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Publication Number
US-11255533-B2
Publication Date
2022-02-22
Expiration Date
Abstract
A head wearable device includes a headpiece, a housing attached to the headpiece, a luminaire attached to the headpiece, the luminaire including a luminaire housing and at least one light source located within the luminaire housing, a duct system connecting the luminaire to the housing, a ball joint rotatably connecting the duct system to the luminaire, and an air moving device configured to induce a cooling air flow through an inlet in the luminaire housing, through the heatsink, through the ball joint, through the duct system, and out of an exhaust in the housing attached to of the headpiece.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a head wearable device for providing illumination using a luminaire attached to a headpiece. The headpiece includes a headband comprising at least a top strap and two lateral straps, and a housing attached to the top strap. The luminaire includes a luminaire housing and at least one light source located within the luminaire housing.
To cool the luminaire, the invention uses a duct system connecting the luminaire to the housing and a ball joint rotatably connecting the duct system to the luminaire. The duct system includes a rigid duct, and an air moving device is positioned within the rigid duct in a portion located within the housing and adjacent to an exhaust. The air moving device is configured to induce an air flow through an inlet in the luminaire housing, through the ball joint, through the duct system, and out of the exhaust in the housing.
In some implementations, the luminaire cooling is controlled by monitoring a temperature of the at least one light source and producing an air flow based on that temperature. A controller monitors the temperature and modulates the operational setting of the air moving device to keep the temperature within a predetermined operating range. The architecture is further described with ball joint passages and exhaust port arrangements to maintain an airflow path while the luminaire pivots.
The document also describes headpiece adjustability and luminaire optics. The headpiece is adjustable with depth adjuster and circumferential adjuster mechanics using rack-and-pinion gears and knobs with visual indexes, and the luminaire is adjustable in angle/position with mechanical linkages. The luminaire optics are described as producing a homogeneous white spot projection with an adjustable focal point or focal length.
Claims Coverage
The partial content contains two independent claims: one apparatus claim covering a head wearable device integrating a luminaire, duct system, rotatable ball joint, and an air moving device to induce a specified air-flow path; and one method claim covering cooling the luminaire by monitoring light-source temperature and producing cooling airflow using an air moving device arranged adjacent to a hot air exhaust. Across these independent claims, the inventive coverage includes duct/ball-joint airflow routing and temperature-based cooling control, with the method claim explicitly tying temperature monitoring to producing airflow.
Air-flow-inducing duct and ball-joint connection
A duct system comprising a rigid duct connects the luminaire to the housing, and a ball joint rotatably connecting the duct system to the luminaire provides a flow path in which an air moving device induces an air flow through an inlet in the luminaire housing, through the ball joint, through the duct system, and out of an exhaust in the housing.
Air moving device positioned adjacent to the exhaust
An air moving device is positioned within the rigid duct in a portion located within the housing and adjacent to an exhaust in the housing, configured to induce the air flow through the inlet in the luminaire housing, through the ball joint, through the duct system, and out of the exhaust.
Rotatable luminaire cooling airflow path
Connecting the luminaire to a duct system via a ball joint provides a rotatable connection between the luminaire and the duct system, the duct system comprising a rigid duct; forming a passage and an exhaust port in the ball joint; and connecting the duct system so airflow proceeds through the luminaire housing and the ball joint to the exhaust.
Temperature monitoring of the at least one light source
Monitoring a temperature of the at least one light source within the luminaire and using that temperature to determine the cooling airflow produced using the air moving device.
Producing cooling airflow through the luminaire housing
Producing, using the air moving device, an air flow through the luminaire housing to cool the at least one light source based on the temperature of the at least one light source.
The independent claim coverage is centered on a head-wearable luminaire with a rigid duct system and a rotatable ball joint that routes cooling airflow from a luminaire inlet through the ball joint and duct system to a housing exhaust, combined with temperature monitoring of the light source and producing cooling airflow based on that temperature.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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