AU2006100543B4 - Colour coded load compatibility identification scheme for electrical/electronic control devices - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INNOVATION PATENT

ORIGINAL

Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Agent and Address Clipsal Australia Pty Ltd Travis Algate for Service: MADDERNS, 1st Floor, 64 Hindmarsh Square, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia Invention Title: COLOUR CODED LOAD COMPATIBILITY IDENTIFICATION SCHEME FOR ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONIC CONTROL DEVICES This application is a Divisional of Parent Application No: 2004201273 dated 27 March 2003.

The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

TECHNICAL FIELD This invention relates to electrical/electronic control devices and a system for optimising the specification, selection, assembly and/or installation of those n products.

00oO BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION e¢3 Electrical/Electronic control devices such as dimmer products are used extensively 0 in domestic and commercial applications to control loads such as lighting circuits, and fan motors. The electrical/electronic control devices can include (amongst Sothers): switches; dimmers; Stimers; light level sensors; passive infrared motion (or occupancy) sensors; other related products designed to provide user control over an electrical load.

Compatibility with the selected load type is limited due to the nature of the output circuitry of the control device, and the input impedance presented by the load.

SInappropriate selection of the control device and load combination can lead to: lack of control over the load; unwanted unexpected behaviour of the load (such as flickering of lights); destructive failure of the control device; destructive failure of the load; operation of control device and/or load at elevated temperature; reduced lifespan of the control device and/or load; various unsafe operating conditions (including DC conduction in iron core transformer loads); various unsafe failure conditions (eg destruction of control device if lamp filament blows, resulting in an open circuit transformer load); extensive and complex derating requirement of the control device.

I The following dimmer example is given by way of explanation.

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Most dimmer technologies use a wave-chopping technique to regulate the power _n delivered from a source to the load being controlled. The degree to which the wave 00

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N 5 form delivering power is chopped, determines the power delivered to the load and thus enables control of the load. For example, a dimmer product may be used to vary the speed of a fan rotating by increasing and decreasing the average power being delivered to the fan. A similar technique is used to control the brightness of a light. The technique known as "leading edge phase angle control" is currently used ~0 in the majority of commercially available dimming and fan speed control products.

Over the years, a number of dimming technologies have developed. Leading edge control dimmer circuits can control incandescent, and iron core transformers as used with low voltage down lights. This technology may also be used to control small motors such as ceiling fans. These products are cheaper than most other dimmer types but have difficulties controlling some load types, such as most electronic transformers as used with low voltage applications. Where control can be achieved, it is often complicated by complex derating and maximum load rules. It can also be difficult to produce EMC compliant installations with some load types. Practical 0 compliance requirements have resulted in design trade-offs between flicker-free operation, EMC compliance and stability/robustness (and ultimately safety) with some types of loads.

A newer dimmer control technology is referred to as trailing edge control, which uses similar principles to leading edge technology however, up until recently, it has not been cost effective to produce a commercially viable product. Furthermore, this type of dimmer is not practical for use with some loads such as iron core transformers as used with low voltage down lights.

Consequently, the current situation is that there are a large number of dimmer products, based on different dimmer technologies which are not suitable with certain types of loads.

When an inappropriate load is used with a particular dimmer circuit, instability in the control of the load may result which can cause the light to flicker and in some cases, can result in more serious safety issues such as DC conduction in iron core transformers.

Users of dimming technology products are accordingly confused as to which type of products are suitable with which types of loads. In order to reduce confusion, manufacturers and suppliers of various loads produce complicated look up tables detailing load characteristics and suggesting optimal characteristics for dimmer control circuitry to be used in conjunction with the load. Apart from being often difficult to understand and evaluate, the data is constantly changing as new products are produced, resulting in the risk of incorrect matching of a dimmer control circuit with the load.

This uncertainty has also led to great frustration in the industry and a reluctance to use the technology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a system for determining a compatible combination of two or more electrical products, of at least one of a plurality of alternative dimming technology types, wherein at least one of the alternative dimming technology types is associated with a respective colour selected from a plurality of colours, and wherein the two or more electrical products has each applied thereto a respective one of the plurality of colours according to its dimming technology type, such that selection of the two or more electrical products having applied thereto the same colour will result in a compatible combination.

Preferably one of the two or more electrical products is a load and the other is a control device for controlling the load.

Preferably said plurality of alternative dimming technology types includes leading edge phase control and trailing edge phase control.

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According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of determining a compatible combination of two or more electrical products, of at least one of a plurality of alternative dimming technology types, the method including: associating with at least one of the alternative dimming technology types, a respective colour, selected from a plurality of colours; and applying to each of the two or more electrical products a respective one of the plurality of colours, such that selection of the two or more electrical products having applied thereto the same colour will result in a compatible combination.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS A preferred embodiment of the present invention will now be described in more detail with reference to the following Figures in which: Figure 1 illustrates an example of elements of the system of the present invention; Figure 2 is a perspective view of a front plate of an electrical/electronic control panel (in this case a dimmer); and Figure 3 is a side view of the front plate of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A typical electrical/electronic control device (eg dimmer product) is required in order to provide control over a load. The load can be for example a rotating fan or a lighting system, or a transformer. In the case of a fan, the rotational speed of the fan is generally controlled by a control knob or switch mounted on a wall plate which itself is mounted to a wall at a convenient location in the room. To increase the speed of the fan, the control knob is rotated in one direction. As the degree of rotation increases, the speed of the fan increases. To reduce the speed of the fan, the knob is rotated in the opposite direction. Of course it will be understood that any other control element may be used, such as a sliding control.

O A similar situation occurs with controlling the intensity of a light. To increase the

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intensity of the light, a control knob is rotated in one direction and rotated in the n opposite direction to decrease the intensity of the light.

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Other control requirements may include automatic activation of lighting loads actuated by sensor control devices such as light level sensors or passive infrared motion sensors, where the control device selected is dependant on the load type to be driven, and success is absolutely dependant on the compatibility of the load and 0 control device.

As will be understood by the person skilled in the art, there are several different types of technology available in specifying, selecting, assembling or installing the electrical/electronic control device. The main technologies in existence are referred to as leading edge, and trailing edge types. As previously discussed in the background to the invention, these different technologies are not all compatible with different types of loads.

Accordingly, to facilitate the selection of an electrical/electronic control device of the 0 appropriate technology for the load, it is proposed to identify or mark the load with a particular colour which relates to the type of technology with which it is compatible as well as identify the electrical/electronic control device with a corresponding colour depending on the type of technology being used for the control circuit.

In making the selection of the electrical/electronic control device, the installer simply matches the load type (preferably indicated by use of the colour coding convention described above) with the appropriate colour as marked on the electrical/electronic control device.

Table 1 below shows a range of load types and their corresponding compatible control devices (this example shows dimmer and fan speed control devices only).

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LOAD COMPATIBLE LOADS C-THRU COLOUR SYMBOL BLUE ;GREEN AMBER LEADING TRAILING FAN SPEED EDGE EDGE CONTROLLER DIMMER DIMMER Incandescent Lighting Halogen 240V Lamps V V X IlrIr Low voltage lighting with iron-core transformers J Low voltage lighting with electronic transformers Exhaust fans (shaded pole induction motors) Ceiling fans (split-phase induction motors) L. Table 1 As can be seen from Table 1, a load that is a low voltage lighting load utilising an iron core transformer should be controlled by a leading edge dimmer which in this case has been allocated the colour blue. Accordingly, in practice, the low voltage lighting product may be identified by a blue colour. Preferably, the identification is made by applying a blue sticker to the load but of course may be done in any other 0 suitable way such as colouring the package containing the load or colouring the load itself.

The dimmer control circuit itself will be encased in a blue casing, which identifies the technology of that dimmer control circuit as leading edge, and thereby implies optimal compatibility.

From Table 1, it can be seen that trailing edge dimmer control circuits will be encased by a green casing while fan speed controller circuits will be encased in an amber casing. Of course, any other suitable colours may be used.

Different loads may then be identified by one of blue, green or amber colours and it will then be a simple matter for the installer to match the appropriate colour indicated on the load with the appropriately coloured dimmer product.

Of course, the principle illustrated in the example may be extended to include other

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load types, and more particularly, other electrical/electronic control devices such as timers, and other sensors as previously described.

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5 This will dramatically simplify the selection of the appropriate electrical/electronic control device to suit the load since all that need be done is to match a colour, rather than having to refer to numerous data tables or calculating the compatibility of the control device with the load.

0 The present invention is applicable to all areas of the electrical/electronic controls industry and is not limited to any particular type of control. A wide range of controls are available, typically inclusive of switches, dimmers, timers, light level sensors, passive infrared sensors and other similar devices designed to provide user control over an electrical load. Compatibility in any case may simply be identified with one of the established colour codes. This colour can be applied to the actual product housings, packaging, or may alternatively be applied by way of a sticker.

The present invention is applicable to all areas of the electrical/electronic controls industry and is not limited to loads produced by a particular manufacturer. A wide 0 range of loads produced by different manufacturers may (with the appropriate permissions) simply be identified with one of the three colours. This colour can be applied by way of a sticker by the manufacturer, the distributor or the retailer.

This scenario is shown in Figure 1 which shows a lighting unit 10 identified by a coloured sticker 20. When installing this lighting unit to be controlled by a dimmer circuit, the installer will have a choice of a range of dimmer circuit products including leading edge dimmer circuit 30 and trailing edge dimmer circuit Dimmer control circuit 30 is encased in a blue casing while trailing edge dimmer circuit 40 is encased in a green plastic casing. The installer will know that dimmer control circuit 30 is the appropriate product to match with load 10 because load 10 is identified by blue sticker As previously described, it is common to have a control element within the room of

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the load being controlled. This generally takes the form of a wall plate 50, which in the case of Figure 2, is a six gang wall plate 50 consisting of switches 51, 52 and 53 S and corresponding control knobs/actuating switches. As the products are typically 00 modular, the design shall allow for any configuration of control devices in a single wall plate. In Figure 2, only one control knob 54 is shown for the purpose of this discussion.

The six gang wall plate 50 is capable of controlling three different types of loads, each 0 being controlled by a different technology control circuit. The control knob 54 for example will control a ceiling fan, which uses fan speed controller technology.

Control posts 55 and 56 are capable of receiving respective control knobs (not shown) and may in turn control other loads. For example, control post 55 can control low voltage lighting with electronic transformers for which trailing edge dimmer control circuits are compatible. Control post 56 may be used for example for controlling incandescent lighting for which leading edge dimmer control circuits are appropriate.

As can be seen in Figure 3 which shows a side view of the wall plate of Figure 2, the 0 appropriate dimmer control circuits are connected to the corresponding control posts or knobs. In the present example, dimmer control circuit 57 is a fan speed controller for controlling the operation of a ceiling fan as controlled by knob 54. The casing of dimmer control circuit 57 is an amber plastic casing, identifying that dimmer control circuit to be compatible with the ceiling fan. The ceiling fan would in practice be similarly identified by the same colour.

Similarly, dimmer control circuits 58 and 59 will be green and blue in colour respectively, indicating that they are appropriate to be used for their respective loads.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the wall plate 50 is able to indicate to the installer or any subsequent user of the product, what type of 9 technology dimmer control circuit is used for that particular dimmer control knob.

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O This indication is made by way of a clear plastic window 61 and 62, which is

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revealed upon removing the respective control knobs from the respective control S posts 56 and 55 as shown in Figure 2. It will be appreciated that underneath control 00

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5 knob 54, is a third plastic window coloured amber to indicate that the control circuit for that particular load being controlled by control knob 54 is a fan speed controller.

Of course, plastic windows 61, 62 could be replaced by an exposed region, or any other suitable colour-indicating means.

0 This provides the advantage of conveniently identifying the type of technology being used in relation to a particular control knob and allows an installer to readily identify to which circuit a particular load should be connected. The installer is able to do this without having to unscrew the wall plate 50 from the wall.

The above has been described with reference to a particular embodiment and it will be understood by the person skilled in the art that many variations and modifications may be made within the scope of the present invention.

Claims (4)

1. A system for determining a compatible combination of two or more electrical products, of at least one of a plurality of alternative dimming technology types, wherein at least one of the alternative dimming technology types is associated with a respective colour selected from a plurality of colours, and wherein the two or more electrical products has each applied thereto a respective one of the plurality of colours according to its dimming technology type, such that selection of the two or more electrical products having applied thereto the same colour will result in a compatible combination.

2. A system according to claim I wherein one of the two or more electrical products is a load and the other is a control device for controlling the load. i

3. A system according to any one of claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said plurality of alternative dimming technology types includes leading edge phase control and trailing edge phase control.

4. A method of determining a compatible combination of two or more electrical products, of at least one of a plurality of alternative dimming technology types, the method including: associating with at least one of the alternative dimming technology types, a respective colour, selected from a plurality of colours; and applying to each of the two or more electrical products a respective one of the plurality of colours, such that selection of the two or more electrical products having applied thereto the same colour will result in a compatible combination. A system for determining a compatible combination of two or more electrical products, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.