Patent Description:
<CIT> proposes a lighting system comprising an electrical track having three mains phases and an adapter for electrically connecting a lighting device to the electrical track, such that the lighting device may receive power from the mains. The adapter supports the lighting device, for example a spotlight. The electrical track may hold several adapters, hence several lighting devices, which are for example arranged in a row. In order to enable an operator to adjust the number and locations of the adapters on the electrical track, the adapter includes a mechanism configured for extracting contacts automatically when the adapter is fitted in the electrical track, such that the contacts are electrically connected to the three mains phases.

However, the known adapter presents some drawbacks and limitations. First, it has a relatively complex structure and it requires numerous components, thus increasing the cost and footprint of the lighting system. Also, the automatic connection of the contacts to the three mains phases limits the flexibility in the electrical connection possibilities.

<CIT> discloses a light band, wherein for an easy and fast assembly of light bands the required feed-through wiring on the side of the carrier rail can be designed as a conductor rail. <CIT> discloses a current supply arrangement with phase selection for a luminaire.

Thus, it is an objective to provide for an improved adaptor for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus to an electrified track.

According to a first aspect of the invention, an adaptor for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus to an electrified track is provided. The electrified track comprises AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and a neutral wire N, the adaptor has a housing designed to be inserted into a U-shaped profile of the electrified track, the adaptor has contacts for contacting the AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and the neutral wire N of the electrified track, the adaptor comprises an electronic control unit in the housing, and the control unit is configured to select a combination of one of the all contacted AC main phases L1, L2, L3 with the neutral wire N for supplying the lighting apparatus.

This provides the advantage that the selection of combination of L and N wires for supplying for example a connected LED-load is no longer done mechanically, but electronically inside the adapter. The control unit is configured to detect an insertion orientation of the adaptor by sensing an AC-voltage present at the different phases L1, L2, L3 and N.

In an embodiment, the adaptor comprises terminals in order to supply the lighting apparatus, such as an LED module.

This provides the advantage that the LED module can efficiently be supplied with power, due to the fact that the selection of combination of L and N wires for supplying for example a connected LED-load is no longer done mechanically, but electronically inside the adapter.

According to the invention, the control unit is configured to contact one of the possible combinations L1/N, L2/N and L3/N.

This provides the advantage that, the electrical phase selection switch can respond to a power failure of one phase and automatically switch to another phase non-affected by power failure.

The adaptor is configured to be inserted into the electrified track in two different orientations.

This provides the advantage that the insertion of the adaptor into the electrified track can be performed in a more flexible and easy way.

The two different orientations are rotated by <NUM> degrees.

When inserting the adaptor, all phases L1, L2 and L3 and the neutral wire N of the electrified track are contacted.

This provides the advantage that in case of power failure of one of the phases another one can be used.

The electrified track has a cross-sectional shape of U.

In a further embodiment, the adaptor comprises LED-driver electronics and is configured to be inserted preferably flush with the U-shaped profile of the electrified track.

According to the invention, the control unit is configured to selectively contact a combination of one of L1, L2, L3 with N electronically inside the adaptor to output terminals, wherein the output terminals are fed to an AC input of the LED-driver electronics.

In a further embodiment, the adaptor further comprises a selection network for selecting the L1, L2, L2 and N wire, wherein the selection network comprises a plurality of controllable high voltage semi-conductor switches, such as triacs or high voltage transistors.

This provides the advantage that the selection of the wires can be done in an easy way by using well known electrical components, such as triacs or transistors.

In a further embodiment, the control unit is further configured to select L1, L2, L2 and N wire based on a rectifying diode network.

This provides the advantage that the selection of the wires can be done in an easy way by using well known electrical components, such as diodes.

In a further embodiment, the adaptor further comprises mechanical measures integrated in the housing such that the adaptor can only be inserted in one predetermined orientation in the electrified track.

In a further embodiment, the control unit is connected with an interface.

This provides the advantage that the phase has no longer to be set manually.

In a further embodiment, the interface is a wireless interface such as an NFC interface or a wired interface such as a DALI bus interface.

This provides the advantage that the phase has no longer to be set manually, but can also be adjusted, for example via DALI bus interface.

In a further embodiment, the interface comprises mechanical means on the adaptor itself.

The invention also relates to a system comprising an electrified track comprising AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and a neutral wire N, and an adaptor according to the first aspect or any one of the implementation forms thereof.

The invention will be explained in the followings together with the figures:.

Aspects of the present invention are described herein in the context of an adaptor for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus to an electrified track.

Various aspects of an adaptor for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus to an electrified track will be presented.

However, as those skilled in the art will readily appreciate, these aspects may be extended to aspects of adaptors for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus to an electrified track without departing from the invention.

Now referring to <FIG> shows a system <NUM> comprising an adaptor <NUM> for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus <NUM> to an electrified track <NUM> according to an embodiment.

The electrified track <NUM> comprises AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and a neutral wire N. The adaptor <NUM> has a housing designed to be inserted into a U-shaped profile of the electrified track <NUM>, wherein the adaptor <NUM> has contacts for contacting the AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and the neutral wire N of the electrified track <NUM>.

Moreover, the adaptor <NUM> comprises an electronic control unit 103a in the housing, wherein the control unit 103a is configured to select a combination of one of the all connected AC main phases L1, L2, L3 with the neutral wire N for supplying the lighting apparatus <NUM>.

<FIG> shows a selection network for an adaptor <NUM> for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus <NUM> to the electrified track <NUM> according to an embodiment.

In the circuitry shown in <FIG>, a situation is shown in which the adapter <NUM> can be inserted into the electrified track <NUM> in two different orientations (rotated by <NUM> degree), such that, depending on the insertion orientation of the adapter <NUM>, different contacts can actually be contacted to the contacts of the adapter <NUM>.

According to the invention, when inserting the adapter <NUM>, all phases L1, L2, L3 and N of the electrified track <NUM> are contacted.

A low-power voltage supply is provided such that already in this state (in which no phase is connected to the output), a control circuitry or electronic control unit 103a, such as for example a micro-controller of the driver is powered. The control circuitry 103a then detects the insertion orientation of the adapter by sensing at which contacts actually voltage is present.

Furthermore, the control circuitry 103a is supplied in a wireless or in a wired manner with the instructions as which of the L1, L2 and L3 shall be switched active in combination with the N wire.

To this regard, a selection network is provided which comprises a plurality of controllable high voltage semi-conductor switches, such as triacs U1, U2, U3, U4, U5 and U6 or high voltage transistors.

Depending on the selection, information is supplied to the controlled circuitry or electronic control unit 103a, and correspondingly the control circuitry or electronic control unit 103a controls the semi-conductor switches such that the desired phase L1, L2, L3 is switched active in combination with the N wire.

<FIG> shows a selection network for the adaptor <NUM> for electrically connecting the lighting apparatus <NUM> to the electrified track <NUM> according to an embodiment.

In the embodiment shown in <FIG>, the selection of the phases L1, L2, L3 and N wire is integrated in a rectifying diode network D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5. Semi-conductors which are M47, M42, M40, M31 and M50 are provided, which can selectively connect a mid-point of the rectifier network with the ground potential of the driver.

Only the phases L1, L2, L3 or N are switched active where the semi-conductor switch is made to provide for a conducting contact between the mid-point of the rectifier network with the ground potential.

The embodiment shown in <FIG> is a simplified selection network with <NUM> semiconductor switches U7, U8, U9 which may be triacs, provided upfront the converter electronics.

According to this implementation, it is foreseen that mechanical measures are integrated in the housing of the adapter <NUM> such that the adapter <NUM> can only be inserted in one defined orientation in the electrified track <NUM>, the selection network can be simplified.

<FIG> shows electronics in the adaptor <NUM> for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus <NUM> to an electrified track <NUM> according to an embodiment.

<FIG> shows generally the electronics in the adapter according to an embodiment together with the terminals T1, T2 for feeding an LED-load <NUM> starting from the AC/DC converter.

The supply micro-controller block <NUM> is the low-voltage power supply for the micro-controller 103a.

The switching network <NUM> is controlled by a digital logic. This can e.g. be executed as µC 103a. The supply for the µC 103a can be done directly from the grid.

As it can be taken from <FIG>, the micro-controller 103a can be in functional connection with an interface <NUM>, such that for example phase selection instructions can be provided wirelessly (NFC), in a wired manner (DALI-bus, etc.) or also by mechanical means on the adapter <NUM> itself.

According to an embodiment, the micro-controller 103a senses the AC-voltage present at the different phases L1, L2, L3 and N (in order to detect the orientation). This AC voltage detection can also be used for an in-rush limiting switching on, which means that the micro-controller µC <NUM> switches active (conducting) the semi-conductor switch at a point in time, which is close to the zero-crossing of the AC sign wave.

According to an embodiment, in µC 103a, temporal sequences are stored, in which the electrical phase selection switch automatically changes the phase (working day / weekday).

According to another embodiment, the electrical phase selection switch completely turns off the AC / DC part to minimize the standby losses.

<FIG> shows a cross sectional view of an electrified track <NUM> according to an embodiment.

The tracks typically have essentially the cross-sectional shape of a "U".

In one embodiment, the adapter <NUM> with integrated LED-driver electronics is inserted to be essentially flush with the U-shaped profile of the electrified track <NUM>. The electrified track <NUM> carries four conductors, which are the AC main phases L1, L2, L3 as well as the neutral wire N.

The adapter <NUM> is designed to selectively contact a combination of one of L1, L2, L3 with N. Thus, a simple addressing is possible when only a subset, preferably one of the phases L1, L2, L3 is switched in order to modify the electrical power sent to the adapter <NUM>, which is actively connected to the corresponding phase L1, L2 or L3.

In one embodiment, the selection of the combinations of L and N wires for supplying a connected LED-load <NUM> is no longer done mechanically, but electronically inside the adaptor.

The adapter mechanically contacts all electrical connections, L1, L2, L3 and N provided in the electrified track <NUM>. These mechanical connections are then internally selectively connected.

This selection is made internally by the control unit 103a in the adapter <NUM> selectively connecting N and L1, L2, L3 contacts to the output terminals OUT, OUT <NUM> (see <FIG>), which are then fed to the AC input of the driver electronics which is preferably also provided within the adapter <NUM>.

The electrical track <NUM> may be made of an electrically insulating material. The electrical track <NUM> holds three electrically conducting wires or lines, which are independently connected to the respective mains phases L1, L2 and L3. The electrical track <NUM> further holds an electrically conducting wire N, which is connected to the neutral or ground and which is symbolized in <FIG>. Besides, the electrical track <NUM> may define a chamber <NUM> for receiving the adapter <NUM>. The adapter <NUM> may be completely inserted into the chamber <NUM> as visible in <FIG>.

All features of all embodiments described, shown and/or claimed herein can be combined with each other.

While various embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only and not limitation. The scope of the invention should be defined in accordance with the following claims and their equivalence.

Claim 1:
An adaptor (<NUM>) for electrically connecting a lighting apparatus (<NUM>) to an electrified track (<NUM>), wherein
the electrified track (<NUM>) comprises AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and a neutral wire N, wherein the adaptor (<NUM>) has a housing designed to be inserted into a U-shaped profile of the electrified track (<NUM>), wherein the electrified track (<NUM>) has a cross-sectional shape of U, wherein
the adaptor (<NUM>) has contacts for contacting the AC main phases L1, L2 and L3 and the neutral wire N of the electrified track (<NUM>), wherein
the adaptor (<NUM>) comprises an electronic control unit (103a) in the housing, wherein, when inserting the adaptor (<NUM>), all phases L1, L2 and L3 and the neutral wire N of the electrified track (<NUM>) are contacted,
wherein the control unit (103a) is configured to select, preferably using electronic switches, a combination of one of the all contacted AC main phases L1, L2, L3 with the neutral wire N for supplying the lighting apparatus (<NUM>), characterized by:
wherein the adaptor (<NUM>) is configured to be inserted into the electrified track (<NUM>) in two different orientations,
wherein the two different orientations are rotated by <NUM> degrees,
wherein the control unit (103a) is configured to detect an insertion orientation of the adaptor (<NUM>) by sensing an AC-voltage present at the different phases L1, L2, L3 and N.