Adaptor with gimbal mounted sensor

Abstract

An adaptor ( 10 ) including a sensor ( 18 ), a gimbal housing ( 12 ) having a male connector ( 14 ) at one end and an female connector ( 16 ) at another end, wherein the male connector ( 14 ) is configured to connect with an electrical socket and the female connector ( 16 ) is configured to connect with an electrical device, and a circuit for selectively controlling the electrical device in response to the sensor ( 18 ). The gimbal housing ( 12 ) is adapted to rotate around the male connector ( 14 ) about a first axis and support the sensor ( 18 ) for independent rotation about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis so that the sensor ( 18 ) can be moved to a selectable sensing orientation.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An adaptor comprising:
 a sensor; 
 a gimbal housing having a male connector at one end and a female connector at another end, wherein the male connector is configured to connect with an electrical socket and the female connector is configured to connect with an electrical device; and 
 a circuit for selectively controlling the electrical device in response to the sensor; 
 wherein the gimbal housing is adapted to rotate around the male connector about a first axis and support the sensor for independent rotation about a second axis perpendicular to the first axis so that the sensor can be moved to a selectable sensing orientation, and 
 wherein the one or more openings comprise first and second windows respectively formed in opposite sides of the gimbal mounting between the second axis and the female connectorwherein the sensor is substantially spherical in shape and the gimbal housing is substantially annular in shape so that the sensor is supported at least partially inside the gimbal housing between the male connector and the female connector. 
 
     
     
       2. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor comprises one of a motion detector, an infrared detector, a photodetector and a sound detector. 
     
     
       3. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the male connector and the female connector are respectively provided on opposite ends of the gimbal housing in alignment with the first axis. 
     
     
       4. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical socket is a light socket. 
     
     
       5. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical device comprises a light source. 
     
     
       6. An adaptor according to  claim 5 , wherein the light source is a light bulb. 
     
     
       7. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the electrical device comprises one of a mobile telephone, a sound alarm, a security device, and a monitoring device. 
     
     
       8. An adaptor according to  claim 7 , wherein the security device comprises a burglar alarm. 
     
     
       9. An adaptor according to  claim 7 , wherein the monitoring device comprises a surveillance camera. 
     
     
       10. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the gimbal housing has one or more openings formed therein to correspond with at least some selectable sensing orientations of the sensor. 
     
     
       11. An adaptor according to  claim 10 , wherein the one or more openings comprise first and second windows respectively formed in opposite sides of the gimbal mounting between the second axis and the female connector. 
     
     
       12. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the gimbal housing further comprises a locking mechanism for lockably rotating the gimbal housing about the male connector. 
     
     
       13. An adaptor according to  claim 12 , wherein the locking mechanism comprises a ratchet wheel and pawl. 
     
     
       14. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is adapted to rotate less than 360° around the second axis. 
     
     
       15. An adaptor according to  claim 14 , wherein the sensor is adapted to rotate to a maximum of about 350° around the second axis. 
     
     
       16. An adaptor according to  claim 1 , wherein the gimbal housing is adapted to rotate less than 360° around the first axis. 
     
     
       17. An adaptor according to  claim 16 , wherein the gimbal housing is adapted to rotate to a maximum of about 350° around the first axis. 
     
     
       18. A method for operating an electrical device comprising the steps of:
 connecting one end of the adaptor claimed in  claim 1  to the electrical device and a second end to an electrical socket; 
 supporting a sensor in a gimbal housing between the ends of the adaptor so that the sensor is rotatable about two mutually orthogonal axes; 
 moving the sensor to a selectable sensing orientation; and 
 selectively controlling the electrical device in response to the sensor. 
 
     
     
       19. A method for operating an electrical device according to  claim 18 , wherein the electrical device comprises a light source. 
     
     
       20. A method for operating an electrical device according to  claim 19 , wherein the light source is a light bulb. 
     
     
       21. A method for operating an electrical device according to  claim 18 , wherein the electrical device comprises one of a mobile telephone, a sound alarm, a security device, and a monitoring device. 
     
     
       22. A method for operating an electrical device according to  claim 21 , wherein the security device comprises a burglar alarm. 
     
     
       23. A method for operating an electrical device according to  claim 21 , wherein the monitoring device comprises a surveillance camera. 
     
     
       24. A method for operating an electrical device according to  claim 18 , wherein the sensor comprises one of a motion detector, an infrared detector, a photodetector and a sound detector.