EP1260763A1 - Assembly for mounting a self-supporting spotlight on a tensioned ceiling - Google Patents

Abstract

A circular reinforcing washer with indents (9) is glued to the suspended ceiling (4) and the ceiling is then cut away around inner washer and indent surface to allow entry by a spotlight collar. The spotlight collar has lugs (8) which slide through the washer indents and grip the ceiling after the collar has been pressed in and twisted. Collar shoulders (3) grip the reinforcing washer to complete the fixing and the bulb clicks (10) into the collar

Description

The present invention relates to the field of small projectors commonly called spots, more particularly intended to be mounted on a stretch ceiling, i.e. a ceiling made of plastic membrane, usually polychloride vinyl, tensioned by appropriate means.

It is now more and more common to mount light bulbs or spotlights by fitting them directly into the ceiling. In this case the bulb is substantially flush with the plane of the ceiling, being surrounded by an annular collar intended to ensure the aesthetic finish of the hole in the ceiling for the implantation of the bulb.

Being a stretch ceiling, the installation of a spot is achieved thanks to a reinforcement washer on the one hand and on the other hand thanks to a structural element commonly known as spot. The reinforcement washer is glued to the visible side of the ceiling tense. It has an annular shape with an internal recess circular on which the drilling of the constituent membrane is carried out the ceiling. The reinforcement washer is mainly used to avoid possible deterioration of the membrane when cutting the opening for the passage of the bulb.

As for the structural element, called the spot table, it is rigidly fixed above the stretch ceiling. It supports the electrical transformer and has a plate just at the level of the non-visible face of the stretch ceiling, said plate being itself partially hollowed out to allow passage of the bulb.

For fixing over the reinforcement washer, the flange of the spotlight is fitted with clip-on means capable of being folded down on the back of the structural element plate. So the collar and the bulb, after introduction and clipping thereof on the collar, are supported by the fixed structural element.

The disadvantage of this solution lies mainly in the obligation to set up a structural element to be fixed rigidly, which complicates and makes it more expensive to assemble spots. In addition, the dismantling of a spot is not very easy since it must, after dismantling the bulb, have access to the means of clips on the reverse side of the element plate of structure.

We have already proposed a simpler solution according to which the spot flange is not supported by a fixed structural element but is supported by the stretch ceiling itself. According to this solution, the flange of the spotlight is provided with folding tabs. These tongues have a first position according to which they penetrate inside the passage opening in the stretch ceiling in the central part of the reinforcement washer and a second position that they are folded down on the reverse side of the stretch ceiling, in the area glued to the reinforcement washer. It's in this second position that we therefore hold the spot collar in place, supported by the stretch ceiling at the level of the reinforcement washer.

However, this new solution is not completely satisfactory. Indeed the realization of a flange with tabs foldable makes it more complex to manufacture. In addition the removing a flange already installed on a stretch ceiling is tricky since access to the folded tabs is only possible through the central recess of the collar. Finally when handling the tabs, these can break at the level of the area making hinge office.

The goal set by the applicant is to propose a set mounting of a self-supporting spot on a stretch ceiling which alleviates the aforementioned drawbacks.

This object is perfectly achieved by the whole of the invention which comprises, in known manner, a reinforcing washer bonded to the membrane forming the ceiling and a spot comprising at least one bulb and a spot collar which can be secured to the washer reinforcement. Typically, according to the invention, the flange of spot includes first securing means and the washer reinforcement comprises second securing means, said first and second means being able to cooperate, so reversible, during the angular pivoting of the flange relative to the washer for locking and unlocking.

Thus, according to the particular arrangement of the invention, it suffices apply the spot collar on the reinforcement washer and perform an angular pivoting of said flange relative to the axis of symmetry of the washer to obtain a position of locking. The unlocking position is performed by a angular pivoting of the same value in opposite direction.

The spot collar having an annular flat face and having at least one transverse shoulder and the washer reinforcement, of annular planar shape, being adjusted with play for be able to be housed according to said transverse shoulder against the face flat forming the bottom of the collar, preferably the first securing means consist of at least one lug in outwardly projecting from the transverse shoulder of the flange, the second means consist, for each lug, of a cut interior configured to allow the passage of the lug during the fitting the collar over the reinforcing washer; of the more the pin is located at a distance H from the bottom of the collar, distance which is appreciably greater than the thickness e of the washer reinforcement.

In this case, it is the lug which, after having penetrated through the cut out, is placed over the reinforcement washer after the angular pivoting and suspends the flange on the reinforcement washer.

In order for this suspension to be balanced, it is preferable that there are two pins and two cutouts, arranged diametrically with respect to the axis of symmetry of the flange and the reinforcement washer.

There may of course be a greater number of pins and cutouts, which in this case will be symmetrically arranged with respect to the axis of the flange and the washer. This breakdown symmetrical is preferred to obtain a homogeneous distribution of the weight of the spot on the reinforcement washer. However, it can also be preferred to retain a non-symmetrical distribution, if we want favor a precise positioning of the collar relative to the washer, according to a determined orientation.

According to a preferred embodiment, the lug comprises an inclined face for friction against the washer, when angular pivoting. This inclined face aims to achieve the jamming of the flange by compensating for the play existing between said collar and the reinforcing washer.

In a particular embodiment, the lug has a shape generally conical and is obtained by pushing back the metal constituting the collar.

The collar generally has two shoulders transverse, one inside finished by a ledge, which serves as housing with the bulb, and the other outside which allows to hide the reinforcement washer. Preferably the outer shoulder has a height h which is less than the thickness e of the washer. Thanks to this particular arrangement, this external shoulder does not come never in contact with the stretch ceiling, which avoids the risks possible melting of the membrane constituting the stretch ceiling, especially when it is polyvinyl chloride, due to the heating of the spot flange which can occur when the bulb remains on continuously.

• La figure 1 est une vue en plan de dessous d'une collerette de spot équipée de deux ergots,
• La figure 2 est une vue en plan de la rondelle de renfort présentant deux découpes intérieures,
• Les figures 3 et 4 sont des vues schématiques en coupe transversale de la rondelle , selon l'axe III-III de la figure 2, collée sur une membrane de plafond respectivement avant (figure 3) et après (figure 4) découpe de la membrane dans l'évidement central de la rondelle,
• La figure 5 représente schématiquement l'introduction de la collerette de spot dans la rondelle de renfort de la figure 4,
• La figure 6 représente schématiquement la collerette de spot de la figure 5 après mise en place et pivotement angulaire et,
• La figure 7 est une représentation partielle en coupe de l'épaulement intérieur de la collerette de spot au niveau de l'ergot conique.

The present invention will be better understood on reading the description which will be given of a preferred embodiment of an assembly for mounting a self-supporting spot on a stretch ceiling, illustrated by the appended drawing in which:

• FIG. 1 is a plan view from below of a spot collar equipped with two lugs,
• FIG. 2 is a plan view of the reinforcing washer having two internal cutouts,
• Figures 3 and 4 are schematic cross-sectional views of the washer, along the axis III-III of Figure 2, glued to a ceiling membrane respectively before (Figure 3) and after (Figure 4) cutting the membrane in the central recess of the washer,
• FIG. 5 diagrammatically represents the introduction of the spot collar into the reinforcement washer of FIG. 4,
• FIG. 6 schematically represents the spot flange of FIG. 5 after positioning and angular pivoting and,
• Figure 7 is a partial sectional representation of the inner shoulder of the spot collar at the conical lug.

A self-supporting spot for stretch ceilings includes a bulb, not shown, which snaps into a collar of spot 1, which flange can be secured to a washer of reinforcement 2, itself bonded to the membrane 4 intended to constitute the stretch ceiling. The collar 1 has a flat face 3 substantially annular, which is the visible face when the spot is put in place on the stretch ceiling. This annular face 3 is framed by two transverse shoulders 5,6 that is to say two shoulders which are substantially perpendicular to the plane of face 3 and therefore of the stretch ceiling. It is an inner shoulder 5 which is finished by a flange 10, which serves as a housing for the bulb, and a outer shoulder 6 which acts as a cover for the washer reinforcement as will emerge from the explanations below.

The reinforcing washer 2 also has an annular shape. She is for example in a rigid plastic material, such as polycarbonate. Its annular shape is determined so that said washer 2 can be arranged without constraint, with a certain play, to the interior of space 7 which is delimited between the two shoulders 5, 6 and the bottom 3a of the collar 1.

Characteristically according to the invention, the shoulder inside 5 of the collar 1 is provided with two lugs 8, obtained by example by pushing back the metal constituting said flange 1. Each lug is formed at a distance H from the bottom 3a of the space 7, distance H which is substantially greater than the thickness e of the washer 2, possibly including that of the membrane 4 forming the stretch ceiling.

The washer 2 has two internal cutouts 9 which are determined so as to allow the passage of the lugs 8 during the placing the collar 1 on the reinforcing washer 2. On the other hand, diameter D1 of the inner recess 10 of the washer has a value which is greater than the outside diameter D2 of the inside shoulder 5 but which is less than the distance D3 separating the two points 8a of the two lugs 8.

In practice, the reinforcing rings 2 are previously bonded to the place 4 face of the membrane 4, the locations provided for implantation spots self-supporting (figure 3). The membrane is then cut according to the central recess 10 of each reinforcement washer 2 so as to clear the passage opening for the collar 1 and the bulb (FIG. 4).

The positioning of the collar 1 is illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6. The collar 1 is positioned so that the lugs 8 are in line with the internal cutouts 9, the collar 1 is applied against the reinforcement washer 2 until the complete insertion of the lugs 8 through the cutouts 9 and until the upper face of the washer 2 a comes to bear against the bottom 3 a of the flange 1. Then the angular pivoting of the flange relative to the axis DD 'of symmetry of the washer 2. The passage of the lug 8 is thus obtained over the reinforcing washer 2 and possibly of the membrane portion 4 glued to said washer 2, which suspends the collar 1 on the stretch ceiling.

Preferably, as illustrated in the figures, in particular in FIG. 7, the lug 8 has an inclined face 8 b towards the bottom 3 a of the flange 1, this inclined face being for example obtained by a conical pushing of the metal in which is made said flange 1. In the example illustrated in FIG. 7, the angle of inclination α of the inclined face 8 b relative to the shoulder 5 is of the order of 45 °, for a lug 8 which is projecting over a height d of the order of 3mm. In this same example the internal diameter D1 of the washer 2 was of the order of 55mm, the external diameter D2 of the shoulder 5 was of the order of 53mm, the distance D3 between the points 8a of the two lugs 8 was the order of 58mm and the distance D4 between the bottoms 9a of the two cutouts 9 of the washer 2 was of the order of 60mm.

The height H, that is to say the distance separating the point 8 a from the lug 8 and the bottom 3 a from the collar 1 was of the order of 6 mm while the thickness e of the washer 2, possibly including the thickness of the membrane 4 bonded to said washer 2 was of the order of 5mm.

It is understood that, under these conditions, after introduction of the inner shoulder 5 of the flange through the central recess 10 of the washer, the point 8a of the lugs 8 protrudes just above the back of the washer or from the stretch ceiling. During angular pivoting of the collar 1, the sloping faces 8b of the two lugs bear against the upper edge 11 of the wafer 2, that is to say one that is at the membrane 4 and according the internal recess 10 of the washer 2. The locking in position of the collar 1 is thus obtained by jamming the lugs 8 against said edge 11. This jamming can occur with an angular pivoting of different angle depending on the washers and the collars, according to manufacturing tolerances. That is the inclined surface 8b which allows the necessary adjustments to meet manufacturing tolerances.

It should be noted that the tension to which the membrane is subjected 4 when installing the stretch ceiling is sufficient so that there is no risk of deformation of said ceiling not only due to the suspension of the spot but still during the angular pivoting of the collar for locking and unlocking it in relation to the reinforcement washer.

As appears clearly in Figure 6, it is preferred that the height h of the outer shoulder 6 of the flange is such that there is no contact between said shoulder 6 and the membrane 4, so as to avoid any risk of degradation of said membrane in the event of heating of the metal flange 1 due to the prolonged lighting of the spot. This height h is less than the thickness e of the washer 2.

The present invention is not limited to the precise mode of realization which was given by way of non-exhaustive example. In particular other locking systems, by pivoting angular could be retained, for example by analogy with shank sockets.

Claims (6)

Assembly assembly of a self-supporting spot on a stretched ceiling comprising a reinforcing washer (1) bonded to the right side (4a) of the membrane (4) forming the ceiling and a spot comprising at least one bulb and a collar of spot which can be secured to the reinforcing washer (1), characterized in that the spot collar (1) comprises first securing means (8) and the reinforcing washer (2) comprises second securing means (9), said first (8) and second means (9) being able to cooperate, reversibly, during the angular pivoting of the flange (1) relative to the washer (2) for their locking and unlocking. Assembly according to Claim 1, characterized in that the spot collar (1) having an annular planar face (3) and having at least one transverse shoulder (5) and the reinforcing washer (2), of annular planar shape, being adjusted with play so as to be able to be housed along said transverse shoulder (5) against the flat face forming the bottom (3a) of the collar (1), the first securing means consist of at least one lug (8) projecting outwards of the transverse shoulder (5) of the flange (1) and the second means consist, for each lug (8), of an interior cutout (9) configured to allow the passage of the lug (8) during the setting in place of the collar (1) over the reinforcement washer (2) and in that the lug (8) is located at a distance H from the bottom (3a) of the collar, distance which is substantially greater than the thickness e of the reinforcement washer (2), possibly including that of the membrane (4) of the stretch ceiling. An assembly according to claim 2 characterized by two lugs (8) and two cutouts (9), arranged diametrically relative to the axis of symmetry (DD ') of the flange (1) and the reinforcing washer (2). Assembly according to one of claims 2 or 3 characterized in that the lug (8) has an inclined face (8 b ) for friction against the washer (2), during the angular pivoting. Assembly according to Claim 4, characterized in that the lug (8) has a generally conical shape and is obtained by pushing back the metal constituting the flange (1). Assembly according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the collar having two transverse shoulders, one inside (5) terminated by a flange (10), which serves as a housing for the bulb, and the other outer (6) which allows to hide the reinforcing washer, the outer shoulder (6) has a height h which is less than the thickness e of the washer.

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