GB2275524A

GB2275524A - Luminaire mounting member

Info

Publication number: GB2275524A
Application number: GB9403259A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alain Hamadache; Edouard Groot
Original assignee: Philips Gloeilampenfabrieken NV; Philips Electronics NV
Current assignee: Koninklijke Philips NV
Priority date: 1993-02-24
Filing date: 1994-02-21
Publication date: 1994-08-31
Anticipated expiration: 2014-02-21
Also published as: GB9403259D0; NZ250924A; AU5634194A; FR2702032B1; FR2702032A1; AU665892B2; GB2275524B

Abstract

The mounting member for watertight mounting of a luminaire (30) against a connection box (20) of an electrical installation comprises a coupling body (1), for example disc-shaped, which can be fastened with a first plane surface (3) thereof and a first sealing ring (4) against a connection box. The body (1) has a tubular portion (5), with screwthread at its outer surface (7), surrounded by a second plane surface (6) facing away from the first. Power supply wires (22) can be passed through the tubular portion (5) from the relevant connection box (20) to the exterior. A wall (32) of a luminaire (30) can be clamped in a watertight manner by means of a nut (8) which fits the screw-thread and a second sealing ring (9) which fits around the tubular portion. <IMAGE>

Description

Mounting member for mounting a luminaire against a connection box, and luminaire provided with such a mounting member.

The invention relates to a mounting member for watertight mounting of a luminaire against a connection box of an electrical installation.

Luminaires are often mounted directly against a connection box of an electrical installation. Such connection boxes may be present against or in a ceiling or wall of a building. They serve to facilitate the electrical connection of an electrical appliance, such as a luminaire, to the power mains of a building. Standardized connection boxes are known, inter alia in Great-Britain, under the designation Besa box.

It is a disadvantage that the connection to a connection box is not watertight unless special measures are taken in the luminaire. This disadvantage is particularly relevant in moist surroundings such as factories, laundries, car parks, etc.

GB 718 384 discloses a special luminaire where a porcelain support of a lampholder is fastened with screws against a connection box with an interposed sealing ring. The support has a collar which is threaded on its inner surface, so that a glass bell jar with an interposed sealing ring can be screwed over an electric lamp accommodated in the lampholder. The lamp and its electrical connections are thus enclosed in a watertight manner against the connection box.

The known luminaire is specially designed for this method of mounting.

Other luminaires which are watertight per se, for example luminaires for elongate tubular fluorescent lamps, cannot be mounted against a connection box in this manner and connected electrically to the wiring therein.

It is an object of the invention to provide a mounting member of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph by means of which it is possible to connect a wide range of luminaires, for example having housings with walls of a comparatively thin material, to a connection box in a watertight manner, for example with one of the watertightness classifications IP 50 to IP 66.

According to the invention, there is provided a mounting member for watertight mounting of a luminaire against a connection box of an electrical installation, which luminaire has a wall with an opening therein for cooperating with the mounting member, characterised in that the mounting member comprises a coupling body and a first sealing ring, the coupling body having a first plane surface for mounting against the connection box with the first sealing ring interposed between the first plane surface and the connection box, and being provided with holes issuing into the first plane surface through which fastening means can extend to fasten the coupling body to the connection box, the coupling body further having a tubular portion for extending through the opening in the wall of the luminaire, which tubular portion is surrounded by and transverse to a second plane surface that faces away from the first plane surface and opens through the first plane surface to allow power supply wires to pass from the connection box through the tubular portion, and which has an outer surface provided with a screwthread, and in that the mounting member further includes a second sealing ring fitting around the tubular portion and a nut fitting said screwthread for clamping the luminaire in a watertight manner against the second sealing ring on the second plane surface.

One opening in a wall of the luminaire housing suffices for mounting the luminaire against a connection box in a watertight manner by means of the mounting member and also connecting it electrically.

An advantage of the mounting member is that the mounted luminaire is clamped around the opening in its housing wall by the mounting member with the second sealing ring and the nut, so that a good sealing is obtained also in the case of a housing of comparatively thin wall material.

The fastening of a luminaire to the mounting member with a nut around the tubular portion renders it possible to mount the luminaire in any rotational position relative to the connection box against the wall or ceiling in or on which this box is present, independently of the rotational position of said box.

The mounting member may be circular with the coupling body being disc shaped, for example to conform with circular Besa boxes, but may alternatively have a different shape, for example a rectangular or square shape.

The mounting member may be fastened against the connection box with, for example, screws. The screws may lie outside the region against which a luminaire will exert pressure. Alternatively, however, the screws may lie recessed below the relative surface of the mounting member. Yet another possibility is that there is a lowered edge around the second plane surface, in which edge the first holes are present.

It is advantageous to fasten the mounting member against a connection box after the electric wiring in the box has been pulled to the exterior through the tubular portion. The weight and volume of a luminaire to be suspended are then not experienced as obstacles during fastening. When a luminaire is being suspended, the wiring is inserted through an opening in a wall thereof and the luminaire is mechanically fixed with said nut. The luminaire may be aligned during this. Then the luminaire can be electrically connected to the wires. It is favourable when the tubular portion has an external diameter in a range from 21 to 23 mm.The tubular portion can then have a sufficiently great wall thickness, for example depending on the material chosen, from a few tenths of a mm up to a few mm, while it is still sufficiently wide for the wiring to be passed easily and with clearance through it in lateral direction. On the other hand, the second plane surface has an amply sufficient size for achieving a secure coupling to a luminaire, also if the mounting member should have a maximum diameter no greater than the diameter of a connection box. The mounting member may be made, for example, of metal, but alternatively of a synthetic resin, for example of polyether imide, polycarbonate, polyamide, etc.

A luminaire with a housing made of, for example, metal or synthetic resin, may have an opening which is slightly larger than the external diameter of the tubular portion, for example 24 mm. In the case of a different suspension method of the luminaire from that against a connection box, a standard grommet may be enclosed in this opening for the passage of an electric supply cable.

An embodiment of the mounting member according to the invention is shown in cross-section in the drawing.

In the drawing, the mounting member for watertight mounting of a luminaire against a connection box of an electrical installation comprises a disc-shaped coupling body 1 with first holes 2 issuing into a first plane surface 3 thereof, and also a first sealing ring 4. The disc-shaped body 1 is fastened with the first plane surface 3 thereof against a connection box 20 of an electrical installation with the first sealing ring 4 interposed therebetween. Fastening means 21, screws in the Figure, extend through the first holes 2.

The disc-shaped body 1, for example made of polyether imide, has a tubular portion 5 which is surrounded by and transverse to a second plane surface 6 which faces away from the first plane surface 3. The tubular portion is open up to the first plane surface 3, so that power supply wires can be passed through the tubular portion from the relevant connection box 20 to the exterior.

The tubular portion 5 has an outer surface 7 provided with screwthread on which a nut 8 fits and around which a second sealing ring 9 fits for the watertight clamping of a wall 32 of a housing 31 of a luminaire 30 onto the second plane surface 6 between the second sealing ring and the nut. The wall 32 is provided with an opening 33 for accommodating the tubular portion 5.

The mounting member has a lowered edge 10 around the second plane surface 6, in which edge the first holes 2 are present.

The tubular portion has an external diameter in the region of 21 to 23 mm.

In the Figure, the connection box is mounted against a ceiling 23. The housing 31 contains a reflector 34 which concentrates the light generated by a, for example tubular, lamp 35 into a beam. The housing is closed with a transparent cover 36 with an interposed gasket 37.

Claims

Claims:

1. A mounting member for watertight mounting of a luminaire against a connection box of an electrical installation, which luminaire has a wall with an opening therein for cooperating with the mounting member, characterised in that the mounting member comprises a coupling body and a first sealing ring, the coupling body having a first plane surface for mounting against the connection box with the first sealing ring interposed between the first plane surface and the connection box, and being provided with holes issuing into the first plane surface through which fastening means can extend to fasten the coupling body to the connection box, the coupling body further having a tubular portion for extending through the opening in the wall of the luminaire, which tubular portion is surrounded by and transverse to a second plane surface that faces away from the first plane surface and opens through the first plane surface to allow power supply wires to pass from the connection box through the tubular portion, and which has an outer surface provided with a screwthread, and in that the mounting member further includes a second sealing ring fitting around the tubular portion and a nut fitting said screwthread for clamping the luminaire in a watertight manner against the second sealing ring on the second plane surface.

2. A mounting member as claimed in Claim 1, characterised in that a lowered edge is present around the second plane surface in which the holes for the fastening means are present.

3. A mounting member as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the tubular portion has an external diameter which lies in the range from 21 to 23 mm.

4. A luminaire provided with the mounting member as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3.

5. A luminaire mounted on a connection box of an electrical installation by means of a mounting member as claimed in Claim 1, 2 or 3.

6. A mounting member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.

7. A luminaire provided with a mounting member substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, the accompanying drawing.