DESCRIPTION

The purpose of the present invention is a lighting device, notably an outdoor lighting, which can be used in both residential buildings and urban constructions. In particular, the object of the present patent application is to provide a concealed lighting mean provided with a device which, when activated, allows the vertical ascent of a cylinder in which an illuminating body is housed. The invention object of the present patent application refers to the lighting sector, in particular to the field of outdoor lighting devices. In particular, the purpose of the present patent application is to provide a device for lighting outdoor areas, such as gardens, which has minimum overall dimensions when not in use, i.e. when the lighting of the surrounding area is not necessary.

Typically, the external areas require situations with minimum space: for example, in the case where it is necessary to mow the grass, the ideal condition is that in which there are no obstacles that can slow down the operation. A further feature of outdoor lighting devices is that are watertight compared to environmental conditions in which they are applied and, possibly, lead to low electricity consumption.

At the state of the art, multifunction poles are already known - called "towers" - equipped with generic lamps or lighting devices. These towers are generally part of fixed installations with significant visual impact. At the state of the art, multi-purpose retractable poles are also known, equipped with generic lamps or lighting devices, suitable for being installed for a fixed use, even for regular and daily use, with reduced visual impact when used, and with almost no visual impact when not used.

For example, patent application W015101903A1 discloses a telescopic multi-function pole formed by a plurality of coaxial cylindrical segments of decreasing diameter able to be received one inside the other. Said telescopic pole is extensible by a configuration of minimum extension in which all the segments are received within the lower segment to a configuration of maximum extension in which all the segments are spun together. The telescopic pole described in the patent application W015101903A1 is provided with a multifunction head which supports electrically powered lighting devices by means of an electric cable which slides inside the pole. According to the document W02015101903, the movement of the segments is determined by a pneumatic circuit and, therefore, the extraction of the segments to pass from the configuration of minimum extension to that of maximum extension is caused by the delivery of a fluid under pressure. The pole seat described in document W02015101903 is obtained in the ground and has a depth such as to completely accommodate the pole and the multifunction head in the configuration of minimum extension. According to the document W02015101903, the pole seat provides a technical compartment in which the devices used to operate the pole are housed, in particular a compressor for the pneumatic drive and an electronic control unit for moving the pole itself. The solution described in the document W02015101903, therefore, constitutes an ideal solution for what regards the realization of a retractable lighting device, however the presence of a technical compartment in which to comprise devices necessary for the movement of the same entails disadvantages in particular for this which concerns the size and width of the premises as well as the accessibility to these devices in case of maintenance and / or replacement of the same.

The patent application BE1015016A describes a lighting device composed of a centrally threaded cylinder in the lower part, while in the upper part a bulb and a cylindrical element which covers the latter are housed. This cylinder flows inside a fixed cylinder with a larger section placed in the ground. The movement of the cylinder takes place thanks to a motor placed coaxially to the cylinder and connected to a threaded bar. The threaded bar is in turn connected to the lower part of the cylinder where the light bulb is located, and by rotating it creates the vertical motion of the cylinder.

The solution thus realized in document BE1015016A requires a greater encumbrance for the same stroke, since it is necessary to take into account the size of the engine in addition to the excursion to be given to the cylinder, moreover, it is more difficult to access the devices in case of maintenance or replacement of the same.

Patent application US4180850A discloses a solution that provides a movable hollow body where the upper end accommodates a bulb and a fixed hollow body placed in the ground in which the mobile one slides. The vertical movement of the mobile cylinder takes place through a hydraulic system, therefore, the movement of the lamp is caused by the putting into pressure of a fluid. This solution is disadvantageous if we consider that inside the fixed body it is necessary to have a hydraulic cylinder, moreover this appliance requires a hydraulic system and a compressor to operate said cylinder, so this solution needs to have big dimensions. Furthermore, at the state of the art, systems such as those described by the applications for patent US5513085 "Retractable light and motion detector" and US5142463 A "Retractable lighting system" are known, which describe both retractable lighting devices. Said systems comprise a hollow cylindrical body provided below with a closing element housing an electric motor. In both documents cited it is provided that the first hollow cylindrical body comprises above a second hollow cylindrical body that can be inserted by sliding into a third hollow cylindrical body or a cylindrical lid; it is also provided that the second hollow cylindrical body is provided with a head and a circular seat for housing a generic lighting body. In particular, document US5513085 provides that the electric motor (36) is associated with a motor gear (51 Fig 3), said first motor gear (51) being provided with a central hole of diameter equal to the diameter of the motor shaft ( 50): the third gear is positioned at the center of the closing element (12) and at the center of the base of the hollow cylindrical body (14); the third gear is provided with a central threaded hole in which a trapezoidal screw (30) is inserted.

Differently from what is reported, the previous innovations escribed in documents D1 US5513085 and D2 US5142463 are characterized by a motor which is coaxial with the slidably associated cylinders which entails difficulty in accessing the mechanical elements in case of necessary maintenance.

The purpose of the present patent application is therefore to provide a retractable lighting device which solves the disadvantages of known solutions, in particular for what concerns the steric bulk and the accessibility to the auxiliary components that require maintenance and / or replacement. The invention forming the subject of this patent application is depicted in the attached tables, in which are shown:

1. A closing element with gear seats and motor support;

2. A gear cover;

3. A main hollow cylindrical body;

4. A trapezoidal screw;

5. An anti-rotation rod;

6. A first circular crown;

7. A perforated flange;

8. A third hollow cylindrical body;

9. A first sliding guide;

10. Quadrangular plate spacers - perforated flange;

11. A quadrangular plate;

12. A centrally threaded circular element;

13. A circular crown to activate the limit switches;

14. A second hollow cylindrical body;

15. A circular element with gasket seats;

16. A head in transparent plastic material for light; 17. A) an engine gear; B) an intermediate gear; C) a gear;

18. A bearing;

19. An electrical motor;

20. A grub screw;

21. A spring pin;

22. An end of stroke support rod;

23. A limit switch.

The invention forming the subject of this patent application is depicted in the attached tables, in which are shown:

Fig 1 - an overview of the concealed outdoor lighting device;

Fig 2 - an exploded view of the elements constituting the retractable outdoor lighting device;

Fig 3 - sectional views of the device.

With reference to the enclosed tables, the retractable outdoor lighting device, object of the present patent application, consists of a main hollow cylindrical body (3) in which a second hollow cylindrical body (14) is inserted at the top, with a lower section to the body cylindrical main cable (3), said second hollow cylindrical body (14) being provided with a head (16) made of preferably but not exclusively transparent plastic material and of a circular seat (15) for housing a generic lighting body. The main hollow cylindrical body (3) is provided at the bottom with a closing element (1) which houses an electric motor (19), preferably but not exclusively with a 12 V power supply. The electric motor (19) is in turn associated one of at least three gears (17a, 17b, 17c) associated with the closing element (1). In particular, the first engine gear (17a) is provided with a central hole of a diameter equal to the diameter of the motor shaft (19) associated with the first gear (17a). The gear (17c) is positioned at the center of the closing element (1) and, therefore, at the center of the base of the main hollow cylindrical body (3) and is provided with a central threaded hole of the same size as the cross-section of a trapezoidal screw (4). According to the described embodiments, the electric motor (19) is therefore in position lateral position to the axis of the trapezoidal screw (4). The trapezoidal screw (4) and the gear (17c) are provided with a radial hole in which a spring pin (21) is inserted in order to create an anti-unscrewing mechanism between the two components. In the closing element (1) and in the gear (17c) there is also the seat for a needle bearing (18) which significantly reduces the friction generated by the force necessary for the output to the retraction of the second hollow cylindrical body (14) with all the advantages of wear and maintenance that ensue. The trapezoidal screw (4) associated with the gear (17c) is superiorly associated with the second hollow cylindrical body (14) by means of a circular element (12), located at the base of the second hollow cylindrical body (14) and provided with a threaded central hole of the same size as the trapezoidal screw (4). The association between the main hollow cylindrical body (3) and the second hollow cylindrical body (14) is made by a first circular crown (6) provided with seats for gaskets, a perforated circular flange (7), a third body cylindrical cable (8) and a circular sliding guide (9). The section of the third hollow cylindrical body (8) is larger than the section of the second hollow cylindrical body (14) in such a way that said second hollow cylindrical body (14) is sliding, by means of the guide (9) inside the third cylindrical body cable (8). At the same height of the sliding guide (9) a quadrangular plate (11) is positioned equal in size to the well in which the device according to the present patent application is housed. The quadrangular plate (11) is provided with a central hole with a diameter equal to the largest diameter of the sliding guide (9) and has holes for the housing of spacers (10) which, in the upper part, insist on the quadrangular plate (11) while in the lower part they insist on the holes of the flange (7). The third hollow cylindrical body (8) has the purpose of guiding the hollow cylindrical element (14) and, thanks to the sliding guide (9) provided with seats for sealing gaskets, allows protection of the second cylindrical element (14) from chemical agents, humidity and powders. According to what previously described, the three gears (17a, 17b, 17c) have the purpose of transmitting the motion from the electric motor (19) to the trapezoidal screw (4). When the electric motor (19) is actuated, it causes the engine gear (17a) to rotate, which transmits the motion to the next intermediate gear (17b). The intermediate gear (17b) receives the motion from the drive gear (17a) and transmits it to the next gear (17c), generating the rotation of the trapezoidal screw (4). In order to ensure that the system does not rotate in a vacuum position, an anti-rotation rod (5) is also housed in the closing element (1). The vertical movement of the device object of the present patent application takes place, therefore, for the interaction of the electric motor (19) with the gears (17a, b, c) which cause the rotation of the trapezoidal screw (4). The rotary motion of the trapezoidal screw (4) is then transmitted to the circular element (12) and is then transformed into linear motion. In fact, the coupling between the trapezoidal screw (4) and the circular element (12) is a helical coupling called screw-nut screw coupling: the rotation of the trapezoidal screw (4) causes a translation of the circular element (12) to it is prevented from rotating thanks to the anti-rotation rod (5) which slides over an eccentric hole in the circular element (12), advancing in the direction of the axis of the screw itself. The linear movement is therefore given by the screwing or the unscrewing of the trapezoidal screw (4) on the circular element (12). By activating two limit switches (24) by means of the circular crown (13), the rotary motion of the electric motor (19) is blocked. The two limit switches (24) are each supported by a support element (23), in turn associated one to the closing element (1) and one to a perforated flange (7), positioned in the upper part of the hollow cylindrical body (3), by means of support pins (22). The system thus created allows, at the same stroke with respect to the known systems, to reduce the steric bulk of the system to a minimum.