JPH06180251A - Flasher for lighting fixture - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To ensure the necessary and sufficient quantity of incident light with reference to an optical sensor element and to realize the proper directivity in the horizontal direction of the title flasher. CONSTITUTION:A lighting body 12 is arranged in front of an optical sensor element 13 so as to be freely rotatable. The optical sensor element 13 and the lighting body 12 are combined so as to be provided with directivity in the horizontal direction. Since the lighting body 12 guides only light from one direction to the optical sensor element 13, a stray light source can be avoided when the lighting body 12 is turned.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an automatic blinker for a lighting fixture, which is mainly used in combination with an outdoor lighting fixture and detects outside light to control the blinking of a bulb.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Lighting equipment with an automatic blinker, which is automatically turned on when it becomes dark and turned off when it becomes bright, is widely used.

That is, the automatic blinker is composed of an optical sensor element for detecting the level of external light and a blinking circuit which is operated by the output of the optical sensor element to blink the bulb. There are two types of automatic blinkers, one with an independent exterior case and attached separately to the lighting fixture, and the other with an accessory type that is installed in the case of the lighting fixture. Is the same.

The optical sensor element in an independent type automatic blinker is usually housed in an outer case having a lighting surface on the upper side with the light receiving surface facing upward. The automatic blinker is a pole for lighting equipment. It will be fixed upwards to the nearest wall surface, etc. via special metal fittings. However, in some cases, the bottom surface of the outer case is used as a lighting surface in preparation for snowfall or the like.

On the other hand, the optical sensor element in the accessory type is horizontally arranged so as to face the lighting opening formed in the lower surface of the case of the lighting fixture. In addition, a suitable hood is attached to the lighting opening to prevent direct light from entering from the bulb.

[0006]

According to such a conventional technique, the automatic blinker has a problem that if a stray light source appears around the automatic blinker after it is installed, a malfunction due to the stray light source is likely to occur. That is, regardless of whether it is an independent type or an accessory type, the optical sensor element of the automatic blinker has a horizontal posture in the mounted state, and the horizontal directivity is close to a circle. is there.

Particularly, in the case of the accessory type, since the light-receiving surface of the optical sensor element faces downward, the amount of incident light of external light on the optical sensor element tends to be insufficient, and the lighting time in the evening is unreasonable. There was a problem that it became early and the light off time in the morning was unduly late.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to easily avoid a stray light source by providing a rotatable light collecting body in front of the optical sensor element, and moreover, to provide an amount of external light incident on the optical sensor element. It is an object to provide an automatic blinker for a lighting device that can be made sufficiently large.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above object, the structure of the present invention is an automatic blinker for a luminaire, which comprises an optical sensor element for activating a blinking circuit of a bulb in response to incident light. The gist of the invention is to dispose a lighting body that is rotatable in the horizontal direction in front of the element and to combine the optical sensor element and the lighting body so as to have directivity in the horizontal direction.

The light collecting body may be formed as a hollow body having a closed front end, and the optical sensor element may be mounted inside the light collecting body with its light receiving surface oriented in the vertical direction.

Further, the light collecting body may be an optical fiber having a bent intermediate portion, and the optical sensor element may be attached with the light receiving surface facing the base end surface of the optical fiber.

Further, the light collecting body has a reflecting surface for reflecting the incident light in the horizontal direction toward the base side, and the optical sensor element is
The light receiving surface can be attached so as to face the base side of the daylighting body.

[0013]

According to the structure of the present invention, since the light collecting body is placed in front of the optical sensor element and guides the external light to the optical sensor element, the optical sensor element is not affected by the external light regardless of the mounting conditions. It is possible to exert necessary and sufficient sensitivity. Also,
The optical sensor element and the daylighting body are combined so as to have directivity in the horizontal direction, and moreover, since the daylighting body can rotate in the horizontal direction, it is possible to prevent malfunction by properly rotating the daylighting body. The stray light source that causes it can be easily avoided.

When the optical sensor element is mounted in the daylighting body with the light receiving surface oriented vertically, the optical sensor element is
The front side of the light-receiving surface becomes the lighting range, and good directivity in the horizontal direction can be easily realized.

If an optical fiber is used as the light collector, the mounting posture of the optical sensor element can be arbitrarily selected, and the optical fiber has a sharp directivity in the axial direction. The stray light source can be avoided even more easily in the case of scattered light.

When the light collecting body has a reflecting surface for reflecting the horizontally incident light toward the base side, the stray light source can be avoided by rotating the light collecting body and changing the direction of the reflecting surface. It is possible.

[0017]

Embodiments Embodiments will be described below with reference to the drawings.

An automatic blinker 10 for a lighting device is provided with a lighting body 1 at the tip of a case 11 containing a blinking circuit (not shown).
An optical sensor element 13 is attached via 2 (FIG. 1).

The case 11 is formed in a cylindrical shape as a whole, and its upper end is closed by a cap 11b provided with a pair of mounting legs 11t and 11t. Also,
Lead-out wires C1, C1 ... For electrical connection are drawn out from the central portion of the cap 11b. The front end of the case 11 is narrowed down so as to form an inward flange 11a (FIG. 2), and a circular opening is formed in the central portion.

The daylighting body 12 is attached to the tip of the case 11 via a flexible grommet 14. Daylight 1
2 is made of a transparent resin material, and is molded into a hollow body having a closed front end. In addition, the case 11 is provided around the base side.
An outwardly facing flange 12r larger than the opening is formed.

The grommet 14 is formed into a ring shape as a whole, and the flange 11 of the case 11 is provided on the outer circumference.
It has a ring groove adapted to a and has a ring groove adapted to the flange 12r of the daylighting body 12 on the inner surface. Daylight 1
2 is a case 11 with respect to each flange 12r,
It is attached by fitting 11a into the corresponding ring groove. The daylighting body 12 is centered on the axis A1.
It can rotate horizontally in either the left or right direction.

The optical sensor element 13 is, for example, a CdS element, and one surface thereof is a light receiving surface 13f. The optical sensor element 13 has a light receiving surface 13 inside the daylighting body 12.
It is attached with f oriented vertically. The optical sensor element 13 is rotatably connected to a blinking circuit (not shown) housed in the case 11, for example, via a flexible lead wire formed in a coil shape.

Such an automatic blinker 10 is, for example,
It is used by incorporating it into the lighting fixture F for street lights (FIG. 3).

The lighting fixture F has a weather-resistant body formed by the upper cover F1, the lower cover F2, and the transparent globe F3, and the bulb V1 is housed in the transparent globe F3. A dedicated socket is prepared inside the body, and the automatic blinker 10 is mounted on the mounting legs 11t and 11t.
The lighting body 12 is attached so as to project downward from the lower surface cover F2. In this mounted state, the light receiving surface 13f of the optical sensor element 13 has the bulb V1
On the other hand, it is assumed that they are almost opposite. In addition, automatic blinker 1
0 and the luminaire F are connected via lead wires C1, C1 ... Therefore, the automatic blinker 10 can detect the level of the external light by the optical sensor element 13 and control the blinking of the bulb V1 according to the incident light through the built-in blinking circuit.

The automatic blinker 10 rotates the daylighting body 12 when the streetlight is installed, and the light receiving surface 1 of the optical sensor element 13 is rotated.
By changing the direction of 3f, it is possible to perform initial adjustment so as to avoid stray light sources existing around. Also, after installation, if a new stray light source occurs in the surrounding area,
Similarly, by rotating the light collector 12, it can be readjusted to avoid its stray light source. The automatic blinker 10 operates only for light incident from the front side of the light receiving surface 13f of the optical sensor element 13, and therefore, the light receiving surface 1
This is because it has a horizontal directivity that protrudes only to the front side of 3f (FIG. 4).

[0026]

[Other Embodiments] The light collector 12 is a bundle of optical fibers 12f.
Can be formed from (FIG. 5). Optical fiber 12f
Is housed in a curved pipe 12c, and the pipe 12c is smoothly bent at about 90 degrees in the middle part. A flange 12r is formed on the base side of the packaging pipe 12c, and the tip side is cut off. The optical fiber 12f is restrained by the packaging pipe 12c,
Both ends are cut and aligned along the end surface of the packaging pipe 12c. The light-receiving surface 13f of the optical sensor element 13 has the light collector 1
It is arranged so as to face the base end surface of 2.

The light incident from the tip side of the daylight collecting body 12 can enter the optical sensor element 13 through the optical fiber 12f. In addition, by rotating the entire lighting body 12 and changing the direction of the tip side (solid line and chain double-dashed line in FIG. 5),
It is possible to easily avoid stray light sources.

The daylighting body 12 can be a transparent body having a reflecting surface 12s of about 45 degrees with respect to the axis A1 (FIGS. 6 and 7). The light collector 12 is made of a transparent resin material, and has a shape in which the tip of a solid cylindrical body is obliquely cut as a whole. A fixing flange 12r is formed on the base side of the daylighting body 12, and the reflecting surface 12s is mirror-finished. Further, the optical sensor element 13 has a light receiving surface 1
3f faces the end surface of the daylighting body 12 on the base side and is horizontally arranged.

Such a daylighting body 12 transmits light passing through the daylighting body 12 and reaching the reflecting surface 12s (arrow K3 in FIG. 7).
Is reflected along the axis A1 toward the base side, while the light directly reaching the reflecting surface 12s without passing through the light collector 12s (arrow K4 in the figure) can be reflected in the opposite direction. It is possible to realize horizontal directivity that protrudes in a direction facing the reflecting surface 12s.

The lighting body 12 of FIG. 7 may be a hollow body (FIG. 8). Since the reflecting surface 12s, 12s is formed on the outer surface side and the inner surface side of the lower part of the daylighting body 12, the light from the direction of arrow K3 in FIG. The light reflected in the direction of arrow K4 and reflected from the direction of arrow K4 is reflected outward by the reflecting surface 12s on the outer surface side, and as a whole, the same operation as in the previous embodiment can be performed.

Further, the daylighting body 12 may be a prismatic body having a reflecting surface 12s (FIG. 9). Daylight 12
Since the reflecting surface 12s is formed at the tip of the quadrangular prism, it can be suitably combined with the optical sensor element 13 having the quadrangular light receiving surface 13f. The flange 12r
Is formed into a circular shape, and a concentric mounting surface 12e is formed inside thereof.

The daylighting body 12 can have a reflecting surface 12s formed by the mirror M regardless of its shape (FIG. 1).
0). The mirror M is attached inside the inclined surface of the lower part of the daylighting body 12. The mirror M has a high light reflectance,
In addition, it is possible to block all unnecessary light from the back surface side. Further, by changing the mounting angle of the mirror M (the solid line and the chain double-dashed line in the figure), appropriate vertical directivity can also be realized.

The reflecting surface 12s may be a conical slope (FIG. 11). The reflection surface 12s is formed on the tip surface of the daylighting body 12 with the apex facing inward. The axis of the cone coincides with the axis A1 of the daylighting body 12, and the apex angle of the cone is set to about 90 degrees. Such a light collector 12 can reflect not only the light from the direction of arrow K3 in the figure but also all the light incident from the direction orthogonal to the axis A1 to the base side, and the omnidirectionality in the horizontal direction. Indicates. However, a suitable horizontal directivity can be easily realized by notching a part of the conical slope or by shifting the axis of the cone from the axis A1. It should be noted that the light reflectance can be further improved by performing appropriate plating on the conical slope, or by mounting the plated conical metal piece so as to drop it.

The tip end side of the daylighting body 12 may be a step surface 12d protruding outward (FIG. 12). Stairs 12
The d is formed by concentrically forming a plane perpendicular to the axis A1 and a plane parallel to the axis A1. Therefore, the tip of the daylighting body 12 has a stepwise conical shape as a whole. Further, the inner surface of the tip portion of the daylighting body 12 has a step surface 12d1 corresponding to the step surface 12d.
And a portion where the planar reflecting surface 12s is formed. Therefore, the light entering from the direction of arrow K3 through the stair surfaces 12d and 12d1 is reflected to the base side via the reflecting surface 12s, and the light entering from the direction of arrow K4 is outside via the reflecting surface 12s. It is possible to realize the horizontal directivity because the light is reflected to.
The reflecting surface 12s may be formed only in an appropriate angle range of 1/2 or less of the inner circumference of the daylighting body 12.

A large number of downward reflecting surfaces 12s, 12s ... Can be formed stepwise inside the step surface 12d (FIG. 13). Light incident from the direction of arrow K3 in the figure is
Since the light can be reflected toward the base side through the corresponding reflecting surface 12s, it is possible to create an omnidirectional characteristic. However, if the staircase surface 12d or the reflecting surface 12s is formed only on a part of the tip of the daylighting body 12, only the light from that direction can be received, and the direction can be easily made directional. it can.

In the above description, the lighting body 12 can be attached via the grommet 14 or any other means.

For example, the daylighting body 12 is the holding cap 1
It can be rotatably attached to the case 11 via 5 (FIG. 14). The presser cap 15 is a cap body having an opening in the center and fitted onto the tip of the case 11. A flange 11a on the case 11 side is provided around the opening.
Is formed with a flange 15a. Daylight 1
2 is attached together with the packing 16 so that the flange 12r is sandwiched between the flange 11a and the flange 15a, and can be rotated in the horizontal direction. It should be noted that the case 11 and the pressing cap 15 have a set screw 15
It is fixed by b and 15b.

The daylighting body 12 may be attached via a nut 17 (FIG. 15). A male screw portion 12t is provided on the base side of the daylighting body 12, and the nut 17 has a male screw portion 12t.
The lighting body 12 can be fastened to the flange 11 a of the case 11 via the packing 16. If the nut 17 is loosened, the lighting body 12 can be freely rotated.

The daylighting body 12 can also be attached via the latching legs 18, 18 with the latching claws 18a, 18a (FIG. 16). Each hook leg 18 is formed with a hook claw 18a that opens outward, and the hook claw 18a can be elastically closed by pushing from the outside. However, it is assumed that the pair of hooking legs 18, 18 are provided at intervals that match the inner diameter of the flange 11 a of the case 11. When the latching legs 18, 18 are inserted into the case 11, the latching claws 18a, 18a come into contact with the inner circumference of the flange 11a and close, and then open inside the case 11 to open and spread the lighting body 12 Can be rotatably mounted. The latch legs 18 may be provided at three or more places. Further, the latching legs 18, 18 can be formed integrally with the daylighting body 12, or may be formed by implanting a separate metal piece or the like in the daylighting body 12.

The daylighting body 12 may be formed integrally with the case 11 (FIG. 17). However, the daylighting body 12 in this case
May be adhered to the tip side of the case 11 or may be integrally formed with the case 11. By making the case 11 rotatable, the lighting body 12 can be rotated in the horizontal direction.

The automatic blinker 10 is an existing automatic blinker 10
It can also be completed by attaching the daylighting body 12 to a (FIG. 18). The built-in automatic blinker 10a is fixed, for example, in an inverted posture between the upper surface cover F1 and the lower surface cover F2 of the luminaire F, and the optical sensor element 13 is horizontally attached with the light receiving surface 13f facing downward. There is. The light collector 12 is rotatably attached to the lower surface cover F2 with the end face on the base side facing the optical sensor element 13. By allowing light to enter the optical sensor element 13 of the automatic blinker 10a via the lighting body 12 and rotating the lighting body 12, the lighting range can be changed.

The automatic blinker 10 can be of an independent type attached to the pole for the lighting equipment F, the nearest wall W or the like. For example, the automatic blinker 10 can be mounted in an inverted posture (FIG. 19) or an upright posture (FIG. 20) via an L-shaped fixing bracket B1.

In FIG. 20, a case 11 made of an opaque material that does not transmit light includes a fixing bracket B1 and a fixing bracket B.
1 is rotatably attached via a base 11g fixed on top. The base 11g is a circular base having a ring groove on the outer peripheral portion, and an inward flange 11f corresponding to the ring groove is formed on the bottom of the case 11. The case 11 can be rotated right and left around the base 11g by fitting the flange 11f to the ring structure. The lighting body 12 is fixed to the side surface of the case 11 with the axis A1 horizontal. The light collector 12 is attached with the tip end facing inward, and the optical sensor element 13 is attached upward so as to face the reflection surface 12s. The light incident from the base side of the daylighting body 12 is guided to the photosensor element 13 via the reflecting surface 12s, and the case 11 is turned to shake the axis A1 in the horizontal direction to select the daylighting range.

[0044]

As described above, according to the present invention, the light collecting body that guides the external light is placed in front of the light sensing element, so that the light collecting body is concerned with the mounting position and posture of the light sensing element. Instead, with respect to the optical sensor element, it is possible to secure a necessary and sufficient amount of incident light, and since the optical sensor element and the lighting body are combined so as to have directivity in the horizontal direction, by rotating the lighting body, There is an excellent effect that it is possible to easily avoid stray light sources in the surroundings and realize stable operation without malfunction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 Overall perspective view

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line XX of FIG.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory perspective view showing a usage state.

[Fig. 4] Horizontal directivity explanatory diagram

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a main part showing another embodiment (1).

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a main part showing another embodiment (2).

7 is an explanatory diagram corresponding to the central longitudinal section of FIG.

FIG. 8 is a view (1) corresponding to FIG. 7 showing another embodiment.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a main part showing another embodiment (3).

FIG. 10 is a view corresponding to FIG. 7 showing another embodiment (2).

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of an essential part showing another embodiment (4).

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts showing another embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a view corresponding to FIG. 12 showing another embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing another embodiment (1).

FIG. 15 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing another embodiment (2).

FIG. 16 is a view corresponding to FIG. 5 showing another embodiment.

FIG. 17 is a view corresponding to FIG. 2 showing another embodiment (3).

FIG. 18 is an explanatory view of a usage state showing another embodiment.

FIG. 19 is an overall side view showing another embodiment.

FIG. 20 is a view corresponding to FIG. 19 showing another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 ... Automatic blinker 12 ... Illuminator 12s ... Reflective surface 12f ... Optical fiber 13 ... Optical sensor element 13f ... Light receiving surface

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An automatic blinker for a lighting fixture, comprising an optical sensor element for activating a blinking circuit of a bulb in response to incident light, in which a daytime rotatable body is placed in front of the optical sensor element. The automatic blinker for a lighting device, wherein the optical sensor element and the daylighting body are combined so as to have directivity in a horizontal direction. 2. The light collecting body is formed as a hollow body having a closed front end side, and the optical sensor element is mounted inside the light collecting body with a light receiving surface thereof oriented in a vertical direction. An automatic blinker for the described luminaire. 3. The light collecting body is an optical fiber having a bent intermediate portion, and the optical sensor element is attached with its light receiving surface facing the base end surface of the optical fiber. Flasher for other lighting fixtures. 4. The light collecting body has a reflecting surface for reflecting horizontally incident light toward the base side, and the optical sensor element is attached with a light receiving surface facing the base side of the light collecting body. An automatic blinker for a lighting fixture according to claim 1.