LUMINAIRE

Abstract: A luminaire for elongate tubular discharge lamps, which comprises an elongate support (1) to the ends of which holders (3a,3b) can be optionally secured in a detachable manner. The holders have two sides remote from each other, one side being provided with n fittings and the second side being provided with n+m fittings.

Description: The invention relates to a luminaire for tubular discharge lamps comprising an elongate support, to the ends of which holders suitable for one or more lamps can be optionally secured. Such a luminaire is known from German Gebrauchsmuster 8126463. The known luminaire is more particularly suitable for elongate tubular luminescent low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps, in which the plate-shaped metal support forms part of a housing which partly surrounds the lamps. At each end of the said support are formed two recesses, in each of which a holder with a lamp fitting can be secured. The luminaire is then suitable for two lamps. When in each pair of recesses a specifically formed holder provided with only one lamp fitting is secured at the ends, a one-lamp construction of the luminaire is obtained. Such a construction is especially advantageous for the manufacturer because during the manufacture only one type of support is used both in the one-lamp construction and in the two-lamp construction. The holders are locked in the support and can be detached therefrom only with great difficulty so that a user cannot easily choose himself the construction he wants. A disadvantage of the known luminaire moreover is that a comparatively large number of separate holders is necessary. The invention has for its object to provide a luminaire, in which a user can determine in a simple manner the construction for a large or small number of lamps. According to the invention, this object is achieved in a luminaire of the kind mentioned in the opening paragraph in that each holder has two sides separate from one another, the first side being provided with n lamp fittings and the second side being provided with n+m lamp fittings (n.m = 1,2,3... etc.), while the holders can be detached from the support. The luminaire according to the invention has only two holders, which can be detached from the support by a user. By reversing the holders, the luminaire can be used optionally for the large number or the small number of lamps. The use of specifically formed additional holders is avoided. The holders preferably comprise a plate-shaped part, whose one side is provided with a single lamp fitting and whose other side is provided with two lamp fittings. The holders, which preferably consist of synthetic material, are then compact and can be manufactured in a comparatively simple manner. Furthermore, in the housing of the luminaire, of which the support forms part, means for only a small number of auxiliary components for operating the lamp (such as electrical stabilization ballasts, starters etc.) are required. In a preferred embodiment of the luminaire, the holders cooperatre with contact members which are secured on the support and which accommodate conductors for supplying power to the lamp fittings. The contact members, which preferably also consist of synthetic material, include metal conductors, an electrical connection being established with metal connection pins projecting from a holder when the holder is placed in the contact member. The holders are preferably secured mechanically on the support by means of specific resilient lugs. Substantially no force is then exerted on the electrical connection, as a result of which the risk of damage of the connection pins is reduced. In an embodiment, the contact members are provided with resilient lugs, which are provided with specifically formed cams and cooperate with recesses in the holder. Such lugs can be actuated in a simple manner by a user in order to detach the holder from the support. An embodiment of a luminaire according to the invention will be described more fully with reference to a drawing. In the drawing: Fig. 1 shows diagrammatically in elevation a luminaire according to the invention; and Fig. 2 shows an electric circuit diagram for operating the lamps in the aforementioned luminaire. The luminaire shown in Fig. 1 is suitable for elongate tubular low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps. The luminaire comprises a metal support 1, which forms part of a housing 1a (shown partially). The ends of the support are provided with contact members (2a,2b) of synthetic material, in which holders (such as 3a,3b) can be placed. The holders and the contact members are symmetrical to a plane at right angles to the support. Each holder comprises a plate-shaped part 4, one side of which is provided with two fittings 5 and 6 and the other side of which is provided with a single fitting 7. When the holders (3a,3b) are placed in the contact members (2a,2b), as shown in Fig. 1, a luminaire is obtained which is suitable for two tubular low-pressure mercury vapour discharge lamps ("TL" lamps). When the holders are removed from the contact member and are reversed, the luminaire is suitable for only one lamp. Each contact member (such as 2a) is provided with four openings 8 to 11 for the metal pins 12 to 15 of a holder (such as 3a). These pins establish a contact with metal sleeves arranged in the contact member so that an electrical connection is formed between the lamp ends inserted into the fittings (5,6,7) and electric circuit wiring (not shown in the drawing), which is located on the other side of the support and is connected to the contact member. The holder is mechanically secured to the support by means separate from the electrical connection. For this purpose, the holder is provided with two recesses 17 and 18, which can accommodate cams on respective resilient lugs 19 and 20 of synthetic material present on the contact member. With the cams located in the recesses 17 and 18 the holder is locked on the contact member. By means of the said electric circuit wiring, the contact member 2 is connected to the supply mains and to the auxiliary components (such as an electrical stabilization ballast and a starter) for operating the lamp(s). In an embodiment of the luminaire, these auxiliary components are fixedly secured on the support or in the housing. In an alternative embodiment, the said components can be detached from the support. Depending upon the user's choice, for example, two ballasts and two starters are then placed on the support. Fig. 2 shows a diagram of an electric circuit for a one-lamp situation (dotted lamp A) and a two-lamp situation (lamps B and C). In the circuit, reference numerals 20 and 21 denote input terminals intended to be connected to an alternating voltage of about 220 V, 50 Hz. In the circuit diagram, the contact members (2a,2b) are indicated by dotted lines. Furthermore, the electrical members (such as metal sleeves) present therein are indicated at the member 2a by points, such as 22,23,24 and 25. A series arrangement of a first ballast 26 and a capacitor 27 is present between 22 and 20. A ballast 28 is present between 20 and 24. In a two-lamp construction, an electrode (29) of the lamp B is present between 22 and 23 and an electrode 30 of the lamp C is present between 24 and 25. The starters 31 and 32 are then also operative. When one lamp (such as lamp A) is placed, the starter 32, the ballast 26 and the capacitor 27 are inoperative, as appears from the circuit diagram. The electrode 33 of the lamp A is then in fact connected between 23 and 24. In an alternative embodiment, the wiring is connected to an electric high-frequency oscillator circuit for feeding the lamp(s). Such a circuit is described, for example, in the Netherlands Patent Application 8201631 (PHN.10337) laid open to public inspection.

Claims: 1. A luminaire for tubular discharge lamps comprising an elongate support, to the ends of which holders suitable for one or more lamps can optionally be secured, characterized in that each holder has two sides separate from one another, the first side being provided with n lamp fittings and the second side being provided with n+m lamp fittings (n,m = 1,2,3 etc.), while the holders can be detached from the support. 2. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 1, characterized in that the holders comprise a plate-shaped part, one side of which is provided with a single lamp fitting and the other side of which is provided with two lamp fittings. 3. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the holders cooperate with contact members which are secured on the support and which accommodate conductors for supplying power to the lamp fittings. 4. A luminaire as claimed in Claim 3, characterized in that the holders are provided with recesses which cooperate with resilient lugs projecting from the contact members for locking the holders in a detachable manner.

Inventors: VENDERBOSCH, JOSEPHUS WILLIBRORD
Applicants: N.V. PHILIPS' GLOEILAMPENFABRIEKEN
Application year: 1986
Main classification: F21V19
IPC codes: F21V23, F21V19, H01R33