Rail connector, rail and electrical system

By designing a track connector with a driveable sliding component, the problem of fixing the installation position of the track light was solved, enabling quick installation and disassembly of the track connector, thus improving ease of use and safety.

CN114640001BActive Publication Date: 2026-01-27OPPLE LIGHTING CO LTD +1
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Patent Information

Application Number
CN202210141978.4
Authority / Receiving Office
CN · China
Patent Type
Patents(China)
Current Assignee / Owner
Filing Date
2022-02-16
Publication Date
2026-01-27
Estimated Expiration
2042-02-16

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

The existing track lights have fixed installation positions that are inconvenient to adjust, making installation and disassembly difficult, posing safety hazards, and causing inconvenience in operation.

Method used

Design a rail connector that includes a housing, a drive assembly, and a slider. The drive assembly drives the slider to slide along the length of the rail. The retractable slider is detachably connected to the rail, enabling quick installation and disassembly.

Benefits of technology

It improves the ease and stability of the connection between the track connector and the track, reduces operational difficulties and safety hazards, and facilitates the movement of electrical equipment to the appropriate position on the track.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Patent Text Reader

Abstract

The application provides a track connector for coupling electrical equipment to a track in a first direction, comprising a housing, a driving assembly arranged in the housing, and at least two sliders arranged on two sides of the housing and capable of extending out of or retracting into the housing, wherein the sliders slide along the length direction of the track under the driving of the driving assembly, and the rotation plane of the sliders is parallel to the first direction. Compared with the prior art, the track connector of the application is connected to the track through the extendable sliders, and the sliders are driven to slide along the length direction of the track through the driving assembly, so that the track connector can be quickly mounted and dismounted from the track, the convenience of moving the track connector is improved, and the electrical equipment coupled to the track connector can be conveniently moved to a suitable position.
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Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lighting technology, and more particularly to a track connector, track, and electrical system. Background Technology

[0002] Track lighting mainly consists of a track (conductive track) fixed to the ceiling or wall, and various light fixtures that can slide along the track, such as spotlights and linear lights. By connecting the light fixtures and the track, the light fixtures can move within the path of the track, allowing the lighting range to be adjusted as needed and expanding the illuminated area.

[0003] In practical use, track lights are generally installed at a high position, and their positions are fixed after installation. When the position of the light fixture needs to be adjusted, the position of the guide rail head must be adjusted manually, which requires tools to climb up, making it inconvenient and potentially creating safety hazards. Moreover, the existing track light fixing operation is relatively cumbersome, making quick installation and disassembly impossible, affecting the normal use of the track lights.

[0004] In view of this, it is indeed necessary to provide a track connector, track, and electrical system to solve the above problems. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to provide a track connector that is easy to move, install, and disassemble.

[0006] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a track connector for coupling electrical equipment to a track along a first direction, comprising: a housing, a drive assembly, and at least two sliding members, wherein the drive assembly is disposed within the housing, and the at least two sliding members are respectively located on both sides of the housing, and each can extend or retract from the housing along a second direction perpendicular to the first direction, wherein the sliding members slide along the length direction of the track under the drive of the drive assembly, and the rotation plane of the sliding members is parallel to the first direction.

[0007] As a further improvement of the present invention, the driving assembly includes a driving motor, a transmission assembly, and at least two rotating assemblies. The driving motor is rotatably connected to the two rotating assemblies through the transmission assembly and drives the sliding member to slide through the two rotating assemblies. Each rotating assembly includes a wide gear and a rotating roller fixedly connected to the wide gear. The sliding member is disposed at the end of the rotating roller near the side wall of the housing and is fixedly connected to the rotating roller.

[0008] As a further improvement of the present invention, the transmission assembly includes a first gear fixedly connected to the motor shaft of the drive motor, a second gear meshing with the first gear, and a third gear rotating synchronously with the second gear via a rotating shaft, the rotating shaft passing through the second gear and the third gear and rotatably connected to the housing.

[0009] As a further improvement of the present invention, there are two third gears, which are located on both sides of the second gear and are respectively meshed with the two wide gears.

[0010] As a further improvement of the present invention, the rotation planes of the second gear and the third gear are perpendicular to the rotation plane of the first gear.

[0011] As a further improvement of the present invention, the housing includes a sliding hole that is clearance-fitted with the slider and at least one set of mounting components, the mounting components controlling the slider to extend or retract into the sliding hole along the second direction.

[0012] As a further improvement of the present invention, the mounting assembly includes a pressing assembly located at the end of the housing and a retracting assembly disposed on the rotating assembly and linked to the pressing assembly. The first state is defined as the sliding member extending out of the sliding hole, and the second state is defined as the sliding member retracting into the sliding hole. In the first state, the pressing assembly and the retracting assembly are in partial contact, and in the second state, the pressing assembly and the retracting assembly are in complete contact.

[0013] As a further improvement of the present invention, the pressing assembly includes a pressing member located at the end, a first arm fixedly connected to the pressing member, two second arms extending obliquely outward from the first arm, and a first elastic member driving the pressing assembly to reset; the retraction assembly includes a second elastic member and a slider, the second elastic member being sleeved on the rotating roller of the rotating assembly and located between the slider and the wide gear, the two ends of the second elastic member respectively abutting against the wide gear and the inner wall of the housing; the slider is disposed at the end of the wide gear away from the second elastic member, and the side of the slider facing the pressing assembly has a first surface parallel to the first arm and a second surface matching the outer surface of the second arm; in the first state, the first surface is separated from the first arm and the second surface abuts against the second arm; in the second state, the first surface abuts against the first arm and the second surface abuts against the second arm.

[0014] As a further improvement of the present invention, the elastic force of the first elastic element is greater than that of the second elastic element. Under no external force, the sliding member is in the first state, and the second elastic element is in the compressed state. When the pressing assembly is subjected to a third-direction thrust, the pressing assembly moves into the housing along the third-direction. Under the action of the elastic force, the second elastic element drives the sliding member to move into the housing along the second direction, and the sliding member switches from the first state to the second state. After the thrust on the pressing assembly disappears, the pressing assembly moves in the opposite direction to the third-direction under the action of the elastic force of the first elastic element. The pressing assembly squeezes the slider, and the slider moves in the opposite direction to the second direction, driving the sliding member to switch from the second state to the first state, wherein the third-direction is perpendicular to both the first direction and the second direction.

[0015] As a further improvement of the present invention, the housing is further provided with two guide ribs, and a guide gap is formed between the two guide ribs to limit the guidance of the pressing component. The first arm of the pressing component passes through the guide gap, and the pressing component and the second arm are respectively located on both sides of the guide ribs.

[0016] As a further improvement of the present invention, the distance that the slider moves when switching between the first state and the second state is less than the gear width of the wide gear.

[0017] As a further improvement of the present invention, the track connector is provided with an elastic contact on the top wall facing the track, the elastic contact penetrating the top wall and configured to be electrically connected to the conductive element in the track.

[0018] As a further improvement of the present invention, the top wall is also provided with a guide protrusion parallel to the sliding direction of the slider, the elastic contact is wrapped by the guide protrusion and is at least partially exposed to the guide protrusion.

[0019] A second objective of the present invention is to provide a track that mates with the aforementioned track connector.

[0020] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides a track configured to be mechanically and electrically connected to the aforementioned track connector.

[0021] A third objective of the present invention is to provide an electrical system including the aforementioned track connector.

[0022] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides an electrical system including a track and the aforementioned track connector.

[0023] As a further improvement of the present invention, the electrical system further includes an electrical device that is coupled to the track via the track connector and slides along the length of the track with the track connector.

[0024] As a further improvement of the present invention, the track has a receiving space, the track connector is located at least within the receiving space, the track further includes a slide and a conductive element, the slide is configured to support a sliding element of the track connector and is slidably connected to the sliding element, the conductive element is received in a conductive groove of the track and configured to be electrically connected to an elastic contact on the track connector.

[0025] As a further improvement of the present invention, the slide is disposed within the receiving space and is located below and on the outer edge of the conductive groove; the lower end of the conductive groove is located above the receiving space and communicates with the receiving space.

[0026] As a further improvement of the present invention, the track further includes an insulating member that encloses and forms a first space and a second space that are interconnected. The first space is close to the bottom of the conductive groove, and the second space is far from the bottom of the conductive groove. The conductive member is housed in the first space and exposed in the second space.

[0027] The beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows: Compared with the prior art, the rail connector of the present invention is detachably connected to the rail through a retractable sliding member, so as to realize the quick installation and disassembly of the rail connector and the rail; at the same time, the sliding member is driven to slide along the length direction of the rail by the driving component, so as to improve the convenience of the rail connector moving along the rail and facilitate the movement of electrical equipment coupled to the rail connector to a suitable position. Attached Figure Description

[0028] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of the track connector according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0029] Figure 2 yes Figure 1 The first exploded view of the structure.

[0030] Figure 3 yes Figure 1 The second-angle exploded view of the structure.

[0031] Figure 4 yes Figure 1 The third-angle exploded view of the structure.

[0032] Figure 5 yes Figure 1 A sectional view from the first angle.

[0033] Figure 6 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view from the second angle.

[0034] Figure 7 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view from the third angle (first state).

[0035] Figure 8 yes Figure 1 A cross-sectional view from the third angle (second state).

[0036] Figure 9 yes Figure 2 A magnified view of the circled area.

[0037] Figure 10 yes Figure 3 A magnified view of the circled area.

[0038] Figure 11 yes Figure 4 A 3D view of the sliding component.

[0039] Figure 12 yes Figure 4 A three-dimensional view of the middle cover plate.

[0040] Figure 13 yes Figure 4 A 3D view of the central pressing component.

[0041] Figure 14 This is a cross-sectional view of the track according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0042] Figure 15 This is a perspective view of the electrical system according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 16 yes Figure 15 Installation sectional view (excluding electrical equipment).

[0044] Figure 17 yes Figure 15 A sectional view (excluding electrical equipment).

[0045] Figure label:

[0046] 100-Rail connector, 110-Housing, 111-Upper housing, 1111-Fixing hole, 1112-First rotating hole, 1113-Limiting space, 1114-Second rotating hole, 1115-Top wall, 1116-Guide protrusion, 1117-Conductive hole, 112-Lower housing, 1121-Hollow protrusion, 1122-Sliding hole, 1123-Connecting hole, 113-Mounting space, 114-End, 1141-Pressing port, 115-Cover plate, 1151-First end, 1152-Second end, 1153-Mounting position, 1154-Fixing part, 1155-Limiting wall, 116-Guide rib, 1161-Guide gap, 120-Drive assembly, 121-Drive motor 122-Transmission assembly, 1221-First gear, 1222-Second gear, 1223-Third gear, 1224-Rotating shaft, 123-Rotating assembly, 1231-Wide gear, 1232-Rotating roller, 130-Sliding element, 140-Sliding assembly, 150-Mounting assembly, 151-Pressing assembly, 1511-Pressing element, 1512-First arm, 1513-Second arm, 1514-Guide slope, 1515-First elastic element, 1516-Protrusion, 152-Retraction assembly, 1521-Second elastic element, 1522-Slider, 1523-First surface, 1524-Second surface, 160-Elastic contact element, 170-Circuit board, 180-Control module.

[0047] 200-Railway, 210-Reception Space, 220-Slide Table, 230-Lower Wall, 240-Conductive Groove, 241-Lower End, 250-Conductive Component, 260-Insulating Component, 261-First Space, 262-Second Space

[0048] 300-Electrical equipment, 310-Connectors,

[0049] 400-Electrical Systems

[0050] A - First direction, B - Second direction, C - Third direction, D - Rotation plane. Detailed Implementation

[0051] To make the objectives, technical solutions, and advantages of this invention clearer, the invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments.

[0052] It should be noted that, in order to avoid obscuring the present invention with unnecessary details, only the structures and / or processing steps closely related to the present invention are shown in the accompanying drawings, while other details that are not closely related to the present invention are omitted.

[0053] Additionally, it should be noted that the terms “comprising,” “including,” or any other variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements includes not only those elements but also other elements not expressly listed, or elements inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus.

[0054] Please see Figure 1-13 and combined Figure 14-17 As shown, a preferred embodiment of the rail connector 100 of the present invention is illustrated. The rail connector 100 is used to couple an electrical device 300 to a rail 200 along a first direction A. It includes a housing 110, a drive assembly 120, and at least two sliding members 130. The drive assembly 120 is disposed within the housing 110. The at least two sliding members 130 are respectively located on both sides of the housing 110, and both can extend or retract from the housing 110 along a second direction B perpendicular to the first direction A. Driven by the drive assembly 120, the sliding members 130 slide along the length of the rail 200, and the rotation plane D formed by the circumferential rotation of the sliding members 130 is parallel to the first direction A. By providing retractable sliding members 130, rapid installation and disassembly of the rail connector 100 and the rail 200 can be achieved, improving installation and disassembly efficiency. By setting up a drive assembly 120 and a slider 130, the drive assembly 120 drives the slider 130 to slide along the length direction of the track 200, facilitating the movement of the electrical device 300 coupled to the track connector 100 to a suitable position and improving the user experience. Since the rotation plane D of the slider 130 is parallel to the first direction A, meaning the rotation plane D formed by the circumferential rotation of the slider 130 is a vertical plane, the slider 130 rotates within a vertical plane. This results in less frictional resistance between the slider and the track 200, allowing the electrical device 300 coupled to the track connector 100 to easily reciprocate along the length direction of the track 200, thus improving the ease of movement of the track connector 100 and allowing for adjustment of the electrical device 300's position according to user needs.

[0055] Please see Figure 1-10 As shown, in this embodiment, the housing 110 includes an upper housing 111 and a lower housing 112 fixedly connected. The upper housing 111 and the lower housing 112 enclose an installation space 113, in which the drive assembly 120, the mounting assembly 150, the circuit board 170, the control module 180, etc., are housed. The lower housing 112 is provided with a hollow protrusion 1121, and the upper housing 111 is provided with a fixing hole 1111 corresponding to the position of the hollow protrusion 1121. Fasteners pass through the fixing hole 1111 to lock the upper housing 111 onto the hollow protrusion 1121 of the lower housing 112.

[0056] To improve the support strength of the track connector 100, in this embodiment, the peripheral walls of the upper housing 111 and the lower housing 112 partially overlap. Specifically, the peripheral wall of the lower housing 112 extends towards the upper housing 111, while the peripheral wall of the upper housing 111 extends towards the lower housing 112, forming a double-layered peripheral wall around the track connector 100 to enhance its support strength. In other embodiments, only one layer of peripheral wall may be used; this invention is not limited to this.

[0057] Furthermore, the peripheral wall of the upper housing 111 is positioned closer to the mounting space 113 than the peripheral wall of the lower housing 112, i.e., the peripheral wall of the upper housing 111 is located on the inner side, while the peripheral wall of the lower housing 112 is located on the outer side. A sliding hole 1122 is provided on the lower housing 112 at the position corresponding to the slider 130. The diameter of the sliding hole 1122 is slightly larger than the diameter of the slider 130, allowing the slider 130 to fit with the sliding hole 1122 with a clearance. Under the control of the mounting assembly 150, the slider 130 can extend or retract into the sliding hole 1122. The peripheral wall of the upper housing 111 only has a first rotating hole 1112 for the rotating roller 1232 to pass through, allowing the rotating roller 1232 to be fixedly connected to the slider 130 through the peripheral wall of the upper housing 111. However, the slider 130 cannot pass through the inner wall of the upper housing 111 to enter the mounting space 113. Preferably, the upper housing 111 is recessed towards the mounting space 113 to form a limiting space 1113. When the sliding member 130 is controlled by the mounting assembly 150 to retract into the housing 110, it is blocked by the peripheral wall of the upper housing 111 and can only slide and retract within the limiting space 1113 to prevent the sliding member 130 from retracting too much into the housing 110 and becoming inconvenient to extend out of the housing 110, thus causing damage.

[0058] Furthermore, the track connector 100 has at least two elastic contacts 160 on the top wall 1115 facing the track 200. The at least two elastic contacts 160 penetrate the top wall 1115 of the housing 110 and are configured to be electrically connected to the conductive element 250 inside the track 200.

[0059] In an optional embodiment, the top wall 1115 is further provided with a guide protrusion 1116 parallel to the sliding direction of the slider 130. The guide protrusion 1116 has a conductive hole 1117 corresponding to the position of the elastic contact 160. The elastic contact 160 passes through the conductive hole 1117 and is enclosed by the guide protrusion 1116 to protect the elastic contact 160, and is at least partially exposed on the guide protrusion 1116 for electrical connection with the conductive element 250 within the track 200. The guide protrusion 1116 also guides the track connector 100 to correctly engage within the track 200, serving as an indicator of the track connector 100 being installed in the appropriate position. It also makes it easier for the elastic contact 160 exposed on the guide protrusion 1116 to achieve electrical connection with the conductive element 250 within the conductive groove 240.

[0060] In this embodiment, four elastic contacts 160 are provided, and the four elastic contacts 160 are connected through a circuit board 170 to form two positive terminals and two negative terminals, respectively, for electrical connection with the positive and negative terminals of the conductive element 250 on the track 200. By providing two positive and two negative elastic contacts 160, the current between the track connector 100 and the track 200 is increased to meet the current requirements of the electrical device 300 coupled to the track connector 100. In other embodiments, one set of positive and negative terminals or multiple sets of positive and negative terminals may be provided, and the present invention is not limited thereto.

[0061] Furthermore, the elastic contact 160 has a certain degree of elasticity. When the elastic contact 160 contacts and engages with the conductive element 250, the elastic force allows the elastic contact 160 and the conductive element 250 to make better contact and engage, thereby achieving a reliable electrical connection. When the track connector 100 slides within the track 200, the elastic contact 160 always contacts and engages with the conductive element 250 within the track 200, and will not affect the power transmission of the electrical system 400 having the track 200 and the track connector 100.

[0062] Please continue reading. Figure 3-11 As shown, the drive assembly 120 is installed within the mounting space 113 formed by the upper housing 111 and the lower housing 112, and is used to drive the slider 130 to slide freely along the length direction of the track 200. It includes a drive motor 121, a transmission assembly 122, and at least two rotating assemblies 123. The drive motor 121 is rotatably connected to the two rotating assemblies 123 via the transmission assembly 122, and drives the slider 130 to slide via the two rotating assemblies 123. That is, the drive assembly 120 transmits the rotation of the motor to the slider 130 through a two-stage transmission, enabling the slider 130 to move freely on the track 200, thus avoiding the operational difficulties and safety hazards caused by manual adjustment, and improving the performance of the electrical system 400 with the track connector 100. Figure 14 The intelligence and convenience of )

[0063] In this embodiment, the slider 130 is a sliding wheel, and the radial plane of the sliding wheel is the rotation plane D, which is parallel to the first direction A. That is, the slider 130 rotates in the vertical plane to reduce the friction between itself and the track 200, making the slider 130 slide more smoothly. The track connector 100 is provided with four rotating components 123 and four sliding wheels. Each rotating component 123 includes a wide gear 1231 and a rotating roller 1232 fixedly connected to the wide gear 1231. The slider 130 is disposed at the end 114 of the rotating roller 1232 near the side wall of the housing 110 and is fixedly connected to the rotating roller 1232. That is, each rotating component 123 is fixedly connected to one sliding wheel to form a sliding component 140. Two sliding components 140 form a set of sliding components 140. Two sliding wheels within each set of sliding components 140 are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the housing 110. The two sets of sliding components 140 are spaced apart on the housing 110 to form four stable support points, thereby improving the stability of the connection between the track connector 100 and the track 200. Simultaneously, the four sliding elements 130 further improve the smoothness of the track connector 100's movement on the track 200. In other embodiments, two or more sliding components 140 may be provided, which can be matched according to the size and shape of the track connector 100; this invention does not limit this.

[0064] The transmission assembly 122 includes a first gear 1221 fixedly connected to the motor shaft of the drive motor 121, a second gear 1222 meshing with the first gear 1221, and a third gear 1223 rotating synchronously with the second gear 1222 via a rotating shaft 1224. The rotating shaft 1224 passes through the second gear 1222 and the third gear 1223 and is rotatably connected to the housing 110.

[0065] In this embodiment, a second rotating hole 1114 is provided above the first rotating hole 1112. That is, the second rotating hole 1114 is located within the limiting space 1113 of the lower housing 112 and above the first rotating hole 1112. This facilitates the transmission assembly 122 to transmit the rotational speed of the drive motor 121 to the sliding assembly 140. The rotating shaft 1224 passes through the second rotating hole 1114 and is rotatably connected to the lower housing 112. The upper housing 111 does not have an opening at the position corresponding to the second rotating hole 1114 to improve the aesthetics of the track connector 100.

[0066] In one alternative embodiment, to make reasonable use of the mounting space 113 of the track connector 100, the axial direction of the motor shaft of the drive motor 121 is set to be perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 1224. Therefore, the rotation planes of the second gear 1222 and the third gear 1223 must be set perpendicular to the rotation plane of the first gear 1221, so that the rotation plane of the first gear 1221 meshing with the motor shaft is reversed by the second gear 1222, making it parallel to the rotation plane of the slider 130. In other embodiments, the axial direction of the motor shaft of the drive motor 121 can be directly set parallel to the axial direction of the rotation shaft 1224 without changing the rotation plane; this invention does not limit this.

[0067] In one optional embodiment, two third gears 1223 are provided, with the two third gears 1223 located on both sides of the second gear 1222, and the two third gears 1223 meshing with the two wide gears 1231 respectively. Optionally, the diameter of the third gear 1223 is larger than the diameter of the second gear 1222, so that the speed of the drive motor 121 is reduced and transmitted to the wide gears 1231 through the transmission assembly 122, thereby making the sliding connection between the sliding member 130 fixedly connected to the wide gear 1231 and the track 200 more stable. In other embodiments, there may be only one third gear 1223, with one third gear 1223 meshing with the wide gear 1231 to drive the two sliding members 130 to slide; the present invention does not limit this.

[0068] In this embodiment, a set of transmission components 122 is provided. The drive motor 121 cooperates with a set of sliding components 140 through a set of transmission components 122, such that one set of sliding components 140 is an active sliding component 140, and the other set of sliding components 140 is a driven sliding component 140. The active sliding component 140, which cooperates with the transmission components 122, drives the driven sliding component 140 to move freely on the track 200. In other embodiments, two sets of transmission components 122 may be provided, each cooperating with one of the two sets of sliding components 140, so that both sliding components 140 are active sliding components 140, thereby increasing the moving speed of the slider 130 on the track 200. The present invention does not limit this.

[0069] Furthermore, the control module 180 is disposed within the housing 110 and is electrically and / or signal-connected to the drive assembly 120 to control the rotational speed and direction of the drive motor 121, thereby controlling the sliding speed and direction of the track connector 100 on the track 200. In this embodiment, the control module 180 is a chip and is wirelessly connected to the control device (not shown). The control device sends a movement signal to the control module 180, and the control module 180 controls the drive assembly 120 to rotate according to the movement signal, thereby controlling the track connector 100 to move along the length direction of the track 200 via the slider 130. It is understood that the control device can be a remote control, mobile phone, tablet, computer, or other smart device, and the wireless connection method can be Bluetooth, infrared, or WIFI, etc., which are not limited in this invention. By setting up the control module 180, users can intelligently control the position of the track connector 100 on the track 200, and then adjust the position of the electrical equipment 300 coupled to the track connector 100 as needed. Figure 13 ).

[0070] It is understood that, in addition to being wirelessly connected to the track connector 100 via a control device, the track connector 100 of the present invention can also be electrically connected to the control module 180 of the track connector 100 via a control panel (not shown). The control panel can be a touch screen or a panel with multiple control buttons. The movement control of the track connector 100 can be achieved by operating the corresponding buttons on the control panel, which is convenient and quick.

[0071] Please continue reading. Figure 7-13 and combined Figure 2 As shown, the track connector 100 also includes at least one set of mounting components 150, which control the slider 130 to extend or retract the sliding hole 1122 to achieve quick installation and removal of the track connector 100 from the track 200.

[0072] In this embodiment, two sets of mounting components 150 are provided, which are disposed at the two ends 114 of the housing 110. Each set of mounting components 150 controls the extension or retraction of two adjacent sliding members 130. Each set of mounting components 150 includes a pressing component 151 located at the end 114 of the housing 110 and a retracting component 152 disposed on the rotating component 123 and linked to the pressing component 151. Through the linkage of the pressing component 151 and the retracting component 152, a telescopic connection between the sliding member 130 and the slide table 220 of the track 200 is realized (see...). Figure 17 ).

[0073] Furthermore, the end 114 of the housing 110 is provided with a pressing port 1141. The pressing assembly 151 is fixedly connected to the end 114 of the housing 110 via a cover plate 115 and is at least partially housed within the mounting space 113 of the housing 110. The pressing assembly 151 includes a pressing member 1511 located at the end 114, a first arm 1512 fixedly connected to the pressing member 1511, two second arms 1513 extending outwardly from the first arm 1512, and a first elastic member 1515 that drives the pressing assembly 151 to reset. The interior of the housing 110 is also provided with two guide ribs 116. A guide gap 1161 is formed between the two guide ribs 116 to limit and guide the pressing assembly 151. The first arm 1512 of the pressing assembly 151 passes through the guide gap 1161, and the pressing member 1511 and the second arm 1513 are respectively located on both sides of the guide rib 116.

[0074] Specifically, the cover plate 115 includes a first end 1151 near the end 114 and a second end 1152 away from the end 114. The first end 1151 of the cover plate 115 is a certain distance from the end 114 of the housing 110 to provide a certain amount of movement space for the pressing component 1511. The first end 1151 is provided with an E-shaped protrusion with an opening facing the end 114. Two spaced mounting positions 1153 are formed in the E-shaped protrusion. Two guide ribs 116 are respectively fixedly provided on the two mounting positions 1153, forming a guide gap 1161 that guides the movement direction of the pressing component 151. The second end 1152 is provided with a fixing part 1154 for fixing and connecting the housing 110 and a limiting wall 1155 for limiting the pressing component 151. Screws and other fasteners fix the cover plate 115 in the mounting space 113 of the lower housing 112 through the fixing part 1154.

[0075] The pressing member 1511 is located at the pressing port 1141 at the end 114 of the housing 110. The first arm 1512 passes through the guide gap 1161 and is fixedly connected to the second arm 1513. The second arm 1513 extends outward from the end of the first arm 1512 away from the pressing member 1511, forming a Y-shaped structure. A guide slope 1514 is formed on the outer surface of the second arm 1513 to increase the contact area with the slider 1522 on the retraction assembly 152, making the linkage between the retraction assembly 152 and the pressing assembly 151 more effective. At the same time, the guide slope 1514 also allows the pressing assembly 151 to better squeeze the retraction assembly 152 when it recovers under the elastic force of the first elastic member 1515, thereby causing the slider 130 to extend out of the sliding hole 1122. A protrusion 1516 is provided between the two second arms 1513. A first elastic member 1515 is sleeved on the protrusion 1516, with one end abutting against the connection between the two second arms 1513 and the other end abutting against the limiting wall 1155 on the cover plate 115. The two second arms 1513 are a certain distance away from the limiting wall 1155 to provide a certain amount of movement space for the pressing assembly 151. In this embodiment, the pressing member 1511, the first arm 1512, and the second arm 1513 are integrally formed. In other embodiments, they can also be separately formed and fixedly connected by adhesives or the like. This invention does not limit this.

[0076] The retraction assembly 152 includes a second elastic element 1521 and a slider 1522. The second elastic element 1521 is sleeved on the rotating roller 1232 of the rotating assembly 123 and located between the slider 130 and the wide gear 1231. Both ends of the second elastic element 1521 abut against the wide gear 1231 and the inner wall of the housing 110, respectively. The slider 1522 is located at the end of the wide gear 1231 opposite to the second elastic element 1521. The slider 1522 has a first surface 1523 parallel to the first arm 1512 and a second surface 1524 matching the outer surface of the second arm 1513 on the side facing the pressing assembly 151. That is, the retraction assembly 152, the rotating assembly 123, and the slider 130 form a single moving unit and move synchronously within the housing 110.

[0077] The slider 130 is defined as being in a first state when it extends out of the sliding hole 1122, and in a second state when it retracts into the sliding hole 1122. In the first state, the pressing component 151 and the retracting component 152 are in partial contact, and in the second state, the pressing component 151 and the retracting component 152 are in complete contact. That is, in the first state, the first surface 1523 is separated from the first arm 1512 and the second surface 1524 abuts against the second arm 1513, and in the second state, the first surface 1523 abuts against the first arm 1512 and the second surface 1524 abuts against the second arm 1513.

[0078] Define the vertical direction as the first direction A, the width direction of the track connector 100 as the second direction B, and the length direction of the track connector 100 as the third direction C. The first direction A, the second direction B, and the third direction C are all perpendicular to each other.

[0079] Because the elastic force of the first elastic member 1515 is greater than that of the second elastic member 1521, the sliding member 130 is in the first state and the second elastic member 1521 is in the compressed state when no external force is applied. When the pressing assembly 151 is subjected to a third-direction thrust C, the pressing assembly 151 moves into the housing 110 along the third-direction C. At this time, as the second arm 1513 moves into the housing 110 and squeezes the first elastic member 1515, the shrinking component 152 has a certain amount of room to move. Under the action of the elastic force, the second elastic member 1521 drives the shrinking component 152 to move into the housing 110 along the second direction B. That is, the second surfaces 1524 of the two sliders 1522 move towards each other along the guide slope 1514 on the second arm 1513 until the first surface 1523 of the slider 1522 abuts against the first arm 1512. Since the shrinking component 152, the rotating component 123 and the sliding member 130 form a moving whole, when the slider 1522 moves towards each other along the second direction B, the two sliding members 130 also move towards each other along the second direction B, and then retract from the sliding hole 1122 into the limiting space 1113. At this time, the sliding member 130 switches from the first state to the second state, where the third direction C is perpendicular to both the first direction A and the second direction B.

[0080] After the pushing force on the pressing component 151 disappears, the pressing component 151 moves in the opposite direction to the third direction C under the elastic force of the first elastic element 1515. The second arm 1513 of the pressing component 151 squeezes the slider 1522. The cooperation of the guide slope 1514 and the second surface 1524 also helps the slider 1522 to move more easily in the opposite direction to the second direction B when the pressing component 151 squeezes the slider 1522. This drives the slider 130 to move in the opposite direction to the second direction B, thereby extending out of the sliding hole 1122. At this time, the slider 130 switches from the second state to the first state. The slider 130 can be matched and connected with the slide table 220 of the track 200. The driving component 120 can drive the slider 130 to slide freely along the slide table 220 of the track 200.

[0081] Furthermore, in order to ensure that the slider 130 and the drive assembly 120 remain in a linked connection when the slider 130 switches between the first state and the second state, the distance that the slider 130 moves when switching between the first state and the second state is set to be less than the gear width of the wide gear 1231. In this way, the wide gear 1231 and the third gear 1223 are always in a meshing state during the extension and retraction of the slider 130, so as not to affect the drive assembly 120's drive of the slider 130.

[0082] Please see Figure 14 and combined Figure 15-17 As shown, the present invention further provides a track 200 that mates with the track connector 100 described above. The track 200 is mechanically and electrically connected to the track connector 100 described above.

[0083] The track 200 is a modular, elongated guide rail profile. It can be spliced ​​according to the size and coverage area of ​​the lighting location, improving the flexibility of the electrical system 400 with the track 200. The track 200 has a receiving space 210, within which the track connector 100 is at least partially located and mechanically and electrically connected to the track 200. The track 200 is fixedly connected to the mounting base. The track connector 100 is mechanically connected to the slide table 220 of the track 200 via a sliding member 130. Simultaneously, the drive assembly 120 can drive the sliding member 130 to slide freely along the slide table 220, thereby moving the mounting position 1153 of the electrical system 400 coupled to the track connector 100 on the track 200 as needed.

[0084] In this embodiment, the track 200 is made of aluminum alloy, so that the track 200 has the advantages of being lightweight, corrosion resistant and chemically stable while providing rigid support. In other embodiments, the track 200 may also be made of other rigid conductive or insulating materials, and the present invention does not limit this.

[0085] The track 200 also includes a slide 220 disposed at the bottom of the receiving space 210. The slide 220 extends from the two side walls of the track 200 into the receiving space 210, located below and at the outer edge of the slide groove 240, and is configured to support and slidably connect with the slider 130 of the track connector 100, so that the slider 130 can move freely along the slide 220 of the track 200 by the drive member of the drive assembly 120. The two slides 220 are spaced apart and disposed at the bottom of the receiving space 210 to facilitate the connection between the track 200 and the track connector 100.

[0086] The track 200 also includes two conductive grooves 240 disposed within the receiving space 210. The two conductive grooves 240 are spaced apart above the receiving space 210, and the lower end 241 of the conductive grooves 240 is flush with the lower wall 230 of the track 200. The lower end 241 of the conductive grooves 240 is located above the receiving space 210 and communicates with the receiving space 210. The conductive element 250 is received within the conductive groove 240 of the track 200 and extends along the length of the track 200, configured to be electrically connected to the elastic contact 160 on the track connector 100. This configuration facilitates the sliding connection between the slider 130 and the slide table 220, and the electrical connection between the elastic contact 160 and the conductive element 250, when the track connector 100 enters the receiving space 210 of the track 200.

[0087] Furthermore, the track 200 also includes an insulating member 260 with an isolating function to prevent short circuits when the track 200 is a conductive material. When the track 200 is an insulating material, the insulating member 260 can be omitted. The insulating member 260 extends along the length of the track 200 and wraps around the outer peripheral wall of the conductive member 250, forming a first space 261 and a second space 262 that are interconnected. The first space 261 is close to the bottom of the conductive groove 240, and the second space 262 is away from the bottom of the conductive groove 240. The conductive member 250 is housed within the first space 261 and exposed in the second space 262. When the track connector 100 is installed on the track 200, the guide protrusion 1116 of the track connector 100 engages in the second space 262, and the elastic contact member 160, partially exposed within the conductive protrusion, extends into the first space 261 and is electrically connected to the conductive member 250. Two conductive elements 250 are provided. The two conductive elements 250 are flat strips and are disposed in the conductive groove 240. They are positive and negative poles, respectively, so as to form an independent control circuit with the elastic contact 160 on the track connector 100.

[0088] It is understood that the track 200 of the present invention can be an embedded track 200, an exposed track 200, or a suspended track 200, and the present invention does not limit this. When the track 200 of the present invention is used as an embedded track 200, such as Figure 15 As shown, the upper surface of the track 200 is provided with a plurality of mounting holes 270, which are evenly distributed along the length of the track 200. Fasteners pass through the mounting holes 270 and are fixedly connected to the mounting base. The number of mounting holes 270 is set according to the length of the track 200, and this invention does not limit this. When the track 200 of this invention is used as an exposed track 200, the upper surface of the track 200 is fixedly connected to the mounting base. When the track 200 of this invention is used as a suspended track 200, the track 200 is fixed to the mounting base by a traction structure (not shown), such as a suspension line or a rigid suspension rod. The mounting base in this invention can be a ceiling or a wall, etc.

[0089] Please see Figure 15-17 and combined Figure 1-10 As shown, the present invention provides an electrical system 400, which includes the aforementioned track 200 and track connector 100. The electrical system 400 also includes an electrical device 300. The electrical device 300 is coupled to the track 200 via the track connector 100, and a control module 180 on the track connector 100 controls the rotation of the drive assembly 120, thereby causing the slider 130 to slide along the length of the track 200.

[0090] In this embodiment, the electrical device 300 is a lighting fixture used for focused lighting of a localized area. Users can adjust the position of the track connector 100 on the track 200 using a remote control or a smartphone or other smart device, according to the required lighting range, thereby moving the electrical device 300 to the desired location. This eliminates the need for climbing and is very convenient and quick. It should be noted that in this embodiment, the electrical device 300 is used for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention. Those skilled in the art will understand that the electrical device 300 can be of various types suitable for installation on the track 200. For example, the electrical device 300 can be a lighting fixture, monitoring equipment, intelligent control device, or sensor module, or a power supply such as a drive power supply. This invention does not limit this.

[0091] In this embodiment, the electrical system 400 also includes a drive power supply, which can be located within the mounting base to provide appropriate power to the track 200 and the electrical system 400 having the track 200, without affecting the aesthetics of the electrical system 400. In other embodiments, the drive power supply can also be mounted on the track 200 or externally located outside the track 200; this invention does not limit this.

[0092] In another alternative embodiment, the electrical device 300 serves as a driving power supply. This driving power supply can also be directly coupled to the track 200, and other electrical devices 300, such as lighting fixtures, monitoring equipment, intelligent control devices, or sensor modules, can be coupled to it. In this case, the driving power supply and the track connector 100 are integrated, meaning the driving power supply is housed within the track connector 100 to receive mains power and convert it into the power required by the other electrical devices 300. Alternatively, other electrical devices 300, such as lighting fixtures, monitoring equipment, intelligent control devices, or sensor modules, can also have their own driving devices to achieve power conversion; this invention does not limit this.

[0093] In one alternative embodiment, the electrical device 300 is connected to the side of the track connector 100 opposite to the track 200 via a connector 310. A connection hole 1123 is provided on the lower housing 112 of the track connector 100, through which the connector 310 passes to secure the electrical device 300 to the track connector 100. A wire is disposed within the connector 310 to electrically connect the track connector 100 and the electrical device 300. This arrangement allows for easy coupling of the electrical device 300 to the track connector 100, achieving both mechanical and electrical connections between the electrical device 300 and the track connector 100. In other embodiments, the electrical device 300 can be directly coupled to the track connector 100 without any additional components between the electrical device 300 and the track connector 100. Alternatively, the electrical system 400 may further include additional connecting components between the electrical device 300 and the track connector 100; the scope of the invention is not limited in this respect.

[0094] When the track connector 100 needs to be installed onto the track 200 along the first direction A, the pressing component 151 of the track connector 100 is pressed inward along the third direction C, causing the pressing component 151 to move into the housing 110 along the third direction C. That is, the first arm 1512 and the second arm 1513 of the pressing component 151 move into the housing 110 under the limiting guidance of the guide rib 116 in the housing 110, squeezing the first elastic member 1515. At this time, the contraction component 152 has a larger range of motion. Under the action of the elastic force, the second elastic member 1521 drives the slider 1522 to move into the housing 110 along the third direction. At the same time, the second surface 1524 of the slider 1522 abuts against the second wall, and the first surface 1523 abuts against the first arm 1512 and is limited by the first arm 1512. Since the slider 1522 and the slider 130 are fixedly connected by the rotating roller 1232, the slider 130 is also driven to move into the housing 110, and then retracts into the limiting space 1113 of the housing 110 through the sliding hole 1122. At this time, the slider 130 enters the second state, which can conveniently couple the track connector 100 to the track 200 from the first direction A. After the track connector 100 is installed in place within the receiving space 210 of the track 200 (for example, when the top wall 1115 of the track connector 100 abuts against the lower wall 230 of the track 200 or when the guide protrusion 1116 of the track connector 100 is engaged in the conductive groove 240 of the track 200), the thrust applied to the pressing assembly 151 is released. Under the elastic force of the first elastic member 1515, the pressing assembly 151 moves in the opposite direction to the second direction. At this time, the pressing assembly 151 squeezes the slider 1522, and the slider 1522 moves in the opposite direction to the third direction, driving the sliding member 130 to switch from the second state to the first state, that is, the sliding member 130 extends out of the sliding hole 1122 of the housing 110 and is connected to the slide table 220 of the track 200 with an interference fit. At this point, the mechanical installation of the track connector 100 and the track 200 is completed. Simultaneously, the elastic contact 160 of the track connector 100 passes through the second space 262 formed by the insulating member 260 and contacts the conductive member 250 located in the first space 261, forming a stable electrical connection. At this point, the electrical equipment 300 is coupled to the track 200 via the track connector 100.

[0095] When it is necessary to move the electrical equipment 300 along the track 200, a signal is sent to the control module 180 in the track connector 100 through the control device. The control module 180 controls the drive component 120 to rotate, and then drives the track connector 100 to move along the length direction of the track 200 through the slider 130.

[0096] When it is necessary to detach the track connector 100, which is coupled to the electrical equipment 300, from the track 200, the sliding member 130 can be switched from a first state to a second state by pressing the pressing component 151, thereby quickly detaching the track connector 100 from the track 200. The principle of this detachment is the same as that of installing the track connector 100 onto the track 200, and will not be elaborated upon here. It is understood that the pressing component 151 can be pressed manually to achieve quick installation and detachment of the track connector 100 from the track 200, or the pressing component 151 can be pressed automatically by a pressing device (not shown) to achieve the same result. The scope of this invention is not specifically limited in this regard.

[0097] In summary, the track connector 100 of the present invention achieves a detachable connection with the track 200 through a retractable slider 130, enabling the electrical device 300 coupled to the track connector 100 to be quickly installed onto the track 200 along the first direction A, or to be quickly detached from the track 200 along the first direction A. Furthermore, the present invention uses a drive assembly 120 to drive the slider 130 to slide along the length of the track 200, facilitating the movement of the electrical device 300 coupled to the track connector 100 to a suitable position, improving the convenience and intelligence of the track connector 100's movement, and enhancing the user experience.

[0098] The above embodiments are only used to illustrate the technical solutions of the present invention and are not intended to limit it. Although the present invention has been described in detail with reference to preferred embodiments, those skilled in the art should understand that modifications or equivalent substitutions can be made to the technical solutions of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the technical solutions of the present invention.

Claims

1. A track connector for coupling electrical equipment (300) to a track (200) along a first direction (A), characterized in that, include: The system comprises a housing (110), a drive assembly (120), and at least two sliding members (130). The drive assembly (120) is disposed within the housing (110). The at least two sliding members (130) are located on opposite sides of the housing (110) and can extend or retract from the housing (110) along a second direction (B) perpendicular to the first direction (A). The sliding members (130) slide along the length of the track (200) under the drive of the drive assembly (120), and the plane of rotation (D) of the sliding member (130) is parallel to the first direction (A). The track connects... The device (100) also includes a mounting assembly (150), which includes a pressing assembly (151) located at an end (114) of the housing (110) and a retracting assembly (152) linked to the pressing assembly (151). The pressing assembly (151) includes a pressing member (1511) located at the end (114), a first arm (1512) fixedly connected to the pressing member (1511), two second arms (1513) extending obliquely outward from the first arm (1512), and a first elastic member (1513) that drives the pressing assembly (151) to reset. 515); The retraction assembly (152) includes a second elastic element (1521) and a slider (1522). The slider (1522) has a first surface (1523) parallel to the first arm (1512) and a second surface (1524) matching the outer surface of the second arm (1513) on the side facing the pressing assembly (151). When the pressing assembly (151) is subjected to a third-direction (C) thrust, the pressing assembly (151) moves into the housing (110) along the third-direction (C), and the second elastic element (1521) drives the slider under the action of elastic force. (130) Move into the housing (110) along the second direction (B) until the first surface (1523) abuts against the first arm (1512) and the second surface (1524) abuts against the second arm (1513); after the thrust on the pressing assembly (151) disappears, the pressing assembly (151) moves in the opposite direction to the third direction (C) under the elastic force of the first elastic member (1515) until the first surface (1523) separates from the first arm (1512) and the second surface (1524) abuts against the second arm (1513); The drive assembly (120) includes a drive motor (121), a transmission assembly (122), and at least two rotating assemblies (123). The drive motor (121) is rotatably connected to the two rotating assemblies (123) through the transmission assembly (122) and drives the slider (130) to slide through the two rotating assemblies (123). Each rotating assembly (123) includes a wide gear (1231) and a rotating roller (1232) fixedly connected to the wide gear (1231). The slider (130) is disposed at the end (114) of the rotating roller (1232) near the side wall of the housing (110) and is fixedly connected to the rotating roller (1232). The transmission assembly (122) includes a first gear (1221) fixedly connected to the motor shaft of the drive motor (121), a second gear (1222) meshing with the first gear (1221), and a third gear (1223) rotating synchronously with the second gear (1222) via a rotating shaft (1224). The rotating shaft (1224) passes through the second gear (1222) and the third gear (1223) and is rotatably connected to the housing (110). The housing (110) includes a sliding hole (1122) that is clearance-fitted with the slider (130). The slider (130) is defined as being in a first state when it extends out of the sliding hole (1122) and in a second state when it retracts into the sliding hole (1122). The distance that the slider (130) moves when switching between the first state and the second state is less than the gear width of the wide gear (1231).

2. The track connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: There are two third gears (1223), which are located on both sides of the second gear (1222) and are respectively meshed with the two wide gears (1231).

3. The track connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The rotation planes of the second gear (1222) and the third gear (1223) are perpendicular to the rotation plane of the first gear (1221).

4. The track connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The mounting assembly (150) controls the slider (130) to extend or retract in the slide hole (1122) along the second direction (B).

5. The track connector according to claim 4, characterized in that: The retraction component (152) is disposed on the rotation component (123). In the first state, the pressing component (151) and the retraction component (152) are in partial contact. In the second state, the pressing component (151) and the retraction component (152) are in complete contact.

6. The track connector according to claim 5, characterized in that: The second elastic element (1521) is sleeved on the rotating roller (1232) of the rotating assembly (123) and located between the sliding element (130) and the wide gear (1231). The two ends of the second elastic element (1521) abut against the inner wall of the wide gear (1231) and the housing (110), respectively. The slider (1522) is disposed at the end of the wide gear (1231) away from the second elastic element (1521).

7. The track connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: The elastic force of the first elastic member (1515) is greater than that of the second elastic member (1521). Under no external force, the sliding member (130) is in the first state, and the second elastic member (1521) is in the compressed state. After the pushing force on the pressing component (151) disappears, the pressing component (151) squeezes the slider (1522), and the slider (1522) moves in a direction opposite to the second direction (B), driving the slider (130) to switch from the second state to the first state, wherein the third direction (C) is perpendicular to both the first direction (A) and the second direction (B).

8. The track connector according to claim 6, characterized in that: The housing (110) is further provided with two guide ribs (116), and a guide gap (1161) is formed between the two guide ribs (116) to limit the guidance of the pressing assembly (151). The first arm (1512) of the pressing assembly (151) passes through the guide gap (1161), and the pressing member (1511) and the second arm (1513) are respectively located on both sides of the guide ribs (116).

9. The track connector according to claim 1, characterized in that: The track connector (100) has an elastic contact (160) on the top wall (1115) facing the track (200), the elastic contact (160) penetrating the top wall (1115) and configured to be electrically connected to the conductive element (250) in the track (200).

10. The track connector according to claim 9, characterized in that: The top wall (1115) is also provided with a guide protrusion (1116) parallel to the sliding direction of the slider (130). The elastic contact (160) is wrapped by the guide protrusion (1116) and is at least partially exposed outside the guide protrusion (1116).

11. An electrical system, characterized in that: Includes a track (200) and a track connector (100) as described in any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. The electrical system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The electrical system (400) further includes an electrical device (300) that is coupled to the track (200) via the track connector (100) and slides along the length of the track (200) with the track connector (100).

13. The electrical system according to claim 11, characterized in that: The track (200) has a receiving space (210), the track connector (100) is located at least within the receiving space (210), the track (200) further includes a slide (220) and a conductive element (250), the slide (220) is configured to support a slider (130) of the track connector (100) and is slidably connected to the slider (130), the conductive element (250) is received within a conductive groove (240) of the track (200) and is configured to be electrically connected to an elastic contact (160) on the track connector (100).

14. The electrical system according to claim 13, characterized in that: The slide (220) is disposed within the receiving space (210) and is located below and on the outer edge of the conductive groove (240); the lower end (241) of the conductive groove (240) is located above the receiving space (210) and communicates with the receiving space (210).

15. The electrical system according to claim 13, characterized in that: The track (200) further includes an insulating element (260) that encloses a first space (261) and a second space (262) that are interconnected. The first space (261) is close to the bottom of the conductive groove (240), and the second space (262) is away from the bottom of the conductive groove (240). The conductive element (250) is housed in the first space (261) and exposed in the second space (262).

Citation Information

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