EP1698822A2

EP1698822A2 - Modular support for lighting fixtures

Info

Publication number: EP1698822A2
Application number: EP05017183A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Belisario Pini
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2005-03-01
Filing date: 2005-08-07
Publication date: 2006-09-06
Also published as: ITFI20050020U1

Abstract

Modular support for lighting fixtures, of the type composed of an element (1) comprising a base (10) developed between two side walls (11) and two ends, said base being provided with means for supporting one or more lighting fixtures (2), characterised in that each of the two ends of the element (1) presents means for fastening it to an end of an identical element (1), said fastening means being on opposite sides with respect to the central longitudinal plane (x) of the element (1) and anti-symmetrically shaped with respect to the fastening means on the other end.

Description

The present invention concerns a modular support for lighting fixtures, especially suitable for making lamps, even for emergency use, luminous signals and similar.
Advantageously, a support in conformity with the present invention offers the possibility of realising modular structures with various dimensions and shapes, using only one type of base element, with clear economic and operative benefits for the manufacturers, the dealers and the users. Moreover, a support according to the present invention is simple to make, economic and reliable even after a prolonged period of use.
These and other advantages and characteristics of the present invention will be even clearer to any technician in the field thanks to the following description and to the enclosed drawings, given simply as an example without limitation, in which:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of a modular support according to the present invention;
Fig.2 shows a perspective view from below of the support in Fig.1;
Fig.3 shows a central cross section view of the support in Fig.1;
Fig.4 is a view similar to that in Fig.1, in which are shown three lighting fixtures of the neon type fitted on the respective housings;
Fig.5 is a view similar to that in Fig.2, in which are shown the supply circuits of the lighting fixtures illustrated in Fig.4;
Figs.6A-6E schematically represent a sequence of assembly steps referring to a lamp using a modular support according to the invention;
Fig.7 shows a detail of the connection between two modular supports according to the invention;
Fig.8 shows a cross section view of the lamp assembled as illustrated in Figs.6A-6E;
Fig.9 shows a partial perspective view of the lamp assembled as illustrated in Figs.6A-6E;
Fig.10 shows a perspective view of a support according to the invention, realised according to a further embodiment;
Fig.11 shows the object in Fig.10 in a possible example of an application.

Reduced to its essential structure and with reference to the figures of the enclosed drawings, a modular support according to the present invention comprises an element (1) with a substantially rectangular plan, that is substantially box-shaped, apt to define a housing for one or more lighting fixtures (2) arranged on a base (10) of the same element. More particularly, said base (10) is comprised between two side walls (11) of the element (1) and presents, at each of the two ends of the element, an opening (12) for the passage of the supply cables (21) of the lighting fixtures (2). Said base (10) is joined to said walls (11) by means of several septum (13) oriented transversely to the direction of longitudinal development of the element (1) and located on the part of the base (10) opposite the part intended for the lighting fixtures (2), so that the septum (13) are located opposite to the lighting fixtures (2) with respect to the base (10). The spaces resulting between two adjacent septum (13) on the same side of the element (1) are used to house the supply circuits (3) of the lighting fixtures (2), that is the circuits to which the cables passing through the above-mentioned lights (12) are connected. For this purpose, advantageously, said base (10) is concave, with the concavity facing towards the lighting fixtures (2), said base having an asymmetrical cross section with respect to the central longitudinal plane (x) of the element (1). The asymmetry of the base (10) allows it to be made concave and, at the same time, allows compartments to be made that are sufficiently deep to house the circuits (3). The base (10) also presents two holes (14) in correspondence of two diagonally opposite vertices thereof to allow the element (1) to be fixed to the wall using screws of a known type, and also provides removable fastening means for supporting the lighting fixtures (2). Said fastening means are provided close to the two ends of the element (1) and comprise, for each lighting fixture and for each end of the element (1), two flexible tabs or appendixes (15) vertically emerging from the base (10) and slightly spaced from each other, in front of which there is a plate (16), also vertically emerging from the base (10). The two tabs (15) fasten a corresponding end (20) of the respective lighting fixture (2), as shown in Fig.4, while the plate (16) acts as a support. So, for each lighting fixture (2) there are two pairs of appendixes or tabs (15) which fasten onto the ends (20), and two intermediate supports (16). Moreover, advantageously, each of the two ends of the element (1) is provided with means for the fastening or connection thereof to an end of a similar element (1), said connecting means being on opposite sides with respect to the aforesaid plane (x) and antisymmetrically shaped with respect to the fastening means provided on the other end. More particularly, with reference to the example shown in the figures in the enclosed drawings, at one of the two ends of the element (1) there are a male fastening element (4) with smooth walls protruding from the end and a corresponding female element (5), with the female element (5) incorporating a central longitudinal rib (50), while at the other end there are a female element (5') with smooth walls and a male element (4') having the same profile as the other (4) but incorporating a central longitudinal groove (40) corresponding to said rib (50). Said elements (4, 4', 5, 5') are arranged in such a way that, at the two ends of the same side (11) of the element (1) there is a female element on one end and a male element on the other end. For example, said fastening elements may be dove-tail shaped. This feature of the present invention allows the realisation of even very long modular structures without the possibility of errors in the phase of fastening the elements (1) together. Fig.7 in fact shows two elements (1) connected to each other at two respective ends, with the male/female elements with smooth walls (4, 5') and with the male/female elements with a groove/rib (4', 5) respectively coupled to each other. Above the lighting fixtures (2) a screen (6) may be positioned which may be transparent or provided with lettering and/or symbols, thus realising a lamp or a luminous signal, for example an indicator or an accident-prevention warning notice. Said screen (6) is held in place by the upper edge (100) of said side walls (11). At each of the two ends of the element (1) a cap (7) may be fitted which is also provided, on the internal face, with male/female fastening elements identical to those (4', 5') described previously and provided with a smooth outer surface (see Fig. 4).
According to a further embodiment, shown in Figs.10 and 11, at least one of the side walls (11) of the element (1) is provided with several external appendixes (101, 102) suited to facilitate its positioning on structures such as, for example, shelf brackets and the like. In particular, the appendixes (101) are each at a predetermined distance from a respective end of the element (1) and the appendix (102) is in a central position. Moreover, the latter is provided with a slot (103) for fixing the element (1) to a bracket (104), or other similar body, of a shelf unit with screwing means of a known type (see Fig.11 in which the screwing means are represented by a hatched vertical segment).
In practical terms, the details described above may vary in any equivalent manner without departing from the idea of the solution adopted and thus remaining within the limits of the protection afforded by the present patent.

Claims

Modular support for lighting fixtures, of the type composed of an element (1) comprising a base (10) developed between two side walls (11) and two ends, said base being provided with means for supporting one or more lighting fixtures (2), characterised in that each of the two ends of the element (1) presents means for fastening it to an end of an identical element (1), said fastening means being on opposite sides with respect to the central longitudinal plane (x) of the element (1) and antisymmetrically shaped with respect to the fastening means on the other end.
Modular support according to claim 1 characterised in that on one of the two ends of the element (1) there are a male fastening element (4) with smooth walls protruding from the end and a corresponding female element (5), with the female element (5) incorporating a central longitudinal rib (50), while at the other end there are a female element (5') with smooth walls and a male element (4') having the same profile as the other (4) but incorporating a central longitudinal groove (40) corresponding to said rib (50), said elements (4, 4', 5, 5') being arranged in such a way that, at the two ends of the same side (11) of the element (1) there is a female element on one end and a male element on the other end.
Modular support according to claim 1 or 2 characterised in that said fastening elements are dove-tail shaped.
Modular support according to claim 1 characterised in that said base (10) is concave, with the concavity facing towards the lighting fixtures (2) and it has an asymmetrical cross section with respect to the central longitudinal plane (x) of the element (1).
Modular support according to claim 1 characterised in that said base (10) presents at least one hole (12), on at least one of the two ends of the element (1), for the passage of the supply cables (21) for the lighting fixtures (2).
Modular support according to claim 1 characterised in that means for supporting the lighting fixtures (2) are provided close to the two ends of the element (1) and comprise, for each lighting fixture and for each end of the element (1), two flexible tabs (15) vertically emerging from the base (10) and slightly spaced from each other, in front of which there is a plate(16), also vertically emerging from the base (10), so that the two tabs (15) engage an end (20) of the respective lighting fixture (2), while the plate (16) acts as a support, and for each lighting fixture (2) there are two pairs of appendixes (15), which engage the respective ends (20), and two intermediate supports (16) .
Modular support according to claim 1 characterised in that at least one of the side walls (11) of the element (1) is provided with external appendixes (101, 102).