Signal pillar

• US 5,952,915 A
• Filed: 10/10/1996
• Issued: 09/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 04/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: WERMA Holding GmbH + Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Werma-Signalgeraete GmbH & Company
• Inventors: Goetz, Udo, Marquardt, Erich
• Primary Examiner(s): Lefkowitz, Edward
• Assistant Examiner(s): GOINS, DAVETTA WOODS
• Application Number:
  US08/722,063
• Time in Patent Office: 1,069 Days
• Field of Search: 340/332, 340/815.4, 340/815.49, 340/815.15, 340/815.73, 340/642, 340/815.45, 340/432, 340/463, 362/196, 362/197, 362/199, 362/202, 362/204, 362/205, 362/263, 362/183, 362/157
• US Class Current: 340/332
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/30 on the outer surface of cylindrical surfaces, e.g. rod-shaped supports having a circular or a polygonal cross section
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A signal pillar includes a plurality of signal elements (2, 2'"'"') which are identical in their design and are arranged one on top of the other. In order to achieve simple and effective mechanical and electrical connection, a bayonet closure arrangement (13) is provided between the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') and an electrical connection base (3), and connection between respectively adjacent components are made by connecting wires having L-shaped legs (31) and U-shaped connecting bridges (27).

Claims

1. A signal pillar comprising:

a plurality of signal elements (2, 2'"'"') which are essentially identical in design and which have connection means (13, 13'"'"') for connecting the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') one on top of the other,

wherein each signal element (2, 2'"'"') includes an optical or audible signal transmitter (9), a hollow component (6) for holding the signal transmitter (9), and electrical connecting elements (12) which serve to supply the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') with power individually, and

wherein the electrical connecting elements (12) are constructed as wires which each have a generally U-shaped connecting bridge (27) at a first end and a bent connecting leg (31) at a second end, the connecting bridge (27) of one of the signal elements interacting with the connecting leg (31) of an adjacent signal element in a frictional and resiliently sprung fashion when two adjacent signal elements (2, 2'"'"') are connected.

2. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the optical and/or audible signal transmitter (9) comprises a device selected from the group consisting of an incandescent lamp, a flashing light, a flash tube, a flashlight, a buzzer, horn and a voice module.

3. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the signal transmitter (9) comprises LED pillars which are actuated to simulate a rotating beacon.

4. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow component (6) of each signal element (2, 2'"'"') is generally cylindrical in shape and has two ends, one end being generally open and the other end being generally closed, and wherein the connection means (13, 13'"'"') comprises a cylindrical inner flange (15) with an internal diameter d₃ and a height h₁ at the generally open end and a cylindrical outer flange 14 with an outer diameter d₂ at the generally closed end the diameter d₂ approximately matching the diameter d₃, and bayonet closure means for locking adjacent signal elements (2, 2'"'"') together by rotation after the inner flange (15) of one has been engaged with the outer flange (14) of the other.

5. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 4, wherein the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) is arranged in the region of the cylindrical inner flange (15) of the cylinder component (6) so as to be freely movable approximately over its height h₁.

6. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow component (6) is generally cylindrical in shape and comprises a baseplate (7) with peripheral recesses (34) and tangentially running slots (35) for the U-shaped connecting bridges (27) to pass through and for their displacement.

7. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) has a shorter leg (29) and a longer leg (26), and wherein the hollow component (6) is generally cylindrical in shape and comprises a radially inwardly pointing support web (11), the shorter leg (29) being connected in a fixed fashion on the supporting web (11) and the longer leg (26) being mounted in a loose fashion with radial play.

8. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bent connecting leg (31) is generally L-shaped and has a corner region (44). wherein the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) includes a pair of outer legs (29, 26) and a connecting leg (28) which connects the outer legs (29, 26), wherein, when two adjacent signal elements (2, 2'"'"') are connected together, the connecting leg (28) of the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) of one connecting elements (12) comes to rest approximately next to the corner region (44) of the L-shaped connecting leg (31) of another connecting element (12), and wherein, when rotary movement through a rotary angle α

1 is carried out, the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) comes to rest with both outer legs against the L-shaped connecting leg (31) in a frictional fashion.

9. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow component (6) comprises a supporting web (32) and a baseplate (7), and wherein the connecting leg (31) has a free end portion that is held by the supporting web (32) and/or is attached in the baseplate (7) via a bent section (33).

10. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 4, wherein, the bayonet closure means is disposed between the cylindrical inner flange (15) and the cylindrical outer flange (14) on the outer surface of the inner flange (15), and comprises axial insertion grooves (18'"'"') for radially protruding guide noses (7), the axial insertion grooves (18'"'"') being provided on the outer surface of the outer flange (14) of the adjacent light element, and wherein, after insertion into the axial insertion grooves, the guide nose (17) can be inserted into tangential grooves (18) over a rotary angle range α

1, axial prestressing of the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') taking place owing to an axially rising tangential groove (18).

11. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein each of the hollow components (6) has an annular radial fitting-on shoulder (16, 16'"'"') and further comprising an annular profile seal (46) which comprises a slidable plastic with low tangential friction on one of the fitting-on shoulders (16, 16'"'"') when two adjacent signal elements (2. 2'"'"') are connected, and wherein the profile seal (46) has an impressed area (48, 49) that is V-shaped in cross section.

12. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 10, wherein at least one tangential groove (18'"'"') of the bayonet closure means has a radial surface section (19) which rises in a slope shape and falls again and over which tangential groove (18'"'"') a radially flexible cam (21) on the outer flange (14) of the adjacent signal element slides in order to bring about locking, the cam (21) being constructed to be radially movable by virtue of two parallel slots (45) which penetrate the wall thickness of the outer flange (14) and are aligned tangentially with respect to one another.

13. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 6, wherein each signal element (2, 2'"'"') further comprises two conductor lugs (23, 24) which lead to the connection of the signal transmitter (9) and which are attached to the baseplate (7) of the signal element (2, 2'"'"'), a first electrical connecting line (12'"'"') which comes from a U-shaped connecting bridge (27) leading to a first one of the conductor lugs (23) and from there to an adjacent U-shaped connecting bridge (27'"'"') offset by a rotary angle α

1, of the adjacent signal element and from there to the same conductor lug (23) of the adjacent signal element, and an electrical connecting line (40) leading from a U-shaped connecting bridge (27"), adjacent to the connecting bridge (27), of the first signal element (2), to the a second one of the conductor lugs (24).

14. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a cable connection base (3) having connection means for connection to a terminal one of the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') in a way analogous to the connection of two signal elements (2, 2'"'"'), the cable connection base (3) additionally having means (42) for electrically contacting the U-shaped connecting bridges (27) of the electrical connection elements (12) of the terminal one of the signal elements (2, 2'"'"').

15. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 3, wherein the LED pillars (52) are arranged in a plurality of parallel columns and are actuated cyclically one after the other.

16. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hollow component (6) has a generally cylindrical shape and the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) lies in a plane that is aligned approximately parallel to a line tangent to the hollow component (6).

17. A signal pillar, comprising:

a plurality of signal elements (2, 2'"'"') which are essentially identical in design and which have connection means (13, 13'"'"') for connecting the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') one on top of the other as a result of relative rotation through an angle α

1,

wherein each signal element (2, 2'"'"') includes an optical or audible signal transmitter (9), a hollow component (6) for holding the signal transmitter (9), and electrical connecting elements (12) which serve to supply the signal elements (2, 2'"'"') with power individually,

wherein the electrical connecting elements (12) are constructed as wires which each have a generally U-shaped connecting bridge (27) at a first end and a bent connecting leg (31) at a second end, the connecting bridge (27) of one of the signal elements interacting with the connecting leg (31) of an adjacent signal element in a frictional and resiliently sprung manner when two adjacent signal elements (2, 2'"'"') are connected,

wherein the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) has a pair of outer legs (29,

     26), and

wherein, when relative rotation through the angle α

1 is being carried out during connection of adjacent signal elements (2, 2'"'"'), the U-shaped connecting bridge (27) comes to rest with both its outer legs against the connecting leg (31) in a frictional fashion.

18. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 17, wherein the connecting leg (31) is generally L-shaped.

19. The signal pillar as claimed in claim 17, wherein the hollow component (6) has a generally cylindrical shape and the U-shaped connecting bridge lies in a plane that is aligned approximately parallel to a line tangent to the hollow component (6).

20. A signal pillar, comprising:

a first signal element which includes a first hollow housing having upper and lower ends, a first lamp mounted in the first housing, a plurality of first electrical connecting elements, the first electrical connecting elements having upper and lower end portions, and means for connecting the first lamp to at least some of the first electrical connecting elements; and

a second signal element which includes a second hollow housing having upper and lower ends, a second lamp mounted in the second housing, a plurality of second electrical connecting elements, the second electrical connection elements having upper and lower end portions, and means for connecting the second lamp to at least some of the second electrical connecting elements,

wherein the upper end of the first housing and the lower end of the second housing having means for connecting the housings when they are rotated relative to one another from an initial position to a final position, the upper end portions of the first electrical connecting elements and the lower end portions of the second electrical connecting elements being moved relative to one another during rotation of the housings and being pressed against one another when the housings are in their final position.

21. A signal pillar as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first and second signal elements are substantially identical.

22. A signal pillar as claimed in claim 20, wherein the first and second electrical connecting elements are made of springy wire with a round cross section.

23. A signal pillar as claimed in claim 20, wherein the upper end portions of the first and second electrical connecting elements comprise wire segments that are disposed generally horizontally.

24. A signal pillar as claimed in claim 23, wherein the lower end portions of the first and second electrical connecting elements are generally U-shaped.