U.S. patent application number 10/593991 was filed with the patent office on 2007-07-26 for half-level light signaling device.
This patent application is currently assigned to O.C.E.M. S.p.A.. Invention is credited to Gianluigi Basile.
Application Number | 20070171632 10/593991 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 34964584 |
Filed Date | 2007-07-26 |
United States Patent
Application |
20070171632 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Basile; Gianluigi |
July 26, 2007 |
Half-level light signaling device
Abstract
Half-level light signaling device is formed by a casing,
including a lower part, which houses electrical and/or electronic
circuits and at least one light source, and a cap protruding from
the ground and removably fastened to the lower part. The cap has at
least one aperture, to which a prism is connected, as to send
outwards a light beam produced by the light source. The signaling
device includes at least one antenna, embedded in the isolating
material making up the cap, and having the terminals accessible
from the lower part of the casing.
Inventors: |
Basile; Gianluigi; (Argelato
(Bologna), IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
WILLIAM J. SAPONE;COLEMAN SUDOL SAPONE P.C.
714 COLORADO AVENUE
BRIDGE PORT
CT
06605
US
|
Assignee: |
O.C.E.M. S.p.A.
S. Giorgio Di Piano
IT
40016
|
Family ID: |
34964584 |
Appl. No.: |
10/593991 |
Filed: |
March 18, 2005 |
PCT Filed: |
March 18, 2005 |
PCT NO: |
PCT/IB05/00712 |
371 Date: |
September 22, 2006 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
362/153.1 ;
404/22 |
Current CPC
Class: |
H05B 47/19 20200101;
H05B 47/22 20200101 |
Class at
Publication: |
362/153.1 ;
404/022 |
International
Class: |
E01F 9/00 20060101
E01F009/00; E01C 17/00 20060101 E01C017/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Mar 23, 2004 |
IT |
BO2004U 000025 |
Claims
1. Half-level light signaling device formed by a casing, including
a lower part, which houses electrical and/or electronic circuits
and at least one light source, and a cap protruding from the ground
and removably fastened to said lower part and having at least one
aperture, to which a prism is connected, so as to send outwards a
light beam produced by the light source, characterized in that it
includes at least one antenna, embedded in the isolating material
making up the cap, and having the terminals accessible from the
lower part of the casing.
2. Signaling device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
said cap is made of synthetic resin.
3. Signaling device, as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that
said prism is rigidly fastened to the cap.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to the technical field
concerning transmission of radio-frequency signals from light
sources, in particular from half-level signaling devices.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART
[0002] As it is known, such signaling devices include a casing
defined by a lower part embedded in the ground and a metallic cap
protruding from the casing and housing, in one or more separate
seats, suitable prisms for lighting of the surrounding area.
[0003] The power and control circuitry is situated in the part
embedded in the ground, in order to feed the light source and to
check its operational state and its physical integrity.
[0004] The cap is made of a material, which bears the continuative
action of the exogenous agents and of the mechanical stresses of
compression, caused by the passage of possible means.
[0005] These light sources usually constitute the loads of lighting
equipments of a certain extension and importance, which supply
airports or anyway areas, in which the operational continuity of
the above apparatuses is essential for security.
[0006] Thus, it is necessary to prepare a of radio-frequency
transmission system, which is safer, cheaper and more flexible than
a cable system (see EP1239704), which allows exchange of
information concerning the operational state of each element of the
system with other surrounding elements and with a suitable central
Unit. Therefore, each load must have an antenna for this
purpose.
[0007] As it is known, the half-level light signaling device is
made of metallic material, therefore the electromagnetic wave
emitted by the antenna possibly introduced into the casing would be
strongly weakened, and consequently the comprehensibility of the
information signal contained therein would be put at risk.
[0008] The degradation of the wave in input/output of the light
signaling device can be limited by a suitable housing of the
antenna made in the cap protruding from the ground, which mutually
isolates the metallic parts.
[0009] From the other side, the so obtained recess would require an
increase of the resulting thickness of the cap, needed to maintain
intact the mechanical compactness with respect to the known
solutions.
[0010] From one side, the above solution facilitates the signal
transmission, limiting its weakening to minimum, from the other
side, it is expensive and complicated because it requires, as it
has been noted, the definition of a suitable recess containing the
antenna in the metallic cap and of a suitable isolation system
between the antenna and the metallic part embedded in the
ground.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0011] The object of the present invention is to propose a
half-level signaling device, in which the cap--antenna assembly
allows a transmission/reception of the signal, free of any
weakening or deformation.
[0012] Another object of the present invention is to propose the
above cap--antenna assembly, which optimizes the isolation with
respect to the mass of the antenna and which does not jeopardize
the cap mechanical resistance. A further object of the present
invention is to propose a simple technical solution, which is easy
to realize and allows to reduce the production costs. The above
mentioned objects are obtained in accordance with the contents of
the claims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0013] The characteristic features of the invention will be pointed
out in the following description of some preferred but not
exclusive embodiments, with reference to the enclosed figures, in
which:
[0014] FIG. 1 is a top view of a cap for a half-level light
signaling device, proposed by the present invention;
[0015] FIG. 2 is a schematic section view taken along II-II of FIG.
1.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0016] Regarding the above Figures, the reference numeral 10
indicates a casing formed by a lower part 4, shown schematically
and embedded in the ground (for example road surface, aircrafts
runways, etc.) and the reference numeral 1 indicates the cap
protruding from the ground.
[0017] An antenna 2, connected to the cap 1, has terminals 5a and
5b connected to the circuitry situated in the lower part 4 of the
light signaling device, not shown, as it is known.
[0018] The cap includes one or more apertures 3a and 3b for housing
suitable prisms (not shown, as they are known), aimed at sending
relative light beams, generated by one or more lamps (not shown)
inserted in the lower part 4 of the casing, to the surrounding
area. The cap is obtained from a synthetic resin, by molding. In
particular, the antenna is introduced into the mold before the
molding operation, so that at the end it is completely dipped to
form one body with the cap.
[0019] The cap, made of metallic material, forms seats 9, which
receive means (not shown) for removably fastening the cap to the
lower part 4.
[0020] According to an interesting variant, besides the antenna,
also prisms can be introduced into the mold during the molding
operation.
[0021] The prisms are rigidly fastened to the cap, forming a single
body therewith.
[0022] The cap--antenna assembly, with the possible above described
variant, defines an extremely compact and rigid technical solution,
which allows a maximum reduction of the production costs.
[0023] Moreover, the isolating material constituted by synthetic
resin, which forms the cap ensures the best isolation and working
of the antenna, avoiding the weakening mentioned in the
introductory note.
[0024] A further advantage of the present invention lies in the
fact that it allows a perfect anchorage of the antenna with the cap
containing it, avoiding any relative movement between the two
considered elements, thus protecting it from external causes, such
as atmospheric agents and/or mechanical stresses.
[0025] The production of the prism by molding allows, during the
design step, the antenna to be situated very accurately, so as to
allow a prefixed irradiation angle for the transmission/reception
of the electromagnetic waves from/to the antenna.
[0026] It is understood that what above has been described as a
mere, not limiting example. Therefore, it is obvious that any
changes or variants applied thereto remain within the protective
scope defined by the following claims.
* * * * *