Suspended Lighting Device Positioning and Balancing Mechanism

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Suspended LED lighting devices often slide to incorrect positions due to lack of suitable longitudinal fixtures and are prone to tilting when adjusting the light orientation, causing unbalanced weights and vertical misalignment.

Innovation Solution

The LED lighting device features a positioning system with pulleys and a balancing system that maintains the desired height and vertical alignment, utilizing a male/female coupling system for rotational orientation of the optical group and ensuring the device remains fixed without additional longitudinal fixtures.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the lighting device is suspended by a cable without longitudinal fixtures, then the device can be freely positioned at desired height, but the device slides to incorrect positions and cannot maintain the selected position

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefree positioning capabilityVSAvoidposition stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

A positioning system comprising pulleys and a cable arrangement acts as an intermediary mechanism between the lighting device body and the suspension cable. This system creates friction-based longitudinal stops that prevent sliding while maintaining the ability to position the device at desired heights, resolving the contradiction between free positioning and position stability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the optical group is made rotatable to orientate light in all directions, then the lighting device can be oriented in desired directions, but the entire lighting device inclines with respect to the vertical direction due to unbalanced weights

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight orientation capabilityVSAvoidvertical alignment stability
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

A balancing system with pulleys and counterweights compensates for the weight distribution changes when the optical group rotates. This counterbalancing mechanism prevents the lighting device body from inclining or tilting, maintaining vertical alignment stability while allowing full rotational orientation of the optical group.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #8Anti-weight (Counterweight)

3Reliability

If additional longitudinal fixtures are added to prevent sliding, then the position stability is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveposition stabilityVSAvoidfixture quantity
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The positioning system integrates multiple functions into a single mechanism: it provides longitudinal stopping to prevent sliding, maintains the ability to position at desired heights, and works together with the balancing system. This multi-functional approach achieves position stability without adding separate longitudinal fixtures, reducing overall device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The device effectively maintains its selected position and remains vertically aligned during orientation adjustments, ensuring stable and adjustable lighting without the need for additional fixtures or counterweights.

Implementation Method 1

The pulleys 61, 81 of the positioning system define, inside the body 3, a path for the cable 2, a path triggering a system of forces capable of keeping the lighting device at the desired height

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFriction: Friction

Implementation Method 2

The balancing system 8 allows maintaining the body 3 of the lighting device 1 in a vertical position

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectGravitation: Gravitation

Data Source

PatentEP2787275B1Suspension lighting device
Publication Date: 2015.11.18 FLOS SPA
  • EP2787275B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2787275B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP2787275B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A lighting device (1) of the suspended type, comprising a tensioned cable (2) suitable for anchoring to a ceiling, a body (3) sliding along the cable (2), and an optical group (4) engaged to the body (3). The lighting device (1) further comprises a positioning system provided inside the body (3), and comprising a plurality of pulleys which define a path for the cable (2). Said path triggers a system of forces suitable for keeping the lighting device at the desired height.