DE20314228U1 - Illuminated tile has transparent and/or opaque material on at least part of top, and edge region on which LEDs are arranged in light conducting contact with transparent material of tile - Google Patents

Abstract

The device consists at least partly on the top of transparent and/or opaque material and has an edge region on which the illumination devices such as LEDs (5) are arranged in light conducting contact with the transparent material of the tile. The entire tile apart from the edge region can consist of transparent and/or opaque material. The tile has an opaque underside. The transparent and/or opaque material is glass.

Description

»I I *P. 2003

u Z · H 2331 GM-DE VOSSIUS & PARTNER

Case:SB/Krö "SÄ"*

S?M ^ler u ^Rie if" P ^m M ^{H ? β1?7?} MUNICH

Muhlacker, Germany

Illuminated tile

The present invention relates to tiles or slabs for laying on floors, walls or other surfaces with integrated lighting devices so that transparent or opaque parts of the tile can be illuminated.

Usually, the design options for tiles are limited to the shape, the use of different materials or decorations on the front of the tiles. DE 43 00 819 discloses a ceramic tile for walls or floors with a light strip that is used, for example, to mark floor and wall surfaces. This tile has a light strip with an electro-luminescent element that is embedded in a strip made of a translucent, electrically insulated plastic.

DE 199 17 401 discloses a flat lighting fixture consisting of a plurality of LEDs which are arranged on at least one circuit board and electrically connected to one another, wherein the circuit board is arranged between two plates, wherein at least one plate has openings corresponding to the arrangement of the LEDs.

The present invention is based on the object of providing a tile with a relatively low construction height, which allows new design and lighting options through lighting devices integrated into the tile. Such light effect tiles are used in particular for beautification or decoration, but can also be used as an orientation aid or for marking.

The problem is solved with the features of the protection claims.

The invention is based on the basic idea of providing a tile that consists partially or completely of a transparent and/or opaque material and has at least one lighting device integrated in the tile, which is in light-conducting contact with the transparent and/or opaque material, so that the transparent and/or opaque elements of the tile can be illuminated by the lighting device. Preferably, a large part of the surface consists of the transparent and/or opaque material in order to obtain a uniformly illuminated surface of the tile. In other embodiments of the invention, the surface only partially consists of the transparent and/or opaque material, which can be used to create luminous patterns, for example. The transparent and/or opaque material is preferably glass, acrylic glass or other transparent and/or opaque plastic compounds that make it possible to produce a light effect tile according to the invention inexpensively and easily. However, other transparent materials are also conceivable.

The lighting device is preferably energy-saving and long-lasting light-emitting diodes (LEDs) available in many colors, which are preferably operated with low electrical voltages and currents and are therefore harmless, which means that the light effect tiles according to the invention can also be laid in wet rooms or outdoors. In addition to a low installation height, the LED technology enables different light colors, which can be changed by controlling the LEDs accordingly. Furthermore, the LEDs are insensitive to vibrations and do not emit UV light, so that insect infestation is avoided.

Preferably, at least one LED is cast in transparent synthetic resin and brought into light-conducting contact with the transparent and/or opaque parts of the tile along an outer side of the tile, whereby the transparent and/or opaque parts of the light effect tile conduct, reflect and are thus illuminated by the emitted light when the LEDs are switched on.

The LEDs attached to the outer edge are preferably covered on the surface of the tile with a cover or cover made of a thin material, for example metal, plastic, foil or laminate, so that the lighting source itself is not visible when the surface is viewed and only the transparent and/or opaque surface parts of the tiles emit the light. This results in indirect lighting, so that any design is possible. In another embodiment of the invention, however, it is conceivable that the lighting device consists of light-conducting fibers and at least one light source, wherein the light-conducting fibers are preferably laid near the peripheral outer edges and are in light-conducting contact with the transparent and/or opaque surfaces of the tiles and the light source, which is in light-conducting contact with the light-conducting fibers, can be installed outside the tiles. Furthermore, the lighting device can be integrated into tiles that are essentially rectangular or square, as well as into tiles with curved edges, in particular into tiles with any tile shape, as sold by Steuler Fliesen GmbH.

The term "tiles" in the sense of the present invention should not only include ceramic tiles but also any other type of tile, such as stone slabs (marble, granite, etc.), wood slabs, metal slabs or the like, which are suitable for designing interior and exterior areas of any facility.

The present invention is described below by way of example using a preferred embodiment with reference to the drawings.

Show it:

Fig. 1a is a schematic representation of a first tile according to the invention in front view with a corrugated outer edge and lighting elements on the lower edge;

Fig. 1b is a schematic representation of a covering of the first tile according to the invention;

Fig. 2a is a schematic representation of a tile according to the invention in front view;

Fig. 2b is a schematic representation of a second circuit board according to the invention in plan view in a rectangular embodiment;

Fig. 3a is a schematic representation of another tile according to the invention in front view;

Fig. 3b is a plan view of the tile shown in Fig. 3a;

Fig. 4a is a schematic front view of another tile according to the invention with illuminable glass cubes; and

Fig. 4b is a schematic sectional view of a tile according to the invention as shown in Fig. 4a.

The light effect tile according to the invention shown in Fig. 1a consists essentially of a transparent, opaque or satin or matte surface 1, which preferably consists of glass, plexiglass or plastic, and a deep-drawn part 7, which is preferably attached to the edge area of the outer edge of the tile. The deep-drawn part 7 preferably has several lighting elements, which in the embodiment shown are light-emitting diodes 5 (LEDs). The LEDs 5 are preferably cast in the deep-drawn part in a translucent material, such as glass, plastic or resins. This material is preferably relatively hard, e.g. Shore D1, UV-resistant to discoloration, seawater-resistant and/or high-voltage-resistant. Furthermore, this material should harden to be crystal clear and bubble-free. Suitable reflectors are preferably built into the deep-drawn part in order to emit or distribute the light from the LEDs in a suitable manner.

The translucent casting compound is in light-conducting contact with the surface 1, which causes the surface to glow when the LEDs are switched on. The surface 1 is preferably satined or roughened in order to achieve uniform lighting over the entire surface. Inside the deep-drawn part, the LEDs 5 are electrically connected to one another, with plug connections 6 being attached to the side of the deep-drawn part for electrical connection to adjacent tiles or the power supply. For mechanical protection, the deep-drawn part 7 is covered with a border or cover 8, which is preferably made of stainless steel, whereby the border or cover is preferably made of steel, stainless steel, brushed stainless steel or plastic and is permanently mounted on the deep-drawn part 7, which is achieved, for example, by an adhesive, rivet, screw or plug connection. In order to obtain special lighting effects and different colors, it is possible to use colored, transparent material such as colored glass for the surface 1 or transparent glass combined with colored LEDs or lighting elements. The light-emitting diodes are preferably electrically connected to one another within the deep-drawn part in order to supply all light-emitting diodes with power using only two connections on the plug connection 6.

The LEDs preferred according to the invention have the advantage that they have a high light output and a long service life and are operated with low voltages that are not dangerous for humans. This has the advantage that the light effect tiles according to the invention can be laid in wet rooms, bathrooms or even under water, such as in a swimming pool. In another embodiment according to the invention (not shown), optical fibers are laid inside the deep-drawn part 7, which end in a plug connection and are illuminated by a light source mounted outside the tile. This embodiment has the advantage that the tile does not contain any wearing parts. The embodiment of the tile shown in Fig. 1a is a tile with wavy outer edges. According to the invention, the outer edge of the tile can have any desired course or shape, such as in the example shown in Fig. 2.

rectangular border tile shown in Fig. 4a or rectangular tile shown in Fig. 4a.

The rectangular tile shown in Fig. 2a again has the transparent, patinated surface 1, whereby the area on the outer edge with the integrated lighting device is covered by the border or cover 8. In this embodiment according to the invention, SMD LEDs 10 are attached in an electrically conductive manner to the circuit board 9, which is shown in a top view in Fig. 2b. The circuit board 9 with the SMD LEDs 10 mounted on it is shown in dashed lines in the side view below the border in Fig. 2a. In this embodiment, the entire circuit board with the LEDs in the deep-drawn part is cast in a translucent composite mass and is therefore particularly suitable for installation in damp rooms. The circuit board with the LEDs mounted on it makes it possible to mount additional electrical circuits or control electronics for the lighting elements.

Fig. 3a also shows, like Fig. 2a, a rectangular tile with integrated lighting devices covered by the cover 8.

Fig. 3b shows a top view of the tile, in which the circuit board 9 with the SMD LEDs is shown in dashed lines and the cover 8 can be seen.

The tile shown in Fig. 4a, which for the most part has an opaque and thus non-luminous surface 3, has, however, a transparent or satin-finished surface 1 in some places, which is illuminated by a lighting device that is integrated in the tile. Fig. 4b shows a side cross-sectional view of the tile with the integrated lighting device, which has the light-emitting diodes 5 as a light source and additionally has the control electronics 11 for controlling the light-emitting diodes.

Claims (21)

1. Tile with at least one lighting device, characterized in that the tile consists at least partially of transparent and/or opaque material on the upper side and has an edge region on an outer edge of the tile, wherein the lighting device is attached to the edge region and is in light-conducting contact with the transparent material of the tile. 2. Tile according to claim 1, wherein the entire tile except the edge region consists of transparent and/or opaque material. 3. Tile according to claim 1, wherein the entire surface except in the region of the edge area consists of transparent and/or opaque material. 4. A tile according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the tile has an opaque underside. 5. A tile according to claim 1, 2, 3 or 4, wherein the transparent and/or opaque material is glass. 6. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the lighting device is integrated in the wall tile in a watertight manner. 7. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the lighting device is embedded in the edge region in a translucent, electrically insulating plastic. 8. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the lighting device is covered by a cover or panel on the top of the tile. 9. A tile according to claim 8, wherein the cover or panel is made of metal. 10. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lighting device comprises at least one electric light source. 11. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lighting device has at least two electric light sources which emit light in different wavelengths. 12. A tile according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode. 13. Tile according to claim 12, wherein the light-emitting diode is an SMD LED. 14. A tile according to claim 12 or 13, wherein the light-emitting diode emits light in at least two different wavelengths. 15. Tile according to one of claims 10 to 14, wherein the tile has a plug connection at the two outer ends of the edge region for supplying power to the light sources. 16. Tile according to claim 15, wherein the plug connections of two adjacent tiles can be plugged together in an electrically conductive manner. 17. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the lighting element comprises light-conducting elements which are in light-conducting contact with the transparent surface. 18. A tile according to claim 17, wherein the light-conducting elements conduct light from at least one external light source. 19. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 18, wherein at least one outer edge is designed in the form of a pattern, in particular as a snake, wave, zigzag and/or sawtooth line. 20. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the back of the transparent and/or opaque material is provided with a preferably white covering layer. 21. Tile according to one of claims 1 to 20, wherein reflectors are provided in the region of the lighting device for uniform illumination of the transparent or opaque material.