GB2496044A - Bulb holder for recessed luminaire - Google Patents

Abstract

A bulb holder 5 for a built-in or recessed luminaire 1 has two components 6, 7 that can be telescopically adjusted relative to one another. The inner of the components 6 is provided for accommodating a bulb socket 8 and the outer of the components 7 is provided for connecting to a support body 2. The two components 6, 7 are also rotatable relative to one another. The telescopic adjustment of the two components is blocked in a first relative rotary position of the components and is enabled in another relative position. The inner component 6 carries on its surface facing towards the outer component 7 a plurality of spaced locking ribs 12 which extend transversely to the direction of the telescopic adjustability. The outer component 7 has on its surface facing towards the inner component 6 at least one complementary blocking rib 15 for bearing against a locking rib 12 of the inner component.

Description

BULB HOLDER FOR A BUILT-IN OR RECESSED LUMINAIRE

The invention relates to a bulb holder for a built-in or recessed luminaire, which bulb holder has two components that can be telescopically adjusted relative to one another, wherein the inner component is provided for accommodating a bulb socket and the outer component is provided for connecting to a support body.

In order to set the position of a bulb in a recessed luminaire, for example in relation to a reflector or even in relation to the lower end of said luminaire, devices have been developed in which the bulb holder as well as the reflector can be adjusted in relation to an installation ring, as described for example in US 6,336,613 Bi, or in which the top insert consists of two components which can be telescopically adjusted relative to one another. Such a configuration is known from US 3,316,399 A. In the subject matter of said document, the total height of the luminaire can be set by virtue of the ability of the two components to move telescopically relative to one another.

The inner component is displaceable relative to the outer component in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The inner component carries the bulb socket. In order to fix the two components with respect to one another, the inner component has a slot following its longitudinal extension, in which there engages a screw that is attached to the outer component. The two components are fixed with respect to one another by means of a wing nut which is threaded onto the screw shaft. Since the bulb holder known from said document is a bulb holder of a recessed luminaire and an adjustability is said to be ensured even after the installation thereof, a fixing of the two components with respect to one another by fastening a screw that is arranged on the outside is prohibited. The guide slot, formed in the inner component, may have some right-angled branchings, by means of which certain set positions between the two components with regard to their telescopic mobility can be defined.

When a setting of the two components is to take place at the level of such a branching, this can take place by inserting the screw shaft into one such branching in a manner so as to be locked in a form-fitting manner in the adjustment direction.

Besides the subject matter known from US 6,336,613 B1, a large number of bulb holders exist which can be set in terms of their height in relation to an installation ring or to the lower end of the luminaire. This takes place for example by using threaded rods, but adjustment of the bulb holder is possible only with access to the outside of the luminaire.

Given the fact that bulbs of differing sizes can be used in a recessed luminaire, an adaptation of the height of the bulb holder in relation to the lower end of the luminaire after installation of the latter can be achieved only with those bulb holders which can be operated even after installation of the luminaire, as is the case for example with the bulb holder known from US 3,316,399 Al. In this case, the adjustability of the bulb holder can be used to adapt to bulbs of different height or also to adapt the position of the bulb within a reflector.

It would also be desirable if luminaires of different size could be fitted with one and the same bulb holder by the manufacturer and if said bulb holder is particularly easy to handle and inexpensive to produce. It would therefore be desirable to have available a bulb holder as a module for variable use for equipping different luminaires.

Proceeding from this discussed prior art, the object of the invention is therefore to further develop a bulb holder of the type mentioned above so that a setting of the bulb holder is possible even once the built-in or recessed luminaire has been installed, namely without associated elements protruding into the bulb holder.

This object is achieved according to the invention set out in claim 1 The present invention provides a generic bulb holder of the aforementioned type in which the two components are held such as to be able to rotate relative to one another, wherein a telescopic adjustment of the two components is blocked in a first rotary position of the two components relative to one another and is enabled in another position and to this end one of the two components -the first component -carries on its surface facing towards the other component -the second component -a plurality of locking ribs which extend transversely to the direction of the telescopic adjustability and are arranged at a distance from one another in this adjustability, and the second component has on its surface facing towards the first component at least one complementary blocking rib for bearing against a locking rib of the first component.

In this bulb holder, it is provided that the two components which are telescopically adjustable relative to one another in order to set the height of the bulb holder are likewise held in such a way as to be able to rotate relative to one another. It is provided that the telescopic adjustability is blocked in one of the two rotary positions of the two components relative to one another, while it is enabled in the other rotary position. To this end the two components carry, on their sides or surfaces facing towards one another, respectively cooperating locking ribs and blocking ribs. In this case, it is provided that one component carries a plurality of locking ribs which are arranged at a distance from one another, in order in this way to make it possible to set the two components in different positions relative to one another in the direction of their telescopic adjustability. With regard to the height arrangement, the complementary component in principle requires just one blocking rib. In order to block or enable an axial adjustability of the two components relative to one another, the ribs of the two components extend only around part of the total circumference, so that in the enabling rotary position of the two components relative to one another the at least one blocking rib is not in engagement with at least one locking rib of the other component. Since such ribs can be formed with a small width, they can be arranged at a correspondingly small distance from one another so that a setting, although not continuous, can take place in arrangements that are separated from one another by small steps. Due to the form-fitting support of the two components in their locked position relative to one another, the forces to be transmitted from one component to the other can be reliably transferred.

The described ability of the two components to be adjusted and set relative to one another allows a tool-free setting thereof relative to one another, in particular without elements required for locking the two components to one another protruding into the inner component which accommodates the bulb socket. The bulb holder can be set simply by rotating the inner component and adjusting the latter relative to the outer component when said components are in their non-blocking position, in particular even when said bulb holder is part of a recessed luminaire that has already been installed.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the outer component is composed of two half-shells. The half-shells may be connected to one another via locking elements which engage with one another, for example latching connectors. If the bulb holder is to be connected to a mounting ring via struts, it may be provided to form the end section of the struts in the manner of a fork so that each prong of such a strut is introduced into a mounting chamber of each half-shell in the region of the end thereof, said mounting chamber being open on the underside. In this embodiment, therefore, a mutually bearing arrangement of the half-shells takes place by virtue of the interconnected prongs of the struts.

In one further development, it is provided that a rotational movement is blocked in the functional position of the two components relative to one another -i.e. in the position in which the two components are set relative to one another. As a result it is ensured that, even if vibrations occur, the two components of the bulb holder cannot be adjusted relative to one another. This is necessary for example when using such a bulb holder as part of a recessed luminaire on a ship. Such a blocking of the rotational movement can be achieved for example in that at least one blocking rib has a widening at one of its ends. The end face of this widening cooperates with the end face of a complementary locking rib of the other component, namely when the blocking rib engages between two locking ribs and the two components have been brought into the intended locking position relative to one another. It is provided here that the maximum width of such a blocking rib is always smaller than the distance between two locking ribs. It the blocking rib is assigned to the outer component, the widening will extend upwards. In order then to be able to rotate the two components relative to one another, the inner component must first be raised somewhat relative to the outer component so that the locking arrangement described above is voided and the blocking rib with its widening can be passed through between two locking ribs. To block the rotation in the locking position in the other direction of rotation, which is not blocked by the widening described above, it may be provided that the component carrying the locking ribs has a blocking web following the longitudinal extension, against which the locking ribs butt with their end face. Given a combination of these two stops, the blocking rib acts with its free end against such a blocking web, which is located at a distance from the end of the locking ribs that corresponds approximately to the circumferential extension of the widening.

Further advantages and details will become apparent from the following description of an example of embodiment with reference to the appended figures, in which: Fig. 1 shows a recessed luminaire with a bulb holder, shown in the manner of an exploded view, Fig. 2 shows an enlarged detail view of the bulb holder, Fig. 3 shows the assembled bulb holder of Fig. 2 in an arrangement for connecting said bulb holder to the other components of the recessed luminaire, Fig. 4 shows a longitudinal section through the bulb holder of Fig. 3, Fig. 5 shows the recessed luminaire of Fig. 1 in an assembled view, and Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal section through the recessed luminaire of Fig. 5 and the bulb holder in a different position.

A recessed luminaire 1 has a support body 2 with an installation ring 3 serving as a mounting ring. In addition to the installation ring 3, the support body in the illustrated example of embodiment has two struts 4, 4.1 which are connected at one of their ends to the installation ring 3. A bulb holder, denoted as a whole by reference 5, is placed onto the other end of the struts 4, 4.1.

The bulb holder is composed of two components 6, 7, wherein the two components 6, 7 are arranged concentrically in relation to one another and are telescopically adjustable relative to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis of the recessed luminaire 1. The inner and hence inward-lying component 6, which in the context of what is discussed here is also referred to as the first component, is designed in the manner of a socket and serves for accommodating a bulb socket 8.

The bulb socket 8 is screwed to the base at the top of the component 6, which base cannot be seen in Fig. 1. The component 7, which is located on the outside relative to the component 6 and is thus the outward-lying component 7, is in the illustrated example of embodiment composed of two half-shells 9, 9.1 to form an annular body, as can be seen in the assembled view of the bulb holder in Fig. 3.

The bulb holder 5 is described in more detail below with reference to Fig. 2. The first component 6 has two panels 10, 10.1 which are set back from its maximum diameter and are therefore recessed in relation theieto. A locking rib arrangement 11, 11.1 is located in each panel 10, 10.1. The individual locking ribs 12 of the locking rib arrangements 11, 11.1 extend in a manner projecting radially outwards with their longitudinal extension transverse to the longitudinal axis of the component 6. The locking ribs 12 are arranged at a distance from one another. The locking ribs 12 have an asymmetrical cross-sectional geometry. The downward-facing flanks of the locking ribs 12 in Fig. 2 are arranged at right angles or approximately at right angles to the curved plane of the panel 10; the upward-facing flanks are by contrast inclined, namely in the downward direction and thus in the direction of the lower flank. The locking ribs 12 of each locking rib arrangement 11, 11.1 end flush with one another at both sides. Located at a distance from the end of the locking ribs 12 is a blocking web 13 which follows the longitudinal extension of the component 6. The blocking web 13 separates the two panels 10, 10.1 and thus separates the locking rib arrangement 11 from the locking rib arrangement 11.1. On the side of the component 6 that cannot be seen in Fig. 2, a further blocking web is located diametrically opposite the blocking web 13. The two blocking webs 13 are arranged asymmetrically with regard to their distance from the respective end of the locking rib arrangements 11 and 11.1, as can be seen from the view shown in Fig. 2 for the locking rib arrangement 11. The blocking web 13 is thus located at a much smaller distance from the end of the locking rib arrangement 11 than from the end of the locking rib arrangement 11.1.

As can be seen from Fig. 2, the base 14 of the component 6 bears the necessary configurations for connecting the bulb socket, ventilation openings and the fastening for a cable grip.

The two half-shells 9, 9.1 of the outer component 7, which in the context of what is discussed here is also referred to as the second component, are identical. The half-shell 9 will be described below. The details given in relation to said half-shell therefore also apply to the half-shell 9.1. The half-shell 9 carries a blocking rib 15 on its inner side facing towards the component 6. Like the locking ribs 12 of the component 6, the blocking rib 15 extends only over a certain angle of the total circumference. The blocking rib 15 has a length in the circumferential direction such that it fits between the end of the locking rib arrangement 11.1 and the blocking web 13. When the blocking rib 15 is located between the end of the locking rib arrangement 11.1 that can be seen in Fig. 2 and the blocking web 13, the two components 6, 7 can be moved telescopically relative to one another. The axial telescopic adjustability of the two components 6, 7 relative to one another is limited by the two end flanges 16, 16.1 of the component 6, against which the blocking ribs of the two half-shells 9, 9.1 come to bear.

The blocking rib 15 has at one of its ends a widening 17, by means of which the blocking rib 15 is widened in the direction of the longitudinal axis. The cross-sectional geometry of the blocking rib 15 outside the widening 17 is complementary to the cross-sectional geometry of the locking ribs 12. On the blocking rib 15, therefore, the upward-facing flank is arranged at right angles to the inner cylindrical surface of the respective half-shell 9 or 9.1, while the downward-facing flank is inclined.

The distance of the locking ribs 12 from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis and the maximum width of the blocking rib 15 including the widening 17 thereof are tailored to one another so that the blocking rib 15 can in each case engage between two locking ribs 12. This ensures that the two components 6, 7 can be rotated relative to one another about the longitudinal axis, namely such that in one rotary position of the components 6, 7 relative to one another the blocking rib 15 engages between two locking ribs 12 and thus an axial movement of the two components relative to one another is blocked, and in the other position the locking rib 15 including the widening 17 thereof is located between the blocking web 13 and the end of the locking rib arrangement 11 or 11.1 facing towards the blocking web 13, in which position, as already described above, the two components 6, 7 can be moved relative to one another in an axial direction and thus telescopically relative to one another. It will be understood that the blocking rib 15, in the position thereof which enables an axial movement of the components 6, 7 relative to one another, is located in the section with the greater distance between the blocking web 13 and the end of a locking rib arrangement 11 or 11.1 facing towards said blocking web.

For the end face of the locking rib 12 that cannot be seen in Fig. 2, the blocking web 13 forms a stop for limiting the rotational movement in one direction. The end face provided by the widening 17 as the end of the blocking rib 15, which as a stop cooperates with the other side of the blocking web 13, serves for limiting the rotational movement of the two components 6, 7 in the other direction. With its end face 18 that faces towards the non-widened section of the blocking rib 15, the widening 17 serves as a securing mechanism which acts against an end face of a locking rib 12 when the two components 6, 7 are locked to one another according to the invention. Then the blocking rib 15 engages without its widening 17 between two locking ribs 12, wherein the end face 18 acts against the end face of a locking rib 12 while the other end 19 of the widening 17 acts against the stop face of the blocking web 13 that is denoted by reference 20 in Fig. 2. When the two components 6, 7 are in this blocked position, a rotation of the two components 6, 7 relative to one another is possible only when the stop arrangement between the end face 18 of the widening 17 of the blocking rib 15 and the end face of the locking rib 12 that cooperates therewith is cancelled. Since the component 6 is the movable component relative to the component 7 with regard to the recessed luminaire 1, said component must be moved out of its rotary blocking position, i.e. raised somewhat. The above-described stop arrangement is then cancelled and the locking rib 15 can be pushed with its widening 17 through the intermediate space between two locking ribs 12, until the engagement of the blocking rib 15 and locking ribs 12 is released. The two components 6, 7 can then be adjusted and set relative to one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis.

The description of the rotation prevention of the two components 6, 7 relative to one another makes it clear that this is achieved solely by the weight of the component 6 and of the components connected thereto (e.g. bulb socket, bulb and optionally add-ons). This is also haptically perceptible due to the fact that the component 6 with its equipment drops by the height of the widening relative to the component 7 and thus relative to all the other constituents of the recessed luminaire when the component is locked as intended. To a person performing a setting of the two components 6, 7 of the bulb holder 5, therefore, this also indicates when the two components 6, 7 are rotated relative to one another as intended in order to bring into effect the above-described rotation prevention.

The mutually facing ends of the half-shells 9, 9.1 that form the component 7 have downwardly open mounting channels 21 which are at least largely closed in the direction of said ends. These mounting channels 21, which can be better seen in Fig. 3, are used to connect the bulb holder 5 to the struts 4, 4.1. The struts 4, 4.1 themselves are of forked configuration in the region of their upper end, wherein it is provided that each fork 22, 22.1 of the strut 4 is inserted into a respective mounting channel 21. The same applies to the strut 4.1. Since the mounting channels 21 are closed in the direction of the opposite end in each case, these are held together after the half-shells 9, 9.1 have been mounted on the struts 4, 4.1. Although other configurations are conceivable, such a configuration in which no additional elements, such as for example latching or clip-in connections, are required in order to connect the two half-shells 9, 9.1 to one another is particularly simple in terms of design and in terms of assembly. In the illustrated example of embodiment, the forks 22, 22.1 carry barbs on the sides thereof facing towards one another, by means of which it is ensured that the bulb holder 5 placed onto the struts 4, 4.1 cannot readily be detached.

In Fig. 3, the two components 6, 7 of the bulb holder 5 are shown in one of their end positions with regard to their axial adjustability relative to one another. This position of the two components 6, 7 relative to one another is shown once again in the cross-sectional view in Fig. 4. The enlarged detail in Fig. 4 moreover shows the supporting arrangement of a locking rib 12 (here the lowermost locking rib 12 of the component 6) on the upper side of the blocking rib 15 of the half-shell 9.

The recessed luminaire 1 is shown in the assembled state in Fig. 5.

It can also be seen in Fig. 5 that the half-shells 9, 9.1 each have a window 23. This window 23 serves the purpose of allowing a view of the outer side of the inner component 6. This is useful when the inner component 6 carries at this location an optical marking or some other identification intended to signal to a user an intended position of the two components 6, 7 relative to one another. Markings may indicate different bulb sockets and/or bulb heights for arranging the bulb holder 5 at the correct height from the lower end of the installation ring 3 depending on the socket held therein and the bulb to be inserted, at least at the time of first fitting of the S recessed luminaire 1.

Fig. 6 shows, in a longitudinal section through the recessed luminaire 1, the bulb holder 5 with a different positioning of its two components 6, 7 relative to one another. In this position, the component 6 with its bulb socket 8 is lowered relative to the component 7. This can be seen from the fact that the component 6 protrudes out from the underside of the component 7. The supporting arrangement between the component 6 and the component 7, which is likewise shown in the form of a detail enlargement, corresponds to that already shown in Fig. 4.

is The invention has been described on the basis of an example of embodiment.

Without departing from the scope of the present claims, numerous other ways of implementing the invention will be apparent to a person skilled in the art without it being necessary for these to be indicated in more detail in the context of what is discussed here.

LIST OF REFERENCES USED IN DRAWINGS

1 recessed luminaire 2 support body 3 installation ring 4, 4.1 strut bulb holder 6 component 7 component 8 bulb socket 9, 9.1 half-shell 10,10.1 panel 11, 11.1 locking rib arrangement 12 locking rib 13 blocking web 14 base blocking rib 16, 16.1 end flange 17 widening 18 end face 19 end stop face 21 mounting channel 22, 22.1 fork 23 window

Claims (1)

1. <claim-text>CLAIMS1. Bulb holder for a built-in or recessed luminaire (1), said bulb holder (5) having two components (6, 7) that can be telescopically adjusted relative to one another, wherein the inner of the two components (6) is provided for accommodating a bulb socket (8) and the outer of the two components (7) is provided for connecting to a support body (2); characterised in that the two components (6, 7) are held such as to be rotatable relative to one another, wherein the telescopic adjustment of the two components (6, 7) is blocked in a first rotary position of the two components (6, 7) relative to one another and is enabled in another position and to this end one of the two components -the first component (6) -carries on its surface facing towards the other component -the second component (7) -a plurality of locking ribs (12) which extend transversely to the direction of the telescopic adjustability and are arranged at a distance from one another in the direction of adjustability, and the second component (7) has on its surface facing towards the first component (6) at least one complementary blocking rib (15) for bearing against a locking rib (12) of the first component (6).</claim-text> <claim-text>2. Bulb holder according to claim 1, characterised in that each component (6, 7) carries ribs or rib arrangements (11, 11.1) which are diametrically opposed to one another in relation to the movement axis of the two components (6, 7), and the angular spacing between the two ribs or rib arrangements (11, 11.1) of each component (6, 7) is greater than the circumferential extension of the rib or rib arrangement (11, 11.1) of the respective other component (6, 7).</claim-text> <claim-text>3. Bulb holder according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the inner component (6) is the first component and carries the locking ribs (12), and the outer component (7) is the second component and carries the at least one blocking rib (15).</claim-text> <claim-text>4. Bulb holder according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the at least one blocking rib (15) has, in the region of one end thereof, a width-increasing stop (20) extending in the longitudinal direction of the component (6, 7) for cooperating with an end face of a locking rib (12) of the other component (6, 7) so as to block a rotational movement of the two components (6, 7) in one direction, wherein the total width of the blocking rib (15) in the region of its widening (17) is smaller than the distance between two locking ribs (12).</claim-text> <claim-text>5. Bulb holder according to claim 4, characterised in that the widening (17) of the blocking rib (15) extends upwards.</claim-text> <claim-text>6. Bulb holder according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the component (6) which carries the locking ribs (12) has, at an angular spacing from one end of the locking rib arrangement (ii, 11.1), a blocking web (13) which follows the longitudinal extension of said component (6).</claim-text> <claim-text>7. Bulb holder according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterised in that the outer component (7) is composed of two half-shells (9, 9.1).</claim-text> <claim-text>8. Bulb holder according to claim 7, characterised in that each half-shell (9, 9.1) comprises, adjacent to the ends thereof, a mounting chamber (21) that is open on the underside.</claim-text> <claim-text>9. Bulb holder according to claim 8, characterised in that the mounting chamber (21) is at least largely closed in the direction of each respective end.</claim-text> <claim-text>10. Bulb holder according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterised in that a window (23) is formed in the outer component (7), and in that the inner component (6) carries a marking which is visible through the window (23) for identifying the current position of the two components (6, 7) relative to one another with regard to the telescopic adjustability thereof.</claim-text> <claim-text>11. Bulb holder according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the bulb holder (5) is part of a built-in or recessed luminaire (1), wherein the bulb holder (5) is connected to the free end of struts (4, 4.1) which are connected to an installation ring (3).</claim-text> <claim-text>12. Bulb holder for a built-in or recessed luminaire substantially as described, with reference to the drawings, hereinbefore.</claim-text>