EP4026202A1

EP4026202A1 - Connection expansion module

Info

Publication number: EP4026202A1
Application number: EP20767541.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Christoph VONACH
Original assignee: Tridonic GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Tridonic GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2019-09-03
Filing date: 2020-09-03
Publication date: 2022-07-13
Also published as: CN114303289A; AT17405U1; WO2021043910A1; US20220311195A1; DE202019104836U1

Abstract

The invention relates to a connection expansion module (2) for a component (1) of a lighting system, having a securing means (22..25, 29) for securing the connection expansion module to the component, at least one contact element (7..10) for contacting an electric connection (L, N, S1, S2) of the component (1), and multiple connections (12..19) connected to the contact element (7..10) in order to connect electric lines to the connection expansion module (2).

Description

Connection expansion module

The present invention relates to a module for expanding the connection options of components in a lighting system.

Components of lighting systems, such as operating devices for lamps, sensors, actuators, switches or dimmers, should generally be designed as compact as possible or require little space at the installation site. In addition, the components should cover many possible uses in order to reduce the number of components with different functional ranges.

Operating devices are mainly used to provide an energy supply for the lighting means, such as, for example, a light-emitting diode (LED or OLED) or several light-emitting diodes connected in series and / or in parallel. Additional functions such as dimming the lamps, changing / adapting the light color, measuring and outputting power consumption or specifying the light intensity and light duration in emergency lighting mode (I-SELECT) can be provided in the operating device. Operating devices with such additional functions usually have a larger number of connections than simple operating devices. The number of connections also increases when on

Component connections are provided twice in order to allow signal and / or supply lines to be looped through to another, downstream component and thus to reduce the installation effort with regard to the cables or junction boxes.

However, a large number of connections prevents the component from being miniaturized, in particular in the area of the connections. On the other hand, the provision of components with different connections is complex and expensive.

The invention is based on the object of specifying a device and a method which reduce the problems described. The main task is to provide a connection expansion module and a system that allow simple and inexpensive adaptation of the connections to different applications. This object is achieved according to the features of the independent claims. The invention is further developed by the features of the dependent claims.

According to the present invention, the connection expansion module for a component of a lighting system has fastening means for fastening the connection expansion module to the component, at least one contact element for contacting an electrical connection of the component and several connections connected to the contact element for connecting electrical lines to the connection expansion module. The two or more connections electrically connected to the contact element enable a signal or supply line routed to the component to be looped through to another component or the distribution or connection of a plurality of components located at different locations via one line each. With the present invention it is also possible to change the connection type (e.g. plug-in contact, spring terminal) and / or the size of the connection of the component contacted by the contact element or to replace it with a different connection type (screw terminal) or another size. Increasing the size of the connection enables the connection of a line with a larger cross-section, which is necessary, for example, because of a long line length (reduction of the voltage drop through the line) or a low mains voltage.

The connection expansion module can be permanently attached to the component, for example by gluing or with another fastening means. Alternatively, the fastening means can be designed to detachably fasten the connection expansion module to the component, in particular by means of a click or latch connection. The connection expansion module can have at least one cover made of an electrically non-conductive material, which is designed to cover or at least protect the contact element, the connections of the connection expansion module and / or the 5 connections of the component attached to the connection expansion module from being touched. The cover can replace a cover already present on the component, which cover is removable and protects the connections of the component. The fastening means can be formed at least partially by the cover of the connection expansion module, so that when the cover is applied, the connection expansion module is (additionally) fastened to the component. The connection of the component can be a screw connection (screw terminal) or a spring terminal, the contact element being designed to contact the electrical connection by means of a clamp or screw connection. The contact element can in particular be a cylinder pin, wire or cable. The connection expansion module can have at least two contact elements that are designed to contact an electrical connection of the component for voltage supply, at least two of the connections of the connection expansion module being electrically connected together with one of the at least two contact elements. The at least two connections of the

25 components can be mains connections for the component or the connections for a lamp.

Additionally or alternatively, the connection expansion module can have at least two contact elements which are designed to each contact an electrical connection of the component for inputting and / or outputting a control or data signal, at least two of the connections of the Connection expansion module are electrically connected together with one of the at least two contact elements.

The type and size of the connections 5 of the component contacted by the connection expansion module can be different, the contact elements being designed accordingly to contact the different connections.

In some applications, a strain relief is provided on the component for the cables (connection lines), which is intended to prevent the connected lines ro from being torn out and protect the connections from mechanical stress from the

To protect lines. This function can easily be retrofitted with the connection expansion module. For this purpose, the connection expansion module has means for strain relief for the electrical lines that can be connected to the connection expansion module.

15th

According to the present invention, a system has the component of the lighting system and one of the connection expansion modules described.

The component can be an operating device for operating one or more illuminants, in particular LEDs, or a sensor.

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

FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a component of a lighting system and a connection expansion module separated from the component according to an exemplary embodiment according to the present invention, and FIG

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the system shown in FIG. 1 in the assembled state. Components with the same functions are identified by the same reference symbols in the figures.

According to the present invention, the number and / or the type of connections of a component of a lighting system can be adapted by means of a special module to an application for which the connections of the component are otherwise not suitable.

1 shows a component 1 of a lighting system, which has four connections L, N, S1, S2 and can be an operating device for lamps, a presence sensor or a twilight sensor, and a connection expansion module 2 for this component 1 in a view from above. The four connections L, N, Sl, S2 are each designed as a screw terminal, with the connections L, N being input connections and used to connect a supply line for the voltage supply of component 1 and the connections Sl, S2 being output connections and for connecting a signal line or a connection line to a lamp. Alternatively, the connections S1, S2 can be provided for connecting a two-wire DALI line, by means of which control and / or status signals are transmitted between the components of the lighting system.

The connection expansion module 2 is used to duplicate the four connections L, N, Sl, S2, so that the supply line can be looped through the connection expansion module 2 to another component of the lighting system and two signal lines or two connection lines can be connected.

The components of component 1 are located in a housing, with the four connections L, N, Sl, S2 being protected from contact with a removable cover. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cover has been removed so that the threaded bores 3..6 provided for mounting the cover and the four connections L, N, S1, S2 can be seen. The connection expansion module 2 has four contact elements 7..10, a holding element 11 to which the four contact elements 7..10 are attached, eight connections 12..19 designed as screw terminals for connecting the two feed lines and the two signal lines or the two connection lines , a strain relief 5 20 for said lines, a circuit board 21, fasteners 22..25 for

Attaching the connection expansion module 2 to the component and a removable cover which closes the upper part of the housing of the connection expansion module 2. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the cover of the connection expansion module 2 has also been removed, so that the threaded bores 26..29 provided for mounting the cover can be seen.

On the circuit board 21 are the eight connections 12..19 and conductor tracks, which provide an electrical connection from the contact element 7 to the connections 12 15 and 14, an electrical connection from the contact element 8 to the connections 13 and 15, an electrical connection from the contact element 9 to the connections 16 and 18 and an electrical connection from the contact element 10 to the connections 17 and 19. The fastening means 22..25 has two guide rails 22, 25 and two screws 23, 24 attached to the guide rails 22, 25. The guide rails 22, 25 are provided on the side of the connection expansion module 2 in order to position the four contact elements 7..10 opposite the four connections L, N, S1, S2 so that the four contact elements 7..10 can be inserted into the screw terminals of the four connections L, N, Sl, S2 and screwed tight. The connection expansion module 2 is detachably fastened to the component 1 by means of the screws 23, 24. For this purpose, corresponding threaded bores can be provided on the component 1, into which the screws 23, 24 are screwed. A strain relief for lines that can be connected to the four connections L, N, S1, S2 is not provided on component 1. The connection expansion module 2 supplements this function so that the component 1 can also be used or mounted in places where strain relief is prescribed. The tensile force acting on the lines connected to the connection expansion module 2 is absorbed by the strain relief 20 designed as a clamp and diverted to the housing of the component 1 via the fastening means 22..25, so that the lines can be torn out of the connections up to a certain tensile force 12..19 or the contact elements 7..10 from the connections L, N, Sl, S2 can be prevented.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of the component 1 and the

Connection expansion module 2 in the assembled state with the cover 26 of the connection expansion module 2 screwed on. In the example shown, the cover 26 is designed in such a way that it extends over the four connections L, N, S1, S2, by means of the threaded bores 3..6 and 26 ..29 screwed screws (not shown) is attached and thus replaces the cover of component 1. In addition to the contact protection function for the circuit board 21 and the connections L, N, S1, S2 and 12..19, the cover 26 can also serve as an additional or alternative fastening means, so that the fastening means 22..25 must be made less stable or can be omitted.

The housing and / or the cover 26 of the connection expansion module 2 can be made of metal or an injection-molded part made of plastic. In the exemplary embodiment described, all connections L, N, S1, S2 of component 1 are duplicated by connection expansion module 2. However, it is also possible not to duplicate all of the connections L, N, Sl, S2 of component 1 and, for example, to provide only one connection on the connection expansion module 2 for the connections Sl, S2 in order to meet the space requirements for the connections 12..19 in the connection expansion module 2 reduce. In particular in the case of components 1, such as operating devices for light-emitting diodes, which have a large number of functions and connections, lines are not connected to all connections L, N, S1, S2 of component 1 in some applications, so that for the unused connections L, N , Sl, S2 in the 5 connection expansion module 2 no contact elements 7..10 and no connections 12..19 need to be present, which reduces the space required for the connections 12..19. At least some of the connections L, N, S1, S2 and / or the connections 12..19 can alternatively also be designed as spring terminals. In the exemplary embodiment described, the connections L, N, S1, S2 and the connections 12..19 are each arranged in a row. However, it is also possible to arrange at least some of the connections 12..19 at different levels / heights, so that some of the lines connected to the connections 12..19 run one above the other, which enables a compact design. The fastening of the cover 29 and / or the fastening of the connection expansion module 2 to the component 1 by means of the fastening means 22..25 can take place with a different type of connection, in particular a form-fitting connection.

Claims

1. Connection expansion module (2) for a component (1) of a lighting system, having

5 fasteners (22..25, 29) for fastening the

Connection expansion module on the component, at least one contact element (7..10) for contacting an electrical connection (L, N, Sl, S2) of the component (1), and several connections (12. .19) for connecting electrical lines to the connection expansion module (2).

2. Connection expansion module (2) according to claim 1, wherein the fastening means (22..25, 29) is designed to releasably fasten the connection expansion module (2) to the component (1).

15th

3. Connection expansion module (2) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one cover (29) made of an electrically non-conductive material, which is designed to the contact element (7..10), the connections (12..19) of the 0 connection expansion module (2) and / or the connections (L, N, Sl, S2) of the component (1) attached to the connection expansion module (2).

4. connection expansion module (2) according to claim 3, wherein the fastening means (22..25, 29) is at least partially formed by the cover 25 (29).

5. Connection expansion module (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact element (7..10) is designed to the electrical connection (L, 0 N, Sl, S2) of the component (1) by means of a clamp or screw connection to contact.

6. connection expansion module (2) according to claim 5, wherein the contact element (7..10) is a cylinder pin, wire or cable.

7. Connection expansion module (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

5 wherein the connection expansion module (2) has at least two contact elements (7..10) which are designed to each contact an electrical connection (L, N, Sl, S2) of the component (1) for voltage supply, and at least two of the Connections (12..19) of the connection expansion module (2) are each electrically connected to one of the at least two contact elements (7..10).

8. Connection expansion module (2) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein s the connection expansion module (2) has at least two contact elements which are designed to each have an electrical connection (L, N, Sl, S2) of the component for input and / or To contact output of a control signal, and at least two of the connections (12..19) of the connection expansion module (2) 0 are each electrically connected to one of the at least two contact elements (7..10).

9. Connection expansion module (2) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising

25 means (20) for strain relief for the electrical lines that can be connected to the connection expansion module (2).

10. System with a connection expansion module (2) according to one of the preceding claims and the component (1) of the lighting system. 0

11. System according to claim 10, wherein the component (1) is an operating device for operating one or more lighting means, in particular LEDs, or a sensor.