Signaling appliance, in particular a signaling column

• US 7,545,284 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2005
• Issued: 06/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/22/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: WERMA Holding GmbH + Co. KG
• Original Assignee: Werma Signaltechnik GmbH & Co. KG.
• Inventors: Neumann, Siegfried, Lauer, Ronny, Rothhaas, Dirk
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Benjamin C
• Assistant Examiner(s): Previl; Daniel
• Application Number:
  US11/253,553
• Publication Number:
  US 20060089017A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,328 Days
• Field of Search: 340/641, 340/686.1, 340/679, 340/665, 340/540, 340/669, 736/49, 736/51, 310/311, 310/314, 310/318, 310/300, 361/600, 361/679, 361/719, 361/718, 439/626, 439/660
• US Class Current: 340/641
• 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 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/006 of point-like light sources, e.g. incandescent or halogen lamps, with screw-threaded or bayonet base of sources having contact pins, wires or blades F21V19/0005; of LEDs or sources mounted on printed-circuit board F21V19/001
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/02 for roads, paths or the like

Abstract

A signaling appliance is provided, in particular a signaling column for indication of at least one operating state of a technical appliance such as a machine, an installation, a vehicle or the like, having at least one holding apparatus (5) for holding an electrical light-emitting element, in particular an incandescent lamp, which can be produced at a lower cost and/or provides further application options, in which case the electronics mount can be installed very easily, for example for commercially available signaling elements and/or bulbs. According to the invention, this is achieved in particular in that the holding apparatus (5) which is provided for holding the electronics mount (9) is also designed to hold the signaling element (7), with the holding apparatus (5) having at least one guide apparatus (8) for lateral guidance of the electronics mount (9) to be installed.

Claims

1. A signaling appliance for indicating at least one operating state of an appliance said signaling appliance having at least one holding apparatus (5) for holding an electrical signaling element (7), wherein the improvement comprises a holding apparatus (5) having a combined signal element opening for holding a signaling element or an electronics mount, said combined signal element opening having a signal element opening and a lateral guide apparatus opening (8) in the form of an axial recess in direct contact with and in alignment with said signal element opening in said holding apparatus (5) said lateral guide apparatus opening providing for lateral guidance and holding of an electronics mount (9) in alignment with and inside said combined signal element opening in said holding apparatus.

2. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein said holding apparatus (5) of the signaling element (7) and the electronics mount (9) have different holding elements.

3. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the lateral guide opening (8) allows the electronics mount (9) to be plugged into the holding apparatus (5).

4. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the lateral guide apparatus (8) is a slot (8) open on at least one side.

5. The signaling appliance according to claim 4 wherein the slot (8) is aligned essentially in the axial direction of the signaling appliance (1).

6. The signaling appliance according to claim 4 wherein the slot (8) is open on that side of the holding apparatus (5) which is arranged opposite a base (4).

7. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the electronics mount (9) is broader than the holding apparatus (5).

8. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the width of the electronics mount (9) corresponds essentially to the unobstructed width of the signaling appliance cross section.

9. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the electronics mount (9) has at least one light-emitting diode.

10. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 further comprising at least one fixing unit (10) for fixing the signaling element (7) or the electronics mount (9).

11. The signaling appliance according to claim 10 wherein the fixing unit (10) is a latching unit (10) for latching of the signaling element (7) or the electronics mount (9).

12. The signaling appliance according to claim 10 or 11 wherein the fixing unit (10) has at least one bayonet fitting (12) for fixing the signaling element (7) or the electronics mount (9).

13. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein identical electrical connections (2, 14) are used for the power supply or for interchanging data for both the signaling element (7) and the electronics mount (9).

14. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 further comprising electrical contact connections (2, 14) wherein said connections are spring contacts (14).

15. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the electronics mount (9) has at least one transmitting unit with a transmitter and/or a receiver for wire-free data transmission to a receiver and/or from a transmitter.

16. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the electronics mount (9) has at least one bus coupler.

17. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the electronics mount (9) has at least one sensor for recording a parameter.

18. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 wherein the electronics mount is a printed circuit board (9) wherein said circuit board has at least one image recording unit for recording an image or of moving images.

19. The signaling appliance according to claim 1 further comprising at least one electrical tone generator to produce tones.

20. A signaling device comprising:

(a) a signaling column housing for housing an electrical signaling element;

(b) a dual function holding apparatus disposed in said signaling column housing, said dual function holding apparatus having an integrated signal lamp opening with an electronic mount opening, said electronic mount opening having an axial recess in said dual function holding apparatus for holding and providing electrical contact for a signal lamp or a circuit board disposed within said axial recess within said dual function holding apparatus, said electronic mount opening forming a part of said signal lamp opening to accept said circuit board within said axial recess and in parallel alignment with said axial recess; and

(c) a circuit board electrical contact disposed in said dual function holding apparatus.