SE538841C2

SE538841C2 - Armature fastener

Info

Publication number: SE538841C2
Application number: SE1550339A
Authority: SE
Inventors: Isaksson Marcus
Original assignee: Caleidoscope Systems Ab
Priority date: 2015-03-23
Filing date: 2015-03-23
Publication date: 2016-12-27
Also published as: CN107429904A; EP3274626A1; SE1550339A1; EP3274626A4; WO2016153417A1

Description

25 30 35 538 841 armature fastener to be fastened onto a ferromagnetic structure comprising a downwardly facing surface and a surface facing sideways, the armature fastener further comprising a connector for connection to an electrical grid, the connector being internally Wired to a system track for connection to an armature being provided with a connector for connection to such system tracks.

In order to provide for the manufacturability of the armature fastener, it may comprise a housing divided into an inner portion and an outer portion.

In order to provide for the fastening to the ferromagnetic structure comprising a downwardly facing surface and a surface facing sideways, the inner portion may comprise an upwardly facing surface in which the connector is provided, and an inwardly facing surface, where at least one magnet is provided.

Preferably, the system track is adapted to accommodate armatures designed for lighting tracks.

In order to comply o the standard lighting tracks, the system track exhibits five elongate grooves provided on each side of the system track, and one groove at the bottom thereof, wherein some of the grooves each are provided with a conductive strip arranged to contact corresponding conductive elements of the annature to be fastened in the system track. The conductive strips may be made from copper or any other suitable alloy having good electric conductivity and corrosion resistance.

Conveniently, the inner and outer portions are made from injection molded plastic.

In order to provide sufﬁciently large magnetic force and ageing resistance, the magnets may be manufactured from sintered neodymium, boron and iron.

In order to provide for a sufﬁcient space for the system track, the armature fastener may have a width f about 50-100 mm, a length of 100-200 mm and a height of 50-70 mm.

In order to provide for a sufﬁcient holding force while allowing for easy and convenient removal of the armature fastener from the ferromagnetic structure comprising a downwardly facing surface and a surface facing sideways, the magnets may each have a magnetic attraction to steel on the order of l0-l00 N/magnet, preferably about 50-70 N/magnet.

The armature fastener is particularly useful for suspending armatures from e.g. a functional ceiling system comprising a grid made from pressed sheet metal members and comprising a lower part on which some of the at least one magnets may be fastened and side walls on which the other of the at least one magnet may be fastened. 10 15 20 25 30 538 841 BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the following, embodiments of the invention will be described with reference to the appended drawings, wherein: Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an armature fastener according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the armature fastener according to the present invention; Fig. 3 is a section view of the armature fastener according to the present invention, the section being taken along the line C-C of Fig. 2; and Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are exploded views of the armature fastener according to the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS With reference to Figs. 1-4, an armature fastener 100 according to one embodiment of the present invention comprises a housing 110, which is divided in two portions, an inner portion 120 and an outer portion 130. Both the inner and the outer portions comprise magnets 121, 121” and 131, 131”, respectively, wherein the magnets 121, 121” face in a sideways direction and the magnets 131, 131” face in an upward direction. The armature fastener also comprises a connector 140 for connection to an electrical grid. The connector 140 is internally wired to a system track 150 for connection to an armature being provided with a connector for connection to such system tracks. In the shown embodiment, the system track 150 and the connector 140 are both fastened to the inner portion 120 - an opening 132 provided in the housing portion 130 provide for access to the system track 150.

The inner portion 120 comprises an upwardly facing surface 122, in which the connector 140 is provided, and an inwardly facing surface 123, where the magnets 121, 121 ” are provided. The upwardly facing surface is provided at a right angle from the inwardly facing surface, and is, except for the connector, provided with two through openings for allowing passage of fastening elements, for example screws (not shown).

The inwardly facing surface 123 is provided with through openings 125 for allowing fastening of the magnets 121, 121”. The width of the inwardly facing surface 123 is slightly smaller than the width of the upwardly facing surface 122. 10 15 20 25 30 35 538 841 The outer portion 130 is provided with an outwardly facing surface 133, which has a shape corresponding to a perimeter shape of the upwardly facing surface 122 of the inner portion 120. The outwardly facing surface 133 neighbors a downwardly facing surface 134 by a right angle, wherein an outer perimeter of the downwardly facing surface 134 has a shape corresponding to the shape of the outwardly facing surface 133 and hence the perimeter shape of the upwardly facing surface 122 of the inner portion 120. Ends of the outwardly facing surface 133 are provided with support tracks 137, which are adapted to support and hold outer edges of the inwardly facing surface 123 of the inner portion 120. Moreover, the downwardly facing surface 134 is provided with the aforementioned opening 132 for allowing access to the system track 150 and with two through openings 135 for allowing fastening of the magnets 131, 131 ', for example by means of screws (not shown). The downwardly facing surface also provides guide means 136 arranged at ends of the opening 132 for guiding the system track 150 when the inner 120 and outer 130 portions are mounted together to form the armature fastener 100.

The system track 150 is similar to the long tracks that are on the market for suspending and connecting lighting armatures. In the shown embodiment, the system track 150 and the connector 140 are one-phase connected. By choosing other connections and system tracks, it is, however, possible to three-phase connect the connector and the system track. In one preferred embodiment of the invention, the system track is completely integrated in the inner portion 120. In such embodiments, the means 136 arranged at end of the opening132 will assist in keeping the inner and outer portions properly aligned.

With reference to Fig. 3, the system track 150 exhibits ﬁve elongate grooves 151,152, 153, 154 and 155 provided on each side of the system track, and one groove 156 provided at the bottom thereof. The grooves 155 and 153 are each provided with a conductive strip arranged to contact corresponding conductive elements of the armature to be fastened in the system track 150, Wherein the conductive strips are connected to suitable electrical phases via the connector 140. The groove 156 is provided with a conductive strip being connected to earth via the connector 140.

The grooves 151 and 152 are provided for allowing fastening of the armature to be connected to the armature fastener 100. This is usually done by twisting a locking member having an oval or asymmetrical shape, such that the wider portions of the oval shaped member will contact the grooves 151 and 152 and thereby prevent the armature from disengaging from the system track 150. 10 15 20 25 30 35 538 841 The armature fastener according to the invention is especially useful for suspending armatures from e.g. a functional ceiling system comprising a grid made from pressed sheet metal members and comprising a lower part on which the magnets 131, 131” may be fastened and side walls on which the magnets 121, 121 ” may be fastened. However, the armature fastener can be used on any beam or structure comprising By the provision of magnets on two perpendicularly arranged surfaces, the armature fastener will be held in place in a safe way.

The armature fastener according to the invention allows for e.g. lighting armatures to be fastened on functional ceiling systems in a very ﬂexible way. Also, due to the connector 140, connection and disconnection of the armature fastener can be made with unskilled personnel, and the wiring between the connector 140 and the power supply can be hidden in the functional ceiling system.

It should be noted that the invention may be varied within wide boundaries without departing from the scope of the invention, such as it deﬁned in the appended claim set. For example, the division of the housing 110, which is divided into two portions, an inner portion 120 and an outer portion 130, may be done in an entirely different manner. For example, the housing 110 may be divided into a holding portion comprising both magnet means and a connection portion comprising the system track and the electric connector. Moreover, in the disclosed embodiment, there are four magnets, but the number of magnets may be varied within wide limits, from e. g. two magnets to six, eight or even more magnets.

MATERIALS The inner and outer portions 120, 130 are preferably made from injection molded plastic. The conductive strips provided in the grooves 155, 156 and 153 of the system track 150, which system track may be injection molded in the same process as the inner portion, are preferably made from copper or any other suitable alloy having good electric conductivity and corrosion resistance. The magnets are preferably manufactured from sintered neodymium, boron and iron. 538 841 DIMENSIONS The armature fastener 100 may have a width of about 80-100 mm and a length of 150-200 mm. The height may be 50-70 mm. The magnets 121, 121”, 131, 131” may each have a magnetic attraction to steel plate on the order of 10-100 N/magnet, preferably about 50-70 N/magnet. This is achieved by a magnet having an own Weight of 14 grams, a thickness of 5 mm and a diameter of 27 mm. The system track 150 may have a length of 50-100 mm.

Claims

10 15 20 25 30 538 841 CLAIMS

1. An armature fastener (100) comprising magnets (121, 121 ”, 131, 131°), facing in both a sideways direction and in upWard direction for allowing the armature fastener to be fastened onto a ferromagnetic structure comprising a downwardly facing surface and a surface facing sideways, the armature fastener further comprising a connector (140) for connection to an electrical grid, the connector (140) being Wired to a system track (150) for connection to an armature being provided with a connector for connection to such system tracks.

2. The armature fastener (100) of claim 1, Wherein the armature fastener (100) comprises a housing (110) being divided into an inner portion (120) and an outer portion (130).

3. The armature fastener (100) of claim 2, Wherein the inner portion (120) comprises an upwardly facing surface (122) in Which the connector (140) is provided, and an inwardly facing surface (123), Where at least one magnet (121, 121”) is provided.

4. The armature fastener (100) of claim 3, Wherein the upwardly facing surface (122) is provided at a right angle from the inwardly facing surface (123).

5. The armature fastener (100) according to any of the preceding claims, Wherein the system track (150) is adapted to accommodate armatures designed for lighting tracks.

6. The armature fastener of claim 5, Wherein the system track (150) exhibits five elongate grooves (151,152, 153, 154, 155) provided on each side of the system track, and one groove (156) at the bottom thereof, Wherein some of the grooves (153, 155) each are provided With a conductive strip arranged to contact corresponding conductive elements of the armature to be fastened in the system track (150).

7. The armature fastener of claim 6, Wherein the conductive strips are made from copper or any other suitable alloy having good electric conductivity and corrosion resistance. 10 15 20 538 841

8. The armature fastener (100) of any of claims 2 to 4, Wherein the inner and outer portions (120, 130) are made from injection molded plastic.

9. The armature fastener of any of the preceding claims, Wherein the magnets (121, 121 ”, 131, l31”) are manufactured from sintered neodymium, boron and iron.

10. The armature fastener of any of the preceding claims, Wherein the arrnature fastener (100) has a width of about 80-100 mm, a length of 150-200 mm and a height of 50-70 mm.

11. 1 1. The armature fastener of any of the preceding claims, Wherein the magnets (121, 121”, 131, 131”) each have a magnetic attraction to steel on the order of 10-100 N/magnet, preferably about 50-70 N/magnet.

12. Use of an armature fastener (100) according to any of the preceding claims for suspending armatures from e. g. a functional ceiling system comprising a grid made from pressed sheet metal members and comprising a lower part on Which some of the at least one magnets (131, 131”) may be fastened and side Walls on Which the other of the at least one magnet (121, 121') may be fastened.