Ice rink illumination

Abstract

The illuminants arrangement includes a plurality of LED-based light sources that are encased in a water-tight manner by way of one or more encasings, wherein the light sources are, at least in a group-wise manner, operationally interconnected by way of electrical connection leads. The connection leads include voltage supply leads. The illuminants arrangement as a protection of the one or more encasings and the light sources from mechanical damage includes at least one protective overlay for being placed onto the one or more encasings, so that light emitted by the light sources can be emitted through the at least one protective overlay. The illuminants arrangement can include a heating device. Each of the light sources can be suitable for emitting light of a variable color, wherein the color of each of the light sources can be individually selected by way of a control unit.

Claims

1. An ice rink inlay, comprising an illuminants arrangement and a layer body for forming a cover layer of an ice rink, wherein the illuminants arrangement is fastened to the layer body, and wherein the illuminants arrangement comprises a plurality of LED-based light sources that are encased in a water-tight manner by way of one or more encasings, wherein the light sources are, at least in a group-wise manner, operationally interconnected by way of electrical connection leads, wherein the connection leads comprise voltage supply leads.

2. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises several sections that are joined together to form the layer body.

3. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises several shape-stable plates that are movable relative to one another.

4. The ice rink inlay according to claim 3, wherein the plates can be folded onto one another.

5. The ice rink inlay according to claim 3, wherein the shape-stable plates can be joined together.

6. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body can be rolled up.

7. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises several widths of a material which can be rolled up.

8. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body is water-permeable.

9. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body is water-permeable due to its material characteristics.

10. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body is water permeable due to a plurality of holes that extend through the layer body.

11. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises a foil that is perforated.

12. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body is fibrous.

13. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises a felt.

14. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises a woven material.

15. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises a porous material.

16. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises a non-transparent region and at least one transparent region.

17. The ice rink inlay according to claim 16, wherein the at least one transparent region permits passage of light emitted from the light sources.

18. The ice rink inlay according to claim 17, wherein the at least one transparent region is an opening.

19. The ice rink inlay according to claim 16, wherein the layer body comprises several transparent regions, wherein each of the several transparent region is assigned to a different one of the light sources.

20. The ice rink inlay according to claim 19, wherein each of the transparent regions is an opening.

21. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body is arranged above the illuminants arrangement.

22. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body comprises openings for receiving the illuminants arrangement, such that parts of the illuminants arrangement are adjacent to boundaries of the openings.

23. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body is self-supporting.

24. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the illuminants arrangement comprises, as a protection of the one or more encasings and of the light sources from mechanical damage, at least one protective overlay for being brought onto the one or more encasings, so that light emitted by the light sources can be emitted through the at least one protective overlay.

25. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the layer body has a white surface and forms, at least section-wise, a white cover layer of an ice rink.

26. The ice rink inlay according to claim 1, wherein the illuminants arrangement comprises, in addition to the light sources, a heating device for producing heat.

27. An ice rink comprising an ice rink inlay according to claim 1, which is incorporated therein, and wherein playing field markings are formed in the ice rink by way of the illuminants arrangement.

28. A method for incorporating an illuminants arrangement into an ice rink, wherein an ice rink inlay according to claim 1 is incorporated into the ice rink before an uppermost ice layer of the ice rink is formed.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the ice rink comprises a ground and wherein the ice rink inlay is placed onto the ground, and a water layer surrounding the ice rink inlay is subsequently frozen.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The subject-matter of the invention is hereinafter explained in more detail by way of embodiment examples and the attached drawings. In each case are shown schematically in:

(2) FIG. 1 a section through an illuminants arrangement;

(3) FIG. 2 a section through an illuminants arrangement with a heating device;

(4) FIG. 3 a section through an ice rink;

(5) FIG. 4 a plan view onto an illumination device with light sources arranged distributed over a surface;

(6) FIG. 5 a plan view onto an illumination device with light sources arranged distributed over a surface;

(7) FIG. 6 a section through an ice rink inlay, with a layer body arranged below the illuminants arrangement;

(8) FIG. 7 a section through an ice rink inlay, with a layered body arranged between the encasing and protective overlay;

(9) FIG. 8 a section through an ice rink inlay, with a layered body arranged above the illuminants arrangement;

(10) FIG. 9 a plan view onto a layer body;

(11) FIG. 10 a plan view onto a layer body with several sections;

(12) FIG. 11 a plan view onto a protective overlay with transparent regions and with a non-transparent region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(13) Parts which are not essential to the understanding of the invention are not represented to some extent. The described embodiment examples represent the subject-matter of the invention by way of example or they serve for its explanation and have no limiting effect

(14) A section through the illuminants arrangement 1 is represented schematically in FIG. 1. The illuminants arrangement 1 can be embodied for example in a strip-shaped manner with a multitude of light sources, wherein the respective strip runs perpendicular to the plane of the drawings.

(15) What is represented in FIG. 1 are: a light source 4, a connection lead 5, a water-tight encasing 6, a housing part 6, which can contribute to the encasing of the light source 4, and a protective overlay 3.

(16) The light source 4 is controllable and/or can be supplied with electrical voltage via a connection lead 5.

(17) The light source can, e.g., include a red-illuminating, a green-illuminating and a blue-illuminating LED, and possibly additionally yet a white light LED.

(18) The protective overlay 3, for example, can be a plate or a strip of polycarbonate. It protects that lies below from mechanical damage, as can be caused, for example, by way of an ice skate.

(19) A section through an illuminants arrangement 1 with a heating device is represented schematically in FIG. 2. The heating device includes two heating wires 15, which are electrically insulated by an insulation 16 and which produce heat when an adequately high electrical current flows through them.

(20) The heating wires 15 are received in grooves 18a of a rail 18, the rail being manufactured, for example, of aluminium and being arranged outside the encasing 6, so that it surrounds the light source 4 at three sides (at the bottom and laterally).

(21) Heat produced by way of the heating wires 15 is distributed by way of the rail 18, so that a melting of ice, into which the illuminants arrangement 1 is incorporated (frozen) is possible, which greatly simplifies a removal of the illuminants arrangement.

(22) Such a rail 18 and heating wires 15 can be combined with arbitrary illuminants, for example with that represented in FIG. 1.

(23) FIG. 3 in a greatly schematic manner shows a section through the ice rink 2. A base ice layer 21 is deposited on a ground 20, e.g. of concrete, on which base ice layer in turn a cover layer 22 of a white colour is placed. A main ice layer 23, which also forms the ice surface 24 of the ice rink 2, is present above this.

(24) Advertising banners 26 (symbolised in a dashed manner) as well as playing field markings 27 (symbolised in a dotted manner), which typically consist of a coloured felt, are incorporated into the ice, typically approximately 10 mm above the cover layer 22.

(25) The advertising banners 26 as well as the playing field markings 27 can be replaced by illuminants arrangements 1, as is represented e.g. in FIGS. 1, 2, or by way of suitable illumination devices.

(26) A groove 28 with a rectangular cross section can be formed in the ice down to a depth, for example, of 1 mm to 2 mm above the cover layer 22, for incorporation into the ice of the ice rink 2. An illuminants arrangement 1 can then be brought into the groove 28. This is particularly suitable for illuminants arrangements with strip-shaped units, be they straight or arcuate or elastically deformable.

(27) Electrical connection leads can be led through below a boards of the ice rink (not represented).

(28) The groove 28 can then be filled with water, which then freezes.

(29) FIG. 4 schematically shows a plan view of an illumination device 9 with light sources arranged in a manner distributed over a surface. The illumination device 9 apart from an illuminants arrangement 1 yet includes a control unit 8, by way of which each of the light sources 4 can be individually activated. The colour and brightness of each light source 4 of the illuminants arrangement 1 can thus be individually set. E.g., each of the light sources includes four LEDs (RGBW).

(30) A DMX control (digital multiplex) e.g. can be used for this, e.g. DMX512 as is known from illumination technology, or also a control according to a DALI standard (digital addressable lighting interface) or according to a KMX standard.

(31) The connection leads 5, by way of which the digital control commands can be transmitted to the light sources 4 (or more precisely, firstly to the respective electrical circuits 7) via a bus, are also schematically represented in FIG. 4.

(32) The light sources 4 in FIG. 4 are arranged on grid points of a right-angled grid. Several dozen or several hundred or even more light sources 4 can be arranged in both directions of the surface, so that infinite, also moved colour pictures can be represented.

(33) In the same manner as FIG. 4, FIG. 5 shows a schematic plan view of an illumination device 9 with light sources 4 which are arranged distributed over a surface, wherein the illumination device 9 of FIG. 5 with regard to function can be very similar to that of FIG. 4.

(34) The illuminants arrangement 1 of FIG. 4, however, includes several strip-shaped units 10 that run parallel to one another and are connected to one another by way of mechanical connecting elements 19, e.g. of polymer, so that a suitable degree of accuracy of the mutual positioning of the light sources and also a suitable degree of mechanical stability of the illumination device 9 are ensured, which simplifies an introduction of the illuminants arrangement into an ice rink.

(35) In contrast, in the case of the illuminants arrangement 1 of FIG. 5, the light sources 4 (and the associated circuits 7) are each individually (separately) potted (encased), so thatin contrast to the case of FIG. 4the encasing 6 cannot contribute to the mechanical stability and positioning stability of the illuminants arrangement 1 of FIG. 5 to a sufficient extent. For this reason, the electrical connection leads 5, e.g., can simultaneously also serve as mechanically stabilising connecting elements. Or additional connecting elements are provided (not represented in FIG. 5).

(36) An illuminants arrangement, e.g. one of the previously described ones, together with a layer body, on which it is fastened, can form an ice rink inlay. The ice rink inlay on the one hand can simplify the introduction of the illuminants arrangement into an ice rink and on the other hand form atypicallywhite cover layer of the ice rink.

(37) The layer body can be of felt for example, which, e.g., is white at least on one side, or of a foil, which is provided with holes (for water permeability) and which, e.g., is white at least on one side, or of another water-permeable, layer-like material that is self-supporting. The layer body can include several sections, which can be joined onto one another, in order to be able to provide a large ice rink surface with the ice rink inlay in a simple manner by way of several (smaller) sections.

(38) FIG. 6 schematically shows a section through an ice rink inlay 30 with a layer body 31 arranged below the illuminants arrangement 1. The illuminants arrangement 1 as represented can correspond, for example, to that of FIG. 1.

(39) FIG. 7 schematically shows a section through an ice rink inlay 30 with a layer body 31 arranged between the encasing 6 and the protective overlay 3. The layer body 31 includes a non-transparent region 32 as well as at least one transparent region 33 for the passage of light of the light sources 4. Connection leads 5 and other constituents of the illuminants arrangement that could compromise the optical impression of the ice rink provided with the ice rink inlay 30 (e.g., because they are not white and/or could cast shadows) are covered by the non-transparent region 32.

(40) FIG. 8 schematically shows a section through an ice rink inlay 30 with a layer body 31 arranged above the illuminants arrangement. A layer body 31 provided with a non-transparent region 32 and transparent regions 33 can also be applied here, as in FIG. 7.

(41) Moreover, it is also possible (not represented) to provide an ice rink inlay with a layer body including openings for receiving the illuminants arrangement. For example, parts of the illuminants arrangement at its respective sides can be adjacent to the boundaries of the openings and for example also be connected to the layer body there.

(42) FIG. 9 schematically shows a plan view of a layer body 31, which includes a non-transparent region 32 as well as several transparent regions 33, which are strip-shaped in the represented example. In one variant, the transparent regions 33 can be openings, in which (for example) strip-shaped constituents of an illuminants arrangement can be incorporated.

(43) The layer body 31 can e.g. be rolled up, for example along the direction indicated by the open arrow in FIG. 9.

(44) FIG. 10 schematically shows a plan view onto a layer body 31 with several sections 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d . . . . Each of the sections 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d . . . includes several transparent regions 33, which, for example, can be round as is represented, as well as a non-transparent region 32. A transparent region 33 can be assigned, for example, to each light source.

(45) In an embodiment, the sections 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d . . . can each be plates that are shape-stable and stackable, and can be joined together for forming the layer body or the ice rink inlay.

(46) Similarly, that which is represented in FIG. 9, in a variant can also be a single section of a layer body.

(47) FIG. 11 schematically shows a view onto a protective overlay 3 with transparent regions 43 and a non-transparent region 42. Some optically annoying constituents of the illuminants arrangement can be covered by way of this.

(48) E.g., a transparent region 43 can be assigned to each light source.

(49) And/or a light source can be assigned to each transparent region 43.

(50) In some embodiments, it is possible to provide positioning aids such as pins, for example, by way of which an (accurate) positioning of a protective overlay 3 (with transparent regions and a non-transparent region, e.g. as represented in FIG. 11) relative to the light sources can be achieved. An (exact) positioning of non-transparent regions of the layer body relative to the light sources can become superfluous on account of this (e.g., in structures as in FIGS. 7 and 8), which can simplify the creation of the respective ice rink inlay.

(51) As already mentioned and according to a special aspect of the invention, an illuminants arrangement without a protective overlay can be provided. Accordingly, according to this special aspect, the protective overlay in the ice rink inlay can be optimal, and thus possibly not be present, even if it is represented e.g. in the FIGS. 6 to 8.

(52) The features mentioned above can be advantageous together or also individually or in arbitrary combination.