Spring-Lock Receptacle Connector for Photocell Aiming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light sensor assemblies for street lights and parking lot lights face difficulties in aiming the photocell efficiently, as the process is time-consuming and prone to errors due to complex mounting mechanisms that can fail over time, leading to misalignment.
Innovation Solution
A light sensor assembly with a receptacle connector that includes a housing with a spring element and a housing retainer, allowing for easy rotation and secure positioning of the photocell by lifting and compressing the spring element to disengage and re-engage locating features, ensuring accurate orientation without the need for complex drilling or cumbersome clips.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional mounting clips are used to orient the receptacle, then the photocell can be positioned, but the mounting clips are difficult to install and manipulate and tend to fail over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the mechanical mounting clip system with a spring element mechanism. The spring element provides resilient engagement with the fixture housing, eliminating the need for separate mounting clips. This substitution maintains reliable positioning while significantly improving ease of installation and manipulation.
Solution Approach 2:
The spring element introduces dynamic characteristics to the mounting system, allowing the receptacle to be easily installed and removed through compression of the spring. The spring provides continuous contact force to maintain positioning reliability while enabling simple operational manipulation during installation and maintenance.
2Measurement precision
If drilling holes in the light fixture is used to aim the photocell, then the photocell can be positioned, but the process is difficult and time consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The receptacle is pre-configured with the photocell in the correct orientation during manufacturing. The spring element and locating features are pre-positioned to ensure proper alignment. This preliminary preparation eliminates the need for time-consuming field drilling and aiming operations, while maintaining precise photocell orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locating features on the receptacle automatically align with corresponding features in the fixture housing during installation. The spring element self-adjusts to provide the correct positioning force. This self-aligning mechanism eliminates the need for manual drilling and precise aiming operations, significantly reducing installation time while maintaining accuracy.
3Adaptability or versatility
If mounting clips are used to allow rotation of the receptacle, then the photocell orientation can be adjusted, but the clips fail over time allowing the photocell to migrate and move out of true position
Solution Approach 1:
The spring element provides continuous dynamic engagement with the fixture housing, maintaining constant contact force to prevent migration. The resilient nature of the spring allows for easy rotation and repositioning while maintaining reliable engagement, eliminating the failure issues associated with rigid mounting clips over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting system is segmented into the spring element, locating features, and housing engagement points. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each component: the spring provides resilient force, the locating features provide precise positioning, and the housing provides stable mounting. This modular approach improves both adaptability for rotation and long-term position stability.
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
Facilitates easy and precise aiming of the photocell, enhancing field usability and maintaining the photocell's alignment over time, thereby improving the efficiency and reliability of light control systems.
Implementation Method 1
lifting upward on the housing and the housing retainer to compress the spring element to disengage the locating features of the housing from the locating feature of the fixture
Implementation Method 2
The housing is released at the new position and forced downward by the spring finger to engage a corresponding locating feature of the housing with the locating feature of the fixture to again hold the rotational position of the housing relative to the fixture
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~7
AI summary
A light sensor assembly (100) includes a receptacle connector (110) configured to be mounted to a light fixture (104) and configured to receive a sensor connector (112) having a photocontrol component including a housing (200), a spring element (220) and a housing retainer (230). The housing (200) has a base (252) extending through a fixture housing (102). The housing (200) has locating features (262) configured to engage a locating feature (196) of the fixture (104) to hold a rotational position of the housing (200). The housing retainer (230) is positionable in the interior of the fixture housing (102) on the base (252) and engages the spring element (220). The housing (200) is rotatably positionable on the fixture (104) by lifting upward on the housing (200) to compress the spring element (220) to disengage the locating features (262) of the housing (200) from the locating feature (196) of the fixture (104) and rotating the housing (200) to a new position.