Ceiling Illumination with Mountings for Panels

Abstract

An illuminating device for indoor lighting comprising a visible panel, through which light can be transmitted. The visible panel includes a portion having transparent material, and a panel retaining device. The retaining device has a retaining means for retaining the visible panel and a fixing means for mounting the visible panel on a ceiling or on a wall. The retaining device has at least three interconnected retaining arms which are arranged in the shape of a star and which retain at least two visible panel parts at the inner faces of the visible panel parts, the inner faces of the visible panel parts bordering each other such that said visible panel parts together form a substantially continuous visible panel surface. The visible panel parts have free outer faces which are not retained by the retaining arms and which together from the outer circumference of the visible panel.

Claims

1. A view-panel, comprising: a translucent view-panel through which light can be transmitted; a panel retaining device for the retention of the view-panel and a fixing means for mounting the view-panel on a fixed structure; the panel retaining device includes at least three interconnected retaining arms which are arranged in the shape of a star; the panel retaining device retains at least two view-panel parts at their adjoining inner faces so that the view-panel parts together form a substantially continuous view-panel surface, the view-panel parts have free outer faces, which are not retained by the retaining arms, and the outer faces together form the outer circumference of the view-panel.

2. The view-panel set forth in claim 1, wherein the retaining arms are contoured to form two neighbouring retaining arms and a view-panel sector having lateral sector edges contoured in an undercut-free manner to become narrow towards the connection point of the retaining arms.

3. The view-panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein the retaining arms have a generally straight course to create V-shaped view-panel sectors.

4. The view-panel as set forth in claim 3, wherein the retaining arms have form-locked retaining elements; the form-locked retaining elements include edges having retaining projections or retaining recesses, the edges attach to respective view-panel parts to form at least two lateral sides, wherein the view-panel parts are detachable from the retaining elements and are interchangeable with each other.

5. The view-panel as set forth in claim 4, wherein the retaining arms have a hollow cross-section with a nut-shaped periphery, the nut-shaped periphery defines opposing retaining recesses, the opposing retaining recesses enable two view-panel parts lying back-to-back to be inserted into the retaining recesses to hold the retaining arms.

6. The view-panel as set forth in claim 4, wherein the retaining arms have an H-shaped cross-section.

7. The view-panel as set forth in claim 4, wherein the retaining arms have a rear side that opposes the view side of the view-panel, the rear side includes a detachable fixing means including a stud bolt fastener means, for the fixing of tie rods.

8. The view panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein the panel retaining device comprises retaining poles inflexibly connectable to the retaining arms.

9. The view-panel as set forth in claim 1, wherein each retaining arm has a multitude of arranged fixing means distributed in a grid manner for the fixing of tie rods configured for mounting on a flat surface.

10. A view-panel, comprising: a view-panel through which light can be transmitted; a panel retaining device, which includes a retaining means for the retention of the view-panel and a fixing means for mounting the view-panel; the retaining means includes at least three interconnected retaining arms which are arranged in the shape of a star; the retaining means retains at least two view-panel parts at their adjoining inner faces so that the view-panel parts together form a substantially continuous view-panel surface, the view-panel parts have free outer faces, which are not retained by the retaining arms; the outer faces together form the outer circumference of the view-panel; the retaining arms are interconnected by a joint cruciform fastening element; the retaining arms inflexibly affix to the joint cruciform fastening element, and wherein the joint cruciform fastening element comprises radially arranged fixing bars, which conform to the retaining arms, to enable the retaining arms to press-fit with the fixing bars.

11. The view-panel as set forth in claim 10 further comprising: point light sources integrated in the retaining arms.

12. The view-panel as set forth in claim 10, wherein the view-panel parts form V-shaped sector pieces.

13. The view-panel as set forth in claim 10, wherein the view panel parts have a non-uniform transparency.

14. The view-panel as set forth in claim 10, wherein the view panel parts have a non-uniform colour scheme.

15. The view-panel as set forth in claim 10, wherein at least one of the view-panel parts comprises a range of transparency.

16. The view-panel as set forth in claim 10, wherein at least one of the view-panel parts comprises a range of colour.

17. A view-panel for a gaming machine island, comprising: light-transmissive view-panels having inner faces; a panel retaining device for adjoining the inner faces of the view-panels; the panel retaining device includes at least three interconnected retaining arms and an illumination means including point light sources integrated in the retaining arms; the panel retaining device retains the view-panels at their adjoining inner faces so that the view-panels together form a substantially continuous view-panel surface; the view-panels have free outer faces, which are not retained by the retaining arms, and the outer faces form an outer circumference of the view-panel.

20. The view-panel as set forth in claim 19 further comprising a gaming machine island defining a diameter, wherein the outer circumference of the view-panel defines a diameter sized between 50% and 150% of the size of the gaming machine island diameter.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The invention is subsequently further explained on the basis of a preferred embodiment and drawings relating thereto. The drawings show:

[0034] FIG. 1 is a perspective, schematic illustration of the illuminating device in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention from a diagonally above point of view, which shows the non-visible side of the view-panel from the room to be illuminated and the panel retaining device,

[0035] FIG. 2 is a top view of the visible side of the view-panel.

[0036] FIG. 3 is a top view of the retaining arms of the panel retaining device with a thereto attached view-panel part in explosion illustration,

[0037] FIG. 4 is a lateral view of two retaining arms halves put together, wherein in a detailed view the cross-section form of the retaining arms is shown, and

[0038] FIG. 5 is a schematic, perspective illustration of a gaming machine island, which is illuminated in an accentuated manner by an illuminating device mounted on the ceiling above the gaming machine island and its trans-illuminated view-panel illuminated in an accentuated manner.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0039] The illuminating device 1 shown in the figures comprises an extensive view-panel 2, which consists of at least partly transparent material and is transilluminable, so that light emitted from the view-panel 2 illuminates a defined region of the room 4. As shown in FIG. 5, the illuminating device 1 can advantageously be used in a casino or gambling hall in order to there illuminate in particular a gaming machine island 5 where multiple gaming machines are combined. The view-panel 2 is in terms of its size advantageously adapted to the size of the gaming machine island 5, wherein in terms of its size a diameter of the view-panel 2 can correspond to the diameter of the gaming machine island, but depending on the size of the gaming machine island can also be dimensioned in a smaller or larger manner. Typically the view-panel 2 can have a diameter of one to five metres.

[0040] The view-panel 2 consists hereby advantageously of at least a partly transparent material, for example glass or a transparent plastic such a polycarbonate. However, alternatively or additionally view-panel parts can be foreseen to be out of a per se opaque material, which has a perforation or recesses, for example in the form of a perforated plate or a grid structure. Advantageously the view-panel can consist of transparent plastic disc pieces, which have a changing transparency or colour scheme, wherein sections of different transparency or different colour schemes can have merging transparency degree progressions or colour schemes, such as shown in FIG. 2.

[0041] In accordance with an embodiment the at least partly transparent material of the view-panel 2 can be laminated with a suitable film on one side and/or on both sides holohedrally or at least partly in order to facilitate further special light effects. Regarding the film it can be advantageously a transparent plastic carrier material with a photo emulsion, for example DURATRANS material or DURACLEAR material.

[0042] The view-panel is hereby advantageously approximately designed in a plate-shaped manner, in particular in an even manner. The view-panel can, however, have also a light bulbous, shell-like contouring.

[0043] As the FIGS. 1-3 show the view-panel 2 can be advantageously composed of various view-panel parts 2a, 2b, 2c, and 2d, which together form an approximately continuous view-panel surface. The view-panel parts are mutually form-adapted so that they complement each other in a puzzle piece-like manner to a continuous view-panel surface. Advantageously the view-panel 2 is hereby divided into view-panel parts congruent to each other, wherein the mentioned view-panel parts can advantageously form V-shaped contoured sector pieces. In the drawn embodiment the view-panel 2 hereby has a circular outer contour. However, it is understood that the view-panel 2 can also have an outer contour deviating from the circular form, for example in the form of a rectangle, in particular a square, but also other rounded contours such as ellipses or ovals, or other polygonal contours such as, for example, a hexagon. The view-panel parts 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d have hereby advantageously mutually congruent contoured side flanks, in particular in the form of V-shaped side flanks spread at the same angle. Also the outer contours 2o of the view-panel parts can be formed mutually congruent, wherein this can vary, however, i.e. the outer contours 2o can also be formed deviating from each other, for example if by external circumference an all in all oval or elliptic view-panel is to be formed.

[0044] The view-panel parts 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d are retained by a panel retaining device, which comprises the retaining arms 9 arranged in a star-shaped manner from a centre, which extend between the adjacent inner faces 2i of the view-panel parts 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 the retaining arms 9 can be designed in the form of slim support bars, which enclose the view-panel parts 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d on the inner edge. Advantageously the mentioned retaining arms 9 have a straight course, wherein the retaining arms 9 advantageously run outwards under the same separation angles each radially from the centre of the view-panel 2.

[0045] As FIG. 3 shows the retaining arms 9 are connected inflexibly in the centre or in a central connection point 10 by a joint fastening element 15. The mentioned fastening element 15 can comprise cruciform or star-shaped protruding fastening bars 16, which are form-adapted to the retaining arms 9 and onto which the mentioned retaining arms 9 can be inflexibly fastened, for example can be screwed tightly or can be riveted. Alternatively or additionally between the retaining arms and the fastening element 15 a form-locked connection can be foreseen, for example in the form of a plug-in connection, which facilitates to plug the retaining arms 9 into the fastening bars 16 of the fastening element 15 or vice-versa to plug the fastening bars 16 into the retaining arms 9.

[0046] The retaining arms 9 are advantageously designed in the form of extruded profiles, which can have an H-shaped cross-section with towards the opposite side open retaining recesses 12. As shown in FIG. 4, there the detail A, the retaining recesses 12 can form continuous nut-shaped slots, which are delimited by two spaced apart, essentially parallel support bridges, between which the view-panel parts can be accurately fitting introduced or inserted into the elongated retaining recesses 12 of the H-shaped contoured retaining arms 9.

[0047] Alternatively the retaining arms 9 can be designed in the form of U-cross-section-shaped extruded profiles, wherein each two U-profiles are arranged back-to-back with open retaining recesses 12 towards the opposite lying side and connected with each other, for example, wielded, riveted and/or laminated. The retaining recesses 12 are adapted regarding the dimensioning to the thickness of the view-panel parts, in particular in such a manner that the view-panel parts 2a, 2b, 2c and 2d can be inserted easily or with a slight clamp fit.

[0048] Advantageously the retaining arms 9 are very narrow, designed in the form of long, thin bars, so that they separate the view-panel parts only minutely from each other. In the cross-section the retaining arms 9 can have a width which approximately corresponds to 100%-300% of the thickness of the view-panel parts.

[0049] The retaining arms 9 inflexibly mutually connected in the central connection point 10 carry on their upper side or lower side, which is on the far side of the view side of the view-panel 2, each a multitude of arranged fixing means 13 distributed in a grid manner, onto which tie rods 14 can be inflexibly fastened preferably in the form of bend-proof tie rods. As FIG. 1 shows the mentioned tie rods 14 can extend in general vertically to the level of the view-panel 2 away from the retaining arms 9. Depending on the existing connection dimensions, for example at a ceiling, the tie rods 14 can be fastened at different places on the retaining arms 9. The mentioned fixing means 13 can be, for example, screw bolts into which the tie rods 14 can be screwed in.

[0050] While FIG. 1 shows one tie rod 14, it is understood that multiple tie rods 14 can be foreseen to be distributed evenly across the view-panel 2 or the arrangement of the retaining arms 9.