EP2087278A1

EP2087278A1 - Illuminating complex comprising a light source having a web of optical fibres

Info

Publication number: EP2087278A1
Application number: EP07858568A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Delphine Malhomme; Cédric BROCHIER; Emmanuel Deflin
Original assignee: Brochier Technologies SAS
Current assignee: Brochier Technologies SAS
Priority date: 2006-10-13
Filing date: 2007-10-12
Publication date: 2009-08-12
Also published as: US20090291606A1; FR2907194A1; JP2010506369A; WO2008043975A1; FR2907194B1

Abstract

Illuminating complex (1, 11) comprising a light source having a textile web (2, 12) incorporating optical fibres (3, 13) in the warp and/or weft directions, said fibres being associated with binding yarns (9, 19), said optical fibres (3, 13) being capable of emitting light laterally, characterized in that the textile web (2, 12) is attached to a rigid or semi-rigid support (5, 15) and in that a bonding intermediate (6, 16) allows the textile web (2, 12) to be at least partly fastened in an irreversible manner to the rigid support (5, 15).

Description

LIGHTING COMPLEX COMPRISING A LIGHT SOURCE HAVING AN OPTICAL FIBER TABLE

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of illuminating panels thin and may be in the form of a wall portion, ceiling or rigid or semi-rigid partition.

The invention is more particularly an illuminating complex capable, in particular, to equip a building or a motor vehicle for the transport of people such as the train or the plane.

PRIOR STATE OF THE ART

In general, the illuminating panels integrated into a partition comprise light sources such as fluorescent tubes concealed behind a diffusing plate made of glass or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) frosted.

However, to avoid being visible through the diffusing plate, the fluorescent tubes must be arranged at a distance from the plate. Thus, such panels have a large size at the rear of the diffusing plate. They also require to have a rear face serving only to support the different electrical power supply boxes of the fluorescent tubes. These panels are therefore both bulky in thickness and heavy.

Textile webs comprising optical fibers woven with binding threads and kept under tension on a rigid frame are also known. The tissues thus formed are then treated in various ways so as to laterally emit the light homogeneously.

However, such plies can not be arranged directly in contact with a wall. In addition, they have low resistance to laceration and fire. They therefore need to be installed in a space protected from these various attacks.

Illuminating panels made from a nonwoven web of optical fibers arranged between a transparent front plate and a back plate are also known. reflective of light. Such light sources have in particular been described in document US Pat. No. 5,021,928.

However, the use of a non-woven optical fiber sheet poses numerous problems concerning the maintenance of a homogeneous surface appearance during its handling before placement between the two plates and during the subsequent connection of the optical fibers. to one or more light sources.

In addition, the transparent front plate has the disadvantage of substantially increasing the weight of the illuminating complex. The manufacturing price of such an illuminating complex is accordingly also important. In addition, such an illuminating panel does not maintain the sensation of particular touching textiles.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to an illuminating complex comprising a light source having a textile web incorporating optical fibers in warp and / or weft associated with binding yarns, the optical fibers being able to emit light laterally.

It is characterized in that the textile ply is attached to a rigid or semi-rigid support and in that a gluing intermediate makes it possible to non-reversibly and at least partially join the textile ply with the rigid support.

In other words, the space between the textile web is the rigid support is devoid of air, promoting thermal conductivity and therefore the dissipation of heat. The combination of a small amount of available oxygen, a large heat dissipation but also a good temperature resistance of the rigid support creates a barrier effect. Such an illuminating complex can thus have a very high fire resistance. Thus, surprisingly, the illuminating complex incorporating the textile web has a fire resistance significantly higher than that of the textile web taken independently. The bonding intermediate is chosen so that the entire complex does not emit toxic or opaque fumes and can have a good ranking in so-called "smoke" tests. In the same way as the rigid support, the bonding medium can create a protective barrier against mechanical aggressions.

Moreover, the textile web is glued on a rigid or semi-rigid support at the level of visible and illuminating areas. Indeed, in a non-visible zone, especially at the edge of the web, the optical fibers must be connected to one or more light sources. Therefore, in this connection zone, the textile web is not directly secured to the rigid support. This connection zone can, according to different variants, be arranged in the same plane as the textile web or at the rear of this plane, behind the rigid support.

The gluing intermediate is selected so as to allow a user to directly touch the fabric comprising the optical fibers without being able to deteriorate or even tear it off.

Moreover, the illuminating complex thus formed, has a thickness of a few millimeters and can be in any kind of flat or left shapes. For this, the rigid support can in particular be folded or stamped by means of a press.

According to a particular embodiment, the optical fibers can be woven with the binding threads. In other words, the binding threads are arranged in a warp and / or weft while the optical fibers are arranged in weft and / or in a warp on a loom.

Advantageously, the textile web may incorporate ground son arranged in a warp and weft according to a weave type canvas.

In other words, each weft thread passes alternately below and above a warp thread. Such armor ensures cohesion optimal mechanical fabric while promoting good light transmission. The binding son are woven with the background son.

In practice, the optical fibers may be punctually bonded to the ground son by means of the binding son, the optical fibers being substantially positioned in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the armor of the ground son.

Thus, the optical fibers can be maintained in parallel position with each other by means of binding yarns woven periodically but not alternately with the optical fibers. This type of complex binding of the binding yarns with the optical fibers is made possible in particular by means of a Jacquard loom, allowing individual selection of each warp and weft yarn at any point in the fabric. . By way of example, the period separating two loops of the armor successively covering the same optical fiber may in particular comprise about ten loops of the background wires of the fabric.

According to a first embodiment, the optical fibers may be in continuous contact with the bonding medium.

Thus, the optical fibers are immobilized relative to the rigid support. The binding yarns then cover the optical fibers and protect them against attacks from the outside environment.

Moreover, the presence of the optical diopter between the optical fibers and the bonding intermediate makes it possible to directly reflect a significant quantity of the light energy and thus to increase the intensity of the lateral illumination of the complex.

In this case, the binding son may be in substantially point contact with the bonding intermediate. In this way, the binding threads have mobility in translation parallel to the surface defined by the rigid support. This arrangement makes it possible to increase the laceration resistance and thus improves the protection of the optical fibers by the binding threads.

Moreover, so as to let a maximum of light, the fabric formed by the binding son can be ventilated. By way of example, the distance between two successive binding yarns in weft or warp may be greater than two thirds of the diameter of these binding yarns, while this diameter of the binding yarns is smaller than the radius of the optical fibers.

According to a second embodiment, the binding threads may be in substantially continuous contact with the bonding medium.

In this case, the optical fibers illuminate directly laterally without being masked by the binding wires. Such an arrangement thus makes it possible to transmit a maximum of light energy.

Unlike the first embodiment, the bonding son can then be very slightly spaced so as to form a screen for reflecting light.

Advantageously, the illuminating complex may comprise a protective layer attached to the optical fibers.

In other words, for certain particular applications requiring a high level of protection, it is possible to position a protective layer, which is preferably transparent or translucent, in proximity to, or even in contact with, the optical fibers in order to allow a maximum of light to pass through. This protective layer may consist of an aerated material such as a fabric, a mesh, a grid, a tulle or more generally a nonwoven. The protective layer can then be secured to the optical fibers by another bonding medium. Such a protective layer transparent can in particular be formed by a glass plate, polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) or polycarbonate (PC).

According to another variant, the protective layer may also be obtained by a surface treatment of the illuminating complex, in particular by a coating, spraying or polymerization process, in particular of resin or "gel coat" type.

In practice, the rigid support may comprise a reflective surface on which the bonding intermediate is attached.

In other words, the reflective surface makes it possible to reflect and diffuse the light towards the location of the fabric. This reflective surface is advantageously white in color but may be produced according to different embodiments by an independent element or by the support itself when it has a white color in the mass, such as a polycarbonate plate.

According to a particular embodiment, the reflective surface may be attached to the rigid support.

Indeed, this reflective surface may also consist of a paint layer, a metal deposition layer by anodization, a self-adhesive film or a foam or a white textile.

On the other hand, the rigid support may be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of metals, polymers and composites.

Such materials have in fact a low weight and high rigidity. Moreover, these materials make it possible to confer on the illuminating complex a significant resistance to heat or fire and dissipating very quickly the heat stored. These materials thus have a significant heat conduction. Advantageously, the optical fibers may each be formed by a core sheathed with a fluoropolymer.

In practice, the core of the optical fibers may be formed of a material selected from the group consisting of polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC).

According to a particular embodiment, the bottom threads may be formed in a material chosen from the group comprising natural or synthetic or artificial threads or fibers, and in particular, wool, aramid, polyamide, chlorofluorocarbons, polyester and cotton.

Thus, the optical fibers can be woven with bonding son having good fire resistance and mechanical stresses. These include the son marketed under the trademark Trevira ^®, Nomex ^®, Kermel ^® or combinations of these with other textile son son to impart other properties or to lower the overall cost of textile formed.

Moreover, the bonding intermediate may be white in color and participate in a reflective action. According to another embodiment, it can also be transparent.

Preferably, the positioning of the bonding intermediate on rigid and sometimes curved surfaces can be facilitated when it is in the form of a cold-rollable double-sided adhesive, or by the use of an adhesive sprayed liquid.

This bonding intermediate can also participate in the barrier effect already achieved by the rigid support and is therefore resistant to heat. Finally, it preferably does not contain toxic elements likely to modify the "smoke" classification of the complex. SUMMARY DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The manner of carrying out the invention as well as the advantages which result therefrom will emerge clearly from the description of the embodiment which follows, given as an indication and not by way of limitation, in support of the appended figures in which:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of the location of a textile web before its integration into an illuminating complex according to the invention;

FIG. 2 is a front view of the backside of such a textile sheet;

• Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views according to two variants of positioning the textile web on a rigid support.

MANNER OF REALIZING THE INVENTION

As already mentioned, the invention relates to an illuminating complex formed by a textile web incorporating optical fibers arranged in warp or weft woven with binding son.

Thus, as shown in Figure 1, the illuminating complex comprises a textile web (2) in which optical fibers (3) are woven with binding son (4). According to different embodiments, the optical fibers (3) or the binding son (4) can indifferently be arranged in a warp or weft. In the figure as shown, the binding yarns (4) are positioned both warp and weft, while the optical fibers (3) are arranged only in weft or warp.

Moreover, in order to improve the lighting characteristics of the illuminating complex incorporating such a textile web (2), the binding yarns (4) can be punctually woven with the optical fibers (3). The binding yarns (4) can be woven together in a "canvas" type armor so as to generate empty spaces capable of passing light energy emitted by the optical fibers (3). According to this particular arrangement, the optical fibers (3) are then arranged substantially in a plane parallel to that defined by the binding son (4).

As shown in FIG. 2, the section of the optical fibers (3) may be greater than that of the binding wires (4) so as to allow a transfer of the light energy at the rear face of the fabric defined by binding threads (4). By way of example, the optical fibers (3) may have a diameter that is twice the diameter of the binding wires (4). Moreover, so as to let a maximum of light through the armor formed by the binding son (4), they may be spaced for example by a distance greater than two thirds of the diameter of the binding son (4).

The textile web (2) thus formed is then attached to a rigid support and secured by means of a gluing intermediate. It is also possible to arrange the textile web opposite the rigid support according to its upside and downside faces corresponding to FIGS. 3 and 4.

Thus, and as shown in FIG. 3, the illuminating complex is formed by a textile ply (2), the face of which co-operates with the gluing intermediate (6). In this case, the optical fibers (3) are in continuous contact with the bonding medium (6). This bonding intermediate (6) also makes it possible to directly reflect the light emitted by the optical fibers (3) in a direction opposite to that of the rigid support (5).

The illuminating complex (1) may nevertheless comprise a reflective surface (8) which may either be attached to the rigid support (5) or may be formed directly by this support (5) when it is formed in particular by a tinted polycarbonate plate in the mass of white color or an anodized aluminum plate.

The binding fibers (4) then serve to protect the illuminating elements formed by the optical fibers (3). They also make it possible to give the illuminating complex (1) the characteristic feel of a textile material.

As shown in Figure 4, the illuminating complex (11) may comprise a textile web (12) secured on its back side with a rigid support (15). The gluing intermediate (16) then makes it possible to secure the binding threads (14) with the rigid support (15). The optical fibers (13) can directly emit light radially in a direction opposite to that of the rigid support (15) and the gluing intermediate (16), without being masked by a web formed by the binding threads (14). ).

For certain applications, and in particular to prevent mechanical damage to the optical fibers (13), a protective layer (17) can be attached opposite the optical fibers (13). This protective layer (17) can be of various manners and according to a first embodiment in the form of a textile aerated so as to impart a textile feel to the illuminating complex (11), while allowing a maximum of light through the recesses of the textile.

According to a second embodiment, the protective layer (17) can also be made of a solid and transparent material and be in the form of a rigid plate made of a material such as glass, PMMA or mechanically assembled polycarbonate facing the optical fibers (13).

According to a third embodiment, the protective layer (17) may also be attached so as to be intimately bonded to the optical fibers (13) by means of a spray coating process, and in particular according to the application method of the invention. a resin commonly referred to as "Gel Coat".

Moreover, a comparative study of fire resistance was carried out using specific measuring tools and according to the standards in force concerning flexible and rigid materials, respectively the NF F 92 503 and NF 92 501 standards, the applications railway lines NF 16 101 and the technical specification SNCF / RATP STM-S-001 and building P 92 502.

By way of example, a complex has been formed by a rigid metal support, a modified silicone-based bonding agent, Modified Silcone Polymer or MS polymers, optical fibers with a PC core and polyester backs fire retardant such as the Trevira ^® CS in particular.

The thus formed textile web may comprise weft alternately 17 optical fibers and 17 bottom son per centimeter polyester "no-fire" such as son sold under the trademark Trevira ^® CS and chain 50 substantive son per centimeter in brand polyester Trevira ^® CS for example. In addition, the background wires have a title of 167dtex.

This complex has passed positive fire resistance tests in order to be positioned in the highest class of fire resistance and smoke behavior of materials for railway and building. Indeed, according to standards NF P 92 501 and P 92 502, the complex is classified Ml in fire behavior.

And, according to standards NF X 10-702 (1,2,3,4,5) and NF X 70-100, the complex is classified Fl in smoke behavior.

It follows from the above that an illuminating complex according to the invention has many advantages, in particular:

• it generates a light rigid surface light and thin; • It can be used directly and without assembly operation of partition or illuminating ceiling;

It has very high mechanical strength characteristics;

• it dissipates heat very quickly, can withstand fire and does not release any toxic smoke depending on the nature of the materials constituting it.

Claims

An illuminating complex (1, 11) comprising a light source having a textile web (2, 12) incorporating warp and / or weft fibers (3, 13) associated with binding yarns (9, 19), said optical fibers (3, 13) being able to emit light laterally, characterized in that the textile web (2, 12) is attached to a rigid or semi-rigid support (5, 15) and that a gluing intermediate (6, 16) allows to non-reversibly and at least partially join the textile web (2, 12) with the rigid support (5, 15).

2. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical fibers (3, 13) are woven with the binding son (9, 19).

3. Complex according to claim 2, characterized in that the textile web (2, 12) incorporates ground son (4, 14) arranged in a warp and weft according to a weave type canvas.

4. Complex according to claim 3, characterized in that the optical fibers (3, 13) are punctually bonded to the ground wires (4, 14) by means of the binding wires (9, 19), the optical fibers (3, 13) being substantially positioned in a plane parallel to the plane defined by the armor of the bottom wires (4, 14).

5. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical fibers (3) are in continuous contact with the bonding intermediate (6).

6. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the binding son (9) are in substantially point contact with the bonding intermediate (6).

7. Complex according to claim 3, characterized in that the ground son (14) are in substantially continuous contact with the bonding intermediate (16).

8. Complex according to claim 6, characterized in that it comprises a protective layer (17) attached to the optical fibers (13).

9. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid support (5, 15) comprises a reflective surface (8, 18) on which the bonding intermediate (6, 16) is attached.

10. Complex according to claim 8, characterized in that the reflective surface (8, 18) is attached to said rigid support (5, 15).

11. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the rigid support (5, 15) is formed in a material selected from the group consisting of metals, polymers and composites.

12. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the optical fibers (3, 13) are each formed by a core sheathed with a fluorinated polymer.

13. Complex according to claim 11, characterized in that the core of the optical fibers (3, 13) is formed in a material selected from the group comprising polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) and polycarbonate (PC).

14. Complex according to claim 1, characterized in that the ground son (4, 14) are formed in a material selected from the group consisting of son or natural, artificial or synthetic fibers.