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EP-4735796-A1 - MOUNT FOR AN OUTDOOR LIGHTING CONTROLLER

EP4735796A1EP 4735796 A1EP4735796 A1EP 4735796A1EP-4735796-A1

Abstract

A mount for an outdoor lighting controller. The mount comprises a rotatable support, for an electrical interface, that is able to rotate about an aperture in the housing. The electrical interface is able to engage with the rotatable support and, when engaged, prevent or stop the rotation of the aperture. When disengaged, the rotatable support can rotate to facilitate selection or defining of the orientation of the electrical interface with respect to the housing.

Inventors

  • WANG, Zhipei
  • ZHANG, Huan
  • ZHANG, JIA

Assignees

  • Signify Holding B.V.

Dates

Publication Date
20260506
Application Date
20240626

Claims (15)

  1. 1. A mount (100) for an outdoor lighting controller, the mount comprising: a housing (110) for enclosing the outdoor lighting controller, the housing comprising an aperture (115) sized to permit the passage of one or more electrical conductors; an electrical interface (140, 150) for the one or more electrical conductors; and a rotatable support (120) positioned proximate to the aperture of the housing, the rotatable support being configured to releasably engage with the electrical interface (140, 150), wherein the electrical interface and rotatable support are configured to: when the electrical interface and rotatable support are disengaged, be rotatable with respect to the housing for adjusting the orientation of the electrical interface; and when the electrical interface and rotatable support are engaged, press the rotatable support against a surface of the housing to prevent rotation of the electrical interface and rotatable support with respect to the housing.
  2. 2. The mount of claim 1, wherein the rotatable support (120) comprises a first portion (121) configured to partially cover and/or extend into the aperture of the housing, wherein the first portion is configured to releasably engage with the electrical interface (140, 150).
  3. 3. The mount of claim 2, wherein the rotatable support comprises a second portion (122) configured to couple the rotatable support to the surface of the housing when the electrical interface and rotatable support are engaged.
  4. 4. The mount of any of claims 2 or 3, wherein: the first portion (121) comprises one or more fastening apertures (129) for engaging with a respective one or more fasteners (190) for engaging the electrical interface and the rotatable support; and the mount further comprises the one or more fasteners (190).
  5. 5. The mount of claim 4, wherein each fastener comprises a fastener gasket (610) for preventing fluid and/or dust ingress into the one or more fastening apertures when the electrical interface and rotatable support are engaged.
  6. 6. The mount of any of claim 1 to 5, wherein the surface of the housing is an inner surface (116) of the housing.
  7. 7. The mount of claim 6, wherein the housing further comprises a retaining element (117) configured to, when the electrical interface and rotatable support are disengaged, prevent the rotatable support from moving more than a predetermined distance away from the inner surface of the housing.
  8. 8. The mount of any of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a gasket (135) positioned between the electrical interface (140, 150) and the rotatable support (120).
  9. 9. The mount of any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the rotatable support (120) is configured to surround the aperture (115) of the housing.
  10. 10. The mount of any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the aperture of the housing is positioned on a flat sidewall (111) of the housing.
  11. 11. The mount of any of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a pole mounting mechanism (895) configured to couple the mount to a pole (890).
  12. 12. The mount of any of claims 1 to 11, wherein: the housing further comprises a second aperture (115B) sized to permit the passage of one or more second electrical conductors; the mount further comprises a second electrical interface (140, 150) for the one or more second electrical conductors; and the mount further comprises a second rotatable support (120B) positioned proximate to the second aperture of the housing, the second rotatable support being configured to releasably engage with the second electrical interface (140, 150), wherein the second electrical interface and the second rotatable support are configured to: when the second electrical interface and the second rotatable support are disengaged, be rotatable with respect to the housing; and when the second electrical interface and second rotatable support are engaged, couple the second rotatable support to a surface of the housing to prevent rotation of the second electrical interface and second rotatable support with respect to the housing.
  13. 13. The mount of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the electrical interface is sized to cover the aperture of the housing.
  14. 14. The mount of any of claims 1 to 12, wherein: the electrical interface is sized to expose at least a portion of the aperture; and the mount further comprises an intermediate element (130) configured to, when positioned between the electrical interface and the housing, together with the electrical interface, cover the aperture of the housing.
  15. 15. The mount of any of claims 1 to 14, wherein the rotatable support is configured to be releasably engaged with both: a first electrical interface sized to cover the aperture of the housing; and via an intermediate element, a second electrical interface sized to expose a portion of the aperture of the housing, wherein, when the rotatable support is engaged with the second electrical interface via the intermediate element, the intermediate element and the second electrical interface together cover the aperture of the housing.

Description

MOUNT FOR AN OUTDOOR LIGHTING CONTROLLER FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the field of outdoor lighting, and in particular, to mounts for an outdoor lighting controller. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION There is an increasing interest and use in artificial lighting for outdoor environments. It is common for an outdoor luminaire to be associated with an outdoor lighting controller (OLC). The outdoor lighting controller is usually contained with a mount, e.g., secured to a pole, that provides fluid and/or dust ingress protection for the outdoor lighting controller. There is a desire to provide a mount, for an OLC, with an electrical interface for coupling one or more additional components or modules thereto. Example components/modules include communication modules (e.g., radiofrequency modules), sensing or detection modules and so on. There is an ongoing desire to improve the flexibility of use of a mount for an outdoor lighting controller. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is defined by the claims. According to examples in accordance with an aspect of the invention, there is provided a mount for an outdoor lighting controller. The mount comprises a housing for enclosing the outdoor lighting controller, the housing comprising an aperture sized to permit the passage of one or more electrical conductors. The mount also comprises an electrical interface for the one or more electrical conductors. The mount also comprises a rotatable support positioned proximate to the aperture of the housing, the rotatable support being configured to releasably engage with the electrical interface. The electrical interface and rotatable support are configured to, when the electrical interface and rotatable support are disengaged, be rotatable with respect to the housing. The electrical interface and rotatable support are also configured to, when the electrical interface and rotatable support are engaged, couple the rotatable support to a surface of the housing to prevent rotation of the electrical interface and rotatable support with respect to the housing. The present invention provides a mount for an outdoor lighting controller that facilitates the provisioning of additional functionality to the outdoor lighting controller. In particular, the mount comprises an electrical interface (for connecting to an additional module) that can provide supplementary functionality to an outdoor lighting controller housed by the mount. Advantageously, the electrical interface is releasably engaged with a rotatable support of the mount. When disengaged with the rotatable support, rotation of the support (and therefore electrical interface) is possible. When engaged with the rotatable support, the orientation of the electrical interface cannot be changed. This provides a mechanism for adjusting or modifying the orientation of the electrical interface (and therefore of any additional module to be coupled to the electrical interface) with respect to the mount, whilst ensuring the orientation can be fixed for general use of the outdoor lighting controller. The proposed approach thereby provides a mount that is easier to install, with greater flexibility over elements to be coupled to the mount. The rotatable support may comprise a first portion configured to partially cover and/or extend into the aperture of the housing, wherein the first portion is configured to releasably engage with the electrical interface. This approach ensures that the electrical interface engages with the rotatable support within or beyond the aperture of the housing, such that the electrical interface does not need to pass through the (walls of) the housing itself. This improves an ease of coupling the electrical interface to the remainder of the mount, and also increases an ease with which the rotatable support can be rotated. The rotatable support may comprise a second portion configured to couple the rotatable support to the surface of the housing when the electrical interface and rotatable support are engaged. This provides a mechanism for using mechanical coupling or friction to prevent or restrict rotation of the rotatable support with respect to the housing. This thereby provides a reliable and materially efficient mechanism for preventing rotation of the rotatable support when the interface and support are engaged. In some examples, the first portion comprises one or more fastening apertures for engaging with a respective one or more fasteners for engaging the electrical interface and the rotatable support; and the mount further comprises the one or more fasteners. This provides a reliable and easy-to-install mechanism for engaging the electrical interface and rotatable support to one another. However, other forms of fastening arrangements could be used, and would be readily apparent to the skilled person. Each fastener may comprise a fastener gasket for preventing fluid and/or dust ingress into the one or more fastening apertures when t