Lighting Device Cover with Integrated Antenna

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Solution Overview

Problem

Metal enclosures in lighting devices shield antennas, reducing their effectiveness in receiving and transmitting wireless signals, which is a challenge in wireless communication-capable lighting solutions.

Innovation Solution

Integrating antennas into the plastic covers of lighting devices, such as faceplates, to expose them on the back surface, allowing for improved signal transmission and reception, and using methods like laser direct structuring to print conductive materials for efficient antenna formation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If antennas are built into metal enclosures of lighting devices, then the devices have wireless communication capability, but the metal enclosures shield the antennas and reduce signal transmission effectiveness

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvewireless communication reliabilityVSAvoidsignal shielding effect

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent extracts the antenna from the metal enclosure environment by integrating it directly into the plastic faceplate. This removes the antenna from the harmful electromagnetic shielding environment of metal, allowing it to function effectively while maintaining wireless communication capability within the lighting device housing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The plastic faceplate serves as an intermediary medium that supports the antenna structure. By using plastic as the mounting substrate instead of metal, the patent creates a non-shielding environment for the antenna while maintaining structural integration with the lighting device housing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If antennas are integrated into plastic faceplates, then antenna efficiency is improved, but additional manufacturing steps are required

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveantenna efficiencyVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the antenna manufacturing process with the faceplate production process. By integrating antenna formation into the plastic molding operation, the patent eliminates separate antenna installation steps and reduces overall manufacturing complexity despite adding in-mold antenna formation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The antenna structure is formed preliminarily during the plastic faceplate molding process itself, before final assembly. This preliminary formation of the antenna conductive pattern in the mold cavity integrates multiple functions into a single manufacturing step, reducing subsequent assembly operations.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enhances antenna efficiency and radiation patterns, enabling more reliable wireless communication between lighting devices and network gateways, even when mounted on walls or within fixtures.

Implementation Method 1

using methods like laser direct structuring to print conductive materials for efficient antenna formation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLaser direct structuring: Laser Ablation

Data Source

PatentUS10644392B2Lighting device cover with built-in antenna

Publication Date: 2020.05.05 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV

AI summary

A cover of a lighting device includes a front surface and a back surface, where the back surface is on an opposite side of the front surface. The cover further includes an antenna formed in the back surface, where the antenna is exposed on the back surface of the cover.