WO1994001717A1

WO1994001717A1 - System of spatial lighting

Info

Publication number: WO1994001717A1
Application number: PCT/IT1992/000099
Authority: WO
Inventors: Angelo Marinacci
Original assignee: Fonderal S.R.L.
Priority date: 1992-07-14
Filing date: 1992-08-07
Publication date: 1994-01-20
Also published as: ITMI921700A1; IT1255579B; AU2427392A; ITMI921700A0

Abstract

System of spatial lighting comprising at least one body (23) freely translating in a guide bar (50), with longitudinal rods (61, 62) for electric contact, that carries on an axially turning stem (60), by means of transversal articulations (12, 13), a lamp (10) electrically connected, through said stem, to the rods (61, 62) on the guide bar (50), it being thus possible to orientate as desired said lamp (10) in space while assuring its electrical connection.

Description

SYSTEM OF SPATIAL LIGHTING

The invention concerns systems of spatial lighting. Ever wider use is now being made of lighting systems in which the sources of light can be turned in various di- rections. This possibility is especially popular for lighting homes and shop windows since it lends itself to creating and easily varying particular effects and play of lights. For this purpose lamps are usually placed using a var- iety of orientable supports enabling the beams of light to be directed according to preference. Such types of supports however are limited in their movements and do not allow lamps to be placed, moved and oriented conveniently in a wide range of directions. In addition the electrical connections of these lamps are often made by means of conducting wires which may create great problems due to wires being broken or twisted when the orientable supports are moved.

Related devices are often complicated, liable to go wrong while costs of repairs are relatively high. The above invention removes or lessens these drawbacks as will be explained in the following description.

Subject of the invention is a system of spatial illumina¬ tion comprising at least one hollow translatable body placed in a guide bar with inner longitudinal channels. Rods of conducting material are lodged in said longitudi- nal channels. Inside said translatable body, the form of which is complemen ary to that of the guide bar, are el¬ ectric contacts.

The translatable body supports a stem that can rotate free¬ ly in relation to said translatable body. The stem is electrically connected to said electric con¬ tacts. The stem supports an electric lamp connected el¬ ectrically to said stem, with possibility of rotating free¬ ly on the plane whereon lies the stem's axis of rotation. Therefore, determining translation of the translatable body, determining rotation of the stem and determining the angle of the lamp in relation to the stem, said lamp can be placed and oriented in space.

Advan ageously said stem is a hollow cylindrical stem made of conductive material. At one end it has a head from which the stem is electrically insulated by a plastic collar.

Said translatable body has a cylindrical collar whose in¬ ternal diameter is slightly greater than the stem's outer diameter. The translatable body's electric contacts con¬ sist of two opposing laminae of conductive material, said laminae being flat, elastic and fixed to the side walls of said body so that their position corresponds to that of the collar's cylindrical space at reciprocally dif¬ fering levels along the axis of said collar. Therefore, on placing the stem inside the collar, its head comes in contact with one of the two laminae while its body comes in contact with the other lamina assuring electrical connection with the translatable body even when the stem rotates in relation to said translatable body . Usefully said head is electrically connected to an elec- trie wire inserted in said hollow cylindrical stem.

Preferably said cylindrical collar of the translatable body is threaded on the outside. A threaded bushing is inserted on the cylindrical stem to fix it to said cylin¬ drical collar. Usefully said lamp comprises a joint the axis of which is substantially orthogonal to its own axis. At the free end the ste.m comprises a joint whose axis is substan ially orthogonal to its own. Said joints, those of the lamp and of the stem, can turn inside the cylin- drical seats at the ends of two parallel and oppositely placed crosspieces. Said crosspieces are spaced by an cylindrical spacer inserted on a central threaded pin with a key that penetrates through two threaded holes made in said two crosspieces respectively. The lamp can therefore rotate freely on the plane whereon lies the stem's axis of rotation. By turning the key, the strength of the hold exerted by the crosspieces' cylindri¬ cal seats on the cylindrical joints of the lamp and of the stem can be varied. Consequently the resistance opposed by the lamp to said rotation can also be varied.

In the guide bar there are two inner longitudinal channels In the side walls of said translatable body there are longitudinal windows whose position corresponds to those of the longitudinal channels aforesaid. The electric con¬ tacts referred to above have extensions on which there are tabs that project through apertures made in said lateral walls of the translatable body at levels different from those of the above-mentioned windows.

In the translatable body there is a seat for a control¬ ling cylindrical body. On this body there are two pairs of diametrally placed tabs, each pair at a different level. The level of one pair of tabs corresponds to that of the longitudinal windows.

Thickness of said tabs is less than the width of said windows. The level of the second pair of tabs corresponds to that of the extensions of the electric contacts.

Therefore, determining rotation of the controlling cylindri- cal body, the first pair of tabs will emerge from the win¬ dows in the walls of the hollow translatable body and they will fit into the guide bar's two longitudinal channels while at the same time the electric contacts will diverge and their end tabs will emerge from the apertures referred to above, also made in said walls. Since the position of said apertures corresponds to that of the guide bar's con¬ ductor rods, locking of the translatable body to said guide bar and electric connection of the electric contacts with the conductor rods will be assured. Preferably a diametral cut is made in the head of said controlling cylindrical body emerging from the translatable body so that it can be turned with a screwdriver. Advantageously the above-mentioned guide bar is of metal and has a 'C'-shaped cross section throughout. The invention clearly offers many advantages. In relation to the guide bar, the lamp possesses a degree of freedom of movement that enables the beam to be orien¬ ted in virtually any direction, as well as being conven- iently moveable in every area of its space because of the way it can slide along the axis of said guide. This is a highly appreciated feature because it means that the light can be moved close to or away from some particular objec¬ tive so that special effects and a play of lights can be achieved .

The possibility of firmly fixing the translatable body on the guide bar and the further possibility of modulating the force exerted on the joints that enables the lamp to be rotated around the plane whereon lies the axis of the stem, allows the lamp to be easily moved and placed in the posi¬ tion and given the orientation desired.

The electric connections created by means of the conductor rods on the guide bar and by means of the contacts that brush on the stem practically remove all risks connected with twisted or broken electric wires.

Another great advantage that concerns security is the fact that the operative ends of the translatable body's electric contacts are mobile. By simply rotating the translatable body's cylindrical body it in fact becomes possible to cut out electric connection with the guide bar during translation of the translatable body.

Briefly, the subject invention supplies a safe and simple lighting system that enables the position and orientation of the source of light to be chosen and altered in a most convenient way. Characteristics and purposes of the invention will be made still clearer by the following example of its execution illustrated by diagrammatically drawn figures. Fig. 1. Perspective view of the module,with lamp,of the lighting system with supporting translatable body on a length of the guide bar, with device for lock¬ ing and electric connection, and device for spatial orientation. Fig. 2 Perspective view of the translatable body in its translating position.

Fig. 3. The same as above, in perspective, with the lamp lit. Fig. 4. Perspective view of the translatable body open and taken to pieces . Fig. 5. Perspective view of the device for spatial orienta- tion .

Fig. 6. Diagram to show function of the device for locking and electric connection, in the translating position. Fig. 7. The same as above in the position with lighted lamp. The system of illumination comprises guides 50 for transla- tion, support and electric connection formed of hexagonal metal bars 65 for one or more lamps 10, with support I I, by a device 55 for spatial orientation.

Cross section of said bars 65 is C-shaped throughout with longitudinal channels 51 opposite one another for insulating strips 63, 64 carrying copper rods 61, 62, one opposite the other .

Parallel to said channels 51 are the opposing channels 20 for supporting the translatable body 23 to which the lamp 10 is fitted. Said translating body 23 is made from two substantially equal shells 21 and 22, comprising the cylindrical seat 31 and 32 with threaded edge for screwing on a locking ring 48 in order to fix the device 55 for spatial orientation. Said body also comprises the semi-cylindrical seats 36 and 37 to form a slot for the locking and connecting part 35. Said shells 21 and 22 carry the opposing flat and elastic contacts 27 and 28 fixed to tabs 33 and 34 projecting from the inner walls of said shells.

Said contacts 27 and 28 pass through, at one end, the ca¬ vity corresponding to the position of the cylindrical seat 31, 32, reciprocally offset, while at the other end said contacts extend, their extensions 45 and 46 passing across the cylindrical space bounded by the semi-cylindrical seats 36 and 37 and terminating in the ends 29 bent at approxi¬ mately 90° (Figs. 6 and 7)at the position of the opposing apertures 71 on the side walls of said shells 21, 22.

The body of the locking and connecting part 35 is cylin¬ drical is shape with a head 47 that comprises a pair of diametral transversal tabs 43 and 44 and a pair of diame¬ tral teeth 38, 39 on a level different from that of the first pair .

When mounting, the shells 21, 22 are made to match up gui¬ ded by the tab 25 on one shell which penetrates into an eyehole 26 on the other. The locking and connecting part 35 is lodged in the cy- lindrical seat created by the two semi-cylindrical parts

36 and 37.After mounting, the transversal tabs 43, 44 will lie at the level of the cleft 72 made in the walls of said shells 21, 22 while the longitudinal teeth 38, 39 will be at the level of the extensions 45, 46 of contacts 27, 28.

As may be seen in Figs. 6 and 7, when said part 35 is in the position shown in Fig. 6, the hollow body 23 formed of the two shells 21 and 22 can translate freely along the hexagonal structure 65; but when the head 47 makes a 90° turn by means of the diametral cut in it (Fig.7) the transversal tabs 43, 44 pass through the cleft 72 and fit inside channels 20 in the hexagonal structure 65, locking said hollow body 23 to said structure 65. Simultaneously the teeth 38, 39 make the extensions 45 46 of contacts 27, 28 diverge causing them to connect, by means of their bent ends 29, that emerge from the two apertures 71 opposite one another in the hollow body 23, with the copper bars 61, 62 carried by the hexagonal structure 65 thus ensuring electrical connection. From these contacts 27, 28 current reaches the lamp 10 through the tubular stems 60 and 68.

Stem 60 has a terminal swelling 41 and a head 42 elec¬ trically insulated from said stem by the ring 66 of insulating material. Said head is connected to the lamp 10 by the wire 67. When the two shells 21 and 22 are brought together, the end of the stem 60 fits inside the cylindrical seat 31 and 32 bringing the head 42 to contact 27 and the swel¬ ling 41 to the offset contact 28. Electrical continuity is thus assured. The axial position of said stem is secured by the lock¬ ing ring 48 which screws into the cylindrical seat 31,32. After passing through the stem 60, the wire 67 enters the stem 68 of the lamp. The spatial orientation device 55 comprises the cylin- drical joints 17 and 18 respectively turning inside slots 58 made in the ends of crosspieces 12 and 13. The threaded pin 24, on entering the hole 14 in the crosspiece 12 and in the spacer 19, screws into the threaded hole 15 in the crosspiece 13. Rotation of the lever 56 can lock said joints 17, 18 partly thanks to the friction washers 16, thus making the lamp 10 stable in practically any spatial position since the stem 60 freely makes axial turns in the slot created by the translatable body 23 and since the joints 17, 18 allow of a double angular position, round the parallel axes XX and YY, on the geometrical plane pas¬ sing through the axis of said stem 60.

Claims

1. System of spatial lighting, characterized in that it comprises at least one hollow body (23) translatable within a guide bar (50) in which there are internal longitudinal slots (51) for two oppo¬ sing rods (61, 62) of conductive material, said body hous¬ ing a pair of oppositely placed electric contacts (27,28) having elastic extensions (45, 46) whose position corres¬ ponds with apertures (71) in the opposing walls of said hollow body at a position corresponding to said rods (61, 62) of conductive material, and carrying a device (55) for spatial orientation comprising a freely rotating first stem (60), electrically connected to said electric contacts (27, 28), said stem supporting at its free end, by means of joints ( 17, 18) whose axis is transversal to the axis of rotation of said stem (60), and by means of a second stem (68), a lamp ( 10) electrically connected to said stems (60, 68), it being thus possible to direct the beam of light from the lamp ( 10) as desired in the .various spatial areas by making it translate along the above guide bar (50) and rotate round the axis of the first stem (60) and round the joints ( 17, 18) on an axis transversal to its axis of rota¬ tion, while the electric contacts (27, 28) of the transla¬ table body (23) can connect up with the rods (61, 62) of conductive material irrespective of the position of the translatable body (23) in relation to the guide bar (50) ensuring continuous electric connection for the lamp ( 10).

2. Lighting system as in claim 1, characterized in that the first stem (60) is an electrical- ly conducting hollow cylindrical body having at its end an electrically insulated head (42) housed in a cylindrical seat (31, 32) in said translatable body (23) and in that said electric contacts (27, 28) are two laminae of conduc¬ tive material whose positions correspond to said cylindri¬ cal seat (31, 32), said contacts on the axis of said seat (31, 32) being at different levels so that one (27) of the contacts touches said head (42) on the first stem (60) while the other contact (28) touches another point on said stem (60) thus ensuring electrical connection whichever way the first stem (60) is turned in relation to the transla- table body (23).

3. Lighting system as in claim 1, characterized in that said head (42) is electrically connec¬ ted to the lamp( lθ) by means of an electric wire (67) pas¬ sing within said first stem (60).

4. Lighting system as in claim 1, characterized in that the joints ( 17, 18) between the first stem (60) and the second stem (68) and the lamp ( 10) can rotate inside cylindrical slots (58) made at the ends of two parallel crosspieces ( 12, 13) separated by a cylindrical spacing means ( 19) mounted on a central threaded pin (24) turned by a key (56), which pin (24) penetrating through a hole ( 14) in one crosspiece ( 12), screws into the aligned and threaded hole ( 15) of the other crosspiece ( 13) so that the lamp ( 10) can freely turn on the plane whereon lies the axis of rotation of the first stem (60) while, by turning the key (56), the force with which the cylindrical slots (58) in the crosspieces ( 12, 13) grip the above-mentioned cylindrical joints ( 17, 18) can be varied, as will conse¬ quently be varied the resistance offered by the lamp ( 10) to being moved.

5. Lighting system as in claim 1, characterized in that, in said guide bar (50) there are two internal longitudinal channels (20) and in that said hollow translatable body (23) has on the same walls in which apertures (71) have been made to correspond with the conductor rods (61, 62) present in said guide bar(50), two opposing longitudinal clefts (72) whose positions cor¬ respond to that of said longitudinal channels (20) and in that, in said translatable body (23), there is a central housing (36, 37) for a controlling cylindrical body (35) comprising a pair of longitudinal diametral teeth (38,39) and a pair of transversal diametral tabs (43, 44) at levels that differ for each pair, in relation to the axis of said cylindrical body (35), the level of the pair of longitudi¬ nal teeth (38, (39) being such as to correspond with the level of the above apertures (71), the level of the pair of transversal tabs (43, 44) being such as to correspond with the level of the extensions (45, 46) of the opposing electric contacts (27, 28) so that, when said cylindrical body (35) rotates, the pair of transversal tabs (42, 43) emerge from said hollow body (23) and become fixed in the two longitudinal channels (20) and at the same time the extensions (45, 46) of electric contacts (27, 28) diverge causing the bent ends (29) to pass through the aforesaid apertures (71) and make contact with the conducting rods (61, 62) on the guide bar .(50) so that electric contact is also made and the translatable body (23) is locked on the guide bar (50) .