EP2551585A1 - Ball joint with feed through for an articulated light - Google Patents

Abstract

The ball joint (10) has an electrically conductive ball element (12) provided with a conducting connection. The ball element is fixed on an electrical insulating base (14). The insulating base is gripped by an electrically conductive bush (17). Another electrical connection is present to the bush. An electrically non-conductive ball socket (18) is seized with the ball element. A contact point is formed with the ball element by an electrically conductive contact pin (19) through the ball socket. An independent claim is included for an anglepoise with a low-voltage lamp.

Description

The present invention relates to a ball joint for the adjustable mounting of a current collector, in particular a hinged light. Under hinge light is intended to be understood both the rotatable and pivotable connection of a lampshade and the mere support of a variably positionable bulb socket, for example, an LED board. Finally, the invention also relates to a hinged light itself.

It is known to connect power-decreasing devices via a ball joint with a tripod or stand articulated. Widely used is this type of connection or mounting in lights or lamps. For power supply a flexible cable is laid in the tube stand and passed through the ball joint through the bulb holder. However, it is disadvantageous that the power line inevitably twisted in the course of use at the joint - which is the reason of the standard according to DIN EN 60598-1 otherwise not allowed - and as a result of this is brittle, so that the lamp is prone to failure and eventually unusable , Furthermore, according to the DE 1 816 402 to provide a ball joint for a lampshade, in which the ball joint acts as a current-carrying element. For this purpose, the ball element consists of two hollow spheres, one half of which is an insulating bushing and a contact pin is held on the other half via a spring element, so that via a further electrically conductive contact pin Electricity can be removed from the electrically conductive dome. However, this embodiment is very complicated because spring elements are to be arranged within the ball element and also because the ball element must be composed of two calottes whose junction is susceptible to wear.

The present invention is based on the object to eliminate the above problem in the prior art, and in particular to provide a ball joint, with a current-decreasing terminal, preferably a lamp or light, is connected to a corresponding tripod mount so that when turning and pivoting the pantograph reliable power flow accomplished and wear of the current-carrying elements by moving the pantograph is minimized. It is another object of the invention to provide a current-carrying ball joint, with which the current collector is rotatable or pivotable in a solid angle of nearly 360 °.

The core of the invention is to realize a first current flow through the ball element of the ball joint, wherein a second current flow is realized by means of a sliding contact in the outer peripheral region of the ball belonging to the joint. This makes it obsolete to have to provide miniaturized components in the ball joint itself, as for example in the DE 1 816 402 is proposed.

According to the invention, the ball joint is essentially roughly divided into three components, which in turn comprise further components:

The first component is a ball element which is fixed on an insulating foot, with which the ball element, i. the ball can be fixed to a support stand. Through the Isolierfuß through a first connection line is guided to the ball element. On the insulating sits circumferentially an electrically conductive sleeve, which is isolated from the ball. To the sleeve, a second electrical connection is placed through an electrical line through the Isolierfuß through. While it is now on the ball, for example, the power line of a + Pols can be applied, the sleeve is connectable to a power line of the -Pols.

As a second essential component is a ball socket, which is made of an electrically non-conductive material. Since the ball socket is to act electrically insulating, it is advantageously made of a plastic. This component is advantageously a 'slotted ball socket', i. in the form of a cuboid, in which a groove is introduced on one side, so that the shape of a three-dimensional U-beam results. With this construction, the ball socket can now be positioned anywhere in the three-dimensional space in all directions by 360 °, as they rotate as desired on the ball element and at the same time can be pivoted by an angle of about 180 ° in a plane.

Due to the U-profile shape of the ball socket, the latter can be easily attached to the ball element by spreading the U-legs, or vice versa decrease. To engage the ball element on the two legs, these are provided with recesses, which may be spherical and may then have a curvature corresponding to the ball element, provided so that the ball can snap in here. The ball is doing so in the U-profile hold that she can contact the throat of the U-profile ball socket in addition to a contact closure with the legs of the U-profile.

Subsequent to an assembly of ball socket and ball element, the ball is thus held at least two contact points in the ball socket. The third point of contact may be the throat of the ball socket. At the throat of the U-profile, an electrically conductive contact pin is guided through the ball socket. This pin may have a Kalottenvertiefung with the corresponding curvature of the ball element at its end forming the contact with the ball, so that the ball element rests in this calotte half shell of the pin and therein a continuous contact between the ball element and due to the rotation and pivoting movement of the current collector current-carrying contact pin is formed. Now, if advantageously the throat of the U-profile formed by a nearly hemispherical dome head, and the ball is held by a detent position between the legs of the U-profile in a biased manner to said throat, it is not essential to electrically conductive To bias the contact pin with a spring to contact the ball with the latter. Due to the configuration of the two U-legs by means of corresponding recesses, the ball sits in contact with the contact pin in the ball socket so that a flow of current through the ball element is ensured in any position of the ball socket on the ball element. As a result, so that the current-carrying + pole from the first contact terminal of the ball element on the conductive contact pin, which is passed through the ball socket, to its other end and thus, for example, to the current decreasing bulbs, or continue an LED board via the ball joint.

As an alternative embodiment, it is also possible to bias the contact pin with a spring on the ball socket so that the contact pin is acted upon in the direction of the ball with a force. When inserted ball element, the ball is then pressed by the said bias in the respective seat on the legs of the U-profile ball socket, whereby a secure hold between ball element and ball socket is realized. Also, a reliable contact between the contact pin and ball is then ensured at preloaded contact pin.

As a second alternative embodiment, another component is provided for the above ball socket, namely an abutment which serves as a seat for the contact pin in the ball socket. This embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. 4 will be described in more detail below.

The third essential component of the ball element according to the invention, an electrically conductive clamping spring is provided, which rests on the ball socket, wherein their task is to make a sliding contact with the -Pol, ie the "mass" connected sleeve. The clamping spring is carried along with each movement of the ball socket, so that a contact between the clamping spring on the one hand and electrically conductive contact pin on the other hand is reliably prevented. The clamping spring is advantageously formed from an elongated U-shaped profile, whose U-legs project beyond the U-legs of the ball socket, so that the longer U-legs of the clamping spring in the assembled state of ball element and ball socket contact the sleeve. Advantageously, the U-legs of the clamping spring are biased, so that a pressing force between the respective U-leg of the clamping spring and the circulating on the Isolierfuß sleeve is provided. The execution of Clamping spring with said spring preload but it also makes it possible that it can be snapped onto the ball socket. For this purpose, a space corresponding to the size of the ball socket for receiving the same is milled in the clamping spring. If the clamping spring is now pushed onto the ball socket, the U-legs of the clamping spring are spread apart until the ball socket is received in said space, so that the clamping spring then snaps into its resting state. For a fixed position between ball socket and clamping spring is realized. This is so stable that a lampshade can be mounted on the clamping spring. Also so that a suitable ground connection to the lampshade on the sleeve and the clamping spring can be produced.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the clamping spring is also dimensioned so along the slot axis of the ball socket latter so that the clamping spring with the housing of the pantograph contact closing, for example, by a screw connection can be connected. This is a ground line between, for example, the lampshade of the hinged light and the tripod made.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the insulating foot of the ball element has a threaded bolt with which the ball element can be screwed onto a complementary female thread of, for example, the stand base. It is also considered advantageous if the threaded bolt itself has a hollow conduit in which the contact terminal can be brought to the ball element.

By means of a groove introduced on the outer circumference of the threaded bolt along its longitudinal axis, the second contact line can also be guided by the insulating leg to the said sleeve.

The invention further provides a hinged light with a ball joint, as described above. According to an advantageous embodiment, this hinged light relates to a lighting system with low-voltage lighting. These devices, which are operated with SELV (saftey extra-low voltage) and do not generate higher voltages themselves, are classified in accordance with DIN DN61140 under protection class III. In such low-voltage lamps either an electronic ballast or a transformer for voltage transformation is provided.

The components of the luminaire described above and in particular those of the ball joint make it possible for the entire ball joint to be accommodated within an angle of rotation of the lampshade of 360.degree. In a horizontal plane within the lampshade for LED lamps which nevertheless falls out small. In other words, the ball joint is in a space formed by the lampshade of the LED lamps, or pocket, so that it is not visible to the outside. In the case of the ball joint received in a kind of pocket of the lampshade, it is then provided in the design of the lampshade as required that a pivoting angle of the lampshade in a vertical plane of 180 ° is possible. This pivot angle of 180 ° can be neglected in such embodiments of lights in which the lampshade is located in the immediate vicinity of the light socket; because a swivel angle of 180 ° would mean that the lamp is able to illuminate the base - which is not required.

• Fig. 1 ein Ausführungsbeispiel des erfindungsgemäßen Kugelgelenks an einer erfindungsgemäßen Gelenkleuchte im Schnitt;
• Fig. 2 das auf einem Stativ fixierte Kugelgelenk aus Figur 1 ohne Leuchtmittelfassung; und
• Fig. 3 eine Kombination aus Kugelpfanne und Klemmfeder im Detail.
• Fig. 4 eine Ausführungsform betreffend die Vorspannung des Kontaktstiftes mittels Widerlager.

The invention will now be described in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. In these shows

• Fig. 1 an embodiment of the ball joint according to the invention on a hinge light according to the invention in section;
• Fig. 2 the fixed on a tripod ball joint FIG. 1 without bulb socket; and
• Fig. 3 a combination of ball socket and clamping spring in detail.
• Fig. 4 an embodiment concerning the bias of the contact pin by means of abutment.

Fig. 1 shows a hinged light according to the invention, in which an LED board 21 is supplied in a low voltage range via a ballast 22 with power. The lampshade 13, or the light-emitting means, ie the LED board 21 is connected via a ball joint 10 according to the invention with the support stand 24 rotatably and pivotally. The stand 24 is formed by a round tube, in which the current-carrying lines (not shown) of the + Pols and -Pol are guided. At the end of the stand, a ball element 12 via an insulating 14, which in turn has a threaded bolt, screwed to the end of the tripod with this. The Isolierfuß 14 has a hollow passage to the ball member 12, so that the ball element is connected to the + pole of the corresponding current-carrying line of the ballast.

On the outer circumference of the Isolierfußes 14 a current-conducting sleeve 17 is provided above the stand 24. The power connection for the sleeve leads equally through the stand 24 with a current-carrying line through the cavity of the Isolierfußes 14 and the wall of said sleeve 17. The sleeve is at least electrically insulated from the ball element. It can also - but does not have to be isolated from the tripod, for example - when grounding. In an advantageous embodiment, the Isolierfuß 14 is notched on the outer circumference, and conical, such that upon insertion of a cable into the said notch, the cable is stripped by the tapered notch channel, and at the end of the bare cable end meets the sleeve 17, which already sits on the insulating foot. This means a production-technical advantage, since the -Pol leading cable does not have to be stripped before installing a Isolierfuß.

The sleeve 17 may further be provided with a circumferential, projecting from the jacket of the sleeve contact ring (not shown in the illustrations) in order to improve the electrical contact between the sleeve 17 and clamping spring 16. In other words, the clamping spring 16 is slightly spread by the rotating contact ring - which force can be adjusted by the tightening torque of the screw 20. The contact ring can be formed integrally with the sleeve, but it can also be used in the form of a spring ring in a circumferential groove on the sleeve.

On the ball member 12 is seated a ball socket 18 through which an electrically conductive contact pin 19 is guided on one side, which contacts on one side of the ball surface of the ball element. At this contact pin 19, the + pole-guide is continued to the LED board 21 via a cable line - which is not shown here in detail.

On the ball socket 18 sits a clamping spring 16 which projects beyond the ball socket. The projecting U-legs of the clamping spring 16 contact in any position of the ball socket 18 on the ball member 12, the sleeve connected to the -Pol 17. As the in FIG. 1 is also shown, the clamping spring 16 is screwed by means of a screw 20 on the lampshade 13 of the hinge light. Thus, a ground connection between the lampshade and negative terminal of the LED board 21 to the ballast 22 is realized. By means of this screw and the ease of movement of the lampshade 13, ie the force with which the lampshade is pivoted in the ball joint, can set: With tightening the screw 20, the plastic ball socket 18 is pressed more on the ball element 12, bringing the lampshade makes it more difficult to move.

FIG. 2 shows the ball element according to the invention without a lampshade in greater detail - once with dashed lines invisible lines and once (right) in a plan view, each on the two U-legs of the ball socket 18 and the clamping spring 16. It can be clearly seen that the two legs the clamping spring 16, the sleeve 17 contact, which is fixed on the Isolierfuß 14 on the tripod 24. The ball element 12 is accommodated in the ball socket 18 and forwards the current conducted via the + pole to the electrically conductive contact pin 19. With reference numeral 20 is here again a screw of the clamping spring 16 on the lampshade (not shown here) shown.

FIG. 3 shows the system of ball joint socket 18 and clamping spring 16 in greater detail. In the lower, perspective view of the overlap of the ball socket 18 by the clamping spring 16 is clearly too detect. Two contact points between ball element (not shown here) and ball socket 18 are formed by the U-legs of the ball socket 18, whereas a third contact point is present at the electrically conductive contact pin 19 in the throat of the U-shaped ball socket.

FIG. 4 shows a special embodiment of the ball socket 18, in which the contact pin 19 is held by an inserted into the ball socket 18 abutment 15. This abutment 15 can be inserted from the throat side of the ball socket 18 in this. In this abutment, the contact pin 19 is held, in such a way that it is movable in contact closing direction with the ball member 12 toward this, whereas a sliding movement in the opposite direction only up to a stop in the abutment 15 is possible. By this construction, the position of the contact pin 19 to the ball can change out, ie in particular reduce by the position of the abutment 15 is changed relative to the ball socket. This can be done by screwing 20 of the ball socket 18 on the lampshade 13, on which the abutment 15 is supported, possibly with the aid of a spring, for example a spiral spring. The screw 20 allows a selectable distance between ball socket 18 and lampshade 13, which can be set as far as the contact pin 19 protrudes from the ball socket throat for contacting the ball member 12. By screwing a bias of the contact pin 19 is thus created, with a secure contact between the ball and pin 19 is ensured.

In the lower part of Fig. 4 It can be seen that the abutment 15 is seated in a complementary socket of the lampshade 13. The more the distance of the ball socket 18 by means of the screw on the clamping spring 16 is reduced relative to the lampshade 13, the more protrudes the contact pin 19 from the throat of the U-shaped ball socket. The variable distance between ball socket and lampshade due to the screw connection is in Fig. 4 given as an example with i = 2.5 mm. This makes it possible to set the bias voltage with which the contact pin 19 strikes the ball element 12.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

ball joint

12

ball element

13

lampshade

14

Insulating base

15

abutment

16

clamping spring

17

shell

18

ball socket

19

electrically conductive contact pin for a lighting connection

20

Screw connection between ball joint and lampshade

21

LED light

22

Electronic ballast

24

Tripod of the lamp to hold the lampshade

Claims (11)

Ball joint (10) for connecting a rotatable and pivotable pantograph, comprising an electrically conductive ball element (12) provided with a current-carrying first connection and fixed on an electrical insulating foot (14) which is encompassed by an electrically conductive sleeve (17) against which a second electrical connection is applied, - And one with the ball element (12) clamped electrically non-conductive ball socket (18) in which a contact point with the ball element is formed by a projecting through the ball socket through electrically conductive contact pin (19) - And an electrically conductive clamping spring (16) which rests on the ball socket (18) and in each relative position between the ball element (12) and ball socket (18) at least one sliding contact to the electrically conductive sleeve (17). Ball joint (10) according to claim 1,
characterized in that the ball socket (18) is a slotted pan in the form of a U-profile, between whose legs the ball element (12) together with the insulating leg (14) fixed thereto can be rotated and pivoted. Ball joint (10) according to claim 1 or 2,
characterized in that the Isolierfuß (17) is formed by a hollow threaded bolt, with which the ball joint is screwed onto a complementary nut thread. Ball joint (10) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the clamping spring (16) is a U-profile, between the U-legs of the sleeve (17) is positioned and contacted by the spring tension of the clamping spring. Ball joint (10) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the contact pin (19) is biased by a spring which acts on it in the direction of the ball used with a force. Ball joint (10) according to one of the preceding claims 1 to 4,
characterized in that the contact pin (19) in an abutment (15) is held, which in turn on the lampshade (13) is supported, so by a selected distance between the ball socket (18) and lampshade (13), a bias between contact pin (15). 19) and ball element (12) to create. Ball joint (10) according to one of the preceding claims,
characterized in that the second electrical connection from the sleeve (17) via the clamping spring (16) leads to the mass of the lampshade (13). Ball joint according to claim 7,
characterized in that the clamping spring (16) is screwed to a lampshade (13) as a current collector. Articulated light with a ball joint according to one of claims 1 to 8. Articulated light according to claim 9,
characterized in that the articulated light is provided with a low-voltage lighting means. Hinged light according to one of claims 9 or 10,
characterized in that the lampshade (13) forms an integral receiving area for the ball and socket joint.

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