GB2399696A

GB2399696A - Two-part lampholder supporting lamp shade

Info

Publication number: GB2399696A
Application number: GB0306074A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Wade
Original assignee: Hager Engineering Ltd
Current assignee: Hager Engineering Ltd
Priority date: 2003-03-18
Filing date: 2003-03-18
Publication date: 2004-09-22
Also published as: GB0306074D0

Abstract

A lampholder contains circuitry to supply a low-power fluorescent bulb. The lampholder is made in two parts, one part 10 holding the bulb and the other part 14 connecting to an electrical supply. The two parts are releasably connectible with each other and hold a lamp shade fitting between them. Alternatively, the circuitry may be located in the ceiling rose 16.

Description

ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES

This invention relates to lamp holders for use with low power fluorescent lamps.

It is already known from UK Patent No. 2264401 to provide a lamp holder which is intended for use with a 240 volt mains electricity supply and is suitable for use with a compact low power fluorescent lamp, typically 10 or 13 watts. The body portion of lo the lamp holder in this case has integral with it an electronics conversion kit adapted to convert mains electricity supply to an electricity supply suitable to power the low power fluorescent lamp.

In that prior patent, the body portion also serves to locate the fitting for connecting a lamp shade to the lamp holder. Because the body portion has the electronics conversion kit integral with it, the body portion is necessarily of a relatively large diameter and, as a result, cannot be used with standard lamp shade fittings which are currently used in the United Kingdom. The problem has been overcome either by using nonstandard lamp shade fittings or providing an adapter kit which couples the lamp shade fitting to the body portion of the lamp holder.

The present invention seeks to provide a lamp holder which is readily amenable for use with standard lamp shade fittings currently in use in the UK.

According to the present invention there is provided a lamp holder comprising a first part adapted for coupling to a low power fluorescent lamp and a second part for connection to an electric power supply, the two parts being releasably connectible with - 2 each other to connect the power supply to a lamp coupled with the first part while also locating a lamp shade fitting between the two parts.

In this way, a standard lamp shade fitting can be readily accommodated between me two parts of the lamp holder thereby affording greater flexibility and eliminating the need to adapt the fitting of the lamp holder.

The lampholder of the present invention is particularly intended for use with so-called compact low power fluorescent lamps, especially those lamps of me type having lo no power conversion electtronics, which are to be powered from a source of mains electricity, e.g. 240 volts, 50 Hz in the UK but which may differ in other countries.

The standard UK lamp shade fitting includes a mounting ring, the internal diameter of which (for the UK) is about 29 mm.

At least one of me two parts may be provided, in me vicinity of the interface between the two parts, with a formation or formations arranged to locate within and/or around the mounting ring, preferably with limited clearance so that me lateral movement of the ring is substantially eliminated.

The ring-locating formation may be in the form of an upstand, such as a boss which may be at least part-circular or one or more flanges, projecting from one of the parts towards the other.

At least one or both of the parts may be provided, in the vicinity of me interface between the two parts, with formations which co-operate with me fitting to limit or prevent rotation of me fitting. - 3

The two parts may be provided with electrical contacts for conducting the power supply from the second part to the first, the contacts being brought into engagement when connecting the two parts together.

The releasable connection between the two parts may involve sliding or angular movement to interengage connecting elements of the two parts.

The electronics conversion kit may be separate from both of said parts or it may be incorporated in one of said parts.

Where for instance the lamp holder is a pendant-type lamp holder, intended to be suspended from a ceiling rose by an electrical supply cable, the conversion kit may be incorporated in the first part, the second part or the ceiling rose.

The mounting ring may be accommodated in a gap between the first and second parts and means may be provided for urging the fitting towards one of the parts so that such means is operable to take up any slack and substantially prevent movement ofthe mounting ring in a direction normal to the interface.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a ceiling rose for use with a pendant lampholder for use with low power fluorescent lamps, the ceiling rose being provided with electronics for conversion of mains electricity supply to an electricity supply suitable for powering the low power fluorescent lamp.

The invention will now be described by way of example only with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a domestic pendant-type lamp holder; - 4 Figure 2 is a front elevation of one embodiment of the pendant-type lamp holder shown with the parts separated from each other; Figure 3 is a side elevation of one embodiment of the pendant-type lamp holder shown with the parts separated from each other; Figure 4 is an enlarged perspective view showing a lamp shade assembled with the first part of the lamp holder; lo Figure S is a perspective view of the lamp holder parts shown separated from one another; Figure 6 is a perspective view of the first part of the lamp holder; Figure 7 is a view similar to that of Figure S but for a second embodiment of the invention; Figure 8 is an enlarged view of the second part of the lamp holder illustrated in Figure 7; Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the two parts of the second embodiment with part of the lamp shade fitting shown; Figure l O is perspective view of the two parts viewed from below; and Figure 11 is perspective view of the two parts viewed from above. - s -

Referring to Figure 1, a domestic pendant-type lamp holder comprises a first part 10 adapted to receive a low power fluorescent lamp 12 for example as a plug-in fit, the lamp being powered by the mains electricity supply following conversion of the 240V mains voltage to a higher voltage suitable for powering the fluorescent lamp using a conversion electronics (not shown). The lamp holder further comprises a second part 14 which is releasably connected to the first part, the second part 14 being connected to a ceiling rose 16 via electrical supply cable 18. The releasable connection between the parts and 14 is effected by interfitting male and female connecting elements.

lo The conversion electronics may be incorporated in the first or second part or in the ceiling rose. There is an interface between the two parts 10 and 14 and, in accordance with the present invention, this interface is employed for locating the mounting ring of a lamp shade fitting in such a way that a standard fitting can be readily accommodated. The two parts 10, 14 are provided with respective electrical contacts which interengage to conduct the power supply from the second part to the first part and hence to the lamp 12. The connection between the parts 10 and 14 can be either effected with an angular or twisting action or by a sliding action, as will be explained further below. Both parts 10 and 14 are typically produced as plastics mouldings.

Referring now to Figures 2 to 6, in this embodiment of the invention the two parts 10 and 14 interengage in the manner of the well-known KLIK range electrical connectors, involving first registering formations with one another in the vertical direction (as viewed in Figures 2 and 3) and then, once registered, sliding the parts relative to one another with a linear motion in the horizontal plane (as seen in Figures 2 and 3) to secure them together.

The first part l O includes a central circular upstand 20 in the form of a boss for example (although it could instead be a suitably oriented flange or flange sections). The - 6 upstand 20 need not necessarily be circular since its purpose is to locate the mounting ring 22 of a lamp shade fitting and prevent it moving in the horizontal plane when assembled to the first part 10. A pair of male contacts 24 project upwardly for registry with corresponding female contacts (not shown) provided in the second part 14, the female contacts being elongated to allow some degree of motion of the male contacts 24 in the direction X (see Figure 3). The contacts are located within the boundary of the upstand 20 but this is not essential.

As shown in Figure 4, the lamp shade 26 is provided with a standard fitting lo comprising the mounting ring 22 with lateral diametrally oppositely projecting arms 28.

For a standard UK lamp shade fitting, the internal diameter of the mounting ring 24 is about 29 mm. The ring 24 fits around and is located in the horizontal plane by the upstand 20. The height of the upstand 20 is slightly greater than the thickness of the mounting ring 22 and arms 28. In a modification (not shown), the upstand may be arranged so that it encircles the mounting ring (at least in part) in order to secure the correct locationof the rmg.

The first and second parts are releasably connected together by a male connector 30 and a female connector 32 provided on the two parts. In the embodiment of Figures 2 to 6, the male connector 30 is provided on the second part 14 but the arrangement may of course be reversed. The male connector is of T-shape comprising a stem 34 and a cross-piece 36 and the female connector 32 is configured so that the crosspiece can be initially registered with an enlarged section 38 and then moved linearly and horizontally in the direction Y in Figure 6 until the stem 34 enters the smaller section 40 and the projections of the crosspiece 36 are located beneath the portions 42 on either side of section 40. - 7

As the male connector is moved linearly into the section 40 it passes a resiliently deflectable detent 44 or the like which deflects back to resist return movement of the male connector 30 thereby securing the parts 10 and 14 together. To disengage the parts 10 and 14, sufficient force is applied to slide the stem 34 past the detent 44 and back into the large section 38 to allow the parts to be separated in the vertical direction. When the parts 10 and 14 are interconnected in this manner, the upper face of the upstand 20 abuts the lower face of the part 14 resulting in a gap for accommodating the lamp shade fitting. The action of registering and securing the parts 10 and 14 together is also accompanied by registration of the male contacts 24 with the female contacts and sliding 0 of the contacts relative to each other in the horizontal direction to provide electrical connections between the parts 10 and 14. Although the interconnection between the parts is provided by a male/female connection separate from the contacts, it will be appreciated that the interconnection may, if desired, be provided by contouring the male and female contacts appropriately as in the well-known KLIK electrical connectors.

To prevent "wobble" of the lampshade, biasing means acts on the fitting to take up any slack resulting from the dimension of the gap and the thickness of the fitting.

In Figures 2 to 6, the biasing action is provided by spring fingers 46 which are formed integrally with the first part and have upwardly projecting free ends 48 for contact with the underside of the mounting ring 22. To prevent or restrict rotation of the fitting, anti- rotation elements 50 are provided on one or both of the parts 10 and 14 (on part 10 in Figures 2 to 6) so that the arms 28 are straddled on each side and thereby restricted to only a limited degree of rotation. The spacing between the elements 50 may of course be made smaller so as to virtually eliminate such angular movement of the fitting.

Referring now to Figures 7 to 11, in this embodiment components which have counterparts in Figures 1 to 6 are depicted using the same reference numbering except for the prefix "1 " - e.g. the first part 110 in Figures 7 to 11 corresponds to the first part 10 in - 8 Figures 1 to 6. In the second embodiment, the two parts 110 and 114 are releasably connected with a turning or twisting action which may be implemented by a bayonet- type connection. The lamp 12 is received in a socket 160 having contacts 162 which are linked to the contacts 124. The embodiment of Figures 2 to 6 may also be provided with a lamp receiving socket 160 similar to that of Figures 7 to 11.

As seen in Figures 7 to 11, the upstand 120 is provided with female connectors in the form of arcuate openings 164 which are substantially concentric with the vertical axis of the lamp holder. The male connectors comprise arcuate fingers 166 0 which, when the parts 110 and 114 are suitably oriented with each other, can be registered so that the fingers 166 can be pushed through the openings 164. Once registered in this way, by rotating the parts relative to one another the fingers 166 slide beneath the wall in which the openings 164 are provided and may snap engage past or with suitable projections (not shown) on the underside of that wall to resist rotation of the parts in the reverse direction.

In this case, the electrical contacts 124 and 125 on the parts 110 and 114 respectively are initially out of registration with one another but engage once the parts 110 to 114 have been rotated sufficiently for the fingers 166 to snap engage past or with the projections. To facilitate initial registration of the parts 110 and 114, they may be provided with a central spigot and socket type connection. In the illustrated embodiment, this is implemented by a spindle 170 depending from the second part 114 which registers with an aperture 172 in the first part 110.

:5 As in the embodiment of Figures 2 to 6, biasing means is provided to take up play and prevent wobble ofthe lamp shade fitting. This is again implemented by resiliently deflectable fingers 146/projections 148 but, in this case, the fingers 146 are provided on - 9 - the underside of the second part 114 and bear against the top surface of the mounting ring 122. Rotation of the fitting is prevented or restricted by projections 150.

As mentioned above in relation to Figure 1, in the embodiments of Figures 2 to 6 and Figures 7 to 11, the electronics conversion from mains voltage to a voltage sufficiently high to power the fluorescent lamp may be associated with one of the parts 10/110 and 14/114 or with the ceiling rose.

Although the invention is described herein with reference to a domestic lo pendant-type lamp holder, it is to be understood that it may be applied to other forms of lamp holder such as a batten-type lamp holder.

Whilst endeavouring in the foregoing to draw attention to those features of the invention believed to be of particular importance, it should be understood that the Applicant claims protection in respect of any patentable feature or combination of features disclosed herein andlor shown in the drawings whether or not particular emphasis has been placed on such feature or features. -

Claims

1. A lamp holder comprising a first part adapted for coupling to a low power fluorescent lamp and a second part for connection to an electric power supply, the two parts being releasably connectible with each other to connect the power supply to a lamp coupled with the first part while also locating a lamp shade fitting between the two parts.

2. A lampholder as claimed in Claim 1 in which at least one of the two parts is lo provided, in the vicinity of the interface between the two parts, with a formation or formations arranged to locate within and/or around the mounting ring.

3. A lampholder as claimed in Claim 2, the ring-locating formation or formations being in the form of an upstand projecting from one of the parts towards the other.

4. A lampholder as claimed in any one ofthe preceding claims in which at least one of the parts is provided, in the vicinity of the interface between the two parts, with formations which co-operate with the fitting to limit or prevent rotation of the fitting.

5. A lampholder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the two parts are provided with electrical contacts for conducting the power supply from the second part to the first, the contacts being brought into engagement when connecting the two parts together.

6. A lamphoder as claimed in Claim 5 in which the connection between the two parts involves sliding or angular movement to interengage connecting elements of the two parts. - \\

7. A lampholder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which an electronics conversion kit is incorporated in one of said parts.

8. A lamphoder as claimed in any one of Claims 1 to 7 of the pendant-type, intended to be suspended from a ceiling rose by an electrical supply cable, electronics for conversion of mains electricity supply to an electricity supply suitable for powering the low power fluorescent lamp being in the first part, the second part or the ceiling rose.

lo

9. A lampholder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which the mounting ring is accommodated in a gap between the first and second parts.

10. A lampholder as claimed in any one of the preceding claims in which means is provided for urging the fitting towards one of the parts so that such means is operable to take up any slack and substantially prevent movement of the mounting ring in a direction normal to the interface.

11. A ceiling rose for use with a pendant lampholder which is designed for use with low power fluorescent lamps, the ceiling rose being provided with electronics for conversion of mains electricity supply to an electricity supply suitable for powering the low power fluorescent lamp.

12. A lampholder substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as shown in, any one of the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.