WO2016139526A1

WO2016139526A1 - Combination of a lamp holder adapter and a container for at least one transducer

Info

Publication number: WO2016139526A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/000215
Authority: WO
Inventors: Andrea CINCOTTO
Original assignee: Luxdb S.R.L.
Priority date: 2015-03-04
Filing date: 2016-03-01
Publication date: 2016-09-09

Abstract

There is disclosed herein a combination lamp holder adapter (4) and container (3) for at least one transducer (32, 32), wherein the container (3) is mechanically connected to the lamp holder adapter (4), wherein the lamp holder adapter (4) comprises a body (41a, 41b) containing at least one female electric connector (42) for connecting at least one lamp to said adapter (4), a male electric connector (5) that projects out of said body (41; 41a, 41b) for connecting said lamp holder adapter (4) to a lamp holder, said male electric connector (5) extending along an axis (X) and having a tip (51); wherein the container (3) is mechanically connected to said body (41; 41a, 41b) via a connection member (7), particularly a connection member (7) that has at least one degree of freedom in space relative to said body (41; 41a, 41b), and wherein the male electric connector (5) can be rotated about said axis (X) to adjust the angular position of said male electric connector (5) relative to said body (41; 41a, 41 b) of said lamp holder.

Description

COMBINATION OF A LAMP HOLDER ADAPTER AND A CONTAINER FOR AT LEAST ONE TRANSDUCER

Description

There is disclosed herein a device consisting of a combination lamp holder adapter and container for at least one transducer, e.g. at least one electroacoustic transducer.

In the field of interior design there is the need to reduce the visual impact of loudspeakers and of the electric wires used for sending the signal to the loudspeakers.

Patent application AN 2013 A 000078, by the inventor hereof, discloses a device consisting of a combination lamp holder adapter and wireless loudspeaker.

In greater detail, the device as disclosed in AN 2013 A 000078 comprises a lamp holder adapter with a female screw connector, for receiving a lamp, and a male screw connector, for screwing the adapter into a conventional lamp holder.

A wireless loudspeaker is also provided, which is connected to the adapter via a flexible tube having electric wires extending therethrough for supplying power to the speaker; the flexible tube allowing the position and orientation of the loudspeaker to be adjusted to a certain extent.

The loudspeaker in turn comprises a container, which particularly accommodates at least one electroacoustic transducer.

The device as disclosed in AN 2013 A 000078 allows sound diffusion in either domestic or professional environments (hotels, restaurants, bars, places of worship), without the addition of signal and power cables, and also eliminates (or at least minimizes) the visual impact of conventional loudspeakers.

The device as disclosed in AN 2013 A 000079 suffers from certain drawbacks.

Particularly, for more demanding audiophiles, it cannot ensure a satisfactory quality.

The object of this invention is to provide some solution to at least some of prior art problems and particularly the one as set forth hereinbefore.

A device consisting of a combination lamp holder adapter and container for at least one transducer, such as an electroacoustic transducer, will be now described according to a few embodiments, in which:

Figure 1 shows the lower part of a lamp holder adapter, according to a first embodiment; Figure 2 is an exploded view of a lamp holder adapter, one detail whereof is shown in Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional exploded view of the same lamp holder adapter as shown in Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the same lamp holder adapter as shown in Figure 3;

Figure 5 shows an alternative embodiment of the detail of Figure 1;

Figure 6 is a cross-sectional perspective view of a lamp holder adapter comprising the detail as shown in Figure 5;

Figure 7 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 6;

Figure 8 shows an alternative embodiment of the lamp holder adapter;

Figure 9 is a cross sectional perspective view of the adapter as shown in Figure 8;

Figure 10 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 9;

Figure 1 1 is an exploded perspective view of a further embodiment of lamp holder adapter; Figure 12 is a cross sectional perspective view of the adapter as shown in Figure 1 1 ;

Figure 13 is an enlarged view of a detail of Figure 12;

Figure 14 is an exploded perspective view of another embodiment of lamp holder adapter;

Figure 15 is a cross sectional perspective view of the lamp holder adapter as shown in Figure 13; and

Figure 16 is a view of a lamp holder adapter comprising a loudspeaker;

Figure 17 is an exploded schematic view of another device comprising a combination lamp holder adapter and wireless loudspeaker;

Figure 18 shows the same exploded view as Figure 17 through another angle;

Figure 19 is a cross sectional exploded view of a detail of the device of Figure 17;

Figure 20 is an exploded view of the same detail as Figure 18;

Figure 21 is a block diagram of the electronics of the device as described and shown herein; Figure 22 shows a possible embodiment of a vibration-damping element adapted for use in the device of Figure 18. Referring to the annexed drawings, numeral 1 generally designates a device consisting of a combination lamp holder adapter 4 and a container or enclosure 31, having an axis of extension Y, containing at least one electroacoustic transducer 32, 32.

In the illustrated embodiments, the container 31 contains a pair of drivers 32, 32 connected to an electronic circuit comprising: a power supply 33, a transceiver unit 34 and an audio signal amplification unit 35.

Such electronic circuit may be accommodated in the container 31 and/or the adapter 4.

The use of two small drivers affords certain drawbacks, e.g. the possibility of improving audio quality (especial ly at medium-to-high frequencies) and minimizing the overall size of the enclosure 31.

The container 21 and the drivers 32, 32 and the electronic circuits with which the drivers are connected will together form a wireless loudspeaker 3.

As used herein the term wireless designates a wireless audio signal transmission, e.g. a Radio- Frequency (RF) transmission, an infrared (IR) transmission or a Power Line Communication (PLC) transmission.

Particularly, a Radio-Frequency audio signal transmission may be a Bluetooth (over IEEE 802.15.1 ) and/or Wi-Fi (over IEEE 802.1 1) communication.

Preferably, the device 1 can handle a bi-directional radio-frequency communication with an external device, that can communicate over a Bluetooth or Wi-Fi protocol.

This external device may be a remote control or an application, e.g. an application installed in a smartphone or tablet.

The container 31 may comprise additional transducers, such as a CCD camera 39 and/or a microphone 36 and/or a pyrometric sensor 38 (see figures 16, 17,18 e 21) and/or a Doppler effect sensor.

In this case, the present device may be also used as a detector for monitoring and burglar alarm systems.

The microphone 36 may be also used for imparting voice commands (e.g. to switch on the loudspeaker 3 when a person comes into the room in which the device is located) or for self-equalization of the drivers. The container 31 or possibly the adapter 4 may have electronic devices installed therein, for instance devices for monitoring lighting-related power consumption.

The transceiver 34 may be used both for switching the device on and off, and for selecting additional operating parameters, such as audio signal intensity and audio signal diffusion mode (e.g. right channel, left channel or monophonic).

The transceiver 34 may be further used for controlling the operation of the loudspeaker 3, and also for controlling the operation of the lamp connected to the female connector 42 (an on/off control being possibly contained in the body for this purpose) and a conventional dimmer 49 for controlling lighting power.

The device 1 may be installed in conventional lighting fixtures, such as chandeliers, lamp shades, ceiling lamps, etc.

The container 31 is connected to the lamp holder adapter 4 via a connection member 7.

Preferably, the connection member 7 may allow minor adjustments of the position and/or orientation of the container 31 relative to the lamp holder adapter 4.

In the illustrated embodiment the connection member 7 is a hollow flexible tube, e.g a metal tube that allows adjustment of the position and orientation of the loudspeaker 3 relative to the lamp holder adapter 4 to a certain extent.

The hollow flexible tube 78 has electric wires extending therethrough for supplying power to the electronic devices contained in the loudspeaker 3.

As an alternative to the flexible tube 7 any kinematic chain may be used, provided that the container 31, or the loudspeaker 3 is allowed at least one degree of freedom relative to the body 4.

More preferably, the connection member 7 will be able to provide at least three degrees of freedom to the container 31 (e.g. rotation about at least two axes and translation along at least one axis).

In an alternative embodiment, not shown, the body 4 is simply connected to the container 31 by an electric cable and the container 31 is equipped with a fastening clamp:

The lamp holder adapter 4 comprises a body 41; 41a, 41b containing at least one female electric connector 42 for connecting at least one conventional electric lamp (not shown) to the adapter 4. The adapter 4 further comprises a male electric connector 5 for connecting the adapter to a conventional lamp holder.

The male electric connector 5 projects out of the body 41; 41a, 41b of the adapter 4 and extends along an axis of extension X.

In the illustrated embodiment, the body 41; 41a, 41b extends along the same extension axis X and the female electric connector 42 and the male electric connector 5 are situated at opposite ends of the axis of extension X.

The loudspeaker 3 is mechanically connected to the body 41 ; 41a, 41b via the connection member 7 and has at least one degree of freedom in space relative to the adapter 4.

The female electric connector 41 may be a female electric screw connector, e.g. an Edson E27 female screw connector.

The male electric connector 5 is designed to supply power to an electric lamp connected to the female electric connector 42, and to the electronic circuit for regulating the transducers in the container 3 (here the electronics of the wireless loudspeaker 3).

One characteristic of the device 1 is the possibility of adjusting the mutual angular position of the male electric connector 5 and the body 41; 41a, 41b of the adapter 4 about the axis X.

Due to this characteristic, once the adapter 4 has been installed on a lamp holder, the drivers 32, 32 may be easily oriented - about the axis X of the adapter 4 - for optimized sound diffusion and/or orientation of the sensors 36, 38, 39.

The flexible tube 7 may be bent, if desired, for minor adjustments of the position and orientation of the container 3 relative to the adapter 4.

The container 31 may be fixed to the connection member 7 by means of a plate-like element 71.

In the illustrated embodiment, the plate-like element 71 may be fixed to the enclosure 31 of the loudspeaker 3 in at least two different angular positions relative to the axis of extension Y, e.g. two angular positions differing by 180°.

Thus, the enclosure 31 of the speaker 3 may be oriented by 180° steps relative to the axis of extension Y of the enclosure. In the illustrated embodiments, the male electric connector 5 is an interiorly hollow screw connector (e.g. an Edison E27 male screw connector).

This, the electric screw connector 5 comprises an electrically conductive tip 52, electrically conductive threads 52 and an electrically insulating portion 53 separating the tip 51 from the threads 52.

In the embodiments of Figures 1 to 16, the electric connector 5 extends through a hole 410 formed in the body 41a of the adapter 4, and defining a substantially and/or generally cylindrical interior surface 41 1.

In the embodiments^'of Figures 1 to 13, the male electric connector 4 comprises a head element 55, which is located axially opposite the tip 51, is received in a seat 45 formed in the body 41, 41 of the lamp holder adapter 4 and projects out of the body 41, 41 through a hole 410 coaxial to the axis X.

The head element 55 is adapted to rotate in the seat 45 of the body 41 about the axis X.

A seal 501 , 502, 503 is placed between the head element 55 and the seat 45 and/or between the head element 55 and the interior surface 41 1 of the hole 410, for preventing any direct contact between the head element 55 and the body 41, 41 and allowing the body 41 , 41 to rotate relative to the male connector 5.

The embodiment of Figures 1 to 4 uses two toroidal elastomeric seals 501, 502, whereas the embodiments of Figures 5 to 13 use three toroidal elastomeric seals 501, 502, 503.

These toroidal elastomeric seals are also known as o-rings.

In the embodiments of Figures 1 to 13 the head element 55 may be a solid of revolution and is preferably made of an electrically insulating material.

A through hole 325 is formed in the head element 55, for the passage of electric wires that extend from the male connector 5.

In the examples of Figures 1 to 13, the head element 55 comprises at least one substantially and/or generally cylindrical portion 551, with at least one seat 561 formed therein for an o-ring seal.

In addition to or instead of the seat 561, the interior surface 41 1 of the hole 410 of the body 41 may have a seat for the same seal 502.

In the illustrated embodiments the seat 45 that receives the head element 55 comprises a first flat wall 451 with a hole 410, and a second flat wall 353, parallel to the first flat wall, with a hole 377 for the passage of electric wires. The walls 451 and 353 may have a conchoidal shape (not shown) toward the connector 5, such that the latter may be more easily fitted into the lamp.

The second flat wall 353 may be a disk-shaped element interlockingly fitted in the body 41 (see Figures 1 to 4, 6, 7).

In the embodiments of Figures 1 to 13, the head element 55 comprises a substantially and/or generally disk-shaped portion which extends orthogonal to the axis X.

If the walls 451 and 353 have a conchoidal shape, then the head element 55 and the disk-shaped portion 552 will have a given degree of concavity.

The substantially and/or generally disk-shaped element 552 has two opposite faces 553, 554.

In the illustrated embodiments at least one of the opposite faces or both the opposite faces 553, 554 of the generally disk-shaped element 552 have one seat for the annular seal 501, 503.

In the illustrated embodiments, the flat walls 451, 452 which form together the seat 45 also have seats 562, 563 for receiving the annular seals 501, 502.

In further variants, not shown, the seats for the annular seals 501, 503 are formed only in the opposite faces 553, 554 of the substantially and/or generally disk-shaped element or only in the flat walls 451, 452.

In the illustrated embodiments the body 41, 41 comprises two valves 41a, 41b, which are mechanically joined together by interlocking engagement of their respective free ends 356, 444.

In the embodiment of Figures 8, 9, 10, the second flat wall 452 of the seat 45 is obtained by means of a shoulder 388 formed on one of the two valves 41b which together form the body 41a, 41 b.

In the embodiment of Figure 1 1 , the first flat wall 452 of the seat 45 is placed outside the body 41a, 41 b in the form of a cover.

The seals 501, 502, 503 ensure liquid tightness and create such a friction that the rotation of the electric connector 5 relative to the body 41, 41 will require the application of a significant torque by one hand.

Once the angular orientation of the electric connector 5 relati ve to the body 41a, 41b has been set, such orientation will remain until the next human intervention. It shall be noted that the seals 501, 502, 503 will damp the mechanical vibrations caused by the loudspeaker 3, which would otherwise propagate through the electric connector 5 to the support of the lamp holder adapter 4 and thence to the lighting fixture (e.g. a chandelier, a lamp shade or a ceiling lamp).

The elimination (or at least the significant reduction) of the vibrations transmitted by the loudspeaker 3 to the lighting fixture that acts as a support for the lamp holder adapter 4 will eliminate any noise and improve sound reproduction quality.

The seals 501, 502, 503 also reduce the risk of failure of the lighting fixture having the electric connector 5 screwed therein (for instance caused by loosening of screws or fixation parts in the lighting fixture due to continuous vibrations).

In the illustrated embodiment, the seals 501, 502, 503 electrically insulate the electric connector 5 from the body 41a, 41b.

In the embodiment of Figures 14 and 15, the body 41a, 41b is composed of two shell halves coupled together with a toroidal seal 504 therebetween, and mutually joined by elastic means 604 (e.g. a helical spring 604, coaxial with the axis X, whose ends 603, 605 are internally fixed to the ends of the two shell halves).

The ends of the shell halves 41a, 41b have seats for recei ving the seal 504.

The male electric connector 5 is rigidly joined to the lower shell half 41a.

The unit composed of the male electric connector 5 and the lower shell half 41a may be rotated relative to the upper shell half 41b against the friction generated by the presence of the seal 504.

The spring 604 may be replaced by equivalent means, e.g. permanent magnets.

In the illustrated embodiment as shown in Figures 17-22, the screw connector 5 also has an insulating cylinder 54 rigidly joined to the conductive tip 51, which exactly corresponds to the inner center of the electric conductor 5.

Here, the electric connector 5 comprises a toothed rim 55, located axially opposite the conductive tip 51, which is made of an electrically conductive material and is adapted to axially fit into a seat 45 of the body 41 of the lamp holder adapter 4.

In these embodiments, the body 41 also has a guide 48 (here a tubular body) for the toothed rim 55 to more easily fit into the seat The toothed rim typically fits into the seat 45 by an interlocking arrangement, to thereby rigidly join the electric connector 5 to the body 41 of the adapter 4.

Nevertheless, the electric connector 5 may be moved away from the body 41 of the adapter 4 against a return spring 6, such that the toothed rim 55 may be removed from the seat 45 and allow mutual rotation of the connector 5 and the body 41 about the axis X.

The rotation will be facilitated by the guide 48 that maintains the position of the electric connector 5 along the axis X.

In the illustrated embodiment, the spring 6 is a conventional helical spring having a first end 61 rigidly joined to the insulating cylinder 54 of the connector 5 and a second end 62 coupled to a support 47 of the body 41 inserted in the guide 48.

The first end 61 of the spring 6 may be embedded in the synthetic resin 63 cast in the electric connector 5.

In a possible embodiment, the toothed rim 55 has a plurality of teeth 56 adapted to be fitted into holes 46 formed in the seat 45 of the body 41 of the lamp holder adapter 4.

In a possible embodiment, an element 58 is interposed between the male electric connector 5 and the body 41 of the lamp holder 5, for damping mechanical vibrations (i.e. an antivibration element) and, as better explained hereinafter, dynamically and acoustically decouples the body 41 f the adapter 4 from the support with the electric connector 5 screwed thereon.

The antivibration element 58 damps the mechanical vibrations that come from the loudspeaker 3, which would otherwise propagate through the electric connector 5 to the support of the lamp holder adapter 4 and thence to the lighting fixture (e.g. a chandelier, a lamp shade or a ceiling lamp).

The elimination (or at least the significant reduction) of the vibrations transferred from the loudspeaker 3 to the lighting fixture that acts as a support for the lamp holder adapter 4 will improve sound reproduction quality.

The antivibration element 58 also reduces the risk of failure of the lighting fixture having the electric connector 5 screwed therein (for instance caused by loosening of screws or fixation parts in the lighting fixture due to continuous vibrations). In the illustrated embodiments, the antivibration element 58 (e.g. a substantially and/or generally annular body made of a thermoplastic elastomer) is inserted in the seat 45 of the body 41.

In the illustrated embodiment, the antivibration element 58 has such a shape as to ensure that the electric connector 5 will not directly contact the body 41 , which will provide an effective decoupling effect and, as a result, a dramatic reduction of the vibrations transmitted by the body 41 of the adapter 5 to the electric connector 5.

In the embodiment of Figure 5, the antivibration element 58 has a substantially annular shape, with such an inside diameter 60 as to conform to the guide 48 of the body 41, and is formed with a plural ity of through holes 59, 59, ... 59 (in circumferential arrangement) for receiving the teeth 56 that project out of the toothed rim 55.

On one of the faces 68 of the antivibration element 58 the through holes 59 are surrounded by projections 67 to prevent the teeth 56 from contacting the body 41.

Due to the return force of the spring 6 within the hollow interior of the connector 5, the surface 68 of the antivibration element 58 abuts the surface of the seat 45 of the body 41.

The teeth 56 are inserted in the through holes 59 of the antivibration element 58 without contacting the walls of the holes 46 of the body 41 , because they are separated from the projections 67 by the antivibration element 58.

In this position of the connector 5, the projections 67 of the antivibration element 58 are also inserted in the holes 46 of the body 41 of the adapter 4.

Claims

1. A combination lamp holder adapter (4) and container (3) for at least one transducer (32, 32), said container (3) being mechanically connected to said lamp holder adapter (4), wherein said lamp holder adapter (4) comprises a body (41a, 41 b) containing

at least one female electric connector (42) for connecting at least one lamp to said adapter (4), a male electric connector (5) that projects out of said body (41 ; 41a, 41b) for connecting said lamp holder adapter (4) to a lamp holder, said male electric connector (5) extending along an axis (X) and having a tip (51);

and wherein said container (3) is mechanically connected to said body (41 ; 41a, 41b) via a connection member (7), particularly a connection member (7) that has at least one degree of freedom in space relative to said body (41 ; 41a, 41b)

characterized in that

said male electric connector (5) can be rotated about said axis (X) to adjust the angular position of said male electric connector (5) relative to said body (41; 41a, 41 b) of said lamp holder.

2. A combination as claimed in claim 1 , wherein an element (58) is interposed between said male electric connector (5) and said body (41a, 41b), for damping mechanical vibrations.

3. A combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said electric connector 5 extends through a hole (410) formed in said body (41 a, 41 b), said hole (410) defining an interior surface (41 1), wherein said electric connector (5) comprises a head element (55), which is located axially opposite said tip (51), and is received in a seat (45) formed in said body (41a, 41b) of said lamp holder adapter (4), said head element (55) being adapted to rotate in said seat (45) about said axis (X).

4. A combination as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one seal (501, 502, 503) is provided between said head element (55) and said seat (45) and/or between said head element (55) and said interior surface (41 1) of said hole (410).

5. A combination as claimed in clam 4, wherein said head element (44) comprises at least one

substantially and/or generally cylindrical portion (551), in which at least one seat (561) s provided for an annular seal (502) and/or in which a seat for a seal is provided in said interior surface (41 1) of said hole (410).

6. A combination as claimed in claim 4 or 5, wherein said seat (45) comprises a first flat wall (451) having a hole (410) and a second flat wall (452), parallel to said first flat wall, and wherein said head element (55) comprises a substantially and/or generally disk-shaped portion (552) extending orthogonal to said axis (X) and having two opposite faces (553, 554), at least one seat (562, 563) for an annular seal (502, 503) being provided in each of said opposite faces (553, 554) of said generally disk-shaped element (552) and/or in each of said first and second walls (451, 452).

7. A combination as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the body (41a, 41b) comprises two mechanicallyjoined shell halves (41a, 41b).

8. A combination as claimed in claim 7, wherein said second flat wall (452) is obtained by way of a shoulder formed on one of said two shell halves (41a, 41b).

9. A combination as claimed in claim 8, wherein said flat wall (452) is placed outside said body (41 a, 41b).

10. A combination as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein said electric connector (5) comprises a toothed rim (55), axially opposite to said tip (51) and made of an electrically insulating material, which is adapted to be axially fitted into a seat (45) of said body (41 ) of said lamp holder adapter (4) in interlocking engagement therewith, to thereby prevent rotation about said axis (X) and wherein said electric connector (5) may be moved away from said lamp holder (4) against a return spring (6), thereby allowing rotation of said connector (5) relative to said body (41) about said axis (X).

1 1. A combination as claimed in claim 10, wherein said toothed rim (55) has a plurality of teeth (56) adapted to be fitted into holes (46) formed in said seat (45) of said body (41) of said lamp holder adapter (4).

12. A combination as claimed in claims 2 and 1 1 , wherein said vibration damping element has a

substantially and/or generally annular shape and has a plurality of through holes (59), in

circumferential arrangement, which are adapted to receive said plurality of teeth (59) projecting out of said toothed rim (55) of said connector (5) and wherein said through holes (59) are surrounded by projections (67) to thereby prevent said teeth (56) from directly contacting said body (41).

13. A combination as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein said loudspeaker (3) comprises an enclosure (31) which is connectd to said connection member (7) via a plate-like element (71), which may be fixed to the enclosure of said loudspeaker in at least two different angular positions.