Ball joint, and lamp having a ball joint

Abstract

The invention relates to a ball joint for pivotably mounting an object (10), in particular for pivotably mounting a lamp, having a ball pin (14) which is connected at a first end to a base plate (15) and at a second end to a joint ball (13), wherein the base plate (15) has a contact surface (17) and the joint ball (13) is able to be received in a ball holder (12) of the object (10). The invention also relates to a lamp (101) having such a ball joint. In order to propose a ball joint and a lamp (101) which allow better orientation of the pivotably mounted object, or of the lamp, the invention provides that, between the contact surface (17) of the base plate (15) and the longitudinal axis of the ball pin (14), there is an angle β, for which: 0 ≤ β < 90°.

Description

[0001] Ball joint and lamp with a ball joint

[0002] The invention relates to a ball joint for pivotably supporting an object, in particular for pivotably supporting a lamp, having a ball axis which is connected at a first end to a base plate and at a second end to a joint ball, wherein the base plate has a contact surface and the joint ball can be received in a ball receptacle of the object.

[0003] Furthermore, the invention relates to a lamp with such a ball joint.

[0004] A generic ball joint known from the prior art is shown in Fig. 1. The ball joint 1 shown therein has a ball axis 2, a base plate 3, and a joint ball 4. The base plate 3 has a contact surface 5 designed to bear against a support (not shown). The joint ball 4 is received in a ball receptacle 6 of an object 7. The ball joint 1 according to Fig. 1 allows the pivotably mounted object 7 to be pivoted within a cone angle α. The ball axis 2 of the conventional ball joint 1 is aligned at right angles to the base plate 3 or at right angles to the contact surface 5 of the base plate 3. Because the ball receptacle 6 encompasses the joint ball 4 beyond its equator, the cone angle α, within which pivoting of the object 7 is possible without impact, is limited.Any further pivoting of the object 7 is prevented by a stop between the ball axis 2 and the ball holder 6.

[0005] Such limited pivoting of the pivotably mounted object is disadvantageous in many applications. Particularly when the object is designed as a light, pivoting within a larger cone angle is advantageous in order to illuminate more areas. Improvement in pivoting is particularly desirable in workshops, where flexible illumination of narrow spaces is required.

[0006] The object of the invention is therefore to propose a ball joint that improves the alignment of a pivotably mounted object, in particular the alignment of a pivotably mounted light. Furthermore, a further object of the invention is to propose a light that improves alignment in a pivotably mounted state.

[0007] These objects are achieved by the ball joint according to claim 1 and the luminaire according to claim 10. According to the invention, an angle ß is arranged between the contact surface of the base plate and the longitudinal axis of the ball axis, for which angle 0 < ß < 90° applies. Compared to a conventional ball joint, the cone angle α, within which the object can be pivoted without impact, increases by the differential angle 90° - β. The increase in the cone angle α is due to the fact that not only can the object be pivoted with respect to the ball axis, but that the ball axis can also be rotated together with the base plate about its longitudinal axis. This gives the ball joint a further degree of freedom. In particular for differential angles that are significantly greater than 0°, there is a significant increase in the cone angle α available for pivoting the object.

[0008] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are specified below and in the subclaims.

[0009] According to a first advantageous development of the invention, the following applies to the angle ß between the contact surface of the base plate and the longitudinal axis of the ball axis: 40° < ß < 90°, preferably 40° < ß < 80°, in particular ß = 45°. If one assumes a ball joint in which the object can be pivoted about the ball axis within a cone angle α of 90°, then at an angle β of 45° the cone angle α, within which the object can be pivoted without impact, increases by 45° in every direction, so that the object can be pivoted overall within a cone angle α of 180°, because the base plate itself and thus the alignment of the ball axis can already be adjusted along a cone angle of 90° with respect to the contact surface of the base plate.

[0010] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the base plate is designed to be magnetic, so that the base plate can be releasably fixed to a magnetizable support via its contact surface. Particularly in the workshop, where the pivotably mounted object is usually designed as a light, a magnetic design of the base plate is advantageous because the light can be releasably fixed to almost any component of a vehicle body.

[0011] Within the scope of a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the ball receptacle of the object captively accommodates the joint ball in the assembled state. In this case, the ball receptacle preferably has two detachable housing parts, which have respective contact surfaces for contacting the joint ball. The housing parts of the ball receptacle are preferably connected by means of a threaded connection, so that the pressure between the contact surfaces of the ball receptacle and the joint ball can be predetermined. As a result, within the scope of an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the ball can also be mounted in a force-fitting manner within the ball receptacle by connecting the housing parts of the ball receptacle using sufficient force. Rotation of the joint ball within the ball receptacle can thus be prevented.

[0012] Finally, within the scope of an advantageous development of the invention, the ball joint and the object are dimensioned such that, in a setting in which the contact surface of the base plate is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the object, a straight extension of the contact surface does not intersect the object. Regardless of a stop-free pivoting between the ball socket and the ball axis, the object can thus be pivoted within a conical angle of 180°, because the object also does not strike a wall that extends along an imaginary straight extension of the contact surface.

[0013] Specific embodiments of the present invention are explained below with reference to the figures. They show:

[0014] Fig. 1 a ball joint according to the state of the art,

[0015] Fig. 2a-c Cross-sectional views of a ball joint in different orientations,

[0016] Fig. 3 an exploded view of a ball joint and

[0017] Fig. 4 a perspective view of a lamp with a ball joint.

[0018] Figs. 2a-c show rear portions of an object 10 which, in the illustrated embodiment, is designed as a portable light 101 and thus as a flashlight. The light 101 is pivotally mounted by means of a ball joint 11. For this purpose, the light 101 has a ball receptacle 12 which is designed to captively receive a joint ball 13. The joint ball 13 is connected to a ball axis 14 which has a magnetic base plate 15 on the side facing away from the joint ball 13. The magnetic base plate 15 is connected to the ball axis 14 by means of a screw connection 16 and has a contact surface 17 which is designed to bear against a carrier (not shown) which is made of magnetizable material for magnetically fixing the light 101. The luminaire 101 can be pivoted by a cone angle of 90° with respect to its own longitudinal axis Li and with respect to the longitudinal axis L2 of the ball axis 14.Because the spherical axis 14 is in turn inclined by an angle ß of 45° relative to the contact surface 17 of the base plate 15 and the base plate 15 can be aligned as desired, the light 101 can be pivoted overall by a cone angle α of 180°. Fig. 2a shows the adjustment of the light 101, in which the light 101 is aligned with its longitudinal axis Li at right angles to the contact surface 17. Fig. 2b shows the light 101 pivoted 90° upwards. Fig. 2c shows the light 101 pivoted 90° downwards. Any orientation of the light 101 can be set within the cone angle α of 180°.

[0019] Fig. 3 shows an exploded view of the ball joint 11, wherein the ball receptacle 12 has two detachable housing parts 181, 182, which have respective contact surfaces for engagement with the joint ball 13. The housing parts 181, 182 of the ball receptacle 12 can be connected to one another by means of a threaded connection 19. The threaded connection 19 allows the housing parts 181, 182 of the ball receptacle 12 to be connected in such a way that the joint ball 13 is not only captively mounted but also non-positively mounted against rotation within the ball receptacle 12.

[0020] Fig. 4 shows a perspective view of a lamp 101 with a handle 20 and a light body 21 projecting therefrom, wherein the handle 20 has a ball joint 11 for releasably fastening the lamp 101 at the end opposite the light body 21.

[0021] List of reference symbols

[0022] 1 ball joint

[0023] 2 ball axle

[0024] 3 Base plate

[0025] 4 joint ball

[0026] 5 Contact surface

[0027] 6 ball mount

[0028] 7 Subject

[0029] 10 Item

[0030] 101 Lamp

[0031] 11 Ball joint

[0032] 12 ball holder

[0033] 13 Joint ball

[0034] 14 Ball axis

[0035] 15 Base plate

[0036] 16 screw connection

[0037] 17 contact surface

[0038] 181 Housing part of the ball bearing

[0039] 182 Housing part of the ball bearing

[0040] 19 Threaded connection

[0041] 20 handle

[0042] 21 Illuminant a Cone angle ß Angle

[0043] Li Longitudinal axis of the luminaire

[0044] L2 Longitudinal axis of the ball axis

Claims

Claims 1. Ball joint for pivoting the mounting of an object (10), in particular for pivoting the mounting of a lamp (101), with a ball axis (14) which is connected at a first end to a base plate (15) and at a second end to a joint ball (13), wherein the base plate (15) has a contact surface (17) and the joint ball (13) can be received in a ball receptacle (12) of the object (10), characterized in that an angle β is arranged between the contact surface (17) of the base plate (15) and the longitudinal axis L2 of the ball axis (14), for which the following applies: 0 < β < 90°.

2. Ball joint according to claim 1, characterized in that the angle β between the contact surface (17) of the base plate (15) and the longitudinal axis L2 of the ball axis (14) is: 40° < β < 90°, preferably 40° < β < 80°, in particular β = 45°.

3. Ball joint according to one of claims 1 or 2, characterized in that the base plate (15) is magnetically designed so that the base plate (15) can be detachably fixed to a magnetizable carrier via its contact surface (17).

4. Ball joint according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the ball receptacle (12) of the object (10) securely receives the joint ball (13) in the assembled state.

5. Ball joint according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the ball receptacle (12) has two detachable housing parts (181 , 182) which have respective contact surfaces for contact with the joint ball (13). Ball joint according to claim 5, characterized in that the housing parts (181, 182) of the ball receptacle (12) are connected to one another by means of a threaded connection (19). Ball joint according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the ball joint (13) can be frictionally mounted within the ball receptacle (12). Ball joint according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the ball joint (11) and the object (10) are dimensioned such that, in a position where the contact surface (17) of the base plate (15) is aligned parallel to the longitudinal axis Li of the object (10), a straight extension of the contact surface (17) does not intersect the object (10). Ball joint according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the object (10) is a light (101), in particular a portable light (101).Lamp with a ball joint (1) designed for pivotable mounting of the lamp (101), wherein the ball joint (1) has a ball axis (14) which is connected at a first end to a base plate (15) and at a second end to a joint ball (13), wherein the base plate (15) has a contact surface (17) and the joint ball (13) is receiveable in a ball receptacle (12) of the object (10), characterized in that an angle β is arranged between the contact surface (17) of the base plate (15) and the longitudinal axis L2 of the ball axis (14), for which the following applies: 0 < β < 90°. Lamp according to claim 10, characterized in that the ball joint (1) is designed according to one of claims 2 to 9.

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