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 illuminants arrangement, comprising a multitude 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, and 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.

2. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the at least one protective overlay is manufactured of a transparent material.

3. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, wherein at least one protective overlay is manufactured from polycarbonate.

4. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, wherein each of the light sources is suitable for an emission of light of a variable color.

5. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the electrical connection leads are designed for controlling the multitude of light sources by way of a bus, wherein at least one electrical circuit is assigned to each of the multitude of light sources, said circuit being designed for a control of the assigned light source according to digital control data transmitted via the bus.

6. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the illuminants arrangement comprises at least one strip-shaped unit which comprises a plurality of the LED-based light sources that are arranged successively along a strip described by the strip-shaped unit, wherein the strip-shaped unit comprises a heating device for melting ice surrounding the strip-shaped unit.

7. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the strip-shaped unit is provided for the emission of light emitted from the mentioned plurality of LED-based light sources through an upper side of the strip, wherein the strip-shaped unit comprises a lower side lying opposite the upper side as well as two strip sides that lie opposite one another and are arranged between the upper side and the lower side and extend along the strip, wherein the strip-shaped unit comprises a heating device on each of the two strip sides.

8. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 6, wherein the heating device is an electrically insulated heating wire.

9. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 8, wherein the strip-shaped unit comprises a thermally conductive rail that extends along the strip and is in thermal contact with the heating wire and by way of which at least one outer surface of the strip-shaped unit is formed.

10. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the light sources are arranged distributed over a surface in the manner of grid points of a grid.

11. The illuminants arrangement according to claim 10, wherein the illuminants arrangement comprises first connecting elements for stabilizing a relative positioning of the light sources to one another in a first direction parallel to the surface and second connecting elements for stabilizing a relative positioning of the light sources to one another in a second direction which is different than the first direction.

12. An illumination device, comprising a illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, as well as a control unit for controlling of the light sources, wherein the light sources are operationally connected to the control unit by way of the connection leads.

13. The illumination device according to claim 12, wherein each of the light sources is suitable for the emission of light of a variable color, and wherein the color of each of the multitude of light sources is individually selectable by way of the control unit.

14. The illumination device according to claim 12, wherein the control unit is designed for the control of the plurality of light sources by way of a digital control protocol via the electrical connection leads, in particular wherein a bus for the control of the multitude of light sources is formed by the electrical connection leads, and wherein optionally the control unit is designed for the control of the multitude of light sources by way of a DMX control protocol via the electrical connection leads.

15. An ice rink inlay, comprising a illuminants arrangement according to claim 1 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 layer body is water-permeable.

16. The ice rink inlay according to claim 15, wherein the layer body comprises several shape-stable plates that are movable relative to one another.

17. The ice rink inlay according to claim 15, wherein the layer body can be rolled up.

18. An ice rink, comprising a illuminants arrangement according to claim 1, which is incorporated therein, and wherein a playing field with playing field markings incorporated in the ice of ice rink is formed by the ice rink.

19. The ice rink according to claim 18, comprising a base ice layer deposited onto a ground; a color-carrying white cover layer, which is placed on the base ice layer; a main ice layer, which is deposited on the cover layer and by way of which an ice surface of the ice rink is formed; wherein the illuminants arrangement is incorporated into the main ice layer.

20. The ice rink according to claim 18, comprising a boards arrangement that is arranged at the edge of the main ice layer and extends from below the ice surface to above the ice surface, wherein the connection leads are, at least in part, led below the boards arrangement.

21. An ice rink comprising an ice rink inlay according to claim 15, which is incorporated therein.

22. The ice rink according to claim 21, wherein the connection leads are covered by the ice rink inlay.

23. The ice rink according to claim 18, wherein playing field markings are formed in the ice rink by way of the illuminants arrangement, and wherein the ice rink is free of additional color integrations for marking the playing field markings.

24. An ice rink comprising the illuminants arrangement according to claim 8, and further comprising a control unit for controlling of the light sources, wherein the light sources are operationally connected to the control unit by way of the connection leads.

25. A method for incorporating an illuminants arrangement into an ice rink, comprising the steps of: forming a groove in the ice rink with a router, introducing the illuminants arrangement into the groove; and, filling the groove, wherein the groove has a rectangular cross section.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the illuminants arrangement is an illuminants arrangement comprising a multitude 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, and 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.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein the ice rink is an ice rink comprising an illuminants arrangement comprising a multitude 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, and 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, and wherein a playing field with playing field markings incorporated in the ice of ice rink is formed by the ice rink, and wherein a groove into which the illuminants arrangement is placed projects up to between 0.1 and 5 mm to the cover layer, and wherein a height of the illuminants arrangement is arranged at least 10 mm above the illuminants arrangement.

28. A method for incorporating an illuminants arrangement into an ice rink, wherein an ice rink inlay according to claim 15 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

[0130] 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:

[0131] FIG. 1 a section through an illuminants arrangement;

[0132] FIG. 2 a section through an illuminants arrangement with a heating device;

[0133] FIG. 3 a section through an ice rink;

[0134] FIG. 4 a plan view onto an illumination device with light sources arranged distributed over a surface;

[0135] FIG. 5 a plan view onto an illumination device with light sources arranged distributed over a surface;

[0136] FIG. 6 a section through an ice rink inlay, with a layer body arranged below the illuminants arrangement;

[0137] FIG. 7 a section through an ice rink inlay, with a layered body arranged between the encasing and protective overlay;

[0138] FIG. 8 a section through an ice rink inlay, with a layered body arranged above the illuminants arrangement;

[0139] FIG. 9 a plan view onto a layer body;

[0140] FIG. 10 a plan view onto a layer body with several sections;

[0141] FIG. 11 a plan view onto a protective overlay with transparent regions and with a non-transparent region.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0142] 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

[0143] 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.

[0144] 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.

[0145] The light source 4 is controllable and/or can be supplied with electrical voltage via a connection lead 5.

[0146] 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.

[0147] 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.

[0148] 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.

[0149] 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).

[0150] 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.

[0151] Such a rail 18 and heating wires 15 can be combined with arbitrary illuminants, for example with that represented in FIG. 1.

[0152] 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.

[0153] 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.

[0154] 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.

[0155] 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.

[0156] Electrical connection leads can be led through below a boards of the ice rink (not represented).

[0157] The groove 28 can then be filled with water, which then freezes.

[0158] 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).

[0159] 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.

[0160] 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.

[0161] 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.

[0162] 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.

[0163] 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.

[0164] 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 that—in contrast to the case of FIG. 4—the 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).

[0165] 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 a—typically—white cover layer of the ice rink.

[0166] 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.

[0167] 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.

[0168] 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.

[0169] 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.

[0170] 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.

[0171] 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.

[0172] The layer body 31 can e.g. be rolled up, for example along the direction indicated by the open arrow in FIG. 9.

[0173] 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.

[0174] 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.

[0175] Similarly, that which is represented in FIG. 9, in a variant can also be a single section of a layer body.

[0176] 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.

[0177] E.g., a transparent region 43 can be assigned to each light source.

[0178] And/or a light source can be assigned to each transparent region 43.

[0179] 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.

[0180] 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.

[0181] The features mentioned above can be advantageous together or also individually or in arbitrary combination.