WO2002003761A1

WO2002003761A1 - Mobile illuminating device

Info

Publication number: WO2002003761A1
Application number: PCT/FR2001/002118
Authority: WO
Inventors: Hervé GOMAS
Original assignee: Facom (Societe Anonyme)
Priority date: 2000-07-03
Filing date: 2001-07-02
Publication date: 2002-01-10
Also published as: FR2811194A1; DE60123428T2; DE60123428D1; FR2811194B1; EP1297723B1; AU2001277563A1; ES2273871T3; EP1297723A1

Abstract

The invention concerns a mobile illuminating device (1) comprising a housing with elongated shape along a longitudinal axis (X-X), including: an assembly of illuminating elements, in the form of light-emitting diodes (5) (LED), fixed on a support plate (4); electrical/electronic control means and/or for electrical connection between the illuminating elements and a power source, a housing (1) comprising a window (24) located opposite the illuminating elements. The invention is characterised in that it comprises a transparent material protective plate (25) covering said window (24) opposite the illuminating means.

Description

MOBILE LIGHTING DEVICE

The present invention relates to a mobile or ambulatory device comprising individual lighting means, in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), in particular white light.

Such devices are known by the usual name "portable lamp" and are used by professionals, such as for example in repair shops, especially cars.

In this particular example, the repaired parts are generally not very accessible and therefore placed in poorly lit places.

A first characteristic of a portable lamp is therefore to provide sufficient light, with a fairly wide beam but concentrated nevertheless on the part or element being the object of the operation.

In addition, these portable lamps must be easy to use, in terms of lightness, solidity taking into account the environment, tightness for obvious safety reasons, maneuverability, and they are likely to be placed in various places which are not not intended for this purpose a priori.

Finally, these portable lights must be easy to make to allow the lowest possible manufacturing costs. The invention proposes a mobile lighting device, of the portable type, which achieves an advantageous compromise between these contradictory constraints, and thus proposes a handy, light device, effective in terms of lighting, and of simple design and construction. and inexpensive.

To this end, according to the invention, the mobile lighting device, of the type comprising a box of elongated shape along a longitudinal axis, including: - a set of lighting elements, in the form of light-emitting diodes (LED), fixed on a support plate; - electrical / electronic control and / or electrical connection means between the lighting elements on the one hand, and an energy source on the other hand; - a housing comprising a window located opposite the lighting elements; characterized in that it comprises a protective plate of transparent material covering said window opposite the lighting elements.

Advantageously, the housing further comprises an openwork plate, the lights of which are capable of being traversed each by a diode which then projects relative to the surface of said plate.

Preferably, reinforcing ribs are provided on the perforated plate.

Alternatively, ribs are provided on the transparent protective plate. More specifically, the diodes emit a light beam substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing, and white light

The housing consists of two recessed shells, of generally semi-cylindrical shape, and able to hold said diode support plate once assembled together by assembly support means, at least one of the shells.

One of the shells is able to receive and maintain a source of energy in the form of a battery or accumulator, while said window is arranged on the other shell.

The device comprises means for supporting and holding accumulators or batteries, more particularly in the form of a substantially rectangular plate, provided on one of its faces, with locking and holding tabs for said batteries or accumulators.

Furthermore, the device comprises means for supporting and holding accumulators or batteries, more particularly in the form of a substantially rectangular plate, provided on one of its faces, with locking and holding tabs for said batteries or Accumulators.

In addition, the device comprises hooking means consisting of a retractable hook between a first active position where the hook projects from the housing, and a retracted position in said housing.

Specifically, the hook in its active position is movable in rotation about an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing. Advantageously, the housing comprises notching means or the like, capable of locking, in a releasable manner, the hook in at least one position in rotation relative to the housing.

The lighting device of the invention is capable of operating either by accumulators or batteries arranged in the housing, or by power supply from a direct current source or from the mains, by means of a wire. power supply connecting the box to said direct current source or to said sector and / or transformer.

Advantageously, the housing includes means for blocking said supply wire relative to the housing, which allows the user to hang or suspend the device by the wire.

More specifically, in order to avoid a bend in the wire capable of damaging it, the housing includes removable means for fixing the wire thereon, so that the wire, near the locking means, has a substantially tangential direction. audit box.

According to an advantageous form, the hook is made of deformable material, so as to allow the device to be detached in the event of accidental pulling on the supply wire.

Each shell is made of rigid material, in particular metallic, and for example aluminum and is coated with a film or coating in flexible material such as elastomer.

The seal between the two shells is produced along their contiguous edges by means of a seal produced on the periphery of the junction between the two shells; more precisely, the joint has lips sealing by overmolding the coating on the outside of the shells.

The device comprises a switch in the form of a push button disposed on said diode support plate, and being associated and disposed opposite a deformable zone provided at the corresponding location on one of the shells.

In order to allow the operator to carry out maintenance operations and to access the interior of the device, the two shells are connected to each other by screws accessible from the outside.

To increase the capacity for using the device, the housing is designed so as to have a flat end face, transverse to the longitudinal axis, to allow the device to rest stably on a horizontal plane.

In order to allow the lighting device to be used with either accumulators or batteries (incorporated in the housing), or an external energy source (by wire supplied, or from the mains via transformer, or from a source of direct current), the box is susceptible to one or the other of two terminal parts, one comprising means of electric recharging of the accumulators arranged in the box, the other being able to guide and maintain the wire supply at the outlet of the housing, the blocking means of said wire being disposed on the corresponding end of one of the shells.

For reasons of ergonomics and impact resistance, the housing is generally cylindrical, and has an elliptical cross section. In order to obtain a relatively concentrated beam, the support plate for the lighting elements consists of at least two plates articulated to each other along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, the faces of two plates joined at an angle less than or equal to 180 °.

The invention will be clearly understood in the light of the following description relating to an embodiment of the invention, represented in the drawings in which:

Figure 1 is an exploded perspective view of the device;

Figure 2 is a perspective view from above of the shell associated with the lighting elements;

Figure 3 is a perspective view from above of the device in the hanging position;

- Figure 4 is a perspective view of the device from the hook side, shown angularly offset;

- Figure 5 shows in detail the proximal end of the housing, opposite the hook and provided with removable locking means of the supply wire;

- Figure 6 shows the device in a stable position resting on a horizontal plane;

- Figure 7 shows an exploded perspective view of an alternative embodiment of the device; - Figure 8 shows a perspective view from above of one of the elements of Figure 7;

- Figures 9 and 10 each show another alternative embodiment of the invention; and

- Figure 11 shows a block diagram of the switching power supply circuit.

There is shown in Figure 1 an exploded view of the lighting device of the invention, hereinafter referred to as a portable lamp to facilitate understanding. It is understood that the invention is not limited to this particular embodiment or application but encompasses any mobile lighting device capable of being held in the hand by the user, or hung, or disposed of any another way to allow an object or a whole to be adequately lit, when natural or fixed lighting is not sufficient.

Figure 1 shows the different elements of the lamp, in exploded view, while Figures 3, 4 and 6 show it in the assembled position.

The portable lamp of the invention shown in exploded view in Figure 1, comprises a housing 1 of generally cylindrical shape with longitudinal axis XX with elliptical base or cross section. The housing 1 consists of two hollow semi-cylindrical shells 2 and 3, made of rigid material, in particular metallic, and more particularly of aluminum or magnesium (produced for example by molding). The outward facing side of each shell is coated with a skin or coating in a material such as elastomer.

A plate 4 of rigid material, such as epoxy, of generally quadrangular shape is provided to be inserted between the two shells 2 and 3. The plate 4 forms the support of a plurality of lighting elements, in the form of light-emitting diodes (LEDs), preferably with mainly white light. They are preferably at least arranged in rows parallel to the axis X-X. According to one embodiment, the plate has three parallel rows of ten LEDs.

The support plate 4 is associated with a set of means (not shown) for control and electrical / electronic connection connecting the diodes to the energy source.

The shell 2 is called the upper shell, while the shell 3 is called the lower shell.

Between the plate 4 for supporting the diodes, and the lower shell 3, there is provided a block 6 for supporting and holding a generally parallelepiped shape, intended to hold the accumulators or batteries in place (not shown for the convenience of the drawing).

On the side of the distal end of the two shells 2 and 3, there is provided a hook 7 capable of being fixed on at least one of the two shells as described later.

On the side of the proximal end (opposite the hook) is provided an end block, of generally cylindrical shape, and of complementary shape to the open proximal end of the housing, forming housings 2A and 2B respectively of the two shells 2 and 3. The diagram in FIG. 1 shows two end blocks 8 and 9, it being understood that only one of them at a time is placed on the housing 1 in the housings 2A and 2B.

The role and function of these two end blocks will be explained later.

In general, the different elements shown in Figure 1 are assembled so that the two shells 2 and 3, forming the housing 1, are assembled from each other along their longitudinal edges 10 and 11 and 12 and 13 respectively. , and also by their respective transverse edges (on the side of the distal end, that is to say towards the hook 7).

The box thus produced by assembling the two shells 2 and 3 encloses the plate 4 for supporting the diodes, and the block 6 for holding the accumulators, as well as one of the end blocks 8 or 9.

The assembled housing 1 constitutes the portable lamp as shown in perspective in FIGS. 3, 4 and 6.

The shells 2 and 3 are fixed to each other by means of screws (not shown) accessible from the outside. More specifically, one of the shells, for example the lower shell 3, comprises uprights 15A and 15B, arranged in a radial direction, of substantially cylindrical shape, and each capable of receiving the end of a screw (not shown) associated with the other shell, namely the upper shell 2. The uprights 15A and 15B are arranged so as to abut on corresponding elements (for example other identical uprights and not shown) of the upper shell 2. The support plate 4 of the diodes 5 and the holding block 6 of the accumulators have holes or lights for the passage of the corresponding uprights 15A and 15B.

This feature allows easy and quick disassembly of the housing to allow the user easy access to the various components, for example to change the batteries or a diode.

The block 6 for supporting and holding the accumulators comprises end stop tabs 16 and 17 (in a transverse plane) and longitudinal tabs 18. The transverse tabs 16 and 17 and longitudinal 18 serve for blocking and maintaining the accumulators, generally cylindrical in shape. The legs are fixed on a plate 19 of generally quadrangular shape, and able to close the interior space of the lower shell 3 from the distal end (on the side of the hook 7), while at the proximal end, the block holding 6 leaves a free volume, corresponding to the end housing 2B.

The assembly of the two shells 2 and 3 is carried out in leaktight manner by means of a peripheral lip seal (not shown) and produced by overmolding of the skin or coating provided on the corresponding external face of each shell. More particularly, the peripheral seal is arranged, along the longitudinal edges and the distal transverse edge of each shell.

The hook 7 has a curved distal end 20 and a substantially straight proximal end 21, and provided with means 22 for fixing to the housing, and more precisely, to one of the shells, namely the lower shell 3. The fixing means 22 are of known type in themselves and are such that they allow a locking in translation of the hook along the longitudinal axis XX of the housing, while allowing the rotation of the hook around an axis parallel to said axis XX. This allows the lamp to be oriented as required, regardless of the hanging position.

Furthermore, the means for fixing and blocking the hook on the shell 2 are provided so as to block the hook 7 in rotation, in at least one position, with the possibility of release. These means include for example notches or the like. Preferably, the notching is such that it makes it possible to block the hook relative to the housing at several angular positions. This arrangement further facilitates the use of the portable lamp. Figure 4 shows the hook 7 in angularly offset position.

According to one embodiment, the hook is made of a rigid material, such as a moldable plastic.

According to another embodiment, the hook is made, at least in its distal end part 20, in a flexible material which is elastically deformable, such as for example a semi-rigid elastomer.

In Figure 3, the device is shown in the hooked position on a bar 23 of which only a part has been shown for convenience. In the event of accidental traction on the portable lamp or on the wire connecting the portable lamp to the electrical supply (the wire and the supply not being shown for reasons of simplification), the distal end portion of the hook is deformed, and the portable lamp comes off the bar 23. This arrangement avoids damaging the wire and / or the installation internal electric lamp of the portable lamp, in the event of significant accidental traction.

The upper shell 2 has a recess or window 24, consisting of an opening on a part of its surface, placed opposite the array of diodes 5. The window 24 allows the passage of light without exposing the diodes on the mechanical plane . Indeed, these remain arranged inside the volume defined by the recessed upper shell 2.

In order to protect the diodes from contact with an external object, the window 24 is covered with a protective plate 25 made of transparent, curved material (taking into account the cylindrical shape of the shell 2), made of a material such as PPMA (polymethyl methacrylate). The plate 25 is fixed to the outer surface of the shell 2, and more precisely to the edges of the window 24, by overmolding of the skin or coating of elastomer.

According to an embodiment which is not shown, the plate 4 for supporting the diodes 5 consists of two, or even three, parallel plates and articulated in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis X-X, the surfaces of the plates of the side of the diodes forming two by two an angle less than 180 °. Thus, the support plate 4 generally has a substantially concave shape on the side of the diodes, which makes it possible to focus the light beam created by the array of diodes 5.

Advantageously, the hook 7 is associated with the housing in a retractable manner. More specifically, the hook is movable, for example in translation along the axis XX, between a first position where it projects relative to the housing 1 (as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4), and a second position where it is retracted or erased inside the housing 1. To To do this, provision is made in the corresponding shell, the shell 3 in this case, for a conduit 43 capable of receiving the rectilinear proximal end 21 of the hook 7. In the erased or retracted position (not shown) the distal end 20 is active. of the hook 7 is then in abutment on the corresponding transverse face of the housing 1 so as to prevent any accidental attachment of the portable lamp.

The lighting control is carried out by means of a push button (known in itself) and shown schematically under the reference 26 in FIG. 1, where it is fixed on the support plate 4. The switch 26 is connected in a known manner and not shown to the diodes 26 according to an electrical circuit disposed on the underside of the support plate 4 (not visible in Figure 1).

The switch button 26 is disposed opposite a light provided on the upper shell 2, the light being not shown and associated with a pusher 27 (Figures 1 and 3), opposite the button switch 26. A recess 28 of conical shape is provided centered relative to the pusher 27 to facilitate actuation by the user.

In order not to affect the tightness of the assembly at the level of the pusher 27, the skin or coating covering the outer surface of the shell 2 (made of metal) is not interrupted in this zone but has, for example, a reduced thickness compared to to the rest of the surface.

The portable lamp of the invention can be powered either by accumulators or batteries, or by wire supplied from a direct current source or from the mains via a transformer. Figure 1 shows the two proximal end blocks, 8 and 9, each associated with a supply type respectively. The terminal blocks 8 and 9 are capable of being mounted on the housing 1, alternatively, that is to say that either one or the other is disposed inside the housing.

Each terminal block 8, 9 is of external dimension (diameter and length / height along the longitudinal axis XX) such that it can be housed in the internal volume formed by the housings 2A and 2B at the proximal end of the housing formed by the two shells 2 and 3 assembled together.

The first terminal block 8 has a substantially flat distal transverse face (towards the hook 7) while the proximal transverse face (opposite the hook) has a conical shape (more precisely in the form of a funnel, the tip of the cone being turned towards the inside the housing). A hole (not shown) is provided centrally in the terminal block 8 so as to communicate the inside of the housing 1 with the outside, and more particularly to allow passage to an electric wire (not shown). The wire is connected at one end to the electrical / electronic control circuit provided on the support plate 4, and by the other end to a direct current source or to a transformer, itself capable of being connected to the 'power supply.

The first terminal block 8 is used in the embodiment of the portable lamp with electrical supply on a source of direct current or on sector via a transformer.

In a variant not shown, an electric transformer delivering a direct current from an alternating current is mounted advantageously in the housing in place of the block for supporting and holding the accumulators.

The other terminal block 9 includes an electrical charging device for the accumulators (not shown) arranged in the inner shell 3. The block 9 has two holes 29 for introducing an electrical outlet (not shown) connected to a charger or to a transformer external, itself connected to the sector. Thus, rechargeable batteries can be recharged during use. Indeed, the portable lamp can be hung by the hook 7, with a plug inserted in the holes 29 of the terminal block 9, the plug being connected to a charger (not shown) itself connected by an electric wire (not shown) to the 'power supply.

With reference to FIGS. 1, 2 and 5, a characteristic of the portable lamp is described below in its embodiment with electric power supply with electric wire.

Figure 5 shows in detail the proximal end (opposite the hook) of the housing 1. From the terminal block 8, an electrical wire 30, in a direction substantially in the axis XX. The electric wire forms, just after its exit from the terminal block 8, a loop 31 of annular shape. The electric wire 30 after substantially three quarter turns at the outlet of the terminal block 8, is held and blocked on the housing 1, and more precisely on the upper shell 2, by means of a notch 32 (FIGS. 2 and 5 ), of generally circular shape (of substantially equal diameter, or even very slightly smaller than that of the electric wire 30), to allow the pinching of the latter. A slightly narrowed opening 33 and forming pinch lips are provided between the notch and the transverse end edge of the housing 2. The wire is shown in the locked position in FIG. 5. This embodiment makes it possible to prevent accidental traction on the wire, even a slight one, from damaging the lamp at the level of the connection of the electric wire inside the housing.

In addition, this embodiment (Figure 5) allows to hang the lamp by the wire. Indeed, the strand 34 of the electric wire 30, after passing through the notch 32, can be hooked to any means of suspension or attachment. By varying the length of the strand 34 between the portable lamp and the suspension means, the portable lamp can be brought as close as possible to the operating area, regardless of the position or the distance of the suspension means.

Finally, the portable lamp of the invention has the advantageous characteristic of being able to rest, in the operational position (FIG. 6) on a horizontal plane. To this end, the portable lamp has a planar proximal end face (opposite the hook), formed by the end or the end edges of the two shells 2 and 3, then forming an elliptical ring.

In this case, the notch 32 for blocking the wire described above is advantageous (FIG. 6). Indeed, the electric wire then leaves tangentially to a transverse plane, which avoids any curvature or breakage of the wire. This especially makes it possible to produce, at the proximal terminal end of the housing 1, a plane bearing face without the wire projecting from this plane. We see in Figure 6 that the wire is located above said support plane on which the lamp rests. There is shown in Figure 7 an exploded view of another embodiment of the portable lamp of the invention, where the elements identical or similar to those of Figure 1 have the same references.

The main difference between the two embodiments of Figures 1 and 7 respectively relates to the upper shell 2 which firstly has a slightly curved shape in that the distal part (close to the hook) is of radial dimension greater than that of the proximal part. Thus, the housing has two straight sections, in particular elliptical, of different radial dimensions, separated by a connection zone.

Each upper 2 and lower 3 shell is shown in two parts.

These two parts correspond to the preceding description of Figure 1, where each shell consists of a metal shell coated with a skin.

More specifically, with reference to FIG. 7, the upper shell 2 comprises a rigid metal shell 35, on which a skin or coating 36 of elastomer is attached.

Similarly, the lower shell 3 consists of a metal shell 37, coated with a skin or coating 38 as described above.

The upper shell 2 comprises a window 24 arranged opposite the diodes arranged in a matrix. Said window 24 is able to be covered by the transparent protection plate 25. The most important difference between FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, as regards the upper shell 2, relates to the presence in the form of FIG. 7, of an openwork plate 39 made of rigid material. The perforated plate 39 can be attached to the shell 2. It can be made of moldable plastic or metal such as aluminum. In a preferred variant, the perforated plate 39 is an integral part of the shell 2. In this case, it is obtained by molding in the same material as the shell 2, namely for example aluminum. Lights 40 are provided on said plate 39 and capable of being traversed by the terminal active part of the diodes 5, so that the diodes protrude at least in part with respect to the lights 40 of the plate 39.

FIG. 8 shows in perspective the metal shell 35 of the upper shell 2.

The shell 35 has a hole 41 located on the proximal side of the window 24 corresponding to the diodes, for passage and access to the push button 26, through the push button 27 (Figure 1).

The perforated plate 39 comprises a series of lights 40 according to a matrix corresponding to the matrix of diodes 5.

The plate 39 also has ribs in the transverse, that is to say radial, direction which project relative to the upper plane of the perforated plate 39.

The ribs 42 have the advantage of not altering the optical beams of each set of diodes (here by three) while allowing the plate 39 to be stiffened. Finally, the radial or transverse ribs 42 are at a level such that they protrude radially or transversely with respect to the diodes so as to protect the latter from the mechanical point of view.

According to another embodiment, not shown, the ribs 42 came directly from molding of the protective plate 25. It is advantageous that the ribs 42, if they came from molding of the perforated plate 39, bear against or are located very close to said transparent protective plate 25.

With reference to Figures 9 and 10, elements identical or similar to those of Figures 1 to 8, have the same references.

In Figure 9, the device comprises a housing 1 consisting of two shells 2 and 3. Each shell is of generally frustoconical shape with a curved surface. The shells are assembled to each other, by interlocking, according to their base arranged along a diametrical plane of the housing.

The upper shell 2 is made of transparent material, while the shell

3 is made of opaque material. The shells 2 and 3 are made of rigid material. A plate 4 supporting the circuit and diodes 5 is secured to the housing

1 by an element 4a forming a pinch groove at the edge of said plate 4.

The housing 1 has on its outer face a coating or sheath of elastomeric material, provided with projecting elements 45. These protect the housing 1 in the event of a fall. The suspension hook 7 is secured to the housing 1 by elastic interlocking.

The whole is sealed by elastic fitting, or by gluing, or by welding the shells 2 and 3 and by deformable grommet. 47 at the outlet of the power cable 46. The seal between the hook 7 and the shell 2 is produced by compression and elastic deformation of the sheath or elastomer coating. This compression has the additional role of slowing the rotation of the hook to impose a direction on the suspended device.

In the embodiment according to FIG. 10, the face of the shell facing the diodes comprises lights 48 coinciding with the LEDs 5 and able to be crossed by the terminal part of the latter. The housing 1 combines, by bi-injection for example, a rigid material which can be opaque and a sheath, skin or coating 49 of elastomeric material allowing sealing by elastic deformation with the LEDs 5. The shells are made of a rigid material, thermoplastic for example. The diode support plate 4 5 is fixed to the housing by screwing or bolting.

In each of the embodiments illustrated in FIGS. 9 and 10, the projecting elements made of elastomeric material constitute a partial sheathing of the device housing.

FIG. 11 shows the electronic supply circuit for the diodes, which includes a PWM (Puise Width Modulation) regulator with pulse width modulation making it possible to deliver to the LEDs a control and lighting current controlled and controlled at the voltage values. nominal and nominal current of the LEDs.

Claims

1. Mobile lighting device (1), of the type comprising a box of elongated shape along a longitudinal axis (X-X), including:

- a set of lighting elements, in the form of light-emitting diodes (5) (LED), fixed on a support plate 4;

- electrical / electronic control and / or electrical connection means between the lighting elements on the one hand, and an energy source on the other hand;

- a housing (1) comprising a window (24) located opposite the lighting elements (5); characterized in that it comprises a protective plate (25) made of transparent material covering said window (24) facing the lighting elements.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the housing further comprises an openwork plate (39), the lights (40) of which are capable of being traversed each by a diode which then projects relative to the surface of said plate .

3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that reinforcing ribs (42) are provided on the perforated plate (39).

4. Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that ribs (42) are provided on the transparent protective plate (25).

5. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the diodes emit a light beam substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housing (1), and white light.

6. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing (1) consists of two shells (2, 3) hollowed out, of generally semi-cylindrical shape, and capable of holding said plate 4 between themselves once assembled together by assembly support means (15A, 15B), at least one of the shells.

7. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that one of the shells 3 is capable of receiving and maintaining a source of energy in the form of a battery or accumulator, while the said window is arranged on the other shell 2.

8. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the device comprises a means (6) for supporting and maintaining accumulators or batteries, more particularly in the form of a plate (9) substantially rectangular, provided on the one of its faces, lugs (16, 17, 18) for blocking and maintaining said batteries or accumulators.

9. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises hooking means consisting of a retractable hook between a first active position where the hook (7) projects from the housing, and a retracted position in said housing.

10. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the hook (7) in its active position is movable in rotation along the longitudinal axis (X-X) of the housing.

11, Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the housing comprises notching means (22) or the like, capable of lock (reversibly) the hook (7) in at least one rotational position relative to the housing (1).

12. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device is capable of operating either by accumulators or batteries arranged in the housing, or by supplying a DC source or on the sector via d 'A power wire connecting the housing to said DC source or to the mains via a transformer.

13. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the housing comprises means for blocking said supply wire relative to the housing (1), which allows the user to hang the device or suspend it by the wire.

14. Device according to one of claims 12 or 13, characterized in that the housing comprises removable means for fixing the wire thereon, so that the wire, near the locking means, has a substantially tangential direction audit box.

15. Device according to Claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the hook (7) is made of deformable material, so as to allow the device to be released in the event of accidental traction on the supply wire.

16. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that each shell is made of rigid material, in particular metallic, and for example aluminum and is coated with a film or coating in flexible material such as elastomer.

17. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the seal between the two shells (2, 3) is formed along their contiguous edges (12, 13, 14) by means of a seal.

18. Device according to claim 17, characterized in that the seal has sealing lips, by overmolding the coating on the outer face of the shells.

19. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device comprises a switch in the form of a push button (26) disposed on said plate (4) supporting the diodes, and accessible from the outside through of the corresponding face of one of the shells 2.

20. Device according to claim 6, characterized in that the two shells (2, 3) are connected to each other by screws accessible from the outside.

21. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing is designed so as to have a flat end face, transverse to the longitudinal axis (XX), to allow the device to rest vertically and stably on a horizontal plane.

22. Device according to claim 12, characterized in that the housing is capable of being associated and of detachably maintaining one or the other of two terminal parts, one (9) comprising recharging means electric accumulators arranged in the housing, the other (8) being able to guide and maintain the supply wire at the outlet of the housing.

23. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the housing is of generally cylindrical shape, and has an elliptical cross section.

24. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the support plate (4) of the lighting elements (5) consists of at least two plates articulated to one another along an axis parallel to the longitudinal axis of the device, the faces of the two plates making an angle of less than 180 °.

25. Device according to one of claims 16, characterized in that the housing (1) has on its outer face a coating or sheath (49) made of elastomeric material forming a partial sheathing of the housing, in particular provided with projecting elements ( 45).