PL203813B1 - Conductor rail system - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a conductor rail system for lamps, comprising several mounting rails (1) which can be connected to each other in a modular manner, in addition to an electroconductor profile held by said mounting rails (1). The profile is provided with grooves (11) which can be accessed from a contact side and which run in a longitudinal manner along the mounting rails (1), said grooves being used to receive wires (6) for an electric power supply and/or to transmit control signals. A connection element (31) comprising corrugated cavities which correspond to the grooves (11) in the electroconductor profiles is used in order to connect the electroconductor profiles of two adjacent mounting rails (1). Each cavity accommodates a metal connector (35) to which the wires arranged and connected to each other in the grooves (11) in the electroconductor profiles can be connected bilaterally.

Description

Description of the invention

The invention relates to a conductor rail system for lamps, consisting of a plurality of modularly interconnectable support rails as well as a transmission current profile held by the support rails. Furthermore, the invention relates to a connecting element for connecting the transmission current profiles in a conductor rail arrangement for lamps.

Systems of conductor rails or light ribbons are widely used in numerous forms, because, unlike permanently installed or built-in lamps (lighting sources), they offer high flexibility in the individual planning of lighting structures, especially those that meet specific requirements. The existing busbar systems are composed of many individual elements arranged according to the block principle, which makes it possible to adjust the entire device to the spatial conditions of the illuminated place. Light ribbon systems are known, with the help of which not only two-dimensional but also three-dimensional structures can be created.

The basic skeleton of the busbar system is formed by support rails assembled in such a way that they form the desired structure, which is used to fasten the power cables, control cables and individual lamps. The support rails must therefore be highly stable and are usually made of metal. These rails can have different cross-sectional shapes, there are, for example, support rails with an "Y" profile or an "A" profile. The most widespread, however, are support rails with a "U" profile, which are attached to a load-bearing structure, e.g. a room (ceiling) or walls, with the middle wall of the profile. Individual lamp modules are attached to the support rails, the length of the individual support rail typically being a multiple of the length of the lamp module. For example, when lamp modules are 1.5 meters long, support rails with a length of 3 or 4.5 meters are offered. Such integer length ratios are selected in forming the pattern of the lighting web to simplify planning.

In order to supply the lamps with electricity, appropriate cables are led inside the mounting rails or on their surface. In addition to the cables supplying the lamps with electricity, there may also be other cables for transmitting control signals, thanks to which it is possible to perform, by means of an appropriate control system, control of the lighting of individual lamps and their dimming.

In the well-known light ribbon system, which is distributed under the brand name "Lichtband-system ZX", the cables run in the form of a network that runs inside the U-shaped carrier rails and branch nodes are installed at regular intervals corresponding to the length of the lamp module. These branch knots are pressed into the support rails in such a way that the rear sections engage the respective inwardly directed projections of the support rails. The lamp modules can therefore be mounted only in those places determined by the presence of branch nodes by the method of mounting and fixing on the downwardly open supporting rails. Wire connections are made by means of contact elements located on the lamp modules. These elements include connection contacts which, when the lamp module is mounted on the support rail, penetrate into the openings of the branch node and come into contact with the corresponding conductors there. Lamp modules are also equipped with a rotating clamp, which, after mounting the module, is turned, thus ensuring that it is mechanically fastened to the support rails.

In the described system of busbars, however, the lamp modules may be located only in those places marked with branch nodes, because in other places it is not possible to establish contact with the electrical network. To avoid such limitations and to obtain greater flexibility in the arrangement of individual lamps, busbar systems have been developed in which a current transmission profile is placed on the support rails. The profile consists of longitudinal members made of a non-conductive material - usually plastic - with grooves running along the rails, which are accessible from the contact side and are used to lay power supply wires and / or transmit control signals therein. . Since in this case the uninsulated wires lie at least along the length of a single transmission member of the current profile, completely exposed on the contact side, the lamp can be installed anywhere in this area. This creates more freedom in planning and implementing the light ribbon layout.

PL 203 813 B1

The length of the individual members of the current profile is adapted to the length of the support rail. This means that when assembling two rails, the joining of both transmission current profiles must also be performed. However, this joining presents a problem, since in this area it must be ensured that there is no possibility of unintentionally touching the wire. The relevant standard requires that a test wire with a thickness of 1 mm with a simple elongation cannot hit any of the installation wires. In known busbar systems, joining these cross-sections takes place with the help of the so-called a series connector which, however, in itself does not provide the possibility of creating a contact.

In turn, DE 19539958 discloses a contact for conducting an electric current in a conductor, having a contact element made of conductive material with two substantially parallel surface elements arranged such that, in the on position, they are pressed against the conductor from opposite sides. The free ends of the parallel surface elements are connected to one another by means of a U-shaped connecting element which has a spacing between the limbs greater than the thickness of the conductor. On the other hand, the distance between the parallel surface elements of the contact element is smaller than the thickness of the conductor. In this solution, the force required to provide a contact in the on position is provided by the elasticity of the material of the conductive contact element.

The object of the present invention is to propose a technique which makes it possible to provide contacts also in the cross-sections between two support rails in a lamp busbar system with a transmission current profile.

The subject of the invention is therefore a busbar system for lamps, consisting of a plurality of modularly interconnectable support rails, as well as a transmission current profile held by the support rails and provided with grooves running along the support rails, which can be accessed from of the contact side, in which wires for supplying electricity and / or for transmitting control signals are provided, the arrangement having a connecting element for connecting the transmission current profiles of two adjacent carrier rails, characterized in that the connecting element has grooved recesses of shape corresponding to the grooves in the transmission current profiles, in which recesses are placed a metal connector, to which, on both sides, wires can be connected to be inserted into the current profile transmission grooves and connected to each other, and the connecting element creates a contact surface accessible through the recesses grooved.

In one of the preferred embodiments of the busbar system according to the invention, the metal connectors consist of longitudinal contact plates, at the ends of which there is a U-shaped spring element for clamping the wires connected to the metal connector. In another preferred embodiment of the conductor rail system according to the invention, the support rail is U-shaped and the transmission current profile is arranged on the inside of both side walls of the support rail. In a more preferred embodiment, the busbar system according to the invention comprises a U-shaped connection rail for connecting two support rails, extending inside both support rails and having arms on which the connecting element is arranged. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the busbar system according to the invention, the connection rail comprises spring latches which, during assembly, engage the corresponding openings in the support rails as well as in the connection rail. In the most advantageous case, the spring latches at the end of the connection rail form a component part of a rail locking element, shaped such that the spring latches are pulled into the interior of the connecting rail by a force exerted from above on the rail locking element. In a further advantageous embodiment of the conductor rail system according to the invention, the lamp operating devices as well as the corresponding contact elements are provided in the space inside the U-shaped support rail. In yet another preferred embodiment, the busbar system according to the invention comprises a contact element with a plurality of connection contacts for connecting the lamp to the busbar system, the contact element being inserted into an opening of the support rail and partially rotated to insert the connection contacts into the grooves of the transmission current profile and bringing them into contact with the wires to be connected. In a particularly advantageous case, at least one of the connection contacts is vertically movable. In another particularly advantageous case, locking elements are provided on the contact element, which twist to grasp the projecting parts of the support rail.

PL 203 813 B1

In a further advantageous embodiment of the conductor rail system according to the invention, the transmission current profile held by the support rail consists of at least two wire-holding elements connected to each other and having grooves for receiving wires, the wire-retaining elements being connected to the projections on the at their ends, overlapping each other in such a way that in the connection area they form channels corresponding to the grooves open towards the contact side. In a particularly preferred case, the wire retaining elements include locking elements which limit the relative longitudinal movement of the two interconnected elements to a predetermined clearance.

The invention also relates to a connecting element for connecting the transmission current profiles in a lamp busbar system, the transmission current profiles having longitudinally extending grooves accessible from the contact side for receiving wires for the supply of current and / or the transmission of signals. control elements, characterized in that the connecting element comprises grooved recesses corresponding to the grooves of the transmission current profiles, in which recesses the metal connector is arranged in such a way that the wires to be inserted into the grooves and the transmission current profiles and connected to each other can be joined from both sides, and each metal fastener forms a contact surface accessible through the groove. Preferably, the metal connectors consist of longitudinal contact plates, at the ends of which a U-shaped spring element is provided for clamping the wires connected to the metal connector.

In the connecting element used in the busbar system according to the invention, contact in the area of the connecting element is ensured by contacting the connection contacts of one of the lamp modules (to be connected to the busbar system) with the upper surfaces of the metal connector. The gap between the two transmission current profiles of the two support rails is closed by a connecting element, although made of non-conductive material, but provided with metal connectors. This makes it possible to mount the lamp module anywhere along the entire length of the busbar system, since in the transition area the contact surfaces for contact with the lamp module connection contacts are formed by metal connectors. The shape of the recesses in the connecting element, as well as the shape of the grooves in the current transmission profile, are selected in such a way as to provide the required protection against unintentional contact with the wires.

Other implementing details of the invention depend on the required requirements.

For example, as indicated above, the metal fasteners may include oblong contact plates or U-shaped spring elements at both ends with which the inserted wires are jammed and pressed against the contact plate. This solution also ensures that in the event of thermal expansion of the electric current profile made of plastic, the wires will not move undesirably in the grooves or even slide outwards. When the current transmission profiles are located inside the U-shaped support rails, the mechanical connection of two adjacent support rails is best accomplished by a short, also U-shaped connection bar, which is inserted halfway into both support rails. The connecting elements are in this case placed on the side walls of the connection bar. In the vicinity of one or both ends of the busbar, spring-loaded snaps can be provided which, in the collapsed state of the support rails and the busbar, engage in the respective openings therein. In this simple manner it is guaranteed that the two support rails are firmly connected by means of the connection rail, but to disconnect them, it is simply enough to press the spring latches.

Another particular embodiment of the invention described above relates to the configuration of the transmission current profile arranged in each individual support rail. The plastic sections that make up this profile are usually made by extrusion. Plastic parts produced by this method can be made with limited accuracy because the plastic cools down very quickly and changes shape after it exits the die nozzle. As a result, a one-piece transmission current profile section can only be produced up to a certain degree of complexity. In particular, the production of very long profile sections is extremely costly.

The solution according to the present invention enables the production of a transmission current profile at a much lower cost and an easy adjustment of this profile to the length of the support rail. This is possible due to the fact that such a profile consists of at least two bonded together

And made of non-conductive material, elements supporting the wires, the grooves of which are used for laying them. The wire retaining elements are designed at their ends in such a way that, when bonded to one another, the projections existing at the very end overlap, so that open channels are formed in the contact side in the area of the joint of the two wire retaining elements corresponding to the grooves in the profile. These channels can only be accessed from the contact side, and since they include the grooves of the wire retaining elements and the connecting element, the safety standard is also met in these areas. In this way, it is possible to obtain easy but safe contact with the wires along the entire length of the rail in which they are located.

The fact that the transmission current profile can be assembled from a plurality of wire retaining elements makes it possible to offer support rails of different lengths equipped with a transmission current profile assembled only from wire retaining elements of equal length as the transmission current profile can be matched to the length of the support rail only by changing the number of wire holders. The consequence of this feature is a marked reduction in outlays on production. Moreover, the need for long, drawn and undivided plastic parts, the production of which is expensive, is no longer required. In contrast, the wire retaining elements can be obtained by injection technology which is easier and more economically advantageous.

In the case of plastic parts, particular attention must be paid to the fact that they may be exposed to thermal radiation, which by no means can be neglected, especially if the parts are close to the lamp switching devices located inside the rails. The effect of such radiation is the possibility of plastic parts expanding or shrinking - in the absence of radiation. The problem is that the expansion coefficient of the plastic is generally about 10x greater than that of the metal, so that the individual wire retaining elements can clearly change their length, while the wires in the current transmission profile will maintain their length unchanged. For this reason, the wire retaining elements may have locking elements at their ends, which, when assembling two wire retaining elements, engage with each other and limit the mutual longitudinal shifts (approximations or distances) to a predetermined play. In a situation where the elements holding the wires cool down and pull on each other, they move away from each other to a predetermined maximum distance, but still with protection against contact. When the elements holding the wires heat up, they come closer together. In this way, the transmission current profile, although assembled from several elements, becomes insensitive to temperature and exhibits the features of a homogeneous structure. In the most preferred solution, the wire retaining elements have a length of approx. 500 mm, while the permissible clearance within which two adjacent wire retaining elements may move to each other is approx. 8 mm, which is usually sufficient for the temperature differences in the busbar system. .

A further implementation detail relates to making contact of the wires inside the U-shaped support rail with the lamp module as simple as possible. For this purpose, the lamp module comprises a contact element with a plurality of connection contacts and the connection is made in such a way that the contact element is inserted into the support rail from its open side and then partially turned - preferably 45 °. This twist causes the connection contacts to be introduced into the grooves of the transmission current profile and brought into contact with the wires therein. The contact element can here be arranged such that at least one of its connection contacts is height-adjustable. As the wires that are in the transmission current profile perform different functions, any connection can be achieved by moving the connection contacts. This makes it possible to assign different functions to the lamps connected to the busbar system, e.g. for some lamps to serve only emergency purposes. Moreover, it is possible to provide on the contact element locking elements which, when the contact element is turned and brought into contact with the wires, grasp the projecting parts of the support rail, whereby at the same time it becomes possible to mechanically fix the element to the support rail.

In this way, with the aid of a simple hand movement, not only the electrical connection is realized, but also the mechanical fastening of the lamp module.

The subject of the solution in the embodiments is illustrated in the drawing, where:

Fig. 1 shows the support rail of a busbar arrangement with a contact element mounted thereon (in section);

Fig. 2 shows the support rail shown in Fig. 1 without a contact element (sectioned);

PL 203 813 B1

Fig. 3 shows a perspective view of the wire retainer;

Fig. 4 shows the wire retainer shown in Fig. 3 (cross section);

Fig. 5 shows the transition area between two juxtaposed wire retainers in a view from the contact side;

Fig. 6 shows the transition area between the two wire retainers as seen from the rear side;

Fig. 7 shows an arrangement of a connecting element according to the invention and a connection rail for connecting two support rails;

Fig. 8 shows the structure of the connection element;

Fig. 9a shows a view of one of the metal fasteners used in the connecting element;

Fig. 9b is a view of a spring element of the metal connector shown in Fig. 9a; and

Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of the contact element shown in Fig. 1.

The basic part of the busbar system shown in Fig. 1 is a support rail 1, made of metal or sheet metal, having a "U" -shaped cross-section, which - by means of fastening means not shown in the drawing - can be fastened with its central wall 2 to the carrier, e.g. the structure of a room's ceiling or its wall The open underside of the support rail 1 is covered by a cover rail 5. In the case shown, this cover rail 5 is part of the lamp module mounted on the support rail 1, in which in Fig. 1 the contact element 50 of the lamp module is only shown in the form of a rotary selector. while other components of the module are not shown, e.g. a lamp or a control or operating device, which may be, for example, an electronic pre-start device (EVG). In this case, the interior of the support rail 1 also serves as a room for the operating devices of the lamps. Those parts of the support rail 1 on which no lamps are placed can also, for reasons of optical aesthetics as well as for safety reasons, be covered with a cover rail 5 fastened by means of snaps or quick connectors.

In the example shown, current transmission profiles are attached to the inside of both side walls 3a and 3b of the support rail 1, consisting of a plurality of plastic and interconnected wire retaining elements 10 each having two side edges 10a and 10b and a plurality of grooves. for a room of wires 6. In the right edge 10a there are five wires 6, while on the left side there are six wires 6.

The wires 6 in the right edge 10a may, counting from the top, have the following functions, for example:

Emergency current 1

Emergency current 2

Neutral (neutral) conductor of the standard network

D1 = Control cable for lighting control

D2 = Control cable for lighting control

The functions of the lines 6 arranged in the left border 10b can be, for example:

Emergency current phase 1

Emergency current phase 2

Standard phase 2

Standard phase 1

Earth

Both the number of wires used as well as their arrangement and function are shown here only as an example and can be adapted to individual needs.

By connecting the respective wires 6, the lamps connected thereto can be assigned the desired functions, for example a selected lamp can be used as emergency lighting. If both control cables are used for lighting control, it is possible to create a "Bus" type system with which it is possible to control a large number of lamps with digital signals - which is known from more complex lighting systems.

The contact on the wires 6 takes place by means of a number of connecting contacts 53 and 54 arranged on the contact element 50 in the form of a rotary selector, which engage the respective grooves 11 and contact the wires 6 therein. arranging the connection contact 53 on the rotary selector with the aid of the support 55 such that a height adjustment becomes possible. The desired function can then be assigned to the lamp connected to the busbar system by the pro-gram shifting of the support 55. A wire element 62 is provided for grounding in the slot 63 of the contact element 50 in the form of a rotary selector, the end of which 62b contacts the left lower wire 6 provided for grounding. The exact solution and operation of the contact element 50 will be described in more detail below. As far as the supply of the busbar system from the network is concerned, it can be realized, for example, by means of a suitably adapted rotary selector which can be placed anywhere along the device.

The two edges 10a and 10b of the wire retainer 10 are securely fastened by a plurality of guides 121 to 124 which engage respective guide grooves 41 to 44 provided in the U-shaped support rail 1. The wire retaining elements 10 connected in series with the current transmission profile are slid longitudinally into the support rail 2 during assembly. On the rear side of the rims 10a and 10b, i.e. on the side of the grooves 11 opposite to the contact side, there are a number of supports 16, whose function is ensuring a stable arrangement of the grooves 11 inside the support rail 2 so that they are not pushed out on contact. In this way, reliable contact of the wires 6 is promoted.

The connection of the two rims 10a and 10b takes place at regular intervals by means of connectors 13 placed on the central wall of the support rail 1. The connectors 13 include protruding beads 15 which, together with a horizontal wall 14 projecting horizontally from the right edge 10a, create an additional empty space 8. Space this can be used to arrange additional cables or wires in it. The purpose of the horizontal wall 14 is, moreover, to impede the lateral insertion of the contact element 50 into the support rail, which will be explained later.

As can be seen in Fig. 2, the shape of the grooves 11 of the wire retainer 10 is selected so as to provide protection against touching. Fig. 2 also shows the conductor rail 1 with a transmission current profile arranged thereon, but without the contact element 50 in the form of a rotary selector. The already mentioned safety standard requires that the wires 6 placed in the current profile do not rest in it so freely that a test wire with a diameter of 1 mm, with a straight insertion, could hit the conductive wires 6.

In the diagram shown, the test wire 7 can only reach the location on the left in the bottom of the wire 6 at an angle. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the widths, depths and shapes of the openings of the grooves 11 are so dimensioned that, even at the smallest angle of entry of the test wire 7, none of the wires 6 can come into contact with them. safety standards are met.

Before explaining the connection of the two support rails according to the invention and the current transmission profiles belonging to them, it is appropriate to discuss - with the aid of FIGS. 3 to 6, a specific design of the wire retaining elements 10 forming the current transmission profile. A perspective view of such a wire retaining element 10 is shown in Fig. 3. The essential parts of the wire retaining element 10 are the rims 10a and 10b in which there are grooves 11 for arranging the wires. These rims are interconnected by connectors 13. In this way, the already mentioned space 8 can be created with the help of the horizontal wall 14 and the beads 15 protruding from the connectors 13. This space can be used to lay there additional cables or wires necessary for the operation of the device. On both rims 10a and 10b there are guides 121 to 124 which, when mounted, engage the cutouts 41 to 44 in the support rail 1. Fig. 3 and Fig. 4 show the wire retainer 10 immediately after manufacture. In order to be able to insert the wire retainer 10 into the support rail 1, the skirts 10a and 10b are folded downwardly through an angle of 90 ° around both lines A and B (see Fig. 4) and only then is the component slid into the support rail 1. The arrangement shown in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 refer to the state after this operation.

Both rims 10a and 10b have projections 17 or 22 at their ends, by means of which the two mutually coupled wire retaining elements 10 connect and stay together. At one of the two ends, moreover, locking heads 18 are provided which allow the two interconnected wire retaining elements 10 to be spaced apart longitudinally only a predetermined maximum distance. As a result, the transmission current profile composed of the plurality of wire retaining elements 10 is flexible in length, so that changes in the length of the individual plastic wire retaining elements caused by temperature differences can be compensated for.

This is explained in Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, which show an enlarged view of two assembled wire retaining elements, one on the contact side (Fig. 5) and the other on the opposite side (Fig. 6). Parts need to be 8

1, while those belonging to the second element 10 are indicated with index 2. After the two wire retaining elements 101 and 102 are bonded, these elements are joined together, partially overlapping each other. , such that the protrusion 171 of the first wire retainer 101 and the protrusion 222 of the second wire retainer 102 form a channel 23 connecting the grooves 11 of the two wire retainers 101 and 102. Like the grooves 11, also the channels thus formed in the connection area 23 are only accessible from the contact side, i.e. from the top, not from the side. In this way, the contact protection requirements are also met in the area of channels 23.

From Fig. 6, it is concluded that both locking heads 182 allow the two wire-holding elements 101 and 102 to move apart only up to a maximum distance, which is defined by having the locking heads 18 at the ends and extending to the side. the locking protrusions 192 extend to and abut the stops 201. The length of this predetermined maximum distance, as well as the length of the overlapping projections 17 and 22, is determined such that even with the two wire retaining members 101 and 102 as far apart as possible, the channels 23 are still there to exist and touch protection is to be provided. On the other hand, the ends of the two wire retaining members 101 and 102 may move towards each other until their faces 211 and 212 meet. That is, the two wire retaining members 101 and 102 may slide with respect to each other within a defined play, keeping their faces 211 and 212 together. however, contact protection at all times. In this way, variations in the length of the individual wire-retaining elements 10 are compensated, which expand under the influence of elevated temperature and contract under the influence of low temperature. This is particularly important since, unlike the wire retaining elements 10, which are made of plastic, the wires 6 arranged therein are not able to make length changes as large as these elements, since the temperature coefficient of the metal is only 1. / 10 coefficient of plastic expansion. With a length of a single wire retaining element 10 of approx. 500 mm, the permissible play within which adjacent wire retaining elements 10 can slide is approx. 8 mm.

The illustrated wire retaining elements 10 can be manufactured from plastic by a simple injection molding technology which is characterized by low cost. Moreover, it is sufficient to manufacture the wire retaining elements 10 only in one single length, since in order to create a transmission current profile for different lengths of the conductor bars it is sufficient to select only an appropriate number of wire retaining elements 10, which also significantly reduces the manufacturing cost of the entire system. Said overlapping projections may of course be shaped differently from the description.

When using the shown wire retaining elements, it can be imagined that the mounting rails of the system would be mounted first, and only finally they would be equipped with the necessary current transmission profiles, because it would be possible to ensure contact along the entire length of the busbar system with this method. In general, however, assembly takes place with the use of already equipped support rails in which complete transmission current profiles with wires are mounted.

The present invention makes it possible to ensure correct contact also in the connection areas of two such equipped support rails. For this purpose, it is envisaged to provide a connecting element which comprises grooved cut-outs representing grooves in the current transmission profile, accessible from both end sides of the connecting element. This is shown schematically in Fig. 7. For the mechanical connection of two adjacent carrier rails 1, a short U-shaped connection rail 30 is used, onto which, on both sides, the support rails 1 to be joined are slid. that the two support rails 1 connected by the connection rail 30 can still be detachable. For this purpose, each of the support rails may have one or more openings in its upper part. The connection rail 30 is provided with similar openings, and spring catches protrude through them. They catch on the openings of the support rail 1 as soon as the connection rail 30 is in the correct position in the support rail. In order to be able to release the support rail 1 and the connection rail 30 again, it is enough to apply pressure to the spring latches. This detachable connection acts on both sides, which means that the connection rail 30 also has similar openings near both of its ends, also provided with spring latches. An alternative to a two-sided detachable connection is, of course, the possibility of a spring-loaded latch on only one side of the described joint with a simple bolted connection at the other end of the connection bar 30.

PL 203 813 B1

A particularly advantageous variant of this solution is when the spring catches at the ends of the connection rail 30 belong to a common locking element of the rails on the central wall of the connection rail 30 and when the spring catches in the upper part of the side walls protrude through the openings to the sides. The locking element of the rails is then designed in such a way that the spring latches are pulled into the center of the connection rail 30 by the force exerted on the element from above. Through an additional opening which is provided in the central wall of the support rail 1, the locking element is easily accessible from above and can be easily accessed from above. be operated e.g. with a screwdriver. A simple hand movement is therefore sufficient to release the connection.

For the sake of clarity, not shown in Fig. 7, the wire retaining elements 10 are slightly different in the connection area, so as to take into account the addition of a connection rail 30 in the carrier rail 1. In this connection, the wire retaining elements 10 have no supports 16. In order to achieve the connection of the transmission current profiles, connecting elements 31 are provided on the side walls 30a and 30b of the connection rail 30, which include the aforementioned recesses 32. Inside these recesses 32 are metal connectors, which are both sides are connected to the wires to be bonded. The shape of the openings of these recesses 32 is selected in such a way that they also fulfill the safety criterion of protection against contact. In order to connect to the connecting element 31, the adjacent wire retaining elements are also modified at their ends.

In the example shown, identical connecting elements 31 are provided on both sides of the busbar 30, each with six recesses 32. This means that the uppermost recess 32 of the right-hand connection element 31 remains unfilled as the corresponding rim 10a has only five grooves 11 for of holding the five wires 6. It goes without saying that suitable connecting elements may also be used which exactly match the structure of the wire retaining elements.

A more precise form of the connecting element 31 is shown in Fig. 8. The connecting element consists of a base part 33 which is hexagonal in shape and is open on the lower side. Metal fasteners 35 are introduced into this part, just from below. The recesses 32 existing in the base part 33 are accessed from both end faces through funnel-shaped holes 36, so that when the wire is introduced into these holes, their connection with the metal fastener is achieved. 35. After the insertion of the metal connectors 35, the base part 33 is closed on the underside by a cover 34. The lamp module makes contact in the area of the connecting element 31 by pressing the contact elements of the contact element against the upper surface of the contact plate 37 of the metal connector 35. at the end of the metal connector 35, this task is taken over by the wires again, so that no gap arises where contact is impossible.

More specifically, the configuration of the metal connector 35 is shown in Fig. 9a and Fig. 9b. This connector consists of an elongated, slightly bent downwards contact plate 37, the task of which is to receive the electric current from the wires and direct it further. At the ends of the contact plate 37 there is a U-shaped spring element 38 which is preferably made of a chromium-nickel alloy and which is separately shown in Fig. 9b. This spring element 38 is an inwardly bent spring latch 39 which the wire inserted into the metal connector 35 nips and presses against the contact plate 37 with sufficient force due to the electrical transition resistances at the contact. In this way, it is also avoided that the wires could shift or even escape from the grooves with the accompanying changing thermal conditions (lengthening or shortening) of the current transmission profile. The side of the contact plate 37 facing away from the wires, consisting of galvanized copper, forms a contact surface for contact with the contact elements. The contact plate 37 has slightly arched or triangular recesses 43 on its lower side to improve the contact between it and the wires.

The fastening of the spring elements 38 to the ends of the contact plate 37 takes place by means of notches 40 on the side walls of the spring element 38, into which the projections 41 of the contact plate 37 penetrate. The firm positioning of the metal fasteners 35 in the connecting element 31 is assisted by the fact that on the cover 34 there are plastic pins 42 which, once the cover 34 has been fitted, press from below against the contact plates 37 of the metal connector 35. And since the pins 42 also engage the side recesses 43 of the downwardly bent side walls of the contact plate 37, the lateral displacement is simultaneously inhibited a metal connector 35. The pins 42 also provide a barrier to limit the escape of wires to the outside. The connection element shown here closes the gap between the wire retainers, such as ch10

They are composed of adjacent transmission current profiles, whereby it becomes possible to assemble equipped, ready-to-use busbars 1 containing transmission current profiles allowing contact at any location, including connection areas.

The use of the described connecting element is by no means limited to the example shown in which wire retaining elements are mentioned.

For example, the connecting element shown in Fig. 7 to Fig. 9b can be used in the aforementioned light ribbon arrangement, in which the transmission current profiles to be connected are produced individually by extrusion.

As an alternative to the mentioned application, for supplying the network, the adapted rotary selector can also be a power switch mounted on the front side of the support rail and cooperating with metal connectors, which would connect the wires of the busbar system with the network conductors.

Finally, with reference to Figs. 1 to 10, it is necessary to explain the exact structure and functioning of this contact element 50, which is configured as a rotary selector. Fig. 10 shows a perspective view of a rotary selector contact element 50 with an overlapping rail 5 on its underside. An essential component of the rotary selector contact element 50 are connection contacts 53 and 54 arranged on the outside of the cylindrical base body 61, which are adjustable in height to ensure the contact of different wires according to a predetermined pattern. Further, although not arbitrarily selected, but previously determined, contacts to the ground are provided by the wire element 62. The wire element 62 is guided in one of the slots 63 provided on the base body 61, the end 62a of the wire element 62, thanks to its shape, is clamped into a covering rail 5 of the lamp module. The other end 62b extends sideways at the height of the ground wire. In addition, the rotary selector contact element 50 has in its lower part two laterally projecting locking elements 52.

The contacting of the wires 6 of the transmission current profile is carried out in that the contact element 50 associated with the lighting module in the form of a rotary selector is inserted into the lower opening of the support rail 1. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the cylindrical base body 61 has different heights, and only the horizontal wall 14 located on the right side of the support rail 1 prevents the contact element 50 from being introduced into the support rail in the upside down position.

After inserting the contact element 50 in the form of a rotary selector, it is turned by approx. 45 [deg.], So that the laterally protruding locking elements 52 will engage in the inwardly projecting parts of the support rail 1 or the transmission current profile and ensure that the lamp module is mechanically fastened. At the same time, the connection contacts 53 and 54 are screwed into the grooves 11 of the wire retainer, whereby the desired electrical contact is obtained. As mentioned, some or all of the contacts are vertically displaced in height. In the example shown, this is done in such a way that the support 55 of the connecting contact 53 is free to move vertically inside the guide rails 56 and 57. To make this possible, the support 55 as well as the cylindrical base body 61 with guides 56 and 57 , are shaped such that the carrier 55 can take a position corresponding to the wires 6, which will facilitate the exact positioning of the connecting means 53.

The slit 63 resists the wire element 62 and causes the end 62b of the wire element 62 to be pressed against the lower left wire 6 provided for grounding when turning the rotary selector contact element 50. In this way, a ground is created between the metallic cover rail 5, which is a component of the lamp module, and the metallic support rail 1. The wire element 62 must therefore have a certain strength, so it is desirable that its material be galvanized steel wire or chrome-nickel (CrNi) wire.

The cover rail (5) located at the bottom of the rotary selector closes the bottom of the support rail 1, which also ensures that no dust can enter. In the vicinity of the contact elements 50, the cover rail has a longitudinal slot into which, in the locking position, the pivoting clamp 58 can be inserted upwards. It engages the cover rail 5 and the support rail 1 is thus completely closed.

The cover rail 5 is also used in places where no lamp modules are placed. However, in the case where the lamp module is fixed, the cover rail 5 is also a holder for certain elements of the lamp module. On the top of the rail

In the cover 5, for example, pre-switch devices for lamps can be arranged, which are thus hidden inside the U-profile of the support rail. The illustrated contact element 50 in the form of a rotary selector enables, in a straight way, both the contact of the respective wires and the mechanical fixing of the lamp module in the busbar system. The use of the illustrated contact element 50 in the form of a rotary selector is particularly advantageous in the present solution, in which free contact with the wires is made possible over the entire length of the busbar system, since the selector can be used extremely flexibly and can always be removed from the installation.

The present invention therefore presents a very efficient busbar system which - for the first time - makes it possible to arrange the lamp modules completely freely and ensure their contact with the supply network. The consequence of this is also that, in order to be able to properly arrange the lamp modules inside the busbar system, also the individual modules do not have to be adapted to the specific lengths of the busbar elements. As for the current rails, the invention is by no means limited to the use of the U-profile rails shown in the example. For example, wire retaining elements can also be used in conductor rails with other profiles, such as "A" profile or "Y" profile. The same applies to the depicted connecting element. Moreover, the invention provides the possibility of significantly lowering the manufacturing costs, since the wire retaining elements can be produced with a much simpler and faster technology than in the case of known transmission current profiles. Moreover, the present invention makes it possible to avoid problems that arise in connection with changes in length caused by temperature differences and displacements of plastic parts.

Claims (14)

1.A busbar system for lamps, consisting of several modularly interconnectable DIN rails as well as a transmission current profile held by the support rails and provided with grooves running along the support rails, which can be accessed from the contact side and in which wires for supplying electricity and / or for transmitting control signals are provided, the arrangement having a connecting element for connecting the transmission current profiles belonging to two adjacent carrier rails, characterized in that the connecting element (31) has grooved recesses ( 32) with a shape corresponding to the grooves (11) in the transmission current profiles, in which the recesses (32) contain a metal connector (35), to which, on both sides, wires (6) can be connected to be placed in the transmission grooves (11) current profiles and interconnections with each other, and the connecting element (31) forms a contact surface accessible via the recesses r sheep (32). 2. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1 The method of claim 1, characterized in that the metal connectors (35) consist of longitudinal contact plates (37), at the ends of which a U-shaped spring element (38) is placed for clamping the wires (6) connected to the metal connector (35). 3. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1. A method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the support rail (1) is U-shaped and the transmission current profile is arranged on the inside of both side walls (3a, 3b) of the support rail (1). 4. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1 A connecting piece according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a U-shaped connecting rail (30) for connecting two support rails (1), extending inside both support rails (1) and having arms (30a, 30b) on which the connecting element (31) is placed. ). 5. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the connection rail (30) comprises spring latches which, during assembly, receive corresponding openings in the support rails (1) as well as in the connection rail (30). 6. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1 5. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the spring latches arranged at the end of the connecting rail (30) form a component part of the rail locking element, shaped in such a way that the spring latches are pulled inside the connecting rail (30) by the force exerted from above on the rail locking element (30). . 7. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1 The apparatus according to claim 3, characterized in that, in the space inside the U-shaped support rail, lamp operating devices as well as corresponding contact elements are provided. PL 203 813 B1 8. The busbar system according to claim A contact element according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises a contact element (50) with a plurality of connection contacts (53, 54) for connecting the lamp to a busbar system, the contact element (50) being inserted into an opening of the support rail (1) and partially rotated into inserting the connection contacts (53, 54) into the grooves (11) of the current transmission profile and bringing them into contact with the wires (6) to be connected. 9. Busbar system according to claim The process of claim 8, characterized in that at least one of the connection contacts (53) is vertically movable. 10. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1. The contact element according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the contact element (50) has locking elements (52) which twist to grip protruding parts of the support rail (1). 11. A busbar arrangement as claimed in claim 1. The method of claim 1, characterized in that the transmission current profile held by the support rail (1) consists of at least two wire-holding elements (10, 101, 102) connected to each other and having grooves (11) for receiving the wires (6). ), the elements (10, 101, 102) holding the wires during connection with the projections (17, 22) at their ends, coinciding with each other so that in the connection area they form open channels (23) corresponding to the grooves (11) towards the contact page. 12. A busbar arrangement according to claim 1. 11. The wire-retaining element of claim 11, characterized in that the wire retaining elements (10, 101, 102) include locking elements (18, 19) that limit the relative longitudinal movement of the two interconnected elements (10, 101, 102) to a predetermined play. 13. Connecting element for connecting the transmission current profiles in a lamp busbar system, the transmission current profiles having longitudinal grooves with access from the contact side, intended to insert wires for supplying current and / or transmitting control signals. characterized in that the connecting element (31) comprises grooved recesses (32) corresponding to the grooves (11) of the current transmission profiles, in which recesses (32) the metal connector (35) is arranged such that the wires (6) intended for insertion into the grooves (11) and the transmission current profiles and the connections to each other can be connected from both sides, furthermore, each metal connector (35) forms a contact surface accessible via the groove (32). 14. The connecting element according to claim 1 13. The method according to claim 13, characterized in that the metal connectors (35) consist of longitudinal contact plates (37), at the ends of which a U-shaped spring element (38) is placed for clamping the wires (6) connected to the metal connector. (35).