[0001] The engineering solution relates to means for illuminating a territory, mainly under
emergency conditions. It is intended for use, when electric power is off due to emergency
or disaster, and also during construction works, repair works or search-and-rescue
operations in the night time.
[0002] Some inflatable lighting installations are known from patent publications (
US 6322230 B1, published on 27.11.2001;
RU 2192581 C1, published on 26.02.2001;
RU 2286510 C9, published on 10.04.2006;
WO 02/063207 A1, published on 15.08.2002;
US 2008/291681 A1 published on 27.11.2008), each of which comprises an elastic inflatable shell providing
a support for a light source secured inside the shell in the upper part thereof, wherein
the support comprises a base linked to ground or any usual structural load-bearing
member (a floor, a building, a frame).
[0003] A drawback of the known lighting installations is that they are not configured for
using LED (light emitting diode) light sources for illuminating, which would provide
an illumination level comparable with conventional gas-discharge lamps, in particular,
with sodium-vapor lamps commonly used in such installations.
[0004] A known emergency lighting installation (
RU 139894 U1, published on 27.04.2014) comprises a base and a support linked to the base, wherein
the support comprises a flexible transparent air-tight shell forming a closed inner
chamber of the support and having a separable zip fastener and an insert configured
to adjust the support height, means for securing the shell to the base and to an upper
butt end of the support, at least one light encompassed by a case having a foot configured
to secure the case to the upper butt end of the support, and braces connected to the
upper part of the support and to ground. The emergency lighting installation comprises
at least one overlaid LED-based pulse strob lamp screwed to the butt end of the emergency
lighting installation above the light case foot. The braces are made of a retroreflective
material or comprise some members made of a retroreflective material. The LED-based
lamp is mounted on the top of the support; additionally a required number of similar
lamps may be mounted on the outer side surface of the shell at an appropriate height,
wherein the LED-based lamps may be mounted using polycarbonate pads positioned on
the shell under foots of the LED-based lamps. The LED-based lamp provides more effective
signaling functions of the installation and improves its operational performance.
[0005] This installation does not contribute to solving the problem of illuminating a territory
with LED light sources, as emergency installations like this do not have means for
guaranteed cooling powerful LED light sources. The LED-based strob lamp is intended
for signaling only and it cannot be used for providing illumination.
[0006] Meanwhile, LED light sources have a number of substantial advantages in comparison
to other known light sources, namely, they have longer life time and lower power consumption;
they are steadily operable in a wide temperature range; they start immediately after
powering on and provide a high contrast, which promotes better clearness of the illuminated
objects.
[0007] However, a heatsink is required to ensure reliable operation of LEDs. In particular,
there is a known lighting device (
RU 77024 U1, published on 10.10.2008) comprising an enclosure, a removable cover with a diffuser,
LEDs mounted on a board, and a power source, wherein the device is additionally equipped
with a heatsink rigidly secured to the enclosure, while the LED board is installed
on and fastened to a base surface of the heatsink and is connected to the power source.
The device is intended for illumination of production premises, warehouse premises,
and other facilities; it may also be used in transportation for illumination of auxiliary
chambers and vestibules of railway cars, where a high level of illumination is not
required.
[0008] Using devices similar to the above-indicated one in inflatable lighting installations
does not comply with relevant requirements regarding illumination, as these installations
are mainly used for illumination of large areas during works related to a high level
of danger like accident elimination, disaster elimination, etc., when a substantially
higher illumination level is required.
[0009] Increase in number and power of LED light sources inevitably causes the need of increasing
heat-removing surface of a heatsink and, consequently, to raising its size and weight.
There is a known extra-high-power LED floodlight (
RU 144224 U1, published on 10.08.2014) provided in an open-frame configuration. The floodlight
comprises a rectangular, or round, or elliptical frame having a window, in which a
light-emitting matrix equipped with a heatsink is mounted, wherein the light-emitting
matrix comprises white light emitting members covered with aspheric lenses. Test results
of a prototype of the floodlight revealed its luminous flux of 15000 lm and weight
of 17 kg, in spite of its open-frame configuration.
[0010] Using a massive heatsink in inflatable lighting installations deteriorates their
operational performance, as lifting a light source equipped with such a heatsink by
means of an air flow forced into an inflatable shell may be difficult, even impossible
in some cases, due to large weight of the heatsink and necessity of maintaining greater
pressure inside the shell. Moreover, the heatsink combined with the light source may
fall down upon deflation of the shell, and it may cause personal injury of staff and
damage of the installation.
[0011] The claimed invention is directed at providing an inflatable lighting installation
equipped with a LED light source ensuring a high illumination level, with no sufficient
increasing weight of the installation upper part in an operational position thereof.
[0012] A technical result attained by a lighting installation described herein is enhanced
reliability and improved operational performance of the installation.
[0013] The technical result is attained by a lighting installation according to claim 1,
the lighting installation comprising a base, an inflatable shell secured to the base,
an air blower communicated to a chamber formed by the shell, and at least one electric
light source placed inside the shell, wherein the lighting installation is equipped
with a hollow unit secured inside the shell; the light source is installed on the
hollow unit; a cave of the hollow unit is communicated with a cooling system for the
light source; the light source is a LED light source; the cooling system is a liquid
cooling system; and the cooling system comprises a pump communicated with the cave
of the hollow unit by flexible pipes. The cooling system is equipped with a heatsink
and an expansion tank.
[0014] In some embodiments of the lighting installation, the pipes may be spiral-shaped
and may be secured to the shell; the heatsink may be placed on a longitudinal axis
of the air blower. The cooling system is positioned inside the lighting installation.
In a non-claimed embodiment, the cooling system is positioned outside the lighting
system.
[0015] Fig. 1 shows one example of implementation of the lighting installation according
to the claimed engineering solution.
[0016] The lighting installation comprises a base 1, an inflatable shell 2 filled with air
and secured to the base 1, an air blower 3 mounted in the base and communicated with
atmosphere and with a chamber 4 of the shell. At least one electric light source 5
is placed inside the shell 2 (four light sources are shown in Fig. 1) and is connected
to a power source by an electric cord (not shown). The light source 5 is fastened
to the shell 2 via a flange 6 and fasteners 7. A powerful LED light source is used
in the installation, which emits a considerable amount of heat. In order to remove
the heat and to prevent overheating the light source 5, the lighting installation
is equipped with a heatsink 8 installed in the base 1 and positioned on an axis of
air flow moving from the air blower 3. The heatsink 8 is filled with a liquid coolant.
A hydraulic pump 9 and an expansion tank 10 are sequentially communicated with the
heatsink 8, and the expansion tank 10 is communicated with a discharge pipe 11. In
one embodiment of the installation, the heatsink 8, the hydraulic pump 9 and the expansion
tank 10 are installed inside the base 1 (see Fig. 1); in another non-claimed embodiment,
they may be installed outside the base 1.
[0017] The heatsink 8 is communicated with a hollow unit 12 configured to bear the light
source 5 and to provide cooling the light source 5. A hermetic cave 13 of the hollow
unit 12 is filled with the liquid coolant and is communicated with the heatsink 8
by a pressure pipe 14. If a single light source 5 is used, it is mounted on the lower
side of the hollow unit 12; if several light sources 5 are used, they are mounted
on different sides of the hollow unit 12. The lighting installation may comprise several
hollow units 12 positioned at the same height or positioned one above another or in
any other combinations. The pipes 11 and 14 are flexible and resilient. The pipes
11 and 14 may be spiral-shaped so as to increase heat dissipation and avoid twisting
thereof.
[0018] The above-indicated hydraulic components form a liquid cooling system for the LED
light source 5. The heatsink 8, which is one of main components of the cooling system,
has heat exchanging ribs 15 on its outer surface, wherein the ribs are directed along
an air flow forced from bottom to top by the air blower 3. This air flow passes through
passages 16 between the ribs 15.
[0019] Owing to a high heat capacity of the liquid coolant, the cooling system may be used
without the heatsink 8 under some conditions (favorable climate, low power of the
light source, low liquid velocity in the cooling circuit). In this case, heat dissipation
happens directly through the walls of the pipes 11 and 14.
[0020] The hollow unit 12 has input and output openings with corresponding sleeves communicated
with the pipes 11 and 14. If several hollow units 12 are used, they may be incorporated
into a single circuit of a cooling system, either in parallel or in series; otherwise,
each of the hollow units 12 may have an autonomous cooling system.
[0021] The installation is equipped with a power unit 17. In different embodiments, the
power unit 17 may comprise an electric generator and an internal combustion engine,
or an electric accumulator (not shown). The installation is also equipped with startup
and adjustment equipment and with control means (not shown).
[0022] The installation operates as follows. Electric current is fed from the power unit
17 to the air blower 3. Rotation of the air blower 3 causes atmospheric air to be
forced into the chamber 4 of the shell 2, so the shell gets inflated and rises up
along with the hollow unit 12, the light source 5 and the pipes 11 and 14, all attached
to the shell. Electric current is fed from the power unit 17 to the LED light source
5, which heats the hollow unit 12 during operation. Electric current is also fed to
the hydraulic pump 9, which pumps the liquid coolant through the following root of
the cooling system: the hydraulic pump 9 - the heatsink 8 - the pipe 14 - the cave
13 of the hollow unit 12 - the pipe 11 - the expansion tank 10 - the hydraulic pump
9. While the liquid coolant travels through the above-indicated root, it takes heat
from the hollow unit 12, which is heated from the light source 5, and loses heat in
the heatsink 8. The light source 5 is cooled by the liquid coolant through a wall
of the hollow unit 12.
[0023] Heated liquid coolant forced by the hydraulic pump 9 into the heatsink 8 is cooled
in the heatsink 8 so as the heat is drawn from the liquid coolant via the ribs 15
of the heatsink 8, which are blown by the air blower 3 during its operation. After
cooling in the heatsink 8, the liquid coolant is fed into the cave 13 of the hollow
unit 12 and the above-indicated operational cycle is repeated.
[0024] Configuration of the lighting installation allows substantial increasing its power
and luminous flux of the light sources owing to use of an effective liquid cooling
system with a heatsink blown by a constantly working air blower of the installation.
Use of LED light sources makes illumination of a territory more effective in comparison
with known solutions of prior art. Reliability of the installation is also improved
owing to increased thermal stability and enhanced endurance of the light source against
mechanical impact. It should be noted that components of the cooling system may be
positioned in the installation base or even apart from the installation, therefore
weight of the upper part of the installation may be considerably reduced, and its
size in operational position and power consumption may also be decreased.
1. A lighting installation comprising a base (1), an inflatable shell (2) secured to
the base (1), an air blower (3) communicated with a chamber (4) formed by the shell
(2), at least one electric LED light source (5) placed inside the shell (2), and at
least one hollow unit (12) secured inside the shell (2), the light source being installed
on the hollow unit (12), wherein the hollow unit (12) and the light source (5) are
attached to the shell,
characterized in that the lighting installation is equipped with:
- a cave (13) of the hollow unit (12) communicating with a cooling system for the
light source (5);
- the cooling system is a liquid cooling system;
- the cooling system comprises a hydraulic pump (9) communicating with the cave (13)
of the hollow unit (12) by flexible pipes (11, 14);
- the cooling system is equipped with a heatsink (8) and with an expansion tank (10);
- the heatsink (8), the hydraulic pump (9) and the expansion tank (10) are installed
inside the base (1); wherein rotation of the air blower (3) causes atmospheric air
to be forced into the chamber (4) of the shell (2), so the shell (2) gets inflated
and rises up along with the hollow unit (12), the light source (5) and the pipes.
2. The lighting installation of claim 1, characterized in that the pipes (11, 14) are spiral-shaped.
3. The lighting installation of claim 1, characterized in that the pipes (11, 14) are secured to the shell (2).
4. The lighting installation of claim 1, characterized in that the heatsink (8) is positioned on a longitudinal axis of the air blower (3).
1. Beleuchtungsanlage mit einer Plattform (1), einer an der Plattform (1) befestigten
aufblasbaren Hülle (2), einem Luftgebläse (3), das mit einer durch die Hülle (2) gebildeten
Kammer (4) in Verbindung steht,
und mindestens eine elektrische LED-Lichtquelle (5), die in der Hülle (2) angeordnet
ist, und mindestens eine hohle Einheit (12), die in der Hülle (2) befestigt ist; wobei
die Lichtquelle auf der hohle Einheit (12) installiert ist, wobei die hohle Einheit
(12) und die Lichtquelle (5) an der Hülle befestigt sind,
dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Beleuchtungsanlage ausgestattet ist mit:
- eine Höhlung (13) der hohle Einheit (12), die mit einem Kühlsystem für die Lichtquelle
(5) in Verbindung steht;
- das Kühlsystem ist ein Flüssigkeitskühlsystem;
- das Kühlsystem umfasst eine Hydraulikpumpe (9), die durch die Schläuche (11, 14)
mit der Höhlung (13) der hohle Einheit (12) in Verbindung steht;
- das Kühlsystem ist mit einem Kühlkörper (8) und einem Ausdehnungsgefäß (10) ausgestattet;
- der Kühlkörper (8), die Hydraulikpumpe (9) und der Ausdehnungsgefäß (10) sind in
der Plattform (1) installiert;
wobei die Drehung des Luftgebläses (3) bewirkt, dass atmosphärische Luft in die Kammer
(4) der Hülle (2) gedrückt wird, so dass die Hülle (2) aufgeblasen wird und zusammen
mit der hohlen Einheit (12), Lichtquelle (5) und die Schläuche aufsteigt.
2. Beleuchtungsanlage nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Schläuche (11, 14) spiralförmig sind.
3. Beleuchtungsanlage nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Schläuche (11, 14) an der Hülle (2) befestigt sind.
4. Beleuchtungsanlage nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der Kühlkörper (8) auf einer Längsachse des Luftgebläses (3) positioniert ist.
1. Installation d'éclairage comprenant une base (1), un boîtier (2) gonflable fixé sur
base (1), une soufflerie (3) d'air communiquant avec une cavité (4) formée par boîtier
(2), et au moins une source (5) de lumière LED électrique à l'intérieur du boîtier
(2) et au moins un module (12) creux à l'intérieur du boîtier (2); la source de lumière
est montée sur le module (12) creux avec le module (12) creux et la source (5) de
lumière fixée sur le boîtier,
caractérisé par le fait que le système d'éclairage est équipé:
- la cavité (13) creuse du module (12) en communication avec le système de refroidissement
de la source (5) lumineuse;
- le système de refroidissement est un système de refroidissement liquide;
- le système de refroidissement comprend une pompe hydraulique (9) communiquant avec
la cavité (13) du module (12) creux par des tubes flexibles (11, 14);
- le système de refroidissement est équipé d'un radiateur (8) et d'un vase (10) d'expansion;
- un radiateur (8), la pompe hydraulique (9) et le vase (10) d'expansion sont installés
à l'intérieur de la base (1);
- par la présente, la rotation de la soufflante (3) d'air fait entrer l'air atmosphérique
sous pression dans la cavité (4) du boîtier (2), le boîtier (2) est gonflé et soulevé
avec le module (12), la source (5) lumineuse et les tubes.
2. L'installation d'éclairage selon la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que les tubes (11, 14) sont constitués de tubes spiralés.
3. L'installation d'éclairage selon la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que les tubes (11, 14) sont fixés à le boîtier (2).
4. L'installation d'éclairage selon la revendication 1, caractérisée par le fait que le radiateur (8) est situé sur l'axe longitudinal de la soufflante (3) à air.