EP0576383A2 - Location boundary marker such as a lighting balustrade - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to architectural equipment intended to define a boundary of a location, including a horizontal element (10) and at least one vertical element (12) supporting the said horizontal element, and comprising a lighting system (24) for illuminating the equipment and showing the boundary of the location when necessary. The lighting system and its supply wires (22) are incorporated in the horizontal element (10) so as not to be locatable when it is not switched on and to illuminate the vertical element or elements (12) when it is switched on. <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to architectural equipment intended to delimit a location, and in particular to equipment of the railing type comprising lighting to highlight the location when it is dark.

It is common to delimit certain locations such as a swimming pool or a terrace by a balustrade formed of balusters supporting a horizontal element or handrail. This type of equipment can also define a balcony, a staircase, an entrance, a porch, an interior mezzanine, or any other location that you want to highlight.

In such a way that such equipment also fulfills its role at night, it is conventional to provide lighting in the form of spots outside the balustrade or of street lamps surmounting the handrail at determined locations. But this type of lighting is not always effective unless there are a lot of light points, lampposts or spots. But what we gain in lighting efficiency is lost in aesthetics if there are too many lampposts. The light spot system allows the aesthetic appearance of the balustrade to be preserved, but is difficult to install and cannot be permanently maintained at the cost of an expensive installation.

The object of the invention is therefore to provide a lighting system for architectural equipment which, while being easy to implement, retains the aesthetic quality of the equipment.

The object of the invention is an architectural equipment in which a horizontal element is supported by at least one vertical element of the baluster type, comprising a lighting system incorporated so as not to be visible during the day when it is not not lit and illuminate at least part of the vertical element (s) when lit.

• la figure 1 représente un équipement selon un mode de réalisation préféré de l'invention, la partie incorporant le système d'éclairage étant vu en coupe,
• la figure 2 représente une vue en coupe de l'élément horizontal de l'équipement selon un mode de réalisation préféré de l'invention,
• la figure 3 représente une vue en coupe d'une alvéole et de la lampe associée dans le mode de réalisation représenté sur la figure 1,
• la figure 4 représente une vue du collier élastique utilisé pour bloquer la lampe représentée sur la figure 3 dans son alvéole,
• la figure 5 représente une vue en coupe d'un équipement selon un mode de réalisation préféré de l'invention, disposant d'un moyen de récupération de la chaleur dégagée par les lampes.
• la figure 6 représente un mode de réalisation de l'invention dans lequel l'équipement architectural est un linteau se trouvant au dessus d'une porte d'entrée, et
• la figure 7 représente un mode de réalisation de l'invention dans lequel l'équipement architectural est une colonne.

The invention will be better understood on reading the following description made with reference to the drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 represents an item of equipment according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the part incorporating the lighting system being seen in section,
• FIG. 2 represents a sectional view of the horizontal element of the equipment according to a preferred embodiment of the invention,
• FIG. 3 represents a sectional view of a cell and of the associated lamp in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1,
• FIG. 4 represents a view of the elastic collar used to block the lamp shown in FIG. 3 in its cell,
• Figure 5 shows a sectional view of equipment according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, having a means of recovering the heat given off by the lamps.
• FIG. 6 represents an embodiment of the invention in which the architectural equipment is a lintel located above an entrance door, and
• FIG. 7 represents an embodiment of the invention in which the architectural equipment is a column.

As illustrated in FIG. 1, a balustrade intended to delimit a location such as a swimming pool, a terrace (low or high), a balcony, a staircase or any other location whose boundary with the exterior must be highlighted for ornamental reasons, to be hidden from view inside the site or even for safety reasons in some cases (staircase or balcony) comprises a horizontal element 10 supported by vertical elements 12. The vertical elements or balusters 12 generally rest on a base 14, and are spaced from each other by an interval of about 20 to 60 cm. They can have any suitable shape in order to make them aesthetic.

The horizontal element or handrail 10 of the equipment has been shown in section in FIG. 1. It comprises in the vertical end element 16, a transformer 18 with its two output wires 22 which are incorporated in the material of the horizontal element 10. The power supplied to the input 20 of the transformer 18 is the mains voltage, that is to say 220 volts, and the voltage obtained on the output wires 22 of the transformer 18 is preferably about 12 volts. The output wires supply halogen lamps 24 placed in cells at the bottom of the horizontal element 10. The halogen lamps are chosen in preference to others because they provide a power equivalent to approximately 100 watts at only 12 volts of voltage. However, other types of lower or higher wattage lamps can of course be used. Likewise, a transformer can be provided providing a voltage greater than 12 volts without going beyond the ambit of the invention. It is always best not to use too high a voltage to avoid the risk of electric shock in case of system failure.

It should be noted that the power supply to the lighting system can be autonomous, in which case the transformer 18 is replaced by a rechargeable battery or cell providing a direct voltage of 12 volts. Although a single power source (transformer or battery) is preferable, several power inputs of the type of vertical element 16 or other suitable input can be provided.

Although the halogen lamps 24 placed in the cells of the horizontal element 10 do not give off heat capable of causing the temperature of the supply wires 22 to rise too much, it is however useful to provide ventilation. This is why the wires 22 have been represented in a sheath inside the element. horizontal 10. This duct must, to ensure correct ventilation, be open at its two ends, one of the ends being the access door of the transformer 18 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1

It is possible to run the wires directly into the horizontal element, while providing a ventilation duct. An embodiment of this type is illustrated in FIG. 2 which represents a section of the horizontal element in line with a cell 30. A chamber 34 is arranged above the cell 30 for the passage of the connection wires of the lamp (not shown in the figure). The two supply wires 22 are then mounted in the part 32, as well as a ventilation duct 36. Then, concrete is then poured so as to fill the part 32 and complete the horizontal element 10.

The advantage of the above embodiment is to produce prefabricated elements. Each prefabricated element is then a portion of the horizontal element comprised between two balusters and is composed of the external part 32 comprising a lamp 30, a sheath part 36 for the passage of the supply wires, the whole cast in concrete. Thus, after connection of a variable number of prefabricated elements, end to end, it will suffice to pass the supply wires through the sheath 36 to obtain the equipment as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the cell and the associated lamp are illustrated in section in FIG. 3. The cell 30 hollowed out in the horizontal element 10 has a generally cylindrical shape. Under the lamp 24 is an elastic collar 40 whose purpose is to block the lamp 24 in its cell 30. The lamp 24 has two connections 42 which, during the mounting of the lamp, allow the connection of the lamp 24 to the wires of food 22.

The elastic collar 40 shown in Figure 4 is easily placed by hand, after the lamp 24 is in its socket 30 with its two pins 42 connected to the supply wires 22. It suffices to tighten the collar so that its diameter decreases, this thus allows the collar to be easily placed in the cell under the lamp. When the collar is released, its diameter tends to increase and, by spring effect, it locks against the walls of the cell 30, thus preventing the lamp 24 from coming out of the cell. When it is necessary to remove the lamp to replace it, for example, it suffices to reduce the diameter of the collar 40 by bringing the two lugs 50 together using pliers or an appropriate tool.

As mentioned above, it is desirable to cause ventilation inside the sheath 36 because the lamps give off heat (the temperature can rise to 300 ° C). One possible embodiment is then to provide either a blower at one of the ends of the sheath, or a suction means such as a turbine for sucking air. In an embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 5, a fan 60 blows the air into the duct 36. The heated air is recovered at the other end by a heat recovery means 62 where the calories recovered can be used for heating either directly or indirectly by heating a secondary water circuit used for heating a room near a greenhouse.

Although in the preferred embodiment shown in Figure 1, there is a lamp in each interval between two vertical elements, it is of course possible to provide only one lamp every two or three intervals.

One can use any other form of lamp than that shown in Figure 3 without departing from the scope of the invention. Thus, it is possible to put fluorescent tubes rather than lamps. Similarly, the lamps could be placed elsewhere than in the horizontal element, for example in the vertical elements. We could even provide lighting by combination of lamps in the horizontal element as shown in Figure 2, and lamps placed in the balusters.

Although the preferred embodiment of the invention is a balustrade, the invention can also be applied in a lintel 70 of an entrance door illustrated in FIG. 6 in which we see that 3 lamps 24 supplied by the wires of power supply 22, illuminate the steps or steps of an entrance door. This same arrangement can be a banner for a facade or an advertising panel, a sponge support, a cornice, slabs, a portal top, planters, a fountain, awning beams for terraces ... etc.

In another embodiment, the horizontal element may simply be the top 80 for supporting a column 82 as illustrated in FIG. 7. In this case, the lamps 24 supplied by the supply wires 22 light up the column with an undeniable ornamental effect.

Claims (10)

Architectural equipment for delimiting a location, comprising a horizontal element (10) and at least one vertical element (12) supporting said horizontal element, and comprising a lighting system (24) for illuminating the equipment and highlighting the delimitation location when necessary; characterized in that said lighting system and its supply wires (22) are incorporated in said horizontal element so as not to be identifiable when it is not switched on and to illuminate the vertical element or elements when it is on. Equipment according to one of claims 1, wherein said horizontal element (10) is a handrail supported by spaced balusters (12), said lighting system being integrated in said handrail and illuminating the balustrades when the equipment is alight. Equipment according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said lighting system comprises halogen type lighting lamps (24) placed in cells in the lower part of said horizontal element and the two terminals of which are connected to the supply wires. Equipment according to claim 3, wherein each of said lighting lamps (24) is located between two vertical elements (12) so that each of said vertical elements is lit on both sides by a lamp. Equipment according to one of claims 1 to 4, in which the supply wires (22) are placed in a sheath (36), the two ends of which are open to the outside so as to ensure good ventilation of the ventilation system. lighting. Equipment according to claim 5, wherein said horizontal element (10) is composed of prefabricated elements with a length equal to the interval between two balusters (12), each prefabricated element comprising a portion of said sheath (36) for the passage of the supply wires (22) and at least one lamp at the bottom of said element. Equipment according to claim 6, in which said sheath (36) has, at one of its ends, ventilation means (60) so as to cause air circulation in said sheath in order to ensure heat dissipation produced by said lighting system (24). Equipment according to claim 7, wherein said sheath comprises at one of its ends, a heat recovery means (62) intended to recover the heat produced by the lamps (24) and discharged by said sheath (26) by said means ventilation (60). Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, in which said lighting system (24) is powered by means of a rechargeable battery providing an output voltage of approximately 12 volts. Equipment according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the lighting of said lighting system (24) is under the control of a programmer which switches on said system when the darkness exceeds a predetermined threshold.

Images