JP2008053180A - Dimmer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a dimmer whereby illumination environments suitable for situations can be set, and energy saving effects can be easily obtained over a wide dimming range. <P>SOLUTION: This dimmer is equipped with an external volume VR1 to set the dimming level of an illumination load La in accordance with an operating condition, a control circuit 1a to control luminance of the illumination load La in accordance with dimming control characteristics in which luminance increases from the minimum luminance to the maximum luminance when the dimming level of the illumination load La by the external volume VR1 is changed from the minimum to the maximum, and a mode selecting switch SW1 to select either one of a plurality of dimming control characteristics in which the maximum luminance is mutually different. The luminance of the illumination load La is controlled in accordance with the dimming control characteristic selected by the mode selecting switch SW1. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a dimmer.

  Low-voltage mini-halogen lamps are used as high-quality illumination light sources such as store spot lights and downlights. This low-voltage mini-halogen lamp is characterized by compactness, high color temperature, and long life. From the viewpoint of consideration for the global environment in recent years, it has been spreading to product development that further pursues energy saving and long life.

  As the lighting device for the low-voltage mini-halogen lamp, an electronic down transformer is used which rectifies a commercial AC voltage (AC 100 V), converts it into a high frequency of several tens of kHz, and further converts it into a high frequency low voltage of 12 V using a step-down transformer. . The electronic down transformer includes a setting switch for switching the operation mode of light output / power consumption, and this setting switch is switched to a desired operation mode at the time of construction. This electronic down transformer is usually housed in the back of the ceiling, and it is difficult to change the operation mode during use after it has been set at the time of construction.

  Therefore, for the purpose of adjusting the illuminance from the viewpoints of energy saving and production, as shown in FIG. 7, a triac Q100 as a bidirectional switching element is connected in series with an AC power source (commercial power source) AC and an electronic down transformer DT. A dimmer 100 is used in combination with the electronic down transformer DT that configures a closed circuit and makes the effective power to the illumination load La made of a low-voltage mini-halogen lamp variable by making the firing phase angle of the triac Q100 variable. There is a case. An external volume VR100, a resistor R100, and a parallel circuit of a resistor R101 and a capacitor C100 are connected in series between the main electrodes of the triac Q100, and the connection point of the resistors R100 and R101 is connected to the gate terminal of the triac Q100 via the diac Q101. By connecting, a trigger signal for turning on the triac Q100 is generated, and by operating the external volume VR100, the diac Q101 is turned on at a phase timing based on a circuit time constant determined by the external volume VR100, resistors R100 and R101, and the capacitor C100. The triac Q100 is turned on. In this way, by operating the external volume VR100 to control the phase of the triac Q100, the effective power supplied from the commercial power supply AC to the illumination load La is made variable, and dimming control is performed. Such a dimmer 100 can be dimmed between the minimum luminance and the maximum luminance by operating the external volume VR100. From the viewpoint of energy saving, there is a degree of freedom to adjust the light output / power consumption. It is wider.

There has also been proposed a dimmer that performs dimming control suitable for the situation by switching a plurality of dimming control characteristics. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
JP-A-58-12292 (page 3, upper right row, line 6 to page 3, lower right row, line 4, FIGS. 8 and 9)

  In the conventional dimmer shown in FIG. 7, dimming control can be performed by operating the external volume VR100. However, in a store or the like, the lighting load La is dimmed at an optimal luminance level. By attaching labels that can be used as a guide, such as “lights before opening”, “lights for customers”, “lights after closing”, and operating the light control knobs according to this guideline, it will not be too dark. I am doing so. However, depending on the influence of external light due to the weather and the business conditions of the store, such as the presence or absence of customers, the lighting environment may become unnecessarily bright. In this case, the operation level of the dimming knob differs depending on the operator, and the dimming level varies depending on the operator. Therefore, a user who intends to save energy has requested a dimmer that can easily set a lighting environment suitable for the situation.

  In addition, there is a dimmer that performs dimming control suitable for the situation by switching a plurality of dimming control characteristics as in Patent Document 1, but the maximum luminance of the plurality of dimming control characteristics is the same, In particular, even if the dimming control characteristics are switched around the maximum luminance, the energy saving effect is not sufficient.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above reasons, and its purpose is to provide a dimmer that can set an illumination environment suitable for the situation and can easily obtain an energy saving effect over a wide dimming range. It is to provide.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a dimming operation means for setting the dimming level of the illumination load according to the operation state, and a minimum luminance when the dimming level of the illumination load by the dimming operation means is changed from the minimum to the maximum. Control means for controlling the luminance of the illumination load according to a dimming control characteristic in which the luminance increases from the maximum luminance to a maximum luminance, and a selection means for selecting one of a plurality of dimming control characteristics having different maximum luminances The control means controls the luminance of the illumination load according to the dimming control characteristic selected by the selection means.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to set a lighting environment suitable for the situation by selecting one of a plurality of dimming control characteristics, and the plurality of dimming control characteristics have different maximum brightness. Thus, an energy saving effect can be easily obtained over a wide dimming range.

  As described above, according to the present invention, it is possible to set an illumination environment suitable for the situation, and it is possible to easily obtain an energy saving effect over a wide dimming range.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 shows a configuration for dimming control of an illumination load La composed of a low-voltage mini-halogen lamp using the dimmer 1 of the present embodiment, and a triac Q1 as a bidirectional switching element is connected to an AC power source (commercial power source). The AC and the electronic down transformer DT are connected in series to form a closed circuit, and by changing the firing phase angle of the triac Q1, the effective power to the illumination load La composed of the low-voltage mini-halogen lamp is made variable. The dimmer 1 is combined with the electronic down transformer DT.

  The dimmer 1 includes a triac Q1 that is a bidirectional switching element. Between the main electrodes of the triac Q1, an external volume VR1 (dimming operation means), a mode selection switch SW1 (selection means), and resistors R1 to R3 are provided. Are connected to a control circuit 1a (control means) comprising a capacitor C1 and a diac Q2. Specifically, between the main electrodes of the triac Q1, an external volume VR1, a parallel circuit of a resistor R1 and a mode selection switch SW1, a resistor R2, a parallel circuit of a resistor R3 and a capacitor C1 are connected in series, and the resistor R2 , R3 are connected to the gate terminal of the triac Q1 via the diac Q2, thereby generating a trigger signal for turning on the triac Q1, and operating the external volume VR1, thereby operating the external volume VR1, resistors R1, R2 , R3, the capacitor C1, and the mode selection switch SW1, the diac Q2 conducts at the phase timing based on the circuit time constant, and the triac Q1 is turned on.

  Further, an on / off switch SW2 is inserted in the power line of the AC power supply AC in the dimmer 1, and the effective power to the illumination load La via the electronic down transformer DT is operated by the operation of the on / off switch SW2. Turn on / off the supply.

  Further, a series circuit of a contact S1 that is turned off and on in conjunction with the on and off of the on / off switch SW2 and the position indicator lamp L1 is connected between the input terminals of the dimmer 1. When the switch SW2 is turned on, the contact S1 is turned off and the position indicator lamp L1 is turned off. When the on / off switch SW2 is turned off, the contact S1 is turned on and the position indicator lamp L1 is lit.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the dimmer 1 is configured by housing the above circuit in a substantially rectangular parallelepiped housing 50, and is disposed with the front surface exposed in a hole provided in a wall surface or the like. Plate W is provided. A dimming knob 10 for adjusting the resistance value of the external volume VR1 is rotatably attached to the front surface of the casing 50, and the index 11 provided on the dimming knob 10 is rotated within a range of positions 12a to 12d. Further, the push type operation unit 20 of the mode selection switch SW1 and the push type operation unit 30 of the on / off switch SW2 are also arranged on the front surface of the housing 50, and when the lamp is turned off, a position indicator lamp L1 provided on the operation unit 30 is provided. Illuminates to indicate the position of the operation unit 30.

  Next, the dimming operation by the dimmer 1 will be described. The dimmer 1 sets the dimming level by rotating the dimming knob 10 of the external volume VR1 within the range of the positions 12a to 12d, and controls the phase of the triac Q1 according to the dimming level. The effective power supplied from the commercial power supply AC to the illumination load La is variable, and the dimming control is performed between the minimum luminance and the maximum luminance. Specifically, when the dimming knob 10 is rotated clockwise from the position 12a toward the position 12d, the resistance value of the external volume VR1 monotonously decreases, and the time constant for determining the ignition phase angle of the triac Q1 is Therefore, the illumination load La becomes brighter from the minimum luminance toward the maximum luminance.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the phase timing at which the diac Q2 is turned on is switched by turning on / off the mode selection switch SW1 and short-circuiting / opening both ends of the resistor R1, and the maximum luminances shown in FIG. 3 are different from each other. One of the two dimming control characteristics Y1 and Y2 can be selected. Here, the dimming control characteristic indicates the luminance of the illumination load La with respect to the position of the dimming knob 10, and the dimming level is minimized by rotating the dimming knob 10 of the external volume VR1 to positions 12a to 12d. From the minimum luminance to the maximum luminance, the luminance of the illumination load La increases.

  When the mode selection switch SW1 is turned on, the time constant for determining the ignition phase angle of the triac Q1 is [(VR1 + R2) × C1], and the luminance of the illumination load La with respect to the position of the dimming knob 10 is represented by the dimming control characteristic Y1. The minimum luminance of the illumination load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12a is zero, and the maximum luminance of the lighting load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d is B1, and the dimming knob 10 is As it is rotated around, the luminance of the illumination load La increases linearly from zero to B1.

  When the mode selection switch SW1 is off, the time constant for determining the firing phase angle of the triac Q1 is [(VR1 + R1 + R2) × C1], and the luminance of the illumination load La with respect to the position of the dimming knob 10 is represented by the dimming control characteristic Y2. The minimum luminance of the illumination load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12a is zero, and the maximum luminance of the lighting load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d is B2 which is smaller than B1. As the knob 10 is rotated clockwise, the luminance of the illumination load La increases linearly from zero to B2.

  Therefore, when the mode selection switch SW1 is turned on, the normal mode is used, and when the mode selection switch SW1 is turned off as the energy saving mode, the normal mode (the dimming control characteristic Y1) maintains a luminance higher than a predetermined value in all situations, In the energy saving mode (dimming control characteristic Y2), the luminance can be reduced and the energy consumption can be reduced as compared with the normal mode. The dimming control characteristics Y1 and Y2 have different maximum luminance when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d. Therefore, even if the dimming control characteristics Y1 and Y2 are switched to the energy saving mode near the maximum luminance, an energy saving effect can be obtained.

  When used in the store, the dimming level during the day when the customer is present is set by adjusting the dimming knob 10 to the position 12c, and is normally operated in the normal mode with the mode selection switch SW1 turned on. Illuminate with sufficient brightness. In the normal mode, if the lighting environment becomes unnecessarily bright due to the influence of external light due to the weather or the business condition of the store such as the presence or absence of customers, the mode is adjusted with the dimming knob 10 set to the position 12c. By turning off the selection switch SW1 and operating in the energy saving mode, the luminance of the illumination load La is reduced and wasteful energy consumption is suppressed. (See FIG. 3).

  The dimming level at night after closing the store is set so that the interior of the store becomes darker than when the customer is visiting by adjusting the dimming knob 10 to the position 12b closer to the position 12a than the position 12c. If the illumination environment becomes unnecessarily bright depending on the situation, the brightness of the illumination load La can be reduced by turning off the mode selection switch SW1 in the state where the dimming knob 10 is set to the position 12b and operating in the energy saving mode. Reduce wasteful energy consumption (see FIG. 3).

  In this way, the mode selection switch SW1 is turned on and off to select one of the two dimming control characteristics Y1 and Y2, so that an illumination environment suitable for the situation can be easily obtained without operating the illumination knob 10. Further, since the maximum luminance of the two dimming control characteristics Y1 and Y2 is different from each other, an energy saving effect can be easily obtained over a wide dimming range.

(Embodiment 2)
As shown in FIG. 4, the dimmer 1 of the present embodiment includes a triac Q1 that is a bidirectional switching element as in the first embodiment, and an external volume VR1 (dimming operation means) is provided between the main electrodes of the triac Q1. ), A mode selection switch SW3 (selection means), and a control circuit 1b (control means) including resistors R1 to R4, a capacitor C1, and a diac Q2. Specifically, an external volume VR1, a resistor R1, a resistor R2, a parallel circuit of a resistor R3 and a capacitor C1 are connected in series between the main electrodes of the triac Q1, and a mode between the both ends of the resistor R1 is connected. A series circuit of a selection switch SW3 and a resistor R4 is connected. Then, a trigger signal for turning on the triac Q1 is generated by connecting the connection point of the resistors R2 and R3 to the gate terminal of the triac Q1 via the diac Q2. Other configurations are the same as those in the first embodiment, and a description thereof will be omitted.

  The mode selection switch SW3 has three fixed contacts A1, A2, A3 and one movable contact B. The movable contact B is connected to a connection point between the external volume VR1 and the resistor R1, and the fixed contact A1 is Connected to the connection point of the resistors R1 and R2, the fixed contact A2 is connected to the connection point of the resistors R1 and R2 via the resistor R4, and the fixed contact A3 is open.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the dimmer 1 is provided with a dimming knob 10 of the external volume VR1 and a push-type operation unit 30 of the on / off switch SW2 on the front surface of the housing 50 as in the first embodiment. Further, a slide type operation unit 21 of the mode selection switch SW3 is also provided on the front surface of the housing 50. Then, by operating the operation unit 21 in three stages, the connection destination of the movable contact B of the mode selection switch SW3 is switched to one of the fixed contacts A1, A2, and A3.

  Next, the dimming operation by the dimmer 1 will be described. The dimmer 1 sets the dimming level by rotating the dimming knob 10 of the external volume VR1 within the range of the positions 12a to 12d, and controls the phase of the triac Q1 according to the dimming level. The effective power supplied from the commercial power supply AC to the illumination load La is variable, and the dimming control is performed between the minimum luminance and the maximum luminance. Specifically, when the dimming knob 10 is rotated clockwise from the position 12a toward the position 12d, the resistance value of the external volume VR1 monotonously decreases, and the time constant for determining the ignition phase angle of the triac Q1 is Therefore, the illumination load La becomes brighter from the minimum luminance toward the maximum luminance.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the operation part 21 of the mode selection switch SW3 is operated in three stages, and the connection between both ends of the resistor R1 is switched to three patterns (fixed contacts A1, A2, A3). The conducting phase timing is switched, and any one of the three dimming control characteristics Y11, Y12, Y13 having different maximum luminances shown in FIG. 6 can be selected. Here, the dimming control characteristic indicates the luminance of the illumination load La with respect to the position of the dimming knob 10, and the dimming level is minimized by rotating the dimming knob 10 of the external volume VR1 to positions 12a to 12d. From the minimum luminance to the maximum luminance, the luminance of the illumination load La increases.

  First, when the movable contact B of the mode selection switch SW3 is connected to the fixed contact A1, the time constant for determining the firing phase angle of the triac Q1 is [(VR1 + R2) × C1], and the position of the light control knob 10 The luminance of the illumination load La is expressed by the dimming control characteristic Y11, the minimum luminance of the illumination load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12a is zero, and the lighting load when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d The maximum luminance of La is B11, and the luminance of the illumination load La increases linearly from zero to B11 as the dimming knob 10 is rotated clockwise.

  When the movable contact B of the mode selection switch SW3 is connected to the fixed contact A2, the time constant for determining the firing phase angle of the triac Q1 is [(VR1 + R1 // R4 + R2) × C1]. The luminance of the illumination load La with respect to the position is represented by the dimming control characteristic Y12. The minimum luminance of the illumination load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12a is zero, and the illumination when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d The maximum luminance of the load La is B12 smaller than B11, and the luminance of the illumination load La increases linearly from zero to B12 as the dimming knob 10 is rotated clockwise. Note that R1 // R4 in the above expression represents a combined resistance of the resistors R1 and R4 connected in parallel.

  When the movable contact B of the mode selection switch SW3 is connected to the fixed contact A3, the time constant for determining the firing phase angle of the triac Q1 is [(VR1 + R1 + R2) × C1], and illumination with respect to the position of the dimming knob 10 The luminance of the load La is represented by the dimming control characteristic Y13. The minimum luminance of the lighting load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12a is zero, and the luminance of the lighting load La when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d. The maximum luminance is B13 smaller than B12, and the luminance of the illumination load La increases linearly from zero to B13 as the dimming knob 10 is rotated clockwise.

  Therefore, the normal mode is when the movable contact B of the mode selection switch SW3 is connected to the fixed contact A1, the energy saving mode 1 is when the movable contact B is connected to the fixed contact A2, and the movable contact B is the fixed contact A3. By using the connected state as the energy saving mode 2, in the normal mode (dimming control characteristic Y11), the brightness higher than a predetermined level is maintained in all situations, and in the energy saving mode 1 (dimming control characteristic Y12), the normal mode is maintained. It is possible to reduce the energy consumption by reducing the luminance more than the time, and in the energy saving mode 2 (dimming control characteristic Y13), it is possible to further reduce the energy consumption by reducing the luminance compared to the energy saving mode 1. In addition, the dimming control characteristics Y11, Y12, and Y13 have different maximum brightness when the dimming knob 10 is at the position 12d, so that an energy saving effect can be obtained even when switching to the energy saving modes 1 and 2 near the maximum brightness. Can do.

  When used in a store, the dimming level during the daytime when a visitor is present is set by adjusting the dimming knob 10 to the position 12c, and normally operates in the normal mode to illuminate the store with sufficient brightness. . In the normal mode, when the lighting environment is unnecessarily bright due to the influence of external light due to the weather or the business state of the store such as the presence or absence of customers, the dimming knob 10 is set to the position 12c, By switching the mode selection switch SW3 to operate in the energy saving mode 1 or the energy saving mode 2, the luminance of the illumination load La is reduced and wasteful energy consumption is suppressed. (See FIG. 6).

  The dimming level at night after closing the store is set so that the interior of the store becomes darker than when the customer is visiting by adjusting the dimming knob 10 to the position 12b closer to the position 12a than the position 12c. When the lighting environment becomes unnecessarily bright depending on the situation, the mode selection switch SW3 is switched to operate in the energy saving mode 1 or the energy saving mode 2 with the dimming knob 10 set to the position 12b. The luminance of the load La is reduced and wasteful energy consumption is suppressed. (See FIG. 6).

  In this way, by switching the mode selection switch SW3 and selecting any one of the three dimming control characteristics Y11, Y12, Y13, an illumination environment suitable for the situation can be easily set without operating the illumination knob 10. Further, since the three brightness control characteristics Y11, Y12, and Y13 have different maximum brightness, an energy saving effect can be easily obtained over a wide light control range.

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram illustrating a circuit configuration of the dimmer of the first embodiment. It is a front view which shows the external appearance same as the above. It is a figure which shows the dimming control characteristic same as the above. It is a circuit diagram which shows the circuit structure of the light control device of Embodiment 2. It is a front view which shows the external appearance same as the above. It is a figure which shows the dimming control characteristic same as the above. It is a circuit diagram which shows the circuit structure of the conventional dimmer.

Explanation of symbols

1 Dimmer 1a Control circuit Q1 Triac VR1 External volume SW1 Mode selection switch DT Electronic down transformer La Lighting load AC AC power supply

Claims (1)

The dimming operation means for setting the dimming level of the lighting load according to the operation state, and the luminance from the minimum luminance to the maximum luminance when the dimming level of the lighting load by the dimming operation means is changed from the minimum to the maximum Control means for controlling the luminance of the illumination load according to the dimming control characteristic that increases, and selecting means for selecting any one of a plurality of dimming control characteristics having different maximum luminances. A dimmer that controls the luminance of the illumination load in accordance with the dimming control characteristic selected in.

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