WO2017005617A1

WO2017005617A1 - Flexible connector

Info

Publication number: WO2017005617A1
Application number: PCT/EP2016/065442
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rob Franciscus Maria Van Elmpt; Roel Petrus Hendricus VOGELS
Original assignee: Philips Lighting Holding B.V.
Priority date: 2015-07-03
Filing date: 2016-06-30
Publication date: 2017-01-12

Abstract

A flexible connector system that can allow for mechanical stress between two connected items or differing rates of thermal expansion between two connected items. The flexible connector system may also transmit electrical power or data signals. It would also be desirable to enable an ingress protection rated (IP) connection so that the flexible connection system could be used in different environments with varying requirements.

Description

Flexible connector

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to the field of connectors and more specifically to flexible connectors.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION

US 2013/0330957 discloses a slideable connector assembly that permits an amount of axial movement to reduce the stresses experienced by the connectors. To maintain the optical coupling throughout operation biasing members (coil springs) are used to provide a constant residual force that presses the optically coupled ferrules together.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It would be advantageous to achieve a connector that can allow for mechanical stress between two connected items or differing rates of thermal expansion. It would also be desirable to enable an ingress protection rated (IP) connection. To better address one or more of these concerns, in a first aspect of the invention a flexible connector system is presented that comprises;

at least one first connectable item,

at least one second connectable item,

a connector for electrically and/or mechanically connecting the at least one -first connectable item and the at least one second connectable item,

wherein the connector further comprises;

a first connector portion,

a second connector portion, and

at least one resilient member,

wherein the first connector portion is arranged on the at least one first connectable item, the second connector portion is arranged on the at least one second connectable item, and the at least one resilient member being arranged between at least one of the first connectable item and the first connector portion and/or the second connectable item and a second connector portion. Connector assemblies are in very widespread use in a multitude of fields. They can be used to connect items or apparatus' that require an in-line passage of fluids, gases or electricity or they can provide a mechanical fixation. In manufacture, mechanical and electrical trades, each half of a pair of mating connectors is conventionally assigned the designation male or female. The term female is used to denote the portion of the connector that receives and holds the male portion of the connector pair. The part with one or protrusions, or the part which fits inside the other is designated male whilst the part with corresponding indentations, or fitting around the outside of the other is designated female.

In the case of electrical connections, the gender of connectors is used to ensure a safe system. It controls the directionality of the flow of electricity by ensuring that a male connector is mated to a female connector and that a female connector cannot mate with another female connector nor can a male connector mate with another male connector. This enhances safety and also proper functionality by preventing unsafe or non- functional configurations from being set up.

In electrical connections where voltage or current is sufficient to cause injury, the part of the connector that is permanently connected to the power source is invariably female, i.e. the contacts are concealed to prevent the inadvertent touching of live contacts. A male part with fully exposed protruding contacts is installed on the cable of (or directly onto) the device receiving the power.

A further type of connectors are known as hermaphroditic as they include both male and female connector portions in a single portion. These are designed to interconnect freely and do not offer the same control of directionality of electricity flow as a male and female connector pairing. By definition, a hermaphroditic connector includes mating surfaces having simultaneous male and female aspects. They are paired with a complementary identical part that comprises both indentations and protrusions. These mating surfaces are mounted into identical fittings which can freely mate with any other provided that the size and type arc matched.

The hermaphroditic connector design is useful when multiple or lengthy components are to be connected, especially if various combinations are to be expected. The connector can reduce the requirement that items are removed from the system, rotated and then reinserted with corresponding savings in labor and cost.

The flexible connector system may be used in a gas line to reduce the alignment requirements of linear pipework, it may also advantageously reduce thermal deformation issues. A well-known issue with solidly connected materials is the tendency of a solid material to move slowly or even to deform permanently due to mechanical stresses. This phenomenon is known as creep, it can occur as a result of long-term exposure to high levels of stress that remain below the yield point of the material. This means that the material may not actual break but the physical shape (normally length or linear alignment) will alter over time. Creep is more severe when the material is subjected to heat for long periods.

The rate of deformation is a function of the material properties, exposure time, exposure temperature and the applied loading. Depending on the magnitude of the applied stress and its duration, the deformation may become so large that the item or component cannot fulfil its intended purpose, for example a pipe may start to leak at the connecters or will sag on a large unsupported run. The same is possible in linear lines of luminaires that are solidly connected.

The temperature range in which creep may occur differs in various materials. As a general guideline, the effects of creep deformation will become noticeable at approximately 30% of the melting point of the material. Since the creep minimum temperature is related to the melting point, creep can be seen at relatively low temperature for some materials. Plastics and low-melting-temperature metals can begin to creep at room temperature.

Another well-known phenomenon is thermal expansion, this is the tendency of a material (and subsequently components) to change in volume in response to a change in temperature through heat transfer. When a material is heated, the kinetic energy of its molecules increases. This means that the molecules start to move more and they usually maintain a larger gap between themselves and their neighboring atom. The degree of expansion divided by the change in temperature defines the material's coefficient of thermal expansion and generally varies with temperature.

The coefficient of thermal expansion describes how the size of an object will change with an increase in temperature, specifically, it measures the fractional change in size per degree change in temperature sat a constant pressure. Linear expansion, i.e. the change in length of an object due to the effect of thermal expansion is related to temperature change by a linear expansion coefficient. This is the fractional change in length per degree of temperature change. If we assume that no real change of pressure occurs then:

_ 1 dL L is a length measurement, dL/dT is the rate of change of L per unit change in temperature (usually °C)

Therefore, the change in linear dimension can be written as:

&L

— = o LA?

L

This thermal expansion becomes even more relevant if different parts of the system have differing thermal loads. In certain circumstances it may be desirable to only use parts of the system, if we use a lighting system as an example, it may be desired to only power every other luminaire within a system. If the system is a linear line of luminaires that are connected to each other in a manner known as through-wiring or daisy-chaining then powering every other luminaire means that different thermal loads are placed on different parts of the system. It can be seen that the luminaire that is switched on will generate heat, the heat will be transferred from the light source to the housing of the luminaire by conduction, convection or radiation and the housing will correspondingly heat up. The heat will cause the dimensions of the luminaire to change as discussed above and if only selected luminaires in a system are switched on then their neighboring luminaires will not have the same thermal expansion. The connector between the luminaires will then have different stresses on either side of the connector. This may lead to failure of the connector.

In an embodiment of the invention a flexible connector system is provided with slip rings. A slip ring is a power transmission device that allows the transmission of power and other types of electrical signals such as data signals form a stationary to a rotating structure. The signals may include, audio, video, DC power, AC power, control signals, sensor data such as temperature, pressure or strain gauges. A slip ring may be used in a connector that allows either the connector to rotate in relation to the item to be connected or it may allow the item to rotate in relation to the connector. The advantages are that they can improve mechanical performance, simplify the system and eliminate wires travelling through movable joints. A slip ring allows an unlimited number of rotations whereas simply twisting a slack wire may allow for less than 10 rotations before the wire snaps.

A slip ring typically consists of a stationary graphite or metal contact called the brush which rubs on a surface of a rotating metal ring, this is usually done on the outside of the diameter of the ring. As the metal ring turns, the electric current or signal is conducted from the source, through the stationary brush to the metal ring, thus making the connection. This process may also be reversed, the power may be conducted from the source, through the metal ring to the brush. The ring need not be made of metal, any electrically conductive material will suffice but metal may be chosen for cost, electrical conductivity or ease of manufacturing reasons. Slip rings are sometimes called collector rings, rotary electrical contacts and electrical slip rings.

Slip rings can be used in conjunction within a rotary fluid connector, the combination is often called a rotary joint and allows the simultaneous transmission of electricity or data along with the passage of fluid media through the connector.

If the slip ring is to be used in an environment where liquid or contaminants are present such as dust or abrasive particulates, for example, sand then care must be taken to seal them properly, this could be done using a protective housing, a seal such as an O-ring or a labyrinth seal.

In the field of lighting equipment, connectors are used to connect lighting equipment to a source of power, to connect them to one another or to connect them to lighting controls such as sensors or switches.

An item of lighting equipment may be located away from the power source or the switches etc., generally a cable is needed to connect the lighting equipment to the power source or the switch, in general a cable may comprise two or more connectors to convey power from the power source or the switch to the lighting equipment. Such a cable may also transfer data as well as power.

Lighting systems may utilize trunking to provide a housing in which cables pass through the system. The trunking may be of suitable strength to provide a mechanical location of the luminairc, that is to say, the system may have multiple luminaircs that arc attached to the trunking and the wiring for the lighting system passes between the luminaires of the system via the trunking.

The flexible connector system proposed in the invention may be used to advantageously connect luminaircs in a manner known as through-wiring or daisy chaining. In professional outdoor or semi-outdoor applications long lines of linear shaped luminaires are attached end-to-end in a continuous row. This implementation enables a clean and tidy installation without exposed cables and the ability to create continuous lines of light.

Alternatively, the luminaircs may be arranged in a linear line with a gap between the luminaires. A cable may be used to pass power (and data) between the luminaires. A requirement that is often stipulated by the environment that the luminaire is to be used in is to ensure that the luminaires are sealed and that the connectors offer a high level of ingress protection.

If the flexible connector system of the invention is used to mechanically and electrically connect the linear luminaires it may remove the need to attach the luminaires within a lighting system to a trunking with accompanying savings in cost and ease of installation.

An important consideration during the decision process of which lighting system to specify is the reduction of the cost and complexity of the installation. This may be achieved by daisy chaining the power and data and also the removal of the trunking requirement.

The luminaires may still require a mechanical location such as a suspension cable system, they may be located on a ceiling or wall or they may be located on a rail system.

A common problem with the end connections that are used to interconnect the luminaires are that these are very often the focal point of mechanical stress during installation and furthermore, the focal point of thermal expansion differences during the operation of the luminaires, switching the system on and off will cause thermal expansion and correspondingly, these expansion forces will be applied to the connectors when rigidly mounted in the endcap of the linear luminaire.

An embodiment of the invention proposes to mount the connector in the endcap of a linear luminaire in such a way that it can absorb mechanical stresses, mitigate thermal expansion between the luminaires (especially, differing rates of thermal expansions) while maintaining an IP rated seal to prevent the ingress of moisture, water and/or dust.

A further embodiment of the invention includes protrusions on one of the first connector portion or the second connector portion. These protrusions cooperate with

corresponding indented regions, slots or holes in the other connector portion. The advantage of these protrusions is that they offer improved initial alignment, this is of benefit when an installer is working to connect the luminaires, especially if he is working at a height above the ground. The protrusions offer an improvement to the mechanical strength of the connection.

The protrusions may comprise a thin sheet strip of, for example, metal. This sheet strip has the advantage of being more or less flexible in one direction along its longitudinal extension (horizontally) while being substantially stiff in a transverse direction (vertically) with respect to its longitudinal direction. This means that a sidc-to-sidc movement between two connected luminaires may be allowed whilst limiting the up-and-down movement allowed between the connected luminaires. It may prove advantageous to limit the side-to-side movement whilst allowing the up-and-down movement between two connected luminaires or it may prove advantageous to have protrusions that limit side-to-side movement between two connected luminaires and protrusions that limit up-and-down movement between the second luminaire and a third luminaire in the chain.

A yet further embodiment of the invention has additional snap fixings located on one or both of the first and second connector portion. These snap fixings generally take the form of a resilient shank with a hook portion formed at the distal end of the shank. These hook portions engage with a corresponding region of the other connector portion and yet further increase the mechanical rigidity of the connector and improve the electrical connectivity of the connection.

Electrical terminals can suffer from wear when the contacts are loose allowing an air gap to form between the two terminal contacts, if power is still supplied to the loose contacts an electric arc or arc discharge can be created. An electric arc is an electric breakdown of a gas that produces an ongoing plasma discharge resulting from a current through a normally nonconductive media (in this case air). The arc has a sufficiently high temperature to result in a micro-weld thus damaging the surfaces of the terminal contacts, if this continues then damage to the terminal contacts will occur. This damage may be limited to the degradation of the contacts thus leading to the luminaire not lighting or it may lead to a more serious risk of fire.

Another embodiment of the invention has an annular flange that is formed partway along a connector portion, the annular flange extends in a direction away from the axial center line of the connector. The purpose of the annular flange is to limit the axial movement of the connector portion with respect to the end cap of the luminaire. This can be achieved by including a further rigid member within the flexible connector system. This rigid member may define an end wall of the interior portion of the luminaire, the rigid member advantageously has an opening through which the second end of the connector body may access the interior portion of the luminaire and through which the power cable may pass from the interior portion of the luminaire to the connector.

The advantage of the rigid member is that the axial movement is limited, especially in the direction towards the interior portion of the luminaire which allows the connector portions to mate properly and fully during installation whilst still allowing enough movement of the connector relative to the body of the luminaire to allow the absorption of mechanical stresses and thermal expansion effects.

Another embodiment of the invention has a rigid part forming the end cap of the luminaire, the rigid part may advantageously be made of metal and serves to protect the flexible, resilient member in harsh conditions. Linear luminaires are used in various environments, ranging from office environments to horticultural environments, parking garages, public areas and even manufacturing and food preparation environments. Each environment provides a differing challenge to the connector.

The requirements within an office may be to allow a seamless transition between luminaires to provide an aesthetically pleasing line of light that provides homogeneous illumination to the workspace, while it can be seen that a horticultural environment with high humidity levels and water irrigation systems place a different demand on the connectors. They must be robust, simple to use and provide a high level of ingress protection. The use of luminaires within a food environment requires that they are able to be washed down in order to preserve hygiene of the environment.

The rigid end cap may also serve to prevent extreme outward axial movement when un-installing the luminaires. In a yet further embodiment, the rigid end cap comprises the protrusions that were disclosed above. This brings the benefit of reducing the number of separate components utilized in the flexible connector system and a first line defense for larges stresses and they help to prevent damage to the connector portions.

It can be seen that some embodiments of the connector portion are allowed axial displacement that is limited in an inwards direction by a rigid member and in an outward direction by a rigid cap. The connector portion is free to move in other directions such as an angular displacement when compared to the normal of the luminaire. This allows for minor misalignment during installation and for movement between connected luminaires due to thermal expansion whilst maintaining a good electrical connection.

An alternative embodiment of the invention includes a sealing member. The sealing member may comprise a rubber gasket, a plastic such as a nylon, PTFE or polyurethane or a thin metal such as a copper sheet. The sealing member may also comprise a compound type gasket where a sheet metal has additional regions of plastic or rubber in the contact areas of the gasket.

The sealing member may be arranged between a first end of a first luminaire and a first face of an annular flange located partway along the connector body. The resilient member is arranged between the first face of the rigid end cap and the connector portion, this means that the sealing member is fixed between the first face of the annular flange and the resilient member.

These and other aspects of the invention will be apparent from and elucidated with reference to the embodiment(s) described hereinafter. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figure 1 shows a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention,

Figure 2 shows a flexible connector system in accordance with a second embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 3 shows a flexible connector system in accordance with a third embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 4 shows a close up view of a flexible connector system in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 5 shows a further close up view of one portion of a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 shows a cut away view of one portion of a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 7 shows a cut away view of a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

Figure 1 shows a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A first connector portion 4 (in this embodiment a male connector portion is shown), has an annular flange 12 that is located part-way along a length of the first connector portion 4. A resilient member 11 is arranged part-way along the first connector portion 4 and abuts the annular flange 12. The resilient member provides the flexibility to the connector portion 4 by biasing the first connector portion 4 in relation to a housing (not shown). A second connector portion 5 (in this embodiment a female connector portion is shown), also has an annular flange 12' located part-way along a length of the second connector portion 5.

The first connector portion 4 has an additional snap fixing 9, these snap fixings are well known in the art and provide a mechanical fixation between the first connector portion 4 and the second connector portion 5 that is easily reversible. In use, the first connector portion 4 and the second connector portion 5 arc brought together in approximate alignment and then they are pressed together until the snap fixing 9 is correctly located and the medium to be connected can then pass from one item to be connected to a second item to be connected. Figure 2 shows a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. A linear line of luminaires is shown being connected with the flexible connector system. A mounting profile (such as a trunking) 1 is arranged in a desired location. It may be suspended from a ceiling or it may be directly attached to a ceiling or wall or other desired surface such as the underside of a shelving rack. The luminaires 2, 2', 2" are attached to the mounting profile I, again this may be a direct attachment between the luminaires and the mounting rail or it may be an indirect attachment such as suspension cables.

An interconnection 3 using the flexible connector system can be seen between the luminaires 2 and 2' and a further interconnection 3' is between luminaire 2' and 2". The interconnections 3, 3 ' are cable interconnections in this embodiment and the flexible connector system further comprises a first connector portion 4, a second connector portion 5 and a cable 6.

Figure 3 shows a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention to interconnect continuous luminaires. The luminaires 2, 2', 2", 2"' are attached to a mounting rail 1 and are interconnected 3, 3', 3" using the flexible connector system. The interconnections in this embodiment are between adjacent luminaires that do not have a cable between them. The interconnections 3, 3", 3" using the flexible connector system allow the luminaires to butt up against each other to allow the creation of substantially continuous lines of light. The flexible connector system further comprises a first connector portion 4 and a second connector portion 5.

Figure 4 shows a close up view of a flexible connector system in accordance with a fourth embodiment of the invention. The luminaires 2, 2' each have a rigid end cap 7, 7' that may be advantageously manufactured from metal or plastic. Metal may provide an increased strength or impact resistance compared with another material or it may promote increased heat transfer. A plastic end cap may bring cost benefits due to the ease of manufacture (for example, injection molding) and also the base material may be cheaper. The rigid end cap 7 surrounds a first connector portion 4, in this embodiment this is a male connector portion but equally a female connector portion or a hermaphroditic connect could be used. The rigid end cap 7' surrounds a female connector portion (not shown). The first rigid end cap 7 has a first face 21 and a second face 22 and the second rigid end cap 7' has a first face 23 and a second face 24.

The first face 21 of the first rigid end cap 7 abuts the first luminaire 2 and the second face 22 has protrusions 8 that extend in a linear direction away from the second face 22 of the first rigid end cap 7. The second rigid end cap 7' has a first face 23 that abuts the second luminaire 2' and a second face 24 that has indentations that correspond with the protrusions 8 of the first rigid end cap 7 to increase the mechanical strength of the flexible connector system and to provide initial alignment during mating of the first connector portion 4 and the second connector portion 5.

Figure 5 shows a further close up view of one portion of a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The luminaire 2 has a rigid end cap 7 as discussed above with a first connector portion 4 and protrusions 8, 8'. The advantage of these protrusions are that they are an initial contact between the two items to be connected. This means that they cater for any initial misalignment between the items to be connected as they guide the flexible connector system into a position in which mating can occur. The protrusions may also increase the mechanical strength of the flexible connector system. An additional snap fixing 9 is located on the rigid end cap 7. These snap fixings generally take the form of a resilient shank with a hook portion formed at the distal end of the shank. These hook portions engage with a corresponding region of the other rigid end cap and yet further increase the mechanical rigidity of the connector and improve the electrical connectivity of the connection.

Figure 6 shows a cut away view of one portion of a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. The luminaire 2 has a rigid end cap 7 with protrusions 8, 8' nd an additional snap fixing 9 that surround a first connector portion 4 as discussed above. The first connector portion 4 (in this embodiment this is a male connector portion) has an annular flange 12 that is located part-way along a length of the first connector portion 4. The first connector portion 4 has a first end 18 and a second end 19.

Arranged inside the luminaire 2 is a rigid member 10 that defines an end wall of an interior portion 13 of the luminaire. The interior portion is advantageously a sealed enclosure that contains mains wiring and the driver used to power the light source(s). The rigid member 10 has an opening that is larger than a region 14 of the first connector portion 4 but smaller than the dimension of the annular flange 12. The annular flange 12 preventing the first connector portion 4 from passing completely through the rigid member 10 into the interior portion 13 of the luminaire 2.

A resilient member 11 is arranged between the body of the luminaire 2 and the first connector portion 4. The resilient member is also held in place by the rigid end cap 7. The resilient member fulfills two functions in this embodiment, the first is to seal the interior portion portion 4 towards the rigid member 10. The resilient member 1 1 preferably acts on a first face of the annular flange 12. In the figure an additional seal 15 is shown between the resilient member 11 and the body of the luminaire 2 and the rigid end cap 7. The advantage of this seal is that it further improves the ingress protection (IP) rating of the luminaire. It is possible to use an o ring as the seal as they are cheap and offer well understood sealing properties. A second removable annular flange 16 is provided in the embodiment shown in figure 5. This second annular flange may be a ring that snaps into a groove in the body of the first connector portion 4. The advantage of this second annular flange is that it limits the movement of the resilient member 11 in relation to the body of the first connector portion 4 at the contact area.

The second annular flange 16 need not be removable, it can be part of the first connector portion 4, in that case, the resilient member 1 1 must be made of a material that is suitably stretchable to allow the annular flange 12 or the second annular flange 16 to pass through whilst returning to a suitable dimension to seal against the body of the first connector portion 4.

It can be seen from the figure that when the luminaire is brought into a position that is suitable to allow the first connector portion to mate with a second connector portion that the protrusions 8 and 8' will provide initial alignment of the flexible connector system as they engage with the corresponding indentations on a second luminaire.

The first connector portion 4 is free to move a prescribed amount in the fore and aft direction in relation to the axial center line of the luminaire. The amount of movement prescribed can be altered by changing the relationship between the annular flange 12 and the rigid member 10 or between the second annular flange 16 and the rigid end cap 7. The first connector portion 4 can also rotate in relation to the normal of the luminaire 2, this movement allows for misalignment between the two items to be connected, it can allow for differing rates of thermal expansion between the two items to be connected and it can allow for mechanical stresses between the two items to be connected during the installation or operation of the system.

If a slip ring system is also incorporated it is possible to allow the first connector body 4 to rotate an unlimited number of times compared with the body of the luminaire 2, this may offer advantages in the angular alignment of consecutive items during installation, in the case of luminaircs, it may allow for a luminaire 2 to be rotated to illuminate a completely different area to the luminaires 2', 2" connected to it. This may bring benefits such as most of the luminaires in the system illuminating in a downwards direction whilst a smaller number may illuminate sideways or in an upwards direction to increase safety or to illuminate an area of interest or to illuminate multiple shelves in a shelving arrangement. Any combination of angles or numbers of luminaires illuminating in different directions can be considered to fall under the scope of this invention.

Figure 7 shows a cut away view of a flexible connector system in accordance with an embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment the second connector portion 5 is mounted to the rigid member 10' using snap fixings 17. This means that the relative movement between the flexible connector system and the items to be connected, in this case luminaires 2 and 2' is provided by the first connector portion 4 and the resilient member 1 1. In a further embodiment of the invention the relative movement may be provided by the second connector portion 5 and its corresponding resilient member (not shown). In a yet further embodiment of the invention, the relative movement may be provided by the first connector portion 4, the resilient member 11 and by the second connector portion 5 and its corresponding resilient member. Any combination that proves advantageous may be used.

Power and/or electrical data signals may be conducted from the interior portion 13 of the first luminaire 2 to the second end 19 of the first connector portion, the power will then pass through the first connector portion until it reaches the first end (not labelled in this figure for clarity's sake) of the first connector portion 4. Located proximate to the first end of the first connector portion 4 are the contacts used to transmit the power or electrical data signals to the contacts located proximate the first end (again, not labelled in this figure for clarity's sake) of the second connector portion 5. The power and/or data signals then pass through the second connector portion 5 to the second end 20 of the second connector portion 5, from here the power and/or data is conducted into the interior portion 13' of the second luminaire 2'

While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive; the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments.

Other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. A single processor or other unit may fulfill the functions of several items recited in the claims. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A flexible connector system comprising;

at least one first connectable item,

at least one second connectable item,

a connector for electrically and/or mechanically connecting the at least one first connectable item and the at least one second connectable item,

wherein the connector further comprises;

a first connector portion,

a second connector portion, and

at least one resilient member,

wherein the first connector portion is arranged on the at least one first connectable item,

the second connector portion is arranged on the at least one second connectable item,

and the at least one resilient member being arranged between the first connectable item and the first connector portion and/or arranged between the second connectable item and the second connector portion.

2. The flexible connector system according to claim 1 wherein the first connector portion further comprises a first end and a second end, and

the second connector portion further comprises a first end and a second end, wherein the first end of the first connector portion cooperates with the first end of the second connector portion to removably connect the at least one first connectable item and the at least one second connectable item.

The flexible connector system according to claim 2 wherein;

the at least one first connectable item comprises a luminaire, and the at least one second connectable item comprises a second luminaire.

The flexible connector system according to claim 3 wherein;

the second end of the first connector portion is arranged to receive electrical power from an interior portion of the at least one first luminaire, and to transmit the power through the first connector portion to the first end of the first connector portion,

the first end of the second connector portion cooperates with the first end of the first connector portion and receives the electrical power from the first connector portion, and - the second end of the second connector portion is arranged to provide electrical power to an interior portion of the at least one second luminaire.

5. The flexible connector system according any preceding claim wherein the first connector portion and the at least one resilient member are covered by a first rigid end cap and the second connector portion is covered by a second rigid end cap.

6. The flexible connector system according to claim 5 wherein;

the first rigid end cap comprises a first face and a second face, the first face abutting the at least one first luminaire and the second face having protrusions that extend in a linear direction away from the second face, and

the second rigid cap comprises a first face and a second face, the first face abutting the at least one second luminaire, the second face having regions that correspond with the protrusions of the first rigid cap.

7. The flexible connector system according to any preceding claim wherein the first connector portion further comprises an annular flange, the annular flange being arranged partway along a length of the first connector portion.

8. The flexible connector system according to any preceding claim wherein the system further comprises

a rigid member defining an end wall of the interior portion of the at least one first luminaire, the rigid member having an opening to allow the second end of the first connector portion to access the interior portion of the at least one first luminaire,

9. The flexible connector system according to claim 8 wherein the rigid member opening is smaller than the dimension of the annular flange of the first connector portion, the annular flange preventing the first connector portion from completely passing through the opening in the rigid member.

10. The flexible connector system according to claim 7 wherein the resilient member acts upon a first face of the annular flange of the first connector portion, the resilient member biases the first connector portion in an axial direction towards the interior portion of the at least one first luminaire, and

wherein the rigid member limits the axial displacement of the first connector portion by impinging on a second face of the annular flange of the first connector portion.

11. The flexible connector system according to any preceding claim wherein the resilient member further provides a seal between the outside environment and the interior portion of the at least one first luminaire.

12. The flexible connector system according to any preceding claim wherein the first rigid cap limits the axial displacement of the first connector portion in a direction away from the interior portion of the at least one first luminaire by impinging on the resilient member which is located on the first face of the annular flange of the first connector portion.

13. The flexible connector system according to any of claims 1 to 8 further comprising a sealing member, the sealing member being arranged between a first end of the at least one first luminaire and a first face of the annular flange of the first connector portion, and the resilient member arranged between the first face of the first rigid cap and the first connector portion thereby fixably locating the scaling member between the first face of the annular flange and the resilient member.

14. The system of any preceding claim wherein the first luminaire further comprises a second connector portion located in a different region to the first connector portion, and the second luminaire further comprises a first connector portion located in a different region to the second connector portion.

15. A method of connecting the system of any preceding claim comprising the steps of

locating at least one first connectable item in a desired position,

placing at least one second connectable item proximate to the at least one first connectable item,

connecting a first connection portion to a second connection portion.