Electrical connectors – Uninterrupted support rail or uninterrupted contact
Reexamination Certificate
1996-02-29
2001-12-04
Bradley, Paula (Department: 2833)
Electrical connectors
Uninterrupted support rail or uninterrupted contact
C439S118000, C439S122000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06325645
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF INVENTION
The invention relates to a ligting rail for lighting prints, paintings and other objects to be exposed to view.
The invention furthermore relates to a lighting rail which is provided with means for suspending the objects to be exposed to view.
The invention furthermore relates to a ceiling or wall profile for placing ceiling or wall plates of a ceiling or wall system, which can moreover function as a lighting rail.
BACKGROUND OF INVENTION
Lighting paintings and the like with the help of a lighting assembly comprising a lighting rail and a series of separate lighting devices attached to the lighting rail is known. It is also known to combine such a lighting rail with a suspension means for the paintings. The paintings can then be movably attached to the lighting rail with the help of suspension elements, which can have the shape of a hook or a clamping block, and to which, for example, a suspension wire or suspension rod for the painting can be attached.
In the lighting assembly the lighting devices are clamped on or in the rail in such a manner that the contact part of the lighting device is held urged against the conducting strip which is arranged in the lighting rail. The lighting device usually has an elongated arm of considerable length so as to enable the lamp to illuminate the painting from a direction which is advantageous for exposition purposes. A consequence hereof is that the lighting device exerts a considerable vertical moment on its area of attachment to the lighting rail. It therefore often happens that the contact part of the lighting device slips upwards or sidewards (in a vertical plane) along the contact area of the conducting strip. As a result of that, the electrical contact may be severed and/or the orientation of the elongated arm changed, due to which the lighting device will stop functioning and/or the view on a series of initially parallely arranged lighting devices will be disturbed.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a lighting rail which is capable of holding the lighting devices in a secure manner.
The object is achieved by a lighting rail for at least one lighting device, the lighting device being provided with a contact part for electrical contact with a conducting strip of the lighting rail, and with clamping and tension means to press the contact part against the conducting strip, wherein the conducting strip is substantially U-shaped in cross section, the legs of the U forming means for transversely confining the contact part of the lighting device.
The design of the conducting strip sees to it that the lighting device cannot tilt downwards after arranging, owing to the fact that the contact part is transversely (in cross section of the rail) confined.
It is furthermore known to assemble lighting rails by combining the various components such as for instance a support rail, a live conducting rail, etcetera, with the aid of screws or adhesive means such as a double-sided adhesive tape. It has appeared, however, that the known way of assembly is often burdensome for the installer, who usually has to install the lighting rail at a location above his head.
A further object of the invention is to provide a lighting rail which is easily assembled and disassembled.
Yet a further object of the invention is to provide a lighting rail of which the interior can be hidden from view when the lighting rail is not in use without additional means being necessary.
It is still a further object of the invention to provide a lighting rail that can be used in ceiling or wall systems.
These further objects are achieved with the measures per se as described in the attached claims which are here incorporated by reference.
The conducting rail the lighting device is movable independently of the objects to be suspended. On account of the conducting rail being live, no loose power cables are necessary. With the help of the clamping means and the tension means the lighting device can be arranged at every desired place in the conducting rail, and the tension means will push the clamping means against the holding means of the conducting rail, and the contact part of the lighting device against the conducting strip, so that a good electric contact is established.
By executing the conducting rail as separate U-shaped part, the lighting rail without conducting rail can easily be attached to the wall by, for example, screws. Then the separate conducting rail can be easily placed in the receiving space and thus conceal the fixing points. The longitudinal opening of the conducting rail can be directed upwards, so that the lighting device will project above the conducting rail. The longitudinal opening of the conducting rail can also be directed sidewards, so that the lighting device does not have to project above the conducting rail. As a consequence, the lighting rail can be arranged near or against a ceiling or the like.
The conducting rail, which is open sidewards, is easily attached in the receiving space of the lighting rail by inserting and snapping it in. In addition, the kind of material and the dimensions of the device have been chosen, such that at least one of the walls or legs with cam or recess is sufficiently flexible.
Lips on the outer end of the legs of a U-shaped conducting rail provide for a good supporting surface for a clamping plate, and the cams in the conducting rail and on the insulating strip, respectively, together with a narrow fit, provide a good mechanical confinement of the insulating strip and the conducting strip, respectively, so that no extra attaching means are needed.
The lighting rail described in the claims is easy to assemble by snapping the various elements together. In a preferred embodiment, the elements are fitted into each other in a consecutive manner, so that only few means have to be provided for keeping the element together.
In further preferred embodiment described in the claims, the retaining means on the support element and the corresponding retaining means on the live conducting rail are postioned relative to each other such that vice versa mounting of the U-shaped conducting rail is possible, so as to close off the receiving space in the support element.
The ceiling or wall rail for placing ceiling or wall plates described in the claims can easily be included in ceiling or wall systems, and is capable of performing at least two functions, viz. a plate system function and a lighting device supporting function. In a preferred embodiment, the supporting strips for the plates are located such that the profile is substantially hidden between the plates.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3603918 (1971-09-01), Woertz
patent: 3639885 (1972-02-01), Yoshiya et al.
patent: 3737834 (1973-06-01), Contratto
Bradley Paula
Ladas and Parry
Leon Edwin A.
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