AIR DISTRIBUTION DEVICE WITH INTEGRATED LIGHTING ELEMENTS

Abstract

 A device (50) for distributing conditioned air is described; the device comprises a duct (1) which is hollow inside and provided with a plurality of holes (2) to distribute the conditioned air outside and lighting means (3) arranged in the duct to light outside the duct. (Fig. 1)

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to an air distribution device with integrated lighting elements, in particular with integrated LEDs.

[0002] Air conditioning systems for buildings using perforated ducts for the distribution of conditioned air inside the buildings are known in the prior art. Said ducts are modular with one another so as to be all connected to the air conditioning source and so as to distribute conditioned air in all the rooms of the building.

[0003] Currently, micro-perforated ducts are increasingly being used to distribute conditioned air inside the rooms of the buildings. Said ducts are arranged in the upper part of the rooms, near the ceiling, to distribute conditioned air inside the room.

[0004] However, the lighting elements of the rooms, mostly neon lamps or lamps with LED diodes, are also on the ceiling. The arrangement of the lighting elements may be an obstacle when locating the system of the air conditioning apparatus and mostly when arranging the ducts in the various rooms.

[0005] In view of the prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide a conditioned air distribution device with integrated lighting elements.

[0006] In accordance with the present invention, such object is achieved by means of a conditioned air distribution device, said device comprising a duct which is hollow inside and provided with a plurality of holes to distribute the conditioned air outside, characterized in that it comprises lighting means arranged in the duct to light outside the duct.

[0007] Still in accordance with the present invention, it is possible to provide an air conditioning system consisting of a plurality of ducts each as defined in claim 1.

[0008] The features and the advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of a practical embodiment thereof, illustrated by way of non-limiting example in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional view of a conditioned air distribution device with integrated lighting elements in accordance with the present invention;

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic front view of the device of Figure 1;

Figures 3 and 4 are views of an air conditioning apparatus comprising a plurality of devices of Figure 1;

Figures 5 and 6 are views of the device in accordance with the present invention similar to Figures 1 and 2 but with a transformer placed outside the duct;

Figure 7 is a view of the air conditioning apparatus in accordance with the present invention similar to Figure 3 but with a transformer arranged outside the duct;

Figure 8 is a diagrammatic bottom view of the air conditioning apparatus in accordance with the present invention.

[0009] With reference to Figures 1-2, a conditioned air distribution device 50 with integrated lighting elements in accordance with the present invention is shown; the device belongs to an air conditioning and lighting apparatus still in accordance with the present invention.

[0010] The device 50 in accordance with the invention comprises a duct 1, preferably with a circular section, comprising a plurality of holes 2 for the emission of conditioned air outside; the plurality of holes 2 is arranged on the side wall 10 of the duct 1. The device is connectable to a source of conditioned air 51. The duct is hollow inside for the passage of conditioned air. The duct can be made of sheet metal, copper, galvanized sheet metal or steel.

[0011] The device 50 comprises lighting elements 3 arranged inside the duct 1. Thereby, the device 50, in addition to distributing conditioned air in the environment where the device 50 is installed, allows the lighting of the same environment. Therefore it is no longer necessary to resort to external sources for lighting the environment since with the mere presence of the device 50 it is possible to both air-condition and light the environment or room of a building.

[0012] Preferably the lighting elements 3 are LEDs, for example LED spotlights but preferably an adhesive strip of LEDs arranged on a support 4 inside the duct 1. The support 4 preferably consists of a profile provided with an opal cover; the profile 4 has a U-shaped cross-section and engages with a rectangular hole 42 for the entire length of the hole 42 preferably arranged in the lower part 11 of the side wall 10 of the duct 1, better shown in Figure 8 where the opal cover of the profile 4 is not present. The U-shaped profile 4, preferably an inverted U, comprises extensions 41 shaped so as to engage with the edges of the rectangular hole 42. The adhesive strip of LEDs is attached to the inner part 43 of the U-shaped profile 4 and is electrically connected to a transformer 5 which, in turn, is electrically connected to the mains power supply 6 of the room in which the duct is arranged, preferably the power supply from the ceiling of the room; preferably said part 43 is the head of the U which is arranged inside the duct 1.

[0013] The profiles 4 may be arranged in each part of the side wall 10 of the duct 1 always engaging with the appropriate holes 42. The profiles 4 may have the same length as the duct 1 or they may be smaller, i.e., with a length shorter than the length of the duct; it is also possible to insert two or more profiles 4 with a length shorter than the duct but adjacent to one another.

[0014] The device 50 belongs to an air conditioning apparatus 100 comprising a plurality of devices 50 connected to one another and one thereof connected to the air conditioning source 51, as shown in Figures 3 and 4; thereby, the device 50 is a module of the apparatus 100 and the apparatus 100 is a modular system.

[0015] Each device or module 50 is connected to the adjacent device or module 50 by means of connection means 60 (Figures 3 and 4). Said connection means 60 comprise connection means 61 (Figure 3) of the two ducts 1, for example a hose clamp, and connection means 62 (Figure 4) of the adhesive strips of LEDs 2, for example, by means of a 2-pin JST connector.

[0016] Only one of the devices 50 of the plurality of devices 50 is electrically connected to an external power supply source for a given length of the set of the plurality of modules 50, i.e., for 5 or 6 meters. For example, in the case in which the apparatus 100 with a length of 5 or 6 meters is arranged in a room, preferably adjacent to the ceiling of a room, only one of the devices or modules 50 comprises the transformer 5 connected to the strip of LEDs 3 of the device 50 and to the external power mains 6, for example from the ceiling of the room.

[0017] As shown in Figures 5-7, the transformer 5 may be arranged outside the duct 50 instead of inside. The transformer 5 may be arranged in a so-called cap position as it is external to the duct but on the end thereof (Figures 5 and 6).

[0018] Alternatively, the transformer 5 may always be arranged outside the duct but above it (Figure 7).

Claims

1. A device (50) for distributing conditioned air, said device comprising a duct (1) which is hollow inside and provided with a plurality of holes (2) to distribute the conditioned air outside, characterized in that it comprises lighting means (3) arranged in the duct to light outside the duct.

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that the side wall (10) of said duct comprises at least one hole (42), said apparatus comprising support means (4) for said lighting means engaging with said at least one hole.

3. A device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that said lighting means are LED lighting means.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that said lighting means are an adhesive strip of LEDs.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that said support means (4) comprise a profile with a U-shaped section engaging with said hole (42) for the entire length of the hole, said adhesive strip being attached to the inner part (43) of said U-shaped profile.

6. A conditioned air distribution apparatus connectable to a conditioned air source (51), said apparatus being characterized in that it comprises a plurality of conditioned air distribution devices (50) each as defined in any one of the preceding claims.

7. An apparatus according to claim 5, characterized in that it comprises connection means (61) between adjacent ducts of adjacent devices and electrical connection means (62) between lighting means (3) of adjacent devices.

8. An apparatus according to claim 6, characterized in that at least one device (50) of said plurality of devices comprises means (6) for the electrical connection of said lighting means (3) with an external electrical source.

Drawing