Patent Publication Number: US-10330272-B2

Title: Adjustable fixing structure and illumination apparatus

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the priority benefit of China application serial no. 201611174923.4, filed on Dec. 19, 2016. The entirety of the above-mentioned patent application is hereby incorporated by reference herein and made a part of this specification. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to a fixing structure and an illumination apparatus and more particularly, to an adjustable fixing structure and an illumination apparatus using the adjustable fixing structure. 
     Description of Related Art 
     In a design of a street lamp of the related art, a light shaft fixing holder is disposed on a side of the lamp and used to fix a light shaft. Generally speaking, a size (i.e., a bore diameter) of the light shaft fixing holder of the related art may be substantially classified into to three types i.e., 48 mm, 60 mm and 76 mm, and a suitable light shaft fixing holder may be selected according to the size of the light shaft. That is to say, during the installation process of the street lamp, in the presence of light shaft with a different size, the light shaft fixing holder originally disposed on the lamp has to be replaced with a suitable light shaft fixing holder, thereby fixing the light shaft to the lamp through the light shaft fixing holder. In this way, the installation and use become more inconvenient. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The invention provides an adjustable fixing structure capable of fixing various light shafts with different sizes. 
     The invention further provides an illumination apparatus including the adjustable fixing structure capable of fixing various light shafts with different sizes on a lamp. 
     An adjustable fixing structure of the invention is adapted to be disposed on a lamp of an illumination apparatus to fix a light shaft of the illumination apparatus. The adjustable fixing structure includes a main body, a first fixing element and at least one second fixing element. The main body has a containing space, a containing cavity communicating with the containing space and at least one opening communicating with the containing space. The at least one opening is disposed correspondingly to the containing cavity, and the light shaft is adapted to be disposed in the containing space. The first fixing element is movably disposed in the containing cavity of the main body. The at least one second fixing element is movably disposed in the opening of the main body. The first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element are moved along an axis to respectively lean against the light shaft, so as to fix the light shaft in the containing space. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the main body has a plurality of fixing holes which communicate with the containing cavity and are opposite to one another, and the first fixing element includes a positioning plate and at least one first locking unit. The positioning plate has a plurality of positioning holes with different heights. The first locking unit sequentially penetrates through one of the fixing holes of the main body, one of the positioning holes and another one of the fixing holes of the main body, so as to position the positioning plate in the containing cavity of the main body. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a moving direction of the positioning plate is perpendicular to a locking direction of the first locking unit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a fixing portion is on a side of the main body, and a bore diameter of the light shaft is proportional to a distance of the positioning plate with respect to the fixing portion. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the positioning holes with different heights define a step-like positioning hole. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a vertical distance is between the first fixing element and the second fixing element, and the vertical distance is proportional to the bore diameter of the light shaft. 
     An illumination apparatus of the invention includes a lamp, a light shaft and an adjustable fixing structure. The adjustable fixing structure is disposed on the lamp to fix the light shaft. The adjustable fixing structure includes a main body, a first fixing element and at least one second fixing element. The main body has a containing space, a containing cavity communicating with the containing space and at least one opening communicating with the containing space. The at least one opening is disposed correspondingly to the containing cavity, and the light shaft is adapted to be disposed in the containing space. The first fixing element is movably disposed in the containing cavity of the main body. The at least one second fixing element is movably disposed in the opening of the main body. The first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element are moved along an axis to respectively lean against the light shaft, so as to fix the light shaft in the containing space. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the main body has a plurality of fixing holes which communicate with the containing cavity and are opposite to one another, and the first fixing element includes a positioning plate and at least one first locking unit. The positioning plate has a plurality of positioning holes with different heights. The first locking unit sequentially penetrates through one of the fixing holes of the main body, one of the positioning holes and another one of the fixing holes of the main body, so as to position the positioning plate in the containing cavity of the main body. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a moving direction of the positioning plate is perpendicular to a locking direction of the first locking unit. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a fixing portion is on a side of the main body, and a bore diameter of the light shaft is proportional to a distance of the positioning plate with respect to the fixing portion. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, the positioning holes with different heights define a step-like positioning hole. 
     In an embodiment of the invention, a vertical distance is between the first fixing element and the second fixing element, and the vertical distance is proportional to the bore diameter of the light shaft. 
     To sum up, the first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element of the adjustable fixing structure of the invention are moved along an axis to respectively lean against the light shaft located in the containing space of the main body. Therefore, all light shafts with the sizes that allows them to be disposed in the containing space of the main body can be fixed in the containing space of the main body by the first fixing element and the at least one second fixing element. In other words, the adjustable fixing structure of the invention can be used to fix various light shafts with different sizes. As being compared with the related art in which various light shafts with different sizes have to be fixed by using the light shaft fixing holders with different sizes, the adjustable fixing structure of the invention can achieve preferable use convenience and flexibility to effectively reduce development cost and enhance product competitiveness in the market. 
     In order to make the aforementioned and other features and advantages of the invention more comprehensible, several embodiments accompanied with figures are described in detail below. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention, and are incorporated in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention. 
         FIG. 1A  is a schematic partial perspective view showing an illumination apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention. 
         FIG. 1B  is a schematic exploded view showing a part of elements of an adjustable fixing structure of the illumination apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2A  is a schematic perspective view of a light shaft fixed by the adjustable fixing structure depicted in  FIG. 1A . 
         FIG. 2B  is a schematic side view of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 2C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2A . 
         FIG. 3A  is a schematic perspective view of a light shaft fixed by an adjustable fixing structure of another embodiment. 
         FIG. 3B  is a schematic side view of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 3C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of  FIG. 3A . 
         FIG. 4A  is a schematic perspective view of a light shaft fixed by an adjustable fixing structure of another embodiment. 
         FIG. 4B  is a schematic side view of  FIG. 4A . 
         FIG. 4C  is a schematic side view of  FIG. 4A . 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1A  is a schematic partial perspective view showing an illumination apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention.  FIG. 1B  is a schematic exploded view showing a part of elements of an adjustable fixing structure of the illumination apparatus depicted in  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 2A  is a schematic perspective view of a light shaft fixed by the adjustable fixing structure depicted in  FIG. 1A .  FIG. 2B  is a schematic side view of  FIG. 2A .  FIG. 2C  is a schematic cross-sectional view of  FIG. 2A . 
     Referring to both  FIG. 1A  and  FIG. 1B  first, an illumination apparatus  100  includes a lamp  200 , a light shaft  300  and an adjustable fixing structure  400 . The adjustable fixing structure  400  is disposed on the lamp  200 , so as to fix the light shaft  300 . The lamp  200  may include a plurality of light emitting units (not shown) used to emit light for illumination. One end of the light shaft  300  is fixed by the adjustable fixing structure  400 , and the other end of light shaft  300  is fixed onto the ground. In this case, the illumination apparatus  100  is, for example, a street lamp, but the invention is not limited thereto. 
     Referring to  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2B  and  FIG. 2C , the adjustable fixing structure  400  includes a main body  410 , a first fixing element  420  and at least one second fixing element  430  (schematically illustrated as two herein). The main body  410  has a containing space  412 , a containing cavity  414  communicating with the containing space  412  and at least one opening  416  (schematically illustrated as two herein) communicating with the containing space  412 . The openings  416  are disposed correspondingly to the containing cavity  414 , and the light shaft  300  is adapted to be disposed in the containing space  412 . The first fixing element  420  is movably disposed in the containing cavity  414  of the main body  410 . The second fixing elements  430  are movably disposed in the openings  416  of the main body  410 . The first fixing element  420  and the second fixing elements  430  are moved along an axis A to respectively lean against the light shaft  300 , so as to fix the light shaft  300  in the containing space  412 . 
     Specifically, referring to  FIG. 1B  again, the main body  410  of the adjustable fixing structure  400  of the present embodiment has a plurality of fixing holes  418  (schematically illustrated as four herein) which communicate with the containing cavity  414  and are opposite to one another, and the first fixing element  420  includes a positioning plate  422  and at least one first locking unit  424  (schematically illustrated as two herein). The positioning plate  422  has a plurality of positioning holes P 1 , P 2  and P 3  with different heights. The positioning hole P 2  is located between the positioning hole P 1  and the positioning hole P 3 , a vertical height of the positioning hole P 1  with respect to the light shaft  300  is greater than a vertical height of the positioning hole P 3  with respect to the light shaft  300 . Herein, the positioning holes P 1 , P 2  and P 3  with different heights on the positioning plate  422  may define a step-like positioning hole, and the light shaft  300  may be positioned in one of the positioning holes P 1 , P 2  and P 3  with different heights according to a bore diameter of the light shaft  300 . 
     Additionally, the first locking unit  424  is embodied as being composed of a screw bolt  424   a  and a screw nut  424   b , but the invention is not limited thereto. Each of the first locking units  424  sequentially penetrates through one of the fixing holes  418  of the main body  410 , the positioning hole P 2  (or the positioning hole P 1  or the positioning hole P 3 ) and another one of the fixing hole  418  of the main body  410 , so as to position the positioning plate  422  in the containing cavity  414  of the main body  410 . Each of the second fixing elements  430  is also embodied as a combination of a screw bolt and a screw nut, but the invention is not limited thereto. In addition, a fixing portion  415  is provided on a side of the main body  410  of the adjustable fixing structure  400 , and the fixing portion  415  is locked onto the lamp  200  through a screw, so as to fix the adjustable fixing structure  400  to the lamp  200 . 
     As illustrated in  FIG. 1B ,  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2B  and  FIG. 2C , a moving direction D 1  of the positioning plate  422  of the first fixing element  420  is perpendicular to a locking direction D 2  of each of the first locking units  424  in the present embodiment. Namely, the positioning plate  422  of the first fixing element  420  is inserted into the containing cavity  414  along the moving direction D 1 , the positioning plate  422  is locked to the main body  410  along the locking direction D 2  by the first locking units  424 , and the moving direction D 1  and the locking direction D 2  are substantially perpendicular to each other. When the light shaft  300  is inserted in the containing space  412  of the main body  410  of the adjustable fixing structure  400 , the positioning plate  422  of the first fixing element  420  is moved down (in the same direction as the moving direction D 1 ) along the axis A to lean against the light shaft  300 , and the second fixing elements  430  are moved upward along the axis A to lean against the light shaft  300 . Then, the positioning plate  422  is locked to the main body  410  along the locking direction D 2  by the first locking units  424 , the second fixing elements  430  are also locked onto the main body  410  along the direction of the axis A, so as to fix the light shaft  300  in the containing space  412  of the main body  410  of the adjustable fixing structure  400 . 
     In addition, referring  FIG. 2A ,  FIG. 2C ,  FIG. 3A ,  FIG. 3C ,  FIG. 4A  and  FIG. 4C  simultaneously, bore diameters of light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ are proportional to a distance of the positioning plate  422  with respect to the fixing portion  415 . As the positioning holes P 1 , P 2  and P 3  with different heights on the positioning plate  422  define a step-like positioning hole in the present embodiment, positions of the positioning holes P 1 , P 2  and P 3  vary with the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ having different bore diameters. As a result, as the bore diameter of one of the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ (for example, the light shaft  300 ′) increases, the distance of the positioning plate  422  with respect to the fixing portion  415  becomes far (i.e., the first locking unit  424  is locked in the positioning hole P 3 ). Otherwise, as the bore diameter of one of the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ (for example, the light shaft  300 ″) decreases, the distance of the positioning plate  422  with respect to the fixing portion  415  becomes close (i.e., the first locking unit  424  is locked in the positioning hole P 1 ). 
     Additionally, referring to  FIG. 2B ,  FIG. 3B  and  FIG. 4B  simultaneously, a vertical distance H, H′ or H″ is between the first fixing element  420  and each of the second fixing elements  430 , and each of the vertical distances H, H′ and H″ is proportional to the bore diameter of each of the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″. Actually, the vertical distances H, H′ and H″ are approximately equal to the bore diameters of light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ and are variable values. Thus, as the bore diameter of one of the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ (for example, the light shaft  300 ′) increases, the vertical distance H, H′ or H″ (for example, the vertical distance H′) between the first fixing element  420  and the second fixing element  430  increases. Otherwise, as the bore diameter of one of the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ (for example, the light shaft  300 ″) increases, the vertical distance H, H′ or H″ (for example, the vertical distance H″) between the first fixing element  420  and the second fixing element  430  also decreases. 
     In brief, through the design of the adjustable fixing structure  400  of the present embodiment, each of the light shafts  300 ,  300 ′ and  300 ″ with difference sizes may be fixed through the adjustable fixing structure  400  of the present embodiment, which provides preferable use convenience and flexibility. Moreover, the illumination apparatus  100  using the adjustable fixing structure  400  of the present embodiment may achieve effectively reducing development cost and enhancing product competitiveness in the market. 
     In light of the foregoing, the first fixing element and the second fixing elements of the adjustable fixing structure of the invention are moved along an axis to respectively lean against the light shaft located in the containing space of the main body. Therefore, all the light shafts with the sizes that allows them to be disposed in the containing space of the main body can be fixed in the containing space of the main body by the first fixing element and the second fixing elements. In other words, the adjustable fixing structure of the invention can be used to fix various light shafts with different sizes. As being compared with the related art in which various light shafts with different sizes have to be fixed by using light shaft fixing holders with different sizes, the adjustable fixing structure of the invention can achieve preferable use convenience and flexibility to effectively reduce development cost and enhance product competitiveness in the market. 
     It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications and variations can be made to the structure of the present invention without departing from the scope or spirit of the invention. In view of the foregoing, it is intended that the present invention cover modifications and variations of this invention provided they fall within the scope of the following claims and their equivalents.