EP0763691A1 - Outdoor building lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

The electric lighting strip is made up from three elongated extruded metal sections. The sections have complementary cut outs to allow them to be assembled together. The first section (10) forms the base and is attached to the facade of the building. The edges of the base are sealed (8) to prevent entry of water. The base section houses the cabling and the electric fittings and equipment. The second section (11) attaches to the front of the base and houses the light sources (25). The third section (12) fits over the second, and provides a decorative finish to the outer edge of the lighting strip. The second section houses a reflector (24) fitted round the light source and a second external reflector strip (27) to even the light distribution. The glass (26b) on the underside of the lamp housing slides to allow access to the lamp bulbs.

Description

The invention relates to a lighting strip specially adapted for the external facades of shops.

It relates to the field of construction of electrical equipment and more particularly of lighting strips which may be used by architects or project managers during the production of external facades of buildings and in particular of shops.

There is often a need, during store layouts, to enhance the facade and attract the consumer by lighting this window inside the store. We have also developed the habit of using exterior lighting for the display case, which will aim to illuminate the sidewalk but also to illuminate other elements of the decor visible from the outside, such as signs.

This exterior lighting is therefore generally carried out using lamps which illuminate the sign or the ground by beams.

In the field of exterior lighting of buildings and more particularly commercial facades and advertising signs, there are devices, most often constituted by projectors, which include a lamp holder and a fixing rod. These devices are generally installed projecting from the building on a coat hook, stirrups or a distance rod and it can now be considered that their lighting efficiency is satisfactory.

However, the drawbacks of existing lighting fixtures are that they protrude from the storefront and thus their aesthetics are often questionable and that, at the very least, they do not go unnoticed.

Indeed, the projector generally includes a reflector to concentrate the light but must also be protected from the rain, which increases the volume of the devices used and increases their aesthetics.

When it is necessary to carry out the lighting of an external facade of stores over several meters or even sometimes over several tens of meters, spotlights are then available all along the facade. Lighting is thus obtained which is not distributed in a continuous and uniform manner but only concentrated in certain zones materialized by the beams of the lamps.

Known outdoor lighting devices also often coexist on facades with elements of the building's architecture or the layout of the commercial facade: cornices, parapets, protective caps, flashings, cantilevers. These arrangements are very varied and their functions are sometimes diverse because they can have a sealing, protective or aesthetic role. There are therefore many architectural elements on the fitted facades placed in very different places and using very different materials.

The electrical wiring of devices or projectors is also very often visible because architectural elements or lighting fixtures are used to place or fix it. We thus very often see from the outside the cables running along the wall.

We have sometimes tried to make lighting fixtures and bands integrated into the architectural elements but they are then made of wood, zinc or ironwork in an artisanal way with a painted assembly which often requires the intervention of several parties, carpentry, waterproofing, electricity, painting.

The present invention aims to remedy these drawbacks and for this purpose, one of its first aims is to produce an exterior lighting strip for the facade of a store, a storefront or a sign, on the exterior of the showcase to the ground.

Another advantage of the exterior facade lighting strip according to the invention is to provide more continuous lighting over the entire facade in order to illuminate the shop window or the sidewalk over the entire length, avoiding having a succession of light zones. and shadows. By more continuous lighting is meant lighting that minimizes the beam effect created by the light source.

Another object of the lighting according to the invention is to produce a waterproof and aesthetic strip which can be adapted to numerous store layouts such as in the classic style or in the modern style with several decoration choices.

Another object of the lighting strip according to the invention is to be able to adapt to particular architectures, cornices, parapets, flashings, cantilevers, corner stores.

Another advantage of the exterior façade lighting strip according to the invention is that it is capable of receiving different lighting solutions, halogen, iodide, fluorescence, depending on the decoration or the location of the store.

Another object of the lighting strip according to the invention is that it is easy to manufacture from extruded metal profiles with shapes very studied to receive the wiring and the electrical accessories and to link the profiles together.

Another advantage of the exterior façade lighting strip according to the invention is that it will be particularly well integrated into the architecture of the building.

Another advantage of the lighting strip according to the invention, which is produced from several longitudinal profiles, is that it can be cut exactly to size when the profiles are fitted to one another to form the strip.

The strip according to the invention consists of a set of lacquered aluminum alloy profiles assembled to meet the three lighting, sealing and aesthetic functions, the product produced responding particularly to the concern for integration into the building. .

The profiles constituting the finished strip are designed to meet the criteria for manufacturing aluminum alloy profiles and in particular their connection means and their design allow each to meet their destination and their implementation.

• un premier profil de base prenant appui de façon étanche sur la façade et susceptible de recevoir le câblage et l'appareillage électrique,
• un deuxième profil dans lequel est aménagé l'éclairage avec des moyens de liaison sur le premier profil,
• un troisième profil intégrant la partie externe décorative du bandeau telle qu'une corniche avec des moyens de liaison sur le premier et le deuxième profils,

afin de réaliser un bandeau répondant aux trois fonctions éclairage, étanchéité, esthétique.The present invention relates to a headband lighting specially adapted for the exterior facades of shops, intended to achieve continuous and aesthetic lighting of the shop window of a shopkeeper from the top of the exterior display case to the ground, characterized in that it is made from at least three longitudinal extruded metal profiles having complementary cutouts capable of partially binding the profiles together,

• a first base profile sealingly supported on the facade and capable of receiving the wiring and electrical equipment,
• a second profile in which the lighting is arranged with connecting means on the first profile,
• a third profile integrating the decorative external part of the strip such as a cornice with connecting means on the first and second profiles,

in order to produce a strip meeting the three lighting, waterproofing and aesthetic functions.

• la figure 1 est une vue en coupe selon l'invention,
• la figure 2 est une vue non limitative des différentes corniches d'extrémité.

The invention will be better understood by referring to the following description of a non-limiting embodiment illustrated by the appended drawings in which:

• FIG. 1 is a sectional view according to the invention,
• Figure 2 is a non-limiting view of the various end cornices.

Reference is made to FIG. 1 which shows a strip (1) specially adapted for the external facades of shops. This strip may be produced by a manufacturer of electrical equipment and it will be used for example during the layout of the stores. The strip (1) can be placed over a certain length of the front of the store, for example several meters, it can therefore be used to illuminate the front of the store on the outside more continuously. The lighting will be emitted from the strip towards the ground (2) and depending on the dimensions of the store, the strip will be, for example, at a height of between two and four meters from the sidewalk.

We schematized in (3) a vertical wall of the store on which we chose to fix the strip. This wall is by example covered over a certain height with a decorative material (4) such as for example marble or wood plates. The last plate is delimited by a cut (5).

We fixed on all the part of the wall (3) which will receive the strip (1) several fixing lugs (6), for example every two meters. It is in these tabs that comes to engage the end (7) of the strip (1). To achieve the seal, a flexible joint (8) is placed between the wall (3) and the strip (1) to prevent rainwater runoff from entering this area inside the strip and onto the material. (4).

The fixing lug (6) can naturally have different shapes suitable for being fixed in (9) on the wall and allowing the leveling of the lugs.

The strip (1) can come to rest by its base (7) on the cut (5) of the material (4). Again, if necessary, a flexible seal can be added to improve the seal.

The strip (1) is made from at least three longitudinal profiles (10, 11, 12) assembled and preferably made of lacquered aluminum alloy. Each of the profiles is designed to meet three functions: profile (10) sealing profile (11) lighting, profile (12) aesthetic and visible shape from the outside variable and adapted according to the fitted out building.

The design of these continuous profiles is intended to use a single material which is easy to work by extrusion. The profiles thus produced may be of considerable length but will also be advantageously sawn to be dimensioned. Each profile has been particularly studied to respond to the different functions indicated but also to present complementary cutouts likely to partially link the profiles together.

When the different profiles (10, 11, 12) have been assembled on site, the assembly will constitute a longitudinal monobloc strip. The profiles will advantageously be sawn to size before being assembled to each other to form the strip or the angles.

Each of the profiles will therefore comprise means of attachment to the adjacent profile but also possibly reinforcements to meet the criteria for manufacturing profiles in aluminum alloy. The size of the profiles can also be adapted to each destination and to very different implementations.

The profile (10) is provided with ends (7) bearing on the wall (3) by means of flexible joint. Inside the profile (10), a wall (13) is provided with support wings (14) on the wall (3).

The cavity (15) created in the profile (10) is capable of receiving the wiring (17) held by clips (18). This wiring will therefore be completely hidden from the outside.

There are shown in (19) the areas where it is possible to fix the electrical equipment such as a power transformer or choke or the connections.

In certain applications of fairly large size, provision has been made to make reinforcements (20) on the profile (10) arranged for example at certain distances every meter inside the profile (10). This profile (10) also includes wings (21 and 22) which will allow it to partially bind to the adjacent profiles (11 and 12).

The profile (11) has the lighting function, it receives the lighting fixtures. The lighting apparatus (23) proper consists of a reflector (24) made of a reflective metallic material, a lamp (25) mounted on a base (26a). This lamp illuminates through a window (26b) towards the ground (2). The window (26b) can be in a known transparent or translucent manner and it will for example preferably be arranged on a more or less important part of the strip (1). This window (26b) can slide in the wings (28 and 29) of the profit (11). This sliding will thus make the lamp (25) more accessible when it is mounted or replaced.

Schematically shown in (27) is a reflector which makes it possible to obtain a better quality of lighting by limiting in particular the beam effect and the shaded areas.

We can also carry out an assembly with a double lamp (25) which could replace the first one when it is worn out or has broken down. These lamps could be fitted with a relay so that the second lamp takes over from the first defective.

A lamp (25) has been shown, but naturally different solutions could be implemented with regard to lighting, for example halogen, iodide or fluorescence lamps.

On the profile (11) are arranged connecting means (28) capable of coming to cooperate with the wing (21) of the first profile (10). Similarly, the second profile (11) also includes connecting means (29) capable of cooperating with the complementary means (30) of the profile (12).

The third profile (12) can be made in one piece when the installations are small, but it can also be separated into two profiles (31 and 32). These two sub-profiles (31 and 32) will have a decorative function since they will make it possible to adapt a rounded shape or a cornice (33) of very different shapes shown in FIG. 2.

The profile (31) comprises at its upper end connecting means (34) capable of coming to partially bind with the means (22) of the first profile (10) while the means (30) of the third profile (31) cooperate with the means (29) of the second profile (11). The profiles (31 and 32) are removably associated by means (35) allowing the decorative elements to be engaged separately on the strip.

The profiles (31 and 32) have also been designed to allow easier angle cutting on the facade.

We thus produced a lighting strip easy to manufacture from metal profiles and particularly well integrated into the building with very suitable lighting and aesthetic functions.

The lighting strip is particularly satisfactory for exterior facades requiring waterproofing and versatility in the decor.

Naturally, other implementations of the present invention, within the reach of ordinary skill in the art, could also have been envisaged without departing from the scope thereof.

Claims (5)

Lighting strip specially adapted for the exterior facades of shops, intended to provide more continuous and aesthetic lighting of a shopkeeper's storefront from the top of the exterior display case to the ground, characterized in that it is made from at least three extruded metal longitudinal profiles having complementary cutouts capable of partially binding the profiles together, - a first base profile (10) sealingly bearing on the facade and capable of receiving the wiring and the electrical equipment, - a second profile (11) in which the lighting is arranged with connection means on the first profile, a third profile (12) integrating the decorative external part of the strip such as a cornice with connecting means on the first and the second profiles, in order to produce a strip (1) meeting the three lighting, sealing and aesthetic functions. Lighting strip specially adapted for the external facades of shops, intended to provide a more continuous and aesthetic lighting of the front of a shopkeeper, according to claim 1, characterized in that the third profile (12) is dissociated in two under profiles (31, 32) so as to project only the stylized end. Lighting strip specially adapted for the exterior facades of shops, intended to provide a more continuous and aesthetic lighting of the front of a merchant, according to claim 1, characterized in that the first profile (10) is engaged by a end in a fixing lug (9) integral with the wall. Lighting strip specially adapted for the exterior facades of shops, intended to provide more continuous and aesthetic lighting of the front of a merchant, according to claim 1, characterized in that the second profile (11) comprises lighting ( 25) with a reflector (24) arranged on one side of a window (26b) and a reflector (27) arranged on the other side of the window for improve continuous lighting and avoid beam effect. Lighting strip specially adapted for the exterior facades of shops, intended to provide a more continuous and aesthetic lighting of the front of a merchant, according to claim 1, characterized in that the window (26b) is capable of sliding in the wings (28 and 29) of the profile (11) and thus make it easier to replace the lamp (25).

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