WO2019175719A1

WO2019175719A1 - Device for moving a lamp body and motorized recessed spotlight comprising such a device

Info

Publication number: WO2019175719A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/051842
Authority: WO
Inventors: Lawrence MAGHNAGI; Angelino TACCHI
Original assignee: Forma Lighting Italia S.R.L.
Priority date: 2018-03-16
Filing date: 2019-03-07
Publication date: 2019-09-19
Also published as: IT201800003663A1

Abstract

Device for moving a lamp body (L) for motorized spotlights, comprising: - a frame (100) comprising: -- a top surface (101) extending parallel to a longitudinal direction (X-X); -- a first side wall (110;1110) and a second side wall (120;1120) each extending in a longitudinal-vertical plane (X-Z) from the surface (101); the two sides (110,120;1110;1120) being parallel and situated opposite each other in the transverse direction(Y-Y) and having a respective continuous through-slot (111,121;1111) in the transverse direction (Y-Y) and extending along at least a first straight section (111a,121a;111a) and at least one section (111b;121b;1111b) inclined away from the surface (101) and connected to the first straight section with which it forms an obtuse angle; - a motor (310) which is fixed to a first vertical side wall (210) of the support flange (200) and which has a shaft (312) extending parallel to the transverse direction (Y-Y) and is configured to be inserted coaxially inside the transverse-axis front hole (212) of the said first side (210) and inside the slot (111) of the first side (110); - a gear wheel (313) rotationally driven by the shaft (312) of the motor; - a rack (360) which extends parallel to the straight slot section of the first side and is fixed to the first side (110) of the frame and with which the gear wheel (313) meshes; - pins (330;340) designed to be inserted inside a respective hole of the front or rear holes (211;212;222) of the side walls (210;220) of the flange (200) and inside a respective slot (111,121;1121) of the sides (110,120) of the frame so as to join each side of the frame to a respective side of the flange.

Description

DEVICE FOR MOVING A LAMP BODY AND MOTORIZED RECESSED SPOTLIGHT COMPRISING SUCH A DEVICE

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a device for moving a lamp body for a motorized spotlight and to a motorized spotlight.

Various types of spotlights comprising a lamp body designed to support a light source and motorized means for moving the lamp body, which generally can be controlled by means of a remote control, are known in the technical sector of lighting.

These spotlights are particularly useful in exhibition premises, commercial premises, museums or hospitals, where frequent variations of the surroundings and/or lighting conditions require adaptation of the direction of the light beam emitted by the spotlight.

The technical problem which is posed, therefore, is that of providing a device for moving a lamp body for a spotlight which provides a better level of versatility as regards orientation of the light beam emitted by the lamp body.

In connection with this problem it is also desirable that the device or spotlight should be able to be easily mounted on a variety of differently oriented surfaces and/or that they should be easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble and be able to be easily installed at any user location using normal standardized connection means.

These results are obtained according to the present invention by a device for moving a lamp body for a spotlight according to the characteristic features of Claim 1 .

A further subject of the present invention is a spotlight according to Claim 1. Further details may be obtained from the following description of non-limiting examples of embodiment of the subject of the present invention, provided with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 : is an exploded, perspective, schematic view of a movement device according to the present invention;

Figure 2: is a perspective view of a fixing assembly of the movement device according to the present invention;

Figure 3: shows a front perspective view of a first embodiment of a spotlight according to the present invention;

Figure 4: is a perspective view partially cross-sectioned along a vertical plane of the spotlight according to Figure 3 in a different position of the lamp body;

Figure 5: is a vertically sectioned plan view of the spotlight according to Figure 4;

Figures 6a, 6b, 6c: are side views of the spotlight according to Figure 4 in differently oriented positions of the lamp body;

Figure 7: shows a perspective view, from above, of the spotlight according to Figure 4; and

Figure 8: shows a side view of a second embodiment of a spotlight according to the invention.

For greater clarity, the details which are conventional per se, such as electrical wiring and fixing elements, have been excluded from the figures.

As shown in Fig. 1 , solely for easier description and without a limiting meaning, three reference axes in orthogonal directions are assumed, i.e. a longitudinal direction X-X, corresponding to the lengthwise dimension of the frame of the movement device; a transverse direction Y-Y corresponding to the widthwise dimension of the frame; and a vertical direction Z-Z corresponding to the height of the frame; for easier description also the following are assumed: a top part which during use is close to the surface onto which the device or spotlight according to the invention will be fixed; and a bottom part situated opposite the top part in the vertical direction and corresponding to the part which is designed to support a lamp body provided with a light source.

With reference to Figure 1 , a movement device according to the present invention comprises:

- a frame 100 comprising :

- a top surface 101 extending lengthwise parallel to the longitudinal direction and widthwise parallel to the transverse direction and provided with a bottom face 101 a and a top face 101 b situated opposite each other in the vertical direction;

- a first side wall 1 10 and a second side wall 120 each extending downwards in a longitudinal-vertical plane X-Z from the surface 101 ; the two side walls 1 10, 120 being situated opposite each other in the transverse direction Y-Y. Each side wall 1 10, 120 has a respective continuous through- slot 1 1 1 , 121 in the transverse direction having at least a first straight section 1 1 1 a, 121 a parallel to the longitudinal direction Y-Y and at least one section inclined away from the surface 101 and connected to the first straight section 1 1 1 a, 121 a with which it forms an obtuse angle.

The slots 1 1 1 , 121 in the opposite side walls are parallel and opposite to each other in the transverse direction; - a flange 200 for supporting the lamp body (not shown in Fig. 1 ), comprising a surface 201 from which a first vertical side wall 210 and a second vertical side wall 220 extend towards the frame 1 10. The vertical sides 210,220 are arranged parallel and opposite to each other in the transverse direction Y-Y. In the example, they are arranged spaced in the same transverse direction Y-Y at a distance slightly greater than the distance between the sides 1 10,

120 of the frame 100.

Each side wall 210, 220 has a respective rear hole 21 1 and a respective front hole 212, 222 with transverse axis, preferably arranged close to a respective vertical edge of the side wall 210, 220. Preferably, the interaxial distance between the holes 21 1 ,212 in a same side wall 210 is substantially slightly smaller than the longitudinal extension of the longitudinal section 1 1 a of the slot 1 1 in the respective side 1 10 of the frame.

Preferably the front transverse edge 202b of the surface 202 has in the vicinity of each side wall 210,220 a recess 202a extending towards the inside of the surface 202 in the longitudinal direction and forming a through-hole in the vertical direction, the function of which will become clearer below;

- means 300 for rotary translational operation of the support flange 200 with respect to the frame 100, comprising:

- a motor 310, the body of which is designed to be fixed by fixing means 301 to the outer surface in the transverse direction of the first lateral-vertical side wall 210 of the support flange 200 and the shaft 312 of which extends parallel to the transverse direction Y-Y and is configured to be inserted coaxially inside the transverse-axis front hole 212 of the said first side wall 210 and inside the slot 1 1 1 of the first side 1 10; - a gear wheel 313 designed to be coaxially keyed onto the shaft 312 and fixed there by fixing means 314 (not described in detail), preferably with the arrangement, in between, of sliding friction means 314a for example comprising a plurality of wave washers coaxially mounted on the shaft 312; - a rack 360 extending parallel to the longitudinal slot section 121 and fixed to the inner surface in the transverse direction of the first side 1 10 of the frame, between the straight section 1 1 1 a of the slot 1 1 1 and the top face 101 a of the frame. Fixing may for example be performed by means of screws 361 inserted inside corresponding holes in the side 1 10 and the rack 360. - rear pins 330 designed to be inserted inside a respective hole of the rear holes 21 1 in the side walls of the flange and inside a respective slot 1 1 1 ,121 in the sidesl 10,120 of the frame;

- a front pin 340 designed to be inserted inside the front hole 222 in the second side wall 220 of the support flange 200 and inside the slot 121 in the second side 120 of the frame.

With this configuration and with reference now to Figures 3 to 5, the movement device may be assembled by: joining the flange 200 together with the frame 100 so that the holes 21 1 , 222, 212 are aligned with a respective slot 1 1 1 , 121 in the respective side 1 10, 120 of the frame and inserting the pins 330, 340 through a respective hole 21 1 , 212, 222 and a respective slot of the two slots; inserting the shaft 312 of the motor 310 into the front hole 212 of the first side wall 210 and engaging the gear wheel 313 with the shaft 312 in a position transversely on the inside of the first side so that the teeth of the gear wheel mesh with the teeth of the rack 360 fixed to the surface of the said first side 1 10. Preferably, a respective slider 332, 342 is inserted between each pin 330,340 and the respective hole and slot, said slider being formed by a pair of washers respectively coaxially joined together with the pin in a position on the outside of the side wall of the flange and on the inside of the side of the frame.

Preferably, a similar slider 318 is arranged on the shaft 312 of the motor 310 between the motor body and the gear wheel 313.

With this configuration, upon rotational operation of the motor shaft 312, the action of the gear wheel on the rack 360, which is fixed to the frame, causes the guided displacement of the flange 200 along the slots 1 1 1 , 121 with the inclined slot sections 1 1 1 b, 121 b and the rotation of the flange 200 about the longitudinal axis 312 of the motor, thus obtaining tilting of the flange 200 with respect to the frame 100 which will be described in greater detail below.

The recesses 202a on the front transverse edge of the flange 200, if present, facilitate the rotation of the flange 200 with respect to the frame 100, if the flange surface 202 is very close to or substantially in contact with the bottom edge of the sides 1 10,120 of the frame; this arrangement results in a device which is very compact on the vertical direction Z-Z.

With reference again to Fig. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the movement device according to the invention also comprises a vertical-axis gearmotor 400 designed to be fixed to the top face 101 a of the frame 100 for rotational operation of the said frame about an axis parallel to the vertical direction Z-Z. Preferably, the gearmotor 400 is fixed to the inner face 101 a of the surface 101 which has a hole coaxial with the vertical output shaft 401 of the gearmotor 400 which may be fixed to an intended wall of the device. With reference to Figure 2, a preferred element 500 for fixing the movement device comprises a bar 501 which during use is parallel to the surface to which the device must be fixed and has a longitudinal extension greater than the longitudinal extension of the surface 101 ; a respective fixing plug 502 being arranged at opposite ends of the bar 501 and a sleeve 503 being fixed in a substantially central position of the bar, said sleeve being designed to be rigidly connected together with the vertical-axis output shaft 401 of the gearmotor for example by means of an external threading 503a such that, once joined together, operation of the shaft 401 of the gearmotor 400 causes rotational operation of the frame 100 about the vertical axis Z-Z relative to the fixing bar 501 and therefore to the wall to which said bar is fixed by means of the plugs 502.

Preferred embodiments of the device may also comprise drivers 601 , 602 for powering and/or controlling the various movement means and/or the lamp body (Fig. 1 ), which are for example fixed to the surface 101 of the frame 100.

With reference to Figures 3-5 an example of a spotlight according to the invention comprises a lamp body L which is fixed by means of vertical bars L1 to the bottom surface of the flange 200 and which carries a light source LS which is conventional per se and not described in detail.

As shown, the spotlight comprises the movement device and the lamp body L may be fixed by means of the fixing element 500 to an intended mounting surface (not shown).

With reference to Figs. 6a-6c, once the various functional parts have been assembled, the operating principle of the spotlight is as follows: - powering the motor 310 (Figs. 4) causes rotation of the gear wheel 313 which, interacting with the rack 360 fixed to the frame 100, forces the shaft 310 and the pins 330,340 which connect the sides of the flange 200 to the frame, to slide inside the respective slot 1 1 1 ,121 , causing the displacement of the flange 200 and therefore of the lamp unit L with respect to the frame 100 and, owing to the presence of the inclined slot sections, the rotation of the flange 200 about the longitudinal axis of rotation X-X formed by the shaft 312 of the motor which is displaceably integral with the first side wall 210 of the flange; the flange 200 is thus able to tilt with respect to the frame 100: · from an initial position (Fig. 6a) corresponding to a position of the flange with its surface parallel to the surface of the frame, and therefore with the lamp unit emitting a light beam parallel to the vertical axis Z-Z;

• into intermediate positions (Fig. 6b) where the support flange 200 is inclined with respect to the surface of the frame and therefore the light beam emitted by the lamp unit is at an angle with respect to the vertical axis Z-Z;

• into an end position (Fig. 6c) where the flange 200 is inclined with respect to the surface of the frame at an angle corresponding to the angle of the inclined slot section 1 1 1 b, 121 b and the light beam is inclined at the maximum permitted angle with respect to the vertical axis Z-Z.

If present (Fig. 7), the gearmotor 400 at this point may be operated so as to cause rotation of the frame 100, and therefore the flange 200 and the lamp body L, about the vertical axis of rotation Z-Z, it therefore being possible to orient through 360° the light beam whose inclination has been adjusted by operating the motor 310 for tilting the flange 200. What must be pointed out is that, during the movement of the pins along the slot 1 1 1 ,121 , the rack 360 remains fixed, forcing the flange to perform a tilting movement, resulting from its rotation about the axis 312 of the motor fixed to one side of the flange, and a translational movement, determined by the movement of the flange sides along the slots 1 1 1 ,121 of the frame sides, facilitates by the sliders 332, 342 if present.

The tilting movement has the overall effect that the light beam always remains complete, even where the spotlight is installed in a recess, and is never obscured by the structure of the spotlight movement device.

Powering in succession the two motors 310,400 will therefore produce orientation of the light beam at different angles with respect to the vertical axis Z-Z and/or different angular orientations in the horizontal plane X-Y.

According to preferred embodiments it is envisaged that the spotlight comprises:

- electronic means (not shown) for receiving radio signals emitted remotely by means of a remote control and designed to control the light source LS and/or operation of the motors 300,400, for example by means of the drivers 601 , 602, so as to allow the user to adjust easily the direction of the light beam without having to physically access the spotlight; and/or

- sliding friction means 314a coaxially mounted on the motor shaft, for example in between the motor shaft 312 and the gear wheel 313, and/or arranged between the output shaft 401 of the gearmotor 400 and the wall mounting means 503, in order to prevent damage to the motors in the event of forced handling by the user. With reference to Fig. 8, in a spotlight comprising a further embodiment of the movement device according to the invention, the sides 1 1 10 of the frame each comprise a further inclined section 1 1 1 1c of the slot 1 1 1 1 , which is connected to the straight section of the slot in each side 1 1 10, on the opposite side to the first inclined section 1 121 b, and is also inclined with respect to the straight slot section at a respective angle b, which may correspond to the angle of inclination of the first inclined section 1 121 b relative to the straight slot section, but is preferably different from said angle.

The tilting operation of the flange 1200 along the second inclined slot section 1 1 1 1c may be performed by means of the same motor 310, in which case the rack 1361 (schematically indicated by the broken line in Fig. 8) is prolonged parallel to the slot 1 1 1 1 so as to have a rack section 1361 inclined parallel to the second inclined slot section and preferably connected to the straight rack section by a transition curve. Alternatively, a second rack may be fixed to the second side of the frame 1 100, arranged parallel to the straight section of the respective slot, and a second motor with transverse shaft and gear wheel may be fixed to the second side of the flange, with the shaft inserted inside the rear hole thereof and inside the slot 120, so as to cause rotary translational operation which is entirely similar to that described for the motor 310 of the first embodiment, but is in the opposite direction along the length of said slot.

The preferred embodiment in which the angle b formed by the second slot section 1 1 1 1c of each side wall may be different from the angle formed by the first inclined slot section 1 1 1 1 b results in a further degree of versatility and variety of possible orientations of the flange 1200 and therefore the light beam emitted by the source LS mounted thereon.

Although described in connection with a configuration which, as shown, comprises two drives for two separate movements, it is understood that it is within the competence of the person skilled in the art to design the spotlight so that it has only the tilting movement about the longitudinal axis X-X. The person skilled in the art may also be able to design variations of embodiment in which for example the rack is fixed in a position underneath the respective slot in the vertical direction and/or on the outside of the side wall in the transverse direction Y-Y. In this latter case, one or more side walls of the flange may be joined in a transverse position on the inside of the respective side of the frame. The rotary translational motor may also be fixed in a position on the inside of the respective side wall in the transverse direction, instead of on the outside as shown in the preferred embodiment.

It is also clear that the straight slot section may be itself inclined with respect to the top surface of the frame, if a particular initial orientation of the lamp body is required.

It is also understood that the motors may be gearmotors or vice versa.

It is therefore clear how, as a result of the particular configuration of the spotlight according to the invention, the light body unit may be motorized so as to assume different inclinations and positions.

The spotlight is also formed by parts which are easy and inexpensive to produce and assemble and which may be easily installed at any user location by means of normal standardized connection means. Although described in connection with a number of embodiments and a number of preferred examples of implementation of the invention, it is understood that the scope of protection of the present patent is determined solely by the claims below.

Claims

1. Device for moving a lamp body (L) for motorized spotlights, comprising:

- a frame (100) comprising:

- a top surface (101 ) extending parallel to a longitudinal lengthwise direction (X-X) and a transverse widthwise direction (Y-Y) and having a bottom face

(101 a) and a top face (101 b) opposite each other in a vertical heightwise direction (Z-Z);

- a first side wall (1 10;1 1 10) and a second side wall (120;1 120) each extending in a longitudinal-vertical plane (X-Z) from the surface (101 ); the two sides (1 10,120;1 1 10;1 120) being parallel and situated opposite each other in the transverse direction(Y-Y) and having a respective continuous through-slot (1 1 1 ,121 ;1 1 1 1 ) in the transverse direction (Y-Y) and extending along at least a first straight section (1 1 1 a,121 a;1 1 1 a) and at least one section (1 1 1 b;121 b;1 1 1 1 b) inclined away from the surface (101 ) and connected to the first straight section with which it forms an obtuse angle;

- a flange (200) for supporting the lamp body (L), comprising a surface (201 ) from which a first side wall (210) and a second side wall (220) extend, the side walls (210,220) being arranged opposite each other in the transverse direction (Y-Y) and each being parallel to a respective side of the frame (100;1 100), and

each side wall (210, 220) having a respective rear hole (21 1 ) and a respective front hole (212, 222) with transverse axis;

- a motor (310) which is fixed to a first vertical side wall (210) of the support flange (200) and which has a shaft (312) extending parallel to the transverse direction (Y-Y) and is configured to be inserted coaxially inside the transverse- axis front hole (212) of the said first side (210) and inside the slot (1 1 1 ) of the first side (1 10);

- a gear wheel (313) rotationally driven by the shaft (312) of the motor;

- a rack (360) which extends parallel to the straight slot section of the first side and is fixed to the first side (1 10) of the frame and with which the gear wheel (313) meshes;

- pins (330;340) designed to be inserted inside a respective hole of the front or rear holes (21 1 ;212;222) of the side walls (210;220) of the flange (200) and inside a respective slot (1 1 1 ,121 ;1 121 ) of the sides (1 10,120) of the frame so as to couple each side of the frame to a respective side of the flange.

2. Movement device according to Claim 1 , characterized in that the rack is fixed between the straight section (1 1 1 a) of the slot (1 1 1 ) and the top face (101 a) of the frame.

3. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the side walls (210,220) of the flange are spaced from each other in the transverse direction (Y-Y) at a distance slightly greater than or slightly smaller than the distance between the sides (1 10,120) of the frame (100).

4. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the interaxial distance between the holes (21 1 ,212) on a same side (210) is substantially slightly smaller than the length of the first straight section (1 1 1 a) of the slot (1 1 1 ) in the respective side (1 10) of the frame.

5. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the first straight slot section extends parallel to the longitudinal direction (X-X) or is inclined relative thereto.

6. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a front transverse edge (202b) of the surface (202) of the flange (200) has a recess (202a) extending towards the inside of the surface (202) in the longitudinal direction and passing through in the vertical direction, being arranged in the vicinity of each side wall (210,220) aligned with the position, in the transverse direction (Y-Y), of a respective side of the frame.

7. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a respective slider (332,342) is inserted between each pin (330,340) and the respective holes in the flange side and slot in the frame side, said slider being formed by a pair of washers coaxially joined together with the pin and/or in that a slider (318) is coaxially arranged on the shaft (312) of the motor (310) between the motor body and the gear wheel (313).

8. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a vertical-axis gearmotor (400) is fixed to the top face (101 a) of the frame (100) so as to rotationally drive the said frame about an axis parallel to the vertical direction (Z-Z).

9. Movement device according to a preceding claim, characterized in that the gearmotor (400) is fixed to the inner face (101 a) of the surface (101 ) which has a hole coaxial with the vertical output shaft (401 ) of the gearmotor (400).

10. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a fixing element (500) comprising a bar (501 ) for performing fixing to a surface; a respective fixing plug (502) being arranged at the opposite ends of the bar (501 ).

11. Movement device according to Claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the bar (501 ) has fixed thereto, in a substantially central position, a sleeve (503) designed to be rigidly connected together with the vertical-axis output shaft (401 ) of the gearmotor (400) for operating the frame about the vertical axis.

12. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises drivers (601 , 602) for powering and/or controlling one or more motors and/or the light source of the lamp body and optionally electronic means for receiving radio signals emitted remotely via a remote control.

13. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that sliding friction means are coaxially arranged between the motor shaft (312) and the gear wheel (313) and/or between the output shaft (401 ) of the gearmotor (400) and the fixing means (503).

14. Movement device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the sides (1 1 10) of the frame each comprise a further inclined section (1 1 1 1 c) of the slot (1 1 1 1 ) connected to the first straight section of the slot in each side (1 1 10) on the opposite side to the first inclined section (1 1 1 1 b) and inclined relative to the straight slot section at a respective angle (b) preferably different from said angle of the first inclined section (1 1 1 1 b) relative to the first straight section.

15. Motorized spotlight comprising a movement device according to one of the preceding claims, and a light body (L) designed to carry a light source (LS) and fixed to the flange (200) supporting the movement device.