LIGHTING SYSTEM

Description

PRIORITY CLAIM

[0001] This application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102017000037046 filed on April 4, 2017.

[0002] The present invention relates to a lighting system for lighting objects and/or environments.

[0003] The invention is particularly, but not only, suited to provide a rail lighting system, an example to which specific reference will be made hereinafter, without thereby excluding different applications.

[0004] Rail lighting systems are known, in which one or more lamps, for example of the spotlight type, are mounted and slide on a longitudinal guide typically installed on the ceiling and defining a rail for the lamps, the position of which can therefore be varied along the guide.

[0005] For the power supply and control of the light sources of the lamps (which are currently, increasingly, LED light sources), the use of conductive tracks, usually carried by a printed circuit board, is known. The tracks are located along the rail, for example on a bottom wall of the guide. Each lamp is equipped with a contact element (sliding along the guide with the lamp) that "picks up" via respective contacts (for example, sliding contacts) the signals from the respective tracks.

[0006] If the system includes multiple light sources and/or various modes are provided for controlling the light sources, several tracks insulated from one another are required to transmit the necessary signals to the lamps. Accordingly, appropriate sizes of the printed circuit board and/or the guide are required.

[0007] For example, US2013/044469A1 and DE102005016512A1 disclose lighting systems in which one or more lamps are movable along a guide housing a circuit board for controlling and supplying the lamps and comprising conductive tracks; each conductive track is defined by a sequence of conductive contact portions and insulation portions, alternating with each other; the lamps are provided with contact elements comprising a series of contacts spaced apart from one another contact the track.

[0008] On the other hand, in the lighting industry the functional requirements must also be reconciled with the aesthetic ones, for which new forms are constantly required, which may not even be compatible with the technical functions.

[0009] One object of the present invention is to provide a lighting system, which allows the drawbacks of the prior art described herein to be overcome.

[0010] In particular, one object of the invention is to provide a lighting system, in particular (but not only) a rail lighting system, which allows a reduction in size (and specifically in width) of the printed circuit board controlling/supplying the light sources of the system, and consequently also of the rail supporting the lamps of the system and housing the printed circuit board.

[0011] The present invention therefore relates to a lighting system as defined in appended claim 1.

[0012] Further preferred features of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.

[0013] The lighting system of the invention allows efficient control and power supply of the light sources of the system by reducing the number of required tracks on the respective printed circuit board, and consequently also reducing the size of the printed circuit board and the guide or seat housing it.

[0014] Further features and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description of a non-limiting embodiment thereof, with reference to the figures of the accompanying drawings, wherein:

• Figure 1 is a schematic perspective view of a lighting system according to the invention;
• Figure 2 is a view in enlarged scale of a detail of the lighting system of Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of another detail of the lighting system of Figure 1;
• Figures 4 and 5 are a schematic bottom plan view and a schematic perspective view of respective components of the system in Figure 1.

[0015] In the figures, reference number 1 indicates, as a whole, a lighting system for lighting objects and/or environments.

[0016] In the non-limiting example illustrated, the system 1 is a rail lighting system and comprises a rail guide 2 extending along a longitudinal axis A, and at least one lamp 3 mounted on the guide 2.

[0017] The guide 2 has a substantially rectilinear body 4 extending along the axis A, for example (but not necessarily) an extruded aluminium body, and is provided with an internal longitudinal seat 5 bounded by a bottom wall 6 and two opposite side walls 7.

[0018] It is understood that the guide 2 can have a different shape. For example, the guide 2 can extend along a curvilinear instead of a rectilinear axis A, for example in the shape of a circle or arc of a circle; in general, the system of the invention comprises a guide 2 extending along a generic path P.

[0019] The lamp 3 can also have various shapes. In the non-limiting example shown, the lamp 3 comprises a slide 11 housed at least partly in the seat 5 and slidable along the axis A and thus along the guide 2 in the seat 5; and a lamp body 12 projecting from the slide 11 and having at least one light source 13 housed in the lamp body 12.

[0020] The slide 11 has sliding blocks 14 projecting from the slide 11 and engaging longitudinal grooves 15 formed on the guide 2 in the seat 5 to constrain the slide 11 (and therefore the lamp 3) to the guide 2.

[0021] Preferably, the lamp body 12 is connected to the slide 11 by an articulated joint 16, which allows the lamp body 12 to be oriented with respect to the slide 11.

[0022] The light source 13, for example, is a LED light source comprising one or more LEDs (not shown), possibly even different from each other, and an optical group (not shown) associated with the LED(s).

[0023] Even more lamps 3 can be mounted on the guide 2, each of which can have multiple light sources 13.

[0024] The guide 2 houses a printed circuit board 20 for controlling and supplying the light source 13 of the lamp 3 (or the light sources 13 of the lamps 3).

[0025] In particular, the printed circuit board 20 is located in the seat 5, for example on the bottom wall 6.

[0026] The printed circuit board 20 comprises at least one conductive track 21 extending along the path P, and in this case along the axis A (or parallel to the axis A).

[0027] In accordance with the invention, the single track 21 operates by replacing two conventional tracks (which would be necessary, in accordance with the prior art, to operate the light sources 13 and should be arranged parallel to one another on the printed circuit board 20).

[0028] In fact, the illustrated example refers to the case in which two tracks, i.e. a positive track and a negative track, are required in order to operate the lamp 3. In accordance with the invention, instead, the printed circuit board 20 bears a single track 21.

[0029] The track 21 is defined by a sequence of contact portions 22, made of electric conductive material, and insulation portions 23, alternating with each other along the axis A (i.e., more generally, along the path P).

[0030] The contact portions 22 are spaced apart from one another along the axis A and are separated from one another by the insulation portions 23, defined by gaps in the conductive material of the contact portions 22 or by an insulating material.

[0031] The insulation portions 23 are interposed between respective pairs of contact portions 22, separating them from one another along the axis A.

[0032] The contact portions 22 and the insulation portions 23 have respective preset axial (i.e. measured along the axis A, or parallel to the axis A) lengths Lpad, Liso.

[0033] In the example shown, but not necessarily, the length Lpad of the contact portions 22 is greater than the length Liso of the insulation portions 23.

[0034] In the non-limiting example illustrated (but not necessarily), the contact portions 22 and the insulation portions 23 are evenly spaced along the axis A, i.e. the contact portions 22 all have the same length Lpad and also the insulation portions 23 all have the same length Liso.

[0035] The contact portions 22 include first contact portions 22A and second contact portions 22B connected to the printed circuit board 20 so as to provide respective signals.

[0036] For example, the first contact portions 22A are positive and the second contact portions 22B are negative.

[0037] In general, the contact portions 22 include two or more sequences of contact portions 22, which are connected to the printed circuit board 20 so as to provide respective signals.

[0038] The lamp 3 is provided with a contact element 24, integral with the slide 11 and therefore sliding along the guide 2 (i.e. along the path P) in the seat 5 together with the lamp 3; the contact element 24 comprises a plurality of contacts 25 (made of electrically conductive material) projecting from a lower face of the slide 11 so as to contact the track 21.

[0039] In particular, the contact element 24 comprises at least one series of contacts 25 axially spaced along the axis A (or parallel to the axis A), i.e., in more general terms, spaced apart along the path P.

[0040] In the example shown, the contact element 24 comprises two series of contacts 25 laterally spaced apart from one another.

[0041] The contacts 25 of each series are arranged on the contact element 24 and therefore on the slide 11 at pre-established axial distances (measured along the axis A or parallel to the axis A) such that the contacts 25 pick up respective signals (in particular two signals) from the sequence of the contact portions 22.

[0042] In fact, the contacts 25 of each series are axially positioned so as to contact at all times a pair of contact portions 22 in any axial position of the slide 11 along the guide 2, i.e. in any axial position of the contact element 24 along the track 21.

[0043] When the contacts 25 move axially in an integral manner, some contacts 25 may be on a positive contact portion 22A, others on a negative contact portion 22B, others on an insulation portion 23, however the two required signals will be picked up at all times.

[0044] For example: the contact element 24 comprises a series of three contacts 25A, 25B, 25C axially spaced from one another at pre-established axial distances (along the axis A):

L12 is the distance between the first contact 25A and the second contact 25B;

L23 is the distance between the second contact 25B and the third contact 25C;

L13 is the distance between the first contact 25A and the third contact 25C.

[0045] It is required that:

[0046] For example, a possible solution (purely by way of example) is as follows:

Lpad = 10 mm

Liso = 2 mm

L12 = 8 mm

L23 = 8 mm

L13 = 16 mm

[0047] Clearly, other solutions are possible.

[0048] Furthermore, although the embodiment described and illustrated herein refers to the simple case where only two signals are picked up by the contact element 24, i.e. with a single track 21 replacing the conventional two tracks required for the operation of the lamp 3, the invention lends itself to applications with different numbers of tracks and signals.

[0049] In general, if the lamp 3 requires N signals (i.e. N conventional tracks), in accordance with the invention, a number of tracks 21 less than the number of required signals is used, i.e. M tracks 21 are used, where M < N.

[0050] Some or all of the M tracks 21 have the discontinuous structure described previously, thus not being continuous but divided (along the path P, for example axially along the axis A) into a (regular or irregular) sequence of contact portions 22 separated by insulation portions 23: the contact portions 22 are alternated so that a number Z of contacts 25 (where Z > N) contacts at all times (i.e. in any position of the contacts 25 on the tracks 21, i.e. of the slide 11 along the guide 2) the contact portions 22 for picking up the N required signals at all times.

[0051] Owing to the suitable distance between the contacts 25 and their number, in particular when Z > N, the contacts 25 are prevented from falling all together into insulation portions 23, and multiple contacts are prevented from falling simultaneously on contact portions 22 having the same signal.

[0052] A suitable electronic circuitry selects the signals picked up by the Z contacts 25, so that N signals are output at all times.

[0053] In addition to linear configurations such as the one described (with rectilinear, but also curvilinear paths P), the same principle can also be applied to two-dimensional configurations, i.e. providing matrices of successive contact portions 22 spaced by insulation portions 23 in two directions perpendicular to each other; the contacts 25, in turn, being suitably spaced in two directions perpendicular to each other and movable along both said directions.

[0054] Lastly, it is understood that the rail lighting system as described and illustrated herein can be subject to further modifications and variations that do not depart from the scope of the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. A lighting system (1), comprising a guide (2) extending along at least one path (P); at least one lamp (3), fitted to the guide (2) and movable on the guide (2) and provided with at least one light source (13); a circuit board (20) for controlling and supplying the light source (13) of the lamp (3), comprising at least one conductive track (21) extending along the path (P) and defined by a sequence of contact portions (22), made of electric conductive material, and insulation portions (23), alternating with each other along the path (P); the lamp (3) being provided with a contact element (24) comprising at least one series of contacts (25) spaced apart from one another along the path (P) and which project from the lamp (3) to contact the track (21); characterized in that the contact portions (22) include first contact portions (22A) and second contact portions (22B) connected to the circuit board (20) so as to provide respective signals.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein the contacts (25) are arranged on the contact element (24) at such distances from one another that the contacts (25) pick up respective signals from the sequence of the contact portions (22).

3. The system according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the contacts (25) are positioned so as to contact at all times a pair of contact portions (22) in any position of the lamp (3) along the guide (3), i.e. in any position of the contact element (24) along the track (21).

4. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact portions (22) are spaced apart from one another along the path (P) and are separated from one another by the insulation portions (23).

5. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact portions (22) include two or more sequences of contact portions (22A, 22B), which are connected to the circuit board (20) so as to provide respective signals.

6. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the circuit board (20) is configured for transmitting N signals; and comprises M tracks (21), where M < N, at least some tracks (21) being divided into a sequence of contact portions (22) separated by insulation portions (23); the contact portions (22) being connected to the circuit board (20) so as to provide respective signals and being alternated so that a number Z of contacts (25), where Z > N, contacts at all times, i.e. in any position of the contacts (25) on the tracks (21), the contact portions (22) for picking up the N signals at all times.

7. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the guide (2) extends along at least a first, rectilinear or curvilinear axis (A) defining said path (P) .

8. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact portions (22) follow one another, spaced by insulation portions (23), in two directions perpendicular to each other; and the contacts (25) are spaced in two directions perpendicular to each other and are movable along both said directions.

9. The system according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the system (1) is a rail lighting system; the guide (2) being provided with an internal longitudinal seat (5) extending along an axis (A) and housing the circuit board (20) with the track (21); the lamp (3) comprising a slide (11), housed at least partly in the seat (5) and sliding along the axis (A) in the seat (5); and a lamp body (12) projecting from the slide (11) and having at least one light source (13) housed in the lamp body (12).

Ansprüche

1. Lichtsystem (1), umfassend eine Führung (2), die sich entlang mindestens eines Verlaufs erstreckt (P); mindestens eine Lampe (3), die an der Führung (2) angebracht und an der Führung (2) bewegbar ist und mit mindestens einer Lichtquelle (13) versehen ist; eine Leiterplatte (20) zum Steuern und Versorgen der Lichtquelle (13) der Lampe (3), umfassend mindestens eine Leiterbahn (21), die sich entlang des Verlaufs (P) erstreckt und durch eine Folge von Kontaktabschnitten (22), die aus elektrisch leitfähigem Material hergestellt sind, und Isolationsabschnitten (23) definiert ist, die sich miteinander entlang des Verlaufs (P) abwechseln; wobei die Lampe (3) mit einem Kontaktelement (24) versehen ist, das mindestens eine Reihe von Kontakten (25) umfasst, die entlang des Verlaufs (P) voneinander beabstandet sind und die von der Lampe (3) vorstehen, um die Bahn (21) zu kontaktieren; dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Kontaktabschnitte (22) erste Kontaktabschnitte (22A) und zweite Kontaktabschnitte (22B) umfassen, die mit der Leiterplatte (20) verbunden sind, um jeweils Signale bereitzustellen.

2. System nach Anspruch 1, wobei die Kontakte (25) auf dem Kontaktelement (24) in solchen Abständen zueinander angeordnet sind, dass die Kontakte (25) jeweils Signale von der Folge der Kontaktabschnitte (22) aufnehmen.

3. System nach Anspruch 1 oder 2, wobei die Kontakte (25) so positioniert sind, dass sie jederzeit ein Paar von Kontaktabschnitten (22) in einer beliebigen Position der Lampe (3) entlang der Führung (3), d.h. in einer beliebigen Position des Kontaktelements (24) entlang der Bahn (21) kontaktieren.

4. System nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Kontaktabschnitte (22) entlang des Verlaufs (P) voneinander beabstandet und durch die Isolationsabschnitte (23) voneinander getrennt sind.

5. System nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Kontaktabschnitte (22) zwei oder mehr Folgen von Kontaktabschnitten (22A, 22B) umfassen, die mit der Leiterplatte (20) verbunden sind, um jeweils Signale bereitzustellen.

6. System nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Leiterplatte (20) zum Übertragen von N Signalen konfiguriert ist und M Bahnen (21) umfasst, wobei M < N und mindestens einige Bahnen (21) in eine Folge von durch Isolationsabschnitte (23) getrennten Kontaktabschnitten (22) unterteilt sind; wobei die Kontaktabschnitte (22) mit der Leiterplatte (20) verbunden sind, um jeweils Signale bereitzustellen und abgewechselt zu werden, so dass eine Anzahl Z von Kontakten (25) jederzeit, d.h. in jeder Position der Kontakte (25) auf den Bahnen (21), die Kontaktabschnitte (22) zum jederzeitigen Aufnehmen der N Signale kontaktiert, wobei Z > N.

7. System nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei sich die Führung (2) entlang mindestens einer ersten, geradlinigen oder kurvenförmigen Achse (A) erstreckt, die den Verlauf (P) definiert.

8. System nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei die Kontaktabschnitte (22), beabstandet durch Isolationsabschnitte (23), einander in zwei Richtungen senkrecht zueinander folgen; und die Kontakte (25) in zwei Richtungen senkrecht zueinander beabstandet und entlang beiden Richtungen bewegbar sind.

9. System nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, wobei das System (1) ein Schienenlichtsystem ist; die Führung (2) mit einem inneren längslaufenden Sitz (5) versehen ist, der sich entlang einer Achse (A) erstreckt und die Leiterplatte (20) mit der Bahn (21) aufnimmt; die Lampe (3) einen Schlitten (11) umfasst, der mindestens teilweise im Sitz (5) aufgenommen ist und entlang der Achse (A) im Sitz (5) gleitet; und einen Lampenkörper (12), der von dem Schlitten (11) vorsteht und mindestens eine im Lampenkörper (12) aufgenommene Lichtquelle (13) aufweist.

Revendications

1. Système d'éclairage (1), comprenant un guide (2) s'étendant le long d'au moins un chemin (P) ; au moins une lampe (3) installée sur le guide (2) et mobile sur le guide (2) et munie d'au moins une source de lumière (13) ; une carte de circuit (20) pour commander et alimenter la source de lumière (13) de la lampe (3), comprenant au moins une piste conductrice (21) s'étendant le long du chemin (P) et définie par une séquence de parties de contact (22), réalisées à partir d'un matériau électroconducteur, et de parties d'isolation (23), en alternance les unes avec les autres le long du chemin (P) ; la lampe (3) étant munie d'un élément de contact (24) comprenant au moins une série de contacts (25) espacés les uns des autres le long du chemin (P) et qui font saillie à partir de la lampe (3) pour contacter la piste (21) ; caractérisé en ce que les parties de contact (22) comprennent des premières parties de contact (22A) et des deuxièmes parties de contact (22B) connectées à la carte de circuit (20) de façon à fournir des signaux respectifs.

2. Système selon la revendication 1, dans lequel les contacts (25) sont agencés sur l'élément de contact (24) à des distances les uns des autres telles que les contacts (25) captent des signaux respectifs de la séquence des parties de contact (22).

3. Système selon la revendication 1 ou 2, dans lequel les contacts (25) sont positionnés de façon à contacter à tout moment une paire de parties de contact (22) dans une position quelconque de la lampe (3) le long du guide (3), c'est-à-dire dans une position quelconque de l'élément de contact (24) le long de la piste (21).

4. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les parties de contact (22) sont espacées les unes des autres le long du chemin (P) et sont séparées les unes des autres par les parties d'isolation (23).

5. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les parties de contact (22) comprennent deux ou plusieurs séquences de parties de contact (22A, 22B) qui sont connectées à la carte de circuit (20) de façon à fournir des signaux respectifs.

6. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel la carte de circuit (20) est configurée pour transmettre N signaux ; et comprend M pistes (21), où M < N, au moins certaines pistes (21) étant divisées en une séquence de parties de contact (22) séparées par des parties d'isolation (23) ; les parties de contact (22) étant connectées à la carte de circuit (20) de façon à fournir des signaux respectifs et étant alternées de sorte qu'un nombre Z de contacts (25), où Z > N, contacte à tout moment, c'est-à-dire dans une position quelconque des contacts (25) sur les pistes (21), les parties de contact (22) pour capter les N signaux à tout moment.

7. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le guide (2) s'étend le long d'au moins un premier axe (A) rectiligne ou curviligne définissant ledit chemin (P).

8. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel les parties de contact (22) se suivent les unes les autres, espacées par des parties d'isolation (23), dans deux directions perpendiculaires l'une à l'autre ; et les contacts (25) sont espacés dans deux directions perpendiculaires l'une à l'autre et sont mobiles le long des deux dites directions.

9. Système selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, dans lequel le système (1) est un système d'éclairage sur rail ; le guide (2) étant muni d'un siège longitudinal interne (5) s'étendant le long d'un axe (A) et logeant la carte de circuit (20) avec la piste (21) ; la lampe (3) comprenant une glissière (11), logée au moins en partie dans le siège (5) et coulissant le long de l'axe (A) dans le siège (5) ; et un corps de lampe (12) faisant saillie à partir de la glissière (11) et comportant au moins une source de lumière (13) logée dans le corps de lampe (12).

Drawing