MXPA06001026A - Light - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a light (1), in particular a splashproof wall or ceiling light, for housing at least one elongated gas-discharge light bulb (5). Said light comprises a closed housing (4), which is composed of a transparent lower part (3) that can be mounted in a fixed manner and that contains electrical equipment and a transparent upper part. The aim of the invention is to provide an efficient construction for the upper and lower part of the housing, said construction being geared to market requirements and both parts being matched, in particular in relation to thermal stresses. To achieve this, the lower and upper parts are produced from the same batches of thermoplastic plastic.

Description

LUMINARY FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a luminaire according to the general idea of the claim. Luminaires with gas discharge lamps are, in general, particularly economical light sources, which are durable and provide a high light output in relation to the electrical power used. Especially in commercial areas and in the areas adjacent to houses, these lamps are widely used, where certain faults in the spectral dispersion of light and especially the length and shape of the lamps represent limitations in relation to a decorative construction of the luminaries, but they are not as important as it would be the case inside homes. Luminaires in industrial areas, in basements or garages, often require compliance with the requirements of at least one construction protected against water and therefore are regularly produced in series based on extensive development and precise calculations which makes expensive. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Luminaires of this type have a lamp housing consisting of a very transparent upper part and a non-transparent lower part. By this division the non-transparent bottom can be formed of a synthetic resin shell, which absorbs the heat of the lamps, especially in the area of the extreme electrodes and especially the heat of a pre-connecting device (valve) placed inside the lamp, while the upper part is made of a very transparent thermoplastic synthetic material, which makes possible the desired encapsulation of the light radiation, certainly a material which, compared to the thermosetting material of the lower part, has a resistance to much lower temperature and much higher thermal expansion. In practice it is usual and also the concepts used here as "Upper part" and "Lower part" refers not only to the position in the construction, but rather is referred to as the lower part the accommodation of the structure to be fixed to the wall or the ceiling, which in general also contains the electrical installation, while with the term "upper part" a cover is designated that is detachably retained. For example, during the assembly of a roof, the upper part will remain up to the bottom.

The lower part of non-transparent material usually more resistant to thermal and mechanical loads certainly absorbs a considerable part of the light, which is radiated by the lamp (s) within the structure. For this reason the light scattering is not satisfactory when there are large shaded areas on the underside of the part. In the case of a ceiling or wall mount, particularly in the areas adjacent to the luminaire, there are areas of dark shadow. with an undesirable lighting image. In addition, it has already been tried to produce luminaires in the form of a tub of this type with a transparent bottom produced from a material equal or similar to the upper part. However, it has been shown that variations in the properties of the material lead to problems of assembly and sealing, which can not be controlled with an adequate expense for its commercialization. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Correspondingly it is the task of the invention to present a luminaire of the type considered here, which makes possible a better radiation and dispersion of light, without losing the post-developed standards in those lamps in relation to their reliability and robustness , its simple assembly and handling and especially the economy in its production. According to the invention, this task is solved according to the invention with a luminaire according to the general idea of claim 1 starting from the features of claim 1. The best scattering and radiation of the light is already obtained because the Bottom part is produced from the same very transparent or translucent material. The scattering of light is also not obstructed by the lower part, but it also scatters a considerable part of the light. This also avoids the dark areas surrounding the luminaires in the wall or ceiling mountings and, if necessary, in the case of clear walls or ceilings, the luminous currents formed with the reflection can also be used in these spaces. The special thermal sensitivity of the transparent thermoplastic material certainly requires special precautions against deformation. Especially without constructions of expensive, complicated and difficult to handle production, it can be ensured that the waterproofing of the structure in relation to the protection against water is not lost with the heating and the high expansion of the material caused by the temperatures. In this regard it has been found to be particularly suitable to construct the lower part of the same thermoplastic synthetic material as the upper part. This is not only achieved with the material in both cases having the same denomination. Materials with the same name and the same product or even different batches from the same producer can lead to unacceptable inaccuracies. Advantageous is that the starting material not only comes from the same load to be able to establish its homogeneity, but that it must work with the same starting material and the same working conditions. Advantageously, it has been provided, performing the upper part and the lower part in the same process of emptying by injection in the same machine of emptying by injection or until using a single injection mold together with a cavity for the lower part and a cavity for the upper part with symmetrical injection channels or that coincide in their length. With the same precisely determined material, even in the case of thermal expansions, homogenous displacement-free modifications are obtained, which prevent separation and loss of hermeticity between the upper and lower parts. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES Other embodiments of the invention are presented with the aid of the claims. These advantages are indicated in the following description of an exemplary embodiment. Figure 1 shows a cross section through a luminaire; Figure 2 shows a partial longitudinal section according to the line II-II in figure 1. Figure 3 shows a cross section through a modified form of a luminaire. DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The luminaire designated as a whole with 1 has a housing designated as a whole with 4 formed by an upper part 2 and a lower part 3, the housing is adjusted to the lamp by gas discharge 5 that is in its and extends longitudinally tubular approximately prismatic in the direction of view of Figure 1 and ends closed in the form of a lid. The upper part 2 consists in a known manner of a transparent thermoplastic synthetic material such as, for example, acrylic virgin (PMMA) or a transparent polycarbonate. Infer part 3 consists of the same material, so there is a coincidence not only with respect to the base material and its additives and possibly the reference source, but also with respect to the supplier's batch, the state of storage and temperature and the production process, especially the extrusion process. Coincidence is advantageously obtained because the thermoplastic material is simultaneously injected in a joint injection process in an injection mole or cavity for the upper part 2 and in an injection mold or cavity for the lower part. Equality is further promoted by using a single injection mass for both the cavity of the upper part 2 and also for the cavity of the lower part 3, also equaling the routes and the injection channels with each other. The basic idea of this double rapid injection molding of the complementary housing parts can of course be multiplied in such a way that several upper and lower parts are simultaneously injected into a mold, certainly that in the case of multiplication there are practical limitations with the < size of the injection molds and the closing forces that have to be applied. The parts of the housing long and with this quite large, in the current technique are formed with a single pair of upper and lower parts. With this in the injection process in which the injection material is introduced in a mold that is found in the injection molding machine through an injection nozzle, in such a way that under balanced temperatures inside the mold it is distributed symmetrically in the cavities that are next to each other in the injection mold. The special purpose of this molding process is to balance as best as possible the behavior before the temperature and especially the thermal expansion, between the upper and lower parts. The housing 4 is subjected to thermal loads from the outside by the changing temperatures of the ambient air, possibly also by solar radiation or rain, however it experiences thermal loads mainly due to the formation of heat produced by the gas discharge lamp 5. mainly in the area of the end electrodes and also an interconnection apparatus 5, which likewise must be covered and protected by the housing 4 and due to the constructive dimensions and the production costs, only in the ideal case can the effect of a lossless valve (induction coil), but which nevertheless produces electrical losses, which can lead to temperatures higher than 200 ° C. While the common housings for gas discharge lamps, with a lower part produced from a thermally robust thermoplastic synthetic material, which withstands thermal loads with a high resistance tea In addition to thermal degradation and reduced thermal expansion, the transparent thermoplastic material used according to the invention is much more delicate. The solution to the problem is not based here on a more robust lower part, but on the equalization of the upper and lower parts, to compensate thermal dilatations among themselves, in cases in which the material can not be kept low, and thus avoid tensions and rejections of the housings. The housing thus also receives the transparency of the lower part 3, in such a way that in that area the light radiated by the gas discharge lamp 5 also extends, the shadows around the lower part 3 are avoided and in the case of A mounting on walls or ceilings additionally introduces light to the area by means of reflection, whereby the housing as a whole is seen lighter. It is understood that instead of a single gas discharge lamp 5 in the usual manner two or more gas discharge lamps could be placed in a housing, without changes being made. In view of the thermal loads on the housing previously considered, the joining area between the upper piece 2 and the lower piece 3 has a key role, having to consider the economic finish that is expected in this type of mass products for which there is much price offer as well as an uncomplicated handling for the installer or the buyer. Accordingly, a connecting member 7 has been provided for joining the upper and lower parts, in which on one side, here in particular on one side of the lower part 3, a sealing groove 8 is formed. The sealing groove is opened with a movement transverse to the closing movement of the upper part 22 in relation to the lower part 3 and overlapped by a fitting edge 9 of the upper part which on its side has an annular rim 10 pointing towards outside, the one that fits in the annular groove. This typical 'yes' coupling is complemented to give it a better protection against water, by producing a receiver 11 with a U-shaped cross-section on the snap edge 9 (of the upper part), for the lace edge 9 , in which the lace edge 9 is inserted and is thus covered. The mechanical loads of the housing 4, for example in a water test, especially in relation to the thermal loads on the housing, also do not lead to the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 separating what is dangerous in the sense of the protection against splashing water. The annular rim 10 formed in the upper part 2 during injection molding offers the most simple and economical coupling. It is understood that the snap-on edge 9 can also be provided in its cross-section with a sealing groove, which corresponds to the sealing groove 8 and faces opposite it, so that an intermediate space of circular cross-section is formed, in which an elastic ring seal must be placed. This is especially important for materials in which too solid or rigid coupling occurs. In FIG. 1, on both sides of the connection zone between the upper part 2 and the lower part 3, grip lugs 12 are provided, formed in one piece with the upper part 2 or with the lower part 3. In the direction of sight and thus in the longitudinal direction of the housing 4 are separated in such a way that they do not overlap each other. They make it possible to separate the parts of the housing with the fingers (that is without tools). As can be seen further in figure 1, the electrical connection device 6 is protected by the protection element 14 which faces the lower part 3. It is a U-shaped sheet, which is located on the lower side between the electrical connection device 6 and the sockets formed in the lower part 3, which extends laterally but at a distance from the electrical connection device 6 to approximately its height, to trap as much as possible the heat reaching the lower part 3 by radiation and also by convection. In the final length cut according to figure 2 only a small section of the entire length of the luminaire is shown in section, the electric connection device 6 can be observed in particular with a protruding bottom part 15 which is used for assembly and, if necessary, a protective element 14 protruding longitudinally from the electrical connection device 6. Both during the pre-assembly for transport , they are fixed to a base 17 of the lower part by means of a screw 16. This socket 17 has a vertical perforation 18 that opens upwards in a projection 19, which is introduced insulatively into the mounting hole 20 of the apparatus of electrical connection 6 or of the bottom part 15 and a mounting hole 21 of the protective element 14. An insulating plate 22 and a mlic annular plate 23 are provided so that during the assembly of the luminaire 1 to the wall or ceiling with a screw or other similar fixing element that passes outwards, so that the luminaire can be screwed on a base. This is also the electrical connection device that is considered a critical element because of its high weight and the heat it develops, it is tightly fixed on a base that is on the construction side. The insulating plate 22 in concave shape makes it possible to press the fixing means against the bottom part 15 of the electrical connection device without taking into account that the projection 19 protrudes. A sealing generally provided for the mounting hole can be made basically in the area of a perforation 18 or of the insulating plate 22. In the present case, on the outside and inside, a receiver 24 is provided in a lower area 25 of the lower part. 3, in which the sealing plate 26 is inserted. A further embodiment of the luminaire according to FIG. 3 is designated in conjunction with 31 and again presents a housing 34 formed by an upper part 32 and a lower part 33. , the special difference of the luminaire in question consists in that for a coupling member 37 a fitting edge 39 is provided, which has a cross section in the form of a U-profile. This engaging edge 39 as well as the edge 9 in the luminaire 1 is provided so that with a closing movement between the upper part 32 and the lower part 33 is inserted into a U-shaped receiver 41 at the edge of the lower part 33 that remains adjacent to the upper part 32 and there it engages in a sealing groove 38 having an appropriate flange 40. The conformation of the lace edge 39 in the form of an open hollow profile produces an elasticity in the transverse direction and with it an elastic pressure of the annular rim 40 towards the annular groove 38, without these pressure forces preventing the introduction or separation of the upper part 32. In the sense of pressure forces given above, a pre-tension can be constructively provided, for which the engagement edge 39 in the region of the annular flange 40 is constructed wider than the receiver 41 in the area of the groove sealing 38. When joining the upper part 32 and the lower part 33, the snap edge 39 and / or the receiver is also elastically compressed to a certain extent. The receiver 41 is divided elastically in cross section. This improves the sealing seat in the coupling area. But it is also interesting that an intermediate space releases in the form of channel 42 between the engagement edge 39 and the receiver 41. The receiver 41 has a cross section such that it does not closely surround the engagement edge 39, but leaves a free space. This intermediate space (42) has proved to be a closed space in the tests with splashing water, this means that even if high pressure water jets are applied from outside, between the annular flange 40 and the sealing edge 38, no water enters the interior of the housing. Here a sufficiently airtight placement between the overlapping projections of the upper part 32 of the housing and of the lower part 33 of the housing, prevents the entry of water from the intermediate zone 42 into the interior of the housing of the lamp 34. On the other side the connection by fitting between the upper part 32 and the lower part 33 is not considered so hermetic in such a way that the reduced influences of moisture are eliminated by means of the movements of diffusion and equilibrium in the case of temperature and pressure variations. Advantageous for the reinforcement as well as for the tightness of the coupling 37 is a tight connection between the engaging edge 39 and the receiver 41 forming an outer intermediate space 43 with a cross-section extending undulating. This prevents the splashed water even in the case of strong jets penetrating the sealing area between the sealing groove 38 and the sealing flange 40 and covers that area with an external flange 44, which simultaneously contributes to give rigidity to the profile of the Lace edge in the longitudinal direction.

Claims (19)

1. NOVELTY OF THE INVENTION Having described the invention as above, property is claimed as contained in the following: CLAIMS 1. A luminaire especially a wall or ceiling luminaire protected against splashing water, to receive at least one discharge lamp of elongated gas, which has a closed housing formed by a transparent lower part that is fixedly mounted in its place of use and that carries the electrical installations, and a transparent upper part, characterized in that the lower part and the upper part are produced from the same batch of a thermoplastic synthetic material. The luminaire according to claim 1, characterized in that the upper and lower parts are produced as an injected part in a melt injection process. 3. The luminaire according to claim 2, characterized in that the upper part and the lower part are injected in a mold placed symmetrically in relation to the injection process. The luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the upper part and the lower part overlap along peripheral edges extending along both sides, of those edges at least one is provided with a sealing groove. The luminaire according to claim 4, characterized in that the upper or lower part, which is not provided with a sealing groove, is provided with a sealing flange which is inserted with a form closure into the sealing groove. 6. The luminaire according to claim 4, characterized in that both the lower part and also the upper part is provided with a sealing groove to receive with an annular gasket. The luminaire according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that the edges overlapping one another of the upper and lower parts one edge is formed as a fitting edge and the other edge as a receiver for the fitting edge. 8. The luminaire according to claim 7, characterized in that the receiver is U-shaped and a sealing groove is provided in the arm of the U located outside. The luminaire according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the fitting edge is transversely provided with an open hollow profile. The luminaire according to claim 7, 8 or 9, characterized in that the engaging edge -and the receiver are coupled together under an elastic tension. The luminaire according to one of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the receiver has a fitting edge towards the interior space of the luminaire and has a closed intermediate space. 12. The luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the upper part and the lower part each have gripping projections, these two gripping projections are placed on the edges, adjacent to each other but separated without overlapping on each other. the longitudinal direction. 13. The luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 12 with an electrical connection device placed inside the housing, characterized in that said electrical connection apparatus is protected by means of a protection element placed in the housing. The luminaire according to claim 13, characterized in that the protection element consists of a sheet. The luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 14 with an electrical connection device fixed in the lower part, characterized in that the electrical connection device has a mounting hole for passing a screw or other fixing element outwards. to place the luminaire on a wall or ceiling. The luminaire according to claim 15 and claim 13 or 14, characterized in that the protection element also has a mounting hole aligned with the mounting hole of the electrical connection apparatus. 17. The luminaire according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the lower part in the direction of the mounting hole has a preformed passage orifice and a receiver for the sealing element. The luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the housing consists of acrylic glass (PMMA) or a transparent polycarbonate. 19. A method for producing a housing for a luminaire according to one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the upper part and the lower part are simultaneously molded from a source of common material from the cavities one gasket to the other. an injection tool.