CA2993962A1 - Modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes - Google Patents

Abstract

A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes that consists of two modules: Iluminating module and finishing module respectively wherein a finishing module can be attached to a lighting module by way of quick coupling to allow changes of aesthetic and/or functional features of luminaire.

Description

"Modular Lighting System with Interchangeable Finishes"
Background of the invention and prior art The present invention relates to a Modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes that is a light fixture wherein a finishing module can be attached to a lighting module by way of quick coupling to allow changes on its aesthetic and/or functional features.
In the present state of the art, to alter the functional or aesthetic features of an already installed light fixture would most certainly implicate in size, material, model, technology or functional problems that would result in the need to change the whole light fixture for a new one. In turn, said alteration most certainly would demand professional installing of the new light fixture implicating in the adaption of the electrical installation and its physical aspects such as, wall adjustments for sconces and markers, and in the ceiling for flush mounted lights in general. The installation of new housings or connection boxes, increasing or decreasing the rip to install a new part, demands specialized labor for both fixing these components and wiring them. Accordingly, the present invention refers to a Modular lighting system with interchangeable finishing that would allow full aesthetic and/or functional altering of the lighting fixture with no need for specialized labor.
In the present state of art, there are lighting fixtures such as lamps or chandeliers whose installation do not depend on structural adaptions to the building, allowing changes by disassembling it and replacing an original fixture, such as a dome, for a new one. None the less, even in such cases, these changes are limited as a great part of the lighting fixture remains untouched by the change, thus withholding greater aesthetic and/or functional changes on lighting effect.
Those skilled in the art would objectively be able to sort out models of lighting fixtures using similar standard electrical connection boxes, thus minimizing the suitability effects on the lighting fixture physical installation. However, skilled as they are, these professionals would still be limited to a range of products and would still be in need of specialized labor for the electrical assembly of the new model.

From the final consumers' point of view, being directly involved in the problematic substitution of a lighting fixture might be a demotivating factor with potential to delay or even halt the process. Therefore, by making available a modular lighting system with interchangeable finishing that allow critical aesthetic and/or functional alterations to lighting fixtures in homes, shops, offices and plants, the present invention has the potential to affect the income of lighting industry.
Analyzing from the point of view of manufacturers and retailers, it is very challenging to keep stocks of hundreds of different models of luminaires appealing to a variety of completely different aesthetic tastes aligned to design trends in the lighting business, requiring a high immobilized capital with very low turnover. This fact restricts the chances of having a satisfactory mix of products that allows wide range of service, therefore making more difficult to have a consistent growth in sales.
From the perspective of the lighting designer, stores offer several models of luminaires for a wide range of applications, but many times there are few color options or minimal variety of different finishing materials. It is extremely difficult to find a single model offering a wide range of finishing materials such as intense colors, varied woods, stainless steel, copper, brass, gold, fabric, leather, natural fibers, acrylic, stones, granite or marble.
One could argue that apparently with all the effort made by the lighting industry to assure the popularization of LED technology by the industry worldwide, aesthetic was left behind. The invasion of standard and low-priced products has brought with it a dubious quality and the widespread standardization of products offered in stores. There is little or almost no aesthetic sense, differentiation and openness to personalization of solutions.
Given these limitations and in order to surpass them, the innovation introduced by the Modular Lighting System with interchangeable finishes brings flexibility to the market, meeting the needs of all groups mentioned above, ensuring ease of replacement, no impact of installation, better inventory maintenance, optimization of immobilized financial resources, expansion of the offer, varied models, various colors and material, simple customization, differentiation, added value and personalization, since each combination of the illuminating module with a different finishing module

2 generates a different lighting fixture in shape, color, material, aesthetic appeal and/or function.
The finishing modules can be easily fitted to the illuminating module through standard quick couplings and without the use of any tool or workmanship. This interchangeable finishing system also allows that the illuminating modules already installed are kept, requiring only new finishing modules aesthetically aligned with the new project, with no need for specialized workmanship. Finishing modules can be reused in another location or repainted, repainted or even lined in other material, ensuring economy, speed of renovation and sustainability, without compromising the aesthetics aspects of the project.
The novelty of combining versatility and design confers extreme flexibility to the use of the resultant lighting fixture in the architecture market, construction, interior design, decoration and lighting. Therefore, the Modular Lighting System with interchangeable finishes can be used in any type of environment since its aesthetic and light effects can be easily interchanged, changed or customized to fit the style of a specific project.
Summary of the Invention The Modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes consists of 2 different modules, which allows complete flexibility in the choice of its appearance (finishing) and lighting effects.
The first module is the illuminating module (Fig. 2). The illuminating module consists of an aluminum body (1), a socket for a LED lamp and wires for electrical connection (2), a LED lamp (3), a quick locking system (4), a rubber ring (5) for prior fastening to an optionally used housing (6), a light diffuser (7), a rubber ring (8) for subsequent coupling to the finishing modules and a neodymium super magnet (9) for the front coupling to finishing modules. The illuminating module can be directly embedded in conventional gypsum boards or drywall through its own fast mechanical locking system (4) or it can be embedded with the use of its specific housing (6), normally necessary for masonry buildings.

3 The use of a lamp with LED technology (3) on the illuminating module (Fig. 2) is due to the absence of heat in the light emission, allowing the modules to be more easily and safely manipulated.
After installation, the assembly formed by the light diffuser (7), rubber ring (8) and neodymium super magnet (9) is the only apparent part of the illuminating module (Fig.
2). This part is fastened to the aluminum body (1) of the illuminating module, closing the assembly. Figure 4 shows a view of the illuminating module after installation on a surface. The light diffuser (7) is made of a plastic translucent material and it is used to support the coupling of a finishing module.
There are 2 types of coupling available for the finishing modules to the illuminating module (1):
A ¨ Posterior mechanical coupling (Fig. 6) is composed of a rubber ring (8) at the back of the light diffuser (7) intended to provide a standard diameter to fit the connecting ring (11) in an finishing fixture (10). This rubber ring (8) generates a mechanical interference, but complies with the parts, guaranteeing a perfect fit.
B - Magnetic coupling (Fig. 7) is composed of a neodymium super magnet (9) installed in the front part of the light diffuser (7). The coupling takes place through the magnetic attraction between a neodymium super magnet (9) and a ferrous metal disc (12) having the diameter in perfect engagement with the front part of the light diffuser (7). This ferrous metal disc (12) is fixed to a finishing piece (13), allowing the connection between these two parts.
The finishing modules are designed obeying the dimensions and type of coupling for the perfect assemble around the light diffuser (7), thus forming a lighting fixture.
For the posterior mechanical coupling, the diameter of a connecting ring (11) in the component part of a finishing module must have the exact dimension to be fastened to the rear of the light diffuser (7) through mechanical interference with a rubber ring (8).
For the magnetic coupling, a ferrous metal disc (12) and in perfect engagement with the structure, makes the front coupling of the component part of a finishing module to a light diffuser (7).

4 Since the two types of couplings are independent of each other, one could have a finishing (Fig. 3) composed of pieces that join the illuminating module (Fig.
2) simultaneously to form a light fixture (Fig. 5). These pieces may vary in shape, size, color and material, giving the luminaire numerous possible combinations.
These coupling systems allow not only changing the aesthetic appearance of the luminaire but also allow changing light's behavior by orientating the direction of the beam or its angle. In this sense, the same structure may present different configurations, such as a diffuse radial sconce, diffuse up light sconce or a focal down light sconce, for example.
When applied in functions such as a wall marker, the present invention may present configurations such as a marker light, a down light marker, a side light marker among others. The quick couplings also allow the finishing module to be freely rotated to create different perceptions to the same luminaire (Fig. 8).
In this new and unprecedented system, it is conceived that the light and aesthetic elements of light fixture are separated in 2 distinct modules that are further combined to form a final light fixture by simply connecting these modules respecting the types of quick couplings provided by the system.
Provided that the aspects that guarantee the connectivity between the parts through the quick couplings processes presented, a designer would be able to customize the light fixture in any way. And once a given design is created, it is possible to produce a great number of a new customized finishing module by means known in the lighting industry, as well as in 3D printing, CNC milling, laser cutting and others without restrictions to shape, color and material. It is also possible that skilled artisans produce handmade pieces with no limits other than the designer's creativity.
Brief description of the drawings Constrictive features, details and possibilities of the present Modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes are represented in the drawings listed below.
- Fig. 01 - shows an exploded view of all parts of one possible embodiment of the present invention.

- Fig. 02 - shows an assembled illuminating module;
- Fig. 03 - shows an exploded view of a finishing module example;
- Fig. 04 - shows the illuminating module installed on a wall surface;
- Fig. 05 - shows an installed embodiment of a lighting fixture of the present invention;
- Fig. 06 - shows the posterior mechanical coupling in details;
- Fig. 07 - shows the front magnetic coupling in details;
- Fig. 08 - shows the possibilities of adjusting the orientation of a wall marker;

Claims

The Embodiments Of The Invention In Which An Exclusive Property Or Privilege Is Claimed Are Defined As Follows:
1 - A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes which allows easy transformation of the aesthetic and/or functional features of the lighting fixture by exchanging a finishing module by means of quick couplings between the parts without having to change the illuminating module. Thus, no structural adaptions have to be made on the surface where said modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes is installed.
2 - A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes as defined in claim 1, wherein the assembly is formed by a illuminating module comprising an aluminum body with a socket for a LED lamp, wires for electrical installation and a light diffuser, and a finishing module comprising one or more pieces to be attached by a quick coupling process, thus forming a lighting fixture.
3 ¨ A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes as defined in claims 1 and 2, wherein the illuminating module is provided with two types of quick couplings in its light diffuser: a posterior mechanical coupling allowing the quick coupling through mechanical connection using a ring of rubber to create the fair interference between the illuminating module and a connecting ring of a finishing module; and a front magnetic coupling which allows connection through magnetic attraction between the neodymium super magnet fixed in the light diffuser and the ferrous disc metal attached to the front of a finish.
4 - A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes as defined in claims 1 to 3, where the finishing modules that give the final appearance and function to the lighting fixture can be produced in series and customized in the most varied materials, shapes, colors and sizes.
- A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes as defined in claims 1 to 3, where the final product is a lighting fixture that may assume several distinct aesthetic and/or functional characteristics due to the numerous possible combinations between illuminating and finishing modules.

6 - A modular lighting system with interchangeable finishes as defined in claims 1 to 3, whose components scale vary in its two modules may vary to match the use with other types of LED lamps, such as: G9 LED bulbs, A15 fan LED bulbs, A19 LED bulbs, chandelier LED bulbs, MR11 LED bulbs, PAR16 LED bulbs, PAR20, PAR30, and PAR
38 LED bulbs.