EP3114403B1 - Light fixture comprising interchangeable lighting modules - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a luminaire, which has an elongated support element, on which a plurality of lighting modules are releasably fastened.

The idea of interchangeably arranging lighting modules on a carrier element is known in particular from so-called continuous line lighting systems. These are lighting systems which have an elongate support element, for example a downwardly open U-shaped mounting rail, in or on the lines for the electrical power supply and possibly also for signal transmission. Depending on the design of the system then lighting modules can be arranged at certain predetermined positions or freely at any point of the support rail. In this case, each light module special contacting elements - for example in the form of so-called rotary knob - on which on the one hand cause a mechanical attachment to the mounting rail and on the other hand ensure a contacting of the lines. Furthermore, the lighting modules generally each have their own operating device which converts the mains supply voltage, which is made available via the current lines running along the mounting rail, into a suitable operating voltage for operating the light sources of the lighting module.

For example, the shows US 2012 / 127702A1 a lighting arrangement with an elongated support member to which a plurality of LED modules can be attached. Also mounted on the support member is a converter which is electrically connected to the LED modules. Furthermore, the shows US 2012/113634 A1 a luminaire according to the preamble of claim 1.

A detachable arrangement of individual modules, which each contain light sources, would also be useful for individual luminaires, in particular if the light sources used are LEDs. Compared to conventional light sources such as light bulbs or fluorescent lamps, replacing defective LEDs or defective LED boards is usually difficult for the end user to perform, so that in case of a corresponding Defect either the lamp replaced or sent to the manufacturer or repair work must be performed by a trained electrician. This is because, for safety reasons, LED boards are generally installed in luminaires in such a way that they are not easily accessible. One reason for this is that in this way the risk of electric shock is eliminated or at least reduced. Furthermore, accidental touching of an LED board can lead to so-called ESD damage, that is, damage due to an unwanted electrical discharge. As a result, LED light sources in luminaires are usually arranged in a special shielded or encapsulated manner, and access to the circuit boards is often achieved only by destroying certain components that provide appropriate protection.

There are starting points to circumvent the above-mentioned problem by providing the LEDs in special encapsulated modules which are releasably attached to the luminaire and electrically coupled to corresponding power supply means. In the event of a defect in the LEDs, it is then not the individual board that is replaced individually but the entire module, which as a rule can also be carried out relatively easily by the end user.

The present invention is based on the object to simplify the structure of a lamp of the type described above with interchangeable lighting modules. In particular, an assembly of the lamp is to be facilitated in terms of the means for powering the lighting modules.

The object is achieved by a luminaire having the features of claim 1. Advantageous developments of the invention are the subject of the dependent claims.

The luminaire according to the invention has, as described above, an elongate carrier element to which a plurality of lighting modules can be detachably fastened. Furthermore, means for supplying power to the lighting modules are provided, wherein these means comprise an operating device and contacting means connected to the operating device, to which the lighting modules are electrically connectable. The operating device and the contacting means are arranged according to the invention on a device carrier, which is preferably fastened as a preassembled unit detachably on the support element of the lamp, wherein the equipment carrier is disposed on the side facing away from the light modules of the support member and pass through the contacting means formed in the support member recesses.

The solution according to the invention significantly simplifies the manufacture of the luminaire or its assembly. Since all essential components for the electrical power supply of the exchangeable lighting modules are arranged on the equipment carrier, it can initially be fitted in a simple manner with the corresponding components. Subsequently, only the arrangement of the device carrier on the support element of the lamp is required. A complex laying of individual cables to provide the individual power supply for the individual lighting modules, however, eliminated, so that the light overall seen a very clear structure. Maintenance or repair work, which affect the means for powering the lighting modules are also facilitated.

The lighting modules are thus fastened to the carrier element from the lower side or the light emission side, while the device carrier is arranged on the carrier element from the opposite side and is preferably snapped or latched therewith. This measure also contributes to the improvement of any maintenance work by the end user, since when replacing individual defective lighting modules from the light emission side with the exception of the contacting all other means of power supply are protected and there is no risk that they are inadvertently touched.

The contacting means are preferably not arranged directly on the equipment carrier, which itself is formed by a correspondingly shaped sheet-metal part, but instead on so-called connection boards. These are in turn releasably attached to the device carrier and on the one hand on the contacting means and on the other hand means for electrical connection to the operating device of the lamp. These means for electrical connection may be a simple Actuate a connector or a terminal, via which or with the aid of a corresponding cable, a connection to the operating device. The contacting means for producing the electrical connection to the corresponding light-emitting module are then connected to the plug or the terminal, for example via conductor tracks formed on the connection plate. Preferably, a plurality of contacting means, for example two contacting means, are arranged on each of the connecting boards. These contacting means may be, for example, plugs or sockets of an electrical connector system, which then interact with a suitable, located on the light module counterpart. However, the contacting means are particularly preferably formed by simple contact elements, in particular by spring contacts. These arrive in the arrangement of a light module to the support element of the lamp in corresponding contact with located on the light module contacts and make the electrical supply of the light module safely.

According to the preferred embodiment of the invention described above, in turn, several of the connection boards are arranged on the elongate device carrier, in which case each of the connection boards is connected via cables to the operating device. In this case, a suitably designed wiring harness is particularly preferably used, which is coupled on the one hand to the operating device and on the other hand to the various connection boards. The individual lines of the wiring harness have a different length and are particularly dimensioned such that they correspond with their length in about the distance between the connection board or the plug / terminal of the connection board and the operating device. That is, the harness has specifically with regard to their length to the position of the circuit board to be supplied cable, so that a very clear cable management is guaranteed. This can be further optimized or improved by the fact that the cables are led to the connection plate to be connected in a space between the connection boards and the equipment carrier. Ultimately, therefore, a very clear modular design for the lamp is created by the inventive solution, are significantly simplified by the repair or maintenance. Also allows the structure of the invention, in a simple way lights different Dimensions and with correspondingly different numbers of interchangeable lighting modules to provide.

Figur 1

eine erfindungsgemäße Leuchte in perspektivischer Ansicht von schräg oben;

Figur 2

eine Seitenansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Leuchte;

Figur 3

eine vergrößerte Seitenansicht des Endbereichs der Leuchte;

Figur 4

eine Ansicht der erfindungsgemäßen Leuchte von unten;

Figur 5

ein an der Leuchte auswechselbar zu befestigendes Leuchtmodul;

Figur 6

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Endbereichs des Trägerelements der Leuchte;

Figur 7

eine Schnittdarstellung der Leuchte quer zur Längsachse, wobei das auswechselbare Leuchtmodul beabstandet zu dem Trägerelement angeordnet ist;

Figur 8

eine Schnittdarstellung entsprechend Figur 7, wobei nunmehr das Leuchtmodul an dem Trägerelement befestigt ist;

Figuren 9 und 10

Ansichten des Endbereichs des erfindungsgemäßen Geräteträgers;

Figur 11

eine perspektivische Ansicht des vollständigen Geräteträgers und

Figur 12

eine vergrößerte Schnittdarstellung zur Verdeutlichung der lösbaren Befestigung des Geräteträgers an dem Trägerelement der Leuchte.

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

FIG. 1

a lamp according to the invention in a perspective view obliquely from above;

FIG. 2

a side view of the lamp according to the invention;

FIG. 3

an enlarged side view of the end portion of the lamp;

FIG. 4

a view of the lamp according to the invention from below;

FIG. 5

a luminous module to be mounted replaceable on the luminaire;

FIG. 6

a perspective view of an end portion of the support member of the lamp;

FIG. 7

a sectional view of the lamp transversely to the longitudinal axis, wherein the interchangeable light module is arranged spaced from the carrier element;

FIG. 8

a sectional view accordingly FIG. 7 , wherein now the lighting module is attached to the support element;

FIGS. 9 and 10

Views of the end region of the device carrier according to the invention;

FIG. 11

a perspective view of the complete equipment carrier and

FIG. 12

an enlarged sectional view to illustrate the releasable attachment of the device carrier to the support element of the lamp.

The Figures 1 and 2 show different views of the generally provided with the reference numeral 1 inventive lamp. The lamp 1 is formed in the illustrated embodiment as a pendant light and can be attached in this case via at least one suspension element, in the illustrated case over several cables 2 to a support element, not shown, for example, on the ceiling of a room. In a slightly modified way, however, the luminaire 1 according to the invention could also be used as a ceiling-mounted luminaire.

As can be seen in the figures, the luminaire 1 is designed to be elongated overall and extends along a longitudinal axis L. The shape of the luminaire 1 is determined primarily by a carrier element 5, which represents the central element of the luminaire 1 on which all other components are arranged or attached. An essential feature of this carrier element 5 is that this forms on its underside or its Lichtabstrahlseite a later described in more detail, in cross section U-shaped receiving area in which a plurality of lighting modules can be arranged interchangeable. The support element 5 is preferably formed by an aluminum profile, which is closed at its two end-side end portions by end caps 15, which in turn are releasably secured to the support member 5.

FIG. 6 shows the end portion of the support member 5 from the underside ago, now the receiving area 6 for the replaceable lighting modules can be seen. This receiving area is formed by a bottom surface 7 and two downwardly directed U-legs 8 extending on both sides of the bottom surface 7. Together with the already mentioned end elements or end caps 15, the elongate cup-shaped receiving region 6, which is U-shaped overall, is thus formed. In this then several light modules - in the illustrated embodiment 14 light modules - arranged, one of them in FIG. 5 is shown in perspective view.

The lighting module 20 is thus formed approximately cuboid. As in particular the sectional views of FIGS. 7 and 8 can be removed, while the lighting module 20 consists of a cup-shaped, formed from at least teillichtdurchlässigem material so-called lens carrier 21 having a bottom surface 22, which forms the light emitting surface of the light module 20, and four side walls 23, 24. At the two shorter side walls 24 in each case two locking tabs 25 are formed, via which a fastening to the carrier element 5 of the lamp 1 takes place. Like the presentation of FIG. 6 can be removed, 5 corresponding recesses or slots 9 are formed for this purpose in the bottom surface 7 of the receiving portion 6 of the support member, in which engage the locking tabs 25 of the lighting module 20 latching.

The bottom surface of the light-emitting module 20 is arranged through the rear side of a circuit board 30 with a plurality of LEDs 31, preferably matrix-like, distributed among them (see FIG FIG. 7 ) educated. These LEDs 31 represent the light sources of the light module 20, wherein the LEDs 31 may be associated with different optical means for influencing the light output.

As in FIG. 7 can be seen, 21 lens body 26 are formed in the illustrated embodiment in the central region of the lens carrier, which are each associated with individual LEDs 31. On the other hand, the light from the LEDs 31a located in the edge region should not be emitted with the aid of lenses, but should rather produce a rather diffuse surrounding frame. This is achieved by a special diffuser frame 35, which is inserted into the lens carrier 21 and, in comparison to the lens carrier 21, which preferably consists of a clear material, is formed from a light-scattering material or contains light-scattering particles. It should be noted, however, that of course the design of the optical elements of the individual lighting modules 20 could also be designed otherwise, if another type of light emission is desired. The design of these optical elements is not relevant to the gist of the present invention. It is essential, however, that a plurality of the lighting modules 20 are fastened to the carrier element 5 of the luminaire 1, so that an appearance results from the underside or the light emitting side of the luminaire 1, as shown in FIG FIG. 4 is shown.

The rear side of the light module 20 forming LED board 30 is locked to the lens carrier 21. For this purpose, corresponding latching elements 27 are formed on the two side walls 23, which cooperate with the board 30 in such a way that they can be easily placed on the open lens carrier 21 from the rear side and then pressed down. In this way, a stable structural unit is formed, by which in turn the individual LEDs 31 are efficiently protected against external influences.

The power supply of the arranged on the support member 5 lighting modules 20 is carried out with the aid of special contacting means comprising spring contacts 41 in the illustrated embodiment, which cooperate with disposed on the back of the LED board 30 contact pads 35. The spring contacts 41 are here in each case at an in FIG. 7 recognizable contact block 40 which projects through a corresponding recess 10 in the bottom surface 7 of the receiving portion 6 of the support member 5. That is, these spring contacts 41 are accessible from the receiving region 6 of the support member 5 forth so that they arrive when inserting the light module 20 in the receiving area 6 in abutment against the contact pads 35 of the light module 20. As a result, the electrical connection between the spring contacts 41 and the lighting module 20 is ensured, so that this - as described in more detail below - is connected to the actual means for providing an operating current for the LEDs 31.

Like the presentation of FIG. 5 can be taken from a plurality of contact pads 35 are formed on the back of the LED board 30, wherein not necessarily all contact fields 35 must be used depending on the operating mode of the lamp 1. This depends inter alia on whether only a simple switching on and off of the modules 20 is provided or whether they should allow an individual controllability. In the illustrated embodiment, only two spring contacts 41 are used, so that therefore the modules 20 are supplied exclusively with a suitable supply voltage or a supply current and, accordingly, all modules are operated uniformly. A communication, which would also allow, for example, the feedback of error information or the like, is in illustrated embodiment, in which case optionally several of the contact fields 35 are then used for this case.

Another special feature is that - as in FIG. 5 recognizable - two rows of contact pads 35 are provided, which are arranged with respect to a longitudinal axis 1 of the light-emitting module 20 rotated by 180 ° to each other. The reason for this measure is that this makes it possible to arrange the light module 20 optionally in different orientations, in particular in two orientations rotated by 180 ° on the carrier element 5. This may be of interest if the optical elements of the light-emitting module 20 are designed in such a way that they cause an asymmetrical light emission amplified in one direction. In this case, it may possibly be provided that, for example, the lighting modules 20 arranged at the respective end regions of the carrier element 5 are aligned with respect to one another in a twisted manner, which in turn would cause a symmetrical light emission of the luminaire 1 as a whole. By arranging two similar, but rotated by 180 ° to each other arranged contact fields 35, a corresponding optional arrangement of the lighting modules 20 can be made possible in a simple manner, without these would have to be otherwise modified.

It should be noted that instead of the illustrated spring contacts and cooperating contact fields and connector systems could be used to connect the lighting modules.

The FIGS. 7 and 8 show as already mentioned a sectional view of the lamp 1, wherein initially in FIG. 7 the light module 20 spaced from the support member 5 and arranged in FIG. 8 is attached to the support element 5. The representation of the FIGS. 7 and 8 In addition, the shape of the carrier element 5 can be taken, wherein it can be seen that this above the U-shaped receiving portion 6 has two longitudinally extending side walls 12, which form a narrower, upwardly directed and turn U-shaped second receiving portion 13 ,

These side walls 12 are also in the representations of FIGS. 1 to 3 clearly recognizable, it being further apparent that the walls 12 do not cover the whole Length of the lamp 1 across the same height. In particular, viewed in the longitudinal direction, a slightly raised receiving space 13a is formed in the central region of the luminaire 1, which serves to receive the operating device 100 of the luminaire 1, via which the external supply voltage is converted into a suitable operating voltage or operating current for the luminous modules 20 , Furthermore, in this middle receiving space 13a above the operating device 100, a lighting unit 60 is still provided for generating an indirect lighting. On both sides of this raised central region 13a slightly lower receiving areas 13b are formed, which can also serve to accommodate further lighting units for generating an indirect lighting, which will not be explained in detail in the present case.

Instead, the present invention deals with special measures by means of which the electrical connection between the operating device 100 and the spring contacts 41, via which the contacting of the lighting modules 20 ultimately takes place, is ensured.

These are in the FIGS. 9 and 10 Representations of a so-called device carrier 50 shown, which is formed by an elongated sheet metal part and serves as a central holding element for the components for powering the lighting modules 20. The device carrier 50 thus serves in particular to hold the contact blocks 40 with the spring contacts 41, although these are not arranged directly on the device carrier 50 but instead are mounted on so-called connection boards 45. These connection boards 45, one of them in FIG. 9 is shown, in each case have two contact blocks 40 with spring contacts 41, so are ultimately designed for contacting by two lighting modules 20.

The arrangement of the connection boards 45 on the equipment carrier 50 is again preferably done without tools, which is achieved in that the boards 45 have elongated projections 46 on their longitudinal sides. These are intended to be connected to the device carrier 50 in the sense of a bayonet lock. The cross-sectionally C-shaped device carrier 50 has for this purpose therefore two elongated side walls 51, on each of which recesses 52 are formed, which open into undercuts 53. The connection board 45 is then removed from the Top side (as shown in FIG. 9 ), such that the projections 46 engage in the recesses 52. Subsequently, the board 45 is moved in the direction of the arrow relative to the device carrier 50, so that the projections 46 engage in the undercuts 53. As a result, the board 45 is securely stored on the device carrier 50, without the need for a tool or additional connecting means would be required. At the equipment rack 50, a plurality of corresponding connection boards 45 are arranged in this way, so in the present case, half as many boards 45 are required as lighting modules 20 are to be attached to the support member 5 of the lamp 1.

On each interconnect board 45 is also a plug 44 - the use of a terminal would be conceivable - arranged, which is connected via non-illustrated interconnects with the contact blocks 40. The plug 44 is located on the opposite side of the contact blocks 40 of the board 45 and is connected to the operating device 100 via cables. In this way, therefore, the electrical connection between the operating device 100 and contact blocks 40 is ensured.

FIG. 11 shows an entire device carrier 50 with the arranged on the bottom connecting plates 45 and arranged on the opposite side operating device 100. On the side of the operating device 100 is also a terminal 101 is also arranged, via which the connection to the external power supply lines.

As already mentioned, the connection between the operating device 100 and the connection boards 45 is made by cable, for which purpose a wiring harness is preferably used which has lines which are connected on the one hand to the operating device 100 and on the other hand to the connection boards 45, to be precise with the plugs 44 Connection boards 45 are connected. The cables of the - not shown - harness are tuned in terms of their length to the distance between the operating device 100 and the connection boards 45, so that no loosely extending cable loops remain. Instead, the cables are preferably guided in the intermediate region between the bottom surface 55 of the device carrier 50 and connection board 45, so that ultimately a tidy structural unit is received, as in FIG. 11 is shown. This contains all the essential components for the power supply of the lighting modules 20 and can then be attached in a simple manner to the support element 5 of the lamp 1.

The attachment of the device carrier 50 is again preferably without tools, in which case in particular a locking is provided. This is achieved by the fact that on the side walls 51 of the device carrier 50 bulged nubs 56 are formed, as in particular in FIG. 10 are clearly recognizable. With the help of these knobs 56 of the device carrier 50 is then locked to the support member 5 of the lamp 1. This is done by the device carrier 50 is inserted from the top into the open upper receiving portion 13 of the support member 5 and pressed towards the bottom until the bulged nubs 56 engage corresponding inwardly projecting projections 15 of the aluminum profile, which forms the support member 5, behind , By a guide lug 57 which is formed at an end face of the device carrier 50 and engages in a recess in the device carrier 5, it is ensured that the device carrier 50 is positioned correctly and oriented in the carrier element 5 is used.

The locking can very well according to the enlarged view FIG. 12 which shows the arrangement of the device carrier 50 in the carrier element 5. Visible here is also the gap between the bottom surface 55 of the device carrier and the connection board 45, which can be used to guide the - not shown -Leitungen the wiring harness and in which the plug or terminals 44 are located. It can also be seen in which way the contact blocks 40 with the spring contacts 41 pass through the recesses 10 in the bottom surface 6 of the lower receiving region, such that they are accessible to the contacting fields 35 of the lighting modules 20.

Ultimately, therefore, a very modular design for the lamp is achieved in total by the special design of the device carrier according to the invention. The individual components can be mounted as prefabricated units very quickly and easily to the support element of the lamp and in particular also attached without tools, so that on the one hand, the assembly of the lamp is facilitated, but in particular also maintenance can be performed very easily.

Claims (9)

1. A luminaire (1) with

   • an elongated support element (5),

   • several lighting modules (20) which can be detachably fastened to the support element (5), as well as

   • means for supplying power to the lighting modules (20), which comprise an operating device (100) as well as contacting means (40, 41), which are connected to the operating device (100), to which the lighting modules (20) can be electrically connected,

   wherein the operating device (100) and the contacting means (40, 41) are arranged on a device support (50), which can be detachably fastened to the support element (5),
   wherein
   the device support (50) is arranged on the side of the support element (5) facing away from the lighting modules (20), characterized in that the contacting means (40, 41) pass through recesses (10) formed in the support element (5).
2. A luminaire according to claim 1,
   characterized in
   that the contacting means (40, 41) are arranged on connection boards (45), which can be detachably fastened to the device support (50).
3. A luminaire according to claim 2,
   characterized in
   that a plug (44) is arranged in each case on the connecting boards (45), which is connected, on the one hand, to the contacting means (40, 41) and, on the other hand, to the operating device (100).
4. A luminaire according to claim 3,
   characterized in
   that the connection is made between the plug (44) and the operating device (100) by means of a cable.
5. A luminaire according to claim 4,
   characterized in
   that the connection of the plug (44) of all connection boards (45) with the operating device (100) is made via a cable harness, the individual cables of which are in each case matched to the distance between plug (44) and operating device (100).
6. A luminaire according to claim 4 or 5,
   characterized in
   that the cables are guided in an intermediate area between the device support (50) and the connection boards (45) held by the device support (50).
7. A luminaire according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
   characterized in
   that contacting means (40, 41) are provided on each connection board (45) for in each case two lighting modules (20).
8. A luminaire according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the contacting means have spring contacts (41).
9. A luminaire according to any one of the preceding claims,
   characterized in
   that the device support (50) can be latched to the support element (5).

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