FR2653207A1 - Tubular fluorescent module - Google Patents

Abstract

Tubular fluorescent module made from a metal profiled section (10) having a longitudinal suspension groove (20) and comprising members (31, 32) for operation of the said module. According to the invention, the said profiled section (10) is a rolled metal sheet, and the said operation members (31, 32) are fixed to the part (21) of the longitudinal suspension groove (20) which is internal to the profile (10), at the ends of the said module. Application to decorative lighting units.

Description

 The present invention relates to a tubular fluorescent module produced in a metal profile having a longitudinal suspension groove, and comprising operating members of said module.

 The invention finds a particularly interesting application in the field of lighting, and more specifically in that of decorative luminaires.

 Known tubular fluorescent modules, in accordance with the preamble, are generally made of extruded profile, aluminum for example. The extrusion profile includes fixing grooves protruding inside said profile, and intended to receive operating members of said module such as the ballast and the socket holder of the fluorescent tube intended to equip the module, a reflector, end fittings, etc. However, this type of known modules has the disadvantage of involving an unnecessary quantity of material and therefore unnecessarily expensive since the fixing grooves, which run over the entire length of the module , are only used on a very small portion located at the ends of the module.

 Also, the technical problem to be solved by the object of the present invention is to propose a tubular fluorescent module in accordance with the preamble which would allow the operating members to be fixed without the need for recourse to fixing grooves such as defined above.

 The solution to the technical problem posed consists, according to the present invention, in that said profile is a rolled metal sheet, and in that said operating members are fixed to the part, internal to the profile, of said longitudinal suspension groove, to ends of said module.

 Thus, by using the longitudinal suspension groove itself to fix the operating members of the module, it is done without the fixing grooves present in the module known from the prior art.

 In a particular embodiment, said operating members are fixed directly to the longitudinal suspension groove by a profile combined with that of the internal part of the profile of said longitudinal groove.

 In another embodiment of the invention, said operating members are fixed to the longitudinal suspension groove by an intermediate fixing part. This embodiment will preferably be used when a height adjustment is necessary.

 Another advantage of the invention lies in the fact that said metal profile is prepainted, which leads to a saving of time during the manufacture of the module according to the invention compared to the known module to which an additional painting operation must be applied. .

 The description which follows, with reference to the appended drawings, given by way of nonlimiting examples, will make it clear what the invention consists of and how it can be implemented.

 Figure 1 is a sectional view of a first embodiment of a tubular fluorescent module according to the invention.

 Figure 2 is a sectional view of a second embodiment of a tubular fluorescent module according to the invention.

 Figure 1 shows, in section, a tubular fluorescent module produced in a metal profile 10 having a longitudinal groove 20 of suspension having, in the example of Figure 1, the shape of a dovetail. This groove 20 is intended to receive means 22 for hanging from the ceiling visible in FIG. 2; it is also used for the passage of electric cables supplying said fluorescent module or a set of modules placed end to end.

 The tubular module of FIG. I comprises operating members 31, 32 which, in the example proposed, are a ballast support 31 and a socket holder 32 intended to equip a fluorescent tube not shown.

 As can be seen in Figure 1, said metal profile 10 is a sheet of metal, aluminum for example, rolled and not an extruded profile. On the other hand, Figure 1 also shows that the operating members 31, 32 are fixed on the part 21, internal to the profile 10, of the suspension groove 20, at the ends of said module. In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the operating members are fixed directly to the groove 20 by a profile 33 arranged on the ballast support 31 and conjugate with the dovetail profile of the groove 20. The operating members can thus slide along the groove, and are held in the desired position by screws, for example.

 FIG. 2 gives a second embodiment of the invention, in which the operating members 31r 32 are fixed to the longitudinal groove 20 for suspension by an intermediate fixing piece 40. This part 40 can be a small extruded aluminum profile placed at the end of the tubular fluorescent module and onto which the operating members 31, 32 are screwed.

Claims (4)

1. Tubular fluorescent module produced in a metal profile (10) having a longitudinal groove (20) for suspension, and comprising members (31, 32) for operating said module, characterized in that said profile (10) is a metal sheet rolled, and in that said operating members (31, 32) are fixed to the part (21), internal to the profile (10), of the longitudinal groove (20) for suspension, at the ends of said module. 2. tubular fluorescent module according to claim 1, characterized in that said operating members (31,32) are fixed directly to the longitudinal groove (20) of suspension by a profile (33) conjugated with that of the internal part (21 ) to the profile (10) of said longitudinal groove (20). 3. Tubular fluorescent module according to claim 1, characterized in that said operating members (31,32) are fixed to the longitudinal groove (20) of suspension by an intermediate piece (40) of fixing. 4. Tubular fluorescent module according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that said metal profile (10) is prepainted.