MXPA00009348A - Rotating device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a rotating device for use with lighting systems which ensure the flexible and possibly even mobile illumination of a space, for example a television studio. The rotating device provided for by the invention is installed at crossing points of a conveyor rail system used to transport transport units such as lighting elements. Said rotating device comprises two components (1, 2) which can be rotated in relation to each other, one (1) of them being configured as a pivot bearing used to fix the other component (2) at the crossing point. Said other component (2) is a rail brace (2) housing at least one rail section (52). According to the invention each rail section (52) of the rail brace (2) is fitted with contact strips (37, 38) so that a transport unit situated on the rail section (52) and having current collectors is able to collect current.

Description

ROTATING DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a rotary device for mounting, at intersections, a conveyor rail system comprising transport units, used to guide the transport units to the transport rails that run in any direction and to simultaneously ensure the supply of energy and control signals to the transport units. For example, mounted on the transport units are lamps that are supplied with power and possibly control signals by the transport units and thus ensure a flexible lighting, and if required, still mobile, a room, for example a television studios.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREVIOUS TECHNIQUE The lighting conventions systems for television studios, theater stages or the like have, for example, reflectors that are mounted on a transport rail system present in the ceiling and that includes turntables and can be placed manually on the rails. The supply boxes from which a reflector placed with energy and control signals can be supplied are mounted at regular intervals on the roof. However, this arrangement requires a relatively early and manual preparation for the case in which the lighting system is to be used and makes the flexible, short-term adaptation of the lighting situation more difficult. Another system for a lighting system contemplates the assembly of a large number of reflectors that can be adjusted only in their height, being possible, depending on the requirements use these reflectors that are located in the right place. Only the height of the reflectors can be chosen freely. Although this system allows flexible work, it requires a large investment in expensive reflector systems and considerably limits the number of systems from which a reflector can be used. Still another system is based on a transport rail system that can be installed in the roof structure of a studio. In this handle, a transport rail system has rails that are parallel to each other and run over the entire length of the region in which the reflectors are to be used. In each case, a plurality of rail sections whose travel direction is perpendicular to the travel direction of the rails are movably mounted on a pair of these rails. The reflectors are attached to transport units that can be pushed over the rail sections. Two rail sections in several adjacent rails are then placed in their position so that they are flush with each other and a transport unit of a reflector can be moved from one rail section to the next. In this way, a reflector can be put in principle in any desired position in the ceiling. However, this system has the substantial disadvantage that the transport distances in the rail system are long and inconvenient if the lighting system has a relatively large number of reflectors that may also be of various designs and perform various functions, since The rail sections occupied by the transport units stop each other during changes of position.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to allow a lighting system that does not have the disadvantages of the systems described above and in which the lamp can move flexibly even while in use. The invention relates to a rotary device, specifically a rotary device for mounting at intersections between stationary transport rails that are provided with contact tracks and form part of a transport rail system for transporting transport units, the rotating device that It has two components that can be rotated together and of which one is in the form of a swing bearing for the other, pivot bearing serves to hold at the intersection, while the other is a rail support containing at least one rail section. In the device according to the invention, each rail section of the rail support is provided with contact tracks so that a transport unit present in the rail section and having a current collector can obtain energy. In addition, the invention also relates to a lighting system comprising lamps for illuminating television studios, theater or concert stages or the like, wherein the lamps are provided with transport units that can be placed in a transport rail system which comprises transport rails having contact paths, and these transport units having current collectors contacting the contact paths, and wherein a rotating device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 is present in each of the intersections of this transport rail system.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS One embodiment of the invention is explained below with reference to a drawing. In the drawings, Figure 1 shows a perspective view of a rotating device according to the invention. Figure 2 shows a perspective view of the rotation bearing of this device, Figure 3 shows a view, also in perspective, of its rail support, Figure 4 shows a longitudinal section through the rail section of the support rail with the cart mounted, shown complete, and Figure 5 shows a perspective view of a part of a lighting system that is provided with rotating devices according to the invention, with a lamp shown schematically.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED MODALITIES As shown in Figure 1, the rotating device consists of two components, one of which is in the form of a turning bearing, denoted as a whole by 1 and which is to be firmly installed in the intersections of the transport rail system for the other, denoted as a totality by 2 and subsequently referred to as rail support. The pivot bearing 1 essentially comprises a hollow cylinder 11 having an external diameter Da and an internal diameter Di. This is provided with threaded holes 12 and can be engaged by fastening means in order to fasten the rotating device to a ceiling or a scaffold. Depending on the structure of the transport network system, for example, the eight rail accessories 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28 of the stationary transport rails are fixed to the cylinder 11 and are left radially towards outside from the surface of the cylinder, in each case two adjacent accessories that make an angle of 45 ° to each other. The rail support 2 also essentially comprises a hollow cylinder 50 whose external diameter Da is slightly smaller than the internal diameter Di of the hollow cylinder 11 corresponding to the rotation bearing 1. It is additionally provided in the upper part with a flange 52 which it has an external diameter df that is at least equal to Da. Mounted in the lower part of the rail support is a rail section 52 running along a diagonal of the cylinder 50. Each of the rail accessories 21 to 28 as well as the rail section 52 are symmetrical with respect to a plane that runs along the direction of the rail and is vertical in the example shown. Each rail accessory 21 to 28 or each rail section 52 has a roof 31, two side pairs 32, 33 and two taxi tracks 34, 35. A transport unit 70 in the shape of a trolley can be moved on the tracks of taxiway 34, 35 along the travel direction of the rail. A plastic band 36 is mounted on each of the two side walls 32, 33 of the rails. Each of the plastic bands is provided with at least two slots, each of which contains a rail 37 or 38 that carries current that opens into the rail and serves as a contact track. These contact tracks 37, 38 of the rail accessories 21 to 2.8 which are opposite each other to make contact with each other via the connections 46, 47. The connections 46, 47 may be for example, in the form of cables that They carry current mounted on the outside of the rail accessories 21 to 28, cables that make contact with the contact tracks 37, 38 through the holes in the side walls 32, 33. Also mounted inside the hollow cylinder 11 of the Turning bearing 1 of the rotating device is a plastic band 41 with inserted current transporting rails 42, 43 which are connected directly to the rails 37, 38 which carry current in the rail accessories 21 to 28. The rail support 2 has contact pins 44, 45 which contact the contact tracks 37, 38 of the rail section 52 and, in the ready for operation state, are pressed, for example by a spring, against the rails 42, 43 that carry current so that they make electrical contact with them. The cart 70 shown schematically in Figure 4 has a plurality of axles with wheels 71 running on taxiways 34, 35 and a driving means by which it can be moved along the rail. The current collectors 72 that slide along the contact tracks 37, 38 are mounted on that side of the cart 70 that faces the observer in Figure 4. In the embodiment shown in Figure 2, the cart 70 has a set of current collectors each in the front and back in the direction of travel, only two current collectors 72 that are present per set, and correspond to the number of contact tracks 37, 38. However, the number ' of current collectors is of course increased with the number of contact paths 37, 38, if more than two of these are present. In addition, the cart also has wheels 73 which are mounted on its upper part and when running on the roof 31, prevent the cart 70 from rising in large accelerations and the current collectors are released from contact with the rails 37, 38 that transport current. In the ready state for operation, the rail support 2, as shown in Figure 1, is inserted into the rotation bearing 1 of the rotating device. Present between the flange 51 and the upper edge 11 of the cylinder 11 is a roller bearing 61 which makes it possible for the rail support 2 to be rotated with little resistance against the rotation bearing 1. For this purpose, the rail support 2 has an actuator. An electric motor 63 connected via the supply cables 62 to the rail-carrying rails 37, 38 of the rail section 52 is fastened to the inside of the rail support 2. If required, the motor produces a rail-support rotation via a plastic gear wheel 64 engaging, through a hole 65 in the cylinder 50, the teeth of a toothed rack 66 of countersunk plastic on the inner surface of the cylinder 11. In addition, spherical depressions 67 are provided at predetermined positions in An angular spacing of 45 ° to each other inside the hollow cylinder. A ball 68 is mounted on the outside of the cylinder 50 and is pressed out by a spring against a stop or, in the ready for operation state, against the inside of the cylinder 11. It is then pressurized in one of these depressions when the rail support is aligned in such a way that one of the track fittings 21 to 28 is in the direction leading radially outward from its rail section 52. In this way, the positions in which a unit can be moved of transport on the rail support 2 or far from it are defined by fixed positions in the rail support 2. The structure and the. The mode of operation of a lighting system provided with rotating devices according to the invention are briefly described below. Figure 5 shows a view of a part of this lighting system comprising a lamp 80 shown only schematically. The lamp 80 for example is a reflector having a set of color filters and a device for inserting a filter of this set. As it is known for traditional lighting systems, it is provided by means in which it can adjust its height and by which its light can be directed in any desired direction. The reflectors, together with the device for inserting the color filters, are supplied with power via the contact tracks and via the cart 70. To feed current and depending on the requirements, the control signals on the contact tracks 37, 38 , 42, 43 of the transport rails system, one of the rails installed in a fixed position is in contact with cables that are connected to a power unit and, if required, control devices. The contact tracks 42, 43 of the rotation bearing 1, together with the connections 46, 47 which connect together the opposing contact tracks 37, 38 of the stationary rails, and with the connections to the rail sections 52 of the rail support 2 via the contact pins 44, 45, ensure that the entire rail network is continuously connected to power units and control devices, subdivision into sectors that in each case have a separate supply of power is also possible in the case of relatively large lighting systems. In this case, the cart of each transport unit, as shown in Figure 4, has two sets of current collectors that are behind the others in the direction of travel and a delay circuit that switches back and forth. between the two sets of current collectors to prevent a cart from shorting the two sectors together. The lighting system also has a central control urgency, not shown in the drawing. With the help of this control unit, the current position and function of each reflector can be continuously adapted to the requirements according to a predetermined program or by direct operation. The activation of the reflectors, of the devices for inserting the control filters, of the trolleys and of the actuators by the control unit is then effected either by a control signal modulated in the power supply, via additional contact tracks for the transmission of control signals that are also not shown in the drawing and are parallel to the rails 37, 38 that convey current shown or via an infrared remote control.

The energy and control signal continuously supplied to the reflector regardless of its position make it possible to change its position even during use, allowing new and spectacular lighting effects during performances, for example in Rock concerts. However, because the rotating device according to the invention is provided with an actuator with force transmission at rest via a plastic gear wheel, a lamp can be easily moved, for example in a television studio during a broadcasting, ensuring greater flexibility compared to conventional lighting systems and in particular allowing work with few reflectors. Finally, it should also be mentioned that the rotary device described above is not the only possible embodiment of the invention and can also be modified in several aspects. In this way, for example, it is quite possible that the complete energy supply operates on the basis of the three-phase current, in which case the number of contact paths 38, 39 is correspondingly increased, of course.

It is also quite possible that a rail support 2 has more than one rail section 52. For example, if two sections of intersecting rail that make a 90 ° angle to each other are mounted on each rail support 2, the maximum angle through which the rail support has to be rotated before a transport unit 70 can be moved from a predetermined stationary rail onto one of its rail sections can be reduced to 45 °. In this way, the speed with which the positions of the transport units 70 can be further increased can be adapted. Of course, it is also possible that the structure of the transport rail system differs from the mode shown schematically in FIG. The rotating device can be installed, for example, in such a way that a rotating device is directly adjacent to the next, so that the transport units can travel directly from a rail support 2 to the next without having to travel on fixed rails . In this case, the turning bearing 1 will of course not have eight rail accessories 21 to 28, but, for example, four of them will run in diagonal directions of the transport system. Not only the lamps that are suitable transport units. For example, television cameras, loudspeaker cabinets, etc., are also completely possible by themselves, or in combination with lamps, are placed in a flexible and mobile manner in a transport rail system provided with the rotating devices in accordance with the invention. Of course, the rotary device is also suitable for applications other than the entertainment sector, for example, for use for controllable transport devices by program in a warehouse.

Claims (9)

1. CLAIMS 1. A rotating device that can be used for the installation, at an intersection, of stationary transport rails provided with contact tracks and forming part of a transport rail system used to transport transport units, the rotating device which comprises two components that are rotatable with respect to each other, and of which one is in the form of a turning bearing, which serves to hold at the intersection, on the other, while the other is a rail support containing the less a rail section, wherein each rail section of the rail support is provided with contact tracks so that a transport unit present in the rail section and having current collectors can obtain energy. The rotary device according to claim 1, wherein each rail section additionally has contact tracks for the transmission of control data to the transport units. The rotary device according to claim 1 or 2, which is provided with contact pins in order to connect the contact tracks of the electrically stationary transport rails to the contact tracks of each rail section of the rail support. The rotary device according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein each rail section of the rail support is formed in a completely symmetrical manner with respect to a plane that is defined by the axis of the rotating device and the longitudinal direction of the rail. The rotating device according to any of claims 1 to 4, having a motor operated actuator, controllable for rotating the rail support and fixing devices for retaining this rail support in predetermined positions. The rotary device according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the two components rotatable with respect to each other are hollow cylinders, the component serving as a pivot bearing that surrounds the rail support. The rotary device according to claims 5 and 6, wherein the actuator is in the form of an electric motor that is secured to the interior of the hollow cylinder that forms the rail support and which is provided with a gearing wheel that engages the teeth of a rack toothed through a hole in this hollow cylinder, toothed rack which in turn is hazelnut on the inner surface of the other hollow cylinder. 8. A lighting system comprising lamps for the illumination of television studios, theater stages, or concerts or the like, wherein the lamps are provided with transport units that can be placed in a transport rail system-comprising transport rails having contact paths, wherein these transport units have current collectors making contact with the contact paths and wherein a rotating device as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7 is present in each of the intersections of this system of transport rails. The lighting system according to claim 8, wherein the transport units of the lamps can be moved while the lamps are in use.