WO2012167320A1

WO2012167320A1 - Street light

Info

Publication number: WO2012167320A1
Application number: PCT/AU2012/000660
Authority: WO
Inventors: David Whitfield
Original assignee: Enlighten Australia Pty Ltd
Priority date: 2011-06-08
Filing date: 2012-06-08
Publication date: 2012-12-13

Abstract

A street light (1) is releasably detachably mountable to a bracket (3) attached to a street light support (7A). The mounting bracket (3) includes electrical power terminals (9) to provide electrical power therefrom. The street light (1) comprises a light housing (11) having a retaining means (13) to releasably engage with the mounting bracket (3) to secure the light housing (11) to the street support (7B). The retaining means (13) has an electrical coupling (15/29) forming an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals (9) when the retaining means (13) is engaged with the mounting bracket (3). A lighting controller (51) is associated with the housing (11) and has an input electrically connected to the retaining means electrical coupling (15/29) and an output terminating at a lamp holder (17) disposed within the housing (11) wherein the light housing retaining means (13) engages with the mounting bracket (3) in a keyed or screwed-thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or in an interference fit. A method of retrofitting a street light and a street light assembly for mounting to a street light support is also provided.

Description

STREET LIGHT

Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to street lights and elevated public space lighting.

The invention has been developed primarily for use in elevated or overhead street lighting and will be described hereinafter with reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the invention is not limited to this particular field of use.

Background of the Invention

Street lights have been used for pedestrian and driver safety for many years. Street lights are ubiquitous in urban areas where there is vehicular traffic flow. The lights are positioned usually overhead of a street and project downwardly to allow pedestrians and drivers to see a distance ahead. This allows drivers to be alerted to hazards on or adjacent the road and provide time to bring their vehicle to a cease, for example.

Street lights are often relatively high powered metal vapour lamps or large fluorescent tubes, the latter now only being installed on a limited basis. The street lights are mounted a predetermined height over a road or park. The height needs to be sufficient to allow traffic to pass unhindered beneath but also need to be sufficiently high to allow light to project over a desired area below. For example, it is common to find a plurality of high pressure sodium street lamps disposed over a pedestrian crossing or a major intersection to provide sufficient illumination.

The street lights can be disposed over a road by a variety of means, for example, on an end of an arm mounted to a pole, directly to an end of a curved pole or from overhead wires.

Typically street lights using high pressure sodium lamps (as one example of street lighting types) which are disposed on the end of poles extending upwardly from a ground surface and curving over the road, or on the ends of poles extending over a road and mounted a vertical pole. A housing is bolted to the pole and extends from it.

The outer casing of the light is typically aluminium or stainless steel and is weather resistant. Inside the light outer casing of the street light the lamp globe is disposed with a reflector intermediate the lamp arid outer casing to illuminate the area below the street light.

Control elements for the high pressure sodium lamp (or other lamp type) such as a ballast are disposed intermediate the reflector and the outer casing. An insulated lamp/globe holder extends horizontally from a side of the outer casing and/or reflector, or vertically from a top position. The lamp holder is typically an Edison- type screw thread about 2"-3" long. Electrical cables providing power to the street light are fed through the pole and exit its end. These are then fed into the outer casing of the street light and connected to the control elements. The lamp holder is connected to the control elements. A cover is disposed over a lower face of the outer casing that is either substantially clear, defuse or lensing. This provides weather- proofing and allows access to the lamp/globe and interior of the street light outer casing. The cover also provides protection against any objects moving towards the lamp.

Whilst such street lights may be efficient in many operational circumstances, including environmentally, they often require servicing such as lamp replacement or repair or replacement of failed control elements, the outer casing or the reflector. This is a relatively expensive exercise because the street lights need to be disassembled requiring trucks with at least a low-voltage insulated cherry picker to park under the street light in order to perform these tasks.

As part of the process, several people are typically required to control traffic around the vehicle on which the cherry picker is mounted as well as someone to operate the cherry picker and a spotter, for example. This also hinders or ceases traffic on narrow roads. The process of simply changing a street light lamp/globe can take of the order of up to an hour from beginning to end for maintenance of the light control equipment. This is a relatively long time given the number of street lights in use.

In addition to the use of the relatively expensive equipment and significant labour, there are always occupational health and safety risks when working on or near roads. These risks uicrcasw vyilh incrcaainx time at each aito performing ctrMt lamp maintenance or repair tasks. Working adjacent high power electricity lines is also a significant risk associated with servicing street lights.

The maintenance of street light is, of course, unpreventable and highly important as these are significant community assets that need to be maintained. However, it would be most advantageous to be able to perform these maintenance tasks more rapidly or less expensively arid without exposing workers to high risk work situations. Whilst not as risky from a maintenance worker view point, elevated public space lighting such as street lights are found in town squares or high pedestrian traffic areas, for example. So far as these lights are elevated, similar access issues can exist to the case with street lights so far as they are the same type of tamps and are elevated and parking a vehicle in a pedestrian walkway for example is undesirable.

Genesis of the Invention

The genesis of the invention is a desire to overcome or substantially ameliorate one or more of the disadvantages of the prior art, or to provide a useful alternative.

Summary of the Invention

In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a street light releasably detachable to a mounting bracket attached to a street light support wherein the mounting bracket includes electrical power terminals to provide electrical power therefrom, the street light comprising:

a light housing having a retaining means to releasably engage with the mounting bracket to secure the light housing to the street support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling forming an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket; and a lighting controller associated with the street light housing and having an input electrically connected to the retaining means coupling and an output terminating at a lamp holder disposed within the housing;

the light housing retaining means engages with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screwed-thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or in an interference fit In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of retrofitting a street light comprising the steps of :

removing an existing street light housing from a street light support;

dispose a mounting bracket on the street light support, the mounting bracket including electrical power terminals to provide electrical power therefrom

providing a light housing having a retaining means releasably engageable with the mounting bracket to¾ecure the light housing to the street light support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling which forms an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket such that the light housing retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screw or thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or an interference fit

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is provided a street light assembly for mounting to a street light support, the street light assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket for attachment to a street light support, the mounting bracket including electrical power terminals to provide electrical power there f om; , a light housing having a retaining means releasably engageable with the mounting bracket to secure the light housing to the street light support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling forming an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket;

wherein the retaining means engages with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screw-thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pi s; or an interference fit.

It can therefore be seen that there is advantageously provided a street light which allows a small truck or light vehicle to park under a street light and use a remote arm to simply replace an entire street light. This can be either disposed of or taken away and repaired or maintained with another put in its place straight away to significantly reduce the time required to be parked under the street light. In cases where a remotely operated telescopic arm is not piovided to retrieve or mount the street lights of the present invention, a low voltage cherry picker can still be used to carry out the process significantly raster and therefore less labour intensively and costly than the prior art.

This is because the entire light housing is quickly removed and substituted with a replacement while the removed housing is taken for repair, maintenance or disposal. Furthermore, the street light can be retrofitted in place of existing street lights by attaching the mounting bracket to the end of the pole.

Brief Description of the Drawings

A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of a vehicle parked adjacent a street light according to the preferred embodiment;

Fig.2 is a side view of a mounting bracket used in the street light of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an elevated perspective view showing the street light of Fig. 1 disconnected from the mounting bracket of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a cutaway side view or plan view of the street light of Fig. 1 ;

Fig. 5 is a schematic circuit diagram of the street light of Fig. 1 ; and

Fig.6 is a schematic view of the end of a remote arm used in the vehicle of

Fig. 1.

Detailed Description

Referring to the drawings generally, there is provided a street light 1. The street light 1 is releasably attachable to a mounting bracket 3 which is attached to an end 5 of street light support 7. The mounting bracket 3 includes electrical power and communications channel and lamp control terminals 9 that provide electrical power and can also provide control or communications signals as desired. For example, a communication channel may be provided to allow light diagnostics to be remotely generated and sent or to allow the lamp to operate in some particular manner. The street Hght 1 further includes a light housing 11 having a retaining means 13 that is able to releasably engage with the mounting bracket 3. This secures the light housing 11 to the street light support 7. The retaining means 3 has an electrical coupling 15 which forms an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power and, in the preferred embodiment, communications channel and control, terminals 9 when the retaining means 3 of the housing 11 is engaged with the mounting bracket 3.

The street light 1 includes a light controller 51 that are disposed within the street light housing 11. The controller 51 is electrically disposed intermediate the mains power and control/communications terminals 29 and a lamp holder 17. Preferably, the light controller 51 is disposed in the housing 11 but it can be disposed in the mounting bracket 3, for example, and electrically disposed intermediate a mains power supply and power and cornmunications control terminals 9 if desired.

The the mounting bracket electrical (power, communications and control) terminals 9 form an electrical connection with the retaining means electrical coupling 15. The light control equipment has an electrical output terminating at the lamp holder 17. As best shown in Fig. 4, the lamp holder 17 is disposed within the housing 11.

The Light housing retaining means 13 is engagable with the mounting bracket 3 in a keyed engagement, best shown in Fig. 3. A pair of engagement pins 21 (only one clearly shown in Fig.4) extend from within the housing retaining means 11. The pins 21 engage with corresponding slots 19 on the mounting bracket 3 and are rotated a predetermined angle about a common longitudinal axis to retain the pins in the slots 19.

As best shown in Fig. 1, the street light support 7 is in the form of a street pole. The pole 7 includes a vertical section 7A and a horizontal section 7B extending from pole vertical section 7 a predetermined height above a road or ground surface 23. The horizontal section 7B extends a predetermined distance from the vertical section 7 A and is held a predetermined height above the road surface 23. A support wire 25 extends from an upper end of the vertical section 7A and is attached to the horizontal section 7B adjacent end 5 to support pole 7B and the street light 1. The mounting brocket 3 includes female electrical connectors 71 ta reraivft corresponding male electrical connectors 29 in the retaining means electrical coupling 15. This is best seen in Figs 3 & 4. A support element 31 extends centrally f om the light housing retaining means 1 and is received in a corresponding void 33 in the mounting bracket 3.

A reflector 35 is disposed intermediate the light housing 11 and a globe lamp 37 mounted to the lamp holder 17. A housing lower cover 39 allows light to be directed from the reflector downwardly through the cover.

In use, the housing 11 is engaged with the mounting bracket 3 where pins 21 engage slots 19 is a linear motion and the housing 11 is rotated a small predetermined amount so the pins 21 are retained by slots 19 in a keyed engagement. Although not .

illustrated, the retaining means 1 can be biased away from the mounting bracket 3.

Therefore, the street light 1 can be relatively quickly and easily installed or removed by a twisting motion. In addition to the keyed engagement or in place of it, the retaining means 1 can engage in an interference fit with the mounting bracket 1 to retain the two together. In other preferred embodiments, the retaining means 13 can threadedly engage with the mounting bracket 3 and be retained by means of one or more clips, clamps or pins. This can be done manually by a person on a cherry picker that may need LV insulation depending on the location of the street light 1 relative to any electrical wires.

Referring to Pigs 1 & 6, there is respectively shown a maintenance truck 41 having a robotic arm 43 with a hand 45 that is able to be extended to grab or engage the light housing 11 and rotate it a predetermined amount. The hand 45 holding the housing 11 is then moved linearly away from the mounting bracket 3 to thereby remove the street light 1. Fig. 6 shows the end of the robotic arm 43 and hand 45.

It will be understood that the hand 45 includes shaped inner opposing surfaces configured to receive the housing 11 to locate the housing relative to the hand 45. Grooves and corresponding projections can be included on the opposing faces of the

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It will be appreciated that the keyed engagement of the slot 19 and pin 21 can be replaced by other means including by of one or more clamps extending between the . mounting bracket 3 or end 5 of the pole 7 and the retaining means 13. Alternatively, clips or pins may be used for the engagement Of course, the retaining means 13 may be engaged in an interference tit with the mounting bracket 3. Further, it will be appreciated that in the preferred embodiment, the street light 1 can be mounted to any support 7 such as an arm extending from a curved street pole or from overhead wires.

The foregoing describes only one preferred embodiment of the present invention and modifications, obvious to those skilled in the lighting arts, can be made thereto without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The term "comprising" (and its grammatical variations) as used herein is used in the inclusive sense of "including" or "having" and not in the exclusive sense of

"consisting only of*.

Claims

1. A street light releasably detachable to a mounting bracket attached to a street light support wherein the mounting bracket includes electrical power terminals to provide electrical power therefrom, the street light comprising:

a light housing having a retaining means to releasably engage with the mounting bracket to secure the light housing to the street support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling forming an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket; and

a lighting controller associated with the street light housing and having an input electrically connected to the retaining means electrical coupling and an output terminating at a lamp holder disposed within the housing;

wherein the light housing retaining means engages with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screwed-thread engagement or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or in an interference fit.

2. A street light according to claim 1 wherein the street light support is a street pole; an arm extending from a street pole; or overhead wires.

3. A street light according to claim 1 wherein the mounting bracket includes female electrical connectors to receive corresponding male electrical connectors of the retaining means electrical coupling.

4. A street light according to claim 1 wherein the light controller is disposed within the light housing.

5. A street light according to claim 1 including a reflector disposed intermediate the light housing and a lamp when attached to the lamp holder.

6. A method of retrofitting a street light comprising the steps of :

removing an existing street light housing from a street light support; disposing a mounting bracket on the street light support, the mounting bracket including electrical power terminals to provide electrical power therefrom;

providing a light housing having a retaining means releasably engageable with the mounting bracket to secure the light housing to the street light support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling which forms an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket such that the light housing retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screw or thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or an interference fit.

7. A street light assembly for mounting to a street light support, the street light assembly comprising:

a mounting bracket for attachment to a street light support, the mounting bracket including electrical power terminals to provide electrical power therefrom;

a light housing having a retaining means releasably engageable with the mounting bracket to secure the light housing to the street light support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling forming an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket;

wherein the retaining means engages with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screw-thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or an interference fit.

8. A street light maintenance vehicle comprising:

an arm mounted to the vehicle and extending upwardly therefrom ternunating at a distal end, the arm being movable about a plane and extendible between a retracted position and an extended position; and

a hand mounted to the proximal end of the arm, the hand configured to releasibly engage with a street light housing to install or remove the housing from a street light mounting plate such that the street light is releasably detachable to the mounting bracket attached to a street light support wherein the mounting bracket includes electrical power terminals to provide electrical power therefrom and wherein the street light comprises:

a light housing having a retaining means to releasably engage with the mounting bracket to secure the light housing to the street support, the retaining means having an electrical coupling forming an electrical connection to the mounting bracket power terminals when the retaining means is engaged with the mounting bracket; and a lighting controller associated with the street light housing and having an input electrically connected to the retaining means electrical coupling and an output terminating at a lamp holder disposed within the housing;

wherein the light housing retaining means engages with the mounting bracket in a keyed or screwed-thread engagement; or by means of one or more clamps, clips or pins; or in an interference fit.