EP0699866B1 - Fastening system for wall-mounted lamps - Google Patents

Abstract

The wall mounted light fitting fixing device includes the base plate (1) which is intended to be fixed to the wall by two screws (100) passing through slots (12) at either end of the plate. Recesses (11) are provided to receive the screw head. The plate is made of a thermally and electrically insulating material, with a hook (2) extending along its top edge. This allows a half-circular bowl to be attached in order to form an uplighter. Behind the base plate there is a cavity for the electrical connections, linking the fitting to wiring within the wall. A bulb socket (6) may be attached to a bracket (7) on the base plate.

Description

The present invention relates to a wall hanging system for a indirect electric wall light, in staff or similar material.

The staff is a plaster-based material, reinforced with glass fibers.

The invention relates more precisely to the hanging of a wall lamp composed of a shell-shaped front wall, and a flat bitter wall, intended for apply against the wall, which is crossed by an opening, the assembly having the general configuration of a pocket open at the top which is intended to receive a electric lighting device, this system comprising a base intended to be fixed against the wall and part of which forms a retaining hook capable of cooperating with the edge upper of the opening to ensure the hanging of the wall lamp, this base being equipped of said electric lighting device which is positioned, after hanging, at inside the wall lamp and is intended to be connected by means of a connector to electrical cables coming out of the wall in the base fixing area.

In a known attachment system of this type, which is described by example in document FR-B-2 595 771, the base is a sheet metal or material blade double angled plastic, fixed to the wall with screws.

Such a system allows easy installation and removal of the wall lamp on the base, the opening in the rear wall of the wall lamp being sufficient dimensions to allow the passage of the electric lighting device.

This known system nevertheless has certain drawbacks.

First, the electrical wires coming out of the wall, which are connected to the lighting device, penetrate through the opening of the rear face into space inside the wall lamp. These wires, as well as their connection to the lighting device, are therefore exposed to a relatively high heat given off by the lighting device. This can cause difficulties, especially when the wall lamp is installed in a room old, equipped with an obsolete and non-standardized electrical installation. Indeed, some lighting devices, in particular halogen, produce very high heat, likely to damage electrical wires, in particular by degrading their sheath.

In addition, the ends of the wall electrical wires, and the connectors which ensure their connection with the lighting device being inside the wall lamp are directly accessible, in particular by children or people who wish manipulate the lighting device (for example to change a lamp), which constitutes danger of electric shock.

Finally, the presence of an opening in the rear wall of the wall lamp harms its aesthetics, which is annoying when the wall lamp is in a position such that its inner part is visible, or partially visible; this is particularly the case when it is climb a staircase.

Furthermore, document GB-A-2 168 551 discloses a device lighting of a different type, which includes a translucent cover - or globe - fitted in a support which is fixed to the wall by screws; the lighting device is worn by an additional intermediate piece which is fixed, also by screws, on this support. This intermediate piece has a recess facing the wall, through which pass electrical wires, and it is specified that the material used is insulating, and resistant to heat.

This known device is relatively complex and expensive, does not constitute a hanging but nesting system, and is not transposable to a wall lamp of the above-mentioned type having a shell-shaped front wall and a bitter wall flat, the assembly having the general configuration of a pocket open upwards.

The invention aims to solve these problems.

• d'une part, est réalisé dans un matériau thermiquement et électriquement isolant, et possède une face amère évidée, dont l'évidement est dirigé vers le mur, ce qui forme une chambre réceptrice pour le logement desdits câbles électriques, et dudit connecteur;
• d'autre part, affecte la forme générale d'un coffret plat dont la face avant sert à la fixation du dispositif d'éclairage, et se prolonge vers le haut, au-dessus du niveau de l'évidement, par un rebord en saillie formant crochet de retenue.

This objective is achieved thanks to the fact that the base, in accordance with the invention:

• on the one hand, is made of a thermally and electrically insulating material, and has a bitter recessed face, the recess of which is directed towards the wall, which forms a receiving chamber for housing said electrical cables, and said connector;
• on the other hand, has the general shape of a flat box, the front face of which serves to fix the lighting device, and extends upwards, above the level of the recess, by a projecting rim forming retaining hook.

• la partie de la paroi arrière de l'applique qui est située au-dessus de l'ouverture forme une barrette dont l'épaisseur correspond, au jeu d'emboítement près, à la distance séparant ledit rebord du mur ;
• l'épaisseur de la barrette est supérieure à celle du reste de la paroi arrière ;
• le socle et l'ouverture ont des contours de formes et de dimensions voisines, de sorte qu'après accrochage de l'applique sur le socle, la face avant du socle obture sensiblement l'ensemble de l'ouverture, assurant ainsi sur le plan visuel une continuité de surface de la paroi arrière de l'applique ;
• le socle se prolonge latéralement, de chaque côté de l'évidement, par des parties renfoncées présentant des ouvertures pour le passage de vis de fixation ;
• le dispositif d'éclairage est supporté par un étrier fixé à la face avant du socle ;
• le socle est percé d'un canal qui fait communiquer l'évidement avec l'avant du socle, et sert au passage de fils électriques reliant le connecteur au dispositif d'éclairage ;
• le matériau constitutif du socle est à base de staff ;
• le matériau constitutif du socle est un mélange de staff et de résine vinylique.

Furthermore, according to a certain number of advantageous, non-limiting characteristics of the invention:

• the part of the rear wall of the wall lamp which is located above the opening forms a bar whose thickness corresponds, apart from the interlocking clearance, to the distance separating said edge from the wall;
• the thickness of the bar is greater than that of the rest of the rear wall;
• the base and the opening have contours of similar shapes and dimensions, so that after hanging the wall lamp on the base, the front face of the base substantially seals the entire opening, thus ensuring on the plane visual surface continuity of the rear wall of the wall lamp;
• the base is extended laterally, on each side of the recess, by recessed parts having openings for the passage of fixing screws;
• the lighting device is supported by a bracket fixed to the front face of the base;
• the base is pierced with a channel which communicates the recess with the front of the base, and is used for the passage of electrical wires connecting the connector to the lighting device;
• the material of the base is staff-based;
• the material of the base is a mixture of staff and vinyl resin.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the description and attached drawings which represent a preferred embodiment.

• la figure 1 est une vue en perspective, avec arrachement partiel, d'un socle constitutif d'un système d'accrochage conforme à l'invention ;
• la figure 2 est une vue similaire en perspective, mais à échelle réduite, de l'applique destinée à être mise en place sur le socle de la figure 1 ;
• la figure 3 est une vue en coupe transversale, par un plan vertical perpendiculaire au mur, du système d'accrochage des figures 1 et 2, l'ensemble étant fixé à un mur ;
• la figure 4 est une vue de dessus partielle, coupée par un plan horizontal passant par l'axe des vis de fixation du socle, de l'ensemble de la figure 3.

In these drawings:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, of a base constituting a fastening system according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a similar perspective view, but on a reduced scale, of the wall lamp intended to be placed on the base of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view, through a vertical plane perpendicular to the wall, of the attachment system of Figures 1 and 2, the assembly being fixed to a wall;
• FIG. 4 is a partial top view, cut by a horizontal plane passing through the axis of the base fixing screws, of the assembly of FIG. 3.

Figure 1 shows a base 1 obtained by molding a material with high thermal and electrical insulation coefficients. It is preferably a material based on staff, that is to say plaster reinforced with glass fibers, having a relatively high mechanical resistance, for example by mixing the staff to vinyl resin.

The base 1 has the shape of a small flat box having a shape contour general rectangular whose length is appreciably greater than the width, the long sides being intended to be placed horizontally when the base is fixed to the wall.

In the embodiment shown, the lower edge 15 of the base is slightly arched, convexity pointing downwards. The front face 10 - that is to say the face intended to remain visible - is smooth and flat. The opposite side, intended to come to carry against the wall, is hollowed out by a recess 3 which occupies almost the entire dorsal part of the basement.

This base 1 has a symmetrical shape with respect to a vertical median plane, perpendicular to face 10.

It extends laterally, on each side of the recess 3 - and beyond this - by recessed portions 11, hollowed out in the face 10, which have openings 12 for the passage of fixing screws 100. In the example shown, the openings 12 are horizontal slots, which open laterally outward.

In a possible embodiment, it would be possible to provide for a on the one side a horizontal slot and on the other side a vertical slot, to ensure a good horizontal alignment of the base, even if the holes receiving the screws are not drilled at the exact dimension.

The front face 10 extends upwards, above the level of the recess 3, by a protruding rim 2, which will serve to retain the wall lamp. The face upper 20 of the base, located behind the rim 2, is flat.

On the front face 10 is fixed a stirrup 7 serving to support the device electric lighting.

In the embodiment shown, the stirrup 7 is a metal blade bent in the shape of an "L" . One of its wings, referenced 70, is arranged horizontally and fixed, for example by means of rivets 73, against the face 10.

The other wing 71 therefore extends perpendicular to the face 10. So well known, this stirrup 7 is mounted in the vicinity of one of the edges of the base, such so that the lighting device can extend horizontally over practically the entire length of the base.

In the embodiment shown, the lighting device is incandescence, and comprises a socket 6, for example with a screw, which receives the base of a bulb 60.

In Figure 1, there is simply shown the socket 6 in broken lines mixed so as not to unnecessarily hide the rest of the elements of the figure.

The socket is fixed to the branch 71 of the stirrup 7 by usual means such as as screws 72 (see Figure 4).

The wall lamp 4 illustrated in FIG. 2 is a wall lamp made of staff, of the usual type, essentially comprising a front wall 43 in the form of a shell, and a rear wall plane 40.

The assembly has the general configuration of a pocket intended to receive the lighting device, this pocket being open upwards so as to allow a indirect light scattering.

In the rear wall 40 is formed an opening 5 which has an edge upper rectilinear horizontal 50 and an arcuate lower edge 51, the outline of this opening 5 being substantially identical - apart from the interlocking play - to that of the base 1.

It should be remembered in this regard that the scale in Figure 2 is smaller than that of FIG. 1, to allow a better presentation of the drawings.

The upper part of the rear wall 40 has been designated by the reference 41, which is located above the opening 5. The part 41 has a central zone 42 in strip shape, the thickness of which is substantially greater than the thickness of the rest of the rear wall 40.

This thickness corresponds, to the nearest interlocking clearance, to the distance which separates the projection 2 from the wall, when the base is applied against the wall.

As seen in Figures 3 and 4, one of the side walls bordering the recess 3 is pierced with a channel 30 which ensures communication between the recess 3 and the front space of the base. This channel is used for the passage of electrical wires 90 which are connected appropriately to socket 6 and are intended to be connected to the electrical wires wall, that is to say, leaving the wall receiving the wall lamp.

These figures 3 and 4, to which we will now refer more in particular, allow a good understanding of how the hanging is done wall lamp.

The wall receiving the wall lamp has been designated by the reference M. By "wall" means any vertical surface of a dwelling or any other room, such as an interior partition or a load-bearing wall in particular.

From the wall M comes out, in the usual way, a cable 8 formed of electric conductive wires 80 connected to the sector; in general they supply an alternating current of 240 Volts, of frequency 50 Hertz.

The wires 80 are two or three in number, depending on whether or not there is a ground wire.

The base is delivered to the user already equipped with socket 6 and wires 90 that power it. These wires pass inside passage 30 and are connected on the one hand to the socket 6, on the other hand to a connector 9 of known type - by example of the genus "domino" - which is on the dorsal side of the base 1, inside the recess 3. It should be noted that the electrical wires 90 are delivered by the manufacturer wall, it has the possibility of providing good quality threads, in accordance with modern standards in terms of their longevity and good resistance at high temperatures.

This is not the case for electrical wires 80, the quality of which is variable, and is not under control of the wall lamp manufacturer.

To set up the base, the operator begins by properly connecting the wall wires 80 to the connector 9, thus ensuring the connection of the device lighting in the area.

He takes care to accommodate the excess lengths of wires 80 and 90, as well as the connector 9 in the recess 3, then fixes the base in the usual manner against the wall M using the screws 100, if necessary by the intermediate pegs (not shown) previously placed in wall holes.

Once the base 3 is suitably fixed to the wall M , the operator sets up the wall lamp on the base, presenting the opening 50 of the rear wall of the wall lamp opposite it.

Opening 5 is slightly oversized in the height direction relative to the base, which allows overlapping the projection 2 during this setting square ; the socket 6, the overall dimensions of which, both lateral and in height, is less than that of the base, does not hinder the operation.

Once the rear face of the wall lamp has come into contact with the wall M , by a slight displacement of the wall lamp downwards, the bar 42 is trapped behind the projection 2, against the upper face 20 of the base.

Thus, the wall lamp is perfectly retained against the wall.

To remove the wall lamp, simply lift it slightly and move it aside of the wall, by a reverse movement.

Once the wall lamp is in place, simply insert the bulb 60 into the socket 6, and the assembly is ready to operate.

It is noted that the electrical wires 80, the quality of which is not under control, as well as the electrical connection member 9 are hidden and protected inside the delimited chamber, on the one hand by the bottom and the edges of the recess 3 and, on the other hand, by the face of the wall M.

These elements are therefore thermally and electrically insulated from the heat source 60. Furthermore, they are not accessible and cannot be manipulated unexpectedly, especially by children.

For an observer who would have a deep look, allowing him to see the rear wall of the wall lamp, it has a visual continuity which is pleasant on the aesthetic level.

Indeed, the base 2 almost completely closes the opening 5 (at with the exception of the lower zone of this opening), so that the flat face 10 is integrated practically without visual continuity solution to the rest 40 of the wall.

In this regard, it should be noted that the reinforced staff, with resin constituent vinyl of base 2, which is chosen because of its better resistance mechanical, necessary to ensure its hanging function on the wall lamp and for absorb the clamping forces exerted by screw 100, has a completely surface appearance similar fact to that of the ordinary staff constituting the wall lamp.

We would not, of course, depart from the scope of the invention by equipping the base a lighting device other than incandescent lighting, in particular a system halogen.

Although the invention has been described with reference to an embodiment concerning a wall lamp for a flat wall, it goes without saying that the invention can also be used for corner sconces.

In this case the base will have a central part in the form of a box, carrying the wall hanging projection, and extending laterally by 135 ° wings intended to be fixed each to one of the corner walls. This central part will have a face flat front (arranged at 45 ° to the walls) and a hollowed back face of the recess used to receive and house the wall wires.

Claims (9)

1. A wall fastening system for a lamp for indirect lighting made of staff or of similar material, said lamp (4) being made up of a front wall (43) in the form of a shell, and a back wall (40) that is plane with an opening (5) passing therethrough, the general configuration of the assembly being that of an upwardly-open pouch which is to receive an electric light fitting (6, 60), the system comprising a base (1) designed to be fixed against the wall (M) and having a portion (2) forming a retaining hook suitable for co-operating with the top edge (50) of the opening (5) to fasten the bracket, said base (1) being fitted with said electric light fitting (6, 60) which, after fastening, takes up position inside the bracket and is designed to be connected by means of a connector (9) to electric cables (80) projecting from the wall (M) in the fixing zone of the base (1), the system being characterized by the fact that said base (1):

   firstly is made of a material that is thermally and electrically insulating, and possesses a hollowed-out back face, with the hollow (3) being directed towards the wall (M), thereby forming a receiving chamber for housing said electric cables (80) and said connector (9); and

   secondly has the general shape of a flat box whose front face (10) serves for fixing the light fitting (6, 60), and extends upwards above the level of the hollow (3) in the form of a projecting rim (2) forming a retaining hook.
2. A system according to claim 1, characterized by the fact that the portion of the back wall (40) of the bracket which is situated above the opening (5) forms a strip (42) of thickness that corresponds to the depth of the hollow (3), ignoring clearance for fitting.
3. A system according to claim 2, characterized by the fact that the thickness of the strip (42) is greater than the thickness of the remainder of the back wall (40).
4. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized by the fact that the base (1) and the opening (5) have outlines of similar shapes and dimensions, so that after the bracket has been fastened to the base, the front face (10) of the base closes substantially all of the opening (5), thereby providing visual continuity for the surface of the back wall (40) of the bracket.
5. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the fact that the base (1) extends laterally on either side of the hollow (3) in the form of setback portions (11) having openings (12) for passing fixing screws (100).
6. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized by the fact that the light fitting (6, 60) is supported by a bracket (7) fixed to the front face (10) of the base.
7. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the fact that the base (1) is pierced by a channel (30) causing the hollow (3) to communicate with the front of the base and serving to pass electric wires (90) connecting the connector (9) to the light fitting (6, 60).
8. A system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by the fact that the material constituting the base (1) is based on staff.
9. A system according to claim 8, characterized by the fact that the material constituting the base (1) is a mixture of staff and of vinyl resin.

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