Patent Publication Number: US-10309625-B2

Title: Lamp

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims the priority of DE 102016101353.6 filed on 2016 Jan. 26 and the priority of DE 102016101769.8 filed on 2016 Feb. 2; all applications are incorporated by reference herein in their entirety. 
     BACKGROUND 
     The invention relates to a lamp. 
     Lamps of the type in question serve in general to illuminate buildings or outdoor areas. In particular, and as a preference, the lamps are used to illuminate interior rooms of buildings that are utilized for private and for commercial purposes. 
     Furthermore, the use of lamps with LEDs (light-emitting diodes) as a light source is widely known. LEDs of that type distinguish themselves by a high level of economic efficiency. Moreover, LEDS can be flexibly mounted in lamp heads to create specific lighting scenarios. 
     SUMMARY 
     The invention relates to a lamp with at least one lamp head and a base unit that each have a modular design to the effect that the lamp head can embody different geometric, optical and electronic configurations and the base unit can embody different geometric configurations. The lamp head has a retaining element that can be fastened via magnetic forces so as to be adjustable in terms of position to a holder of the base unit. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Taking this prior art as a starting point, the invention is based on the problem of making a lamp available that can be manufactured in an efficient fashion and that can be adapted in a simple way in terms of its design and functionality to different application requirements. 
     The elements of claim  1  are specified to solve this problem. Advantageous embodiments and useful design developments of the invention are described in the sub-claims. 
     The invention relates to a lamp with at least one lamp head and a base unit that each have a modular design to the effect that the lamp head can embody different geometric, optical and electronic configurations and the base unit can embody different geometric configurations. The lamp head has a retaining element that can be fastened via magnetic forces so as to be adjustable in terms of position to a holder of the base unit. 
     The basic idea of the invention is to consequently design the lamp head and the base unit as modular units so that a large number of variants of the lamp can be manufactured with very little production-related effort. The lamp as per the invention can therefore be adapted in a simple and quick way to the most diverse application requirements. 
     It is essential here for the lamp head to be able to embody different optical and electronic configurations; the chronological, spectral and spatial radiation behavior of light can be varied because of that in the lamp as per the invention. Moreover, different geometric configurations are possible via different shapes of the lamp head. 
     Furthermore, the base unit of the lamp can embody different geometric configurations. A lamp as per the invention can therefore be designed in the form of a ceiling lamp, a hanging lamp, a wall lamp or a floor lamp, and this design can have different spatial configurations; a flexible system that can be adapted to different rooms is obtained because of that. 
     Another important aspect of the invention is that the lamp head, or each lamp head, has a retaining element via which the lamp head can be attached to a holder of the base unit without tools; the attachment is effected with magnetic forces, preferably solely with the magnetic forces. 
     In addition, it is advantageous here that the retaining element can be attached to the holder in different positions; the lamp head can be put into different orientations on the base unit with little effort because of this, and different geometric configurations of the lamp can be generated in that way. 
     As a special advantage, the holder has a magnet with a contact surface having the shape of a spherical shell into which the retaining element of the lamp head can be inserted. The retaining element has a spherical shape to conform with that and is made of a metallic material. 
     The sphere-shaped retaining element can be rotated by nearly 360° in each of three spatial directions in the contact surface of the magnet with the shape of a spherical shell, so a very large adjustment range of the lamp head is obtained in the base unit. 
     A further advantage is that the contact point between the magnet and the retaining element has good heat conductivity, so heat created by the optical and electronic components in the lamp head can be carried off through this contact point. 
     In accordance with an advantageous embodiment, the lamp head has a ring; a cover can be put on top of it. 
     The light sources of the lamp head can be arranged in both the area of the ring and in the area of the cover; different radiation characteristics of the lamp head can be realized because of that. The cover and the ring can constitute radiation surfaces for the light emitted by the light source here. The term ring is to be understood in a general sense in connection with this, meaning that the ring can have a circular, elliptical, polygonal or similar form. 
     As a special advantage, the ring and the cover are made of opaque materials, so the light of the light sources is radiated from the bottom of the lamp head. 
     In accordance with a first variant, light sources are provided on the inside of the ring; their light is radiated through a diffusor on the bottom of the ring. 
     In this case, the lamp head constitutes a so-called floodlight, radiating light from the bottom in a non-directional way. The retaining element has a spherical shape to conform with that and is made of a metallic material. 
     In accordance with a second variant, light sources are provided on the bottom of the cover. 
     At least one central light source is provided on the bottom of the cover here that radiates light through a lens. 
     The lamp head therefore constitutes a so-called spotlight that radiates light from the bottom in a directional way. 
     In a useful further design form, external light sources can be additionally provided on the bottom of the cover that radiate light directly or through a diffusor after reflection at the lens. 
     A combination of radiation characteristics of a floodlight and a spotlight is therefore obtained. 
     It is useful in connection with this for the diffusor to be arranged on the bottom of the ring, and for the lens to be mounted in a central hole of the diffusor. 
     In accordance with an advantageous design form of the invention, the light sources are comprised of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) or OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes). 
     The light sources with this type of design have a long service life and can be installed in the lamp head in virtually any spatial arrangement. 
     As a special advantage, light sources and the accompanying electronic components for their control are arranged on a common circuit board. 
     A more compact and modular structure of the light sources and the accompanying electronic components is obtained with that. 
     The electronic components serve in general to control the operation of the light sources. As a special advantage, the electronic components are designed to form different dimming systems. 
     Continuous variation between warm white light and cold white light of the light sources is possible, as an example, because of the variable dimming. The dimming can take place through external units, for instance via Bluetooth interfaces. 
     As a further advantage, an electrical connector is provided on the ring. 
     The connectors can be designed as plugs or sockets. In general, the power supply for the electronic and optical components of the lamp head can be provided through lines routed in the base unit that go to the connectors. 
     In accordance with an especially advantageous design form of the invention, the base unit has a modular arrangement of connecting pieces and branching elements. 
     The connecting pieces and branching elements can be freely chosen; the most diverse geometries of the lamp, in particular free-form surfaces, can be realized because of that. The lamp can form a flat structure running in one plane here or a three-dimensional structure. In general, the connecting pieces and branching elements have receptacles for holders to which lamp heads can be fastened such that the number and arrangement of lamp heads of the lamp can be freely chosen. 
     The connecting pieces and branching elements advantageously constitute hollow bodies in which electrical lines can be routed. 
     The power supply lines for the lamp heads are therefore routed in the interior of the base unit and consequently do not interfere with the overall visual impression of the lamp. 
     In accordance with an advantageous design form, the connecting pieces each run along a straight line. 
     Furthermore, the branching elements each have a number of branch segments. 
     Different branching elements are made up of different quantities and different spatial orientations of branch segments here. 
     A modular system is therefore obtained with which the most diverse geometric configurations of the lamp can be realized. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1 : First example of the lamp as per the invention. 
         FIG. 2A : Lamp head for the lamp as per the invention in a view from the bottom. 
         FIG. 2B : Lamp head for the lamp as per the invention in a sectional view. 
         FIG. 2C : Individual diagram of the components of the lamp head. 
         FIG. 3 : Variant of the lamp head in accordance with  FIGS. 2A to 2C . 
         FIG. 4 : Holder for the lamp as per the invention. 
         FIG. 5A : Second example of the lamp as per the invention. 
         FIG. 5B : Branching element for the lamp in accordance with  FIG. 5A . 
         FIG. 6 : Third example of the lamp as per the invention. 
         FIG. 7A : Fourth example of the lamp as per the invention. 
         FIG. 7B : Branching element for the lamp in accordance with  FIG. 7A . 
         FIG. 8 : Fifth example of the lamp as per the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  shows a first example of the lamp  1  as per the invention. The lamp  1  is designed in the form of a spotlight emitting directional light that is mounted with a ceiling bracket  2  on a ceiling of a room of a building. The lamp  1  is comprised of a lamp head  3 ; a ball-shaped retaining element  4  is laterally provided on this. The lamp head  3  is adjustably fastened to a base unit of the lamp  1  with this retaining element  4 . The base unit is comprised of a connecting piece  5  and a holder  6  mounted at the bottom of the connecting piece  5 ; the retaining element  4  is mounted on the holder. 
     The connecting piece  5  is made of a hollow body running in a straight line. A line  7  supplying power to the lamp head  3  is routed in the interior of the hollow body. The line  7  runs to an opening of the branch segment  20  here, so it can be connected to the lamp head  3 . 
       FIGS. 2A and 2B  show the lamp head  3  in individual diagrams. The individual components of the lamp head  3  are shown in  FIG. 2C . 
     As evident in  FIG. 2C , the lamp head  3  has a circular ring  8 . This ring  8  is comprised of a material that is impenetrable to light such as plastic or metal. A cover  9  can be put on top of the ring  8 . The cover  9 , which is chosen to be slightly convex, is likewise comprised of a material that is impenetrable to light. The optical appearance of the lamp head  3  can be varied by changing the colors and the surface characteristics of the ring  8  and the cover  9 . A carrier  9   a  that is designed to hold light sources can be attached to the bottom of the cover  9 . 
     The light is radiated through the bottom of the lamp head  3 . The bottom is terminated with a diffusor  10  and a lens  11 ; the lens  11  is inserted into a central hole of the diffusor  10 . 
     LEDs (light-emitting diodes)  12   a ,  12   b  are arranged as light sources on the bottom of the shielding. Alternatively, OLEDs (organic light-emitting diodes) can also be used. 
     As evident from  FIG. 2 a   , first LEDs  12   a  are directly arranged above the lens  11 . The light rays radiated from these LEDs  12   a  are bundled through the lens  11  and consequently radiated in a directional fashion, meaning the radiation characteristics of a spotlight are obtained. 
     External LEDs  12   b  that are preferably arranged in a ring are also provided in addition to these central LEDs  12   a . The light rays from these LEDs  12   b  are indirectly emitted, after reflection at the lens  11 , or directly emitted, via the diffusor  10 , towards the outside and provide for a non-directional radiation component. 
     The general, the LEDs  12   a ,  12   b  are arranged together with their electronic components on circuit boards. The light sources can be dimmed, in particular, with the electronic components. 
     The lamp head  3  of  FIGS. 2A-C  can be converted to the effect that the light sources are arranged on the interior wall of the ring  8 . Otherwise, the lamp head  3  has the same structure as the lamp head  3  of  FIGS. 2A-C . Alternatively, a lens  11  is not provided on the bottom of the lamp head  3 , but instead a diffusor  10  that covers the entire bottom. In this case, the lamp head  3  constitutes a floodlight that only radiates non-directional light. 
     As evident from  FIG. 2C , the lamp head  3  has, as a possible electrical connector, a plug  13  and a socket  14 , which can optionally be inserted into a cut-out section  15  in the ring  8 . In the example of  FIGS. 2A and 2B , a plug  13  is provided as an electrical connector; power is supply through it to the optical and electrical components of the lamp head  3 . 
     A metallic, ball-shaped retaining element  4  is provided for the lamp head  3  of  FIGS. 2A-C , as is the case with all of the lamp heads  3  of the lamp  1 , for the adjustment and lighting of the lamp head  3  on the base unit of the lamp  1 . This retaining element  4  has a cylindrical connection piece  4   a  that can be inserted into a further cut-out section  16  of the ring  8 ; the retaining element  4  is laterally fastened to the lamp head  3  through that. 
       FIG. 3  shows a partial representation of a variant of the lamp head  3  of  FIGS. 2A-C . The lamp head  3  in accordance with  FIG. 3  has a ring  8  once again in which a plug  14  and the ball-shaped retaining element  4  are laterally mounted as electrical connectors. The cover  9 , which has a disk shape in this case, is provided on the ring  8  once again 
     A flat board  8   a  that supports LEDs  12  as light sources is provided in the interior of the ring  8  in this case instead of the carrier  9   a.    
     The bottom of the lamp head  3  is terminated with a multi-layer structure made up of several plate-shaped elements loosely put on top of one another instead of the diffusor  10 . The lower layer  10   a  and the middle layer  10   b  are made of a transparent material, in particular acrylic. The top layer  10   c  is made of an opaque material that is, in particular, a white material with printing on the bottom if applicable. 
     The retaining element  4  of the lamp head  3  can be adjustably mounted in a holder  6 . The holder  6  is shown in an individual diagram in  FIG. 4 . 
     The holder  6  has a connection part  17  with a polygonal cross-section at its rear end. The holder  6  can be fastened to a component of the base unit, to the connecting piece  5  in the example of  FIG. 1 , with this connection part  17 . 
     Furthermore, the holder  6  has a magnet  18 ; the free front side of the magnet  18  has a contact surface  18   a  with the shape of a spherical shell. The radius of the contact surface  18   a  corresponds to the radius of the ball-shaped retaining element  4 , so the retaining element  4  is held in a positive-locking way in the contact surface  18  and fixed in place with magnetic forces. The contact surface  18   a  can be supplied with a diamond coating to increase the frictional forces. Because of the spherical symmetry of the contact surface  18   a  and the retaining element  4 , the retaining element  4  and therefore the overall lamp head  3  can be rotated by nearly 360° in each of three spatial directions and can consequently be fixed in place on the holder  6  in nearly any adjustment position. 
       FIG. 5A  shows a further example of a lamp  1 . This lamp  1  is designed as a ceiling lamp once again and is fastened to a ceiling of a room of a building via a ceiling bracket  2 . 
     The base unit of the lamp  1  is comprised in this case of three connecting pieces  5   a ,  5   b  running in straight lines and a branching element  19  that is shown in an individual diagram in  FIG. 5A . This branching element  19  is designed, like the connecting pieces  5   a ,  5   b , in the form of a hollow body, so electrical lines  7  can be routed in it. The branching element  19  has, as  FIG. 5B  shows, three identical branch segments  20  offset by 120° in each case; a connecting piece  5  can be fastened to each branch segment  20 . In general, different branching elements  19  with different quantities and orientations of branch segments  20  can be provided for the lamp  1 . 
     As shown in  FIG. 5A , one end of a first connecting piece  5   a  is fastened to the ceiling bracket  2  and the other end is connected to a branch segment  20 . Two further connecting pieces  5   b  are fastened to the two further branch segments  20  of the branching element  19 ; a holder  6  is fastened to their free ends in each case. A lamp head  3  is adjustably attached to this holder  6  in each case; the lamp heads  3  correspond to the embodiment in accordance with  FIGS. 2A-C . 
       FIG. 6  shows another example of the lamp  1  as per the invention. The lamp  1  is designed as a floor lamp in this case. The lamp  1  in accordance with  FIG. 6  is comprised of three connecting pieces  5   a ,  5   b , which are connected via a branching element  19  in accordance with  FIG. 5B . A first connecting piece  5   a  is mounted on a stand base  21  that is set up on the floor of a room or a building. A lamp head  3  is mounted in each case to the two other connecting pieces  5   b . An electric ballast can be integrated into the stand base  21 . 
       FIG. 7A  shows a further example of a lamp  1  designed in the form of a floor lamp. The lamp  1  is comprised of three connecting pieces  5   a ,  5   b  that are connected in pairs via branching elements  19   a , as shown in  FIG. 7B . These branching elements  19   a  have three branch segments  20   a ; two branch segments  20   a  are offset by 180° and therefore arranged along a straight line and a third branch segment  20   a  is perpendicular to this branch segment  20   a , meaning that it is arranged at a 90° offset to it in each case. The linear arrangement of connecting pieces  5   a ,  5   b  shown in  FIG. 7A  is obtained with this branching element  19   a ; the connecting piece  5   a  is mounted on a stand base  21 . A holder  6  for attachment of a lamp head  3  ends in each case at a branch segment  20   a  of a branching element  19   a . A further lamp head  3  is provided at the upper end of the upper connecting piece  5   b.    
       FIG. 8  shows a further example of a lamp  1 . This lamp  1  is designed in the form of a ceiling lamp. The lamp  1  is comprised of a total of seven connecting pieces  5  with different lengths in part as the base unit. The connecting pieces  5  are connected via branching elements  19  in accordance with  FIG. 5B  to form a reticular network structure running in one plane. A lamp head  3  is located in each case at the free ends of five connecting pieces  5 . This overall design can be suspended from a ceiling with steel cables that are not shown; the steel cables can be used to supply electrical power to the lamp heads  3 . 
     LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
     ( 1 ) Lamp 
     ( 2 ) Ceiling bracket 
     ( 3 ) Lamp head 
     ( 4 ) Retaining element 
     ( 4   a ) Connection piece 
     ( 5 ) Connecting piece 
     ( 5   a ,  5 B) Connecting piece 
     ( 6 ) Holder 
     ( 7 ) Line 
     ( 8 ) Ring 
     ( 8   a ) Flat board 
     ( 9 ) Cover 
     ( 9   a ) Carrier 
     ( 10 ) Diffusor 
     ( 10   a ) Lower layer 
     ( 10   b ) Middle layer 
     ( 10   c ) Upper layer 
     ( 11 ) Lens 
     ( 12   a ,  12   b ) LED 
     ( 13 ) Plug 
     ( 14 ) Socket 
     ( 15 ) Cut-out section 
     ( 16 ) Cut-out section 
     ( 17 ) Connection part 
     ( 18 ) Magnet 
     ( 18   a ) Contact surface 
     ( 19 ) Branching element 
     ( 19   a ) Branching element 
     ( 20 ) Branch segment 
     ( 20   a ) Branch segment 
     ( 21 ) Stand base