Abstract:
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 lighting rail comprises a substantially U-shaped support element, a live conducting rail fitting into the support element and insulating means for insulating the conducting strip from the live conducting rail fitting therein, wherein the support element and the live conducting rail comprise cooperating attaching means to releasably attach the live conducting rail in the support element by snapping.

Description:
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. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
     The invention will now be described by way of example with reference to a number of preferred embodiments as shown in the accompanying drawings. These exemplary embodiments do not limit the invention; other embodiments are possible. 
     FIG. 1 shows in cross section a lighting rail with the electrical contact portion of a lighting device; 
     FIG. 1A shows in cross section a separate portion of the conducting rail of the device of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 2 shows in cross section a preferred embodiment of a lighting rail according to the invention, with the electrical contact portion of a lighting device; 
     FIG. 3 shows in cross section the lighting rail of FIG. 2 without conducting rail; 
     FIG. 4 shows the conducting rail of the lighting rail of FIG. 2 in cross section; 
     FIGS. 5 and 6 show further embodiments of the lighting rail according to the invention; 
     FIG. 7 shows in cross section a lighting rail according to the invention, without lighting device; 
     FIG. 7A shows a conducting rail for use in the lighting rail of FIG. 7, in cross section; 
     FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of a lighting rail for use with the conducting rail of FIG. 7 a,  in cross section; 
     FIG. 9 shows, on a different scale, a ceiling rail according to the invention in cross section, to be used with the conducting rail of FIG. 7 a.   
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     FIG. 1 shows a lighting rail indicated by  1 , which is screwed to a wall  2  with the help of screws through holes  20  in the upper part of the device. The lighting rail  1  comprises a suspension and conducting rail  3  which forms a whole, a conducting strip  6 , a current insulating profile  7 , a suspension element  28  and a contact portion  26  of a lighting device  25 . The suspension and conducting rail is substantially E-shaped, with an upper leg  12 , a middle leg  13  and a lower leg  14 . The lower leg  14  comprises a raised edge  15  for the suspension element  28 . The middle leg comprises a front panel  16 . 
     The live conducting rail is formed by the upper part of the E. In this upper part the holes  20  are arranged so as to attach the device with screws to the wall  2 . The upper part which is U-shaped in cross section, is open sidewards. The separate part  4  of the conducting rail is arranged in this U. 
     FIG. 1A shows this separate part  4 . It is substantially U-shaped in cross section, with walls  22 , cheeks  23  facing each other and inward directed lips  24 . The conducting strip  6  and the current insulating profile  7  are contained in this portion  4 . After being attached to the wall the portion  4  is inserted into the upper part and fixed with, for example, double-sided adhesive tape, which operation has proven to be fairly difficult, because it has to be done above the head of the installer. Moreover, the adhesive connection is not as reliable as it should be. Unintentional release of the rail is possible which constitutes a risk of damage and injury. 
     FIG. 1 shows the attached part  4  with the contact part  26  of the lighting device  25 . The contact part  26  comprises a spherical portion  9 , which is connected to a thickening on the support pipe  30  to the lamp part  27  with the help of an insulating portion  10 , in which a threaded portion  11  is rotatable and slidable on the longitudinal support pipe  30 , which treaded portion  11  is screwed into a clamping plate  8 . 
     In the embodiment of FIG. 1 it is possible to move a suspension element such as a suspension element  28  over the raised edge  15 , such as in FIG.  1 . Independent thereof, a lighting device can be moved with the help of the contact part  26  in the live conducting rail by screwing the screw thread portion  11  slightly out of the clamping plate  8 , sliding the contact part  26  in the conducting rail, and then screwing the screw thread portion tight again, as a result of which the clamping plate will rest on the lips  24  of the conducting rail, and the spherical portion  9  will be pushed against the conducting strip  6 . 
     Arranging a lighting device in the conducting rail is possible because the clamping plate  8  in narrower than the opening in the conducting rail. The clamping plate can thus be inserted through the opening of the conducting rail, and after a rotation through 90° can rest against the lips  24  of the conducting rail. 
     FIG. 2 shows a preferred embodiment of a lighting rail according to the invention, indicated by  101 , which is screwed with screws to the wall  102 . Just at the lighting rail according to FIG. 1, the lighting rail  101  which is substantially inverted L-shaped comprises a vertical leg  103  a lower leg  109  with a raised edge  110  for the suspension element  28 , a horizontal tongue  106  with a beaded edge  107 , and in addition a horizontal ledge  105  and an upper leg  140  with a downward directed edge  121  with an inward directed lip  122  for receiving a separate live conducting rail  104 . The vertical leg  103  of rail  101  is on its inner side provided with a wedge-shaped recess  150 , while the conducting rail  104  is provided with a mating wedge projection  120  on its outer base surface. These means constitute a first retaining means for the rail  104 , second retaining means being formed by the hook  121 - 122  and abutting portion of the upper leg of the rail  104 , which fits in the hook. When assembling, the rail  104  can be hooked under hook  121 - 122  and then rotated—as seen in the drawing—clockwise (A), so as to snap the lower edge of wedge  120  into the recess  150 . 
     The live conducting rail  104  is shown separately in FIG.  4  and is substantially U-shaped in cross section, having cheeks  115  facing each other along its opening, each of which has an inwardly directed lip  116 . The legs  118  of the live conducting rail both have on their inner side a longitudinal cam  117  for receiving and securing an insulating strip  111 , which is also substantially U-shaped and has inwardly directed cams  112  along its edges, so as to secure a conducting strip  113 , which is also substantially U-shaped in cross section and has rounded edges  114 . This can be seen clearly in FIG.  5 . 
     The conducting rail is constructed to receive a lighting device, the connecting end  129  of which is shown in FIG.  2 . The connecting end  129  of the lighting device has a grip  131  which can be attached, for example, by soldering to clamping plate  132 . The grip and the clamping plate can also be made out of one piece. The grip can be slid over the support pipe  30 . A contact part  133  is secured to the support pipe  30  with the help of an insulating portion  134  and can supply current to the lamp part by way of a thread  136 . In the grip  131  a compression spring  135  is partly accommodated, which rests against the insulating portion  134 . 
     In FIG. 2 it can also be seen that the lighting rail can include a front panel  108  which is attached on the lowest cheek to the conducting rail  104 . 
     FIG. 3 shows the lighting rail  103  which forms a whole, without the conducting rail  104 . 
     FIG. 5 shows another preferred embodiment of the lighting rail  101  which has an L-shaped support portion in which the conducting rail  104  is placed with its open side upwards. In this embodiment the front panel  145  is bent downward to the back, and this front panel has an inwardly directed tongue  146  with beaded edge  147 . 
     FIG. 6 shows a preferred embodiment which is similar to the embodiment of FIG. 12, but which has a front panel  144  and a tongue  106  with beaded edge  107 , which are taken from the embodiment of FIG.  2 . In FIG. 6 the short upper leg  140  with a downwardly projecting lip  141  can be clearly seen, behind which the live conducting rail  104  has to hook. For a better atachment a wedge-shaped slot  143  is arranged in the middle leg  142 , in which wedge-shaped cam  120  on the base  119  of the live conducting rail  104  (vide FIG. 4) has to snap. Here, the hook  140 - 141  is at the upper end of the vertical leg  103  and the wedge-shaped recess  143  is in the horizontal leg  142 . The rail  104  can easily be clicked onto the support by first having the upper end of the left leg under the hook  140 - 141  and then rotating clockwise in B to snap the wedge  120  into the recess  143 . 
     The substantially rectangular clamping plate  132  is provided in the middle with a hole  150  for said attachment to the grip  131  and is provided with slots  151  along its short edges for cooperation with the lips  116  on the cheeks  115  of the live conducting rail  104 . The clamping plate  132  has opposite rounded corners  152  with a radius from the middle of the hole  150 , which is, at most, equal to half the length of the clamping plate. 
     FIG. 7 shows a preferred embodiment of a lighting rail  201  for lighting devices, of which the contact part  26  is shown in FIG.  2 . As the lighting rails of FIG. 2 ff., this lighting rail does not necessarily comprise a lighting means for suspending prints and other objects to be exposed to view. 
     The lighting rail  201  comprises an in cross section substantially U-shaped support element  203  that can be screwed to the wall  202  with the help of screws through holes in the bottom of the U. Inside the U-shaped support element  203  a separate part  204  is arranged, substantially as part  4  is placed in rail  3  in FIG. 1, and inside separate part  204  an insulating strip  205  and a live conducting rail  206  are secured, just as in FIG.  2 . 
     However, the separate part  204  is not attached to support element  203  with double-sided adhesive tape, but by means of outwardly directed protuberances  212 , comparable to the inwardly directed lips  211  that correspond to the cams or ribs  117  of FIG.  4 . See FIG. 7 a  for separate part  204 . 
     The protuberances  212  cooperate with corresponding recesses in support element  203 . Preferably, the protuberances  212  and recesses are dome-shaped in cross section. 
     In this way, a very simple to use “click” system is provided, in which the separate part  204  can be provided with the insulated strip  205  and live conducting rail  206  first, and then can simply be slid and clicked into support element  203 . 
     The separate part  204  can also be simply taken out of the support element  203 , which is advantageous when at a given moment there is no need for a lighting device. The lighting rail can then be closed off by inserting the separate part  204  back to front in support element  204 . This is made possible by designing the support element  203  and the rail  204  such that the distance L 1  between the ribs  212  and the outer end edges of the legs of the rail  204  is equal to or smaller than the distance L 2  between the inside surface of the base of the support element and the recess  213  for the ribs  212 . This gives the lighting rail not used now a closed and unobtrusive appearance. To be able to use the separate part  204  in this way, the protuberances  212  and corresponding recesses have to be situated substantially halfway the legs of the U-shaped support element  203  and separate part  204 . 
     Of course, the separate part  204 , as shown in FIG. 7A, can also be used with lighting rail as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, but provided with recesses for cooperation with separate part  204 . FIG. 8 shows a preferred embodiment of a lighting rail  230  that is to be used with separate part  204 , provided with recesses  231 . A suspension element can be placed in the lower half of lighting rail  230 , and a cable can be placed on the inwardly protruding tongue  232 . 
     Alternatively, the U-shaped conducting rail may be provided with a wedge-shaped cam on the outer surface of each of its legs. The support element has corresponding mating wedge-shaped recesses. 
     FIG. 9 shows a ceiling rail for placing ceiling plates  171  of a system ceiling, the ceiling strip  170  having two edges  172  projecting to both sides, on which the ceiling plates  171  find support. The ceiling strip  170  has in its upper portion a synthetic insulating strip  173  provided with holes  174  to suspend the ceiling strip by hooking. The longitudinal body of the ceiling strip  170  has a lower portion in the shape of a reversed U, provided with recesses  176  which are designed to cooperate with the protuberances of separate conducting rail  204  (FIG.  7 A). In this way, the ceiling rail can be used as lighting rail as well, by inserting the separate rail  204  with its opening downwards in the ceiling rail, the rail being provided with an isolating strip  205  and conducting strip  206 . Alternatively, the ceiling rail can also be closed off by inserting separate rail  204  upside down in the ceiling rail. As a further alternative, the ceiling rail with the separate rail  204  can also be used to suspend an object, by placing a suspension element on the inwardly directed lips  210  of separate part  204 . 
     In the same way, it is possible to screw lighting rail  201  to a ceiling and to suspend an object by placing a suspension element on the inwardly directed lips  210  of separate part  204  of lighting rail  201 . 
     FIG. 5 also shows that in the suspension rail portion of the lighting rail with a front panel which extends downward to the rear, a paper clamp can be arranged which has the shape of a roll  180  which is annular in cross section behind which paper and the like can be slid and clamped. The roll can also be polygonal. 
     With the device described in the FIGS. 2 and 6 the lighting device can easily be placed in the conducting rail. By grasping the connecting end  129  by the grip  131 , the clamping plate  132  can be rotated such that the clamping plate  132  can be inserted between the cheeks  115  of the live conducting rail  104 . The contact part  133  abuts against the conducting strip  113 , and when the grip  131  is pushed further the compression spring  135  is pushed in. The clamping plate  132  can be pushed in so far that it is located beyond the lips  116  on the cheeks  115  of the live conducting rail  104 , and then the grip  131  with the clamping plate  132  can be rotated a quarter of a turn. When releasing the grip  131  the compression spring  135  pushes the grip to the outside, and the clamping plate  132  is pushed against the lips  116  of the live conducting rail. On account of the clamping plate  132  having slots  151  which correspond to the lips  116 , the lips  116  will fall into the slots  151 , as a result of which the clamping plate  132  is locked against undesired rotation of the grip  131 , so that as a consequence the lighting device will not come off the lighting rail by accident. 
     The distance between the legs of the U of the conducting strip correspond to the diameter of the contact part  133  of the lighting device. Due to this the contact part  133  will not be able to slide transversely to the conducting strip so that the contact part  129  will not tilt downwards and the lighting device will not come into accidental contact with the object exposed to view, as a result of the tilting. 
     With the lighting rail  201  of FIG. 1, the lighting rail of FIG.  8  and the ceiling rail  170  of FIG. 9, each provided with separate part  204  of FIG. 7 a,  the lighting device of which contact part  129  is shown in FIG. 2, can be used in the same way. 
     The conducting rail is now suited for supplying a low voltage current, for example 12 Volt, to the lighting device, for example, a halogen lamp. The current is then supplied by the conducting strip and passes through the contact part and a wire in the lighting device to the lamp. The current is discharged through the outside of the lighting device and passes through the clamping plate by way of the clean scraped lips to the outside of the separate conducting rail for closing the circuit.