Wiring Device Illumination Light Pipe Orientation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Wiring devices with illumination face challenges in space constraints, as conventional lights with directed radiation patterns cannot be easily oriented within single gang electrical enclosures without compromising light distribution or requiring complex design considerations.
Innovation Solution
Incorporating a light pipe with an internally reflective surface that redirects light radiation perpendicular to the peak emission direction, allowing lights to be positioned in any desired direction within the enclosure, providing a uniform light source and maximizing space for additional electronic components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a conventional light with directed radiation pattern is used in a single gang enclosure, then the light emission direction is fixed and predictable, but the light cannot be flexibly positioned or oriented within the space-constrained enclosure
Solution Approach 1:
A light pipe is introduced as an intermediary component between the light source and the enclosure face. The light pipe receives light from a light source positioned anywhere within the enclosure and transmits it to the face, enabling flexible light source placement while maintaining controlled light emission direction.
Solution Approach 2:
The light pipe extends in the depth dimension of the enclosure, allowing the light source to be positioned at different locations along the longitudinal axis while still delivering light to the face. This dimensional approach enables flexible positioning without increasing front-face complexity.
2Illumination intensity
If the light is oriented with peak radiation direction perpendicular to the housing face for optimal emission, then light distribution is maximized, but space for additional electronic components is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting function is segmented from the main electronic component assembly. The light source can be positioned separately within the enclosure, connected via leads to the circuit board, allowing optimal spatial arrangement of both lighting and electronic components without compromise.
Solution Approach 2:
The light pipe acts as a mediator that decouples the light source position from the emission face position. This allows the light source to be positioned in space-efficient locations within the enclosure while the light pipe delivers the light to the appropriate face orientation.
3Illumination intensity
If multiple lights are positioned to provide omnidirectional illumination, then uniform light distribution is achieved, but the device size exceeds single gang enclosure constraints
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using multiple lights to achieve uniform distribution, a single light source is used with a light pipe that has specific optical properties. The light pipe's internal reflective surface creates uniform light emission from its face, achieving the desired uniformity with a compact single-gang footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The light pipe serves as an optical intermediary that transforms the directed radiation from a point light source into a uniform emission pattern across its face. This eliminates the need for multiple light sources while maintaining uniform illumination appearance.
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
Enables flexible light positioning within space-constrained enclosures, ensuring a uniform light distribution and accommodating additional electronic components, while minimizing detectable peak radiation points.
Implementation Method 1
The light pipe can have an internally reflective surface which reflects light out from the light pipe in a direction transverse, substantially transverse, perpendicular, or substantially perpendicular to the peak emission direction
Data Source
AI summary
One embodiment of the invention relates to an electrical device having illumination comprising a housing and at least one light pipe extending along a longitudinal axis, inside the housing. There is at least one light disposed in the housing and being positioned adjacent to the light pipe. The light has a radiation pattern having a corresponding peak radiation pattern direction which extends along the longitudinal axis of the light pipe.