Communications: electrical – Systems – Signal light systems
Patent
1996-10-10
1999-09-14
Lefkowitz, Edward
Communications: electrical
Systems
Signal light systems
34081515, 340432, 340463, 362157, 362183, G08B 500
Patent
active
059529156
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to a signal pillar of the type having a plurality of signal elements which are essentially identical in design, which are arranged one on top of the other, and which are connected to one another by means of a closure connection or the like.
The German laid-open application 22 11 801 has disclosed a signal pillar of the generic kind, which comprises a plurality of light elements which are of identical design and which can be combined without the aid of special tools. Here, the known signal pillar can be taken apart at any desired point so that it is easy to replace incandescent bulbs.
The known signal pillar has an electrical coupling device so that adjacent light elements can be connected to one another electrically by means of a relative, limited rotation. Furthermore, during this rotation the two light elements are connected mechanically as a result of an interaction of two connecting elements. In this context, a dividing wall between two light elements and a transparent hood are rotated with respect to one another, a screw-kind closure, a bayonet closure or else other kinds of closure being mentioned as connecting devices. The electrical connection between adjacent light elements is made by means of an electrical coupling which has complementary coupling areas such as sockets and plugs so that plugging two light elements one on top of the other causes the feed lines of the light elements to be connected.
This known device has the disadvantage that the dividing wall between the light elements and the transparent hood are of multi-piece construction and have to be screwed or connected to one another. Here, the connection of the dividing wall and hood must simultaneously bring about the connection of the electrical terminals, for which reason an electrical connecting element which is of complicated design is provided as a feed line. In particular, in order to receive the plug of the feed line, an elastic bushing has only two legs which are sprung with respect to one another and are not capable of ensuring reliable contact between the plug and bushing.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The invention is based on the object of proposing a signal pillar or light pillar which does not have the previously mentioned disadvantages and which has in particular a highly efficient means of making electrical contact between the signal elements which are arranged in a row. It is also to be possible to disconnect the signal elements easily at any desired point of the signal pillar so that signal transmitters or individual signal elements of different colors can be replaced. It is also an object to make the signal pillar versatile in terms of its possible applications. Furthermore, a simple and expedient housing connection between the individual signal elements is to be obtained.
The signal pillar according to the invention has the advantage that a very efficient electrical connection can be produced between the individual signal elements. Here, the individual electrical feed lines are produced in particular from simple round wires which are constructed at one end in a U shape as a connecting bridge while the other end of the electrical connecting line which is constructed as a round wire is merely preferably bent into an L shape and serves to make electrical contact with the U-shaped connecting bridge of the adjacent signal element. As a result, an electrical connection which is of very simple design but highly efficient in terms of its effect is provided between the individual signal elements. The U-shaped connecting bridge ensures a high degree of stability of the electrical connecting element but, in the simplest embodiment, a connecting bridge which is merely pin-shaped may be used.
The construction of each signal element for producing a signal pillar by means of a pot-shaped arrangement of a cylinder component with baseplate which is integrally connected thereto is particularly advantageous, the cylindrical components being placed one inside the other with a corresponding
REFERENCES:
patent: 3868671 (1975-02-01), Maguire et al.
patent: 4527158 (1985-07-01), Runnels
patent: 4931766 (1990-06-01), Bernard et al.
patent: 5057815 (1991-10-01), Smoot et al.
patent: 5453729 (1995-09-01), Chu
Goetz Udo
Marquardt Erich
Lefkowitz Edward
Spencer George H.
Werma-Signalgeraete GmbH & Co.
Woods Davetta
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