional circuitry (including a PSU PCBA 30)
contained within
the main housing. Once a connection is made, the PCB 126 in the detachable
portion,
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which is coupled to the LED chips, connects to the electronics including PCBA
130 in the
main housing so that the light can be powered and controlled. The PCBA 130 in
the
main housing controls a power control unit (PCU) mains power supply inverter
and a
dimmer module in one embodiment, with the PCB 126 on the detachable portion
serving
as a carrier and connection to the LED chips as well as providing a low
voltage power
track to feed the LED chips in order to illuminate them. Once the detachable
portion is
properly coupled to the main housing the LED chips can be switched on and off
or
dimmed as desired. In some embodiments, markings can be used on the main
housing
and detachable portion in order to indicate to the user the relative position
of the two
parts required for electrical connection to be made between the two and/or a
direction of
rotation required to properly connect the detachable portion. Markings such as
these can
be used with any type of fixing between the rim and main housing, but will be
particularly
useful where a magnetic fixing is used because there may be several different
orientations in which the detachable portion and main housing can couple
together
without the requisite electrical connection being made.
The front of the detachable portion can be provided with a semi-transparent
covering 110 through which light from the LEDs passes in use. The covering is
polycarbonate talc filled. This material adds a level of light dispersion to
provide a more
muted, consistent, appearance to the illuminated halo portion of the front
surface. This
further diffuses the light passing through the front of the apparatus and
allows the light to
appear as a smooth ring or halo having a consistent and attractive appearance.
The
covering 110 may be a filter or may be a lens configured to bend or focus the
light in
some way to achieve the desired effect. Either of the cover or the light from
the LED
chips themselves may be coloured if desired in order to provide a coloured
light ring.
Initial installation of the apparatus is achieved by inserting the main
housing
through a hole in a ceiling or wall. In order to fix the main housing in place
it is coupled to
two arms 132 which are spring loaded in order to push against the inner wall
of the
mounting surface (facing away from the room) to force the main housing up into
the hole.
This is prevented from passing all the way through by a rim around the front
surface of
the housing.
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The PSU in the main housing 141 connects to the mains and may convert mains
AC to a low voltage DC current in order to provide power to the apparatus. The
PSU
may comprise the main housing PCBA as well as all of the components which may
be
coupled to this PCBA (these components are visible in figure 23). The
apparatus may
5 also include a chargeable or non-chargeable battery which can provide
back-up power in
the event of failure of the mains. This may be important in an emergency
situation.
Batteries may normally charge from the mains. Generally, the PCU will include
a 2-4
hour (preferably 3 hour) power pack which is mains powered to trickle charge
meaning
that if the mains power supply should fail, for example in the event of a fire
in the
10 building, the apparatus would be capable of providing illumination
without mains power
for enough time to facilitate safe exit from the building. The power pack is
not shown in
the figures and may be provided as a separate product configured to connect to
the
lighting apparatus.
15 Figure 18A shows the path of the light rays from the LED bulbs as the
light
passes out of the apparatus. The beam angle of the rays leaving the apparatus
after
having been reflected by the light pipe and passed through the lens or filter
may be
between 80 and 120 degrees, and more preferably between 90 and 110 degrees,
and
still more preferably between 90 and 106 degrees, or around 106 degrees as
shown in
20 figure 4B. The light pipe 118 may be carefully shaped to provide a
desired beam
shape/angle. For example, the light pipe may be shaped in order that the
widest angle at
which the rays exit the apparatus will correspond to the widest angle at which
water from
a sprinkler will exit the apparatus when a sprinkler module is inserted into
the cavity in
the centre of the apparatus. This angle may be 106 degrees. The shape of the
light pipe
25 is illustrated in figure 19 (in which measurements are shown in units of
mm). The light
guide is shaped such that it comprises a curve which is tangent to the LED
viewing angle
with a radius of between 5mm and 9mm, more preferably between 6mm and 8mm,
more
preferably between 6.5mm and 7.5mm and more preferably around 6.9mm. The
highest
point of the curve is located at a height of between 6mm and 8mm and
preferably
30 around 6.8mm above the light source and the curvature is offset from the
centre by
around 1.1mm. The light guide cross sectional shape may include a curve having
one
part with a radius of curvature of between 5mm and 9mm, more preferably
between
6mm and 8mm, more preferably between 6.5mm and 7.5mm and more preferably
around 6.9mm as above and another part with a radius of curvature of between
3mm
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and 7mm, more preferably between 4mm and 6mm, more preferably between 4.5mm
and 5.5mm, and more preferably 5mm. In a preferred embodiment, the radius of
curvature of the first part of the curve will be around 6.9mm and the radius
of curvature
of the second part of the curve will be around 5mm as shown in the figure. The
point on
the curve at which the transition between the areas with the two different
radii of
curvature may be at the highest point on the curve, or may be offset from this
to one side
as shown in figure 19 where the transition between the areas of different
radius of
curvature is offset from the highest point on the curve towards the outer wall
of the main
housing by between 0.7mm and 1.5mm, preferably around 1.1mm. The width of the
filter/lens material, through which the light rays reflected from the light
guide pass, may
be between 5mm and 15mm, more preferably between 8mm and 10mm, and most
preferably around 9mm as shown.
The particular shape of the light guide means that if the lighting apparatus
is
mounted on the ceiling of a room then the circular light patch on the floor of
the room will
correspond to the area which will be doused with water during a fire. This
aids a decision
as to where to place the lights so that substantially the whole floor will be
illuminated and
the same area corresponding to substantially the whole floor will be sprayed
with water
once the sprinklers are activated. Figure 20 shows an example layout for a
room. The
dotted circles represent the area of the floor which are to be doused with
water when the
sprinkler functional module is inserted in the centre of the lighting
apparatus and the
sprinkler functionality is activated. In the above embodiment these will also
represent the
largest extent of the area of light on the floor of the room when the light is
switched on.
The light pipes can be shaped such that a circle, rather than a ring, of light
on the floor of
the room is present which provides for a better, more even, and more
attractive lighting
environment.
As illustrated in figure 18A, light from the LEDs is emitted such that it
travels
away from the front surface of the apparatus and rearward towards the light
pipe or light
guide 118. The light pipe, which may be substantially in the shape of a half
pipe
extending all of the way around the main housing, then reflects the light
outwards
through a ring shaped opening in the front surface of the housing. The ring
shaped
opening may be covered by a diffusive and/or semi-transparent material to
further diffuse
the light in order to provide a consistent illumination. This material may
also (or instead)
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be a lens so that some refraction of the light may occur as it passes through.
The lens or
filter may 110 be formed from polycarbonate with talc. The properties of the
lens and the
shape of the housing, and in particular of the light guide, can together be
configured
such that the diameter of the illuminated portion of a floor corresponds to
the area of the
.. floor which will be doused with water by a sprinkler if this is used as the
central functional
module. The circular area may be between 2 and 6 meters in diameter, or more
preferably between 2.5 and 5.5 meters in diameter, or more preferably around 4
meters
in diameter for a standard ceiling height of around 2.5 meters. A ring shaped
halo of light
(visible through the ring shaped filter/lens) and a ring shaped light guide
are preferred
but are not essential. The part of the front of the detachable portion through
which light
passes in use is not necessarily in the shape of a halo/ring although this is
preferred.
The halo may only extend part of the way around the housing, for example, or
may be
broken up into several smaller illuminated parts depending on the
configuration of the
light guide and the position of the filter/lens, of which there may be several
in some
embodiments. A circular central portion may also be illuminated, however this
would
obviously mean that a cavity would no longer be present for the provision of
additional
functional modules, and the ring shaped illumination portion or "halo" is the
most
aesthetically pleasing configuration.
As shown in figure 25, the LED chips 116 sit on a PCB 126 which is connected
to
the back surface of the detachable portion or rim 114. The PCB or PCBA is
formed from
glass fibre reinforced epoxy resin with a copper foil bonded to one or both
sides of the
PCB. The removable part comprises only the bevelled ring shaped portion, which
may
be formed of plastic in some embodiments, coupled to the semi-transparent
material or
lens 110 if present, the PCB 126 for the LED chips, electronic couplers (in
this case
conductive regions for coupling with pogo pin connectors 128 on the main
housing) to
connect the electronics in the detachable portion to those in the main
housing,
mechanical couplers to removably attach the detachable portion to the main
housing,
and the LED chips 116 themselves. No additional structure need be present (and
the
filter or lens 110 can in some embodiments be dispensed with although this
will clearly
have a negative effect on the appearance of the device). This section is
lightweight, and
relatively simple to manufacture. The mechanical means of attachment with the
main
housing may be provided as a bayonet type mount with tabs and slots on the
main
housing and the detachable portion respectively. Tabs on the main housing are
aligned
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with slots on the detachable portion and the two are pushed together and then
turned so
that tabs on both portions align to removably fix the detachable portion in
place. This
means that the detachable portion need only be pushed towards the main housing
and
then turned to hold the detachable portion in place. The attachment may,
however, be
provided by other means than a bayonet fixing, such as via a magnetic
attachment or a
screw thread.
Figures 21A and 21B show the configuration of the detachable portion 114 in a
bit more detail. From the outside or from the front (figure 21A) only a thin
ring-shaped
and bevelled section is visible, along with the lens or transparent material
which is also
ring shaped and sits within the outer supporting ring. From the back (figure
21B) the
PCB 126 and tabs 134 forming part of the bayonet fixings for coupling to the
main
housing are visible as well as the LEDs 116 which are coupled to the PCB. A
plurality of
LEDs may be provided all of the way around the rim to provide as consistent an
illumination. Between 10 and 40 LEDs may be provided all of the way around the
rim,
preferably between 20 and 30, and preferably 24 LEDs will be provided to give
sufficient
consistency to the appearance of the halo of light whilst minimising the cost
of
production. Figure 210 illustrates the underside of the main housing without
the
detachable portion fitted. The connectors 128 are visible, as well as the
light guide, and
snap-fit mechanism for a functional module.
Between the LEDs in at least one location and in some embodiments in a
number of locations (such as spaced out around the ring between each set of
six LEDs)
are electronic connections for providing a connection between the LED PCBA and
the
electronics and PSU PCBA within the main housing. Figure 210 shows one
possible
configuration in which one set of pogo pin connectors (one positive and one
negative
pin) are included on the main housing. One set connectors is sufficient and
using just
one saves space on the underside of the detachable portion for LED chips. In
one
example, pogo pin connectors or other spring-loaded connectors are used to
provide the
electrical connection. The spring loaded part of the connector are shown
provided on the
main housing, with mating conductive areas on the detachable portion.
Alternatively, the
spring loaded connectors may be provided on the detachable portion and
conductive
regions for mating with these on the main housing. If several connectors are
provided
around the detachable portion then for each of the connectors separately the
spring
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loaded portion may be located either on the detachable portion or the main
housing,
however it is preferable for all of the connectors on each of the main housing
and the
detachable portion respectively to be the same as each other which allows
easier
replacement of the detachable portion. Preferably, all of the connectors on
the
detachable portion represent conductive areas which mate with spring loaded
connectors in corresponding positions around the main housing. The bayonet-
type
mechanical fixing on the main housing, if a bayonet fixing is used, will be
located such
that the detachable portion can be pushed inwards towards the main housing
without
connection being made between the LED PCBA and the PSU PCBA. Only when the rim
.. is turned to fix it in place using the bayonet fixing is the connection
made. This provides
for safer installation and helps to maintain a strong connection between the
two PCBAs.
The inclusion of a lightweight, removable, and reasonably small-sized rim to
which LEDs 116 and LED PCBs 126 are coupled means that this part of the
apparatus
can be separately replaced. Previously, if a LED chip of the lighting assembly
were to fail
the entire assembly would require replacement. Because of the complexity of
the
installation process the replacement of an entire unit may require the
services of a
trained electrician. The above-described apparatus does not need to be
replaced each
time an LED chip fails. Instead, the removable rim only is dismounted from the
main
housing using a simple twist and pull motion and is replaced with a new rim.
This utility
also means that the colour of the filter or lens, bulbs, or rim section itself
can be changed
easily if desired or to fit with a new colour scheme in a particular room.
A built-in driver may and in most cases will be included as part of the
electronics
in the main housing to allow communication with a remote device via wireless
connection (such as a WLAN connection). The lighting system can then be
controlled
from the remote device, which may be a mobile phone or tablet, to turn the
lights on and
off or to dim them if desired. As can be seen in figure 22, there is a space
136 above the
electronics within the main housing which can be used to double stack the PCBA
in the
main housing for the inclusion of IOT (internet of things) technology. A
Bluetooth
connection with the apparatus may be possible. Also shown in figure 22 is the
transformer 131 which may be made as a custom fit to the lighting apparatus
and so that
it can be oriented vertically with the longer side perpendicular to the PCBA
as shown.
This allows the diameter of the lighting apparatus to be minimised along with
the size of
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the hole in the mounting surface required to fit the unit. The transformer 131
is a step
down transformer which converts mains voltage at 240V to 20V. Figures 22 and
23
illustrates a simple connection mechanism with the mains power. A matching
terminal or
plug can be coupled to wires and plugged into or over the terminal 138 shown
in the
5 figure in order to provide screw-less connection to the PSU in the main
housing. The
PSU connector comprises two positive and two negative connectors. This means
that
the installer is able to connect a number of units in series (via a daisy
chain connection)
from a single power source which greatly reduces install time. In some
embodiments, it
is possible to connect up to six units together in this way to draw from a
single power
10 source. Figure 23 also illustrates an embodiment of the bayonet
connector between the
detachable portion and main housing. The rim includes a slot with tabs which
can be
fitted through slots on a rim extending outwards from the main housing and
turned so
that they correspond to tabs on the main housing rim and are held in place.
15 The
snap-fit connector for connecting the central functional module with the walls
of the cavity of the main housing is shown in figure 24. A blanking cap 122
with tabs 111
for coupling to the groove 113 in the wall of the cavity are shown, and any
functional
module may include similar tabs. Here the slot is provided on the cavity and
tabs on the
blanking cap (or functional module) but a slot may be provided on the blanking
cap or
20 functional modules and tabs provided which extend from the walls of the
cavity if
desired. Since it may be more difficult to replace the main housing, however,
it is
preferable that the tabs which may be more easily broken are on the functional
module
or blanking cap. This type of fitting allows heavier functional modules to be
attached to
the lighting apparatus as mentioned, but also means that it is possible for
the centre cap
25 to be flush with the walls of the main housing which provides certain
aesthetic benefits.
Additional support can be provided over and above magnetic connectors if these
are
used in order to support these heavier modules. Seals 142 may be provided on
the
apparatus for fire protection as shown in figure 25. A bayonet connection can
be used in
addition to or instead of the snap-fit connectors if desired.
Figure 26A shows the intensity of the light emitted by the lighting apparatus
such
as that described above as a function of the distance from a point on the
floor and
directly underneath the light (point 0,0 on the plot) when the apparatus is
mounted at a
height of 10 meters. Figure 26B illustrates the beam angle and the luminosity
of the
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beam at different angles. The average beam angle in this case is 106.0 degrees
as
shown as straight lines on the plot.
Embodiments of the present invention have been described with particular
reference to the examples illustrated. However, it will be appreciated that
variations and
modifications may be made to the examples described within the scope of the
present
invention.
