The present invention refers to a system of assembling flexible plates for the manufacturing of lamp diffusers, in particular for energy saving lamps.
In the field of lighting, the use of laminated materials for the manufacturing of lamps and lamp diffusers is already known. However, these materials are utilized bent and tensioned by other supports, exploiting the flexibility of the former, or are bent and/or thermoformed in order to manufacture specific shapes.
A further drawback of the lamps and of the diffusers manufactured according to methods known to the art lies in that those always require additional fixtures, mostly necessary in order to support the lamp holder.
Object of the present invention is to solve the abovementioned problems of the known art providing a component for the assembling of a substantially plate-shaped lamp diffuser, characterized in that it comprises two slots and one region apt to house a lighting device.
Using an assembly of said components, a lamp diffuser can be manufactured in which said components are jointed thereamong so as to form a region, internal to the diffuser and apt to house a bulb, said region being delimited by respective walls of said components, characterized in that said bulb is clamped along said walls.
The main advantage of the diffuser according to the present invention lies in the utmost simplicity of assembly of the component parts thereof, furthermore requiring no additional fixture for the fixing of the lamp and of the lamp holder.
A second advantage lies in that the diffuser essentially consists of plane plates, hence having, upon being disassembled, a reduced weight and minimum dimensions, with the entailed simplicity of packing and of transport.
Another advantage lies in that for the manufacturing of the diffuser according to the present invention a material is used having specific features of mechanical as well as of thermal flexibility and strength. This material, e.g. the polycarbonate, is also simple to work, thereby enabling the manufacturing of diffusers in the most varied and ornamental shapes.
Further advantages, features and modes of employ of the present invention will be made apparent in the following detailed description of preferred embodiments thereof, given as a non-limiting example, making reference to the figures of the attached drawings, wherein:
With initial reference to
Each of the components 1, 2 is substantially shaped as a thin plate, e.g. having a 1-2 mm thickness, made of a highly flexible material, e.g. polycarbonate or other materials exhibiting analogous mechanical features. Hereinafter, for simplicity's sake and always generally, the term 'plate' will be used in lieu of the wording 'diffuser component'.
These plates 1, 2 can easily be shaped, e.g. with a numerical control mill, in order to obtain different shapes and therefore different ornamental effects.
The plate 1 has two slots 3, 4. Likewise, the plate 2 has two slots 3', 4'. In particular, a first slot 3 is obtained starting from a top edge inwards to the plate itself, and a second slot 4 is obtained starting from a bottom edge opposed to the top edge, always inwards to the plate, parallelly to the first slot 3. Likewise, the slots 3', 4' are obtained onto the plate 2.
Each of the plates 1, 2 further comprises one seat 5, apt to house a lighting device.
According to the preferred embodiment, this seat 5 is a circle-shaped bored region, such as to easily house a bulb.
However, it is understood that the seat 5 could be manufactured according to other shapes, e.g. it could directly be obtained into the walls of the respective plate by molding or other machinings.
The location and the dimension of the bored region 5 and of the slots should be determined, as it will hereinafter be made apparent, on the basis of the dimensions and of the type of lamp to be manufactured. In this first embodiment, the bored region 5, is symmetrically located between the two slots 3, 4 or 3', 4'. Of course, it is understood that the bored region 5 could be differently located with respect to the slots, e.g. towards the lamp top, rather than at a central location, in order to attain various specific ornamental effects.
Next,
In particular, two plates 1, 2, of the abovedescribed type, are jointed therebetween by clamping the pairs of slots 3, 4' and 3', 4, respectively.
Advantageously, a bulb 11 can be housed into the inner region 15 defined by the walls of the plates 1, 2, at the bored regions 5.
This solution is particularly advantageous as it supports the bulb with no need of additional supports and supporting means like brackets, screws, ring nuts, etc. The bulb may simply be connected to the electric network with an electric cable 12 and a related lamp holder.
Preferably, the bulb should be selected among the energy saving ones, e.g. of fluorescent type (9-23 W), since the latter reach maximum working temperatures that are not too high and are well-tolerated by the constituent material of the plates 1, 2.
Regardless of the brand, these bulbs are manufactured in a predetermined number of sizes and types. This specificity enables to manufacture diffusers specifically dimensioned so as to easily house a matching bulb. In particular, the dimensions of the bored region 5, and the distance of these regions from the slots 3, 3' and 4, 4' should be respected. Hence, according to the present invention, there could be manufactured diffusers of different dimensions and proportions, in order to better fit the desired use and the selected bulb type, however fulfilling the same inventive concept. Likewise, there can be manufactured diffusers in which the component plates are not identical therebetween, in dimensions as well as in proportions, above all with regard to the slot and to the bored region, and in shapes.
In particular, the bulb 11 is shown, clamped between the two plates 1, 2, at the bored regions 5.
With reference now to
For simplicity's sake, alike components will be indicated with alike numbers, and a further detailed description thereof will be omitted.
The plates 22, 22 and 23, of the same type of the abovedescribed ones, should be mutually clamped thereamong at the slots obtained therein in order to obtain a diffuser alike that shown in the subsequent
The flexibility of the material facilitates this clamping step, and the strength of the material used prevents the plates from breaking when the latter are bent to be clamped therebetween.
In this case as well, the dimensions and the proportions of the plates 21, 22, 23, the dimensions of the bored regions 5 and the distance thereof from the clamping slots should be selected so as to easily insert a bulb 11 into the inner region 15 delimited by the walls of the plates 21, 22, 23.
Alternatively, instead of being parallel, the slots obtained on each plate could be obtained slightly askew the one with respect to the other in order to obtain a differently shaped diffuser, in particular a frustocone-shaped inner region 15.
Of course, this does not modify the operation principle of the assembling system and is of no consequence to the advantages ensuing therefrom.
Next,
In particular,
Of course, the diffuser according to the present invention could needwise be utilized to attain different lamp typologies, exploiting the self-supporting capability of the plates-bulb system. E.g., the present diffuser could be mounted on a rod in order to manufacture a ground lamp, or used as a swinging lamp or simply as a table lamp or as a lampshade.
The present invention has hereto been described according to preferred embodiments thereof, given by way of example and without limitative purposes. It is understood that other embodiments may be provided, all to be construed as falling within the protective scope of the invention, as defined by the annexed claims.
This list of references cited by the applicant is for the reader's convenience only. It does not form part of the European patent document. Even though great care has been taken in compiling the references, errors or omissions cannot be excluded and the EPO disclaims all liability in this regard.