Lighting unit such as a bulb
The invention provides a lighting unit having an internal controller. The external power connector of the lighting unit (i.e. the electrical connector plug for connecting the lighting unit to an electrical lighting socket) comprises a manual adjustment element for selecting a setting of the controller. Thus, the manual adjustment element, which functions as a manual user interface, is integrated into the electrical plug part of the lighting unit.
1. A lighting unit comprising:
an outer housing;
a light source within the outer housing;
a controller within the outer housing for controlling the light source; and
an external connector interface for connecting the lighting unit to an external source of power,
wherein the external connector interface comprises a manual adjustment element having at least rotatable connector pin for selecting a setting of the controller and wherein the manual adjustment element is inaccessible when the lighting unit is connected to the external source of power.
2. The lighting unit of claim 1 , comprising a bulb or a tubular lamp.
3. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the connector pin is rotatable between at least two positions corresponding to different settings of the controller.
4. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the external connector interface further comprises a screw connector wherein the screw connector includes the at least one connector pin as a central connector pin and having a surrounding thread connector.
5. The lighting unit of claim 4 , comprising a metal intermediate part electrically contacts a power supply terminal of the controller and the connector pin mechanically couples to a switch of the controller for selecting the setting of the controller.
6. The lighting unit of claim 5 , wherein the metal intermediate part is a metal intermediate ring in which the connector pin is rotatably received.
7. The lighting unit of claim 5 , wherein the metal intermediate part is a leaf spring with which the connector pin is rotatably contacted.
8. The lighting unit of claim 5 , wherein the switch of the controller comprises a rotary adjustment knob which is engaged by a rear part of the connector pin.
9. The lighting unit of claim 5 , wherein the connector pin has a screw driver slot on a front part which is exposed to the outside of the lighting unit.
10. The lighting unit of claim 6 , comprising a plastic over-molded ring between the connector pin and the thread connector, wherein the metal intermediate ring is fixed in position by the over-molded ring.
11. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the setting of the controller comprises a white color temperature setting.
12. The lighting unit of claim 11 , wherein the setting of the controller comprises a warm white color temperature setting and a cool white color temperature setting.
13. The lighting unit of claims 1 , wherein the setting of the controller comprises a brightness setting or a color setting.
14. The lighting unit of claims 1 , wherein the setting of the controller comprises a beam shape setting.
15. The lighting unit of claim 1 , wherein the light source comprises an LED arrangement and the controller comprises a LED driver.