LED-BASED LIGHTING DEVICE FOR GROUND WALL, FLOOR AND

ROAD SURFACE MOUNTING

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The object of this invention is a manufactured device diffusing light, for a prevalently external use, of various shapes and sizes, replacing the present small lighting and signalling beacons, containing a LED lighting source fully encased inside the article, and using a connecting cable protected from the atmospheric agents and tramplable on.

The present small lighting beacons or light sources contained in lighting bodies are realized by steel or aluminium or various plastic materials such as polycarbonate, and practically all can be opened for replacing the light sources. In case a high degree of electric insulation to the surrounding environment (1P68) is required, they, once opened and subsequently closed, can not guarantee tightness, due to the nature of the peripheral gaskets employed.

Present invention overcomes these limitations, while also adding the advantage of an easy installation; both directly on the ground and on various surfaces such as, preferably yet not exclusively, pavements, walls, tiles, bricks, curb-stones and traffic dividers, road surfaces and swimming pools.

Figures 1 , 2, 3 and 4, show a number of possible embodiments of the invention, preferably yet not exclusively of a cylindrical or parallelepiped shape and of various sizes, characterized by the following elements: - an upper layer (4, 13, 22, 31 and 39) of a preferably yet not exclusively convex, concave or fiat shape, to spread or diffuse light, prevalently and preferably made of resins of adequate transparency and tread-on resistance, in which are mixed or encapsulated compounds (5, 14, 24, 32 and 42) made of transparent quartz of an amethyst or citrine type, quartz derivatives or granular silica elements such as powdered glass;

- LED lighting sources (6, 15, 25, 33, 43) of various sizes, eventually fitted

with a piloting system (7, 16, 26, 34, 44) on electronic or electric circuit boards, and by the relative electrical connecting cables (9, 18, 28, 35 , 46);

- an optional layer (23) for additional protection, external to the light dis- tributing and diffusing upper layer (22), of a preferably yet not exclusively glassy type with a high resistance to mechanical impacts, a low lighting flux attenuation and characterized by a smooth and scarcely wrinkled surface;

- an optional layer (40) for an additional protection, external to the upper light distribution and diffusion layer (39), of a preferably yet not exclusively metallic type with a high resistance to mechanical impacts, characterized by an internal surface (41) of a white/silvery colour for a diffused or mirror-like reflection of light;

- an optional external cover (2, 11 , 20, 37) of the light source, made of various materials such as bricks, stones, solid wooden or metal blocks, ceramic, glass, and resins characterized by a cavity for the housing of the components of present device, and obtained by various fabricating processes such as die forming and casting, fitted with holes (8, 17, 27, 45) for the passing of the electrical connecting cables, and with surface shapes adapting to various surroundings;

- an internal layer (3, 12, 21, 30 and 38) enclosing and protecting the light source and its piloting system, made of insulating resins of a dual- component silicon-gel type.

With reference to the Figure 1 , the reference 1 indicates one of the possible forms of embodiment of the present invention, of a cylindrical type, wherein the upper external light diffusing and distributing layer 4 is set flush with the outer cover 2.

For the purpose of achieving the lighting most suitable for the environments where the lighting device is allocated, various compounds 5 are mixed inside the layer 4, such as mineral glass, PMMA, PC, crystal, and quartz, all arranged in geometric forms and provided with appropriate

surface treatments designed to boost their light diffusing, or refracting or reflecting properties.

With reference to the Figure 2, the reference 10 indicates one of the possible forms of embodiment of the subject invention of a cylindri- cal type, wherein the upper external light distributing and diffusing layer 13 is placed in a raised position with respect to the outer containing cover 11 , for the purpose of also allowing a radiance of light in a lateral direction.

With reference to the Figure 3, the reference 19 indicates one of the possible forms of embodiment of the present invention, of a cylindri- cal type, wherein an additional external protection 23 is placed, by adhesion or another known attaching system, above the upper light distributing and diffusing layer 22, and characterized by a smooth or scarcely wrinkled surface flush with the outer cover 20, so as to favour its application in pavements or satisfy environmental requirements. With reference to the Figure 4, the reference 29 indicates one of the possible forms of embodiment of the invention, of a cylindrical type, which holds the lower, LED lighting source 33 insulating layer 30 and the relative piloting devices 34 as well as the connecting cables 35, above which the outer light distributing and diffusing layer 31 , having compounds 32 therein mixed, is placed.

The lack of the optional containing cover allows an use in environments where said cover is not necessary.

The lower and upper layers will be assembled using manufacturing processes based on casting in dies or by equivalent techniques, and the resins employed in the two layers 30 and 31 will be selected in the light of their maximum mutual adhesiveness and best maintenance of their mechanical and optical characteristics in time.

With reference to the Figure 5, the reference 36 indicates one of the possible forms of embodiment of the invention, of a cylindrical type, wherein the upper light distributing and diffusing layer 39 is placed in a raised position with respect to the outer containing cover 37, for the

purpose of allowing a light radiance in a lateral direction, and where a further additional external protection layer 40 fitted with a white or silvery internal surface 41 is placed above this layer by adhesion or by another known attaching system, so as to achieve a diffused or mirror-like reflec- tion for the purpose of further promoting the emission of lateral light.

Numerous modifications may be provided for the above embodiment examples, such as the shape of the device which may differ from those indicated in the Figures 1, 2, 3 and 4, as the same can assume a number of different forms in relation to its final destination of use, such as for instance as a lighted walking marker, a recessed beacon for garden lighting, lighted signalling and/or continuous peripheral lighting for wall bases or pavements; similarly, the materials employed may differ from those indicated as being of a preferential type, without thereby abandoning the scope of the invention, as claimed in the following.