EP0469178B1 - Lighting system - Google Patents

Abstract

A lighting system consisting of tubetracks or lighting trunking of variable configuration is specified which makes use of connecting nodes for an arrangement of tubetrack or lighting trunking segments in a spatial lattice. In order, on the one hand, to ensure high flexibility with respect to the spatial arrangement of such a lighting system and, on the other hand, to enable optimisation of its configuration in terms of lighting engineering, it is proposed to provide as connecting node (1) a tube length (1.1) which is arranged perpendicular to the arrangement of the tubetrack and lighting trunking segments (2) in a spatial lattice and has arranged along the tube length (1.1) ring flanges (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5) having ring lugs (1.21, 1.41, 1.51), and to configure the tubetrack or lighting trunking segments (2) that are to be held via adaptors (3) on the connecting node (1) as throat-shaped ring lug abutments (3.13, 3.14, 3.21) with respect to the free ends of their adaptors (3), so that the tubetrack or lighting trunking segments (2) can be held at any point on the circumference of the connecting node (1). <IMAGE>

Description

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

Luminaire systems using space trusses made of light tubes and connecting nodes are known, for example, from reference EP 0 018 005 A1. The connecting nodes used here consist of rectangular connecting pieces which have tubular connecting flanges on two or more sides for connecting to light pipes.

Apart from the fact that such connecting pieces are only suitable for the mutual connection of light tubes, the angles at which the light tubes can be connected to the connecting pieces are hereby predetermined. For lighting systems made of light tubes or light strips in conjunction with connecting nodes, this represents a considerable restriction with regard to the possibilities of their spatial design.

This limitation has considerable disadvantages in particular if high demands are placed on economical lighting using optimal lighting technology for a lighting system for illuminating a room. The realization of these requirements sets namely assuming that combinations of light tubes and light strips with different lights (linear light, spot light) are possible in conjunction with connection nodes and that light tube sections and / or light strip parts can also be held at a connection node at practically any mutual angle.

From DE-A1-30 14 241 a device for connecting lights to light strips or light strip figures is known. In this known device, a central connecting piece, provided with means for fastening to the ceiling, is provided, on which the lamp housing can be hooked over the entire ring circumference with attachment pieces which can be fastened to it on the end face. Only a hint can be seen that supply lines for the lights coupled to one another via the connecting piece can be led through the hollow interior of the connecting piece.

Furthermore, from FR-A-2 635 849 an arrangement of light strips or light strip sections in a space framework using certain coupling pieces is known. In the present context, an embodiment for the coupling piece is of particular interest, in which the coupling-side end of a connecting piece is designed as a ball joint. This coupling piece, which is formed from two half-shells clamped to one another, has lateral fillets for receiving the ball joint of the intermediate piece. This known arrangement also discloses a possibility for the protected routing of connecting lines for the lamps of the light strips. The coupling piece itself and the connecting pieces of the light band parts including the respective ball joint have axial cavities into which these supply lines can be threaded.

The invention is based on the object, starting from a lighting system of the type mentioned, to provide a further solution which allows light strip sections to be held at suitable junctions in a practically freely selectable angle of their mutual alignment at a connection node and, at the same time, electrical lines are also operationally reliable via this connection respectively.

This object is achieved according to the invention by the features specified in the characterizing part of patent claim 1.

The design of the connecting node as a piece of pipe oriented perpendicular to the truss level with ring flanges distributed over its length and having ring anchors makes it extremely advantageously possible to use light strip sections via intermediate pieces which are designed at their free open, tapered end to form a ring anchor counter-bearing that encompasses the ring anchor , freely selectable over 360 ° around the circumference with their ring anchor counter bearings on the ring flanges. Furthermore, the connection node according to the invention is not only a structurally load-bearing connecting piece for light bands or light band parts coupled above it, but at the same time allows an elegant and technically perfect line routing of different electrical lines in individual, ie. H. shielded channels. This is particularly important if - as in the case of modern office equipment - in addition to connecting lines to the normal network, communication cables and the like are also to be routed via the trunking system. For electrical reasons, certain installation rules must then be observed to prevent undesired electromagnetic coupling between the individual lines.

As is known, for reasons of operational safety, stipulated and prescribed installation rules must be observed, which not only offer protection against accidental contact, but are also intended, if appropriate, to prevent undesired electromagnetic coupling between the individual lines.

Advantageous applications and refinements of the subject matter according to claim 1 are specified in further claims.

Fig. 1

ein erstes Ausführungsbeispiel für die Halterung von zwei Lichtbandteilstücke darstellenden Schienenstrangkörpern an einem auf einem Standrohr gehalterten Verbindungsknoten,

Fig. 2

ein weiteres Ausführungsbeispiel von zwei Schienenstrangkörper darstellenden Lichtbandteilstücken an einem an einer Seilaufhängung befestigten Verbindungsknoten,

Fig. 3

eine nähere Einzelheiten aufweisende Darstellung eines Verbindungsknotens mit einem hieran gehalterten, einen Schienenstrangkörper darstellenden Lichtbandteilstück entsprechend Fig. 1,

Fig. 4

das einen Schienenstrangkörper mit dem Verbindungsknoten verbindende Zwischenstück nach den Fig. 1 bis 3 in Explosionsdarstellung,

Fig. 5

einen senkrechten Teilschnitt durch einen Verbindungsknoten mit hieran befestigtem Zwischenstück für einen Schienenstrangkörper,

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht eines aus Rohrstück und Ringflanschen bestehenden Verbindungsknotens nach den Fig. 1 bis 3 und 5.

Exemplary embodiments of the invention are described in more detail below with reference to the drawing, in which:

Fig. 1

1 shows a first exemplary embodiment for the mounting of two rail track bodies representing light strip sections on a connecting node held on a standpipe,

Fig. 2

1 a further exemplary embodiment of two light line sections representing rail track bodies on a connecting node fastened to a cable suspension,

Fig. 3

1 shows a more detailed illustration of a connection node with a light strip section corresponding to FIG. 1, which is held there and represents a rail track body,

Fig. 4

1 to 3 in an exploded view, connecting a rail track body with the connecting node,

Fig. 5

a vertical partial section through a connecting node with an attached intermediate piece for a rail track body,

Fig. 6

a side view of a connecting piece consisting of pipe and ring flanges according to FIGS. 1 to 3 and 5.

The section of a lighting system shown in perspective in FIG. 1 shows a connection node 1 with a stand holder 4, which essentially consists of a standpipe 4.1, the upper end of which is closed by the connection node 1. Two light band sections in the form of rail track bodies 2 are held at the connection node 1 at a mutual acute angle. For this purpose, the rail track bodies 2 have fork-shaped intermediate pieces 3 at their ends near the nodes, which are held on the side of the union of the two fork branches 3.0 on the connecting node 1.

A partial section of a lighting system according to FIG. 2, comparable to FIG. 1, differs essentially from the partial section 1 in that the connecting node 1 is not held on the top of a standpipe 4.1, but is attached to a ceiling, not shown in FIG. 2, via a cable suspension 5.

1 and 2 each consist of two support rails 2.1 which are arranged in parallel at a predetermined distance and which are designed on site by installing modular components to form rail section bodies 2.

In FIG. 1, the upper rail track body 2 on the side of the intermediate piece 3 initially has a closed empty section GLA, to which a radiator SR1 is then connected, which represents a downward point light source. In contrast to this, the upper rail track body 2 in FIG. 2 on the side of the intermediate piece 3 initially has an emitter SR2 with an upward point light source, which is then followed by a closed empty section GLA. The respective lower rail track bodies 2 in the illustration of FIGS. 1 and 2 are designed as open empty sections OLA.

The two rail track bodies 2 according to FIGS. 1 and 2 can be held in a freely selectable manner over 360 ° on the circumference of the connecting node 1. The mutual angle between the two rail track bodies can thus be freely selected within wide limits. This fact is made possible by the special structural design of the connection node 1, to which the free ends of the intermediate pieces 3 are adapted in terms of bracket. This constructive design of the connection node (1) including the intermediate piece (3) will now be explained in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3 to 6.

FIG. 3 shows a connecting node 1 which is lifted from the standpipe 4.1 of the stand holder 4 and on which a rail track body 2 is held via the intermediate piece 3. 3 also shows a section of the wall covering 19 lifted off the connecting node 1.

The connection node 1 consists of a pipe section 1.1, which is covered at its upper end with a holding plate 1.2 in a position concentric with the pipe section. This holding plate 1.2 is in the manner of an upper ring flange over the pipe section 1.1 roof-like and has on its outer edge a ring anchor 1.21 in the form of an upwardly open channel. The pipe section 1.1 has, viewed from the top down, at predetermined intervals ring flanges 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5, the flange diameter of which, based on the diameter of the holding plate 1.2, decrease from top to bottom so that the connecting node 1 receives a cone contour.

As the vertical section V / V, which is shown in FIG. 5, further shows, the pipe section 1.1 has in its pipe axis a continuous pipe bushing 1.11, which is connected to the pipe wall by also continuous connecting webs 1.12. The connecting webs 1.12 result through their helical arrangement winding around the pipe bushing separate pipe channels 1.14, 1.15 and 1.16, which serve for the separate routing of cables and lines.

The holding plate 1.2 has a central opening 1.22 for inserting a fastening screw 1.10. The fastening screw 1.10 passing through the pipe bushing finds its counter thread at the upper end of the pipe bushing 4.11 in the standpipe 4.1 or, in the case of a cable suspension, as shown in FIG. 5, in a threaded bushing 1.01 of a cover 1.0 covering the pipe section 1.1 from below. In this way, the fastening screw 1.10 on the one hand holds the holding plate 1.2 with the upper end of the pipe section 1.1 and on the other hand either the connection node 1 on the standpipe 4.1 or the cover 1.0 on the underside of the pipe section 1.1.

The tube bushing 4.12 in the standpipe 4.1 is, as shown in FIG. 3, also connected to the tube wall via three connecting webs 4.12. In this way, three separate pipe channels 4.13, 4.14 and 4.15 for guiding lines and cables are also realized in the standpipe 4.1.

For holding the intermediate piece 3 on the connection node 1, the holding plate 1.2 has an annular anchor 2.12 on the outer edge. The ring flange 1.4, which is the second lowest ring flange, also has an inner ring flange 1.14 on the upper side, which together with the pipe wall of the pipe section 1.1 results in an upwardly open channel. Similarly, the lowermost ring flange 1.5 has an inner ring anchor 1.51, which together with the pipe wall of the pipe section 1.1 results in a downwardly open channel.

The wall cladding 1.9, which is particularly shown as a section in FIG. 5, clad the connecting node 1, provided that this cladding has not already been carried out by the intermediate pieces 3 of the rail track body 2 held on the connecting node 1. Here, the upper locking teeth 1.19 of the wall cladding 1.9 engage the ring anchor 1.21 of the holding plate 1.2, the lower locking teeth the ring anchor 1.15 of the lowest ring flange 1.5.

The holding plate 1.2 and the ring flanges 1.3, 1.4 and 1.5 together form three ring channels 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8 arranged one above the other. These ring channels are completed by the held intermediate pieces of the rail track body 2 or by the wall cladding 1.9 to form closed ring channels, which in turn can be used for separate cable and line routing. For this purpose, as the side view of the connection node 1 according to FIG. 6 shows, an opening 1.13 is provided in the pipe wall of the pipe section 1.1 at the level of one of the three ring channels 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, each of the three ring channels 1.6, 1.7 and 1.8 with a the pipe channels 1.14, 1.15 and 1.16 connects. Each of the three ring channels can thus be combined with each of the three pipe channels of the pipe section 1.1 to form a separate cable channel.

Before the holder of the intermediate piece 3 of a rail strand body 2 at the connecting node 1 is discussed in more detail with reference to FIG. 5, the structural details of the intermediate piece 3 will first be discussed with reference to FIG. 4.

As has already been pointed out, the intermediate piece 3 according to FIGS. 1 to 5 has a fork-shaped design, the fork branches 3.0 of which, both in terms of their mutual spacing and in terms of their cross section, are adapted to the cross section of the support rails 2.1 of the rail track body 2. Such a fork-shaped design of the intermediate piece 3 is of course not necessary if light strip sections are designed as rectangular light rails or as light tubes instead of in the form of a rail track body. In this case, the intermediate piece has a triangular or circular sector shape tapering towards the free end in a corresponding adaptation to the cross section of the light tube or the light rail.

The intermediate piece 3, regardless of its adaptation to the light strip section end, is hollow in any case and, as indicated in FIG. 4, expediently consists of a base plate 3.1 with intermediate walls 3.11 and 3.12 fastened thereon in an orientation perpendicular to the base plate 3.1, and one Base plate 3.1 with its partitions 3.11 and 3.12 hood 3.2 covering from above. With the aid of the intermediate walls 3.11 and 3.12, the intermediate piece 3 has three separate channel chambers for cable and line routing that are separate from one another and open to the front and rear, not shown in FIG. 4.

On the side of the free open end of the intermediate piece 3, the base plate 3.1 has a first ring anchor counter bearing 3.13. Above this ring anchor counter bearing 3.13, a clamping plate 3.14 is releasably held on a support column 3.16 by means of a fastening screw 3.15, which also represents a ring anchor counter bearing. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the base plate 3.1 of the intermediate piece 3 with its front ring anchor counter bearing 3.13 engages behind the ring anchor 1.51 of the lower ring flange 1.5 and the clamping plate 3.14 with its front edge engages the ring anchor 1.41 of the ring flange 1.4. The clamping plate 1.14 is clamped against the ring anchor 1.41 and the ring anchor counter bearing 3.13 against the ring anchor 1.51 of the ring flanges 1.4 and 1.5 by means of the fastening screw 1.15.

The hood 3.2 placed on the base plate 3.1 from above is fastened by means of a screw 3.23, which, passed through an opening 3.22 in the hood 3.2, engages in the end thread of a further support column 3.17 held on the base plate 3.1 on the base plate 3.1. It has at its front open end, at the top, a further ring anchor counter bearing 3.21, with which, as the sectional drawing in FIG. 5 shows, it engages behind the ring anchor 1.21 of the holding plate 1.2 and is thereby braced.

As can still be seen in FIG. 4, the intermediate walls 3.12 each have a tab 3.121 protruding beyond the base plate 3.1 on the ends of the fork branches 3.0. With these tabs, the intermediate piece 3 is attached to the support walls 2.11 of the mounting rails 2.1 of the rail track body 2. For this purpose, screw openings (not shown in more detail) are provided in the tabs and the ends of the support walls 2.11 assigned to them.

Claims (15)

1. Lighting system made of continuous rows of luminaires of variable design, in which system, for an arrangement of sections (2) of continuous rows of luminaires in a space frame in which said sections (2) are aligned at freely selectable angles to one another, provision is made of at least one common coupler (1) whose axis is aligned at right angles to the sections (2) of continuous rows of luminaires to be held and which has a groove-like ring anchor (1.21), and in which system the sections (2) of continuous rows of luminaires change at their end near the coupler into a hollow intermediate piece (3) which is tapered at least one-dimensionally towards this end, and also has at this end a ring anchor mating piece (3.13) with which the intermediate piece (3) is detachably held in the ring anchor (1.21) of the coupler (1) in a freely selectable ring sector section, characterized in that the coupler (1) has a coaxially aligned tube piece (1.1) which has, at least in the region of its upper and lower end, ring flanges (1.2, 1.5) each having a groove-like ring anchor (1.21, 1.51), and further ring flanges (1.3, 1.4), distributed over its length, whose interspaces form ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8), which are open in the radial direction but separated from one another in the axial direction, for the individual accommodation of electrical leads, and in that the end, near the coupler, of the intermediate piece (3) is designed as a ring anchor mating bearing (3.13, 3.14, 3.21) which engages in the form of a pincer around the ring anchor (1.21, 1.51).
2. Lighting system according to Claim 1, characterized

   - in that, like the tube piece (1.1), the cavity of the intermediate piece (3) is likewise divided by partitions (3.11, 3.12) into channel chambers, open at both ends of the intermediate piece (3), for the individual accommodation of electrical leads and

   - in that these channel chambers are connected, on the one hand, on the side of the free open end of the intermediate piece (3) in each case to at least one of the ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8) and, on the other hand, on the side of the section (2) of continuous rows of luminaires which is connected hereto, in each case to one of a plurality of channels provided for the individual laying of electrical leads.
3. Lighting system according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized

   - in that the tube piece (1.1) has on its tube axis a continuous tube bush (1.11) which is connected to the tube wall by likewise continuous connecting webs (1.12),

   - in that the ring flange (1.2) which has a ring anchor (1.21) is designed, at the upper end of the tube piece (1.1), as a holding plate (1.2) which covers the upper end face of the said tube piece and projects on all sides beyond the tube wall and

   - in that a fastening screw (1.10) is provided which, engaging through a central opening (1.22) of the holding plate (1.2) and the tube bush (1.11) is used, on the one hand, to brace the holding plate (1.2) with the upper end face of the tube piece (1.1) and, on the other hand, to fasten the tube piece (1.1), via its lower end face, to a stand-mount (4) or to a cover (1.0) covering the lower end face of the tube piece (1.1).
4. Lighting system according to Claim 3, characterized

   - in that the connecting webs (1.12) of the tube bush (1.11) divide the tube interior into separate tube channels (1.14, 1.15, 1.16) and

   - in that openings (1.13) are provided in the tube wall, via which openings the tube channels (1.14, 1.15, 1.16) are connected to the ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8).
5. Lighting system according to Claim 3 or 4, characterized

   - in that the connecting webs (1.12) of the tube bush (1.11) divide the tube interior of the tube piece (1.1) into separate tube channels (1.14, 1.15, 1.16) which wind helically around the tube bush (1.11).
6. Lighting system according to one of Claims 3, 4 or 5, characterized

   - in that the tube piece (1.1) has an equal number of ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8) and tube channels (1.14, 1.15, 1.16) and

   - in that in each case a ring channel (1.6, 1.7, 1.8) and a tube channel (1.14, 1.15, 1.16) are connected to each other via one of the openings (1.13) in the tube wall.
7. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, in which system the coupler (1) is fastened to a stand-mount (4), characterized

   - in that the stand-mount (4) essentially consists of a stand-pipe (4.1) which is matched to the diameter of the tube piece (1.1) and whose upper end is extended by the tube piece (1.1) of the coupler (1) placed on it and fastened to it.
8. Lighting system according to Claim 7, characterized

   - in that the stand-pipe (4.1) for holding the coupler (1) has on its tube axis a tube bush (4.11) with connecting webs (4.12) towards the tube wall which has, on the side of the coupler (1), a threaded bush for the accommodation of a fastening screw (1.10).
9. Lighting system according to Claim 8, characterized

   - in that the tube interior of the stand-pipe (4.1) is divided, by connecting webs (4.12) between tube bush (4.11) and tube wall, into at least two separate tube channels (4.13, 4.14, 4.15).
10. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

    - in that the number of ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8) and tube channels (1.14, 1.15, 1.16) of the coupler (1) is equal to the number of tube channels (4.13, 4.14, 4.15) of the stand-pipe (4.1).
11. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

    - in that the coupler (1), made up of the tube piece (1.1) with holding plate (1.2) and ring flanges (1.3, 1.4, 1.5) or ring flanges (1.2, 1.3, 1.4, 1.5), has a cone shape which tapers from top to bottom.
12. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

    - in that the ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8), open per se, of the coupler (1), insofar as they are not covered by the intermediate pieces (3) of the sections (2.1) of continuous rows of luminaires held on the coupler (1), are completed by latchable wall covers (1.9), preferably having a shutter structure, to form closed ring channels (1.6, 1.7, 1.8).
13. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

    - in that the hollow intermediate piece (3) consists of a lower part with a baseplate (3.1) carrying the partitions (3.11, 3.12) for the division of its internal space into channel chambers, a hood (3.2) covering the baseplate (3.1) with the partitions (3.11, 3.12) from above and means (3.17, 3.23) for the detachable fastening of the hood (3.2) to the baseplate (3.1).
14. Lighting system according to Claim 13 characterized

    - in that the baseplate (3.1) has, on the side of the free open end of the intermediate piece (3), a ring anchor mating bearing (3.13) and a clamping plate (3.14), which is arranged detachably above this ring anchor mating bearing (3.13) and also represents a ring anchor mating bearing, for the non-positive holding of the baseplate (3.1) between the two lowest ring flanges (1.4, 1.5) of the tube piece (1.1) and

    - in that the hood (3.2) has, on the side of the end, near the coupler, of the intermediate piece (3), a further ring anchor mating bearing (3.21) which is used for holding the intermediate piece (3) on the ring anchor (1.21) of the uppermost ring flange or the holding plate (1.2) of the tube piece (1.1).
15. Lighting system, having a space frame configured from sections of continuous rows of luminaires in the form of separate continuous track bodies (2) arranged parallel to one another at a predetermined spacing, according to one of the preceding claims, characterized

    - in that the hollow intermediate piece (3) is configured as a hollow fork whose two fork branches (3.0) are joined on the side of the end near the coupler and

    - in that each fork branch (3.0) is provided at the other end with means (3.121) for detachable fastening to one of the two carrier rails (2.1) of the continuous track body (2).

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