EP2053904A1

EP2053904A1 - Energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus

Info

Publication number: EP2053904A1
Application number: EP08425659A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gian Pietro Beghelli
Original assignee: Beghelli SpA
Current assignee: Beghelli SpA
Priority date: 2007-10-22
Filing date: 2008-10-10
Publication date: 2009-04-29
Also published as: ITVI20070285A1

Abstract

An energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus, including a fluorescent light source (14), which is combined with a light emitting diode (LED) source (15), of appropriate power, in order to obtain a dual contribution for achieving a significant energy saving and for attaining almost immediately a satisfactory light flow into the environment; once reached the nominal flow, an electronic circuit provides stopping the feeding of the light emitting diode source (15), so that, from that moment onwards, the absorption of current and the luminous flow are those characteristic of the fluorescent light source (14).

Description

The present invention relates, in general, to an energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus and, in particular, refers to a fluorescent lamp with compact structure, to which a light emitting diode LED source is combined to reduce the time of ignition of the entire apparatus.
The energy saving fluorescent lamps of "CFL" type are finding more and more spreading in the market, thanks to the high performances they can achieve; in particular, such lamps are able to save about 80% of energy, the luminous flow emitted being equal and, furthermore, the useful life of the energy saving "CFL" fluorescent lamps may increase even 10 times, compared to the traditional lamps.
The sole negative characteristics of these products, from the point of view of their performance, concern the colour yield index, which is lower than the normal incandescent or halogen lamps, and especially the warm-up time necessary for reaching its nominal luminous emission.
As far as the problem of the colour yield is concerned, the same can be solved by acting on the formulation of the fluorescent powders used to transform the ultraviolet radiations inside the visible emission tube; currently, at the expense of a slight reduction of efficiency, it is indeed possible to get a colour yield comparable to that one of the incandescent or halogen lamps.
However, the problem of the warm-up time before reaching a satisfactory level of lighting is by far the most troublesome and, in practice, this fact relegates the use of fluorescent lamps to applications involving a prolonged period of continuous ignition (such as the lighting of the gardens).
In the attached figure 1A it is shown, by way of example, a Cartesian chart showing the trend of the luminous flow F, function of the time t, taken on an energy saving 20W "CFL" lamp of traditional type.
It is clear from the aforesaid chart that almost 5 minutes to achieve an emission of nominal luminous flow are necessary, while the initial luminous flow emitted is around 25% compared to the nominal one.
Such an effect is particularly disturbing, especially in those premises where user's permanence time is short, such as bathrooms, passages, stairs rooms, etc.
The aim of the present invention is, therefore, to remedy the drawbacks mentioned above and, in particular, to realize an energy saving artificial lighting apparatus, which, besides presenting a substantially limited power consumption, allowing at the same time to reach quickly and almost immediately the level of nominal lighting.
Another aim of the current invention is to carry out an energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus which is also extremely secure and highly reliable.
Further aim of the invention is to provide an energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus, which also presents an extremely compact structure and substantially limited total costs, at the light of the benefits achieved.
These and other aims are achieved by an energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus, according to the attached claim 1.
Additional technical characteristics of detail of the lighting apparatus, according to the present invention, are described in the subsequent claims.
In advantageous way, the invention provides to combine with a fluorescent luminous source a LED luminous source of appropriate power, in order to obtain a dual contribution in the immediate achieving of a satisfactory luminous flow and equal to about 80% of the nominal one; the LED sources reach in fact the nominal emission in a few ms.
Therefore, combining the two luminous sources into a single body it is possible to obtain an immediate contribution of light at the ignition and a consequent reduction of the time needed to reach the level of nominal lighting.
Further aims and benefits of the present invention will be more evident from the description that follows, referred to an illustrative and preferred, but not limited to, embodiment of the energy saving artificial lighting apparatus, according to the invention, and from the attached drawings, in which:

figure 1A shows a Cartesian chart of the luminous flow progress, function of time, taken on an energy saving lamp of 20W "CFL" type;
figure 1B shows an experimental Cartesian chart of the progress over time of the luminous flow emitted by an energy saving and rapid ignition artificial lighting apparatus, made according to the present invention;
figure 2 is a side view of the energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus, according to the present invention;
figure 3 is a top view of the energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus, according to the present invention;
figure 4 is a partial side view of the artificial lighting apparatus of figures 2 and 3, according to the invention;
figure 5 is a perspective view of the artificial lighting apparatus of figure 4, according to the invention;
figure 6 shows a functional pattern of the energy saving and immediate ignition lighting apparatus, according to the present invention.

With reference to the figures cited, the proposed embodiment is providing the use of two types of light sources to be assembled on a single central structure of containment 10, supporting the side 11 and lower 12 electrical contacts.
In particular, above the central structure 10 and internally to a shaped collar 13, which substantially develops on the perimeter of such a structure 10, a fluorescent tube 14 is positioned, while, more internally and centrally to the development of the fluorescent tube 14, a LED lamp 15, variously shaped, is mounted.
Such a structure is the easiest to carry out and allows to achieve an immediate contribution of light at the ignition, with consequent reduction of the time interval needed to reach the level of nominal lighting of the environment.
In this regard, the experimental chart of figure 1B shows the trend over time of the luminous flow (reference FL1) emitted by an artificial lighting apparatus made as just described, compared with the trends of the luminous flow emitted, respectively, by a standard energy saving fluorescent lamp (reference FL2) and by a halogen lamp (reference FL3).
Moreover, always according to the invention, once reached the nominal flow, an electronic timing circuit 16, fed by the electricity network 17 and placed inside the containment structure 10, provides stopping the feeding to the LED lamp 15, acting on the feeder 18 of the aforesaid LED lamp 15, so that, at this point, the light emitting diode (LED) source 15 turns off and the current absorptions and the characteristic luminous flows of the fluorescent source 14 are held, the latter driven by the stabilisation circuit of the current flow (ballast) 19.
In practice, in that way, the advantages of the LED light sources are combined with those ones of the fluorescent light sources, since the lighting apparatus according to the invention allows an immediate achievement of the levels of nominal lighting (typical characteristic of the light emitting diode - LED - source 15) and, at the sae time, a consumption reduced, compared to other types of lighting sources, a consequent energy saving and a long period of operation (features typical of the fluorescent tube 14).
As a matter of fact, the lighting apparatus according to the invention immediately reaches about 80% of the nominal flow and a subsequent fluctuation of the luminosity, although present after the achieving of the nominal luminous flow, is not substantially perceptible to the human eye, as negligible with respect to the fundamental component; however, also this component can be totally eliminated by eventually introducing a more sophisticated control in the electronic driving circuit of the apparatus present within the central structure 10.
One embodiment alternative to that described provides implementing the fluorescent source (tube or spiral 14) and the LED source 15 inside a single cap, which acts as a container both for the fluorescent tube 14 and the LED diodes of the source 15.
This second embodiment, also full of electronic circuit act suitable to stop the feeding to the LED lamp 15, upon reaching the emission of the nominal luminous flow, can also assure a more rapid achievement of the operating temperature and a quicker and greater luminous emission from the fluorescent source 14.
From the description made the characteristics of the energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus, which is the object of the present invention, are clear, as well as the resulting benefits.
It is, finally, clear that it is possible to introduce variations to the lighting apparatus in question, without going out of the principles which form the base of the inventive idea, as well as it is possible that, in the practical implementation of the invention, materials, shapes and sizes of the details could be chosen depending on the needs.

Claims

Energy saving and immediate ignition artificial lighting apparatus including a containment and support structure (10), with which is connected at least one element (11, 12) which acts as electrical contact, characterized in that at least one fluorescent light source (14) and at least one light emitting diode (LED) source (15), of appropriate power, are placed on the upper part of said containment and support structure (10), said light sources (14, 15) being both combined and connected with at least one electrical contact (11, 12) of the lighting apparatus suitable to be connected with the power supply (17), said light sources (14, 15) being functionally interacting in order to immediately achieving, on the apparatus lighting, a luminous flow satisfactory to the user.
Lighting apparatus as claim 1, characterized in that said fluorescent light source (14) consists of at least one fluorescent tube or spiral, electrically connected with the power supply (17) through a stabilisation circuit (ballast) (19) of the flow of electric current.
Lighting apparatus as claim 1, characterized in that said light emitting diode (LED) source (15) is placed inside said fluorescent light source (14).
Lighting apparatus as claim 1, characterized in that said light emitting diode (LED) source (15) is placed centrally to said containment and support structure (10) of the apparatus.
Lighting apparatus as claim 1, characterized in that said containment and support structure (10) contains an electronic circuit, including at least a timer device (16), suitable to drive the power supply means (18) of said light emitting diode (LED) source (15) in order to stop the power supply to said light emitting diode (LED) source (15) after a set time interval starting from the ignition of the lighting apparatus, said set time interval corresponding to the time necessary to achieve the emission, by said lighting apparatus, of a level of nominal luminous flow, suitable to provide an adequate and sufficient illumination into an environment.
Lighting apparatus as claim 5, characterized in that, on the lighting, the emission of at least 80% of said level of nominal luminous flow is achieved.
Lighting apparatus as claim 1, characterized in that said fluorescent light source (14) and said light emitting diode (LED) source are contained within at least one container.