Classifications

• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V15/00—Protecting lighting devices from damage
  • F21V15/01—Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21V—FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • F21V31/00—Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
  • F21V31/005—Sealing arrangements therefor
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21W—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
  • F21W2111/00—Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
  • F21—LIGHTING
  • F21W—INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
  • F21W2111/00—Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
  • F21W2111/06—Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00 for aircraft runways or the like

Definitions

• This invention relates to lighting in general and specifically to a removable electrical lighting apparatus in the form of a light bulb.
• LEDs Light-Emitting Diodes
• an electrical lighting apparatus which is connectable to an electrical light fitting, the lighting apparatus including: a body defining a body axis;
• a seal which is connected to, and configured for engagement with the body such that the seal is displaceable relative to the body, wherein, when the lighting apparatus is connected to the light fitting, the seal is operatively displaceable relative to the body, along the body axis, between an open position, in which the seal does not abut the light fitting, and a sealed position, in which the seal sealingly abuts the light fitting in order to inhibit ingress of water and/or dirt into the light fitting.
• the word “light” is not limited to electromagnetic radiation in the visible spectrum but may include, for example, infra-red light.
• the seal may be peripherally connected to the body about the body axis.
• the seal may be axially displaceable relative to the body along the body axis.
• the seal may project radially outwardly from the body.
• the seal may be circumferentially and axially displaceable relative to the body about the body axis.
• the seal may be annular and coaxially arranged about the body.
• the seal may be screw-threadingly engaged with the body such that the seal is helically/spirally displaceable relative to the body about the body axis.
• the seal may include:
• the attachment formation may be annular and may include a radially outwardly projecting flange to which the seal member is attached such that the attachment formation is configured operatively to urge the seal member against the light fitting.
• the attachment formation may include an internal screw-thread and the body may include an external screw-thread such that the attachment formation screw-threadingly engages the body.
• the attachment formation may include gripping formations which allow an operator to grip and thus displace the seal relative to the body.
• the lighting apparatus may include at least one electrical light source which is electrically connected to the electrical connector.
• the electrical light source may be in the form of a Light-Emitting Diode.
• the lighting apparatus may further include a light reflector and a heat sink which is thermally connected to the LED.
• the electrical connector may be a male type electrical connector configured to be received within a female electrical socket of the light fitting.
• the electrical connector may be screw-type connector.
• the electrical connector may be a bayonet-type connector.
• a seal for an electrical lighting apparatus which is connectable to an electrical light fitting, the seal having a central aperture for accommodating a body of the lighting apparatus, the seal being configured for screw-threaded engagement with the body of the lighting apparatus such that, when the lighting apparatus is connected to the light fitting, the seal is operatively displaceable relative to the body of the lighting apparatus between an open position, in which the seal does not abut the light fitting, and a sealed position in which the seal sealingly abuts the light fitting in order to inhibit ingress of water and/or dirt into the light fitting.
• the seal may include an attachment formation which is configured for screw- threaded engagement with the body of the lighting apparatus and a seal member which is attached to the attachment formation.
• the attachment formation may project operatively outward away from the lighting apparatus and may include a plurality of gripping formations which allow an operator to grip and rotate the seal relative to the lighting apparatus.
• Figure 1 shows a three-dimensional view of an electrical lighting apparatus, in accordance with the invention, fitted to a light fitting
• Figure 2 shows a sectional view through the lighting apparatus and light fitting of figure 1 ;
• Figure 3 shows a three-dimensional view of the lighting apparatus alone, in which a cover has been omitted for clarity
• Figure 4 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the lighting apparatus including a seal in accordance with the invention.
• reference numeral 10 refers generally to an electrical lighting apparatus in accordance with the invention.
• the lighting apparatus 10 is in the form of a replaceable light bulb, in particular an obstruction light bulb for indicating the presence of an obstruction which may be dangerous to an aircraft in flight.
• the lighting apparatus 10 is illustrated as being received within an electrical light fitting 20, only part of which has been illustrated in the figures.
• the light fitting 20 comprises a cup-shaped base portion 22 and a conventional screw-type, female electrical socket 23 (see figure 2), centrally arranged within the base portion 22.
• the socket 23 defines an opening for receiving a male connector 14 of the lighting apparatus 10.
• the lighting apparatus 10 is externally mounted to a tower or mast to act as a visual warning to air traffic and, for this reason, the lighting apparatus 10 is exposed to changing weather conditions including wind, rain and occasionally hail, etcetera.
• the electrical components need to be isolated from the elements and contaminants which include water.
• the lighting apparatus 10 includes a body 12, defining a body axis X, the body 12 comprising an axially inner portion 30 and an axially outer portion 32, and the conventional male, screw-type, electrical connector 14 which projects longitudinally from the body 12 along the body axis X.
• the connector 14 includes a connector axis which in this example is co-axial with the body axis and also indicated by axis X.
• the axially inner portion 30 of the body 12 has external screw-thread on an outer surface 13.
• the lighting apparatus 10 further includes a radially outwardly projecting seal 1 6 which is arranged around a periphery of the screw-threaded outer surface 13 of the inner portion 30 of the body 12.
• the seal 1 6 comprises an annular attachment formation 17 which includes a flange 19, which projects radially outwardly away from the body 12, and internal screw-thread for screw-threadingly engaging the outer surface 13 of the inner portion 30 of the body 12.
• the seal 1 6 further includes an annular seal member 18 which is attached to an underside of the flange 19 of the attachment formation 17.
• the attachment formation 17 further includes a number of equiangularly spaced apart gripping formations in the form of radially extending ridges 21 formed on an outer surface of the flange 19, opposite the seal member 18.
• the seal 1 6 is helically displaceable relative to the body 12 along the axis X by screwing the seal 1 6 along the path defined by the external screw-thread formed on the outer surface 13 of the body 12.
• the lighting apparatus 10 further includes a light source in the form of a number of Light-Emitting Diodes (LEDs) 24 (see figure 3) which are arranged on a printed circuit board (PCB) 26.
• a cover 36 of the lighting apparatus 10 as well as the base portion 22 of the light fitting 20, have been omitted for clarity.
• a radially outwardly diverging reflector 34 is arranged immediately above the LEDs 24.
• the reflector 34 is covered by the removable dome-shaped cover 36 which operatively screws into internal screw-thread 42 (see figure 2) formed on the outer portion 32 of the body 12.
• the outer portion 32, heat sink 27 and inner portion 30 are secured together by a number of fasteners 5 which extend through the respective portions 30, 32.
• the male connector 14 of the lighting apparatus 10 is screwed into the female socket 23 of the light fitting 20.
• the seal 1 6 may be spaced from the light fitting 20 such that it does not make contact with the base portion 22.
• the seal 16 of the lighting apparatus 10 is displaced axially toward an outwardly projecting flange 38 (see figures 2 and 4) of the base portion 22 by manually gripping the gripping formations 21 and rotating the seal 1 6, relative to the inner portion 30, along the external screw-thread formed on the outer surface 13 of the inner portion 30, whilst the rest of the lighting apparatus 10 remains stationary.
• FIG. 4 shows an exploded three-dimensional view of the lighting apparatus 10 and the light fitting 20 and illustrates how the different components, including the seal 16, are interconnected. It is to be understood that in different embodiments of the lighting apparatus 10, the diameter of the seal 1 6 may vary, without departing from the scope of the present invention, in order to accommodate light fittings 20 of varying dimensions.
• the adjustable peripheral seal 1 6 is also not limited to the obstruction light application described in this example embodiment and may find application elsewhere such as in conventional outdoor lighting apparatus.
• the lighting apparatus 10 may be fitted to a number of different light fittings having varying dimensions.
• the universal applicability of the lighting apparatus 10 in accordance with the invention eliminates the need for application specific adapters.
• the seal 16 may be removed from the body 12 of the lighting apparatus 10 and replaceable with a seal (not illustrated) having a different diameter, size or rating.
• a seal not illustrated
• one version of the body 12 of the lighting apparatus 10 can be manufactured and used together with a number of different versions of seals 1 6, making the lighting apparatus 10 readily adaptable to different applications.

Landscapes

• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• General Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Arrangement Of Elements, Cooling, Sealing, Or The Like Of Lighting Devices (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (2)

Family

ID=49915475

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (1)

Citations (3)

• 2013
  • 2013-07-09 WO PCT/IB2013/055629 patent/WO2014009879A1/fr not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (3)

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