EP0391394B1 - Low voltage lighting system with conducting magnetic supports - Google Patents

Abstract

Two permanent magnets (10, 11), which are constructed as magnetic latches and have two terminal strips (12) serving as anti-rotation protection, are used in a low-voltage lighting system for the purpose of non-positive and electrically conducting connection of the lamp holders (4) on in each case two rails (2, 3) extending parallel at a distance. The holder is also used to connect the terminal leads to the conductor rails. <IMAGE>

Description

The invention relates to a low-voltage lighting system according to the preamble of claim 1.

In a low-voltage lighting system known from DE-A-34 46 045, consisting of two magnetizable busbars running parallel to one another, a transformer connected via connecting lines to the latter and a plurality of lamps displaceably arranged on the busbars, the arrangement of the lights should thereby be more flexible that its holder has two permanent magnets which are electrically insulated from one another by an insulating part and which cooperate with the busbars and which are electrically conductive and form the current connection between the busbars and the lamps. Brackets designed in this way can be easily detached from the busbars without tools and attached again at the desired new location.

While in this lighting system the lights can be easily moved on the power rails, in this system the connection of the connection lines to the power rails is still fixed, so that each pair of power rails requires its own connection lines.

Since the brackets always hang on the underside of the busbars with horizontally running busbars in this lighting system, the holding force of the permanent magnets must be so great that they can hold the weight of the bracket and the lamp attached to it securely.

Since the busbars are not covered and are therefore not insulated, care must also be taken to ensure that a short circuit does not occur due to the holder being inadvertently placed incorrectly on the busbars. In order to prevent this, a guide made of electrically non-conductive material projecting over the plane of the busbars was arranged between the busbars and the permanent magnets, which prevents the permanent magnets from being able to touch both busbars at the same time if they are inadvertently aligned transversely to the busbars.

The invention has for its object to design a low voltage lighting system of the type mentioned in such a way that the system can be handled more flexibly and is simpler. The object is achieved by the characterizing features of claim 1.

As a result of the measure of designing the holder as a bridge-like carrier which receives the permanent magnets and, for the releasable connection of the lamp and / or the connecting line to the conductor rails, the carrier is optionally placed on the front or rear of the conductor rail, A high degree of flexibility is achieved in that not only the lights but also the connecting lines can be arranged at any point on the busbars and several Schromschienen can be assembled into different lighting systems regardless of the connecting lines. Here, the arrangement of the busbars can either be adapted to changing spatial conditions, for example in showcases or shop windows, or can be selected on the basis of aesthetic considerations.

Furthermore, the brackets of the brackets can be placed on the top of the busbars at a distance from a ceiling or the underside of a shelf, so that the weight of the corresponding lamp is borne by the busbars and is not held by magnetic force. In this way, even heavier luminaires can be arranged without stronger permanent magnets, which merely ensure reliable electrical contact.

As a result of the further measure that the permanent magnets have at least one support element running parallel to the busbars and at least partially laterally abutting them, even without an additional guide arranged between the busbars it is achieved that the support of the holder is supported on the busbars in a rotationally secure manner and thus is always precisely aligned. Due to the fact that the length of the permanent magnets and support elements is shorter than the mutual distance between the busbars, one and the same permanent magnets and support elements can never touch both busbars simultaneously without further aids, so that there is no risk of a short circuit.

Advantageous further developments of the low-voltage lighting system are specified in the subclaims. Of particular advantage is the measure specified in claim 4, according to which the permanent magnets and the paired pole strips of magnetic snappers, i.e. are formed by locking elements for doors commercially available in furniture construction. The magnetic snappers can be attached to the carrier without any modifications or special adaptation measures, as a result of which they enable the holder to be constructed in a particularly simple manner.

Fig.1

das vollständige Leuchtensystem;

Fig.2

eine Ansicht eines Abstandshalter für zwei Stromschienen;

Fig.3

eine Schnittdarstellung einer Halterung für eine Leuchte gemäß Linie III-III in Fig.1

Fig.4

eine Schnittdarstellung einer Halterung für die Anschlußleitungen;

Fig.5

eine Seitenansicht der Halterung nach Fig.4 und

Fig.6

eine vergrößerte Schnittdarstellung eines mit einem Dauermagnet versehenen Abschnittes einer Halterung.

Das Niederspannungsleuchtensystem weist wenigstens zwei durch zwei Abstandhalter 1 in einem feststehenden gegenseitigen Abstand A parallel zueinander verlaufende Stromschienen 2,3 auf, die aus verchromtem Stahlrohr bestehen und somit sowohl magnetisierbar als auch elektrisch leitfähig sind. Das Leuchtensystem enthält ferner eine Halterung 4 zur lösbaren Verbindung einer Leuchte 5 mit den Stromschienen 2,3 sowie eine Halterung 6 zur lösbaren Verbindung von Anschlußleitungen 7 eines Netztransformators 8 mit den Stromschienen 2,3.The invention is explained with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawing.
Show it:

Fig. 1

the complete lighting system;

Fig. 2

a view of a spacer for two busbars;

Fig. 3

a sectional view of a holder for a lamp according to line III-III in Fig.1

Fig. 4

a sectional view of a holder for the connecting lines;

Fig. 5

a side view of the bracket of Figure 4 and

Fig. 6

an enlarged sectional view of a portion provided with a permanent magnet of a holder.

The low-voltage lighting system has at least two busbars 2, 3 which run parallel to one another by two spacers 1 at a fixed mutual spacing A and which are made of chromed steel tubing and are therefore both magnetizable and electrically conductive. The lighting system also contains a holder 4 for the detachable connection of a lamp 5 to the busbars 2, 3 and a holder 6 for the detachable connection of connecting lines 7 of a power transformer 8 to the busbars 2, 3.

The holder 4 has a carrier 9 bridging the distance A, in which two permanent magnets 10, 11 are embedded. The permanent magnets 10, 11 are fixedly arranged in the carrier 9 either by gluing or by tight fitting tolerances. The permanent magnets 10, 11 have two pole strips 12 which project outwards and inwards and which are arranged in parallel and at a mutual distance from one another and which are not only magnetizable but also electrically conductive. The mutual distance between the permanent magnets 10, 11 is selected so that the support 9 is supported by the pair of pole strips 12 from the busbars 2, 3.

Here, the two pole strips 12 of each pair of pole strips are symmetrical to the associated busbar 2 or 3, each pole strip touching the busbar at a spacing from a vertical plane passing through the longitudinal axis of the busbar. As a result of this arrangement of the pole bars 12 on the busbars 2, 3, the pole bars 12, in conjunction with the holding force of the permanent magnets 10, 11, result in a partially positive and partially non-positive guidance, as a result of which the holder 4 sits firmly and securely on the busbars 2,3 .

The length L of the permanent magnets 10, 11 essentially corresponds to the length of the pole strips 12 and is shorter than the distance A of the busbars 2, 3.

A contact plate 13, which connects them to each other in an electrically conductive manner, is soldered onto the inner ends of the pairs of pole strips. Each contact plate 13 is connected to a current-carrying cable 14, 15. The cables 14, 15 are inserted through a threaded nipple 16 screwed onto the support 9 and lead to a version of the lamp 5 (not shown) 14.15 covers.

The bracket 6 is constructed essentially the same as the bracket 4. It is only on the support 9 instead of the threaded nipple 16, a cable bushing 18 is arranged, which serves as a strain relief for the two connecting lines 7 with the aid of a threaded pin 19.

Claims (4)

1. Low voltage lighting system, comprising at least two bus bars (2,3), connection lines (7) between the bus bars (2,3), and a source of current (8), at least one light (5) together with at least one holder (4; 6) for the force-locking and electrical connection of two system elements, the holder (4; 6) having two permanent magnets (10,11), which are electrically insulated from each other and are provided with electrically conductive material, characterised in that the holder (4,6) has a bridge-like carrier (9), which accommodates the permanent magnets (10,11) and is selectively mountable on the front or rear side of the bus bars (2,3), for the detachable connection of the lights (5) and/or of the connection lines (7) to the bus bars (2,3), in that, for the non-rotatable and short- circuit-free connection to the bus bars (2,3), the permanent magnets (10,11) have at least one support means (12), which extends parallel to these bus bars (2, 3) and abuts at least laterally against said bus bars, and in that the length (L) of the permanent magnets (10,11) and of the support means (12) is shorter than the mutual spacing (A) between the bus bars (2,3).
2. Low voltage lighting system according to claim 1, characterised in that the permanent magnets (10,11) each comprise at least one protruding electrically conductive terminal bar (12) as support means, and in that the terminal bars (12) are connected by connection lines (14,15) indirectly to the socket of the lights (5) or directly to the connection lines (7) leading to the source of current (8).
3. Low voltage lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the bus bars have a substantially circular cross-section, characterised in that each permanent magnet (10,11) has, as support means, two projecting electrically conductive terminal bars (12), which are disposed adjacent and parallel to each other with a spacing therebetween, the mutual spacing between said terminal bars corresponding substantially to half the diameter of the bus bars (2,3), the terminal bars (12), which are arranged in pairs, being jointly connected by connection lines (14,15) indirectly to the socket of the lights (5) or directly to the connection lines (7) leading to the source of current (3).
4. Low voltage lighting system according to claim 3, characterised in that the permanent magnets (10,11) and the terminal bars (12), which are arranged in pairs, are formed from magnet impulse starters.

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