Device for improved adaptability of illuminant operation in a luminary corpus

Abstract

The present invention relates to a device (100) for operation of an illuminant (230) in a luminary corpus (210) having a corpus opening (220), comprising a cover element (11) having a covering surface for shielding the corpus opening (220) to an outer side (OS) of the device (100), an illuminant holder (21) having electrical contacts (22) for engaging with and electrically connecting to the illuminant (230) to an inner side (IS) of the device (100), and a power supply circuit (30). According to the invention, the device (100) comprises a first device module (10) and a second device module (20) interchangeably coupled by a module connector (40), wherein the first device module (10) comprises at least the cover element (11), and the second module (20) comprises at least the illuminant holder (21).

Description

[0001] The present application relates to a device for operation of an illuminant in a luminary corpus providing improved adaptability of illuminant operation in a luminary corpus, and also relates to a luminary device comprising said device, the illuminant and the luminary corpus.Technical field of the invention

[0002] The device according to the invention is suitable to be integrated in a luminary device operated with an electric illuminant, such as a LED bulb requiring a low energy consumption that enables an autarkic and long-life operation ability. Such luminary devices are widely used in applications of cultural or religious context, such as e.g. grave lights on a cemetery, or sacrificial lights in holy places.Background of the invention

[0003] It is well known that grave candles are used for the aforementioned applications, which are placed in a weatherproof shield to prevent the light from being extinguished by wind or rain. Nowadays, electrified versions are also available that are visually modeled on the original grave light with a candle and enable significantly longer operating times in autarkic operation. This is made possible in particular by the use of energy-efficient LED light sources and batteries with high storage density, especially when supplemented by renewable energy generation and supply through the integration of a solar cell.

[0004] In general, the structure of such an electric grave light, which is visually based on the familiar appearance of a traditional grave light with a candle, consists of a transparent luminary corpus with an upward-facing opening while avoiding external references to technical components within such electric variant of grave light. The technical components, such as a battery, a circuit, an illuminant, etc. are inserted into the luminary corpus through this opening. A cover is usually placed over the upper opening of the luminary corpus, which serves as a kind of roof to shield the inside of the luminary corpus from external influences such as rain and wind.

[0005] Since a luminary device in the appearance of a grave light basically consists of said device for operating an illuminant and of said luminary corpus, it is not cost effective to provide a wide product range of such luminary devices having different forms, designs and dimensions. That is because both of the device and the corpus need to be compatible and coordinated to fit in each other, meaning that each form of a luminary corpus of a product requires providing a matching device for operating the illuminant fitted inside the corpus. Hence, there is room for improvements for cost-effectively realizing a product range of luminary devices providing a selection of different designs or dimensions of the luminary corpus while ensuring a decent matching and arrangement of device components on and within the corpus for each product throughout the product range.Summary of the Invention

[0006] It is an object of the invention to overcome the described problems in the state of art. More particular, it is an object of the invention to provide a technique that enables an improved spatial or dimensional adaptability of technical components of an electric grave light to given dimensions of a corpus of the grave light. It is an alternative object of the invention to avoid the need for individually fitted devices for the illuminant operation for each individual type of luminary corpus in a provided product range of different designs, forms and dimensions of the luminary corpus.

[0007] The objects are solved by a device for operating an illuminant in a luminary corpus having the features of claim 1. Further features and details of the invention result from the dependent claims, the specification, and the drawings. Features and details described in connection with the claimed device according to the invention naturally also apply in connection with the claimed luminary device including the same device features according to the invention, and vice versa, so that the individual aspects of the invention are or can always be mutually referred to in the disclosure.

[0008] The invention proposes a device for operation of an illuminant in a luminary corpus having a corpus opening. The device comprises a cover element, an illuminant holder and a power supply circuit with an operable switch. The cover element has a covering surface for shielding the corpus opening to an outer side of the device. The illuminant holder has electrical contacts for engaging with and electrically connecting to the illuminant to an inner side of the device. The power supply circuit is arranged to the inner side of the device, and it is electrically connected to the illuminant holder.

[0009] According to the invention, the device comprises a first device module and a second device module interchangeably coupled by a module connector, wherein the first device module 10 comprises at least the cover element, and the second module comprises at least the illuminant holder.

[0010] Hence, for the first time, the invention provides a building block system for a device including all electrical components required for the lighting function in a luminary device, in particular an electric grave light. The invention provides a building system of two device modules that are combined, while the resulting combination of the two modules can simply and cost-effectively cope with a variety of spatial adaption and positioning of technical components to at least two essential dimensions in a width and length direction of the luminary corpus of choice.

[0011] According to the disclosure of invention, a luminary device is an autarkic lighting device configured as a grave light. The term luminary device is restricted to lighting means and features providing a warm homogenous illumination of ambient at low intensity comparable to a candle. The term luminary device is restricted to devices that, even though it is portable by reason of autarky and weight, are yet designed for stationary use of its warm homogenous illumination of ambient. A luminary device in terms of the invention and its lighting characteristic is primarily defined by the design of a transparent luminary corpus surrounding the illuminant to all sides. A luminary device in terms of the invention therefore distinguishes from other kinds of portable lighting devices like camping lights that feature a substantial handle section designed for handheld use, or flashlights that feature a small transparent section including a spotlight for focused and bright illumination of a fraction of ambient.

[0012] According to the disclosure of invention, a luminary corpus is a transparent shielding with cylindrical or otherwise smooth body form in the appearance of a traditional shielded grave candle. For providing a warm homogenous illumination of a traditional shielded grave candle, a luminary corpus in terms of the invention surrounds the illuminant with a transparent shielding to all sides but an area of an upper opening, while the transparent shielding might include the lower base side underneath the illuminant, meaning that the illuminant is suspended instead of supported from the base. A luminary corpus in terms of the invention includes bodies completely made of glass or a polymer based transparent materials. For providing a warm homogenous illumination and outer appearance of a traditional shielded grave candle, a luminary corpus in terms of the invention includes a tinted transparency, most likely a red tinted transparency.

[0013] An illuminant in terms of the invention refers to light sources like bulbs of appropriate small dimensions and low energy consumption in favor autarkic operation, most likely a light source of LED technology. For providing an illumination appearance of a traditional shielded grave candle, an illuminant in terms of the invention might include a recreated flickering of the lighting.

[0014] An inner side of the device for operating an illuminant in a luminary corpus is substantially defined in terms of the invention by an inner side of the cover element or an inner side of the luminary corpus, while the outer side of the device is defined by an outer side of the cover element or an outer side of the luminary corpus.

[0015] As an advantage of the invention, the device according to the invention provides a modular structure allowing to select and interchange device modules in adaption to a luminary corpus of choice. In other words, an advantage of the invention is a simple adaption of the device to fit with a specific luminary corpus without the need for individually designing and manufacturing a specific device for said specific luminary corpus. The invention allows to provide a selection of first modules having a range of different dimensions of the cover element, and to select a first module with matching dimensions, i.e. circular or angular contour form and diameter of the cover element in accordance with dimensions. i.e. contour form and diameter of the corpus opening of a luminary corpus of choice from a provided selection of luminary corpuses. Likewise, the invention allows to provide a selection of second modules having a range of different dimensions of the stem, and to select a second module with matching dimensions, i.e. length of the stem in accordance with dimensions, i.e. height of the luminary corpus of choice from the provided selection of luminary corpuses. Finally, the modular structure according to the invention allows to individually create a device for operating an illuminant in a luminary corpus, while having dimensions adapted to a specific form and dimensions of said luminary corpus, by means of the module connector being compatible to interchangeably couple any first module and any second device module chosen from a provided selection, respectively.

[0016] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the module connector comprises two complementary connector parts including a first connector part arranged towards the first device module and a second connector part arranged towards the second device module. A complementarily formed cross-section contour of the connector parts ensures a suitable fixation between the modules.

[0017] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the module connector comprises an attachable fitting or a reversibly attachable and detachable mechanism formed on either complementary side of the first connector part and second connector part. Features of a quick connection on both of the first and second connector parts allow for a simple recombination of the device modules in case of adapting dimensions the same device to another luminary corpus of different form or dimensions.

[0018] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the first device module comprises the power supply circuit. This structure enables a facilitated manipulation and operation of a user for switching a power state or lighting function of the illuminant, without removing all technical components from the inside of the luminary corpus.

[0019] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the module connector further comprises mutually connectable electrical contacts arranged on each complementary side of the first connector part and second connector part. This structure enables to spatially divide the technical component of the power supply circuit and the technical component of the illuminant holder on different device components, while maintaining electrical operability and interchangeability of device modules.

[0020] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the device comprises a stem having a longitudinal extension directed in a coupling axis of the module connector, wherein the stem is preferably arranged between the second connector part and the luminant holder. By providing a selection of stems in a range of different lengths, a resulting height of the illuminant holder within the luminary corpus can be adapted by the choice length of the stem in accordance with a specific longitudinal dimension of the luminary corpus, and manufacturing of an individual stem of a specific length can be avoided.

[0021] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the stem is integrally formed with the second connector part. This structure allows to avoid assembling the units of the stem and the connector part together, and can be realized by an injection molded integral component design.

[0022] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the first device module comprises, at the inner side, retaining means configured to mount the device on a contour of the corpus opening. The are preferably arranged within or on an inner side of the corpus opening and are of a hook-shaped form for clamp mounting the device detachably attached to the luminary corpus.

[0023] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the device comprises at least one battery cell directly or indirectly electrically connected to the electrical power supply circuit, and wherein, preferably, the first device module comprises the battery cell. The battery cell ensures an autarkic energy supply for the illuminant.

[0024] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the device comprises at least one solar cell directly or indirectly electrically connected to the electrical power supply circuit and / or to the battery cell, and wherein, preferably, the first device module comprises the at least one solar cell. The solar cell enables a renewable energy generation to feed the autarkic energy supply of the illuminant, so that the luminary device can operate without maintenance like battery exchanges for a very long period of time. By integrating the solar cell into the first device module including the cover element, it is possible to expose the solar cell to the outer side of the device.

[0025] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the at least one solar cell is arranged on an inner side of the cover element, and the cover element is made of a light-transmissive material. By integrating the solar cell into a transparent covering surface, it is possible to protectively expose the solar cell to the outer side of the device.

[0026] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the covering surface has dimensions extending over at least a cross-sectional area of the corpus opening, wherein, preferably, an outer contour of the cover element extends beyond an outer contour of the corpus opening, for an effective weather shielding of the inner side of the device. In this way, the upward-facing opening of the luminary corpus is effectively closed and covered while an inside of the luminary corpus is protected from weather conditions. An air gap is preferably provided between the opening and the cover element for ventilation purposes.

[0027] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the power supply circuit comprises an operable switch being operable to shift an electric power supply of the power supply circuit between at least an off-state in which no power supply is output from the power supply circuit, and at least one first on-state in which at least one first level of the power supply is output from the power supply circuit, and wherein the operable switch is arranged on the first device module. This structure permits to operate a shift of activating and deactivating the lighting function without removing the whole device from the luminary corpus, but by removing only the cover element.

[0028] According to an advantageous further feature of the invention, the operable switch is operable by means of a coupling arranged between the cover element and the operable switch for a transfer of motion between the cover element and the operable switch. This structure might include a rotation axis or a translation axis movably mounting the cover element to the first device module, while the cover element is manipulatable by turning or pushing for operating the operatable switch of the power supply circuit.

[0029] Further objectives, advantages, features and applications of the present invention arise from the following description of the exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. In the drawing: Fig. 1shows a schematic perspective representation of a luminary device including a luminary corpus and the device for operating an illuminant; Fig. 2shows a corresponding schematic representation of the device for operating an illuminant segmented into two device modules; Fig. 3shows a schematic representation of the device for operating an illuminant in two different configurations of dimensions adapted to two luminary corpuses of different dimensions; Fig. 4shows a schematic cross-section of the device for operating an illuminant arranged in a suspended manner in the luminary corpus; Fig. 5shows a schematic cross-section of the device for operating an illuminant segmented into two device modules; and Fig. 6shows a schematic cross-section of the module connector. Detailed description of the Invention

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a representation of a luminary device 200. The luminary device 200 consists of a luminary corpus 210 and an illuminant 230 and a device 100 for operating the illuminant 230 in the luminary corpus 210. The luminary corpus 210 in this exemplary embodiment has a cylindrical closed shape having a centered upper circular corpus opening with an upwards oriented collar that is not visible from this perspective due to be hidden under a later described cover element 11. The exemplary embodiment of the luminary corpus 210 is made of red tinted glass or a similar polymer based transparent material. The device 100 for operating the illuminant 230 rests in a suspended manner mainly inside and for a small part outside the luminary corpus 210 by inserting a main part of the device 100 through the upper corpus opening 220. The illuminant 230 in the present exemplary embodiment is a LED bulb.

[0031] Fig. 2 shows a representation of the device 100 for operating the illuminant 230 in the luminary corpus 210. The device 100 provides a cover element 11 for covering the corpus opening 220 of the luminary corpus 210. The device 100 is divided into a first device module 10 and into a second device module 20. In the shown exemplary embodiment, the first device module 10 comprises the cover element 11 having a circular covering area and a downwards oriented collar. The circular covering surface and said collar of the cover element 11 define an inner side IS and an outer side OS of the device 100 which are comparable in common sense with an inside and an outside of the luminary corpus 200 in Fig. 1. On the inner side IS the device 100 comprises a circular shaped component body including an electric power supply circuit 30 to which the cover element 11 is attached in a movable manner as explained later. The cover element 11 might be provided in different diameters or different shapes and dimensions for adapting the covering surface and collar of the covering element 11 to several corpus openings 220 of a selection of variants of the luminary corpus 210 in different size and shape.

[0032] The power supply circuit 30 supplies electricity to the aforementioned illuminant 230 and comprises electric or electronic means for setting an output power of a predefined level of voltage adapted to specifications of said illuminant 230. The power supply circuit 30 is accommodated in the shown circular component body which is attached to the luminary corpus 210.

[0033] At a lower side, to be inserted into the luminary corpus 210, the device 100 comprises the second device module 20 including an illuminant holder 21 for fixing and powering the aforementioned illuminant 230 to be operated by the device 100. The illuminant holder 21 includes two electric contacts 22 for electrically connecting to said illuminant 230. A stem 24 internally guides electric conductors in the form of cables 32 (not shown in Fig. 2) from the power supply circuit 30 to the illuminant holder 21. The illuminant holder 21 is accommodated in a chamber forming a lower end of the stem 24 that holds the illuminant holder 21 in place at a suitable height adapted to the dimensions of the aforementioned luminary corpus 210. The stem 24 might be provided in different length for individually adapting a height of the illuminant holder 21 to each variant of a selection of luminary corpus 210 in different size and shape.

[0034] For providing an interchangeable connection of stems 24 of different lengths, and cover elements 11 of different dimensions, the first and second device modules 10 and 20 are mechanically and electrically coupled by means of a module connector 40 consisting of a first and a second connector part 41 and 42.

[0035] Fig. 3 shows two examples in different configurations of dimensions of the device 100 for operating an illuminant 230 adapted to different dimensions of two exemplary luminary corpuses 210. By combining, via the module connector 40, a first device module 10 having a stem 24A or 24B of a suitable length with a second device module 20 having a cover element 11A or 11B of a suitable diameter, the device 100 can be simply adapted to given conditions of a luminary corpus 210A having rather square dimensions or a luminary corpus 210B having taller dimensions.

[0036] Fig. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of the luminary device 100 as described with Figures 1 and 2. The device 100 is attached to the luminary corpus 210 in a suspended manner by hook shaped retaining means 15 radially protruding from the component body of the power supply circuit 30 that clamp to the upwards oriented collar of the corpus opening 220. Said upwards oriented collar of the corpus opening 220 is shielded by the downwards oriented collar of the cover element 11 with a ventilation air gap in-between. A solar cell 52 is attached to an upper side of the covering surface of the cover element 11 and electrically connected to the power supply circuit 30. The cover element 11 is attached at its center to the component body of the power supply circuit 30. The component body of the power supply circuit 30 also accommodates a battery cell 51 that is connected to the power supply circuit for powering the illuminant 230, as well as an operable switch 31. The operable switch 31 provides at least two switching states including an off-state where a power output of the power supply circuit 30 to the illuminant holder 21 is interrupted, and at least one on-state that provides at least one level of the power output to the illuminant holder 21. The operable switch 31 might have a mechanically movable element exposed to an upper side of the component body of the power supply circuit 30 for manually manipulating an activation or switching between states of the operable switch 31. In other embodiments the operable switch is realized in the form of a touch pad.

[0037] The device 100 comprises an activation section 13 provided for operating, from the outer side OS, the operable switch 31 arranged on the inner side IS as defined in Fig. 2. The activation section 13 comprises at least a part of the cover element 11 acting together in a movable manner with the operable switch 31 for triggering a state shift of the operable switch 31: The activation section 13 is implemented by a coupling mechanically transferring a motion or force, for example turning or pushing the cover element 11 onto the operable switch. In an alternative modification, the activation section 13 is implemented by an operation hole in the cover element 11 and a flexible rubber element, providing access or transmission of force from the outside, e.g. by a user's fingertip onto the operable switch 31, but preventing any entering of water.

[0038] Fig. 5 shows a schematic cross-section of the device 100 for operating an illuminant 230 as depicted in Fig. 4 without the luminary corpus 210. The device 100 is segmented into the first device module 10 and the second device module 20. The second device module 20 includes the illuminant holder 21 with the electric contacts 22 for the illuminant 230 and the stem 24, while all other components of the device 100 are included in the first device module 10, in this example embodiment.

[0039] Fig. 6 shows the module connector 40 including the two complementarily formed connector parts 41 and 42. The first connector part 41 is attached to or integrally formed with a component body of the power supply circuit 30 comprised by the first device module 10. The second connector part 42 is attached to or integrally formed with the stem 24 comprised by the second device module 20. The first connector part 41 and the second connector part 42 of the module connector 40 have a slide guiding shaped contour and locking mechanism features 44 for a reversal attachment in between each other along a coupling axis CA. The module connector 40 also includes electric contacts 45 for power cables 32 supplying electric power from the power supply circuit 30 to the illuminant holder 21. The module connector 40 provides a mechanical and an electrical connection between the device modules 10 and 20. The structure of the device 100 including the module connector 40 permits a universal combination and potential recombination of a selection of first device modules 10 and a selection of second device modules 20, each provided in a range of different dimensions. The modular interchangeable structure of the device 100 allows for an individual adaption of dimensions of the cover element 11 and the stem 24 to a random design of a luminary corpus 210.

[0040] The foregoing explanations of the embodiments describe the present invention solely by way of examples. Of course, individual features of the embodiments can be freely combined with one another, provided this is technically expedient, without departing from the scope of the present invention.List of reference characters

[0041] 10first device module 11cover element 11Acover element of larger diameter 11Bcover element of smaller diameter 13activation section 15retaining means 20second device module 21illuminant holder 22electric contacts 24stem 24Astem of smaller length 24Bstem of larger length 30power supply circuit 31operable switch 32power cables 40module connector 41first connector part 42second connector part 45electric contacts 51battery cell 52solar cell 100device for operating an illuminant 200luminary device 210luminary corpus 210Aluminary corpus of rather square dimensions 210Bluminary corpus of taller dimensions 220corpus opening 230illuminant Aaxis CAcoupling axis ISinner side of device OSouter side of device

Claims

1. Device (100) for operation of an illuminant (230) in a luminary corpus (210) having a corpus opening (220), comprising: a cover element (11) having a covering surface for shielding the corpus opening (220) to an outer side (OS) of the device (100); an illuminant holder (21) having electrical contacts (22) for engaging with and electrically connecting to the illuminant (230) to an inner side (IS) of the device (100); and a power supply circuit (30) electrically connected to the illuminant holder (21), characterized in that the device (100) comprises a first device module (10) and a second device module (20) interchangeably coupled by a module connector (40), wherein the first device module (10) comprises at least the cover element (11), and the second module (20) comprises at least the illuminant holder (21).

2. Device (100) according to claim 1, wherein the module connector (40) comprises two complementary connector parts (41, 42) including a first connector part (41) arranged towards the first device module (10) and a second connector part (42) arranged towards the second device module (20).

3. Device (100) according to claim 2, wherein the module connector (40) comprises an attachable fitting or a reversibly attachable and detachable mechanism (44) formed on either complementary side of the first connector part (41) and second connector part (42).

4. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the first device module (10) comprises the power supply circuit (30).

5. Device (100) according to any of claims 2 to 4, wherein the module connector (40) further comprises mutually connectable electrical contacts (45) arranged on each complementary side of the first connector part (41) and second connector part (42).

6. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 5, wherein the device comprises a stem (24) having a longitudinal extension directed in a coupling axis (CA) of the module connector (40), wherein the stem (24) is preferably arranged between the second connector part (42) and the luminant holder (21).

7. Device (100) according to claim 6, wherein the stem (24, 24A, 24B) is integrally formed with the second connector part (42)8. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein the first device module (10) comprises at the inner side (IS) retaining means (15) configured to mount the device (100) on a contour of the corpus opening (220).

9. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 8, wherein the device (100) comprises at least one battery cell (51) directly or indirectly electrically connected to the electrical power supply circuit (30), and wherein, preferably, the first device module (10) comprises the battery cell (51).

10. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 9, wherein the device (100) comprises at least one solar cell (52) directly or indirectly electrically connected to the electrical power supply circuit (30) and / or to the battery cell (51), and wherein, preferably, the first device module (10) comprises the at least one solar cell (52).

11. Device (100) according to claim 10, wherein the at least one solar cell (52) is arranged on an inner side of the cover element (11), and the cover element (11) is made of a light-transmissive material.

12. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 11, wherein the covering surface has dimensions extending over at least a cross-sectional area of the corpus opening (220), wherein, preferably, an outer contour of the cover element (11) extends beyond an outer contour of the corpus opening (220), for an effective weather shielding of the inner side (IS) of the device (100).

13. Device (100) according to any of claims 1 to 12, wherein the power supply circuit (30) comprises an operable switch (31) being operable to shift an electric power supply of the power supply circuit (30) between at least an off-state in which no power supply is output from the power supply circuit (30), and at least one first on-state in which at least one first level of the power supply is output from the power supply circuit (30), and wherein the operable switch (31) is arranged on the first device module (10).

14. Device (100) according to claim 13, wherein the operable switch (31) is operable by means of a coupling (13) arranged between the cover element (11) and the operable switch (31) for a transfer of motion between the cover element (11) and the operable switch (31).

15. Luminary device (200), comprising: the device (100) for operation of an illuminant (230) in a luminary corpus (210) according to any of the preceding claims 1 to 14, and at least one of the luminary corpus (210) and the illuminant (230).

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