FR2822221A1 - Column to support light fitting and services outlets for use in an office, uses rigid core with hollow outer cover that allows passage of cables from floor or ceiling of office, and has holes for connector sockets - Google Patents

Abstract

The column has an upright (2) ensuring rigidity and an enclosure forming the outer surface of the column, and providing a space to allow passage of cables and fitting of connectors. Openings (23) are provided in the face of the column to fit connector sockets (24). Connection to the building cabling is provided by a cable bundle (27,28) entering the column at top or bottom.

Description

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The invention relates to a mast intended for a lighting device and / or for the support of connection members, as well as a lamppost comprising such a mast. The mast is intended to be placed in a room of a building, for example in an office.

More and more masts used in interior lighting also serve as support for various sockets such as electrical sockets (standard electrical network, electrical backup, weak currents), telephone sockets, etc. In addition, these masts can be connected to command or regulation systems.

implique de pouvoir faire passer les câbles dans les murs de la pièce, ce qui, d'une part, peut poser des problèmes pratiques et, d'autre part, s'avère peu évolutif, l'ajout de prises nécessitant des interventions relativement lourdes. En outre, il n'est pas possible d'utiliser une telle méthode de raccordement dans le cas des bureaux de type paysagers ou open space , ne comportant que des cloisons légères et présentant une surface au sol importante, sauf si l'on prévoit des goulottes peu pratiques et peu esthétiques pour protéger les câbles. The connection between the mast and the building networks (electric cables, telephone cables, etc.) can be made by means of sockets or connectors located on the periphery of the room. However, such a connection

involves being able to pass the cables through the walls of the room, which, on the one hand, can pose practical problems and, on the other hand, is not very scalable, the addition of sockets requiring relatively heavy interventions . In addition, it is not possible to use such a method of connection in the case of offices of the landscaped or open space type, comprising only light partitions and having a large floor space, unless provision is made for impractical and unattractive cable ducts to protect cables.

Another method is to make the connection from the bottom of the mast, in the case of a raised floor, or, more frequently, from the top of the mast, via the cable trays installed in the false ceiling, the paths of cables possibly having connection boxes at their ends.

Generally, the masts are equipped in the factory with cables terminated or not by connectors. When installing the mast in the building room, these cables are connected to the cable tray connection boxes, in the false ceiling, or in the false floor.

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 This method of connection therefore requires intervention in the finished technical plenums, which turns out to be complex and to contain uncertainties.

The invention aims to solve these problems.

To this end, and according to a first aspect, the invention relates to a mast intended for a lighting apparatus and / or for the support of connection members such as connectors or technical sockets, suitable for being placed in a room of a building and to be connected to a set of cables supplying said building, such as electric cables, telephone cables, etc., said mast comprising on the one hand a column extending over substantially the entire height of the mast, and on the other share an envelope surrounding the column, so that between the column and the envelope is defined a housing capable of receiving all of the cables and the connection members, said envelope comprising at least one lumen intended to render the organs of connection accessible from outside the mast, said cables being connected, inside the enclosure and outside the column, to the corresponding connection members.

Thus, it is requested from the company or companies in charge of electricity, low current, etc. lots. leave their connection boxes on standby with a sufficient length of cable to allow the said boxes to be lowered into the mast that is to be installed, or to raise these boxes above the floor.

When installing the false ceiling - in the case of a connection from above - the connection boxes are temporarily suspended under the ceiling, or placed on the floor.

l'extérieur de la colonne, l'enveloppe étant ensuite mise en place autour de la colonne et du ou des boîtiers de raccordement. Le logement est suffisamment grand pour pouvoir recevoir un ou plusieurs boîtiers de raccordement liés aux câbles. De façon similaire, dans le cas d'une alimentation par le bas, les boîtiers sont remontés. When installing the mast, the boxes are lowered to the height of the mast, and the connection between the cables and the connection members is made

the outside of the column, the envelope then being placed around the column and the connection box or boxes. The housing is large enough to accommodate one or more connection boxes connected to the cables. Similarly, in the case of a bottom feed, the boxes are reassembled.

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It is also conceivable that the cables are left on standby without a connection box at their end, in order to be able to be connected directly to connection members present on the mast.

In this device, the column is intended to ensure the rigidity of the mast, the envelope ensuring the aesthetics and the security of said mast.

l'une à l'autre selon deux lignes sensiblement parallèles à l'axe de la colonne. L'une des parties de l'enveloppe peut comporter au moins deux portions assemblées l'une à l'autre selon une ligne orthogonale à l'axe de la colonne. According to the invention, the envelope comprises at least two parts assembled together, for example two parts forming half-envelopes, assembled

to each other along two lines substantially parallel to the axis of the column. One of the parts of the envelope may comprise at least two portions joined to one another along a line orthogonal to the axis of the column.

Thus, the connection during installation does not require the use of masts of large section which can be opened over the entire height, this solution posing a problem of rigidity.

The ends of two parts of the envelope intended to be assembled to one another include reciprocal latching means, or any other means ensuring the solidity of the closure.

According to other characteristics, the inner face of the envelope comprises at least one zone of shape complementary to the shape of the column, so as to ensure the positioning and the maintenance of said envelope around the column.

The inner face of the envelope may also include, in the vicinity of the openings, mechanical attachment means for the connection members.

The column may include a connection part opening out of the envelope, said connection part being able to receive a light source.

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 According to a first embodiment, the upper end of the mast has a transverse wall intended to close the upper opening of the envelope, the transverse wall comprising for example an orifice in which the cables coming from the ceiling of the room of the building can be introduced. .

According to a second embodiment, the lower end of the mast has an opening in which the cables coming from the floor of the room of the building can be introduced.

According to a second aspect, the invention relates to a lighting device comprising a mast as previously described, a base fixed to the lower end of the mast, and a head carrying the light source, said head being fixed to the mast.

dans le quelle mât est partiellement assemblé ; - la figure 3 est une vue en coupe transversale du mât de la figure 1, en éclaté, avant assemblage des différentes parties le constituant ; - la figure 4 est une vue en coupe transversale du mât de la figure 1 une fois assemblé. The other characteristics of the invention result from the following description of an embodiment, description made with reference to the appended figures in which: - Figure 1 is a perspective view, and exploded, of an apparatus for lighting comprising a mast according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the lighting device of FIG. 1,

in which mast is partially assembled; - Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of the mast of Figure 1, exploded, before assembly of the various parts constituting it; - Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the mast of Figure 1 once assembled.

A mast 1 according to the invention firstly comprises a column 2, intended to ensure the rigidity of the mast 1.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the column 2 is hollow, cylindrical, extends over substantially the entire height of the mast 1, and has a relatively small section. Column 2 can for example be metallic and comprise several parts assembled axially to each other in order to facilitate its transport and its installation.

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It is understood that the shape of column 2 can be any, column 2 can in particular have an elliptical or polygonal section. The dimensions of the section and the thickness of the wall of the column 2 must be such that the column 2 is sufficiently solid and rigid to ensure the stability and the resistance of the mast 1. The section of the column 2 is however as reduced as possible in order to limit the size of the mast 1.

Column 2 is intended to be associated, towards its lower end, with a base 3 resting on the floor of the room of a building. In addition, column 2 has a connection part 4, located for example towards its upper end. The connection part 4 is intended to receive a light source 5 such as a bulb or a fluorescent lamp. The electrical supply of the light source 5 can be carried out via cables passing inside the column 2.

perpendiculairement à la dite colonne 2, la jonction entre la colonne 2 et la partie de connexion 4 étant réalisée selon un plan incliné de 450 par rapport à l'axe de la colonne 2. According to one embodiment, the connection part 4 has the same shape as the column 2, namely hollow cylindrical, of the same section, and is arranged

perpendicular to said column 2, the junction between column 2 and the connection part 4 being produced according to an inclined plane of 450 relative to the axis of column 2.

Column 2 comprises, on its outer face, a switch 6 capable of controlling the light source 5, the switch 6 being for example located substantially at mid-height of column 2.

Furthermore, the mast 1 comprises an envelope 7, intended to be placed around the column 2 over substantially the entire height of the latter.

The envelope 7 has the general shape of a hollow cylinder of axis D1, in the sense of a solid generated by the set of straight lines resting on a guide curve and parallel to the direction D1. When the envelope 7 is mounted around the column 2, the direction D1 is substantially coincident with the axis of the column 2. Of course, the section of the envelope 7 can be arbitrary (ellipsoidal, polygonal, etc.).

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The envelope 7 comprises two parts 8, 9 in the form of half-cylinders of axis D1 extending over the entire height of the envelope 7. The two parts 8, 9, which will be defined as front part 8 and rear part 9 for convenience, are intended to be assembled to one another along two lines substantially parallel to the direction D1 and diametrically opposite.

The two parts 8, 9 are for example made by molding a plastic material. They are therefore preferably identical, so that only one mold is necessary for their manufacture. Of course, the envelope 7 may comprise two non-identical parts, in particular of different external shapes, or of different dimensions. We will place ourselves here in the particular case where the parts 8, 9 are identical.

Each part 8, 9 comprises three walls extending in the direction D1 over the entire height of the half-cylinder. Each part 8, 9 thus comprises a substantially flat and rectangular central wall 10, extended on either side by two walls 11, 12 curved in the same direction, the shape in cross section of these curved walls 11, 12 being substantially that a quarter circle, as illustrated in Figures 3 and 4.

Each part 8, 9 is therefore delimited by a first end 13 of a curved wall 11 and a second end 14 of a curved wall 12, said ends 13, 14 being substantially parallel to the direction D1.

The first end 13 has a groove 15 extended in the direction D1, while the second end 14 has a projection 16, also extended in the direction D1.

During the assembly of the envelope 7, the front 8 and rear 9 parts of the envelope are approached from each other so that the groove 15 of the front part 8-respectively of the rear part 9- and the projection 16 of the rear part 9-respectively of the front part 8-are in correspondence and can cooperate by mutual snap-fastening. The invention provides that this assembly can be removable.

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assurer le positionnement et le maintien de la dite enveloppe 7 autour de la colonne 2. The inner face 18 of each of the parts 8, 9 comprises a protuberance 19 whose face directed towards the axis D1 has a shape complementary to the outer shape of the column 2. In the embodiment shown, the protrusion 19 has a longitudinal cavity 20 in the form of a half cylinder of revolution. Once the envelope 7 has been assembled and placed around the column 2, the longitudinal cavity 20 follows the shape of the column 2, so that

ensuring the positioning and maintenance of said envelope 7 around the column 2.

The front part 8 of the casing 7 comprises three portions 21 a, 21 b, 21 c joined to each other along a line substantially orthogonal to the direction D1, for example by mutual snap-fastening, or by simple juxtaposition.

This constructive arrangement makes it possible both to facilitate the transport of the casing 7, the assembly of the mast 1 and its connection, as will be seen below.

The middle portion 21b has an orifice 22 allowing a user to have access to the switch 6 fixed on the column 2. The lower portion 21c includes lights 23 which can receive connection elements 24.

portions supérieure 21a et médiane 21b de la partie avant 8 de l'enveloppe 7, le dit orifice 25 permettant le passage de la partie de connexion 4 de la colonne 2, qui débouche ainsi à l'extérieur du mât 1 afin de recevoir la source lumineuse 5, ainsi qu'une tête 26 portant la dite source lumineuse 5. The envelope 7 also includes an orifice 25, located here at the junction between the

upper 21a and middle 21b portions of the front part 8 of the casing 7, the said orifice 25 allowing the passage of the connection part 4 of the column 2, which thus opens out to the mast 1 in order to receive the source light 5, as well as a head 26 carrying said light source 5.

We now describe the installation of the mast 1 in a room of a building.

The room in which the mast 1 is placed is supplied by cables 27 coming down from the false ceiling. The cables 27 are provided, or not, at their end, with a connection box 29 left on standby by the companies responsible for the electricity and low current batches. The cables 27 have a sufficient length so that the connection box or boxes 29 can be placed in the mast 1 or to be able to be connected to the connection elements 24.

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The different elements of column 2, the head 26 carrying the light source 5 and the base 3 are assembled and connected together.

inférieure 21c de l'enveloppe 7. The rear part 9 of the casing 7 is then fixed to the column 2. Where appropriate, the casing (s) 29 are fixed to the rear part 9 of the casing 7. The connection elements 24 (electrical, telephone, television, network, connectors, etc.) are connected to connection boxes 29 or directly to cables 27, and installed in the lights 23 of the portion

lower 21c of the envelope 7.

To this end, the inner face 18 of the lower portion 21c of the front face 8 of the casing 7 comprises, in the vicinity of the openings 23, hooks 31 capable of cooperating with elastic snap tabs 32 formed on the elements of connection 24. When a connection element 24 is put in place in the casing 7, the hooks 31 are placed between said snap-on lugs 32 and a shoulder 33 formed on said connection element 24.

The connection elements 24 are also held in the casing 7 by the cooperation of their shoulder 33 with a bearing surface 34 arranged on the protuberance 19 of the inner face 18 of the casing 7, as illustrated in FIG. 4.

The invention also provides a cover 35 for closing a light 23 receiving no connection element 24, for aesthetic purposes. The cover 35 has a shoulder 33 'similar to that formed on the connection element 24, so that it can cooperate with the bearing surface 34 and the hook 31, in order to be held in position in the envelope 7.

The different portions 21a, 21b and 21c of the front part 8 of the envelope 7 are then assembled on the one hand to the rear part 9 and on the other hand to each other, in order to constitute the envelope 7.

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 Fixing screws 36 make it possible to secure the various constituent parts of the mast 1.

Finally, an insulating protective sheath 28 covering the cables 27 and a transverse wall 30 located at the end of the sheath 28, both being opening parts, are clipped onto the cables 27 and fixed respectively to the ceiling and to the upper end. of mast 1 in order to close it. A flange in two assemblable parts (not shown) makes it possible to hide the entry of the cables 27 in the false ceiling.

Thus, the connection of the cables 27 to the connection elements 24, via the connection box or boxes 29, can be carried out easily outside of the column 2, in the absence of a casing 7. Once the connections have been made, the casing 7 is placed in pieces, hides the cables 27 and the connection box or boxes 29, thus ensuring the aesthetics and safety of the mast 1.

The connection boxes 29 as well as the cables 27 are located in a housing 37 defined between the casing 7 and the column 2, the dimensions of the casing 7 and of the column 2 being such that the said housing 37 is sufficiently large.

This method of connection and installation proves to be particularly simple and rapid, the mast 1 thus assembled having the double advantage of being resistant and aesthetic. The fact that the casing 7 is removable and produced in several parts also makes it possible to easily modify the connections according to the needs of the users.

This gives a floor lamp and a sei-mobile technical mast on foot supplied from above. Of course, the invention also applies to masts supplied by cables coming from the floor, as well as to conventional technical masts, fixed from floor to ceiling by jacks.

In the case where the masts must fit into the office furniture, it is possible to make each part 8.9 of the envelope 7 in two portions, the

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dimension de l'ouverture dans le plan de travail étant alors réduite à celle de la colonne 2.

dimension of the opening in the worktop then being reduced to that of column 2.

The mast 1 may also include several lighting heads 26 and / or connection members 24 on each of the front 8 and rear faces 9. In this embodiment, the connection part 4 may have the shape of a T (in the case of two lighting heads 26) or of a cross (in the case of four lighting heads 26). In addition, the rear part 9 of the casing 7 can also be made in several parts, like the front part 8 which has just been described.

Claims (14)

 1. Mast intended for a lighting device and / or for the support of connection members (24) such as connectors or technical sockets, suitable for being placed in a room of a building and for being connected to a set of cables (27) supplying said building, such as electric, telephone cables, etc., characterized in that it comprises on the one hand a column (2) extending over substantially the entire height of the mast (1) and intended for ensuring the rigidity of said mast (1), and on the other hand an envelope (7) surrounding the column (2), so that between the column (2) and the envelope (7) is defined a housing (37 ) suitable for receiving all of the cables (27) and the connection members (24), said casing (7) comprising at least one lumen (23) intended to make the connection members (24) accessible from the outside of the mast (1), the said cables (27) being connected, inside

 of the envelope (7) and outside the column (2), to the corresponding connection members (24), the envelope (7) thus ensuring the aesthetics and safety of the mast (1). 2. Mast according to claim 1, characterized in that the envelope (7) comprises at least two parts (8,9) assembled to one another. 3. Mast according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the envelope (7) comprises two parts (8,9) forming half-envelopes, joined to one another along two lines (13,14) substantially parallel to the axis of the column (2). 4. Mast according to claim 3, characterized in that one of the parts (8) of the envelope (7) comprises at least two portions (21 a, 21 b, 21 c)

 joined to each other along a line orthogonal to the axis of the column (2). 5. Mast according to any one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the ends (13,14) of two parts (8,9) of the envelope (7) intended to <Desc / Clms Page number 12>  be assembled to each other include reciprocal latching means (15, 16). 6. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the inner face (18) of the envelope (7) comprises at least one zone (20) of shape complementary to the shape of the column (2 ), so as to ensure the positioning and the maintenance of said envelope (7) around the column (2). 7. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the inner face (18) of the envelope (7) comprises, in the vicinity of the openings (23), mechanical attachment means (31, 34) connecting members (24). 8. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the column (2) comprises a switch (6) capable of controlling a source

 light (5) connected to the mast (1), said switch (6) being accessible from outside the mast (1) via an orifice (22) formed in the envelope (7). 9. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the column (2) comprises a connection part (4) opening out to the outside of the casing (7), the said connection part ( 4) being able to receive a light source (5). 10. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the upper end of the mast (1) has a transverse wall (30) intended to close the upper opening of the envelope (7). 11. Mast according to claim 10, characterized in that the transverse wall (30) comprises an orifice into which the cables (27) coming from the ceiling of the room of the building can be introduced. 12. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the lower end of the mast (1) has an opening in which <Desc / Clms Page number 13>  cables (27) coming from the floor of the building room can be introduced. 13. Mast according to any one of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the housing (37) is large enough to be able to receive at least one connection box (29) connected to the cables (27) supplying the building. 14. Lighting apparatus comprising a mast (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, a base (3) fixed to the lower end of the mast (1), and a head (26) carrying the light source, the said head (26) being fixed to the mast (1).