Luminaire

Abstract

 The luminaire has a light carrier (1) which is detachably mounted to a trunk (3).
The light carrier (1) has a first wall (10). A component carrier (2) is mounted in the light carrier (1) to the first wall (10) at a distance thereof, mainly parallel thereto. The component carrier (2) has support planes (20) bearing against an inner surface (13) of the first wall (10) and being secured thereto without using fixing materials. The light carrier (1) is able to keep components (21,22,23) fixed without their fixations protruding through outer surface (11).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a luminaire comprising:

an elongate light carrier with a first wall having an outer surface provided with means for accommodating an electric lamp, and an inner surface;

a component carrier fastened in the light carrier against the inner surface of the first wall and extending substantially at a distance along the first wall;

an elongate trunk to which the light carrier is detachably fastened.

[0002] Such a luminaire is known from DE-B-42 15 067.

[0003] In the known luminaire, components such as components for starting and stabilizing an electric lamp are fastened to a component carrier in the light carrier. It is prevented thereby that screws and other means used for fixing the components in the light carrier project through the outer surface of the first wall in an irregular pattern, are visible from the outside, and detract from the planeness of this surface. If, for example, a reflector were to be mounted against the outer surface, unevennesses on the outer surface are detrimental to an exact fit and an aligned mounting.

[0004] The outer surface in the known luminaire has one or several countersunk holes through each of which a screw is passed by means of which the component carrier is fastened, with the interposition of a spacer.

[0005] Several fastening points are usually necessary for a stable positioning of the component carrier, inter alia because of the comparatively heavy components such as ballasts which may be used, and also because of the comparatively great length which the component carrier may have. It is a disadvantage that the known luminaire requires several additional components for this purpose.

[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide a luminaire of the kind described in the opening paragraph which has a simple construction which is easy to manufacture.

[0007] According to the invention, this object is achieved in that support surfaces are present on the component carrier which bear on the first wall of the light carrier and on which fastenings to the first wall are provided which are free from any added fastening materials.

[0008] The support surfaces may be readily provided on the component carrier while the component carrier is being formed from plate material, being provided with openings during this, for example for snap-fastening some components therein, and with, for example, a standard pattern of holes for screws, rivets, and similar fastening means for other components. The support surfaces may be bent out from a main surface of the component carrier, for example parallel thereto, to a certain distance. They may thus be integral with the component carrier, which means that they do not require any assembly work.

[0009] The fastenings may be, for example, resistance welds, for example one or several spot welds for each support surface. The use of resistance welds on a light carrier which is painted at its outer surface, however, has the disadvantage that the paint may be burned in situ. If a painted outer surface is desirable, it is preferable to paint this surface after the fastenings have been made. It is attractive, however, to be able to use a painted material as the starting material.

[0010] In a favorable embodiment, the fastenings are deformations of interlocking shape, in particular such deformations which are countersunk into the outer surface. Such deformations can be quickly and readily realized and are reliable. When a light carrier is used coated with an elastic paint, such deformations may even be realized without the material losing its coating at the area of the deformation. Depending on the thickness of the coating, however, the coating can indeed become comparatively thin in locations subject to a comparatively great deformation.

[0011] The first wall together with a support surface may be pressed into a die, for example from the outside, or alternatively from the inside, for example into a cylindrical die, by means of a punch, for example a cylindrical punch, so as to make two concentric cylindrical deformations during the process of making deformations of interlocking shapes. Then said concentric cylindrical bush-shaped deformations may be upset by means of a punch, for example a flat punch, with a counterpressure applied to the outer surface, in the presence of the cylindrical punch. The concentric cylindrical deformations are transformed thereby into concentric deformations of, for example, truncated cone shape which narrow towards the outer surface and accordingly have a self-retaining shape. This pressure punching method renders it possible to obtain reliable fastenings of various geometries in a very simple and fast manner.

[0012] The deformations of self-retaining matching shapes need result in a relief of very small height only. In addition, they may be evenly spread over the outer surface of the first wall. The outer surface may thus be sufficiently plane for practical purposes, rendering it possible to mount a reflector by an outer surface thereof parallel to the outer surface of the light carrier. In general, however, deformations countersunk into the outer surface of the light carrier will be preferred, so giving a haut-relief to the inner surface.

[0013] The luminaire according to the invention has the advantage that it is not necessary to make openings in the light carrier for fastening the component carrier, which renders it possible to obtain a luminaire with a comparatively high degree of impermeability, e.g. to dust.

[0014] The luminaire may be designed for one or several electric lamps, for example placed in parallel next to one another, for example tubular lamps, for example fluorescent lamps. The luminaire may be used, for example, for creating a line or strip illumination. The trunk may here be suitable for accommodating several light carriers.

[0015] An embodiment of the luminaire according to the invention is shown in the drawings, where corresponding components have been given the same reference numerals. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of the luminaire;

Fig. 2 shows an alternative light carrier for the luminaire; and

Fig. 3 shows a detail from Fig. 2 in a cross-section taken on the line III-III.

[0016] In Fig. 1, the luminaire has an elongate light carrier 1 with a first wall 10 having an outer surface 11 provided with means 14 for accommodating an electric lamp, in the Figure for accommodating a tubular fluorescent lamp. A component carrier 2 is fastened in the light carrier 1. The light carrier 1 can be detachably fastened to an elongate trunk 3.

[0017] The first wall 10 of the light carrier 1, see Figs. 2 and 3, has an inner surface 13. The component carrier 2 is fastened against the inner surface 13 and extends substantially at a distance along the first wall 10.

[0018] Support surfaces 20 are present on the component carrier 2, which support surfaces bear on the first wall 10 of the light carrier 1 and on which support surfaces fastenings 12 to the first wall 10 are made, free from any added fastening materials.

[0019] The fastenings 12 may be resistance welds, but in the embodiment shown they are interlocking deformations, self-retaining deformations of matching shapes, see Fig. 3, which are countersunk into the outer surface 11.

[0020] In Fig. 2, the component carrier 2 is fixed to the light carrier 1 by means of six such fastenings 12. The light carrier 1 has two fastening members 21 for coupling it detachably to a trunk 3, see Fig. 1, ballasts 22 for electric discharge lamps, for which means 14 placed next to one another at the outer surface 11 are present, and a capacitor 23 for each of said lamps. Said components (21, 22, 23) are fixed to a main surface 25 of the component carrier 2. In the embodiment shown, see Fig. 3, said carrier has longitudinal edges 26 bearing on the first wall 10, the support surfaces 20 being widened portions of said edges. The ballasts 22 are fixed in the component carrier 2 by means of screws, while the fastening members 21 are snapped home into respective openings 24 therein, see Fig. 3.

Claims

1. A luminaire comprising:

an elongate light carrier (1) with a first wall (10) having an outer surface (11) provided with means (14) for accommodating an electric lamp, and an inner surface (13);

a component carrier (2) fastened in the light carrier (1) against the inner surface (13) of the first wall (10) and extending substantially at a distance along the first wall (10);

an elongate trunk (3) to which the light carrier (1) is detachably fastened,
   characterized in that support surfaces (20) are present on the component carrier (2) which bear on the first wall (10) of the light carrier (1) and on which fastenings (12) to the first wall (10) are provided which are free from any added fastening materials.

2. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the fastenings (12) are resistance welds.

3. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the fastenings (12) are interlocking deformations.

4. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that the fastenings (12) are interlocking deformations which are countersunk into the outer surface (11).

Drawing