EP0315520B1 - Light fixture with fluorescent tubes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a fluorescent tube lighting fixture.

In premises where a humid, corrosive or highly dusty atmosphere prevails, it is known to provide watertight lighting fixtures with fluorescent tubes. These devices generally have two main elements in a bowl: the body and the bowl. These two elements are made of injected plastic, the bowl being translucent. They have well defined dimensions: each model of lighting fixture corresponds to two molds.

The body and the basin are placed facing each other with the interposition of an annular seal. To ensure their assembly, there are locking hooks which are put in place when the lighting fixture is installed.

The German document DE-AS-1 054 173 describes a waterproof fluorescent tube lighting device with a strip or electric unit arranged inside, of the type comprising a plastic body and a transparent bowl made by cutting extruded profiles , two end caps in injected thermoplastic material, longitudinal seals between the body and the bowl and annular seals carried by the end caps.

One of the objects of the invention is to propose a lighting apparatus of simple construction and easy assembly, not requiring the use of locking hooks.

Another object of the invention is to provide a waterproof lighting device the length of which can be determined without being dependent on the dimensions of the molds.

Yet another object of the invention is to propose, for this lighting device, a particularly practical method of attachment and easy adjustment.

The subject of the invention is a waterproof fluorescent tube lighting device with a strip or electrical unit placed inside, of the type comprising a plastic body and a transparent bowl made by cutting off extruded profiles, two end caps made of material injected thermoplastic, longitudinal seals between the body and the bowl and annular seals carried by the end caps, characterized in that each side of the bowl has an outer edge capable of snapping into the body and an inner wall s 'pressing on a longitudinal seal, and in that each end piece has an inner wall supporting a transverse annular seal applying to the interior of the body and the bowl, said lighting fixture being made of so as to set up the body, the end caps, the strip and the tubes, and then fix the basin by snap-fastening.

• le corps comporte un bord à deux concavités inversées dont la première tournée vers l'intérieur du corps reçoit le joint d'étanchéité longitudinale et la seconde, tournée vers l'extérieur, est destinée à recevoir une nervure d'accrochage ;
• la bordure extérieure de la vasque porte dans sa partie inférieure une nervure d'accrochage, une deuxième nervure susceptible de s'encliqueter sur un bord supérieur du bord du corps, et une extrémité supérieure saillante de préhension pour dégager les deux nervures du corps lorsqu'on enlève la vasque pour remplacer les tubes florescents ;
• le corps porte des nervures longitudinales susceptibles de coopérer avec des crochets d'une embase pour fixer l'appareil par encliquetage ;
• les nervures sont coudées et les crochets sont portés par des bras souples ;
• le corps est alvéolaire.
• un embout comporte une surface latérale qui présente des fentes pour laisser passer les nervures longitudinales du corps ;
• un joint annulaire s'applique à l'intérieur du corps qui se trouve tenu entre, d'une part, une surface latérale d'un embout à l'extérieur et, d'autre part, ledit joint à l'intérieur.

According to other characteristics of the invention:

• the body has an edge with two inverted concavities, the first facing inward of the body receives the longitudinal seal and the second, facing outward, is intended to receive a latching rib;
• the outer edge of the basin has in its lower part a hooking rib, a second rib capable of snapping onto an upper edge of the edge of the body, and a projecting upper end for gripping to release the two ribs from the body when remove the bowl to replace the fluorescent tubes;
• the body carries longitudinal ribs capable of cooperating with hooks of a base to fix the device by snap-fastening;
• the ribs are bent and the hooks are carried by flexible arms;
• the body is alveolar.
• a tip has a side surface which has slots for passing the longitudinal ribs of the body;
• an annular seal is applied inside the body which is held between, on the one hand, a lateral surface of a nozzle on the outside and, on the other hand, said seal on the inside.

• Figure 1 : une vue perspective d' un appareil d'éclairage selon l'invention utilisé en plafonnier ;
• Figure 2 : une vue en coupe perpendiculaire à l'axe longitudinal de l'appareil d'éclairage de la figure 1, sans la réglette, ou unité électrique, et sans l'embout;
• Figure 3 : une vue, de l'intérieur, d'un embout de l'appareil d'éclairage de la figure 1 ;
• Figure 4 : une vue en coupe selon la figure 2 de l'appareil complet.

By way of example, the accompanying drawing shows:

• Figure 1: a perspective view of a lighting device according to the invention used in ceiling;
• Figure 2: a sectional view perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the lighting apparatus of Figure 1, without the strip, or electrical unit, and without the nozzle;
• Figure 3: a view, from the inside, of a tip of the lighting fixture of Figure 1;
• Figure 4: a sectional view according to Figure 2 of the complete apparatus.

Referring to FIG. 1, it can be seen that the waterproof lighting device according to the invention essentially consists of a body 1, two end pieces 2, 3 and a basin 4.

The body 1 is made of cellular plastic material. It is in the form of an extruded profile which is then cut to the desired length for each lighting device. In Figure 2, we see that the body 1 is provided with longitudinal cells 5 having the role of lightening it while retaining a certain rigidity. At the upper part, the body 1 carries two longitudinal ribs 6 and 7 bent, capable of cooperating with hooks 8, 9 of a fixing base 10. The hooks 8, 9 are carried by flexible arms so as to allow a suspension of the body 1 by simple click.

The body 1 is presented as a flat-bottom channel 11 with two inclined sides 12 and 13. Each side is limited by an edge 14, 15, the section of which has two inverted concavities. The first concavity is turned towards the inside of the body 1. It is intended to receive a seal 16, linear. The second concavity is turned outwards, it is intended to receive a hooking rib 17 of the basin 4.

The basin 4 is in extruded profile, with substantially the same general shape as the body 1. As it must be transparent, it is made of polystyrene for example, or of polycarbonate in order to improve its resistance to possible shocks. To better control the distribution of the light flux emitted by the fluorescent tubes placed in the lighting fixture, it has a prismatic structure.

It appears as a flat bottom channel 18, with two inclined sides 19, 20. Each side is extended by an inner edge 21 and an outer edge 22, parallel to each other. The inner edge is a wall which rests on the seal 16, so as to ensure the longitudinal tightness of the device between the body 1 and the bowl 4. The outer edge 22 carries, in its lower part, the hooking rib 17 capable of snapping into the second concavity, facing outward, from the edge 14 of the body 1. It also carries, in the vicinity of its upper end, a second rib 23 capable of snapping onto the upper edge of the first concavity, turned towards the inside, of the edge 14 of the body 1. The upper end 24 of the outer edge 22 projects upwards, so as to allow a grip to release the two ribs 23 and 17 of the edge 14 of the body 1 when the bowl 4 has to be removed to replace the fluorescent tubes for example.

In Figure 3, we see the inner face of the tip 3 of Figure 1. This tip 3 is made of injected thermoplastic material. Its external shape is defined for its adaptation on the one hand to the body 1, on the other hand to the basin 4. The end face 25 is provided with a cable gland 26 for the passage of the power cable. The lateral surface 27 surrounds the body 1, this is why it has two slots 28, 29, for letting the longitudinal ribs 6, 7. The end piece 3 has an inner wall 30 held from the inside by radial ribs 31 partial. This wall 30 serves as a support and support for an annular seal 32. As can be seen in FIG. 4, this seal 32 applies to the interior of the body 1, which is held between a share the lateral surface 27 on the outside and on the other hand the seal 32 on the inside. Likewise, the seal 32 is applied to the interior of the basin 4.

In Figure 4, we see that the strip, or electrical unit 33 is in place in the device. It is fixed to the L-shaped supports shown at 36 and 37 in FIG. 2, by means not described so as not to overload the drawing. In this exemplary embodiment, two fluorescent tubes 34 and 35 have been shown.

The lighting device according to the invention is produced in a particularly simple and economical manner. First of all, as a function of the desired electrical power, that is to say of the length of the fluorescent tubes, the length of the body 1 and that of the basin 4 are determined, and the sections of corresponding profiles are removed. The body 1, the end pieces 2, 3 and the strip 33 are put in place. The body 1 and the end pieces 2, 3 are fixed by snap-fastening. The tubes 34, 35 are put in place and the basin is fixed by snap-fastening. The entire apparatus is then ready to be fixed on a base 10, by snapping on the ribs 6, 7 on the hooks 8, 9. One or more bases being fixed to the ceiling, the lighting fixture is hung there. by snap-fastening. Then the device is adjusted in position by axial sliding relative to the bases. Finally we ensure the blocking position of the device by means, for example, of a sliding locking part provided in each base.

In the electrical device according to the invention, the transverse seal is ensured by the two annular seals 32 of the end pieces, and the longitudinal seal by the linear seals 16. As the bearing pressure on these seals is constant, the sealing is ensured under the best conditions.

Claims (8)

1. A hermetic fluorescent-tube light fitting with a lamp fitting or electric unit located therein, of the type comprising a body of plastics material and a transparent trough both produced by cutting off extruded profiles, two end pieces of injection-moulded thermoplastic material, longitudinal gaskets between the body and the trough and annular gaskets borne by the end pieces, characterised in that each side of the trough (4) has an outer border (22) which is capable of snapping into the body (1) and an inner wall (21) bearing on a longitudinal gasket (16), and in that each end piece (2, 3) has an inner wall (30) supporting a transverse annular gasket (32) applied on the inside of the body (1) and of the trough (4), said light fitting being made so that the body (1), the end pieces (2, 3), the lamp fitting (33) and the tubes (34, 35) are put in place and then the trough (4) is fixed by snapping in.
2. A fitting according to Claim 1, characterised in that the body (1) comprises an edge (14) with two inverted concavities, the first of which, which faces towards the inside of the body (1), receives the longitudinal gasket (16) and the second of which, which faces towards the outside, is intended to receive a hooking rib (17).
3. A fitting according to Claim 2, characterised in that the outer edge (22) of the trough (4) bears in its lower part a hooking rib (17), a second rib (23) capable of snapping in an upper edge of the edge (14) of the body (1), and an upper projecting gripping end (24) for disengaging the two ribs (17, 23) from the body (1) when the trough (4) is removed to replace the fluorescent tubes.
4. A fitting according to Claim 1, characterised in that the body (1) bears longitudinal ribs (6, 7) which are capable of cooperating with hooks (8, 9) of a baseplate (10) for fixing the apparatus by snapping in.
5. A fitting according to Claim 4, characterised in that the ribs (6, 7) are angled and the hooks (8, 9) are borne by flexible arms.
6. A fitting according to Claim 1, characterised in that the body (1) is cellular.
7. A fitting according to Claim 1, characterised in that one end piece (2, 3) comprises a lateral surface (27) which has slots (28, 29) for allowing the longitudinal ribs (6, 7) of the body (1) to pass through.
8. A fitting according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterised in that an annular gasket (32) is applied to the inside of the body (1) which is held between, on the one hand, a lateral surface (27) of one end piece (2 or 3) on the outside and, on the other hand, said gasket (32) on the inside.

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