EP0757204B1 - Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper - Google Patents

Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper Download PDF

Info

Publication number
EP0757204B1
EP0757204B1 EP19950108926 EP95108926A EP0757204B1 EP 0757204 B1 EP0757204 B1 EP 0757204B1 EP 19950108926 EP19950108926 EP 19950108926 EP 95108926 A EP95108926 A EP 95108926A EP 0757204 B1 EP0757204 B1 EP 0757204B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
casing
wire
loader
lighting fixture
drum
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP19950108926
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0757204A1 (de
Inventor
Toshiyuki c/o Matsushita Elec. Works Ltd Shimizu
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Panasonic Holdings Corp
Original Assignee
Matsushita Electric Works Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Matsushita Electric Works Ltd filed Critical Matsushita Electric Works Ltd
Priority to EP19950108926 priority Critical patent/EP0757204B1/de
Priority to DE1995605514 priority patent/DE69505514T2/de
Publication of EP0757204A1 publication Critical patent/EP0757204A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0757204B1 publication Critical patent/EP0757204B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F21—LIGHTING
    • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • F21V21/00—Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices; Hand grips
    • F21V21/36—Hoisting or lowering devices, e.g. for maintenance
    • F21V21/38—Hoisting or lowering devices, e.g. for maintenance with a cable

Definitions

  • the present invention is directed to a hoisting device, and more particularly to a device for mounting the lighting fixture to the ceiling of a building and capable of lifting and lowering the lighting fixture.
  • a stepladder or ladder scaffold is necessary for maintenance of the lighting fixture, including the replacement of lamps.
  • Such maintenance operation at a high elevation is difficult and dangerous. Therefore, it is desired to suspend the lighting fixture by the use of a wire such that the lighting fixture can be lowered to the floor for easy and safe maintenance.
  • the use of the wire raises some problems in successfully and safely lifting and lowering the lighting fixture. The problems involve that the wire may twist during the lifting and lowering operation of the lighting fixture to such an extent to impede the winding and unwinding of the wire and eventually cause jamming of the wire as well as to wrongly orient the lighting fixture.
  • the US-A-4 234 165 discloses a luminaire lowering device for movement along a pole by a plurality of hoist cables.
  • the hoist cables are secured by freely rotatable ball bearing devices.
  • the device of the present invention provides additional features for easy installation and safe operation of the device.
  • the present invention provides a device capable of avoiding the wire and the lighting fixture from twisting during the movement of the lifting and lowering the lighting fixture.
  • the device in accordance with the present invention comprises a casing incorporating an electric motor with a rotating drum.
  • the casing is adapted to be mounted to a ceiling of a building by means of a support member.
  • a loader carrying the lighting fixture is suspended from the casing by means of a wire having a first end fixed to the drum and a second end fixed to the casing.
  • the wire extends from the drum to pass round first and second pulleys within the casing, descends from the second pulley to pass round a pulley in loader, and ascends back to the casing to terminate at the second end such that winding and unwinding of the wire on and from the drum lifts and lowers the loader together with the lighting fixture towards and away from the casing.
  • the casing is provided in its bottom with a recess which receives the loader and which has an electrical connector for feeding electricity to the lighting fixture.
  • the second end of the wire is anchored to the casing by means of a bearing which comprises a first member mounted to the casing and a second member rotatable relative to the first member and holding the second end of the wire. With the use of the bearing, the twisting of the wire can be released by rotation of the second member relative to the first member of the bearing.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a hoisting device of a lighting fixture in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention.
  • the device comprises a casing 10 installed on a building ceiling by a generally U-shaped support member 20 , and a loader 30 carrying the lighting fixture 1 and suspended from the casing 10 by means of a wire 40 .
  • the lighting fixture 1 has an top attachment 2 by which it is held to the loader 30 .
  • Accommodated in the casing 10 is an electric motor 50 for lifting and lowering the loader 30 together with the lighting fixture 1 .
  • the casing 10 is of a flat rectangular configuration composed of a base 11 and a cover 12 .
  • the support member 20 is of a generally U-shaped configuration with a web 21 and a pair of legs 23 .
  • the web 21 has mount holes 22 through which screws (not shown) extends into the ceiling to secure the support member 20 to the ceiling.
  • the leg 23 has an vertically elongate hole 24 through which bolts 25 extends into a hole in a bracket 13 at the opposite sides of the casing base 11 for supporting the casing 10 to the ceiling.
  • the casing 10 can be held horizontally even when installed to an inclined ceiling since the casing 10 can adjusts its position relative to the support member 20 by shifting the bolts 25 within the length of the elongate holes 24 and by pivoting the casing 10 about an axis of the bolts 25 .
  • the base 11 is formed in its center with a recess 14 into which the loader 30 fits, as shown in FIG. 5.
  • the motor 50 is mounted on the base 11 in a space on one side of a convex formed by the recess 14 .
  • the motor 50 has an output shaft connected to rotate a drum 51 so as to wind and unwind the wire 40 on and from the drum.
  • the drum 51 is rotatively fixed upon deenergization of the motor by a gear mechanism (not shown) in a motor housing to stop unwinding the wire 40 .
  • the wire 40 extends generally horizontally from the drum 51 to pass round an end pulley 53 and a center pulley 55 , as shown in FIGS.
  • the bearing 41 comprises a lower race 42 mounted on the base 11 and an upper race 43 held rotatable relative to the lower race 42 .
  • a tubular bushing 45 is inserted in a center opening of the bearing with a flange of the bushing 45 resting upon the upper race 43 so that the bushing 45 is rotatable together with the upper race 43 relative to the base 11 of the casing 10 .
  • the wire 40 is provided at its free end with an anchor sleeve 46 which is clamped to the wire 40 and rests on the bushing 45 so that the free end of the wire 40 is anchored to the casing 10 .
  • the bearing 41 can absorb any twisting movement of the wire which appears during the operation of winding and unwinding the wire for lifting and lowering the lighting fixture 1 .
  • a hub of the drum 51 is formed with a groove 52 for tightly winding the wire in rows and in a closely stacked manner.
  • the end pulley 53 is supported about a shaft 54 , as shown in FIG. 11, and is movable in the axial direction of the shaft to give a minimum fleet angle ⁇ for guiding the wire 40 smoothly in and out of the groove 52 of the drum 51 when winding and unwinding the wire.
  • the device includes a limit sensor 60 for the lifting movement of the loader 30 .
  • the limit sensor 60 comprises a flat spring 62 of which one end projects into the recess 14 for abutment against the upper end of the loader 30 when the loader 30 is fully received in the recess 14 .
  • the flat spring 62 resiliently deform so as to actuate an adjacent miniature switch 61 , which disconnects the motor 50 from a power source, thereby stop rotating the drum, i.e., winding the wire 40 .
  • the miniature switch 61 is connected to give an output to a control circuit formed on a circuit board 56 which deenergize the motor 50 upon sensing that the loader 30 is lifted into the recess 14 .
  • the casing 10 is provided in the bottom of the recess 14 with a set of electrical connectors 15 which come into contact with corresponding pins 33 on the upper end of the loader 30 when the loader 30 is fully received in the recess 14 , for feeding electricity to the lighting fixture 1 .
  • the electrical connectors 15 are wired to a terminal 16 to which an external cable is connected for feeding the electricity to the electrical connectors.
  • Another terminal 17 is provided to be connected to an external cable for energizing the motor 50 .
  • the pins 33 of the loader 30 are connected to leads (not shown) routed through within the loader 30 for feeding electricity to the lighting fixture 1 .
  • the pin 33 is formed to have a ring contact for engagement with the connector 15 of the casing 10 .
  • the ring contact is provided for the purpose of preventing the contact from being spoiled due to an arc developing upon disengaging the pin from the connector 15 , thereby avoiding conduction failure between the pin 33 and the connector 15 .
  • a loose sensor 70 which comprises, as shown in FIG. 14, the shaft 54 and a miniature switch 71 .
  • the shaft 54 is supported between yokes 72 and 73 integrally upstanding from the base 11 of the casing 10 in a manner to extend through a round hole 74 in the yoke 72 and through an elongate hole 75 in the other yoke 73 .
  • One end of the shaft 54 projecting out of the round hole 74 is connected to a coil spring 76 to be pulled towards the drum 51 , while the other end of the shaft 54 is freely movable in the elongate hole 75 so that the shaft 54 can pivot generally about the connection to the round hole 74 .
  • the movable end of the shaft 54 projecting out of the elongate hole 75 is formed with an actuator 77 located in proximity to the miniature switch 71 . Due to the tension force applied to the wire 40 and therefore to the end pulley 53 , the shaft 54 is normally held in parallel with an axis of the drum 51 against the bias of the spring 76 in which condition the actuator 77 engages a button (not shown) of the miniature switch 71 .
  • the shaft 54 is caused to pivot under the action of the coil spring 76 so as to be inclined with respect to the axis of the drum 51 , thereby releasing the actuator 77 from the button of the miniature switch 71 .
  • the miniature switch 71 outputs a signal to the control circuit which responds to stop rotating the motor 50 , i.e., stop unwinding the drum 51 , allowing the personnel to handle the lighting fixture 1 for maintenance thereof.
  • the control circuit holds this condition until the personnel operates to lift the lighting fixture 1 .
  • the device also includes a mechanism for avoiding reverse winding of the wire 40 .
  • the mechanism comprises a miniature switch 81 with an actuator 82 disposed between the drum 51 and the end pulley 53 .
  • the actuator 82 is positioned in a path extending from the circumference of the hub of the drum 51 and the circumference of the end pulley 53 such that when the drum 51 still rotates after fully unwinding the wire, the wire 40 just starting to be wound in the opposite direction engages the actuator 82 to operate the miniature switch 81 .
  • the switch 81 Upon this occurrence, the switch 81 outputs a signal to the control circuit to stop the motor 50 , thus preventing the reverse winding of the wire 40 and therefore holding the lighting fixture 1 at a lowermost position where wire 40 is fully unwound until the control circuit is instructed to lift the lighting fixture 1 .
  • the mechanism includes a lever 93 which is inserted loosely through a hole 19 in a wall member 18 surrounding the recess 14 to be movable horizontally.
  • the lever 93 is formed at its one end with an arcuate guide 94 engageable with an actuator 92 of a miniature switch 91 fixed to the wall member 18 .
  • the wire 40 extends loosely through a hole 95 in the other end of the lever 93 such that when the horizontal movement of the wire cause the lever 93 to displace horizontally.
  • the lever 93 is in a position, as shown in FIG. 17B, that the guide 94 is kept disengaged from the actuator 92 so as not to actuate the switch 91 .
  • the wire 40 displaces correspondingly as indicated by an arrow in the figure to cause the lever 93 to pivot about the connection to the wall member 18 , as shown in FIG. 18B, thereby engaging the guide 94 with the actuator 92 in a direction of actuating the switch 91 .
  • the switch 91 outputs a signal to the control circuit that stop operating the motor 50 .
  • the loader 30 becomes largely twisted, for example, to such an extent to cross the wire, as shown in FIG.
  • the wire 40 displaces largely to pull the lever 93 in a direction as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 19B, engaging the guide 94 with the actuator 92 to actuate the switch 91 for stopping the motor 50 .
  • the motor 50 can stop when the lighting fixture 1 swing or twist during the operation of lifting and lowering the lighting fixture.
  • the device has an overload sensor which comprises, as shown in FIG. 20A, a sensor sleeve 47 fixed to the wire 40 between the bearing 41 and a link 97 through which the wire 40 extends.
  • the link is a generally L-shaped configuration and is supported to the wall member 18 with its corner engaged loosely in a hole 99 in the wall member 18 and with one arm thereof engaged with the flat spring 62 of the limit sensor 60 .
  • the anchor sleeve 46 responsible for fixing the one end of the wire 40 to the casing 10 is clamped to the wire 40 at a clamping strength which is sufficient to bear a limited load of suspending the lighting fixture 1 but fails to bear an overload applied to the loader 30 .
  • the wire 40 slips out of the anchor sleeve 46 to be thereby lowered until an end sleeve 48 at the distal end of the wire 40 abuts against the bearing 41 , as shown in FIG. 20B.
  • the sensor sleeve 47 pushes the arm of the link 97 which in turn to resiliently deform the flat spring 62 to thereby actuate the associated switch 61 , thus stopping the motor 50 .
  • the end sleeve 48 is tightly or permanently secured to the wire 40 .
  • the overload sensor utilizes the flat spring 62 and the switch 61 common to the limit sensor 60 , separate flat spring and switch may be provided for the overload sensor.
  • a coil spring 49 may be provided between the end sleeve 48 and the bearing 41 , as shown in FIG. 21.
  • the coil spring 49 is chosen to have a stiffness great enough to bear the normal load of suspending the lighting fixture and is compressed only when the overload is applied to the wire 40 .
  • the coil spring is compressed to lower the sensor sleeve 47 together with the end sleeve 48 , thereby actuating the link 97 to actuate the switch 61 for stopping the motor.
  • the interior space around the convex formed by the recess 14 is effectively utilized to accommodate the motor 50 in a space on one side of the convex and accommodate the end pulley 53 and the circuit board 56 on the opposite side of the convex.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Non-Portable Lighting Devices Or Systems Thereof (AREA)

Claims (5)

  1. Vorrichtung zum Anbringen eines Beleuchtungskörpers an einer Decke, wobei die Vorrichtung die Möglichkeit des Anhebens und Absenkens des Beleuchtungskörpers aufweist und umfaßt
    ein Gehäuse (10) zum Anbringen an der Decke mit einem Elektromotor (50) mit einer drehbaren Trommel (51);
    eine Aufnahmevorrichtung (30), die den Beleuchtungskörper (1) trägt; und
    einen Draht (40), der sich von der Trommel (51) weg erstreckt und der vom Gehäuse (10) herab um eine Rolle (31, 32) in der Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) und wieder zum Gehäuse (10) nach oben läuft und an einem zweiten Ende endet, das am Gehäuse (10) befestigt ist, derart, daß das Aufwickeln und Abwickeln des Drahtes (40) auf und von der Trommel (51) die Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) zusammen mit dem Beleuchtungskörper (1) anhebt und absenkt;
       dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß
    das zweite Ende des Drahtes (40) mittels einer Halterung (41) am Gehäuse (10) befestigt ist, wobei die Halterung ein erstes Element (42), das am Gehäuse (10) angebracht ist, und ein zweites Element (43) umfaßt, das relativ zum ersten Element drehbar ist und das das zweite Ende des Drahtes (40) festhält; und dadurch, daß die Vorrichtung des weiteren umfaßt
    einen Sitzsensor (61, 62), der ein Sitzsignal ausgibt, wenn er erfaßt, daß die Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) in einer Ausnehmung (14) des Gehäuses (10) sitzt;
    einen Torsionssensor (91, 93), der ein Torsionssignal ausgibt, wenn er erfaßt, daß die Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) relativ zum Gehäuse (10) verdreht ist;
    einen Locker-Sensor (54, 71), der ein Lockersignal ausgibt, wenn er erfaßt, daß der Draht (40) locker um eine Rolle (53) im Gehäuse (10) liegt;
    einen Rückwickelsensor (81, 82), der ein Rückwickelsignal ausgibt, wenn er erfaßt, daß der Draht (40) umgekehrt um die Trommel (51) gewickelt ist;
    einen Lastsensor (47, 97, 62, 61), der ein Überlastsignal ausgibt, wenn er erfaßt, daß die Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) einer Überlast unterliegt; und
    eine Steuerung, die den Motor (50) in Reaktion auf eines der Signale anhält.
  2. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei der Draht (40) von der Trommel (51) um erste und zweite Rollen (53, 55) im Gehäuse (10) läuft und von der zweiten Rolle (55) zur Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) herabgeht.
  3. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei das Gehäuse (10) an seinem Boden eine Ausnehmung (14) zur Aufnahme der Aufnahmevorrichtung (30) aufweist, wobei die Ausnehmung mit einem elektrischen Verbindungselement (15) zum Zuführen von Elektrizität zum Beleuchtungskörper (1) versehen ist.
  4. Vorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, wobei das Gehäuse (10) den Motor (50) und die elektrischen Komponenten für die Steuerung auf den entgegengesetzten Seiten eines konvexen Abschnittes aufnimmt, der von der Ausnehmung (14) im Inneren des Gehäuses (10) gebildet wird.
  5. Vorrichtung nach einem der vorstehenden Ansprüche, wobei das Gehäuse (10) mittels eines Halteelementes (20) an der Decke aufgehängt ist, wobei das Gehäuse (10) gegenüber dem Halteelement (20) so abgewinkelt ist, daß es sich horizontal erstreckt, wenn es an einer schrägen Decke befestigt ist.
EP19950108926 1995-06-09 1995-06-09 Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper Expired - Lifetime EP0757204B1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19950108926 EP0757204B1 (de) 1995-06-09 1995-06-09 Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper
DE1995605514 DE69505514T2 (de) 1995-06-09 1995-06-09 Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19950108926 EP0757204B1 (de) 1995-06-09 1995-06-09 Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0757204A1 EP0757204A1 (de) 1997-02-05
EP0757204B1 true EP0757204B1 (de) 1998-10-21

Family

ID=8219346

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP19950108926 Expired - Lifetime EP0757204B1 (de) 1995-06-09 1995-06-09 Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper

Country Status (2)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0757204B1 (de)
DE (1) DE69505514T2 (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1016820A2 (de) 1998-12-30 2000-07-05 Gebr. Berchtold GmbH & Co. Medizinische Leuchte
WO2009108991A1 (en) * 2008-03-05 2009-09-11 Cascade Production Pty Ltd An item support device
DE202011004998U1 (de) 2010-04-16 2011-10-12 Nivatec Europoles Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Anheben und Absenken von Lasten

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JP2883060B2 (ja) * 1997-01-20 1999-04-19 株式会社アラマキテクニカ 昇降装置
IT1316347B1 (it) * 2000-02-04 2003-04-10 Anselmo Barichella Plafoniera a saliscendi con dispositivo di sicurezza
JP4012365B2 (ja) * 2000-09-29 2007-11-21 松下電工株式会社 昇降装置
JP2004518245A (ja) * 2001-01-12 2004-06-17 ジェオン−フーン シン， 昇降機能を持つ高所照明灯設備
CH697591B1 (de) 2005-05-20 2008-12-15 Nivatec Europoles Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Anheben und Absenken von Lasten, insbesondere von Hangarbeleuchtungen.
IT1399810B1 (it) * 2010-01-28 2013-05-03 Denti Dispositivo sali/scendi perfezionato per elementi a sospensione.
CA2979441A1 (en) * 2017-09-15 2019-03-15 Malcolm Bisiker Payload suspension device
DE102021134133A1 (de) 2021-12-21 2023-06-22 Occhio GmbH Höhenverstellungseinrichtung für eine Pendelleuchte mit selbsttätig einstellbarer Endposition und Leuchtvorrichtung mit höhenverstellbarem Leuchtenkopf
CN117267645B (zh) * 2023-11-22 2024-02-02 深圳市海能通信股份有限公司 一种自锁紧固式灯杆结构

Family Cites Families (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE254514C (de) *
US4234165A (en) * 1978-08-04 1980-11-18 General Electric Company Luminaire lowering device
DE3232625A1 (de) * 1982-09-02 1984-03-08 Studiotechnik W. Hensel KG, 8700 Würzburg Aufhaengevorrichtung fuer eine grossflaechenleuchte o.dgl.
CH669249A5 (fr) * 1986-11-24 1989-02-28 Orlandi Aldo Support d'appareillages abaissable.

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP1016820A2 (de) 1998-12-30 2000-07-05 Gebr. Berchtold GmbH & Co. Medizinische Leuchte
WO2009108991A1 (en) * 2008-03-05 2009-09-11 Cascade Production Pty Ltd An item support device
DE202011004998U1 (de) 2010-04-16 2011-10-12 Nivatec Europoles Gmbh Vorrichtung zum Anheben und Absenken von Lasten

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
EP0757204A1 (de) 1997-02-05
DE69505514D1 (de) 1998-11-26
DE69505514T2 (de) 1999-06-24

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
EP0757204B1 (de) Hebevorrichtung für einen Beleuchtungskörper
RU2640942C1 (ru) Подъемное устройство для высоко установленного оборудования
JP4012365B2 (ja) 昇降装置
US3958116A (en) Luminaire ring lowering mechanism
KR101589715B1 (ko) 고소 설치 기기용 승강장치
US5420772A (en) Chandelier positioning system
US6921061B2 (en) Hoisting apparatus with horizontal stabilizing means for a load holder
JP3724599B2 (ja) 昇降装置
JP3132304B2 (ja) 電動昇降装置
KR101647766B1 (ko) 승강형 cctv 카메라 시스템
US4234165A (en) Luminaire lowering device
JP3956451B2 (ja) 照明ポール
JP2000195329A (ja) 昇降装置
JPH08310790A (ja) 電動昇降装置
JP2619995B2 (ja) 電動昇降装置
JPH07315799A (ja) 電動昇降装置
JPH05325624A (ja) 電気機器の昇降装置
JP2679919B2 (ja) 昇降装置
JP2661655B2 (ja) 電気機器の昇降装置
JPH1111824A (ja) エレベータのテールコード制振装置
JP2004256279A (ja) 昇降装置
JPH0544994U (ja) 電動昇降装置
KR20240079488A (ko) 조명 승강장치
JP4018879B2 (ja) 昇降装置
JPH0912282A (ja) 電動昇降装置

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 19960412

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): DE GB NL

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

17Q First examination report despatched

Effective date: 19980608

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

GRAG Despatch of communication of intention to grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS AGRA

GRAH Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOS IGRA

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): DE GB NL

REF Corresponds to:

Ref document number: 69505514

Country of ref document: DE

Date of ref document: 19981126

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

26N No opposition filed
REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: IF02

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: 746

Effective date: 20041208

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: NL

Payment date: 20110629

Year of fee payment: 17

Ref country code: GB

Payment date: 20110608

Year of fee payment: 17

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20110601

Year of fee payment: 17

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: NL

Ref legal event code: V1

Effective date: 20130101

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20120609

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130101

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20130101

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20120609

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R119

Ref document number: 69505514

Country of ref document: DE

Effective date: 20130101