EP0650009A1 - Wall-mounted lighting device - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting device intended to be fixed to a wall. It is characterised in that it comprises a tubular structure intended to be fixed to the wall and equipped at one of its ends with a light fitting (1). This structure, used for guiding an electrical supply cable (4) is produced in at least two parts (2,3) following each other and connected to each other by an intermediate casing formed by two half-shells (10,13), each belonging to one part of the structure. These two half-shells (10,13) can be assembled together reversibly. The intermediate casing contains a means for controlling the current supply (16) of the light fitting (1). <IMAGE>

Description

The present invention relates to a lighting device intended to be fixed to a wall.

There are already wall lights that are fixed to a wall, using, for example screws and possibly dowels.

To supply such wall lights with electricity, it is traditionally necessary to draw a line between the nearest current source and the place where one wishes to place the wall light, because sockets, junction boxes or other sources are rarely at the height at which a wall light is usually placed, unless this layout was imagined from the start. It is then necessary to run a wire along the wall of the source to the place chosen for the wall lamp. This wire is then either visible or embedded in a groove. In the first case, the wall lamp is rarely placed in a corner of the room, the wire cannot be hidden along its entire length along a plinth or at the bottom of an angle delimited by two sections of wall. The effect obtained is then unsightly. In the second case, if the job is done well, we do not see the thread at all. This is perfect from an aesthetic point of view, but requires major work, which is only possible when we decide to change the wall covering of the room in which we want to place the wall lamp. In these two cases, the fixing of the lamp against the wall is done with conventional means, such as for example screws and possibly dowels.

An alternative to these problems is the adoption of a floor lamp, which is then placed near the wall. The lighting obtained is close to that provided by a wall light, the aesthetics are acceptable and the installation very simple, since it suffices to put the lamp and put the plug in the socket, socket often found close to the ground. A first drawback is the lack of stability of these lamps. They may overturn and can be dangerous for children. This risk stems from the lack of fixation.

Another drawback is the size of these lamps, both for the user and in the sales shelves of stores. These radii are not always provided for objects having a length close to two meters. On the other hand, the transport of such long objects between the store and the place of use is not very convenient.

US Patent 4,713,734 describes a lamp intended to be fixed to a wall. This comprises a tubular structure fixed to the wall, equipped at its end with a luminaire and used to guide the electrical supply cable. In a variant described in this document, the tubular structure is composed of two telescopic parts, in order to be able to adapt the distance between the luminaire and the socket.

The object of the invention is to provide a lighting device intended to be fixed to a wall, which includes integrated current supply means, which is presented for sale and which can be transported in a reduced volume, which can be installed without major work and has a pleasant aesthetic.

To this end, this device is of the type comprising comprises a tubular structure which, intended to be fixed to the wall, equipped at one of its ends with a luminaire and serving to guide a power supply cable to the luminaire, is carried out in at least two consecutive parts. It is characterized in that the parts forming the tubular structure are connected to each other by an intermediate box formed by two half-shells each belonging to a part of the structure, these two half-shells being assembled one to the other reversibly, an intermediate box containing a means of controlling the current supply of the luminaire.

In the assembled position, the parts of the tubular structure follow one another, and in the disassembled position, these parts can take place one next to the other. Thus, this device can be presented for sale in a reduced volume packaging. The installation work of this device is limited to fixing the tubular structure to the wall and to a few electrical connections.

Preferably, the tubular structure comprises two parts, each part being composed of at least one tube at each end of which is fixed a half-shell and the luminaire is equipped on its face intended to bear against the wall of a half shell of complementary shape to that of a half-shell arranged at one end of a tubular part, in order to be assembled with this half-shell.

From the electrical point of view, the means for controlling the current supply of the luminaire housed in an intermediate box is constituted by a switch or possibly by a current variator. On the other hand, an electric cable extends over the entire length of the structure, without interruption, including at the level of the intermediate housing, the control of the current supply of the luminaire being carried out by a phase wire extending between the luminaire and the intermediate box containing the control means.

Advantageously, in the case where the half-shells are of circular shape, they comprise means of locking in rotation one on the other to ensure the holding of the housing that they constitute in the assembled position. These locking means may be notches made in a half-shell and through which the tubular part associated with the other half-shell passes.

To customize the lighting device, it is possible to add a decorative plate at the height of the luminaire, but also of the boxes intermediaries. In this case the decorative plate, provided with a recess allowing the housing of a housing formed by two half-shells and grooves allowing the passage of the tubular part of the device, is mounted between the wall and the device.

• Figure 1 en est une vue d'ensemble montée et fixée à un mur ;
• Figure 2 en est une perspective éclatée ;
• Figure 3 en est une vue en coupe de face, à échelle agrandie, montrant une possibilité de branchement électrique ;
• Figure 4 en est une vue en coupe éclatée.

In any case, the invention will be clearly understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing representing, by way of nonlimiting example, an embodiment of this device:

• Figure 1 is an overall view mounted and attached to a wall;
• Figure 2 is an exploded perspective;
• Figure 3 is a front sectional view, on an enlarged scale, showing a possibility of electrical connection;
• Figure 4 is an exploded sectional view.

The lighting device shown in the drawing comprises a luminaire 1, a tubular structure in two parts 2,3, an electric cable 4, a lower half-shell 5, a decorative plate 6 and fixing means, which are in this example screws.

The fixing of the lighting device to the wall preferably begins with the fixing of the lower half-shell 5 to the wall, using screws. If this half-shell 5 is not near an electrical outlet, an electrical cable must be laid between the electrical outlet and the location of this half-shell 5. The electrical outlets are often placed near the floor, it is easy to conceal the cable by running it along a plinth or the angle made between the wall and the floor. Notches are provided in the half-shell 5 for the passage of the electric cable 4. This cable is provided at its end with a plug 7.

The lower part 3 of the tubular structure is formed by two parallel cylindrical section tubes 8 and two half-shells 9 and 10. The tubes 8 connect the two half-shells 9 and 10. The half-shell 9 has the suitable shape to receive the half-shell 5 fixed to the wall and hide it. The assembly of the two half-shells 5, 9 forms the lower housing of the lighting device. A notch is provided in the half-shell 9 opposite a notch in the half-shell 5 to allow the passage of the electrical cable 4. This cable 4 passes through the lower housing; it is guided by one of the tubes 8 and leaves the lower case thanks to the notches made in the half-shells.

Screws 11 allow the two half-shells 5 and 9 to be immobilized in translation.

The half-shell 10 has almost the same shape as the half-shell 5. It is fixed to the wall using screws.

The upper part 2 of the tubular structure is also formed of two tubes 12, of cylindrical section, parallel and of two half-shells 13 and 14. The half-shell 13 is of overall shape similar to that of the half-shell 9. It has notches 15 in order to be able to fit onto the half-shell 10 fixed to the wall and ensure the rotation lock between these two half-shells. Once fitted, screws 11 make these half-shells 10 and 13 integral.

A switch 16 is mounted inside the half-shell 13. It controls the lighting on and off.

The half-shell 14 is similar to the half-shell 10. It is also fixed to the wall using screws. Inside this half-shell is an electrical connection terminal block 17. It receives the wires of the electric cable 4, a wire going towards the switch 16, another coming in and the wires supplying the light bulb 1 .

The electric cable which leaves the tube 8 of the part 3, passes through the housing formed by the two half-shells 10 and 13 and is guided by one of the tubes 12. It comes out inside the half-shell 14. Its wires are then connected in different terminals of the terminal block 17. A phase wire goes from this terminal block 17 to the switch 16 and back. Thus the electric cable 4 extends without cutting or connection from the lower housing, and even from the plug 7 to the half-shell 14. Thus, during the assembly and disassembly of the parts 2 and 3 of the tubular structure, the the risk of wires disconnecting is smaller, than if the cable were cut at the level of the box containing the switch 16, to be connected to it.

The luminaire 1 has on its rear face, that is to say the one facing the wall in the mounted position, a half-shell 19, similar to the half-shell 13. It also has notches 15.

The decorative plate 6 is placed on the rear face of the luminaire. We can then make the electrical connection of the luminaire wires to the terminal block 17 and fit the half-shell 19 onto the half-shell 14. The notches 15 prevent a rotational movement and screws 11 prevent a translational movement between these two parts .

It goes without saying that the invention is not limited to the sole embodiment of this device, described above by way of example, on the contrary it embraces all of the variant embodiments.

For example, the shape of the device can vary. The boxes shown in a round shape can be square, triangular or any other shape. Each pair of tubes 8 and 12 can be replaced by a single tube, of any cross section, or on the contrary by more than two tubes.

Likewise, the half-shells 5, 10 and 14 are fixed by screws to the wall. A good double-sided adhesive could effectively replace these screws. We could however keep a screw, the one fixing the half-shell 14, to security reasons. The presence of the half-shell 5 is optional. The electrical connection can also be different. Instead of a plug, one could find, fixed in the half-shell 9, an electrical connection terminal block, such as the terminal block 17 for example.

Similarly, the switch 16 could be replaced by or coupled to a dimmer, or even an infrared receiver in the case of a remote control of the lamp by infrared.

The device is perfectly suited to halogen lamps. But it is just as suitable for conventional incandescent lamps. It can also be used for point lighting, highlighting a sculpture or a painting. In this case, the lamp, still electrically connected to the terminal block 17, can be hung using suitable means, on the tubes 8 or 12.

To supply two luminaires 1 close to each other, it is possible to use only one tubular part 2, which is connected to two tubular parts 3. The intermediate housing between part 2 and parts 3 then contains one or two switch (or dimmer), depending on whether or not you want to benefit from a separate control of the two wall lights.

Claims (9)

Lighting device intended to be fixed to a wall, comprising a tubular structure which, intended to be fixed to the wall, equipped at one of its ends with a luminaire (1) and used for guiding a cable electrical supply (4) of the luminaire, is carried out in at least two parts (2,3) following one another, characterized in that the parts (2,3) forming the tubular structure are connected to each other by a intermediate housing formed by two half-shells (10,13) each belonging to a part of the structure, these two half-shells being reversibly assembled to each other, an intermediate housing containing a means for controlling the current supply (16) of the luminaire. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the tubular structure comprises two parts (2,3), each part being composed of at least one tube (8,12) at each end of which is fixed a half-shell (9, 10,13,14). Device according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the luminaire (1) is equipped on its face intended to bear against the wall with a half-shell (19) of shape complementary to that of a half -shell disposed at one end of a tubular part, in order to be assembled with this half-shell (14). Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means for controlling the current supply (16) of the luminaire housed in an intermediate box consists of a switch. Device according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the means for controlling the current supply (16) of the luminaire housed in the intermediate housing consists of a current variator. Device according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that an electric cable (4) extends over the entire length of the structure, without interruption, including at the level of the intermediate box, controlling the supply in current (16) of the luminaire being produced by a phase wire (18) extending between the luminaire and the intermediate box containing the control means (16). Device according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, in the case where the half-shells are of circular shape, they comprise means for locking in rotation (15) one on the other to ensure the holding of the housing which they constitute in the assembled position. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the means for blocking the half-shells in rotation are notches (15) made in a half-shell and through which the tubular part associated with the other half-shell passes. Device according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that a decorative plate (6), provided with a recess allowing the housing of a housing formed by two half-shells and grooves allowing the passage of the part tubular device, is mounted between the wall and the device.

Images