EP2657590A1

EP2657590A1 - Lighting device with releasable spotlights

Info

Publication number: EP2657590A1
Application number: EP13163398.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Piero Gandini
Original assignee: Antares Iluminacion SA
Current assignee: Antares Iluminacion SA
Priority date: 2012-04-13
Filing date: 2013-04-11
Publication date: 2013-10-30
Anticipated expiration: 2033-04-11
Also published as: ITBS20120060A1; EP2657590B1; ES2632555T3; LT2657590T; DK2657590T3

Abstract

A lighting device (1), for a wall or ceiling, comprises a support structure (10) that can be built in, a functional unit (40) that can be housed in the internal space (12) of the structure (10), provided with connection means, fixed magnetic means and fixed electrical contacts (82), and a plurality of spotlights (6, 8) provided with mobile electrical contacts (110). The spotlights comprise mobile magnetic means for keeping the spotlight connected to the functional unit.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The subject-matter of the present invention is a flush-mounted lighting device for ceiling or wall.
The lighting device sector is characterized by a strong tendency to develop new products that have an innovative, technical or aesthetic content.
In particular, the sector of flush-mounted devices, which are particularly suitable for producing particular architectural and lighting effects are becoming very widespread, both for the construction of new buildings and during the refurbishment of existing buildings.
Flush-mounted devices are particularly suitable for diffuse lighting of rooms, whereas they are rarely used for spot lighting, for example, for a small area of a large room, or close to an armchair or writing desk, since by their very nature they cannot be moved to different positions, where the user changes his requirements, for example moving the armchair to a different part of the room.
The purpose of the present invention is to produce a flush-mounted lighting device that overcomes the drawbacks mentioned with reference to the known art.
This aim is achieved by a lighting device according to claim 1.
The characteristics and advantages of the lighting device according to the present invention will become clear from the following description given for the purposes of non-restrictive example in accordance with the attached drawings, in which:

Figures 1a and 1b show embodiments of the lighting device according to the present invention;
Figure 2 shows a diagram for producing a support structure for the device according to the present invention;
Figure 3 illustrates the lighting device according to the present invention, in an exploded view;
Figure 4 illustrates a functional unit of the device according to the present invention;
Figure 5 shows the functional unit, in an exploded view;
Figures 6a to 6e illustrates a sequence for assembling the lighting device;
Figure 7 shows a spotlight of the lighting device; and
Figure 8 illustrates the spotlight, in an exploded view.

What the observer sees is an opening (4) between contiguous panels (1) or between a panel and an actual wall.
Lighting spotlights are inserted into the opening, for example spotlights (6) housed entirely within the opening (4) or spotlights (8) partly protruding from the opening (4), or else telescopic spotlights, capable of being extracted from a built-in position, in which they are housed entirely within the opening (4), to a protruding position, in which they protrude from the opening.
The opening (4) extends in a longitudinal direction (X), over a rectilinear or interrupted course, on the ceiling (C) or the side wall (W) of the room or on the floor (Figure 2).
The opening (4) is defined by a support structure (10) preferably produced from an extrusion, for example made of aluminium, extending in said longitudinal direction (X) and forming an internal space (12) accessible from said opening (4).
Preferably, the support structure (10) has an inverted U-shape, comprising two facing side walls (14) and delimited internally by lateral surfaces (16), preferably flat and parallel, and a back wall (18), which joins the two side walls (14) and closes off the internal space (12) at the top.
The structure (10) further comprises support portions (20), protruding out from the side walls (14), preferably set back from the free end (22) of said side walls, so as to form a mating surface for the panel (1) and to cover the thickness of said panel.
Furthermore, the structure (10) preferably comprises coupling ridges (30), protruding in from the side walls (14).
The apparatus further comprises a functional unit (40) capable of being coupled to the support structure, housed entirely within the internal space (12) of said structure (10).
The functional unit (40) comprises a support profile (42), for example an aluminium extrusion, extending along a longitudinal axis (Z) with a predefined length, preferably less than the length along the longitudinal axis (X) of the support structure (10).
In other words, in a support structure (10), constituted by a single element or a plurality of elements aligned along the longitudinal axis (X), it is possible to insert, aligned, a single support profile (42) or a plurality thereof.
The support profile (42) comprises side walls (44) and a back wall (46), arranged together in an inverted U-shape, so as to form an internal space (48).
Preferably, the profile (42) has grooves (50) inside it, made in the side walls (44), which extend along the longitudinal axis (Z).
For example, said grooves (50) are delimited downwards by bendable end sections (52) of the side walls (44).
Furthermore, the profile (42) preferably has coupling guides (54), outside the internal space (48), for example alongside the back wall (46), which extend along the longitudinal axis (Z).
Furthermore, the functional unit (40) comprises coupling means suitable for coupling the support profile (42) to the support structure (10), preferably such that they can be released.
Said coupling means comprise at least one clip (60), capable of being inserted so as to slide within the coupling guides (54), locking into the support (42), and suitable for snapping onto the coupling ridges (30) of the support structure (10).
The functional unit further comprises fixed magnetic means, housed for example in the profile (42), suitable for interacting magnetically.
For example, said fixed magnetic means comprise a sheet (70) made of suitable metallic material, housed in the internal space (48) of the profile (42), and in particular inserted into the grooves (50) thereof.
Furthermore, the functional unit (40) comprises an electrical connection support (80), housed in the internal space (48) of the section bar (12), provided with fixed, track-shaped, electrical contacts (82), extending along the longitudinal axis (Z).
Preferably, the connection support (80) comprises a strip (84) of insulating material, for example made of silicon, provided with an outer surface (86), on which the fixed, track-shaped, electrical contacts (82) are made.
The connection support (80) further comprises at least one electrical connector (90), placed for example on the strip (84), on the face opposite the outer surface (86).
Furthermore, the sheet (70) of the fixed magnetic means is preferably provided with a localised opening (92), into which the electrical connector (90) of the connection support (80) can be inserted.
Furthermore, the connection support (80) is preferably inserted into the grooves (50) of the side walls (44) of the section bar (42), so that the strip (84) overlaps the sheet (70), and in particular so that the outer surface (86) of said strip is exposed to the external environment.
The electrical connector (90) can be connected to a secondary supply cable, and they connect together electrical connectors of various functional units and said connectors to control means for LED modules or to the mains power grid.
The spotlights (6, 8) of the apparatus described can be coupled magnetically to the functional unit and are suitable for establishing, at the same time, an electrical connection with the fixed electrical contacts (82) of said functional unit.
According to a preferred embodiment, the spotlight (6, 8) comprises a casing (100), for example constituted by two halves (100a), (100b), which can be fitted together mechanically, so as to produce an internal chamber.
The chamber houses an electrical board (104), connected by a lighting unit (106), for example comprising LED modules, for example by means of a telescopic system (108).
Furthermore, the spotlight (6, 8) comprises on-board, mobile magnetic means suitable for being engaged magnetically with the fixed magnetic means of the functional unit (40) in order to keep the spotlight connected to said functional unit.
For example, said mobile magnetic means comprise a permanent magnet (108), housed in the chamber of the casing (100).
Furthermore, the spotlight (6, 8) comprises mobile electrical contacts (110), for example mounted on an electronic board (112), supported by the casing (100) and suitable for being engaged in a sliding manner with the fixed electrical contacts (82) of the functional unit (40).
To install the lighting apparatus, the support structure (10) is mounted into the side wall or ceiling of a room, engaged with the panels (1), so as to allow free access to the internal space (12) through the opening (4) (Figure 6a).
The functional unit (40) is then inserted into the support structure (10) through the opening (4), being connected to the latter, for example by snapping on, for example utilising the clips (60), connected by snapping on to the ridges (30) of the support structure (10) (Figure 6b).
In a support structure or in a series of support structures mounted in alignment with each other, it is possible to insert a single functional unit (40) or a plurality thereof, in predefined sections of said support structure.
Subsequently, the spotlights (6, 8) are inserted into the support structure (10), connected to the functional unit (40) by magnetic action, while the mobile electrical contacts (110) of the spotlights (6, 8) make an electrical contact with the fixed electrical contacts (82) of the functional unit (40) (Figures 6c and 6d).
The spotlights (6, 8) can be displaced along the longitudinal axis (Z) of the functional unit (40), said mobile electrical contacts (110) maintaining contact by gliding over the fixed electrical contacts (82).
Therefore, it is possible to position the spotlights (6, 8) at will along the support structure (10), possibly limited to the extent of the functional units (40).
According to a variant embodiment, for spotlights (8) provided with a telescopic system, it is also possible to make the lighting unit (106) project out from the internal space (12) of the structure (10) (Figure 6e).
Preferably, the whole exposed surface of the support structure, and in particular the exposed surface (16) of the side walls (14) and if appropriate the exposed surface of the back wall (18), have a very dark colour, for example black, and at the same time the outer surface (86) of the strip (84) of the functional unit and the fixed electrical contacts (82) have the same colour.
In this way, from the outside, the observer only notices a black slit and it is difficult to see that there are components inside.
Preferably, furthermore, the secondary cable that connects the functional units (40) together, or connects the functional units to the power supply, also has the same colour, to conceal this cable from sight too.
Preferably, the spotlights also have the same colour.
In particular, according to a preferred embodiment, the outer surface (86) of the functional unit (40) is coated with graphite, to take on this dark colour.
Innovatively, the lighting device according to the present invention allows the light source to be built-in and moved at the same time, as required by the user.
In particular, advantageously, the connection between one functional module and another by means of the secondary cable makes it easy to connect together functional units placed in alignment, both on the ceiling or both on the wall, or functional units placed not in alignment, both on the ceiling or both on the wall, or even functional modules placed not in alignment, one or the ceiling and the other on the wall.

Claims

Lighting device (1), for a wall or ceiling, comprising:
- a support structure (10) extending in a longitudinal direction (X), provided with an internal space (12) accessible from an exposed opening (4);

- at least one functional unit (40) capable of being housed in the internal space (12) of the structure (10), provided with connection means for connecting, to said support structure, fixed magnetic means suitable for interacting magnetically and fixed electric contacts (82) positioned on an exposed outer surface (86);

- at least one spotlight (6, 8) provided with a lighting unit (106) carrying a light source and provided with on-board, mobile electric contacts (110) suitable for being engaged with the fixed electric contacts (82) of the functional unit (40), comprising mobile magnetic means suitable for being engaged magnetically with the fixed magnetic means of the functional unit (40) in order to keep the spotlight connected to said functional unit.
Device according to claim 1, wherein the fixed contacts (82) are tracks extending in a longitudinal direction (Z) of the functional unit (40), to provide a sliding contact with the mobile contacts (110) of the spotlight (6, 8).
Device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the fixed magnetic means comprise a sheet (70) of suitable magnetic material.
Device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the mobile magnetic means comprise a permanent magnet (108).
Device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the connection means of the functional unit are of snapping type.
Device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the connection means of the functional unit are able to slide along the support structure (10).
Device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the connection means comprise a clip (60).
Device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the support structure is in a single piece.
Device according to any one of the previous claims, comprising a plurality of functional units (40) housed in said support structure (10), set apart from each other and connected together in terms of electrical operation by at least one secondary electrical cable.
Device according to claim 9, wherein at least some of the functional units are aligned along the longitudinal axis (X).
Device according to claim 9 or 10, wherein at least some of the functional units are misaligned along the longitudinal axis (X).
Device according to claim 11, wherein at least one functional unit is applied against the ceiling (C) and at least one other functional unit is applied against a side wall (W).
Device according to any one of the previous claims, wherein the spotlight (8) comprises a telescopic system for extracting the lighting unit (106) from the internal space (12) of the structure (10).