GB2266765A - Lighting support - Google Patents

Abstract

A lighting support (14) for a light bulb (11), which lighting support (14) comprises a support member (12), electrically conducting supporting means (13, 26 and 27) provided on one side of the support member (12) for supporting a said light bulb (11), which supporting means (13, 26 and 27) provides electrical connection for an electrical power supply wire, and self-attaching means (21) provided on the opposite side of the support member (12) for releasably attaching the overall lighting support (14) to a surface in a fixed manner. <IMAGE>

Description

LIGHTING SUPPORT The present invention relates to a lighting support for a light bulb.

According to the invention, there is provided a lighting support for a light bulb, which lighting support comprises a support member, electrically-conducting supporting means provided on one side of the support member for supporting a said light bulb, which supporting means provides electrical connection for an electrical power supply wire, and self-attaching means provided on the opposite side of the support member for releasably attaching the overall lighting support to a surface in a fixed manner.

Preferably, the support member is substantially planar, extending laterally between the supporting means and the self-attaching means.

In a preferred embodiment, the supporting means includes a flat portion with which the supporting means is fixed on a flat surface of the support member.

It is preferred that the flat portion of the supporting means covers a substantial part of the flat surface of the support member.

Preferably, the supporting means includes at least one electrically-conducting connector at its free end, said at least one connector having two holes for receiving corresponding terminals of a said light bulb.

Advantageously, the supporting means is elongate and bendable, thereby permitting adjustment of the position and/or orientation of a said light bulb.

More specifically, the supporting means comprises at least one electrically-conducting elongate member, at one end of which said at least one connector is provided and at the opposite end of which at least one other electricallyconducting connector is provided effecting connection to the support member.

It is preferred that the connector or connectors are tubular and incorporates or each incorporates at opposite ends thereof two transversely-extending screws for effecting connection.

In one preferred embodiment, the self-attaching means comprises a magnet.

In another preferred embodiment, the self-attaching means comprises a suction cup.

The invention also provides a lighting unit which comprises such a lighting support in combination with a light bulb supported by the lighting support.

The invention further provides a lighting system which comprises a plurality of such lighting units, wherein the lighting units are electrically-connected together in parallel by a pair of electrical power supply wires.

The invention will now be more particularly described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a rear perspective view of a first embodiment of a lighting support in accordance with the invention, supporting a light bulb; Figure 2 is a front perspective view of a second embodiment of a lighting support in accordance with the invention, supporting a light bulb; and Figure 3 is a side view of a third embodiment of a lighting support in accordance with the invention, supporting a light bulb and electrically connected by means of two wires to the lighting support and light bulb of Figure 1.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, there is shown a first lighting support 10 embodying the invention, supporting a light bulb unit 11. The lighting support 10 comprises a disc-like support member 12 and two electrically-conducting tubular connectors 13 provided on the front side which is flat of the support member 12.

Referring also to Figure 2 which shows a second lighting support 14 embodying the invention, which lighting support 14 has generally the same support member 12 and tubular connectors 13 and supports an identical light bulb unit 11.

As best shown in Figure 2, each connector 13 has an axial bore 15 and has at opposite ends thereof two electricallyconducting screws 16. Each screw 16 extends transversely through the body of the connector 13 into the bore 15. The connectors 13 are fixed on the support member 12 by corresponding generally semimcircular metal plates 17, each of which has an integral upstanding lug (not shown) received within the rear end of the respective connector 13 and engaged therein by the associated screw 16. The plates 17 are secured separately on the front side of the support member 12 by glue and together cover a substantial part of the support member front side surface. The pair of connectors 13 extends from the support member 12 in a parallel manner.

In the first lighting support 10, the support member 12 is provided by a metal cap 18 opening rearwards and having its front side covered by a glued heat-resistant plate 19 (as shown in Figure 3) electrically insulating the metal plates 17 from the metal cap 18. A permanent ring magnet 20 is located within the cap 18 and fixed therein for releasably attaching the cap 18 or the overall lighting support 10 on a metal surface.

In the second lighting support 14, the support member 12 is of a heat-resistant electrically-insulating material, and as a result the electrically-insulating plate 19 of the first lighting support 10 is not required. A suction cup 21 is secured by glue to the rear side of the support member 12 for releasably attaching the support member 12 on a flat surface.

The light bulb unit 11 is a standard light fitting consisting of a quartz light bulb 22 and a glass parabolic reflector 23 within which the light bulb 22 is located.

The reflector 23 has an integral rear end piece 24 from which a pair of terminals 25 of the light bulb 22 extends out. The tubular connectors 13 of the first lighting support 10 are positioned such that their bores 15 align with the terminals 25 of the light bulb unit 11 in order to receive the terminals 25 which are secured therein by the corresponding screws 16 at the free ends of the respective connectors 13.

The second lighting support 14 further includes a second pair of tubular connectors 26 which have a construction identical with that of the first pair of connectors 13.

The second pair of connectors 26 are connected to the first pair of connectors 13 by two corresponding bare copper wires 27. Opposite ends of each copper wire 27 are received within the bores of the respective connectors 13 and 16 and are secured therein by the associated screws, in the same manner as described above. The second pair of connectors 26 holds the light bulb unit 11 in position in the same way as the only pair of connectors 13 of the first lighting support 10. The copper wires 27 are bendable and sufficiently strong to remain in shape such that the position and/or orientation of the light bulb unit 11 can be adjusted as desired.

Referring now to Figure 3 of the drawings, showing a third lighting support 28 embodying the invention, which has a very similar construction to the second lighting support 14, except that it does not have the second pair of connectors 26 and the copper wires 27 of the second lighting support 14 but holds the associated light bulb unit in the same manner as the first lighting support 10 does.

Insofar as the lighting support 28 is concerned, the support member 12 extends laterally or between the light bulb unit 11 and the suction cup 21, thereby protecting the suction cup-21 from the heat generated by the light bulb unit 11.

In use, a plurality of lighting supports 10, 14 and/or 28 holding corresponding light bulb units 11 is attached on a surface, such as a false ceiling or a shop window, and arranged to form a desired layout pattern. The lighting supports 10, 14 and/or 28 are electrically connected together in parallel by a pair of flexible electrical power supply wires 29, as shown in Figure 3. One of the wires 29 is tied round one screw 16 on the corresponding connector 13 of each lighting support 10, 14 or 28, with the other wire 29 tied round the equivalent screw 16 on the other connector 13.

The lighting system formed by the lighting supports and light bulb units provides a considerable degree of flexibility in design layout and arrangement.

It is envisaged that the support members described above may take any shape other than disk-like, for example cuboidal, cylindrical or the like.

The invention has been given by way of example only, and various modifications of and/or alterations to the described embodiments may be made by persons skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as specified in the appended claims.

Claims (13)

1. A lighting support for a light bulb, which lighting support comprises a support member, electrically-conducting supporting means provided on one side of the support member for supporting a said light bulb, which supporting means provides electrical connection for an electrical power supply wire, and self-attaching means provided on the opposite side of the support member for releasably attaching the overall lighting support to a surface in a fixed manner.

2. A lighting support as claimed in claim 1, wherein the support member is substantially planar, extending laterally between the supporting means and the self-attaching means.

3. A lighting support as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the supporting means includes a flat portion with which the supporting means is fixed on a flat surface of the support member.

4. A lighting support as claimed in claim 3, wherein the flat portion of the supporting means covers a substantial part of the flat surface of the support member.

5. A lighting support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting means includes at least one electrically-conducting connector at its free end, said at least one connector having two holes for receiving corresponding terminals of a said light bulb.

6. A lighting support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the supporting means is elongate and bendable, thereby permitting adjustment of the position and/or orientation of a said light bulb.

7. A lighting support as claimed in claim 6 when dependent upon claim 5, wherein the supporting means comprises at least one electrically-conducting elongate member, at one end of which said at least one connector is provided and at the opposite end of which at least one other electrically-conducting connector is provided effecting connection to the support member.

8. A lighting support as claimed in any one of claim 5 to claim 7, wherein the connector or connectors are tubular and incorporates or each incorporates at opposite ends thereof two transversely-extending screws for effecting connection.

9. A lighting support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein the self-attaching means comprises a magnet.

10. A lighting support as claimed in any one of claim 1 to claim 8, wherein the self-attaching means. comprises a suction cup.

11. A lighting support for a light bulb, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to any one of Figures 1 to 3 of the accompanying drawings.

12. A lighting unit comprising a lighting support as claimed in any one of the preceding claims and a light bulb supported by the lighting support.

13. A lighting system comprising a plurality of lighting units, each as claimed in claim 12, wherein the lighting units are electrically-connected together in parallel by a pair of electrical power supply wires.