Wireless control device assembly
A control device, such as a gateway device for a wireless load control system, has a light bar extending around a periphery of an enclosure to provide feedback to a user of the load control system, as well as to provide a pleasing aesthetic effect on the gateway device. The control device may include at least one light-emitting diode mounted to a printed circuit board inside the enclosure, a control circuit mounted to the printed circuit board and operatively coupled to the light-emitting diode for controllably illuminating the light-emitting diode, and a multi-functional mounting structure for mounting the printed circuit board inside the enclosure. The mounting structure may have at least one light-pipe structure for conducting light from the at least one light-emitting diode to the light bar. The mounting structure may have an antenna-mounting structure to which an antenna of the control device may be mounted.
1. A light diffusion system, comprising:
a light-pipe structure having a length, an upper surface and a lower surface forming an angle with the upper surface such that an emitter surface of the light-pipe structure tapers from a relatively thicker central portion to relatively thinner terminal portions at each end of the length;
a light diffuser having a first portion and a second portion optically coupled to and disposed orthogonal to the first portion;
wherein the first portion of the light diffuser disposed proximate the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure such that, in operation, at least a portion of the light conveyed by the light pipe structure exits radially outward from the second portion of the light diffuser; and
wherein the light diffuser comprises a light diffuser in which the first portion and the second portion optically couple to provide a light diffuser having a “T”-shaped transverse cross-section.
2. The light diffusion system of claim 1 , the light-pipe structure further comprising:
a first recess formed in the lower surface of the central portion of the light-pipe structure, the first recess to accept at least a partial insertion of a light source, the first recess to provide a plurality of lens surfaces through which light from the light source may enter the light-pipe structure.
3. The light diffusion system of claim 2 , the light-pipe structure further comprising:
a second recess formed in the upper surface of the central portion of the light-pipe structure, opposite the first recess, the second recess to provide a plurality of reflective surfaces to reflect at least a portion of the light from the light source into the light-pipe structure.
4. The light diffusion system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a diffuser sheet disposed between the light diffuser and the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure.
5. The light diffusion system of claim 4 wherein the diffuser sheet comprises a diffuser sheet that includes one or more fade patterns.
6. The light diffusion system of claim 1 wherein the light diffuser comprises a three-sided “U” shaped structure.
7. The light diffusion system of claim 6 wherein the light-pipe structure comprises a plurality of light-pipe structure segments, each of the light-pipe structure segments having the upper surface and the lower surface forming the angle with the upper surface such that the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure tapers from the relatively thicker central portion to the relatively thinner terminal portions at each end of the length.
8. The light diffusion system of claim 7 wherein the plurality of light-pipe structure segments includes three light-pipe structure segments, the emitter surface of each of the light-pipe structure segments disposed proximate a respective first portion of each side of the three-sided “U”-shaped light diffuser structure.
9. A light diffusion method, comprising:
disposing a light diffuser having a first portion and a second portion optically coupled to and disposed orthogonal to the first portion proximate an emitter surface of a light-pipe structure having a length, an upper surface and a lower surface forming an angle with the upper surface such that the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure tapers from a relatively thicker central portion to relatively thinner terminal portions at each end of the length;
wherein the first portion of the light diffuser is disposed proximate the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure such that, in operation, at least a portion of the light conveyed by the light pipe structure exits radially outward from the second portion of the light diffuser;
wherein the light diffuser comprises a light diffuser in which the first portion and the second portion optically couple to provide a light diffuser having a “T”-shaped transverse cross-section.
10. The light diffusion method of claim 9 , further comprising:
disposing a light source at least partially in a first recess formed in the lower surface of the central portion of the light-pipe structure, the first recess to accept at least a partial insertion of a light source, the first recess to provide a plurality of lens surfaces through which light from the light source may enter the light-pipe structure.
11. The light diffusion method of claim 9 , further comprising:
disposing a diffuser sheet between the light diffuser and the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure.
12. The light diffusion method of claim 11 wherein disposing the diffuser sheet between the light diffuser and the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure further comprises:
disposing a diffuser sheet that includes one or more fade patterns between the light diffuser and the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure.
13. The light diffusion method of claim 9 :
wherein the light diffuser comprises a three-sided “U” shaped structure;
wherein the light-pipe structure includes three light-pipe structure segments, each of the light-pipe structure segments having the upper surface and the lower surface forming the angle with the upper surface such that the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure tapers from the relatively thicker central portion to the relatively thinner terminal portions at each end of the length; and
wherein disposing a light diffuser proximate the emitter surface of the light-pipe structure further comprises:
disposing the emitter surface of each of the light-pipe structure segments proximate a respective side of the three-sided “U”-shaped light diffuser structure.
14. The light diffusion method of claim 9 , further comprising:
disposing at least a portion of the second portion of the light diffuser between an upper housing portion and a lower housing portion such that at least a portion of the second portion of the light diffuser forms at least a portion of an external surface of a housing formed by affixing the upper housing portion to the lower housing portion.