Shunt and support device for lighting elements, in particular low-voltage electric installations

Abstract

 A shunt and support device for lighting elements, in particular low-voltage electric installations, comprises a main box-shaped body (2), a substantially tubular element (10) disposed within the main body (2) and adapted to define a through housing for a rod-like element (12) having a pair of longitudinal electric conductors (13) on the surface thereof, an auxiliary box-shaped body (3) rotatably engaged to the main box-shaped body (2) and provided with a support connection (4) for said lighting elements, first means (5) for locking the auxiliary box-shaped (3) to the main box-shaped body (2) according to an orientation at an angle to be set at will, and second locking means (21) adapted to lock the main box-shaped body (2) to the rod-like element (12).

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a shunt and support device for lighting elements, in particular low-voltage electric installations.

[0002] It is known that in electric installations for low-voltage indoor lighting, for example by means of lamp-holders provided with halogen lamps, conductor rods are often arranged to which one or more lighting elements are fastened at shiftable locations depending on requirements, for example with the aid of locking clamps.

[0003] Said lighting elements are generally engaged to the locking clamps or similar arrangements by ball-and-socket joints through which the feed wires pass.

[0004] The above described known shunt and support devices have however some limits and drawbacks.

[0005] In fact the adjustment of the lighting element position is carried out either directly by intervening on the locking clamps, or by rotating the lighting element on the supporting ball-and-socket joint. Both modalities however do not enable the orientation of the light beam to be for example modified along one direction only, because the ball-and-socket joint rotations and the clamp release from the conductor rod practically involve uncontrolled shiftings in all directions.

[0006] In addition these shiftings and in particular rotations carried out in a plane perpendicular to the conductor rod axis and about an axis at right angles to said rod are of limited width.

[0007] In addition, known devices often do not offer stable positionings for the lighting elements, namely said elements are subjected to important deviations from their original location if they are bumped into, even slightly.

[0008] Under this situation, the general task: underlying the present invention is to devise a shunt and support device for lighting elements capable of substantially eliminating the above drawbacks.

[0009] Within the scope of this general task it is an important object of the present invention to provide a shunt and support device enabling the positioning of one lighting element to be modified according to shifting directions independent of one another so as to carry out only the desired modifications to the orientation of the lighting element itself.

[0010] Another important object is to provide a shunt and support device enabling both a firm and steady engagement of a lighting element to a conductor rod and an easy modifiability of the positioning of the same lighting element along widely differentiated orientations and directions.

[0011] The above objects are substantially attained by a shunt and support device for lighting elements, in particular low-voltage electric installations, which is characterized in that it comprises:

• a main box-shaped body,
• a substantially tubular element located within said main body and adapted to define a through housing enabling said main box-shaped body to be passed through by a rod-like element exhibiting a pair of longitudinal electric conductors on the surface thereof,
• an auxiliary box-shaped body rotatably engaged to said main box-shaped body and exhibiting a support connection for said lighting element,
• a pair of power supply terminals for said lighting element engaged to said main box-shaped body and disposed internally of said auxiliary box-shaped body,
• electric contact elements extending between said connecting terminals and tubular element and adapted to enable the electric current passage between said longitudinal electric conductors and connecting terminals,
• first means for locking said auxiliary box-shaped body to said main box-shaped body according to an angular orientation to be fixed at will, and
• second locking means adapted to at least lock said main box-shaped body to said rod-like element.

[0012] The description of a preferred embodiment of a shunt and support device in accordance with the invention is given hereinafter by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

• Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device in accordance with the invention,
• Fig. 2 is a longitudinal elevation side view partly in section of the device of Fig. 1; and
• Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional top view of the device of Fig. 1.

[0013] Referring to the drawings, the shunt and support device for lighting elements in accordance with the invention has been generally identified by reference numeral 1.

[0014] It comprises a main box-shaped body 2 divided into two portions forming a shell and comprising one half shell 2a and a second half shell 2b.

[0015] Rotatably engaged to the half shell 2a at a cylindrical expansion 2c emerging outwardly of the half shell itself is an auxiliary box-shaped body 3 of substantially truncated conical form and exhibiting an internally-hollow threaded support connection 4 enabling coupling to a light element, a lamp for example, and passage of power supply cables for said light element.

[0016] First locking means 5 comprising a screw 6 provided with a head 6a located internally of the half shell 2a and a nut 7 buried in a substantially spherical knob enable the auxiliary box-shaped body 3 to be locked to the half shell 2a according to orientations at an angle to be fixed at will, about one axis of rotation 9 coincident with the longitudinal axis of screw 6.

[0017] A substantially tubular element 10 is located between the half shells 2a and 2b and within appropriate hollows in the form of a semicircle, which tubular element has a longitudinal axis 11 at right angles to the first axis of rotation 9 and adapted to define a through housing for the main box-shaped body 2 which is passed through by a rod-like element 12 provided with a pair of electric longitudinal conductors 13 at opposite locations on the surface thereof.

[0018] The rod-like element 12 substantially defines a self-bearing feeder line to which one or more shunt devices 1 can be applied.

[0019] In greater detail the tubular element 10 internally exhibits a pair of longitudinal slide guides 14 to be engaged in respective grooves formed in the rod-like element 12. The longitudinal guides 14 therefore enable the whole device 1 to slide in the axial direction of the rod-like element 12 also defined by the longitudinal axis 11.

[0020] In addition, the tubular element 10 can also rotate, in relation to the main box-shaped body 2, about a second axis of rotation coincident with the longitudinal axis 11 and it exhibits a circular expansion 15 fitted in a recess 16 formed between the two half shells 2a and 2b and adapted to prevent the tubular element 10 from axially sliding.

[0021] A pair of connecting terminals 17 provided with locking headless screws is arranged in the auxiliary box-shaped body 3 and can be engaged to electric contact elements 19. Said contact elements comprise one element 19a connected to the half shell 2a and a second element 19b connected to the half shell 2b extending between the connecting terminal 17 and tubular element 10.

[0022] The tubular element 10 is provided with transverse slits in register with the longitudinal conductors 13, said slits being passed through by end portions 19c of the electric contact elements 19. The end portions 19c have a concave edge 19d allowing the electric contact with the longitudinal conductors 13 to be maintained through a rotation of the main box-shaped body 2 about the tubular element 10 of about 45° in the two ways, and therefore through an overall rotation of about 90°. Said end portions 19c define themselves said rotation by abutting against the longitudinal guides 14.

[0023] Finally provision is made for second locking means 21 adapted to clamp the tubular element 10 between the half shells 2a and 2b, and keep said half shells together in order to prevent the mutual rotation thereof about the second axis of rotation 11. In addition the locking means 21 is adapted to urge the electric contact elements 19 against the longitudinal conductors 13, while at the same time stopping the longitudinal sliding of device 1 along the guides 14.

[0024] The second locking means 21 comprises a locking ring 22 and a fork-shaped tie rod 23 the limbs 23a of which disposed astride of the tubular element 10, are engaged at first ends 23b to the half shell 2a by stop rings 24.

[0025] The fork-shaped tie rod 23 is provided with a second threaded end 25 emerging from the second half shell 2b and designed to be engaged to the locking ring 22.

[0026] Operation of the shunt and support device for lighting elements described above mainly as regards structure is as follows.

[0027] After introducing the rod-like element 12 into the tubular element 10, the locking ring 22 being slightly unloosed, it is possible to make device 1 slide to the desired point along the longitudinal guides 14. After setting the angular position too of device 1 relative to the second axis of rotation 11, device 1 is fixedly locked through rotation of the locking ring 22. Said locking ring acts on the second half shell 2b and together with the fork-shaped tie rod 23 engaged to the first half shell 2a, causes said half shells to move close to each other so that they clamp the tubular element 10 preventing it from rotating. The electric contact elements 19a and 19b as well are moved close to the longitudinal electric conductors 10 of the rod-like element 12 and therefore, in addition to powering the connecting terminals 17 to which the feeding cables of the lighting element are engaged, they also achieve a friction action preventing the device 1 from sliding in the longitudinal direction of the rod-like element 12.

[0028] In addition, where desired, by acting on the first locking means 5 it is also possible, upon the slight unloosing of nut 7, to make the auxiliary box-shaped body 3 rotate through approximately 360° about the first axis of rotation 9.

[0029] The following rotation of knob 8 enables the auxiliary box-shaped body 3 supporting the lighting element to be fastened to the desired angular inclination.

[0030] It is apparent that each of the above described movements that may be done with the device of the invention can be activated separately from the others. Thus a practical and easy positioning of each lighting element in all desired orientations is made possible.

[0031] All of the details may be replaced by technically equivalent elements and in practice the materials and sizes may be of any nature and magnitude depending upon requirements.

Claims

1. A shunt and support device for lighting elements, in particular low-voltage electric installations, characterized in that it comprises:

- a main box-shaped body (2),

- a substantially tubular element (10) located within said main body (2) and adapted to define a through housing enabling said main box-shaped body to be passed through by a rod-like element (12) exhibiting a pair of longitudinal electric conductors (13) on the surface thereof,

- an auxiliary box-shaped body (3) rotatably engaged to said main box-shaped body (2) and exhibiting a support connection for said lighting element,

- a pair of power supply terminals (17) for said lighting element engaged to said main box-shaped body (2) and disposed internally of said auxiliary box-shaped body (3),

- electric contact elements (19a, 19b) extending between said connecting terminals (17) and tubular element (10) and adapted to enable the electric current passage between said longitudinal electric conductors (13) and connecting terminals (17),

- first means (5) for locking said auxiliary box-shaped body (3) to said main box-shaped body (2) according to an angular orientation to be fixed at will, and

- second locking means (21) adapted to at least lock said main box-shaped body (2) to said rod-like element (12).

2. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said auxiliary box-shaped body (3) is capable of rotation relative to said main box-shaped body (2) according to one axis of rotation (9) at right angles to the longitudinal axis (11) of said tubular element (10), and in that said substantially tubular element (10) has longitudinal slide guides (14) to be engaged to respective grooves provided in said rod-like element (10), said second locking means (21) being adapted to lock at least said longitudinal sliding.

3. A device according to claim 2, characterized in that said tubular element (10) is rotatably engaged internally of said main box-shaped body along a second axis of rotation which is coincident with said longitudinal axis (11), and in that said second locking means (21) is adapted to stop the rotation of said tubular element (10) at differentiated locations.

4. A device according to claim 3, characterized in that said tubular element (10) has transverse opposite slits (20) passed through by end portions (19c, 19d) of said electric contact elements (19a, 19b), adapted to enable the electric contact between said longitudinal conductors (10) of the rod-like element (12) and said end portions.

5. A device according to claim 4, characterized in that each of said end portions (19c, 19d) of said contact elements (19a, 19b) has a concave edge adapted to ensure contact with said longitudinal conductor (10) at said differentiated angular locations through a rotational arc of at least 90°.

6. A device according to claim 1, characterized in that said main box-shaped body (2) comprises two half-shell portions (2a, 2b) said substantially tubular element (10) being disposed between said half-shell portions (2a, 2b), and in that said second locking means comprises:

- a locking ring (22), and

- at least a tie rod (23) engaged at one end (23b) thereof to one (2a) of said half-shell portions (2a, 2b) and provided with a second threaded end (25) to be engaged to said locking ring (22), which locking ring acts on the second one (2b) of said half-shell portions (2a, 2b) such as to engage said first and second half-shell portions (2a, 2b) with each other and clamp said substantially tubular element (10) therebetween.

Drawing