EP2177815A2 - Light strip system with shielding element at the joint between two adjacent rails - Google Patents

Abstract

The system has U-shaped rails arranged one after other in a longitudinal direction and provided for accommodation of light sources, where the rails form an elongated light outlet opening. A U-shaped shielding element (10) is inserted into a retaining area of the rails in a condition of the light outlet opening and clamped with the rails in another condition. A lower side (2) of the element forms a film hinge (4) in center, so that opposite wall side pieces (6) are inward folded in the former condition and arranged in contact with the rails in the latter condition.

Description

The invention relates to a lighting system with a plurality of U-shaped rails for receiving light sources, which are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction. In this case, the rails together form an elongate light exit opening, for which a shielding element designed to prevent the light emission in the abutting area of two adjacent rails is provided.

In order to be able to go beyond the use of individual or objectionable lights, for example, for more uniform illumination of a working space, for a visually appealing design or for higher luminance, it is known to string the U-shaped rails for a lighting system or a light line. When mounting as a light line serving as a luminaire housing extrusion profiles, such as aluminum or a plastic are pushed directly to each other. It turns out, however, that at the joints of two adjacent profile body light exits through the gap, which is undesirable.

Furthermore, it should be avoided that the air warmed by the lights at the junction through the slot or the joint joints flows through, as can form after a while traces on a light wall or a gray haze, especially when the lamp with high operating temperature strong convection flow leads. Also, if possible dust or foreign bodies should remain in the outer space, since in connection with moisture, the insulation resistances on the holder to the lamps can decrease, which over a certain time can lead to erosion of materials in the vicinity of conductive contacts or creepage currents.

Now you could try to seal such joints simply with an opaque silicone paste, a putty or a putty. First of all, it would be necessary to take into account the amount of work involved and the assembly time, which would be considerable in the case of a continuous-row lighting system with many elements. However, the appearance of the seals depends on the craftsmanship and patience of the performer. Furthermore, post-processing steps can be added after curing of the sealant, such as removing an overhang, wherein the surface of the profiles impaired could be, even if they are sealed with a later removable plastic protective film manufacturer. The aforementioned approach may be suitable for a few elements or as a temporary solution.

However, the aforementioned sealing with a sealant but also excrete before or eventually fail completely, as beyond the manufacturing and manufacturing trends or production batches beyond by mounting the joint width can vary. For example, when mounting the profiles on an uneven ceiling, the end faces of the adjoining sides of the profiles in the joint area also be offset somehow. Furthermore, the area which could still be wetted with a liquid sealing medium may be exceeded, especially since the processing time in conventional silicone pastes can lead to hurry and also a curing time can delay the further work on the light strip system. Since the profiles also move relatively due to the temperature gradient setting during operation of the luminaire, the gap width can continue to vary, so that even a seal with a small gap width in addition to the direct aging and elasticity losses due to temperature fluctuations, thermal and thermal cycling and cracks by the mechanical walking of the Can get profiles.

Similarly, one could still remember to connect the profiles cohesively. Although the above may be conceivable for steel in the range of a certain wall thickness, for example by spot welding, copper sheet by hard or soft soldering. However, welding, especially with thin aluminum profiles at the construction site, is more likely to be ruled out and is more likely to be prohibited if the molded hollow profile rails are treated, electrolytically oxidized or the surface is coated with a layer of plastic, lacquer or powder or enamel, smooth or mirror-finished are. Nevertheless, the aforementioned finally meets the skills of the respective installer and a possibly cramped working environment at the installation site. Finally, in turn, the operational temperature gradients would also lead to mechanical stresses. As a result, the seams may become brittle or crack, as is known in other sizes of railroad tracks, and the process should be repeated.

As a result, it has been missing in any case so far a safe and elegant way to close the butt joint between adjacent rails in a lighting system.

From the publication DE 198 02 376 A1 is an element known, with the help of the light leakage between two adjacent lamp grids to be prevented. It is in the joint area of lights a multi-part positioning arranged by a connector which bridges the butt joint. However, the construction known from the aforementioned document already clearly leads to a different solution in the beginning than it does in the present case.

In order to improve the individual parts of the lighting strip system that this can be sealed against light leakage at the butt joint areas, it is necessary that the appropriate shielding element can be easily inserted and applies or rests with a certain force on the side parts of the profile parts. In this case, therefore, the side parts should be aligned so that a so-called. Clean final, geometrically veritable and thus visually appealing joint seal can be created, which in turn is a prerequisite for an at least light-tight separation of the inner region of the lighting system from the outside. In addition, a certain mobility or elasticity of a seal in the rail would be desirable.

The present invention is therefore based on the object to improve the lighting strip system and to provide a suitable shielding, with which the light leakage is suitably prevented at joints between the joints of abutting similar lights of a light strip.

The object is achieved by a lighting system according to claim 1 and by an element for use in a lighting system according to claim 10. Advantageous developments are the subject of the dependent claims.

Accordingly, according to a first embodiment, a light band system is proposed with a plurality of longitudinally successively arranged, U-shaped rails for receiving light sources, the rails together form an elongated light exit opening and is provided to prevent the light output in the joint area of two adjacent rails shielding, characterized characterized in that the shielding element is adapted to be introduced in a first state from the light exit opening forth in the receiving space of the rails and to be clamped in a second state within the rails with these.

It is preferred that the shielding element is U-shaped, wherein the underside of the U-shape forms a film hinge in the middle, so that the opposite side wall limbs are folded inwards in the first state and in the second state in pressure-locking contact with the rails are.

It is further preferred that the U-shaped shielding element in the region of the corner between the side wall limb and the lower region of the shielding element has a corner reinforcement, strut or a radius whose center lies on the bisector extending through the corner.

It is particularly preferred that the U-shaped shielding element in the region of the ends of the side wall limbs has a rounding with a radius suitable for a receptacle in the side wall of the rail, which exceeds a part wall thickness of the side wall limbs, so as to provide a particular stability for the reception and To provide delivery of storage or spring forces.

In addition, it is preferred that the U-shaped shielding member has on the outside of the side wall legs extending from the end of the legs to the lower region strut or a linear bead which extends along the middle of the width of the leg and in the second state by the two adjacent rails completed trained impact area.

In addition, it is particularly preferred that a strut extending from the end of the legs to the lower area or a line-shaped bead of the U-shaped shielding element is formed on the inside of the side wall legs.

It is further provided that in the lower region of the side wall legs are connected to each other bridge-like manner via two arms, wherein in the transition region between the two inwardly facing arms, a film hinge is formed.

Particularly preferably it is provided that the bridge-like interconnected arms form an H-shaped spring element, in which the arms are T-shaped extending from the axis of rotation formed by the film hinge to the inner sides of the side wall legs.

Next is still preferred in the second state, the film hinge of the H-shaped spring element with the film hinge in the lower region of the U-shaped shield in abutment.

Finally, a U-shaped shielding element for a lighting system with a plurality of longitudinally successive to be arranged, U-shaped rails for receiving light sources, the rails together form an elongated light exit opening and provided to prevent the light output in the joint area of two adjacent rails shielding, characterized in in that the shielding element is designed to be introduced into the receiving space of the rails in a first state from the light exit opening and to be clamped in a second state within the rails with the latter.

Finally, the U-shaped shielding element for a lighting system is characterized in that it is made of a plastic such as polypropylene, polycarbonate or polyamide.

In the embodiment of the present invention, the light band is formed by a plurality of U-shaped profile parts, extruded profiles or rails, which are joined together along a line in the longitudinal direction. The joint area of the joints or butt joint area of the rails is overlapped by an element which is releasably in abutment with the U-shaped profile parts.

Fig. 1a

eine schematische Querschnittansicht eines Abschirmelementes gemäß dem Ausführungsbeispiel der vorliegenden Erfindung für ein Uförmiges Profil;

Fig. 1b

eine schematische Ansicht auf einen Seitenwandschenkel des Abschirmelementes zu Fig. 1a;

Fig. 1c

eine schematische Ansicht von oben auf das U-förmige Abschirmelement zur Fig. 1a mit einer Ausnehmung;

Fig. 1d

eine räumliche Schrägansicht von Fig. 1a;

Fig. 2a

die Querschnittansicht des Abschirmelementes gemäß Fig. 1a;

Fig. 2b

eine Querschnittansicht des Abschirmelementes, eingeführt in ein längliches Profil in einem zweiten Zustand;

Fig. 2c

eine Querschnittsansicht des Abschirmelementes, in einem ersten Zustand; und

Fig. 2d

eine räumliche Schrägansicht von Fig. 2b.

The invention will be explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1a

a schematic cross-sectional view of a shielding element according to the embodiment of the present invention for a U-shaped profile;

Fig. 1b

a schematic view of a side wall limb of the shielding to Fig. 1a ;

Fig. 1c

a schematic top view of the U-shaped shielding for Fig. 1a with a recess;

Fig. 1d

a spatial perspective view of Fig. 1a ;

Fig. 2a

the cross-sectional view of the shield according to Fig. 1a ;

Fig. 2b

a cross-sectional view of the shielding element, introduced into an elongated profile in a second state;

Fig. 2c

a cross-sectional view of the shielding, in a first state; and

Fig. 2d

a spatial perspective view of Fig. 2b ,

In Fig. 1a a cross-sectional view of a shielding element according to the embodiment of the present invention is shown. A U-shaped shielding element 10 initially consists of a lower floor area 2 and two opposite side legs 6. In the center of the lower floor area 2, a film hinge 4 is formed by a notch or notch-like reduction of the wall thickness. Next, a recess 11 is indicated in the bottom region or the underside of the U-shaped shielding element 10 at a symmetrical distance from the film hinge 4.

At the corner 13 between the side wall leg 6 and lower portion of the shielding element 2 increased wall thickness is provided, in the sense of a stiffening or Eckverstrebung 15th

Beyond a usual rounding or a radius, in which the center lies on the bisector of the lower region 2 and the side wall limb 6 (concave radius), such that the corner is smoothed or filled, was present in Fig. 1a formed in the region of the corner 13 an additional cross-sectional widening. In this case, the center of the radius in the region of the corner is thus at the intersection of the extension of the side wall limb 6 and the lower region 2 or the extension along the bisector further out to the outside of the U-shaped shielding element 10 below the corner (convex radius).

The advantage of the greater wall thickness in the corner region lies in the higher rigidity, with the side leg 6 being more firmly connected to the part of the lower bottom region 2, so that forces and moments emanating from the film hinge as a fulcrum can be transmitted better to the sides of the legs. Thus, the side legs 6 tight against the inside of the rails 88. Another advantage of the Eckversteifung is that a constant course of the wall thickness along the side wall leg 6 is possible.

At the upper end of the side leg 6, an enlarged wall thickness is also provided, consisting of a rounding 17 with a radius 19th

The advantages of the rounded end termination with geometrically defined increase in wall thickness or in a kind of rounded seam crimp are given several times. First, the power transmission of clamping and pressure and positive engagement forces is improved over an enlarged Endkontaktfläche. Incidentally, a slight rotation of the side leg is to be considered, slightly even during operation for a certain time at temperature profile of the rail.

Furthermore, there is a better fit and adaptation of the shielding element 10 in the profile 88. Finally, due to the better manageability and ergonomics during assembly also a possible risk of injury to the installer for lack otherwise possibly existing in conventional approaches sharp edges or a production-related burr. Incidentally eliminated in the advantageous design end of the side wall leg 6 as well as otherwise required post-processing for training a chamfer, the concomitant decrease in wall thickness would challenge the fit and the seat of the shielding element 2 in or in the profile 88 in question.

The side wall legs 6 of the shielding element 10 are in the lower region 8 of the side wall legs via two arms 12a and 12b bridge-like connected to each other, wherein in the transition region between the two arms 12a and 12b, a film hinge 14 is formed. The arms 12a and 12b and the film hinge 14, mounted on the opposite side wall legs 6 in the lower region 8 of the side wall legs, thereby forming a bridge arrangement.

When installed, the aforementioned arms can be pressed to the bottom or lower region 2 of the U-shaped shielding element 10. In the installed state, a compressive force acts along the in Fig. 1a drawn vertical auxiliary line and symmetry axis 16 directed in the direction of the lower portion 2 of the shielding member 10, so that the aforementioned arms are pressed to the underside of the shielding element 10 back and permanently locked in this state. Here, the corner regions of the shielding element are pressed to the side, so that the shielding element is clamped in the profile parts of the light strip. At the same time a certain lateral force is exerted on the side walls of the light leakage preventer, so that they create the side walls of the profile parts. The shielding is fixed in the aforementioned position and at the same time it is ensured that all walls are sufficiently tight against the profile body to prevent the desired light emission.

The protruding from the inner sides of the side wall legs in the interior of the shield 10 arms are relatively far below, arranged in the lower region of the side wall leg 8 so that still, even in the assembled state of the shield 10, a sufficiently large space within the profile elements or rails 88 remains. By the above, it is ensured that bulbs can be arranged in this area.

Fig. 1b shows a side wall or the side wall leg 6 of the U-shaped shielding element 10, that is Fig. 1a 90 degrees clockwise around the dashed in Fig. 1a drawn Symmetriemittelachse was rotated. The side wall leg 6 has in the middle of a vertically extending strut 26, a line-shaped bead or ridge. Inside the U-shaped shielding element, the side wall legs 6 may also be stiffened by a grid of struts.

This results in the following advantages. First, a butt joint is formed in two contiguous profile parts, which represents an optical gap. About the taking place with a certain pressure force conditioning the outer wall of the side wall leg on the inner wall of the extruded profile or rail 88 addition, is made possible by the strut 26 an improved cohesive fit, in addition, even the wall stiffness of the side wall leg 6 is increased.

First, so the gap is filled during assembly and closed. Preferably, the protrusion of the strut in the range of wall thickness or twice the wall thickness of the rail 88 are. Outside of the illustration, the geometry of the wall course of the strut, which is engaged with the end faces of the butt joint initially assumed to be straight, a cross-sectional change may have further advantages.

Would you go into the plane of the sidewall leg, so the side wall in the image viewing level of Fig. 1b tilting backwards and looking in the direction along the strut, would also be a trapezoidal, triangular or a rectangular chamfered shape of the strut possible. In the case of a tapered trapezoid, in which therefore the wall thickness decreases outgoing from the surface of the side wall limb, a sealing force would additionally be available on the butt joint.

Surprisingly, therefore, it is also possible to prevent the passage through the gap by the strut and the rays running parallel along the light band system, which would possibly still arrive in the gap in the case of a simple contact of a smooth surface, even with a small projection the strut on the surface of the side wall leg. 6

Fig. 1c shows a plan view of the fallen forward Fig. 1a , The two side wall limbs are each on the right and left outside of the by the in Fig. 1c dashed auxiliary line or axis of rotation through the film hinge 14, wherein the outer end of the respective arms 12a and 12b is connected to the respective sides of the side wall legs. In the lower region 2 or the underside of the U-shaped shielding element 10, a recess is provided centrally to the dashed line auxiliary line, which almost reaches the width of the arms 12 a and 12 b. The advantage of the smaller wall width of the arms relative to the wall width of the side wall legs is that the film hinge 14 can be released again from the detent, since under one of the arms 12a or 12b, a lever, for example. Can be created by a screwdriver with a long slot. In addition, by attaching a drawing element missing tension element, which may be connected to the film hinge 14, a releasable detent can be realized.

The bridge-like connected arms have a perpendicular to the auxiliary line centered web or a strut. It is understood that such a configuration is advantageously suitable for mechanical stabilization and increase of the surface rigidity, since the surface resistance or inertia moment increases, as in the case of a T-beam.

Fig. 1d shows a rotated spatial view of Fig. 1a in which the H-shaped spring element is in a folded position in the preparation position. The Eckversteifung or strut 15, which extends along the corner between the bottom and side wall leg 6, the Umkragung or rounding 17 with radius 19 at the ends of the side wall leg, as well as the strut 26, in the present embodiment extends both vertically outside and inside the center along the side wall leg 6 form a mechanically stable form, which is particularly preferably suitable for use in the interior of the rails 88 and an improved system with the guide 83 allowed.

Fig. 2a corresponds to Fig. 1a showing the preparation position following the insertion of the shielding element 10 in the folded state according to FIG Fig. 2c established.

Fig. 2b shows the second state of the shielding element 10. By pressing down the mechanical fixation or the pushing of the two arms 12a and 12b in the direction of the hinge 4 on the underside of the shielding element 10, for example with the thumb of the hand or with a hammer handle applied to the hinge 14th , there is a lock in which the dead center of the mechanism has been overcome. The lock remains as in Fig. 2b plotted self-holding in the second state or a lower position with respect to Fig. 1a or Fig. 2a ,

Particularly advantageously, beyond the haptic or tactile sensory perception by force installation, during the transition from the first to the second state when the hinge 14 abuts against the underside 2 of the shielding element in the region of the hinge 4, a short percussive click or click sound is generated ,

On the basis of the above acoustic confirmation signal is certain that the shielding element on the advantageous leadership of the struts 26 on the outside side wall leg 6 is installed correctly and the assembly step has been completed. In addition, the installer can easily perceive in the absence of click-click or a slightly different sound compared to previous uses of the shielding when the shield is still outside the optimal or pass-correct position, if in rare cases, the strut 26 something wrong or next to the butt joint should lie parallel offset. Thus, the assembly on the light rail system 88 can be done quickly, since a reassembly of the arrangement after mounting a light exit element by installing a transparent glass or plastic plate or grid reflector at the light exit opening 84 can be avoided, even if in a light path system, the individual light exit elements in turn with each other are connected by a detachable overlap or latching connection.

It is particularly advantageous that now the side wall legs 6 fit tightly against the inner surfaces of the rails 88 and the interior 64 kept substantially free remains. The aforementioned use of the shielding is thus particularly space-saving, the mounting of the brackets for the lamps can even be done so that the lamp body elongated gas discharge lamps butt-overlapping so can be mounted between two rail profiles. In the above, therefore, the lighting system as an elongated housing profile can be laid, in which the installation of the lamp holders can be offset, or - considering the length of a profile between two joints as rail period length - with freely selectable, different or variable distance between the brackets. The aforementioned extended degree of freedom and the laying of lamps in the interior of the rails 88 thus allows an individual adaptation, for example, to the required lighting parameters or brightness, which can thus also be formed lampvariably variable over the length of the lighting system.

Fig. 2c shows the first state Z1 of the shielding element in which the ends of the sidewall legs are approximated towards the center. During assembly, the space-saving packing-favorably folded shielding element can easily be introduced into the receiving space 64 or the interior of the rail 88 through the light exit opening 84.

In Fig. 2d the position after insertion of the shielding member is shown seated by the strut 26 on the outer wall of the side wall legs 6 in the second state Z2. The lighting system is cut free as the rail extending out of the plane of the drawing has been drawn as taken. Strut 26 is in contact as a dark black longitudinal line 82 with the end face 86 of the rail. End face 86 is defined by a pattern hatch in FIG Fig. 2d indicated. The centrally disposed on the side wall leg 6 strut 26 forms a uniform alignment and guidance of the shielding with the butt joint to the adjacent rail 88.

The shielding element 10 according to the invention may likewise consist of any suitable material or suitable material combinations familiar to the person skilled in the art. Preferably, it is a relatively dimensionally stable, elastic, rupturable, durable and opaque material that can be both flexible and rigid. Typical examples of suitable materials are plastics such as polypropylene, polycarbonate or polyamide, as well as comparable composite materials, wherein an admixture or a coating of the outside with rubber or foam in the sense of a multi-layer shielding element would be conceivable. As a manufacturing process extruding with simultaneous exposure to a high frequency spectrum is called. If larger forces or long butt joints seal are also a version made of metal with a plastic or rubber coating into consideration, so that on the one hand a good seal on the other, a mounting without scratches or grooves is possible. If necessary, a high-carbon, graphite-containing, conductive or doped plastic can also be used to promote grounding and equipotential bonding between the profiles on a long strip lighting system and to improve electromagnetic compatibility. Finally, parts of the profile can also be colored or galvanized in the color of the rails.

The present invention thus provides a simple, elegant, custom-fit possibility to seal the butt joint region of aligned profiled rails in such a way that the light emission is effectively prevented. In addition, ergonomic, fatigue-free and efficient work on the lighting system is also supported under difficult circumstances at the construction site.

Claims (11)

Light band system with a plurality of longitudinally successive U-shaped rails (88) for receiving light sources, wherein the rails (88) together form an elongate light exit opening (84) and formed to prevent the light output in the joint area of two adjacent rails shielding (10) is provided,
characterized,
that the shielding element (10) is adapted to in a first state (Z1) from the light exit opening (84) forth in the receiving space (64) of the rails (88) to be inserted and in a second state (Z2) within the rails (88) to be clamped with these. Lighting system according to claim 1, characterized in that
that the shielding element (10) is U-shaped, wherein the underside (2) of the U-shape in the middle forms a film hinge (4), so that the opposite side wall legs (6) are folded inwards in the first state (Z1) and in the second state (Z2) are in pressure-locking engagement with the rails (88). Lighting system according to claim 1 or 2, characterized
that the U-shaped shielding element (10) in the region of the corner (13) between the side wall limb (6) and lower region (8) of the shielding element (10) has a corner reinforcement, strut or radius (15), the center of which on the Corner (13) extending bisector lies. Lighting strip system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the U-shaped shielding element (10) in the region of the ends of the side wall legs (6) has a rounding (17) with a radius (19), suitable for receiving in the side wall (80 ) of the rail (88) which exceeds a part wall thickness of the side wall legs (6). Lighting strip system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the U-shaped shielding element (10) on the outside of the side wall limbs (6) has a strut extending from the end of the legs (6) to the lower region, or a line-shaped bead (26) extending along the middle of the width of the leg (6) and in the second state (Z2) through the two adjacent rails (88) formed impact region (86, 82) fills. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that one of the end of the legs to the lower region (2) extending strut or a linear bead of the U-shaped shielding member (10) on the inside of the side wall legs (6) is formed. Lighting strip system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the lower region of the side wall limb (2) via two arms (12a, 12b) bridge-like (2, 6, 8, 12a, 16, 12b, 8, 6, 2) are interconnected , wherein in the transition region between the two inwardly pointing arms (12a, 12b), a film hinge (14) is formed. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the arms (2, 6, 8, 12a, 14, 12b, 8, 6, 2) connected to each other form an H-shaped spring element (11) in which the arms ( 12a, 12b) T-shaped, starting from the axis of rotation formed by the film hinge to the inner sides of the side wall legs (6) running, are formed. Lighting system according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the second state (Z2), the film hinge of the H-shaped spring element (12a, 14, 12b) with the film hinge (14) in the lower region (2) of the U-shaped shielding element (10 ) is in plant. U-shaped shielding element (10) for a lighting system (88, 88) having a plurality of longitudinally successive, U-shaped rails (88) for receiving light sources, said rails (88) together form an elongated light exit opening (84) and a is provided for preventing the light emission in the abutting region of two adjacent rails (88, 80, 86, 82) formed shielding element (10), characterized
that the shielding element (10) is adapted to in a first state (Z1) from the light exit opening (84) forth in the receiving space (64) of the rails (88) to be inserted and in a second state (Z2) within the rails (88) to be clamped with these. U-shaped shielding element (10) for a lighting system according to claim 10, characterized in that it is made of a plastic such as polypropylene, polycarbonate and / or polyamide.

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