BUILT-IN LIGHTING APPARATUS

Abstract

A recessed lighting apparatus comprising a cap provided with an apex comprising a first opening, adapted to accommodate at least one lighting source, and a second opening, of greater dimensions than the first opening, adapted to emit the light flow emitted from the lighting source. Starting from the interior of the apparatus towards the exterior of the apparatus, the cap can comprise a first cap made of a transparent material acting as a catadioptric reflector and a second cap made of an opaque material which is separated from said first cap by a gap.

Claims

1. A recessed lighting apparatus comprising a first cap made of a transparent material, provided with an apex comprising a first opening adapted to accommodate at least one lighting source, and a second opening, of greater dimensions than the first opening, adapted to emit the light flow emitted from said at least one lighting source, characterized in that said first cap comprises a flap which surrounds said second opening and is made of transparent material adapted to trap a part of the light flow emitted from said at least one lighting source when it impacts the inner surface of the first cap.

2. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap comprises a faceted outer surface with almost-parallel longitudinal lines which identify a plurality of grooves.

3. A lighting apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said grooves run between said two openings and lie on planes orthogonal to the same two openings, have a pitch between 1 mm and 6 mm and a triangular or almost-triangular profile.

4. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap comprises a faceted outer surface with substantially parallel horizontal lines.

5. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap comprises a faceted outer surface with curved longitudinal lines.

6. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap comprises a smooth inner surface.

7. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein the flap of the first cap is provided with a cover element made of an opaque material on the inner side facing the wall on which the apparatus is installed.

8. A lighting apparatus according to claim 7 wherein said cover element is made from a strip of opaque material applied inside the flap or from a layer of opaque paint applied inside the flap.

9. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein it comprises a second cap made of an opaque material.

10. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said second cap is separated from said first cap by a gap.

11. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap has a rotational symmetry about a main rotation axis which is substantially orthogonal to the lying planes of said two openings.

12. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap is made of a plastic material.

13. A lighting apparatus according to claim 12 wherein said first cap is made of a material selected from the group comprising polymethylmethacrylate, PMMA, and polycarbonate, PC.

14. A lighting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second cap is made of a plastic or metal material.

15. A lighting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second cap is made in black or white color.

16. A lighting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said gap has a width between 0.05 mm and 6 mm.

17. A lighting apparatus according to claim 9 wherein said second cap comprises a flap at the flap of said first cap.

18. A lighting apparatus according to claim 17 wherein the flap of the first cap comprises a raised edge adapted to contain the flap of the second cap.

19. A lighting apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said first cap is associated with fixing means to allow the installation of the lighting apparatus in a false ceiling.

20. A lighting apparatus according to claim 19 wherein said fixing means comprise at least two springs adapted to press against the inner surface of the plasterboard wall.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0023] Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description provided by way of example and not by way of limitation, with the aid of the Figures shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0024] FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a preferred embodiment of the lighting apparatus according to the present description;

[0025] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the lighting apparatus according to the present description; and

[0026] FIG. 3 shows a detail of a perspective view of the outer surface of the transparent cap of the lighting apparatus according to the present description.

[0027] FIG. 4 shows a sectional view of another preferred embodiment of the lighting apparatus according to the present description;

[0028] FIG. 5 shows a sectional plan view of another preferred embodiment of the lighting apparatus according to the present description;

[0029] FIG. 6 shows a sectional plan view of another preferred embodiment of the lighting apparatus according to the present description.

[0030] The following description of exemplary embodiments refers to the accompanying drawings. The same reference numerals in the various drawings identify the same or similar elements. The following detailed description does not limit the invention. The scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0031] Recessed lighting apparatuses are often used for lighting indoor or outdoor spaces. One problem linked to recessed lighting apparatuses concerns the correct lighting of the surface on which the apparatus is installed, which is adapted to make the overall lighting produced comfortable for users, thus reducing the contrast.

[0032] The lighting apparatus according to the present description comprises a structure which allows to have a very high light output—almost all of the light emission of the lighting sources is effectively collected and used—and offer the right amount of lighting even on the surface on which the apparatus is installed.

[0033] With reference to accompanying FIG. 4, the recessed lighting apparatus according to the present invention comprises an optical compartment comprising a first transparent cap 14, preferably but not necessarily having a roto-symmetrical geometry, i.e. characterized by a rotational symmetry about a main rotation axis 11, provided with an apex comprising a first opening 12 adapted to accommodate at least one lighting source and a second opening 13, of greater dimensions than the first opening, adapted to emit the light flow emitted from said one or more lighting sources. Said two openings 12, 13 preferably lie on planes which are substantially parallel and orthogonal to the aforesaid rotation axis 11. Advantageously, the aforesaid first opening 12 can be provided with a diffusing screen adapted to mix conveniently the light emitted from the at least one light source.

[0034] Said at least one lighting source is associated with convenient power supply means and convenient means for dissipating the heat produced according to practices known in the current art.

[0035] With reference to FIGS. 1 to 4, a first embodiment of said first cap is preferably further characterized by a smooth or faceted inner surface and a faceted outer surface with almost-parallel longitudinal lines and comprising grooves having a certain pitch and preferably a triangular, or almost-triangular profile. The faceting grooves run longitudinally and extend between the two aforesaid openings lying on planes orthogonal to the planes on which the surfaces of the aforesaid two openings lie.

[0036] In another preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present description, shown in FIG. 5, said first cap is characterized by a smooth or faceted inner surface and a faceted outer surface with substantially parallel, horizontal lines. In a further preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present description, shown in FIG. 6, said first cap is characterized by a smooth or faceted inner surface and a faceted outer surface with curved longitudinal lines.

[0037] In the preferred embodiment of the object of the present description, shown in FIG. 1, the first cap 14 made of a transparent material can be associated with a second cap 15 made of an opaque material.

[0038] Said first transparent cap 14 is characterized by a thickness preferably between 0.25 mm and 3 mm and is preferably made of a plastic material. A preferred embodiment of the apparatus according to the present description provides for said first cap 14 being made of PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate), but other suitable plastic materials can be used, such as polycarbonate (PC), for example.

[0039] Said first cap 14, which embodies a catadioptric reflector, is also characterized by a smooth or faceted inner surface (facing the optical compartment of the lighting apparatus), and by a faceted outer surface with almost-parallel longitudinal lines which identify a plurality of grooves. Said grooves run between said two openings 12, 13 and lie on planes orthogonal to the same two openings 12, 13, preferably have a pitch between 1 mm and 6 mm, and preferably a triangular, or almost-triangular profile with rounded or shaped convex sides and vertex.

[0040] The first cap 14 further comprises a flap 16 which surrounds said second opening 13 and lies on a plane orthogonal to the aforesaid rotation axis 11. Said flap 16 is characterized by a width preferably between 3 and 25 mm and is adapted to light up due to the refraction which is experienced by a part of the light flow emitted from the source or from the lighting sources used when it impacts the inner surface of the first cap 14.

[0041] Said flap 16 can also be obtained with the outer surface, the inner surface or both glazed in order to obtain a higher mixing effect of the brightness emitted.

[0042] In addition to the lighting function, said flap 16 is also adapted to provide a useful stop for facilitating the stable mounting of the lighting apparatus, such as in a false ceiling. Advantageously, said first cap 14 is associated with fixing means to allow the installation of the lighting apparatus, such as in a false ceiling. Said fixing means can comprise, for example, at least two springs 18 adapted to press against the inner surface of the plasterboard wall so as to keep the lighting apparatus stably installed due to the counterthrust exerted by the flap 16 on the outer surface of the plasterboard wall.

[0043] When present, said second cap 15 made of an opaque material is located outside said first cap 14 and is separated from the first cap 14 by a gap 17 having a width which can preferably vary between 0.05 mm and 8 mm.

[0044] The second cap 15 recovers the part of the light flow emitted from the lighting source which is not refracted towards the interior of the lighting apparatus and does not remain inside the thickness of the first cap 14.

[0045] The light flow emitted from the at least one lighting source impacts on the inner surface of the first cap 14 and penetrates the thickness thereof, thus experiencing a first refraction. The light beam then impacts the outer surface of the first cap 14 with a certain angle of incidence to the normal on the surface itself. If said angle of incidence is greater than the critical angle

[00001]$\theta c=\arcsin \left(\frac{n2}{n1}\right)$

(where n1 and n2 are the refraction indices of the two means in which the light propagates, the plastic material of the first cap 14 and the air in the gap between said first cap 14 and said second cap 15), then said light beam remains inside the body of the first cap 14 and is diffused therein.

[0046] The light flow emitted from said at least one lighting source is thus partially refracted towards the interior of the lighting apparatus and then comes out of said second opening 13, partially remains inside the thickness of the first cap 14, and partially crosses the thickness of said first cap 14 and said gap 17, finally being reflected by the second cap 15 again towards the interior of the lighting apparatus.

[0047] Advantageously, said second cap 15 can also be provided with a flap 20 at the flap of the first cap. In this case, the flap of the first cap 14 can comprise a raised edge 19 adapted to contain the flap of the second cap.

[0048] Furthermore, advantageously, also if said second cap 15 is not present, the flap 16 of the first cap can be provided with a cover element 21 made of an opaque material on the inner side, in contact with the wall on which the apparatus is installed. This cover element 21 can be made both from an opaque material strip applied inside the flap 16 and an opaque paint layer. Due to the presence of this cover element, the flap 16 of the first cap 14 will be able to conceal from sight the underlying edge of the opening made in the false ceiling, thus continuing to show the previously described illuminance.

[0049] The described structure of the lighting apparatus according to the present invention allows the overall efficiency thereof to be maximized, conveniently using a large part of the light flow emitted from the sources. Finally, said second cap 15 can be advantageously made of a plastic or metal material and can be made in various colors so as to achieve different types of lighting and perceptual effects.

[0050] In two embodiments of the apparatus according to the present invention, a first cap 14 made of PMMA (polymethylmethacrylate) and a second cap 15 made in black color, in the one case, and white color, in the other case, were used.

[0051] In the first case, we will have a higher visual comfort due to the black-colored cap. The perception of greater comfort is given by a lower emission at high angles, those close to the horizontal.

[0052] In the second case, we will have a higher luminance and a consequent increase in the vertical illuminance due to the different type of reflection of the white surface which also diffuses the light beams at high angles, precisely those closest to the horizontal.