EP0587882A1

EP0587882A1 - Device for the support and power supply of very low voltage lighting.

Info

Publication number: EP0587882A1
Application number: EP9393914487A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Max Hoffner
Original assignee: APPLIC TECH DECOR ECLAIRAGE; APPLIC TECH ET DECORATIVES DE
Current assignee: APPLIC TECH DECOR ECLAIRAGE; APPLIC TECH ET DECORATIVES DE
Priority date: 1992-01-06
Filing date: 1993-01-06
Publication date: 1994-03-23
Anticipated expiration: 2013-01-06
Also published as: ATE126340T1; JPH06505828A; EP0587882B1; CA2105311A1; ES2078822T3; WO1993014347A1; DE69300362T2; US5455754A; DE69300362D1; FR2685947A1

Abstract

PCT No. PCT/FR93/00008 Sec. 371 Date Aug. 26, 1993 Sec. 102(e) Date Aug. 26, 1993 PCT Filed Jan. 6, 1993 PCT Pub. No. WO93/14347 PCT Pub. Date Jul. 22, 1993.Device for the support and power supply of very low voltage lighting, for example 12 V, by means of non-sheathed conducting rails, resulting in very stable and aesthetic lamps. Each rail (1) is composed of two identical conducting rods (15) connected by an intermediate insulating strip (16), the edges (17) of which are projecting. The general profile of the rail is polygonal and includes opposite grooves (27) on each conducting rod, for firmly securing plates serving to connect the rails to one another or to lamps. The rail comprises flat upper and lower surfaces (20, 21) against which suspension clamps or magnetically fixed electrical connectors can be applied. Application in home lighting appliances or display areas.

Description

SUPPORT AND SUPPLY DEVICE FOR VERY LOW VOLTAGE LIGHTING

The present invention relates to a very low voltage supply and support device for a lighting installation provided with one or more lamps, comprising:

- at least one profiled rail composed of two conductive bars separated by an insulating element extending in a median plane of the rail, - insulating suspension means for fixing the rail or rails to a support structure,

- very low voltage power supply means, connected to the two busbars of a rail,

- And at least one bypass assembly arranged to be mounted in a longitudinally adjustable position on the rail and supporting a lamp, said assembly comprising two contact elements which are applied respectively against the busbars and which electrically connect the lamp to the rail.

Very low voltage lighting installations, generally of

12 volts, are used in particular in commercial or artistic exhibitions and in dwellings, because of their flexibility of adaptation to ensure a well distributed lighting or to enhance objects by means of several halogen lamps of the "spot" kind. The lamps can be easily placed and moved, to put them in selected positions along the bipolar conductor rails or pairs of cables playing the same role. Thanks to the very low voltage, the conductors do not need to be protected by an insulating sheath and can therefore directly carry contact elements fulfilling the double function of supporting and supplying the respective lamps.

A known type of rail is described in the European patent application

EP-291 989. It essentially comprises a first conductive bar in the shape of an inverted U provided with two longitudinal external grooves, a second conductive bar situated in the center of the first, an insulating support element disposed between the two bars and an adapter for a low-voltage luminaire arranged to bear on the two grooves. Such a device implements parts of complex shape, not facilitating machining or installation on site. In addition, the external appearance of such a device does not have an aesthetic suitable for the lighting installations described above.

In such installations, another well-known type of profiled rail, used to form a bipolar support and supply network for the lamps, consists of two round steel bars, placed side by side and linked by an intermediate strip of material. dielectric synthetic. Compared to a stretched cable network, this type of rail is advantageous from the point of view of rigidity, aesthetics and ease of installation. On the other hand, it has certain drawbacks with regard to the junction or bypass members which have to be fixed to the rails in order to connect them to each other or to lamps. Each of these bodies must individually surround a conductor bar, which requires circular section ^'that the fixing of said members is ensured by a strong and durable clamping, which can leave marks on the bars. Magnetically attached bypass members can be provided, but their application to the round bars does not allow a fairly stable positioning of the lamps they support.

The present invention aims to improve a device of this kind, so as to avoid the drawbacks indicated above and in particular to ensure a ^' great stability of the rails and lamps, as well as a great ease of installation thanks to junction or suspension elements which are simple, safe and of little type. An additional aim consists in being able to give the elements of the device an external shape which does not affect the overall aesthetics of the lighting installation.

To this end, the invention relates to a support and supply device of the type indicated above, characterized in that each conductor bar of a rail has a transverse profile which defines two opposite longitudinal grooves, respectively in opposite faces of the rail, in that said opposite faces of the rail extend substantially in planes perpendicular to the median plane of the rail and in that that the rail has, in cross section, a polygonal profile.

The fact that each conductive bar is provided with two opposite grooves makes it possible to effect a positive and secure fixing of the means of suspension, electrical supply, connection between the rails and bypass to the lamps, by means of appropriate members. engaging in these grooves. In addition, since the rail has at least two substantially flat opposite faces, the abovementioned means may have shapes which cooperate with the rail to ensure stable fixing. Furthermore, this shape can be freely chosen to integrate into an overall aesthetic motif of the installation.

In a particularly advantageous form, each busbar has a longitudinal V-shaped groove in a lateral face substantially parallel to the median plane of the rail.

Preferably, each of said opposite grooves is formed by a stepped recess of the profile of the conductive bar, on the side of the median plane, and the two grooves located on the same face of the rail are separated by an outer lip of the insulating element.

The device may include a protective tip made of insulating material, made of a molded piece covering one end of the rail and having four parallel fingers fitting longitudinally into said opposite grooves.

In a particular embodiment, the suspension means comprise insulating collars arranged to surround the rail, each collar being made of two molded pieces of electrically insulating material which are assembled by snap-fastening and which together define an opening whose shape corresponds to the profile transverse of the rail. Preferably, one of the molded parts has a bottom disposed opposite one of said flat faces of the rail and provided with an orifice for a fixing means, and a pair of parallel claws s ¹ extending in front of lateral faces of the rail and provided of hooks directed towards the outside, and the other part comprises a pair of lateral tabs covering said claws and orifices in which said hooks engage.

A bypass assembly can be formed by an electrical connector with magnetic fixing, arranged to be applied against one of said opposite faces of the rail and comprising a magnet disposed between said contact elements and fixed to them, these contact elements being applied against the bars. conductive by the magnetic attraction force and supporting the lamp by means of two respective conductive elements.

In an advantageous form, the device comprises metal splints arranged to be fitted in pairs on the pairs of conductive bars of one or more rails, in particular for mechanically and electrically connecting the ends of two rails, each splice having a transverse profile which matches the outer profile of the corresponding conductive bar, with two opposite inner flanges engaging positively in said opposite grooves of the bar, and at least two locking screws arranged so as to abut in the V-groove of the bar. A positive attachment tap-off assembly may include a pair of said ribs, equipped with a pair of respective side sockets provided with fixing members for a pair of conductive elements supporting and supplying a lamp.

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear in the following description of an exemplary embodiment, with reference to the appended drawings, in which: FIG. 1 is a partial perspective view of a device according to the invention, comprising several conducting rails which support very low voltage halogen lamps,

FIG. 2 represents the cross section of a rail of the device of FIG. 1,

FIGS. 3 and 4- represent metal splints intended to provide a mechanical and electrical connection between two rails,

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a branch assembly shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a protective cap shown in FIG. 1 and intended to cover one end of a rail,

FIG. 7 is a front elevation view of an insulating fixing collar shown in FIG. 1,

FIGS. 8 and 9 are sectional views of two molded parts making up the collar of FIG. 7,

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of an electrical connector with magnetic attachment shown in FIG. 1,

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the connector of FIG. 10,

FIG. 12 is a side elevation view of one of the two contact elements of the connector of FIG. 10, and

Figure 13 shows a variant of the connector of Figure 10, carrying two "spot" lamps. Referring to Figure 1, the device shown is intended to support and supply halogen lamps 2 under a very low voltage of 12 volts, supplied by a transformer 3 fixed to a ceiling 4 and connected to the domestic electrical network. Rails 1, individually designated by the references la, lb and le, support and supply the lamps and are suspended from the ceiling 4 by means of insulating fixing collars 5 fixed to rods or suspension wires 6 connected to small bases 7 attached to the ceiling. The rail 1c is suspended from the rail 1b at the point where these rails cross, by means of a rigid device 8 formed by assembling two collars 5 each surrounding a rail. The device 8 can contain a pair of electrical connections between the rails. The rails 1a and 1b are connected end to end by means of a pair of metal splices 10 ensuring both a rigid mechanical connection and an electrical connection. Similar splices 10 are used in a bypass assembly 11 which supports and supplies a lamp 2, as well as in a second bypass assembly 11 making it possible to supply the rails from the transformer 3 by means of a pair of cables 12 or other suitable electrical conductors, such as steel rods also used to support the rails. Another type of branch assembly is used to support the other lamp 2 shown _? it is a connector 13 with magnetic fixing, applied simply against a lower face of a rail 1 and supporting the lamp thanks to the force of magnetic attraction.

With reference to FIG. 2, each rail 1 consists of two identical profiled bars 15 of steel, fixed to each other by means of a thin median strip 16 of dielectric synthetic material which provides the desired insulation between the two poles of the voltage applied to the pair of bars 15. The strip 16 has two prominent edges 17 forming lips which lengthen the leak path between the adjacent outer surfaces of the two bars.

The rail 1 is symmetrical with respect to a median plane 18 which will usually be vertical when the rail is horizontal. Externally, the cross section of rail 1 appears as polygonal and it has, in this case, the shape of an elongated octagon, that is to say of a rectangle with cut angles. The bars 15 have flat and parallel upper 20 and lower 21 faces 21, situated in respective planes 22 and 23 perpendicular to the median plane 18. Laterally, each bar has a lateral face 24 parallel to the plane 18, between two inclined faces 25 and 26 at 45 ° • On the side of the median plane 18, each of the opposite faces 20 and 21 has a right-angle recess which defines a groove 27 with the protruding edge 17 of the insulating strip 16. This groove has a substantially rectangular section, its face lateral 28 on the side of the bar 15 being parallel to the plane 18, therefore also to the lateral face 24 of the bar. The latter is provided with a longitudinal groove 29 with a V profile, intended to receive the point of the locking screw which are described below.

FIG. 3 shows in more detail the pair of metal splices 10 used to mechanically and electrically connect the rails 1a and 1b, shown in transparency by dashed lines. Each splint 10 is made of a section of a profile of steel or another metal, for example brass, and its profile corresponds to the exterior profile of a bar 15 of the rail, the general appearance of which is thus preserved. Each splint has two opposite flanges 3o engaging in the grooves 27 of the corresponding bar 15 and ensuring positive retention of the splice on the rail. Two bores are tapped in the side wall 31 of the fishplate, to receive locking screws 32 which can be tightened by means of a male key 33 so that their point is supported in the V-groove 29 of the bar 15 to block the splint on the rail. With this tightening, each edge 30 is pressed against the side wall 28 of the groove (Figure 2), which guarantees a rigid connection between the rails and the fishplates, as well as good electrical contact.

Apart from the straight fishplates 10, the device can include a whole assortment of bent fishplates to assemble rails forming an angle between them. Figure 4 shows for example two matching fishplates 34 and 35, for connecting two rails forming a right angle in the horizontal plane. By means of four fishplates 34, one can cross-connect. Similar fishplates can be provided for 45 ° connections, and other types of angled fishplates to connect rails forming vertical angles. It suffices with two grub screws 32 to block each splint, so that the external appearance of the connections has a satisfactory aesthetic appearance.

FIG. 5 shows in perspective a bypass assembly 11 with positive fixing, comprising a pair of ribs 10 rigidly fixed

10 on a rail 1 using their locking screws 32, as described above. In the middle of the side wall 31 of each fishplate is fixed a side socket 34 which is horizontal in the usual position and which serves to support one of the two conductive rods 35 supporting and supplying the lamp 2 in a known manner (FIG. 1 ). The bush 34 5 is provided with a transverse slot 36, for the passage of the rod

35, and a threaded axial bore in which is engaged a headless screw 37 which, by pressing the rod 35, ensures good electrical contact at the same time as the mechanical fixing of the lamp. The socket 34 may consist of two parts connected by an axial pivot which allows 0 to orient the slot 36 and the rod 35 as desired, this pivot being blocked by the tightening of the screw 37. It will be noted that the assembly bypass 11, thanks to its positive fixing on the rail 1, is able to support relatively heavy lamps and to guarantee them a stable position, thanks to its non-circular shape cooperating with • the shape of the rail.

In Figure 6, we see the inner face of a protective tip 40 of insulating synthetic material, intended to be fitted on the end of a rail 1 as shown in Figure 1. The tip 40 is 0 a piece molded having an outer profile which corresponds to that of the rail 1. It is provided with four parallel fingers 41 arranged to fit forcefully into the grooves 27 of the rail. Thus, it is possible to saw the rail to any desired length and to protect its end by the end piece 40 so as to cover its sharp edges, to avoid any risk of short circuit by contact on the flat end. of rail, as well as to offer an aesthetic appearance thanks to an appropriate conformation of the front surface of the end piece 40.

Figures 7 to 9 show the structure of the insulating fixing collar 5 intended to surround a rail 1 and to support it. This collar is made of two molded pieces of insulating synthetic material 43 and 44 illustrated respectively in FIGS. 8 and 9. The piece 43 is generally used as a basic piece in the sense that it is fixed or suspended to a supporting structural element. (wall, ceiling, etc.), while the other part 44 is a closing part which fits onto the part 43, to which it is fixed by snap-fastening. Once assembled, the two parts form a collar around the rail, the central opening 45 of which has the same profile as the rail, with the exception of the grooves 27 and 29, so that the rail cannot tilt laterally.

Figure 8 shows that the base part 43 has a flat bottom 46 pierced with a central hole 47 in which one can engage, for example, a suspension cable or a screw to fix the part to any support or to another similar part, as is the case in the device 8 shown in Figure 1. The bottom 46 is surrounded by a conical flange 48 carrying two parallel side claws 49 whose free end has a hook 50 directed outwards . The closure part 44 also has a circular flat bottom 51 surrounded by a conical flange 52. The latter is pierced by two opposite holes 53 in which the hooks 50 will hang. Above these holes, the part has two curved side walls 54 giving the collar a generally cylindrical shape. These opposite walls 54 are arranged to laterally tighten the rail so as to stabilize the collar longitudinally by friction.

The construction of the collar 5 allows easy mounting of the rails 1, once the base parts 43 have been fixed to the support structure. It suffices to engage each rail between the claws 49 of a basic part, then to fit on them the closing part 44 until it is retained by the hooks 50 which are strongly pushed outwards by the support of the legs 49 against the rail. The weight of the rail and the elements which it carries is then transmitted from the part 44 to the part 43 by the hooks 50. As these are visible in the orifices 53, they can be pressed manually to unhook them if it is necessary to open the clamp to remove or move the rail.

Figures 10 to 12 relate to the electrical connector 13 with magnetic fixa¬ tion, supporting the lamp 2 on the right in the example of Figure 1. This connector has an insulating and decorative body 60 made of a molded plastic part and having an outer profile which recalls the profile of the rail 1. The upper edge 61 of the body follows the shape of the underside of the rail. As shown in Figure 11, the body 60 is hollow and open upward facing the rail. It contains two contact elements each consisting of a steel plate 62, as well as a magnet 63 fixed between these two plates, for example by gluing. The magnet 63 may be made of an insulating material or be provided with an insulating coating of each plate facing ^'62. Figure 12 shows the form of one of the plates 62, 64 having a straight upper edge for providing the electrical contact with the corresponding conductive bar 15 of the rail 1. Two retaining holes 65 are provided in the plate 62 for the attachment of two internal teeth 66 of the body 60. Towards the bottom, the plate 62 is extended by a tab of suspension 67 pierced with a hole 68 and emerging from the body 60 through a slot such as 69 (Figure 10). The lug 68 carries a socket 34 of the type described above with reference to FIG. 5, this socket having a knurled pin 70 forced into the hole 68. As in the case of FIG. 5, the sockets 34 of the connector support and supply the lamp via a pair of metal rods 35. It will be noted that the plates 62 can be replaced by similar plates, but each having two external legs 67, emerging through appropriate slots 69 near the ends of the body 60, to form a connector capable of supporting two lamps, as shown in FIG. 13.

The magnetic attraction between the magnet 63 and the steel bars 15 of the rail is sufficient to lock the connector against the rail and support the weight of light lamps such as halogen spotlights of about 20. This attraction is all the more effective as the magnetic flux can pass directly into the rail through the steel plates 62 applied against the bars 15. With reference to FIG. 2, it is noted that the plates 62, secured by the magnet 63, will be applied against the two surfaces 21 located in the same plane 23, that is to say that the stability of the connector will be perfectly ensured. The edge 17 of the insulating strip of the rail can engage in a corresponding notch 71 of the body 60 in order to ensure its centering.

In Figure 11, there is shown in broken lines a variant where the sockets 34 are replaced by sockets 34 'disposed on the sides of the body 60 and passing through it to be fixed directly to the plates 62, which eliminates the outer tabs 67 and thus improve the aesthetic appearance of the connector.

In the variant illustrated in FIG. 13, the connector 13 with magnetic fixing is provided with two pairs of external tabs 67 to support and supply two small lamps 72 of the spot type. Each lamp 72 has a base comprising two metal sockets 73 connected by an insulating piece 74 and provided with aligned bores where two respective bent rods 75 are blocked by screws 76. The upper ends of the conductive rods 75 are flattened and fixed against the legs. corresponding 67 by means of screws 77. This assembly allows the user to orient each lamp 72 at will, by pivoting around two perpendicular axes defined by the screws 77 and by the aligned lower ends of the rods 75.

The foregoing description shows that the present invention provides a very low voltage supply and support device which fulfills the objectives set, in particular in terms of stability, aesthetics and convenience of use. In addition, it is noted that the various elements suitable for the rails are simple, can be produced inexpensively and allow rapid and safe assembly, even by an amateur. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, but it extends to any modification or variant obvious to a person skilled in the art.

Claims

1. Support and very low voltage supply device for a lighting installation provided with one or more lamps, comprising:

- at least one profiled rail composed of two conductive bars separated by an insulating element extending in a median plane of the rail,

- insulating suspension means for fixing the rail or rails to a support structure,

- very low voltage power supply means, connected to the two busbars of a rail,

- And at least one bypass assembly arranged to be mounted in a longitudinally adjustable position on the rail and supporting a lamp, said assembly comprising two contact elements which are applied respectively against the conductive bars and which electrically connect the lamp to the rail, characterized in that each conductive bar (15) of a rail (1) has a transverse profile which defines two opposite longitudinal grooves (27), respectively in opposite faces of the rail, in that said opposite faces of the rail extend substantially in planes (22, 23) perpendicular to the median plane (18) of the rail, and in that the rail (1) has, in cross section, a polygonal profile.

2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each conductive bar (15) has a longitudinal groove (29) in a V in a side face (24) substantially parallel to the median plane of the rail.

3. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that each of said opposite grooves (27) is formed by a stepped recess of the profile of the conductive bar (15), on the side of the median plane (18), and in that the two grooves located on the same face of the rail are separated by an outer lip (17) from the insulating element (16).

4. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises a protective tip (40) made of insulating material, made of a molded part covering one end of the rail and having four parallel fingers (41) s' fitted longitudinally in said opposite grooves (27).

5. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the suspension means comprise insulating collars (5) arranged to surround the rail (1), each collar being made of two molded parts (43, 44) of electrically insulating material, which are snapped together and which together define an opening (45) whose shape corresponds to the transverse profile of the rail.

6. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that one (43) of the molded parts comprises a bottom (46) disposed opposite one of said flat faces of the rail and provided with an orifice (47) for a means of fixing, and a pair of parallel claws (49) extending in front of lateral faces of the rail and provided with hooks (50) directed towards the outside, and in that the other part (44) comprises a pair of walls side (54) covering said claws and orifices (53) in which engage said hooks (50).

7. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that a bypass assembly is formed by an electrical connector (13) with magnetic fixing, arranged to be applied against one of said opposite faces of the rail and comprising a magnet (63) disposed between said contact elements (62) and fixed to them, these contact elements being applied against the conductive bars (15) by the magnetic attraction force and supporting the lamp by means of two respective conductive elements (35, 75) .

8. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that it comprises metal fishplates (10, 34, 35) arranged to be fitted in pairs on the pairs of conductive bars (15) of one or more rails, in particular for connecting mechanically and electrically the ends of two rails, each splice having a transverse profile which matches the outer profile of the corresponding busbar, with two opposite inner flanges (30) positively engaging in said opposite grooves (27) of the bar, and at least two locking screws (32) arranged so as to abut in the V-shaped groove (29) of the bar.

9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that a bypass assembly (11) with positive fixing comprises a pair of said ribs (10), equipped with a pair of respective lateral sockets (34) provided with fixing members (36, 37) for a pair of conductive elements (35) supporting and feeding a lamp.