WO2017093828A1

WO2017093828A1 - A support for lighting elements and a device comprising said support

Info

Publication number: WO2017093828A1
Application number: PCT/IB2016/056711
Authority: WO
Inventors: Roberto FORNACIARI
Original assignee: Labo-Cer S.R.L.
Priority date: 2015-11-30
Filing date: 2016-11-08
Publication date: 2017-06-08
Also published as: ITUB20156026A1

Abstract

A support (10) for elements (11) for lighting a surface (20) comprising a first portion (12) fixable substantially perpendicular to the surface (20), a second portion (13) fixed cantilevered to the first portion (12) and configured so as to be arranged substantially parallel to the surface (20), wherein the first portion (12) and the second portion (13) are configured so as to define, with the surface (20), a cavity (14) suitable to house the lighting elements (11).

Description

A SUPPORT FOR LIGHTING ELEMENTS AND A DEVICE COMPRISING SAID SUPPORT

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention regards a support for elements for lighting a surface, for example for lighting a floor.

In particular, the invention regards a support for lighting elements and a lighting device comprising said support.

PRIOR ART

In residential houses, the lighting of outdoor passageways such as a pathways or walkways, there is frequently used a plurality of lampposts or lanterns or spotlights installed in proximity of the pedestrian area.

As known, such devices have a support for lighting elements defined by a post or a stem arranged in a substantially vertical position and suitable to support the lighting elements at a given height with respect to the ground.

Such devices of the known type project - to the ground - a light cone, generally circular or elliptic and, thus, with the aim of having the entire pedestrian area lit, they must necessarily light part of the non-pedestrian area, thus wasting part of the light energy.

A known problem of this type of light installations lies in the fact that they are scarcely efficient from an energy point of view regardless of the type of light source used.

Documents DE202013100140, DE202012009915, DE202013008595, DE20201 1 104306, DE202015102168, EP2833049, EP24581 10 and DE102012009798 disclose lighting elements, for example LED, installed by means aluminum support in pre-existing context, for example furniture or preexisting floorings. In particular, documents DE202013100140 and DE202012009915, disclose lighting elements installed in pre-existing brick structures wherein cavities are made to accommodate said lighting elements. An object of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks of the prior art through a solution that is simple, with few installation challenges and inexpensive.

These objects are attained by the characteristics of the invention, which are outlined in the independent claim. The dependent claims outline preferred and/or particularly advantageous aspects of the invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

As a solution to the aforementioned drawbacks, the invention provides a support for elements for lighting a surface comprising a first portion fixable substantially perpendicular to the surface, a second portion fixed cantilevered to the first portion and configured so as to be arranged substantially parallel to the surface, wherein the first portion and the second portion are configured so as to define, with the surface, a cavity suitable to house the lighting elements. This solution enables installing lighting elements flush-mounted with respect to the surface in which the energy is used for solely lighting the surface in question without wastage due to the lighting of the surrounding environment. In addition, such solution enables protecting the lighting elements against knocks, atmospheric agents, or other external stresses, housing them in the cavity that does not require - due to the shape thereof - a grid or mesh for protecting the lighting elements, given that it would negatively affect the lighting capacity, or increase production costs.

According to another aspect of the invention, the dimension of the cavity, in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface, can be compared to the overall dimension of the lighting means in the orthogonal direction with respect to the installation surface.

Thus, the support sustains the lighting means flush-mounted with respect to the surface to be lighted and it enables directing the light beam on the surface. According to a further aspect of the invention, the dimension of the cavity, in a direction substantially parallel to the surface, can be comprised between 1 and 2 times the dimension in the perpendicular direction with respect to the surface of the cavity. For example, it may be 1 .5 times the dimension in perpendicular direction with respect to the surface of the cavity.

Thus, the cavity within which the lighting means are found has a narrow and extended shape, thus the lighting means are difficult to reach for the external agents.

According to another aspect of the invention, the first and the second portion may be made of ceramic material.

This enables providing a support for lighting means with resistant and durable protective functions even in the presence of external stresses, for example, atmospheric agents.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the first and the second portion may be made of vitrified stoneware.

This enables providing a support for lighting means with resistant and durable protective functions. In addition, the support may be decorated so as to be aesthetically pleasant and be integrated with the installation surface.

In addition, the invention provides a device for lighting a surface comprising a support and lighting elements fixed to the support portion.

Thanks to this solution, the lighting elements may be supported flush-mounted with respect to the surface so as to direct the light beam onto the surface without dissipating energy for lighting the surrounding environment.

According to a further aspect of the invention, the lighting elements may comprise a strip of LED lights.

Thus, the lighting elements have an extremely small overall dimension and low energy consumption.

Furthermore, the use of LED technology may enable using only one strip of lights for a series of adjacent supports, for example, to follow the perimeter of a pavement or pathway, with considerable simplification in terms of installation. In addition, the LED lights may be clad with a layer of optically transparent and waterproof resin.

Thus, the LED lights are protected against external stresses, such as for example atmospheric agents.

A further aspect of the invention provides for that the device may comprise an L-shaped support bracket and be provided with a first flap fixed to the first portion of the support and a second flap fixable to the surface.

This enables improving then stability of the support on the surface.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will be apparent from reading the flowing description - provided by way of non-limiting example - with reference to the figures illustrated in the attached drawings.

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a plurality of lighting devices according to a first embodiment.

Figure 2 is a lateral view of the device in figure 1 .

Figure 3 is a front view of the device in figure 1 .

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the lighting device according to a second embodiment.

BEST EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

With reference to such figures a lighting device comprising a support 10 for lighting elements 1 1 is indicated with 100.

Figures 1 to 3 shows a first embodiment in which the surface 20 is a pedestrian surface or pavement, for example of the outdoor type such as a footpath or walkway, and in which the support 10 sustains the lighting elements 1 1 so that the latter project a light beam flush-mounted with respect to the surface 20, for example in substantially horizontal direction.

For example, the installation surface 20 may comprise a plurality of tiles 21 , for example made of ceramic material like vitrified stoneware, arranged adjacent to each other and placed on the ground or on an underlying installation base 22.

The tiles 21 may be placed and fixed on the installation base 22 by simply applying pressure or by using a bonding agent such as, for example, cement. Every tile 21 is substantially slab-like, for example rectangular-shaped, and it is provided with a lower fagade 21 1 , facing towards the installation base 22, an upper fagade 212 opposite and parallel to the lower fagade 21 1 , and a plurality of perimeter edges 23 mutually joined so as to define a closed perimeter, for example substantially rectangular.

Each lower fagade 21 1 is suitable to be positioned on the installation base 22 facilitating the fixing of the tile 21 to the installation surface 20.

Each upper fagade 212 is suitable to define a portion of the pedestrian surface of the pavement and, furthermore, it may comprise a drawing or decoration. Each perimeter edge 213 defines a surface lying on a plane substantially perpendicular to the lower and upper surfaces 21 1 ,212 and to the installation surface.

In the embodiment shown in the figures, the support 10 has a body extended along a longitudinal direction (parallel to the plane of the pavement) and it is provided with a substantially L-shaped cross-section with concavity facing towards the pavement.

In particular, the support 10 comprises a first portion 12, which is suitable to be positioned on the installation base 22 substantially vertically, and a second portion 13 sustained by the first portion 12 in a cantilevered fashion.

More in detail, the first portion 12 may, for example, be constituted by a parallelepiped comprising an inner face 121 , with respect to the support concavity 10, a juxtaposed outer face 122, with respect to the support concavity 10, a longitudinal side 123 and a pair of juxtaposed transversal sides 124.

The outer face 122 of the first portion 12 may have a drawing or decoration, for example similar to the drawing or decoration of the upper fagade 212 of the tiles 21 .

The longitudinal side 123 of the first portion 12 is opposite to the second portion 13 and it is suitable to be arranged resting on the installation base 22 so that the first portion 12 lies on a plane substantially perpendicular to the surface 20, i.e. with the inner face 121 and the outer face 122 substantially perpendicular to the surface 20.

In particular, the first portion 12 is arranged with the inner face 122 facing towards the perimeter edge 213 of the adjacent tile 21 .

In addition, the longitudinal side 123 may be fixed to the installation base 22 by means of a bonding agent, for example cement, or it can be simply placed on the installation base 22 adhering thereto due to the weight of the support

20.

The second portion 13, for example parallelepiped-shaped, is fixed cantilevered to the first portion 12 in a position opposite to the longitudinal side 123, and projects from the side of the inner surface 121 .

In particular, the second portion 13 is arranged substantially parallel to the surface 20. In addition, the second portion 13 is suitable to be at least partly superimposed to the surface 20, for example, it is suitable to be at least partly superimposed to the underlying tile 21 .

The second portion 13 comprises an outer face 131 , with respect to the concavity of the support 10, which can have a drawing or decoration, for example of the same type borne on the upper fagade 212 of the tile 21 so as to be aesthetically matching with the pavement.

Furthermore, the second portion 13 comprises an inner face 132 with respect to the concavity of the support 10, i.e. faced towards the surface 20, in particular, towards the upper fagade 212 of the tile 21 .

The second portion 13 also comprises a longitudinal side 133 opposite to the first portion 12 and two juxtaposed transversal sides 134.

The inner faces 121 ,132 of the first and the second portion 12,13, together with the upper fagade 212 of the tile 21 , define the borders of a cavity 14 having a substantially C-shaped cross-section and suitable to house the lighting elements 1 1 .

The cavity 14 is open on a plane substantially perpendicular to the surface 20 in proximity of an end thereof opposite to the inner face 121 of the first portion 12, i.e. substantially at the longitudinal fagade 133 of the second portion 13 of the support 10.

The cavity 14 may for example have a vertical dimension, i.e. perpendicular to the installation surface, defined by the distance between the surface 20 and the inner face 132, comparable to the vertical overall dimension of the lighting means 1 1 , for example generally equivalent or slightly greater than the vertical overall dimension of the lighting means 1 1 .

In particular, in the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3, the distance between the upper fagade 212 of the tile 21 and the inner face 132 can compared to the vertical overall dimension of the lighting means 1 1 .

In greater detail, in the embodiment shown in figures 1 to 3, the dimension of the first portion 12, in particular of the inner face 121 , of the support 10 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the surface 20 can be compared to the sum between the thickness of the tile 20 and the overall dimension of the lighting elements 1 1 in said direction.

Furthermore, the cavity 14 may have a horizontal dimension, i.e. parallel to the surface 20, generally equivalent to 1 .5 times the distance between the surface 20 (for example, with reference to figures 1 to 3, the upper face 212) and the inner face 131 of the second portion 13.

In greater detail, the second portion 13 of the support 10 projects from the first portion 12 by a length generally equivalent to 1 .5 times the distance between the surface 20 and the inner face 131 of the second portion 13.

In the preferred embodiment shown in the figures, the support 10 is made in a single piece. Furthermore, the support 10 is preferably made of ceramic material, for example vitrified stoneware, by dry pressing or sintering of powder.

However, it cannot be excluded that the support 10 may be obtained by assembling parts.

The device 100 may further comprise at least one bracket 15 for sustaining the support 10, suitable to serve as an element for placing and sustaining the device 100 on the installation base 22.

In particular, the support bracket 15 is configured and shaped to increase the area for sustaining the device 100 on the installation base 22.

The support bracket 15 may for example be made of metal or polymeric material.

The support bracket 15 comprises a body shaped and extended along a longitudinal direction (parallel to the longitudinal direction of the support 10) and it has a substantially L-shaped cross-section.

In particular, the support bracket 15 may comprise a first flap 151 fixed to the support 10 and a second flap 152 orthogonal to the first flap and associated to the surface 20.

The first flap 151 is fixed, for example glued, to the inner face 121 of the first portion 12 of the support 10, and the flap 152 is at least partly superimposed, in top view, with respect to the second portion 13 of the support 10.

The first flap 151 is suitable to be interposed between the inner face 121 of the first portion 12 and the perimeter edge 213 of the tile 21 and, in particular, the first flap 151 has a height, in the direction orthogonal to the surface 20, substantially equal to the thickness of the tile 21 .

The second flap 152 rests on the installation base 22 and it is suitable to be arranged beneath a tile 21 so that the second flap 152 is entirely superimposed by the lower fagade 121 of the tile.

In addition, the support bracket 15 may comprise through holes obtained in the first and/or second flap 151 ,152.

Basically, the tile 21 is placed on the second flap 152 of the support bracket 15 by pressing it against the installation base 2 so as to pressure-fix it thereto. The support bracket 15 may also be fixed to the surface 20, and in particular to the installation base 22, by means of a bonding agent, cement for example, the through holes facilitating the setting of the bonding agent in this case. Preferably, the lighting elements 1 1 comprise a strip of LEDs received longitudinally along the cavity 14 and connected to a power source S, for example mains power supply of a residential house, separate and distinct from the device 100.

In particular, the strip of LEDs 1 1 1 is fixed to the inner face 121 of the first portion 12 of the support 10, for example by means of a bonding agent.

Advantageously, the LEDs 1 1 1 may be clad, for example incorporated, by an optically transparent and waterproof protection resin, silicone for example. Furthermore, figure 1 shows a system comprising a plurality of devices 10 arranged adjacent to each other in a longitudinal direction so that the transversal sides 124,134 of a support 10 are arranged beside the transversal sides 124,134 of the adjacent support 10, for example so as to contour at least one portion of the perimeter of the surface 20, for example a pathway.

Figure 4 shows a second embodiment in which the surface 20 is arranged vertically, for example defined by a wall of a residential house, and in which the device 100 is fixed to said wall so as to project the light in a substantially vertical direction, for example upwards.

For example, in such embodiment, the device 100 may be used as an applique above (and/or beneath) a mirror or a tile portion of the wall, for example the wall may comprise lining tiles 21 ' provided with a perimeter edge 213' faced towards the outer face 122 of the first portion 12 of the support 10.

The invention thus conceived is susceptible to numerous modifications and variants all falling within the inventive concept.

In addition, all details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

Basically, the materials used as well as the shapes and contingent dimensions, may vary according to the needs without departing from the scope of protection of the claims that follow.

Claims

1. A support (10) for elements (1 1 ) for lighting a surface (20) comprising a first portion (12) fixable substantially perpendicular to the surface (20), a second portion (13) fixed cantilevered to the first portion (12) and configured so as to be arranged substantially parallel to the surface (20), wherein the first portion (12) and the second portion (13) are configured so as to define, with the surface (20), a cavity (14) suitable to house the lighting elements (1 1 ).

2. The support according to claim 1 , wherein the cavity (14) has a dimension, in a direction perpendicular to the surface (20), that is comparable to a vertical overall dimension of the lighting elements (1 1 ).

3. The support according to claim 2, wherein the cavity (14) has a dimension, in a direction parallel to the surface (20), comprised between 1 and 2 times the dimension of the cavity (14) in a direction perpendicular to the surface (20).

4. The support according to claim 3, wherein the cavity (14) has a dimension, in a direction parallel to the surface (20), that is 1 .5 times the dimension of the cavity (14) in a direction perpendicular to the surface (20).

5. The support according to claim 1 , wherein the first and the second portion (12, 13) are made of a ceramic material.

6. The support of claim 5, wherein the first and the second portion (12, 13) are made of vitrified stoneware.

7. A device (100) for lighting a surface comprising a support (10) according to any one of the preceding claims and lighting elements (1 1 ) fixed to the first portion (12) of the support (10).

8. The device (100) according to claim 7, wherein the lighting means (1 1 ) comprise a strip of LED lights (1 1 1 ).

9. The device (100) according to claim 8, wherein the LED lights are clad by an optically transparent and waterproof resin.

10. The device (100) according to any one of claims 7 to 9, comprising at least one L-shaped support bracket (15) and provided with a first flap (151 ) fixed to the first portion of the support (10) and a second flap (152) fixable to the surface (20).