At a glance
| Patent number | CN205480639U (application CN201620254026) |
| Type | China utility model (实用新型) - protects product shape and structure |
| Original title | A LED street lamp with automatic cooling and cleaning functions (一种具有自动降温和清洗功能的led路灯) |
| Patent owner | Quzhou College of Technology |
| Inventors | Zhao Jianwei, Fang Xiaomin, Jiang Yuexin |
| Filing date | 2016-03-30 |
| Grant date | 2016-08-17 |
| Status (China) | Lapsed - terminated for non-payment of annual fees (recorded 2019-03-19) |
| Patent family | Chinese filings only - no US, European, Japanese, PCT or other filings listed |
| Cited by | 12 later documents |
| Source | Google Patents (search for CN205480639U) |
What the claims cover, in plain language
Claim 1 - An LED street lamp comprising a lamp post (1) and a lamp body (11) mounted via a lamp arm (9). The lamp body holds a lampshade (13) and an LED (15). The lamp arm carries a rainwater collection unit connected by pipe one (7) to a water storage unit (3) inside the post, which has a water pump (4). The lamp body also contains a water cooling radiator (14) and a temperature sensor (12). The radiator’s inlet pipe (16) connects to the pump and its outlet pipe (10) returns to the storage unit. A controller (5) processes the sensor data and starts or stops the pump.
Claim 2 - Adds a cleaning device: a bracket (18) on the lamp arm holding a pressurized spray head (17), plus an illuminance sensor (20) measuring LED brightness. The spray head connects to the pump via pipe two (19), aims at the lampshade, and the sensor links to the controller.
Claim 3 - Specifies that the rainwater collection unit is a top panel (9a) on the lamp arm with a concave surface to gather rain.
Claim 4 - Introduces a three-way valve (8) on the lamp arm. The inlet pipe and pipe two connect to the pump through this valve and pipeline three (6), with the controller governing the valve’s switching.
This is a simplified reading for orientation only. The legal scope is defined by the exact claim wording in the official Chinese document.
What this means for US production
This patent was filed only in China and has lapsed, so it no longer restricts anyone in China either. It has no US or other foreign counterpart.
Two points to settle early:
- Other patents may exist. Active liquid cooling systems for LED luminaires and automated lens-cleaning mechanisms for outdoor lighting are patented by several major lighting manufacturers and technology companies in the US, so a freedom-to-operate (FTO) review of the water-loop architecture, sensor-control logic and valve arrangement is needed before tooling.
- Electrical safety and enclosure rating. Combining water plumbing with line-voltage LED drivers inside a single pole demands careful compartmentalization to meet North American wet-location standards.
Customization and manufacturing
What can be customized
| Area | Options |
|---|---|
| Pole height and material | Steel, aluminum or composite; dimensions to match local wind-load codes |
| Tank capacity | Sized to local rainfall data and fixture wattage; internal bladder or rigid reservoir |
| Radiator design | Plate-fin, micro-channel or tube-and-fin copper/aluminum core matched to LED thermal load |
| Pump specification | Diaphragm or peristaltic type; voltage and flow rate set in design |
| Valve type | Motorized three-way ball or solenoid valve; fail-safe position configurable |
| Sensor package | Thermistor or IR temperature sensor; photodiode or lux-meter illuminance sensor |
| Controller logic | Threshold values, pump run-time, valve-switching delay programmable via firmware |
| Spray nozzle | Fan or cone pattern; anti-drip check valve to prevent residual leakage |
| Finish | Powder coat, hot-dip galvanizing or marine-grade anodizing |
Things to plan for (US market)
- UL 1598 / UL 8750 - Luminaires and LED equipment intended for wet locations must be listed by a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory; the integration of water lines near electrical compartments will be closely examined.
- FCC Part 15 - The electronic controller and any wireless telemetry modules must comply with electromagnetic emission limits.
- ANSI/IES RP-8 - Recommended practice for roadway lighting; the optical distribution after a spray wash must still meet uniformity and glare criteria.
- Dark-sky ordinances - Many US jurisdictions require full-cutoff optics; the lampshade geometry and spray-head placement must not introduce upward light scatter.
- California Title 24 / JA8 - If sold in California, the fixture’s efficacy and control compatibility must satisfy state energy codes.
How a project runs
- Inquiry - Pole height, LED wattage, local climate data (rainfall, ambient temperature range, dust levels) and quantity.
- Design - Thermal simulation of the radiator loop, hydraulic sizing of pump and pipes, structural analysis of the water-loaded pole, control firmware development.
- Prototype - Fabrication of a sample fixture for bench testing: thermal pull-down curves, spray coverage mapping, valve response time and leak checks.
- Pilot run - Field installation of a small batch to validate rain-harvesting volume against actual weather and confirm long-term seal integrity.
- Production - Pole fabrication, tank welding or molding, radiator brazing, PCB assembly for the controller, plumbing harness kitting, final wet-testing and packing.
Quantities & timeline
Each fixture requires metal fabrication for the pole and arm, a custom water reservoir (either welded steel or rotationally molded plastic), a brazed or bonded heat exchanger, injection-molded brackets and nozzle housings, and assembled PCB controllers. Tooling for the tank, radiator headers and plastic components represents the primary lead-time driver. Certification testing for wet-location electrical safety adds additional weeks before shipment. Send us your pole height, LED wattage, climate parameters, quantity and target price and we will reply with options.
Patent drawings
Drawings reproduced from the public patent document for reference.
