WO2014077676A1

WO2014077676A1 - Lighting unit for street furniture

Info

Publication number: WO2014077676A1
Application number: PCT/NL2013/000054
Authority: WO
Inventors: Adriaan VAN DER STARRE
Original assignee: Roadled B.V.
Priority date: 2012-11-15
Filing date: 2013-11-14
Publication date: 2014-05-22
Also published as: NL1039900C2

Abstract

Light module for a street furniture, like a lighting lamp or road sign (16), comprising a housing with connecting means (3) for providing a connection with a frame or any other attachment point, one or more LED light sources (5), and an electric power supply. The power supply comprises one or more photovoltaic solar collectors (6), arranged for converting ambient light (7) into electric energy. Furthermore a buffer medium is provided such as batteries, and control means for storing at least a portion of the energy produced by the solar collectors (6) into the buffer medium. The control means are further arranged to supply electric energy, inside or outside of one or more time slots, dependent on the luminous intensity, to the light sources (5). Via a wireless interface, the light module can be remotely operated and/or read.

Description

Title: Lighting unit for street furniture DESCRIPTION The invention relates to a light module, serving as a lighting unit for street furniture, in particular a street light or park lamp, or a light road sign (illuminated road sign, direction sign).

The light sources mostly used in street lights etc. are fluorescent lamps, sodium- vapour lamps and mercury-vapour lamps. In light road signs usually fluorescent lamps are used as light source. Light road signs can be provided with internal lighting (backlighting), wherein the light shines outside through the information panels, or can be provided with external lighting, illuminating the information panels. An important aspect when choosing an electric light source is energy conservation. For a luminous flux of 1500 lumens a 100 watt light bulb is needed, or a 18 watt fluorescent lamp, or a 12 watt high pressure sodium-vapour lamp or only a 10 watts low-pressure sodium-vapour lamp. However, the last two types do not provide a white light, and their application is therefore usually limited to street lights on major roads and highways. Because of the colour of the light, the latter two types are generally considered as less suitable for road sign lighting. So often fluorescent lamps are used for both street lightning and illuminated road signs.

Object of the present invention is therefore to provide for an energy saving lighting unit for a street furniture, such as in particular a street light or light road sign, which unit essentially is completely self-sufficient. Thereby is achieved that said street furniture need not be connected to an external power supply, therefore there is no need for provided wiring to the location of the street furniture, resulting in a saving on installation costs. Furthermore (external) power is not used, resulting in a continuous reduction (i.e. every night) in electricity costs.

According to the present invention a lighting unit is provided for a street furniture, comprising a housing with connecting means for providing a connection with a frame or another support, such as for example a pole or bracket, one or more light sources and an electrical power supply, wherein the power supply comprises one or more photovoltaic solar collectors (panels), arranged for converting ambient light into electrical energy, and wherein the one or more light sources comprise one or more LED's.

The invention is based on the insight that using LED's as the light source, because LED's have a very low power consumption at a high light output, enables feeding a entire full-fledged street light or light road sign from a solar panel having only relatively small dimensions. Because of the limited dimensions, one or more photovoltaic solar collectors can be mounted at the upper side of the housing, without compromising the design of the lighting unit - and thus of the lantern or the road sign - (because large, protruding solar panels are aesthetically not acceptable). Accordingly this invention enables providing for a lighting unit, designed in a responsible way, having energy saving or self-sustaining features.

Since the solar collectors (solar panels) can only convert light into electrical energy during day time, whereas the lighting module must provide light - and thereby requiring electrical energy - when it's dark, preferably the power supply further comprises, additionally to one or more photovoltaic solar collectors, a buffer medium, such as one or more batteries, wherein further control means are provided which are arranged to at least store a portion of the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic solar collector into that buffer medium.

Said control means are further arranged for supplying electric energy to the light source(s) under certain conditions, for example inside or outside of one or more time slots (particularly in the time slots in which it is dark outside, in the evening and at night). The control means may also be arranged to supply electrical energy to the light source(s) dependent on the ambient luminous intensity. In that case, the control means comprises an ambient luminous intensity detector.

If desired, the control means may comprise a wireless interface enabling remotely controlling the light module, for example, setting of the on and off switching times, and/or for being able to remotely read the status of one or more of its components, for example, the condition of the buffer medium (such as the batteries).

Hereinafter, the invention will be discussed in some more detail by means of a description of the drawings. Figure la-b show an embodiment of the lighting unit according to the invention configured as the head of a street light;

Figure 2 shows an embodiment of a simplified electric circuit diagram of the lighting unit shown in Figs la-b;

Figure 3 shows an embodiment of the lighting unit according to the invention, configured as the head of a park lamp; Figure 4 shows an embodiment of the lighting unit according to the invention, configured as a light road sign with an internal light source.

Figures la-b and 2 illustrate an exemplary embodiment of a light module 1 for a street light, comprising a housing 2 with connecting means 3 for providing a connection with a frame 4, such as for example a pole or bracket, a light source 5 and an electric power supply, wherein the power supply comprises one or more photovoltaic solar collectors 6 (hereinafter solar panel), arranged for converting ambient light 7 into electrical energy, and wherein the light source 5 comprises five one or more LED's, which - after dark - emit light 8.

The power supply, which includes the solar panel 6, further comprises (see figure 2) a buffer medium 9, such as for example, one or more batteries, and control means 10 which are arranged to store at least a portion of the electrical energy produced by the solar panel 6 into the buffer medium 9.

The control means 10 are further arranged to supply under certain conditions, for instance inside or outside of one or more time slots, electric energy to the light source 5, wherein the light source 5 at preselected points of time is switched on or off, and/or depending on the ambient luminous intensity, the light source 5 is switched on when it gets dark outside (in the evening, but also for example in gloomy weather), and is switched off when it becomes light again outside.

Preferably, the control means 10 comprise a wireless interface (in Figure 2 indicated by an antenna 11) for the ability to remotely control the light module and/or for being able to remotely read the status of one or more of its components, by means of, for example, a mobile wireless terminal 12 (e.g., via a Bluetooth connection) or via a central service point, e.g. via a wireless (e.g. via UMTS) Internet connection. As shown in Figure la, preferably the solar panel 6 is arranged in or against the topside of the housing 2. As shown in Figure lb, preferably the light source 5 with one or more LED's is arranged in or against the bottom of the housing 2. By applying - high energy saving - LED's as light source, it is possible to feed a complete, full- fledged lighting unit 1 for a street light from a solar panel 6 having a relatively limited size (and therefore a limited capacity, which, however no longer is a problem, due to the use of LED's), so that the photovoltaic solar panel can be attached in (or against) the top side of the housing 2 without affecting the aesthetic design of the lighting unit 1. In this way, the (head of a) street light, designed in a responsible way, can accordingly be provided with self-sustaining features. If desired, the lighting module can optionally still be connected to the electricity grid, so that optionally, during very unfavourable conditions, the battery 9 can be recharged. Figure 3 shows a second embodiment of the lighting module 1 for a street light (or park lamp) according to the invention, comprising a housing 2 with connecting means 3 for providing a connection to a frame, a light source 5 and an electric power supply, constituted by a photovoltaic solar panel 6 which is arranged to convert ambient light 7 into electrical energy. Here, too, the light source 5 comprises a number of LED's. The power supply further includes a buffer medium 9, constituted by one or more batteries 9. Further provided are control means 10, which are arranged to store into said buffer medium 9 at least a portion of the electrical energy procuced by the solar panel 6. As in the previous exemplary embodiment, the control means are adapted to supply, under certain circumstances like inside or outside a certain time slot and/or dependent of the ambient luminous intensity, electric energy to the light sources. And may also be provided with a wireless interface 11 for the ability to remotely control the light module and/or the ability to remotely read the status of one of its components. The solar panels 6 are at the upper side of the housing 2 covered by a translucent top cover 13. The light emitted by the LED's of the light source 5 is emitted to the outside through a translucent lower cover 14.

Figure 4 shows an embodiment of a lighting unit configured as a light road sign 16, according to the invention. The light sign comprises a housing having connecting means 3 for providing a connection with a frame. Further are provided light sources 5, configured by rows of LED's arranged against an internal framework 17. The LED strips 5 can shine through translucent regions 18 in panels 19 (on one or on both sides of the road sign), provided with geographical names and distance indications (in this case "Wassenaar 10" and "Delft 24") and a direction arrow. The electrical power supply includes a photovoltaic solar panel 6, through which ambient light 7 is converted into electrical energy, and further includes a buffer medium and control means (in this figure not visible) irt order to store into the buffer medium the electrical energy provided by the solar panel 6; and to allow supplying electric power to the LED light sources 5 under certain conditions, such as inside or outside a certain time slot and/or in dependence on the ambient luminous intensity. Furthermore this lighting unit, configured as a light road sign 16, may comprise a wireless interface for the ability to remotely control the light module and/or to remotely read the status of one or more of its components.

Claims

1. Light module (1) for a street furniture, comprising a housing (2) with connecting means (3) for providing a connection with a frame (4) or any other attachment point, one or more light sources (5), and an electric power supply,

wherein the power supply comprises one or more photovoltaic solar collectors (6), arranged for converting ambient light (7) into electric energy, and

wherein the one or more light sources comprise one or more LED's.

2. Light module according to claim 1, wherein the power supply further comprises a buffer medium (9) and wherein control means (10) are provided, which are arranged to enable storing at least a portion of the electrical energy produced by the one or more photovoltaic solar collectors into the buffer medium.

3. Light module according to claim 1 - 2, wherein the control means are arranged for under certain conditions supplying electrical energy to the one or more light sources.

4. Light module according to claim 2 - 3, wherein the control means are arranged to supply, inside or outside of one or more time slots, electrical energy to the one or more light sources.

5. Light module according to claim 2 - 4, wherein the control means are arranged to supply, dependent on the luminous intensity, electrical energy to the one or more light sources.

6. Light module according to one of the preceding claims 2 - 5, wherein the control means comprises a wireless interface ( 11) for enabling remotely controlling the light module and/or for being able to remotely read the status of one or more of its components.

7. Light module according to one of the preceding claims, wherein one or more photovoltaic solar collectors are provided in or at the topside of the housing.

8. Light module according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the one or more light sources with one or more LED's are arranged in, at or outside the housing.

9. Street furniture comprising a light module according to any one of the preceding claims.

10. Street furniture according to claim 9, wherein the street furniture comprises a lighting lamp.

11. Street furniture according to claim 9, wherein the street furniture comprises a road sign (16).

12. Street furniture according to claim 11, wherein the one or more light sources are arranged within the housing of the road sign, and wherein their light shines outside through translucent information zones (18).

13. Street furniture according to claim 11, wherein the one or more light sources are provided outside the housing of the road sign, and

wherein its light illuminates the information zones from outside.