Patent Application
20180172256
The present invention relates to an adaptor for arrangement in a fluorescent lamp luminaire, and especially an adaptor for arrangement of a replacement light source in such luminaire.
Fluorescent tube luminaires have historically been widely used in many applications wherein a high luminous flux is desired. However, compared to other light sources such as Light Emitting Diode (LED) light sources, fluorescent lamps have a low efficiency and relatively high power consumption. It would therefore be desired to replace fluorescent tube luminaries with for instance LED luminaires to improve the efficiency and lower the energy costs for the luminaire. However, replacing all fluorescent lamp luminaires may be very costly.
The luminaire may be kept by only replacing the fluorescent lamp or tube. For instance, a fluorescent tube may be replaced by a TLED lamp that may use the electrical connections of the fluorescent tube luminaire. However, the TLED lamp has constraints regarding its mechanical shape and electrical connections to fit in the existing luminaire. Further, it is relatively expensive, which would make the replacement of the fluorescent lamps a still costly operation.
Consequently, there is a need for a cost-efficient solution for replacing low-efficient and high-power consuming fluorescent tubes in existing luminaires.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem, and to provide a simple solution for replacement of fluorescent tubes in existing luminaires.
According to a first aspect of the invention, this and other objects are achieved by an adaptor for arrangement in a fluorescent lamp luminaire, comprising a connector member shaped to fit into an electrical connector of a fluorescent lamp luminaire, wherein the connector member is electrically insulated, and an interface member arranged to support a replacement light source to replace a fluorescent lamp in the luminaire.
By providing an adaptor which may be arranged on the electrical connector of an existing luminaire, a replacement light source, such as a LED bar, may be arranged in the luminaire to replace the fluorescent tube. The shape and position of the electrical connector in a lamp foot in a fluorescent tube luminaire is well defined which provides a use of such adaptor in any fluorescent tube luminaire. The lamp foot houses a lamp socket, this lamp socket is the electrical fitting into which the fluorescent tube is inserted and subsequently powered by. The adaptor may be used for mechanically support a replacement light source. Since the adaptor is shaped for the defined shape of a fluorescent lamp luminaire, the replacement light source may have various designs and fit to be arranged on the adaptor. Since the connector member, adapted to be inserted in the electrical connector of the luminaire, is electrically insulated, the installation of a replacement light source with the adaptor may be a safe procedure for a user. In one embodiment, also the interface member or the entire adaptor is electrically insulated to further secure a safe situation for a user. The adaptor may be formed by a plastic material.
In one embodiment, the adaptor may further comprise a flat wall member, and the connector member may be formed as at least one protrusion from the flat wall member. The wall member may be connected to both the interface member and the connector member, to form a connection between those two members. The connector member may be formed as at least one protrusion, preferably one or two protrusions. The connector member may be formed as two protrusions as insulated pins shaped similar to connector pins on a fluorescent tube adapted to be arranged in the fluorescent lamp luminaire. Since the connector member is electrically insulated, it may as well be formed as one single protrusion, with a size similar to the connector pins on a fluorescent tube and the distance between such pins. The wall member may extend in a direction perpendicular to the extension of the interface member.
In one embodiment, the interface member may be provided with fastening means to lock a replacement light source thereto. Such fastening means may be screws, clips, a lock pin or the like. Depending on the shape of the replacement light source, the interface member may be provided with one or more fastening means to enable different attachment methods for the light source.
Further, the interface member may in one embodiment comprise an extending flat member that, when the adaptor is arranged in a horizontally arranged luminaire, may extend in a substantially horizontal plane, such that a replacement light source arranged thereto may abut an underside or an upper side of the extending flat member.
In one embodiment, the interface member may comprise an opening adapted to receive a replacement light source. The shape of the opening may be formed to suit a certain type replacement light source. The opening may in one example be a circular opening, or in another example a rectangular opening. The replacement light source may be a LED light source, for example a LED bar. A LED bar may be suitable when the fluorescent luminaire is a fluorescent tube luminaire and the lamp to be replaced is a fluorescent tube. The LED bar may then have an elongated shape to fit into the luminaire and be supported by one or more adaptors arranged in the lamp feet of the luminaire.
According to a second aspect of the invention, a fluorescent lamp replacement system is provided, comprising at least two adaptors as previously presented, and a bridge member adapted to be arranged to the interface members of the at least two adaptors and to support a replacement light source. A fluorescent lamp luminaire may be provided with two lamp feet for arranging two fluorescent tubes. One replacement light source may be arranged for replacing both such tubes. Two adaptors may thereby be arranged in the two lamp feet together with a bridge member. The replacement light source may thereby be arranged in the luminaire, supported by both adaptors.
According to a third aspect of the invention, a lighting device is provided, comprising at least one of the adaptors as previously presented, a fluorescent lamp luminaire and a replacement light source. In such a lighting device the conventional fluorescent tube light source is replaced by for instance two adaptors according to this invention and a light source connected to these adaptors.
It is noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features recited in the claims.
This and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing embodiment(s) of the invention.
The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which currently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and fully convey the scope of the invention to the skilled person. Like reference characters refer to like elements throughout.
The adaptor 1 comprises a connector member 10. The connector member 10 is shaped to fit into an electrical connector of a fluorescent tube luminaire. The electrical connector of a fluorescent tube luminaire is arranged in a lamp foot and formed as a pin opening. A fluorescent tube is arranged in such electrical connector by being pushed into the pin opening and rotated 90° to be locked to the lamp foot. In the same way may the connector member 10 of the adaptor 1 be pushed into such pin opening and the adaptor may be rotated 90° to be locked in place. The connector member 10 is illustrated as a single protruding piece, but may as well be formed as two pin shaped pieces, arranged similar to connector pins on a fluorescent tube. The adaptor 1, or at least the connector member 10, is electrically insulated in order to eliminate a safety risk for a user arranging the adaptor 1 and any replacement light source 40 in the luminaire 2.
The connector member 10 is arranged in an enclosure comprising a first wall member 12, a second wall member 14 and an intermediate member 16 connecting the first wall member 12 to the second wall member 14. The connector member 10 protrudes from the second wall member 14. The enclosure is adapted to enclose the lamp foot of a luminaire in which the adaptor is arranged. The term enclose can mean fully or partially enclosed. That is to say the adaptor may completely enclose the lamp foot in order to prevent a user from touching the lamp foot or to provide mechanical stability to the adapter. The adapter may also only partially enclose the lamp foot, it may, for example only enclose the front and rear faces of the lamp foot or it may enclose the side faces of the lamp foot.
The adapter may also fully enclose a portion of the lamp foot, for example, the tip portion of the lamp foot down to the lamp socket or it may enclose the lamp foot all the way to the fixture base. As illustrated in
On the second wall member 14 is an interface member 20 arranged. The interface member 20 has the purpose of supporting the replacement light source 40 to be arranged in the luminaire 2, such as a LED bar. The interface member 20 may have different shapes in order to be suitable for different types of light sources.
The adaptor 1 according to the invention may be used in fluorescent luminaires which is adapted for a double set of fluorescent tubes. In each end of the luminaire, two lamp feet are arranged. Such double tube arrangement may be replaced by a single LED bar 40. According to the invention and as illustrated in
On the bridge member 30, a light source 40, such as a LED bar, is arranged. The bridge member 30 may be provided with fastening means as earlier described for the interface members 20 in order to attach the light source 40 thereto.
The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the shape of the interface member may be varied to suit different types of light sources, and different fastening means may be provided on the adaptor to attach a light source to the adaptor.
Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word “comprising” does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfil the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14160805.9 | Mar 2014 | EP | regional |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/EP2015/055313 | 3/13/2015 | WO | 00 |
