EP2989696A1

EP2989696A1 - Support rail for forming a lighting strip system and lighting strip system

Info

Publication number: EP2989696A1
Application number: EP14720533.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Gerald Ladstätter
Original assignee: Zumtobel Lighting GmbH Austria
Current assignee: Zumtobel Lighting GmbH Austria
Priority date: 2013-04-24
Filing date: 2014-04-16
Publication date: 2016-03-02
Anticipated expiration: 2034-04-16
Also published as: DE202013101777U1; WO2014173779A1; US10161613B2; CN105144506B; US20160069554A1; EP2989696B1; CN105144506A

Abstract

A support rail (1) for holding and supplying power to illumination modules (50, 60) has a wiring unit with coupling elements (10) for electrically connecting at least two illumination modules (50, 60), wherein said wiring unit is divided into two sub-units (201, 202) which each have at least one coupling element (10), and wherein the sub-units (20₁, 20₂) can be adjusted relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of said support rail (1).

Description

DIN rail for the formation of a lighting system and trunking system

The present invention relates to a mounting rail for mounting and

Power supply of lighting modules, which is intended to form a lighting system. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding trunking system with such a mounting rail.

A known light band system is described, for example, in WO 01/91249 AI. This consists of a plurality of longitudinally successively arranged mounting rails, which are for holding and powering several lighting units or

Light modules serve. Along the mounting rails extends in the longitudinal direction of a so-called. Stromleitprofil to which the lamp modules can be electrically connected, wherein at the same time there is also a mechanical attachment of the modules to the mounting rail. To operate on the Stromleitpro fil the usual

Mains voltage of typically 230V applied. Each luminaire module has lighting means and a corresponding operating device for converting the mains voltage to an operating voltage suitable for operating the relevant light source. By appropriate juxtaposition of mounting rails with associated

Luminaire modules can then be realized over a greater length extending light bands.

As an alternative to the embodiment described above, it is also known to lay cables which are sheathed within the mounting rails for the purpose of supplying power, coupling elements for electrical purposes only at certain predetermined locations

Connecting a lighting module are provided. Since the luminaire modules usually have a standard length, it is sufficient if the connection is made possible only at these specific positions. A disadvantage of the known solutions, however, is that certain limitations exist due to the generally prescribed standard length of the lighting modules when adjusting the length of the entire lighting system. If a continuous light output over the entire length of time to be achieved, the lighting system may only have an overall length corresponding to an integer multiple of the length of the lamp modules. However, more flexible length adjustments are not possible, which is problematic in that it is increasingly desired that the length of a lighting system can be adapted exactly to the length of a room in which the use of the lighting system is provided. If, for example, with the help of the lighting system a light line along a to be illuminated Gangs are achieved, it is desired that this light line extends exactly from one end of the corridor to the other. This is in the known

Lightpipe systems u.U. not possible. The present invention is therefore based on the object to provide a new solution for the realization of DIN rails available, with the aid of a light band system can be formed, the support rails allow the most flexible length adjustment possible. The object is achieved by a mounting rail for mounting and power supply of lighting modules with the features of claim 1. advantageous

Further developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The idea according to the invention is based on the variant described above, in which at certain points coupling elements for the electrical connection of

Luminaire modules are provided. These are arranged on a so-called. Wiring unit, wherein in the prior art, as mentioned, then the coupling elements were arranged at predetermined distances from each other. In order to create a greater flexibility in terms of length adjustment, the invention provides that the wiring unit is divided into two subunits, each having at least one coupling element for electrically connecting a

Have lamp module, wherein the subunits are adjustable relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the support rail. The fact that both subunits and thus the coupling elements located thereon can be moved relative to each other, now the connection location for the corresponding lighting modules can be changed. As a result, there is no longer any limitation to luminaire modules with a given standard length, but instead one or more shorter luminaire modules can also be used, in order then to realize the lighting strip system together with all other luminaire modules in the desired overall length.

According to the invention, therefore, a mounting rail for mounting and power supply of luminaire modules is proposed, which has a wiring unit with

Coupling elements for the electrical connection of at least two

Lamp modules, wherein the wiring unit is divided into two subunits, each having at least one coupling element, and wherein the subunits are adjustable relative to each other in the longitudinal direction of the support rail. The supply of the light modules connected to the subunits should preferably take place via a common power supply circuit. Accordingly, it is provided that for this purpose a corresponding common circuit is realized, wherein the electrical connection of the subunits then takes place via a flexible cable. In particular, the circuit for supplying power to the connected luminaire modules can be connected on the input side to an operating device or a converter which is connected on the one hand to a power supply connection for the mounting rail and on the other hand provides a voltage required for the operation of the luminaire modules in the circuit. This variant is advantageous insofar as by the fact that now the support rail provides the operating device and thus already from the beginning a suitable power available, can be dispensed with corresponding devices on the lamp modules themselves. Since such converters generally have a certain minimum length, so far had the lighting modules be designed to be correspondingly long, which in turn represents a limitation in terms of the exact length adjustment. Since now, however, on the equipment directly to the

Lamp modules can be dispensed with, especially when using LEDs as light sources and lighting modules can be realized very short length, which of course a much better adaptation of the total length of the

Light band system is enabled.

Advantageously, it can further be provided that both subunits each have a plurality of coupling elements, in which case the distances between adjacent coupling elements of a first subunit are greater than the corresponding spacings of a second subunit. The above-mentioned converter is then arranged on one of the two subunits, preferably on the first subunit.

The partial units of the support rail according to the invention which are responsible for the power supply are preferably within an elongate, in particular U-shaped

arranged carrier element arranged. The receiving space in the support member then serves primarily the storage of the electrical cables and the

Subunits with the coupling elements. Corresponding mating coupling parts of the luminaire modules then grip when connecting to the mounting rail in this

Interior one or the light modules are even completely in this

Interior placed. On this side of the support rail or the carrier element can then possibly over several mounting rails or even the entire

Continuous light system extending cover over which a uniform, homogeneous light emission takes place, are arranged. Of course, for the flexible length adjustment of the lighting system then the corresponding support element must be adjusted in terms of its length. In this case, on the one hand there is the possibility that the carrier element extends integrally over the entire length of the mounting rail away, in which case at least one of the two subunits is arranged displaceably in the carrier element. After appropriate positioning of this adjustable subunit then the

Carrier element may be adjusted accordingly, but this can be done by simply cutting to length. In an alternative embodiment, however, it can be provided that each subunit is assigned its own support rail segment, wherein the two mounting rail segments are telescopically slidable. In this case, only the two mounting rail segments with the associated subunits actually have to be pushed into one another to make the length adjustment, and no further work is required. Here, however, then on the outside of the mounting rail, the transition between the two

Support rail segments can be seen, such a variant is primarily for the case that the lighting system is used as a built-in variant. In contrast, in an attachment variant or in a suspended state of the light band, the former variant is used. Ultimately, so with the help of the solution according to the invention the possibility is created to adapt lighting systems extremely flexible, but very accurate to desired lengths.

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

Figure 1 shows the basic structure of a support rail according to the invention;

Figure 2 shows the representation of the support rail according to the invention for

Insert coming, mutually adjustable

Wiring member units;

Figure 3 shows a variant of the support rail according to the invention, in the

Support rail segments with the corresponding subunits are telescopically slidable and

Figures 4a and 4b representations to illustrate the flexibility of

Length design of the support rail according to the invention. Figure 1 shows a very schematic sketch of an embodiment of a support rail according to the invention, which is here generally provided with the reference numeral 1. The mounting rail 1 is a total of elongated forms and extends along the light band system to be realized, being formed on at least one end-side end region, here the left end region for connection to an adjacent support rail. It should be noted in this connection that the adjacent mounting rail does not necessarily have to be identical to the mounting rail according to the invention shown in FIG. 1, since it is sufficient for an adaptation of the overall length of the lighting system if a single, preferably a mounting rail located at one end is made variable is. Since compared to a support rail with a fixed length, the solution of the invention is inevitably somewhat expensive, are preferably in the remaining areas of the system support rails fixed length used. The arrangement of the various components of the mounting rail 1 and the mounting of the support rail 1, for example. On the ceiling or in the ceiling of a room via an elongated element 2, which is preferably formed by a U-shaped support member. This then forms an elongated receiving space in which the components of the mounting rail 1 described below and, if appropriate, also the lamp modules that can be connected thereto are arranged. The bottom of the

Carrier element 2 is provided with a transparent cover for light emission

closed, which then has corresponding optical properties depending on the desired light output. On the front side, the carrier element 2 is designed such that it can be coupled at least on one side with carrier elements of adjacent mounting rails.

For supplying power to the luminaire modules to be connected, a corresponding electrical coupling element 5 is provided on the front side. This is connected to the through-wiring extending along the trunking system and thereby connected to the general power supply. In the case of a two-sided coupling of the support rail 1 to adjacent mounting rails then this through-wiring would also be passed through the support member 2, in which case a further coupling element for electrical connection with another adjacent support rail would have to be provided at the opposite end. In contrast, in the case of an arrangement at the end-side end region of the light band, this is not necessary.

In the illustrated embodiment, it is preferably provided that the luminaire modules to be connected are not directly connected to the mains supply voltage be connected by about 230V. This would require that the modules themselves would have their own operating equipment, such as converters or transformers, but this would lead to certain minimum sizes for the lighting modules. In the illustrated variant, it is therefore provided that a centrally used in the support rail 1 converter 7 is connected to the lines of the general power supply, which is the output side connected to the power circuit 8 for powering the lighting modules. This converter 7 thus provides on the circuit 8 suitable for the operation of the light sources of the lamp modules

Supply voltage available. It may, for example, be a DC voltage suitable for LED operation, provided that the use of LED-based luminaire modules is provided. To connect the lamp modules then a plurality of coupling elements 10 are provided on the circuit 8, which with

corresponding mating coupling elements of the lamp modules are coupled. In the case of a fixed length of the mounting rail 1, the coupling elements 10 would have predetermined standard distances to each other, so that lighting modules can be connected with a corresponding standard length. In this case, then corresponds to the total length of the mounting rail 1 to the corresponding integer multiple of the standard lighting modules. According to the present invention, however, it is now provided that the position of at least some coupling elements is variable in the variable length mounting rail. FIG. 1 shows purely diagrammatically that the first two coupling elements 10i and 10 _{2 are in} terms of their position

are immutable, the positions are selected such that corresponding lighting modules with standard length 50 can be connected, as indicated in Figure 1. The coupling elements 10 ₃ shown below, however, initially have a significantly shorter distance between each other. In addition, they can be adjusted according to the indicated double arrow relative to the first two coupling elements 10i and 10 ₂ . Depending on the appropriate setting and the - described in more detail below - adaptation of the carrier element 2 then results in a remaining remaining length, which of one or more

Lamp modules 60 can be used and filled. These are significantly shorter lamp modules, which then fill in their entirety the remaining length, so that overall, all modules extend continuously over the variably selected length of the mounting rail 1 away.

One possibility for realizing the concept of a variable arrangement of the coupling elements, schematically illustrated with reference to FIG. 1, is shown in FIG. Here, the representation of the support member 2 of the support rail 1 was omitted but it is only arranged in the support rail so-called. Wiring units 201 and 20 ₂ shown, which form the connection options for the lamp modules. For example. At the bottom of the wiring unit 201, two corresponding sockets 11, which contain the coupling elements, can be seen. In contrast, in the second wiring unit 20 ₂ , clearly more sockets 11 are provided which also have a significantly smaller distance from each other. FIG. 2 also shows the converter 7 which is arranged on the first wiring unit 201 and which via the lines 6 and the corresponding one

Coupling element is connected for connection to the general power supply. On the output side of this converter 7 then extend the lines 8 of the supply circuit for the lamp modules, wherein the coupling elements 10 are then arranged on the corresponding bushes 11. The supply circuit also extends through the second subunit 20 _2, wherein the connection between the first subunit 201 and second subunit 20 ₂ takes place via a flexible cable 9.

In a mounting rail fixed length, a wiring unit would extend integrally over the entire length of the support rail 1 away. According to the invention, however, it is now provided that - as shown - the wiring unit is divided into the two subunits 201 and 20 ₂ , each one or more

Coupling elements or corresponding sockets 11 for connecting the

Have lamp modules, wherein the wiring units 201 and 20 ₂ are adjustable relative to each other. Characterized in that the electrical connection is made by the flexible cable 9, the distance between the two subunits 20i and 20 ₂ can be chosen freely between a maximum distance which corresponds to the length of the cable 9, and a minimum distance at which the

Wiring units 201 and 20 ₂ frontally adjacent to each other.

The relative adjustment of the two wiring units 201 and 20 ₂ can be done in various ways. In a first variant, it is provided that the outer support rail (not shown in FIG. 2), that is to say the U-shaped support element 2, extends in one piece over the entire length. In this case, it is preferably provided that one of the two subunits, in particular the first subunit 201 with the converter 7, is fixedly arranged on the corresponding end region of the carrier element 2. Inside the support element 2, the second part of unit 20 ₂ can be variably arranged in the above-described scope or displaced in the longitudinal direction. The first subunit 201 facing away from the front end of the second

Subunit 20 ₂ then defines the end region of the contacting possibilities and then also corresponds to the end of the support rail to be realized, which means that if necessary the support element 2 has to be cut off at the corresponding point. However, since it is a purely mechanical cutting to length of the support element 2 and esp. No electrical lines or the like are affected by this, it is simple mechanical measures that can be performed without much effort. However, this advantageously achieves the result that the carrier element then extends in one piece over the entire length of the carrier rail, which is visually advantageous in comparison to the variant described below.

In a second variant illustrated in Figure 3 namely the carrier element 2 is formed itself by two rail segments 2 _\ 2 and _2, in which the respective sub-units 201 are disposed and 20 ₂ are each now been. Both

Carrier rail segments 2 _\ and 2 ₂ , however, - as shown - telescopically into each other and can be moved in turn according to the double arrow shown relative to each other to adjust the positioning of the subunits 201 and 20 ₂ with the Kontaktierungsbuchsen 11 in the desired manner. Due to the telescoping meshing of the support rail segments 2 _\ and 2 ₂ , the corresponding length adaptation of the support element 2 is then automatically carried out, so that no further measures are required here. However, at the transition region between the two segments a slight gradation can be seen, as shown in Figure 3. This may not be desirable for optical reasons, esp. When the mounting rail 1 is used as a mounting variant or suspended. In this case, then rather the variant of Figure 2 is preferable. For the case, however, that the mounting rail 1 is to be installed in the mounting hole of a ceiling, the outside of the support member 2 is not visible anyway, so that in this case then such optical impairment plays no role.

The advantage of the solution according to the invention is briefly explained again with reference to FIGS. 4a and 4b, wherein the support rail 1 according to the invention is shown in two different lengths, together with the luminaire modules 50 and 60 to be connected thereto, the respective taps being respectively in the case of the luminaire modules are shown. In a short variant, as shown in Figure 4a, for example. First, the two sockets I ii and 11 _{2 occupied} by lamp modules 50 with a standard length, which - as can be seen - the left lamp module 50 is rotated by 180 °. Both modules use the fixedly arranged on the first subunit sockets 11 ₁ and 11 _second By contrast, the second subunit with the sockets 11 ₃ positioned at significantly shorter intervals is positioned close to the first subunit 201 in the illustrated example, so that only a very small distance exists here. The remaining length of the mounting rail lwird is then occupied by a shorter lamp module 60 which is coupled to the corresponding socket 11 ₃ . In contrast, in the variant according to FIG. 4b, the second subunit 20 _{2 is} pulled out to the maximum length. Again, first the two first sockets I ii and 11 _{2 of} the first subunit 201 are occupied by standard luminaire modules 50. The remaining length of the support rail 1 is now occupied by the short lamp modules 60, which use all the corresponding sockets 11 _{3 of} the second subunit 20 ₂ . It is obvious that at appropriate

Intermediate positions of the second subunit 20 ₂ then a correspondingly smaller number of shorter modules 60 is used, although now in very small steps, a length adjustment of the mounting rail can be achieved in total.

Overall, therefore, with the aid of the solution according to the invention, it is possible to adapt the length of a mounting rail to a desired final length extremely comfortably. As already mentioned, it is sufficient if in such a lighting system only a single support rail is designed to be variable in length. The other mounting rails, however, can in the usual way

Standard lengths have. It should also be noted that theoretically it would also be conceivable that all luminaire modules have their own converters and, accordingly, the circuit for

Power supply of the luminaire modules directly with the general

Power is coupled. However, since the central benefit of the converter in the mounting rail itself can lead to savings in the length of the lamp modules, there is the possibility in the illustrated embodiment to realize significantly shorter lamp modules, which ultimately allows a better length adjustment of the mounting rail.

Claims

P442Ü7 / WÜWO 2014/173779 PCT / EP2014 / 057810 10 claims

1. support rail (1) for mounting and power supply of lighting modules (50, 60), 5 with a wiring unit with coupling elements (10) for electrical

Connecting at least two luminaire modules (50,60),

wherein the wiring unit is divided into two subunits (201, 20 ₂ ) each having at least one coupling element (10), and wherein the subunits (201, 20 ₂ ) in the longitudinal direction of the support rail (1) are adjustable relative to each other.

10

2. DIN rail according to claim 1,

characterized,

in that both subunits (201, 20 ₂ ) have a common circuit (8) for the power supply of the connected luminaire modules (50, 60), wherein the electrical connection of the subunits (201, 20 ₂ ) takes place via a flexible cable (9).

3. mounting rail according to claim 2,

characterized,

that the power circuit (8) for the power supply of the connected lamp modules 20 (50, 60) on the input side, a converter (7), which with a

Power supply connection (5) for the mounting rail (1) is connected.

4. DIN rail according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

25 that both subunits (201, 20 ₂ ) each have a plurality of coupling elements (10)

have, wherein the distances between adjacent coupling elements (10) of a first subunit are greater than the corresponding distances of a second

Entity.

30 5. DIN rail according to claim 3 and claim 4,

characterized,

the converter (7) is arranged on one of the two subunits (20i, 20 ₂ ), preferably on the first subunit (20i).

35. DIN rail according to one of the preceding claims,

characterized,

the subunits (201, 20 ₂ ) are arranged within an elongate, preferably U-shaped carrier element (2).

7. DIN rail according to claim 6,

characterized,

in that the carrier element (2) extends in one piece over the entire length of the carrier rail (1), at least one of the two subunits (201, 20 ₂ )

slidably disposed in the carrier element (2).

8. DIN rail according to claim 6,

characterized,

in that each subunit (20i, 20 ₂ ) is assigned a mounting rail segment (2 _ls 2 ₂ ), wherein the two mounting rail segments (2 _ls 2 ₂ ) are telescopically slidable into one another.

9. lighting strip system with a mounting rail (1) according to one of the preceding claims.