“LIGHTING APPARATUS”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments described here concern a lighting apparatus. In particular, the lighting apparatus which the present invention concerns is suitable to be attached and kept suspended in a space to be illuminated.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Suspended apparatuses for lighting closed, partly closed or even open spaces are known.

In some cases, these apparatuses can perform a dual function of lighting and furnishing, this second function being associated with the shapes, sizes, colors or other of the apparatus itself.

In particular,“suspended” lighting apparatuses can be attached to the ceiling of the spaces by means of suitable wires.

Fig. 3 shows by way of example a known lighting apparatus 100 of the suspended type, comprising a body 101 or lamp body, inside which a lamp is housed with the corresponding circuits and mechanisms suitable for its functioning, and an attachment device 102.

The attachment device 102 is suitable to attach the body 101 to a supporting wire 103, which has one end (not shown) attached to a ceiling for example.

Two adjustment wires 104 are associated with the attachment device 102, each having a first end slidingly connected to the attachment device 102, and a second end attached in suitable seatings 105, made on the upper portion of the body 101.

In the state of the art there are also variants of this solution which provide various adjustment wires 104 and a variable disposition of the seatings 105 on the upper portion of the body 101, based on the shapes and sizes of the body 101 itself.

In particular, solutions are known in which there is a single adjustment wire 104, the two ends of which are attached in the seatings 105, and which is made to pass through the attachment device 102, so as to adjust the inclination of the body 101.

One of the problems associated with such known lighting apparatuses, or with similar or comparable apparatuses, is that it is necessary to accurately adjust the number, tension and length of the adjustment wires, as well as the position of the seatings, in order to keep them correctly suspended in a desired layout, with the desired inclination, possibly also not vertical, and balanced. This therefore requires a considerable balancing work by the operators during installation.

Furthermore, in the event that the lighting apparatus needs to be suspended by means of several supporting wires, associated with different transverse portions of the body, it is necessary to carefully adjust the length and tension of all the adjustment wires associated with the different supporting wires.

In such cases, an imperfect adjustment of the adjustment wires can cause divergences in the desired layout of the lighting apparatus, which therefore is not well aligned.

This problem is accentuated if, for aesthetic reasons, or for particular lighting requirements, the body has to remain inclined with respect to the vertical, for example to provide indirect lighting, or lighting directed in a particular direction.

Furthermore, these solutions have the disadvantage that, in the event of impacts or oscillations of the body, for example produced by draughts, it is possible that an imbalance occurs in the tension or variations in the length of the adjustment wires, with the effect that the apparatus is moved away from the originally planned layout, or can even cause it to fall.

This circumstance can also occur as a result of wear on the adjustment wires and/or the attachment device and/or the elements that define the seatings.

Furthermore, these known solutions are more problematic in cases where the body has irregular shapes and sizes, therefore greater care is required to find the correct adjustment of the attachment device and the adjustment wires, so that wear, or possible impacts or oscillations, can more easily cause an imbalance.

These solutions also entail high costs both in production and in installation and maintenance.

In the case of lighting apparatuses with irregular shapes and sizes, the costs of production, installation and maintenance can be further increased.

Moreover, typically, the attachment device and the adjustment wires, as they are very visible, can represent significant imperfections and/or compromise the harmonization of known suspended lighting apparatuses in room furnishings.

There is therefore a need to perfect a lighting apparatus which can overcome at least one of the disadvantages of the state of the art.

One purpose of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus which is simple to manufacture and install, and which does not require frequent and complex maintenance operations.

In particular, one purpose of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus which is simple to balance, simplifying the work required by operators during the installation step.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus in which it is simple to adjust the inclination of the lamp body with respect to the vertical, both in cases where it is necessary to provide vertical lighting, and also in cases where it is necessary to provide oblique lighting, for example due to particular lighting requirements of the space to be illuminated.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus which is more resistant to possible imbalances due to impacts or oscillations, and which prevents possible imbalances due to wear on the adjustment wires and/or the attachment device.

These and other purposes are also significant in the case of lighting apparatuses of irregular shapes and sizes, for example due to aesthetic requirements or to particular lighting requirements which require particular inclinations.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus which reduces the costs of production, installation and maintenance, compared with known lighting apparatuses.

Another purpose of the present invention is to provide a lighting apparatus that can be more integrated into the furnishing of the space to be illuminated than known lighting apparatuses, limiting, or completely removing, the corresponding imperfections.

The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claim. The dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.

In accordance with the above purposes, a lighting apparatus, in accordance with the present invention, comprises at least one lamp body and one or more adjustment devices, each suitable to attach the lamp body to a supporting wire and keep it suspended in a space to be illuminated.

According to the present invention, each of the one or more adjustment devices as above comprises a discoid element rotatably associated with the lamp body.

Furthermore, according to the invention, the discoid element has an engagement seating eccentric with respect to a central axis of the discoid element and suitable to house one end of the supporting wire.

Thanks to the fact that the discoid element has the engagement seating eccentric with respect to its central axis, the disadvantages of the state of the art associated with the presence of the adjustment wires are overcome, in particular during the installation and/or maintenance steps.

In fact, in order to adjust the layout and inclination of the lighting apparatus it is sufficient to adjust the position of the engagement seatings with respect to the central axes of the adjustment devices present therein.

In particular, in the lighting apparatus in accordance with the present invention, the adjustment device directly adjusts the position of the supporting wire with respect to the lamp body without needing to add adjustment wires or additional intermediate adjustment elements which would otherwise make the apparatus heavier and complicate its installation, maintenance and aesthetics.

The lighting apparatus of the present invention is in fact simple to make and has a more pleasant and refined aesthetic appearance than known apparatuses.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, characteristics and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of some embodiments, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:

- fig. 1 is a schematic representation of embodiments of a lighting apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

- fig. 2 is a schematic representation of other embodiments of a lighting apparatus in accordance with the present invention;

- fig. 3 is a schematic representation of a portion of a known lighting apparatus of the state of the art;

- fig. 4 is a schematic representation of a portion of a lighting apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present invention;

- fig. 5 is a top view of a possible variant of the lighting apparatus of fig. 4;

- fig. 6 is a top view of a detail of the lighting apparatus of fig. 4;

- fig. 7 is a section view of a detail of the lighting apparatus of fig. 4;

- fig. 8 is a schematic representation of a portion of a lighting apparatus in accordance with other embodiments of the present invention;

- fig. 9 is a top view of a possible variant of the lighting apparatus of fig. 8;

- fig. 10 is a section view of a detail of the lighting apparatus of fig. 8;

- figs. 11a, l ib, l ie show different layouts of a lighting apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the present invention.

To facilitate comprehension, the same reference numbers have been used, where possible, to identify identical common elements in the drawings. It is understood that elements and characteristics of one embodiment can conveniently be incorporated into other embodiments without further clarifications.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

We will now refer in detail to the various embodiments of the present invention, of which one or more examples are shown in the attached drawings. Each example is supplied by way of illustration of the invention and shall not be understood as a limitation thereof. For example, the characteristics shown or described insomuch as they are part of one embodiment can be adopted on, or in association with, other embodiments to produce another embodiment. It is understood that the present invention shall include all such modifications and variants.

Before describing these embodiments, we must also clarify that the present description is not limited in its application to details of the construction and disposition of the components as described in the following description using the attached drawings. The present description can provide other embodiments and can be obtained or executed in various other ways. We must also clarify that the phraseology and terminology used here is for the purposes of description only, and cannot be considered as limitative.

The lighting apparatus 10 of the present invention is suitable to illuminate spaces of different types, in particular closed, such as spaces, public spaces, apartment or office rooms, half-closed, such as verandas, or open, such as patios, terraces or courtyards.

In embodiments described by way of example in figs. 1 and 2, the lighting apparatus 10 is also suitable to be kept suspended in the space to be illuminated with a desired layout, by means of one or more supporting wires 12, which have one end connected to the lighting apparatus 10 and another end connected to a load-bearing element 11 of the space to be illuminated.

In particular, the lighting apparatus 10 of the present invention comprises one or more adjustment devices 14, each suitable to attach the lamp body 13 to a supporting wire 12, and keep it suspended in the space to be illuminated, with a desired layout.

For example, figs. 5 and 9 show, by way of a non-limiting example, embodiments which provide two adjustment devices 14 disposed at different points along the longitudinal development of the lamp body 13.

In some embodiments in accordance with the present invention, and shown by way of example in figs. 4-1 lc, the adjustment device 14 comprises a discoid element 17 rotatably associated with the lamp body 13.

According to one embodiment, the discoid element 17 is mounted on an external surface of the lamp body 13.

According to one embodiment, the discoid element 17 is rotatable with respect to a central axis X thereof.

Furthermore, with reference to fig. 7, the discoid element 17 has an engagement seating 21, eccentric with respect to the central axis X of the discoid element 17 and suitable to house one end of the supporting wire 12.

With reference to figs. 1 1a, l ib and 11c, the fact that the end of the supporting wire 12 is attached in the engagement seating 21, eccentric with respect to the central axis X, allows, during use, to be able to vary the inclination of the lamp body 13, with respect to a vertical direction V defined by the supporting wire 12 under tension, by varying the angular positioning of the discoid element 17.

According to one embodiment, the engagement seating 21 is configured to assume a plurality of angular positions in order to define a circular path around the central axis X.

According to embodiments described by figs. 1 la and 1 lc, each of the angular positions as above are correlated to an angle of inclination a defined by the central axis X with respect to the vertical direction V.

This solution allows to adjust the inclination and layout of the lamp body 13 by rotating the discoid element 17 until the engagement seating 21 is taken into the desired angular position with respect to the central axis X, or associated with the desired angle of inclination a. In particular, this solution allows to avoid using adjustment wires, shown by way of example with number 104 in fig. 3, as normally occurs in the state of the art.

In some embodiments, the attachment of the supporting wire 12 in the engagement seating 21 can occur by interlocking.

In particular, the engagement seating 21 can have an aperture 22 facing toward the external surface 19 of the discoid element 17, and the end of the supporting wire 12 can have a contrast element 28, larger in size than the size of the aperture 22.

For example, in embodiments described by fig. 7, the contrast element 28 is shaped like a bulb, with a diameter smaller than the sizes of the engagement seating 21 and greater than the diameter of the aperture 22.

This configuration allows, during use, to keep the contrast element 28 inside the engagement seating 21, making only the supporting wire 12 exit from the aperture 22.

The load-bearing element 11 can be any element whatsoever of the space to be illuminated on which it is possible to attach the lighting apparatus 10, such as for example a wall, a ceiling, a roof, a canopy, a pole, a transverse bar mounted cantilevered, a plank, a beam or other equivalent element.

For simplicity, in figs. 1 and 2, the load-bearing element 11 is shown by way of example as a portion of a ceiling, however this representation should not be considered as limiting with respect to the types of load-bearing elements 11 on which the lighting apparatus 10 can be attached.

In some embodiments, the lighting apparatus 10 can be made with variable shapes, sizes and construction characteristics, based on, for example, the aesthetic needs of the space, the need to optimize spaces or a desired distribution of the lighting, uniform or deliberately uneven, direct or indirect, in the various areas of the space to be illuminated.

For this purpose, the various components of the lighting apparatus 10 described below can have variable shapes, sizes, colors and manufacturing materials, and this variability, as will become clearer hereafter in the description, is not only within the scope of the present invention, but also advantageous for the purposes of the applicability of the present invention.

In some embodiments of the present invention, the lighting apparatus 10 can comprise one or more lamp bodies 13, of variable shapes and sizes and suitable to provide a variable type of lighting to the space to be illuminated.

For example, fig. 1 shows a lamp body 13 in the shape of a parallelepiped, kept suspended by two supporting wires 12, while fig. 2 shows a discoid-shaped lamp body 13 kept suspended by one supporting wire 12.

In some embodiments, for example described by figs. 4 and 8, the one or more lamp bodies 13 can comprise a containing body 15 and a diffuser 16, which define their external surface, shape and sizes.

The containing body 15 is suitable to house and fix inside it all the components necessary for the functioning of the lamp body 13.

In particular, the containing body 15 can contain light bulbs, LEDs, neon lights and/or other elements suitable to generate lighting.

In some embodiments, the containing body 15 can also comprise electrical wires and circuits (not shown in the drawings) suitable to electrically power the components of the lighting apparatus 10.

In addition, based on the type of electrical power required for the functioning of the lighting apparatus 10, the containing body 15 can contain batteries and/or additional components, suitable to allow a power supply from an external network.

The diffuser 16 can be made of transparent or semitransparent material, of glassy or plastic material, and is suitable to diffuse the light generated by the lamp body 13.

In some embodiments, the diffuser 16 can be suitable to provide direct and/or indirect lighting to the space to be illuminated. The lighting apparatus 10 also comprises positioning guides 23 disposed equally spaced apart from each other on an external surface of the lamp body 13 and suitable to cooperate with the adjustment device 14.

According to one embodiment, the adjustment device 14 is configured to slide between the positioning guides 23.

In particular, with reference by way of example to figs. 4-7, the discoid element 17 is slidably and rotatably mounted between two positioning guides 23 on the external surface of the lamp body 13. This solution advantageously provides a further degree of freedom to adjust the inclination and layout of the lamp body 13, adjusting the position of the adjustment device 14 on the upper surface of the lamp body 13 along the positioning guides 23.

With reference to fig. 7, the positioning guides 23 can be conformed as profiles protruding from the external surface of the lamp body 13.

In some embodiments, the positioning guides 23 can develop along part, or advantageously all, of the longitudinal development of the lamp body 13, as shown by way of example in fig. 5.

In particular, the fact that the positioning guides 23 can be present along the entire longitudinal development of the lamp body 13 is advantageous because it provides a greater possibility of adjusting the position of the adjustment device 14.

In some embodiments, the positioning guides 23 can be made as independent pieces attached on the external surface of the lamp body 13 by means of attachment means, not shown in the drawings.

In alternative embodiments, the positioning guides 23 can be made in a single body with the containing body 15 of the lamp body 13, in particular as portions protruding toward the outside.

In embodiments schematically described by fig. 5, the positioning guides 23 are mounted parallel to each other.

Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the positioning guides 23 are disposed at a reciprocal distance coherent with the diameter of the discoid element 17, which is attached on the external surface of the lamp body 13 by the cooperation between the positioning guides 23.

In some embodiments, the positioning guides 23 can have a cross-section in the shape of an inverted L or in the shape of a T, as shown in fig. 7.

In these embodiments, the positioning guides 23 have cantilevered portions 24, configured to slidingly and rotatably house the discoid element 17 on the external surface of the lamp body 13, as shown by way of example in fig. 6 and 7.

In some embodiments, the discoid element 17 can be made of a plastic and/or polymeric material, or metallic, or woody, or even of another type, which has resistance characteristics suitable to support the weight of the lighting apparatus 10.

With reference to figs. 7 and 10, it is possible to define an internal surface 20 of the discoid element 17, facing toward the external surface of the lamp body 13, and an opposite external surface 19, facing toward the outside.

With reference to figs. 5 and 7, it is also possible to define a center 18 of the discoid element 17, through which the central axis X passes, orthogonal to the external surface 19 of the discoid element 17.

In some embodiments, the discoid element 17 can have a snap-in edge 25, defined by a shaped profile along a perimeter portion of its external surface 19, as schematically shown in figs. 5 and 6.

The cantilevered portions 24 of the positioning guides 23, in particular, are configured to house, slidingly and rotatably, the snap-in edge 25 of the discoid element 17.

In these embodiments, the cantilevered portions 24 of the positioning guides 23 have shaped profiles mating with that of the snap-in edge 25, to guarantee a firm and secure attachment of the discoid element 17 onto the external surface of the lamp body 13.

This characteristic can allow to block the rotation or possible displacements of the discoid element 17 from the desired position in which it is mounted.

According to one embodiment, shown by way of example in fig. 6, the discoid element 17 has a plurality of positioning teeth 30 disposed radially along the circumferential perimeter of the discoid element 17.

A stable angular position of the engagement seating 21 with respect to the central axis X corresponds to each positioning tooth 30.

According to one embodiment, each adjustment device 14 has a clamping mechanism 31 of the discoid element 17 which can be selectively activated to prevent the rotation of the discoid element 17 itself.

In particular, the clamping mechanism 31 can be activated by an operator or it can be automatic or mechanical.

According to one embodiment, the clamping mechanism 31 can be a vice element that constrains the sliding and rotation of the discoid element 17.

According to one embodiment, the clamping mechanism 31 can be a snap-in activated tooth and configured to mesh between two consecutive positioning teeth 30 so as to prevent the rotation of the discoid element 17.

However, other types of clamping mechanisms 31 suitable to prevent the rotation and/or sliding of the discoid element 17 are not excluded.

According to some embodiments, the clamping mechanism 31 can provide clamping elements 33 to constrain the rotation of the discoid element 17 with respect to the lamp body 13 and/or to constrain the sliding of the discoid element 17 with respect to the positioning guides 23.

According to one embodiment, the clamping mechanism 31 can provide clamping elements 33 to constrain the rotation of the discoid element 17 with respect to the lamp body 13 and/or to constrain the sliding of the discoid element 17 with respect to the positioning guides 23. In embodiments described by fig. 7, the discoid element 17 can provide a clamping seating 32, for example a threaded hole, suitable to house a clamping element 33, for example a threaded screw. In this case, the clamping seating 32 can be advantageously opposite the engagement seating 21 with respect to the central axis X so as not to unbalance the lamp body 13.

The clamping element 33 can be configured to abut against the external surface of the lamp body 13 once the final position of the adjustment device 14 along the positioning guides 23 and the final angular position of the discoid element 17 have been defined. In particular, the clamping element 33 configured as a threaded screw, during screwing, can perform a progressive abutment action, thrusting the snap-in edges 25 of the discoid element 17 progressively in abutment against the cantilevered portions 24 of the positioning guides 23.

This solution allows, once the position of the engagement seating 21 has been adjusted with respect to the central axis X, and therefore the angle of inclination a, to stably attach the discoid element 17, reducing, or completely eliminating, the possibility of misalignments of the lamp body 13 with respect to the desired layout occurring.

This characteristic therefore allows to limit possible displacements of the lighting apparatus 10 due to impacts, drafts, wear or oscillations, and therefore provide a lighting apparatus 10 that is more resistant and requires less maintenance than similar known apparatuses.

Furthermore, in the case of lighting devices 10 with two or more adjustment devices 14, this solution prevents the lamp body 13 from falling if a supporting wire 12 connected to an adjustment device 14 gives. In fact, in this case there is another adjustment device 14 firmly constrained to the lamp body 13 by means of one or more clamping elements 33 which keeps the lamp body 13 suspended.

In embodiments described by way of example in figs. 8 and 10, the adjustment device 14 can also comprise a positioning element 26, in which the discoid element 17 is rotatably housed.

It is clear that in the embodiments which provide more than one adjustment device 14 for each lamp body 13, the adjustment devices 14 can also be different from each other, for example providing that only some of them have the positioning elements 26 or the clamping mechanism 31.

In these embodiments, the positioning guides 23 are disposed parallel to each other at a reciprocal distance coherent with the sizes of the positioning element 26, which is therefore located on the external surface of the lamp body 13 in cooperation with the positioning guides 23.

In embodiments described by way of example in fig. 10, the positioning element 26 can have parallel and opposite abutment edges 29 configured to cooperate with the positioning guides 23.

In particular, the abutment edges 29 are configured to engage the parallel and opposite positioning guides 23 so as to slide along them.

In such embodiments, the abutment edges 29 of the positioning element 26 and the cantilevered portions 24 of the positioning guides 23, or also the positioning guides 23 themselves, can have mating shaped profiles, to guarantee a firm and secure attachment of the positioning element 26.

In particular, the presence of the positioning element 26 can be preferable when the distance between the positioning guides 23 is excessively high and cannot be covered by the diameter of the discoid element 17. In fact, the positioning element 26 allows to adapt the adjustment device 14 with discoid element 17 to lamp bodies 13 with different shapes and sizes, for example but not only with different widths, without needing to modify the lamp body 13.

According to some embodiments, the clamping mechanism 31 can provide one or more clamping elements 33 to constrain the sliding of the positioning element 26 along the positioning guides 23.

In particular, in embodiments described by figs. 8 and 9, the positioning element 26 can provide one or more clamping seatings 32, suitable to house one or more clamping elements 33 respectively, for example but not only threaded screws. Such threaded screws, during screwing, can progressively abut against the lamp body 13, thrusting the abutment edges 29 of the positioning element 26 progressively in abutment against the positioning guides 23.

This solution allows, once the position of the positioning element 26 has been adjusted, to attach it stably, reducing, or completely eliminating, the possibility of misalignments with respect to the desired layout occurring.

Furthermore, this solution is advantageous when several lamp bodies 13 are provided in succession, since one positioning element 26 can be positioned at the junction point between two lamp bodies 13, reducing the number of adjustment devices 14 necessary for the correct suspension of the adjacent lamp bodies 13. In this case, the positioning element 26 can be provided with at least two opposite clamping elements 33, configured to constrain the positioning element 26 on one side on a first lamp body 13 and on the other on a second lamp body 13. By way of a non-limiting example, figs. 8 and 9 show positioning elements 26 provided with four clamping elements 33.

The present invention also provides embodiments which provide clamping seatings 32 both on the discoid element 17 and also on the positioning element 26.

With reference to figs. 11a, l ib and l ie, the inclination of the lamp body 13 with respect to the vertical direction V is represented by the angle of inclination a, defined between the vertical direction V and the central axis X.

With particular reference to figs. 1 1a - l ie, it is possible to keep the lamp body 13 suspended in a space to be illuminated with an inclined layout with an angle of inclination a, attaching it to two or more supporting wires 12, by means of two or more adjustment devices 14.

The two or more adjustment devices 14 can be adjustable one independently of the other.

The value of the angle of inclination a can be defined by the misalignment between the engagement seatings 21 and the central axes X of each discoid element 17, as schematically shown in figs. 1 la-1 lc.

This characteristic therefore allows to install the lighting apparatus 10 in a simple manner, and to compensate for possible misalignments or deviations from the desired layout, simply by adjusting the angular position of the engagement seating 21 with respect to the central axis X of the discoid element 17, that is, by rotating the discoid element 17.

Furthermore, the fact that the adjustment device 14 is mounted on the external surface of the lamp body 13 and recessed between the positioning guides 23 allows to prevent imperfections and/or possible breakages related to impacts.

In embodiments described by way of example in figs. 7 and 10, in correspondence with the center 18 of the discoid element 17 there is also an alignment device 27, which allows to detect the angle of inclination a of the central axis X with respect to the vertical direction V defined by the supporting wire 12 under tension.

Such alignment device 27 can for example be configured as a spirit level, for example providing a bulb made of transparent material in which there is a liquid and an air bubble.

In these embodiments, the position of the air bubble substantially indicates the vertical direction V. When the air bubble is disposed centrally to the bulb, that is, aligned with the central axis X, the lamp is not inclined with respect to the vertical direction V.

The presence of this alignment device 27 in the adjustment device 14 allows to further simplify the installation, adjustment, assembly and maintenance operations of the lighting apparatus 10, since it allows operators to easily and immediately view the alignment, or a possible misalignment, of the lamp body 13 with respect to the desired layout. It is clear that modifications and/or additions of parts may be made to the lighting apparatus 10 as described heretofore, without departing from the field and scope of the present invention.

It is also clear that, although the present invention has been described with reference to some specific examples, a person of skill in the art shall certainly be able to achieve many other equivalent forms of lighting apparatus 10, having the characteristics as set forth in the claims and hence all coming within the field of protection defined thereby.

In the following claims, the sole purpose of the references in brackets is to facilitate reading: they must not be considered as restrictive factors with regard to the field of protection claimed in the specific claims.