Lighting Device Vibration Sensor Using Capacitance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting devices with sensors, such as PIR sensors and microphones, often compromise aesthetics and require additional electronic components, making them obtrusive and costly to integrate.
Innovation Solution
The lighting device utilizes existing components to detect vibrations, converting them into sensor functionality without additional parts, using components like circuit boards and translucent plates to sense movements and acoustic waves, and control lighting based on detected vibrations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional sensors (PIR, microphones) are integrated into lighting devices, then sensor functionality is achieved, but aesthetics are compromised and additional electronic components are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing lighting device components (circuit board, translucent plate, housing) perform dual functions: their original functions plus vibration sensing. The circuit board serves both as an electrical component and a vibration-sensing element, the translucent plate serves both as a light diffuser and a vibration-transmitting membrane, and the housing serves both as structural support and a reference mass for vibration detection. This eliminates the need for separate sensor components.
2Adaptability or versatility
If conventional sensors (PIR, microphones) are integrated into lighting devices, then sensor functionality is achieved, but the sensor becomes visible and obtrusive
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing lighting device components (circuit board, translucent plate, housing) perform dual functions: their original functions plus vibration sensing. The circuit board serves both as an electrical component and a vibration-sensing element, the translucent plate serves both as a light diffuser and a vibration-transmitting membrane, and the housing serves both as structural support and a reference mass for vibration detection. This eliminates the need for separate sensor components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If additional electronic components are used for sensor integration, then sensor functionality is achieved, but manufacturing costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes existing lighting device components (circuit board, translucent plate, housing) perform dual functions: their original functions plus vibration sensing. The circuit board serves both as an electrical component and a vibration-sensing element, the translucent plate serves both as a light diffuser and a vibration-transmitting membrane, and the housing serves both as structural support and a reference mass for vibration detection. This eliminates the need for separate sensor components.
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 creates an unobtrusive and cost-effective sensor system that can detect various vibrations for lighting control and other applications, enhancing the functionality of existing lighting equipment without visible sensors or extra components.
Implementation Method 1
The ground/power plane and the (metallic) housing/metal plate form a parallel-plate capacitor, in which a distance between its plates is affected by the vibrations and the change in capacitance caused by the vibrations is detected by the sensor
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a lighting device having a vibration sensor. The lighting device comprises a housing (5), at least one component (3, 6a, 16) elastically connected to the housing (5) and at least one sensor (4, 12) configured to detect vibrations in an environment of the lighting device (1) by detecting a movement of the at least one component relative (3, 6a, 16) to the housing (5) caused by the vibrations.