Profile element for receiving electrical light sources and for arrangement in or on a floor covering

Abstract

Profile element (1) for receiving electric light sources and for arrangement in or on a floor covering, wherein the profile element (1) has a housing element (2, 29, 30) extending along a direction of extension, with a bottom surface (4) suitable for fixing to a substrate (9) and with two opposing side walls (5, 6), wherein the housing element (5, 6) surrounds a cavity (7) extending in the direction of extension and arranged between the two side walls (5, 6), in which at least one electric light source can be arranged, and wherein the profile element (1) has a cover element (3) also extending along the direction of extension and detachably connectable to the housing element (2, 29, 30), which covers the cavity (7) and is made at least partially of a translucent material or has openings,so that light emitted by the electric light source in the cavity (7) can exit the profile element (1) through the cover element (3), characterized in that the housing element (2, 29, 30) has on its underside (4) opposite the cover element (3), with which the housing element (2, 29, 30) can rest on the substrate (9) as intended, a support projection (10) extending inwards into the cavity (7), which forms a support surface (11) for receiving the electric light source, spaced apart from the underside (4) and extending in the direction of extension, and in that the housing element (2, 29, 30) has a drainage channel (12) extending alongside the support projection (10) in the direction of extension, in which moisture penetrating the cavity (7) can accumulate spaced apart from the support surface (11) and be drained away in the direction of extension. can.,

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a profile element for receiving electric light sources and for arranging them in or on a floor covering, wherein the profile element comprises a housing element extending along a direction of extension, with a bottom surface suitable for fixing to a substrate and with two opposing side walls, wherein the housing element surrounds a cavity extending in the direction of extension and arranged between the two side walls, in which at least one electric light source can be arranged, and wherein the profile element comprises a cover element also extending along the direction of extension and detachably connectable to the housing element, which covers the cavity and is made at least partially of a translucent material or has openings.so that light emitted by the electric light source in the cavity can escape through the cover element and out of the profile element.

[0002] Profile elements for mounting electrical light sources, typically LED strips, are well-known in practice and frequently used for indoor and outdoor lighting. These profile elements typically serve to mechanically secure the light sources or LEDs and the electrical components required for their operation, which can be arranged within a cavity of the profile element. A cover element not only controls the light emission during operation but also acts as a protective cover, shielding the light sources from mechanical stress and environmental influences.Such profile elements often have a shape and design that allows for aesthetic integration into a surrounding floor covering, which may consist of tiles, laminate or other floor covering elements and is laid on a substrate or, if applicable, on a support or shoring structure erected on the substrate.

[0003] Many existing profile elements feature a generally U-shaped housing element extending in one direction, with a bottom and two opposing side walls projecting from the bottom, as well as a cover element that can be connected to the housing element. This cover element conceals a cavity formed in the housing element, which can accommodate the electrical light sources. The housing element is typically made of metal or an opaque plastic material, while the cover element is made of glass or a translucent plastic material. When used as intended, the profile element is mounted with the bottom of the housing element on a substrate or on...laid in a floor covering and arranged in such a way that, during the operation of the electric light sources, the light emitted by the electric light sources can pass through the cover element from the profile element and illuminate the area around the profile element.

[0004] However, the profile elements commonly used in practice have disadvantages, particularly regarding their suitability for damp environments such as bathrooms, kitchens, or outdoor areas. A frequent problem is the ingress of moisture through the connection between a housing element and a cover element connected to the housing element, as well as at the joints of adjacent profile elements. Due to their design, these areas are difficult to seal completely, allowing water to enter the cavity of the profile element through capillary action or diffusion, and thus reach the electrical light sources or components.

[0005] Another disadvantage of the known profile elements is that water that penetrates them often cannot be drained away efficiently enough. This leads to water accumulation, which regularly builds up on or in the immediate vicinity of the electrical light sources, such as LED strips. Although LED strips, for example, are generally designed to be waterproof, the exposure time to water often exceeds the permissible limits. This can damage the LEDs and the electrical components, significantly reducing the functionality and lifespan of the lighting.

[0006] It is therefore considered an object of the present invention to design a profile element for receiving electrical light sources and for arranging them in or on a floor covering in such a way that adverse impairment of the electrical light sources received in the profile element can be avoided as far as possible using the simplest possible means.

[0007] This task is solved for a profile element with the aforementioned features by the fact that the housing element has, on the underside opposite the cover element, with which the housing element can rest on a substrate as intended, a support projection extending inwards into the cavity, which forms a support surface for receiving the electric light source, spaced apart from the underside and extending in the direction of extension, and that the housing element has a drainage channel extending alongside the support projection in the direction of extension, in which moisture penetrating the cavity can accumulate spaced away from the support surface and can be drained away in the direction of extension.The design of the support element projecting into the cavity with the support surface enables the arrangement of all electrical components, such as electrically operated light sources and electrical supply lines, as well as any control devices or other electrical components provided in the profile element, in an area raised above the underside, so that all electrical components can be arranged at a distance from the underside and thus at a distance from any liquids that may accumulate.The distance between the support surface and the underside, on which the liquid penetrating the cavity accumulates, can be several millimeters and must be sufficiently large to prevent the liquid from reaching the support surface and thus affecting the electronic components located there, even if the amount of liquid accumulates over a long period of time.

[0008] The support structure is advantageously arranged not only between the two side walls of the housing element, but also spaced apart from the opposing side walls of the housing element. Any moisture that may accumulate on the inside of a side wall, or any liquid flowing down the inside, cannot then reach the support surface, but instead flows down the inside of the side walls towards the underside.

[0009] The at least one drainage channel allows for the efficient collection and removal of liquids entering the cavity, particularly those running down the inner surfaces of the side walls. The drainage channel should ideally extend along the entire length of the profile element in the direction of extension, without any transverse obstructions or raised sections. The drainage channel may have inner surfaces with rounded edges, ensuring that no corners or sharp edges impede the flow of liquid along the channel.

[0010] Preferably, the housing element has a drainage channel on both sides next to the support projection extending into the cavity. The support projection extending inwards into the cavity can be designed and arranged symmetrically transversely to the direction of extension of the profile element. The drainage channels arranged on both sides next to the support projection, and running essentially parallel to the support projection in the direction of extension of the profile element, allow any liquid that may accumulate on either side of the support projection to be collected in the respective drainage channel and drained away through it, without the need to guide the liquid through the support projection into a single drainage channel and then drain it away through that single channel.

[0011] To enable particularly efficient drainage of liquid that has accumulated in a drainage channel, drainage openings can be provided on the underside of the housing element. These openings allow liquid from the drainage channel to escape from the cavity of the profile element towards the ground. Such drainage openings can be, for example, bores or slots running transversely to the direction of extension, which may be subsequently added to the underside of the housing element.

[0012] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cover element can project beyond the housing element at an end face of the profile element in the direction of extension, exceeding the drainage joint spacing. This allows for a drainage joint extending across the drainage joint spacing when two profile elements are arranged adjacent to each other in the direction of extension and the cover elements of the two profile elements are in contact between the two housing elements without a gap. In this way, efficient drainage of the cavity of the profile element can be achieved via the end faces of the housing elements and the drainage channels opening there, without requiring one or more drainage openings on the underside of the housing element through which the liquid can escape from the profile element.This can significantly reduce the manufacturing effort for the housing element. It has been shown that, with suitable shaping of the support profile and drainage channels, even with profile elements extending more than 80 cm, 100 cm, or 125 cm in the direction of extension, sufficiently efficient water drainage can be ensured in most cases. This is achieved through the drainage joint, which is forced and formed between the respective housing elements of two profile elements arranged one behind the other in the direction of extension when cover elements are abutting each other.

[0013] Optionally, the cover element can be detachably fixed to the two side walls of the housing element such that the outer surface of the cover element facing away from the cavity has a greater distance to the underside of the housing than the side edges of the side walls facing away from the underside. When the profile element is used and arranged as intended on or in a floor covering, and especially when the outer surface of the cover element is flush with the surface of the adjacent floor covering, typically only or predominantly the outer surface of the cover element, and possibly a transition area between the outer surface of the cover element and the side walls of the housing element on both sides, is perceived.By ensuring a sufficiently large distance between the outer surface of the cover element and the adjacent areas of the side walls, it can be achieved that essentially only the outer surface of the cover element facing the viewer is perceived, and in contrast, the side walls of the housing element are not visible or only visible upon very careful observation of the profile element which is arranged as intended on or in the floor covering.

[0014] To facilitate the simplest possible assembly of the profile element, the cover element can optionally be U-shaped perpendicular to its direction of extension. On opposing edges of the cover, it can have locking lugs extending from the outside towards the housing element, allowing the cover element to be snapped into place on the side walls of the housing element. The cover element can then be subsequently detached and removed from the housing element without any special tools, or it can be attached to the housing element and used to cover the cavity formed by the housing element.By appropriately shaping and arranging the locking arms, it is possible to largely reduce or prevent the unwanted ingress of moisture or liquids through the snap-fit ​​connection between the cover element and the side walls of the housing element, which are also snapped to it. The cover element, which is detachably connected to the housing element and therefore easily removable and reattached, allows for subsequent modification, as well as maintenance or repair of the electronic components, without having to replace the profile element or detach the housing element from the substrate and remove it from the floor covering.

[0015] According to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that each side wall has a locking area adjacent to the underside and a locking engagement area facing away from the underside, wherein the distance between the outer surfaces of the side walls facing away from the cavity is less in the locking area than in the locking engagement area, and that corresponding locking engagement elements are formed on the outer surfaces of the locking areas and on inner surfaces of the locking engagement areas, so that a first housing element with its locking areas is inserted between the locking engagement areas of a second housing element and the two housing elements can be connected to each other by a locking engagement between the locking areas of the first housing element and the locking engagement areas of the second housing element.In this way, two or even more housing elements can be stacked on top of each other and connected, so that a profile element with a large gap between the underside of the bottommost housing element and the outside of the cover element can be assembled and used on the topmost housing element of the housing element stack produced in this way. For example, the respective locking area and the locking engagement area of ​​the two side walls can have an approximately equal height towards the cover element.When a second housing element is inserted between the two side walls of the first housing element from a side facing away from the underside of the first housing element, with the locking areas of its side walls engaging, until the locking areas of the side walls of the second housing element largely or completely overlap with the locking engagement areas of the side walls of the first housing element, the two housing elements thus connected have a combined height approximately 50% greater than the height of a single housing element. With three housing elements connected and stacked in this way, the combined height of the stack is approximately 100% greater than the height of a single housing element. With each additional housing element, the combined height of the stack can be increased by approximately half the height of a single housing element.With a suitable design of the housing element, and especially of the side walls in the locking and engagement areas, it is possible to stack and connect any number of housing elements. In this way, profile elements with different overall heights can be produced from several identically designed housing elements using simple means. This allows for the provision of profile elements with individually definable overall heights, tailored to the specific application and suitable for various floor coverings or installation situations.It is also possible that the locking area of ​​a side wall has a significantly lower height than the locking engagement area of ​​the side wall in question, so that in a stacked arrangement of two housing elements, the housing element arranged above can only penetrate into the housing element arranged below to a small extent, resulting in only a slightly increased overall height for the stack of interconnected housing elements.

[0016] The locking legs of the cover element can advantageously be adapted to the locking engagement areas of the side walls, so that either a cover element or another housing element can be selectively fixed to the locking engagement areas of the side walls.

[0017] In order to facilitate a stacked arrangement of two or more housing elements and to promote or significantly determine their reliable arrangement and alignment relative to each other, it may be provided that a stacking recess extending in the direction of extension and projecting into the cavity is formed on the underside of the housing element, the shape and dimensions of which are adapted to the shape and dimensions of the support form in such a way that the support surface of the support form of a first housing element rests against an outer side of the stacking recess of a second housing element facing away from the cavity when the second housing element is connected to the first housing element.When, in a stack of housing elements, the support profile of each lower housing element engages in the stacking recess of the housing element above, and the support surface rests flat against the outer side of the stacking recess of the housing element above, a reliable and mechanically stable connection between the adjacent housing elements can be achieved. This connection links corresponding areas of the housing elements on three sides of the housing element, or on the underside and both side walls. A bottom surface of the housing element formed in this stepped manner is further stiffened by the corrugated profiles and is therefore highly resistant to mechanical stress.

[0018] According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the support shape of the housing element may have a groove-shaped engagement recess accessible from the underside of the housing element and extending in the direction of its extension. When the profile element is arranged as intended on a substrate, an engagement element projecting from the substrate can engage in this groove. For example, if the floor covering consists of several adjacent tiles, the arrangement and alignment of the individual tiles and the joints typically formed between them can be supported or predetermined by tile spacers. These spacers are regularly arranged in adjacent corner areas of tiles and have cross-shaped ribs or tongues projecting from the substrate.Two adjacent tiles can then be pushed up to the side walls of the projecting ribs or tongues on both sides, thus determining their arrangement and orientation. The profile element, with its groove-shaped engagement recess, can be slid over such a rib or tongue of a joint cross or similar locking device and secured to the joint cross by the positive engagement between the rib or tongue on the one hand and the engagement recess in the support molding of the housing element on the other. This effectively prevents unintentional lateral slippage during installation and laying of the floor covering.

[0019] However, there are also installation situations or floor covering constructions conceivable in which a positive-locking engagement of a bridge or tongue in an engagement recess on the underside of the housing element is not possible or is at least considered not expedient.In order to enable reliable fixing of the profile element to the substrate even in these situations, according to a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, it can be provided that the profile element has a retaining clip encompassing the underside of the housing element, which has a bearing surface that can be placed on a substrate and at least one retaining clip wall projecting from the bearing surface, with which the retaining clip can be connected to a side wall of the housing element in such a way that the bearing surface of the retaining clip has a distance from the underside of the housing element, and that the retaining clip has a fixing recess in the bearing surface through which the retaining clip can be fixed to a substrate with a fastening means.The retaining clip can be fixed to the substrate or to a mounting surface of a floor covering, for example, using a screw or other suitable fastener. The housing element can then typically be inserted into the retaining clip section by section and connected to it. Advantageously, the retaining clip walls have locking engagement areas similar to those on the side walls of a housing element, allowing a retaining clip to be snapped into place with a housing element positioned above it, just like a first housing element.

[0020] To enable, for example, the attachment of end caps to the end faces of the profile element, or to connect two profile elements arranged one behind the other in the direction of extension via their facing end faces, an advantageous embodiment of the invention provides that the support shape has a fixing section extending in the direction of extension, at least in an area adjacent to an end face of the housing element. Within this fixing section, inner wall sections of the support shape, which surround a recess in the support shape accessible from the end face of the housing element, are adapted to receive a fastening element that can be inserted from the end face. The fastening element can, for example, be a screw or a threaded bolt that can be screwed into the recess from the end face and thereby fixed therein.The recess in the support structure can have a circular cross-sectional area and be completely surrounded along a circumference by a continuous inner wall. It is also conceivable that only individual wall sections are arranged and aligned circumferentially in such a way that a suitable fastener can be reliably secured in the recess of the support structure.

[0021] To achieve the most cost-effective manufacturing of the profile element, it can be designed that both the housing element and the cover element of the profile element can be produced as extruded profile elements using an extrusion process. Extrusion allows both the housing element and the cover element to be manufactured with a consistent shape in the direction of extension, resulting in particularly cost-effective production. In many cases, especially with the housing elements, this eliminates the need for complex post-processing or surface finishing. Such a profile element can be manufactured extremely cost-effectively with common dimensions and lengths, for example, 0.5 m, 1 m, 1.5 m, or 2 m and more, using a suitably designed extrusion process.For many applications, it is practical and advantageous for both the housing element and the cover element to be made of a suitable plastic material. For example, for cost reasons, the housing element could be made of an opaque plastic material, and the cover element of a transparent or largely or almost completely transparent plastic material. The cover element could also be made of a colored, yet transparent, material. In many applications, it can be advantageous for the housing element to be made of metal. The housing element could be produced from a flat sheet metal blank using suitable forming processes such as deep drawing and bending. Aluminum is a particularly advantageous metal, and the housing element can also be manufactured cost-effectively using an aluminum extrusion process.

[0022] The following section explains in more detail some aspects and embodiments of the invention, which are illustrated by way of example in the drawings. These show: Fig. 1 a sectional view of a profile element with a housing element and with a cover element connected thereto, wherein the sectional view shows a profile element cut in a plane transverse to an extension direction, Fig. 2 one with Fig. 1 comparable sectional view of the profile element, which is positively fixed to a joint cross arranged below, Fig. 3 a perspective representation of the in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 profile element shown, which is arranged and fixed on a joint cross, Fig. 4 a sectional view of a profile element in which two housing elements are arranged one above the other and connected to each other, Fig. 5 a perspective representation of the in Fig. 4 profile element shown, which is arranged and fixed on a joint cross, Fig. 6 a sectional view of a profile element in which three housing elements are arranged one above the other and connected to each other, Fig. 7 a sectional view of a profile element in which a retaining clip is arranged on a bottom side of the housing element and fixed to the side walls of the housing element, Fig. 8 a perspective view of the retaining clip, Fig. 9 an enlarged sectional view of the in Fig. 1 of the profile element shown, wherein a fastening means is arranged and fixed in a recess accessible from an end face of the profile element, and Fig. 10 a side view of two mutually facing end areas of two for example in Fig. 1 or Fig. 9 profile elements shown and arranged one behind the other in the direction of extension, wherein the cover element projects beyond the housing element at the end face of a profile element in the direction of extension over a drainage joint distance.

[0023] One in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. 3. Exemplary profile element 1 has a housing element 2 and a cover element 3 that can be detachably connected to it. The housing element 2 has a bottom surface 4 and two side walls 5, 6 extending from the bottom surface 4 at opposite edges. In the sectional view, the bottom surface 4 and the two side walls 5, 6 of the housing element 2, as well as the cover element 3 attached to the side walls 5, 6, enclose in Fig. 1 a cavity 7. The profile element 1 and thus both the housing element 2 and the cover element 3 extend along a in Fig. 3 with an arrow 8 in the direction of extension with a length l far over a width b of the underside of the housing element 2 or over a height h of the side walls 5, 6 of the housing element 2.

[0024] The width b and height h of the housing element 2 can, for example, be between 1 cm and 3 cm, or less or more depending on the application. The width b can essentially correspond to the height h. It is also conceivable that the height h is less than the width b or significantly greater than the width b. The length l of the profile element can be a multiple of the width b or the height h and, for example, 50 cm, 80 cm, 100 cm, 150 cm, or more. The housing element 2 can be made of an opaque plastic material, while the cover element 3 can be made of a transparent or even largely transparent plastic material.

[0025] The housing element 2 has on its underside 4, opposite the cover element 3, with which the housing element 2 is intended to be placed on a surface in Fig. On the merely indicated substrate 9, a support projection 10 extends inwards into the cavity 7, forming a support surface 11 spaced apart from the underside 4 and extending in the direction of its extension. Electrical light sources, such as an LED strip (not shown in the figure), can be arranged and fixed on the support surface 11.

[0026] The housing element 2 has a drainage channel 12 on each side next to the support projection 10 that extends into the cavity 7. Moisture penetrating the cavity 7 can accumulate in each drainage channel 12, spaced away from the support surface 11, and then be drained away in the direction of its extension through the drainage channel 12. Neither of the two drainage channels 12 has any obstructions projecting transversely into the drainage channel 12 that could impede the accumulation or, in particular, the drainage of liquid in the drainage channel 12 in its direction of extension.

[0027] The cover element 3 is U-shaped transversely to the direction of extension, as shown in the sectional views according to Fig. 1 and Fig. As can be seen in Figure 2. On opposing cover edge edges 13, 14, the cover element 3 has locking legs 16, 17 extending from an outer surface 15 towards the housing element 2, with which the cover element 3 can be locked onto the side walls 5, 6 of the housing element 2. The locking legs 16, 17 engage bead-shaped thickened end regions 18, 19 of the two side walls 5, 6 and form a locking engagement connecting the cover element 3 to the housing element 2, which can be engaged or disengaged without a separate tool in order to lock the cover element 3 onto the housing element 2 or to detach and remove it.

[0028] In the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. In the embodiments shown in Fig. 3 and in further Fig. 3, the outer surface 15 of the cover element 3, facing away from the cavity 7, has a greater distance to the underside 4 of the housing than the side edges 20, 21 of the side walls 5, 6, facing away from the underside 4.

[0029] Each side wall 5, 6 of the housing element 2 has a detent area 22 adjacent to the underside 4 and a detent engagement area 23 facing away from the underside 4. The distance between the outer surfaces 24, 25 of the side walls 5, 6 facing away from the cavity 7 is smaller in the detent area 22 than in the detent engagement area 23. Corresponding detent engagement elements 28 are formed on the outer surfaces 24, 25 of the detent areas 22 and on the inner surfaces 26, 27 of the detent engagement areas 23, wherein the bead-shaped thickened end regions 18, 19 of the two side walls 5, 6 are a component of the detent engagement elements 28. Further components of the locking engagement elements 28 are recesses adapted to the bead-shaped thickened end areas 18, 19 or a correspondingly adapted course of the side walls 5, 6 and the locking legs 16, 17 extending away from the outside 15 of the cover element 3.

[0030] In the Fig. 4 and Fig. Figure 5 shows an exemplary alternative design of profile element 1. With the [unclear] in the Fig. 1, Fig. 2 to Fig. The features of the profile element 1 shown in the exemplary embodiment 3, which correspond to the differing design of the profile element 1, are not explained in detail below and are not all labelled in the figures discussed below. In this profile element 1, a first housing element 2 with its locking receptacles 22 is inserted between the locking engagement areas 23 of a second housing element 29, and the two housing elements 2, 29 are connected to each other by a locking engagement between the locking receptacles 22 of the first housing element 5 and the locking engagement areas 23 of the second housing element 29. The overall height H of the profile element 1 is determined by the following: Fig. 4 and Fig. The profile element 1 shown in 5 corresponds approximately to 1.5 times the height h of a single housing element 2, 29.

[0031] In the case of a different design of profile element 1, exemplified in Fig. As shown in Figure 6, three housing elements 2, 29 and 30 are arranged one above the other and connected to each other. The overall height H of the housing is shown in Figure 6. Fig. The profile element 1 shown in Figure 6, with a total of three interconnected housing elements 2, 29 and 30, corresponds approximately to twice the height h of a single housing element 2, 29 and 30.

[0032] In the Fig. 1, Fig. 2, Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5 to Fig. In the profile elements 1 shown in Figure 6, a stacking recess 31 is formed on the underside 4 of the housing element 2, 29 and 30, extending in the direction of extension and projecting into the cavity 7. The shape and dimensions of the stacking recess 31 are adapted to the shape and dimensions of the support form 10 such that the support surface 11 of the support form 10 of a first housing element 2 abuts an outer surface 32 of the stacking recess 31 of a second housing element 29, facing away from the cavity 7, when the second housing element 29 is connected to the first housing element 2.

[0033] The support shape 10 of the housing element 2, 29, 30 has a groove-shaped engagement recess 33 accessible from the underside 4 of the housing element 2, 29, 30 and extending in the direction of its extension. When the profile element 1 is arranged as intended on a substrate 9, an engagement element projecting from the substrate can engage in the groove-shaped engagement recess 33 and effect a positive locking of the housing element 2, 29, 30 of the profile element 1 on the substrate 9. In the Fig. 2 and Fig. Figure 3 merely illustrates a suitable engagement element, specifically a joint cross 35 arranged on a support plate 34 with upwardly projecting webs 36. The upwardly projecting web 36 engages in the groove-shaped engagement recess 33 and forms a positive-locking engagement that prevents unintentional lateral slippage of the housing element 2 relative to the substrate 9.

[0034] In the Fig. 7 and Fig. Figure 8 shows an exemplary profile element 1 with a retaining clip 37 encompassing the underside 4 of the housing element 2 of the profile element 1, or the retaining clip 37 shown enlarged on its own. The retaining clip 37 has a bearing surface 38 that can rest on the substrate 9 and two retaining clip walls 39, 40 projecting from the bearing surface 38, with which the retaining clip 37 can be connected to the two side walls 5, 6 of the housing element 2, 29, 30 such that the bearing surface 38 of the retaining clip 37 is spaced from the underside 4 of the housing element 2. The retaining clip 37 has a fixing recess 41 in the bearing surface 38, through which the retaining clip 37 can be fixed to resting on the substrate 9 with a suitable fastening element such as a fastening screw 42.The fixing recess 41 can be a bore, a slot or a through-opening of any shape in the bearing surface 38.

[0035] The support shape 10 of the housing element 2 has at least one feature that corresponds to, for example, a Fig. 3 The end face 43 of the housing element 2 shown has an adjacent area with a fixing section 44 extending in the direction of extension, within which only in Fig. 9 more precisely defined inner wall sections 45, 46, 47 of the support molding 10 surround a recess 48 in the support molding 10, accessible from the end face 43 of the housing element 2. The inner wall sections 45, 46, 47 are only in Fig. 9. The fixing section 44 can extend over the entire length of the housing element 2. The inner wall sections 45, 46 and 47 are adapted to receive a fastening element that can be inserted from the end face 43. In Fig.Figure 9 shows an example of a threaded bolt 49 as a possible fastening means, wherein the inner wall sections 44, 45 and 46 bear against a lateral surface 50 of the threaded bolt 49 and retain the threaded bolt 49 in the recess 48 in the support molding 10. The threaded bolt 49 can, for example, be a component of an end cap (not shown in the figures) that can be fixed to the end face 43 of the housing element 2 and seals the end face 43 of the housing element 2 as moisture-tight as possible.

[0036] The cover element 3 can project beyond the housing element 2 at one end face 43 of the profile element 1 in the direction of extension, exceeding a drainage joint distance a. In this way, when two profile elements 1 are arranged adjacent to each other in the direction of extension and the respective cover elements 3 of the two profile elements 1 abut without gaps between the two housing elements 2, a drainage joint 51 extending across the drainage joint distance a is formed. Moisture or liquid that has penetrated the cavity 7 can escape through this drainage joint 51 and be drained from the profile element 1. It is also possible for the cover element 3 to project beyond the housing element 2 at both opposite end faces 43 of the profile element 1.

[0037] Both the housing element 2 and the cover element 3 are specified with regard to their respective shapes in such a way that the housing element 2 as well as the cover element 3 can each be manufactured using an extrusion process.

Claims

[1] Profile element (1) for receiving electric light sources and for arrangement in or on a floor covering, wherein the profile element (1) has a housing element (2, 29, 30) extending along a direction of extension, with a bottom surface (4) suitable for fixing to a substrate (9) and with two opposing side walls (5, 6), wherein the housing element (5, 6) surrounds a cavity (7) extending in the direction of extension and arranged between the two side walls (5, 6), in which at least one electric light source can be arranged, and wherein the profile element (1) has a cover element (3) also extending along the direction of extension and detachably connectable to the housing element (2, 29, 30), which covers the cavity (7) and is made at least partially of a translucent material or has openings,so that light emitted by the electric light source in the cavity (7) can exit through the cover element (3) and out of the profile element (1), characterized by , that the housing element (2, 29, 30) has on the underside (4) opposite the (3) cover element, with which the housing element (2, 29, 30) can rest on the substrate (9) as intended, a support projection (10) extending inwards into the cavity (7), which forms a support surface (11) for receiving the electric light source, spaced apart from the underside (4) and extending in the direction of extension, and that the housing element (2, 29, 30) has a drainage channel (12) extending next to the support projection (10) in the direction of extension, in which moisture penetrating into the cavity (7) can accumulate spaced apart from the support surface (11) and can be drained away in the direction of extension. [2] Profile element (1) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the housing element (2, 29, 30) has a drainage channel (12) on both sides next to the support shape (10) projecting into the cavity (7). [3] Profile element (1) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized by , that the cover element (3) projects beyond the housing element (2, 29, 30) at an end face (43) of the profile element (1) in the direction of extension over a drainage joint distance a, so that in the case of an intended arrangement of two profile elements (1) adjacent to each other in the direction of extension, a drainage joint (51) extending over the drainage joint distance a is formed when the cover elements (3) of the two profile elements (1) are in contact without gaps between the two housing elements (2, 29, 30). [4] Profile element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the cover element (3) can be detachably fixed to the two side walls (5, 6) of the housing element (2, 29, 30) such that an outer surface (15) of the cover element (3) facing away from the cavity (7) has a greater distance to the underside (4) of the housing (2, 29, 30) than side edges (20, 21) of the side walls (5, 6) facing away from the underside (4). [5] Profile element (1) according to claim 4, characterized by , that the cover element (3) is U-shaped transversely to the direction of extension and has locking legs (16, 17) extending towards the outside (15) to the housing element (2, 29, 30) on opposing cover edge edges (13, 14), with which the cover element (3) can be locked onto the side walls (5, 6) of the housing element (2, 29, 30). [6] Profile element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that each side wall (5, 6) has a detent area (22) adjacent to the underside (4) and a detent engagement area (23) facing away from the underside (4), wherein the distance between the outer surfaces (24, 25) of the side walls (5, 6) facing away from the cavity is less in the detent area (22) than in the detent engagement area (23), and that corresponding detent engagement elements (28) are formed on the outer surfaces (24, 25) of the detent areas (22) and on inner surfaces (26, 27) of the detent engagement areas (23), such that a first housing element (2) with its detent areas (22) is inserted between the detent engagement areas (23) of a second housing element (29) and the two housing elements (2, 29) are engaged by a detent engagement between the detent areas (22) of the first housing element (2) and the detent engagement areas (23) of the second housing element (29) can be connected to each other in a snap-fit ​​manner. [7] Profile element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that on the underside (4) of the housing element (2, 29, 30) a stacking recess (31) extending in the direction of extension and projecting into the cavity (7) is formed, the shape and dimensions of which are adapted to the shape and dimensions of the support form (10) such that the support surface (11) of the support form (10) of a first housing element (2) abuts an outer side (32) of the stacking recess (31) of a second housing element (29) facing away from the cavity (7) when the second housing element (29) is connected to the first housing element (2). [8] Profile element (1) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the support shape (10) of the housing element (2, 29, 30) has a groove-shaped engagement recess (33) accessible from the underside (4) of the housing element (2, 29, 30) and extending in the direction of extension, into which, in the case of an intended arrangement of the profile element (1) on a substrate (1), an engagement element projecting from the substrate (1) can engage. [9] Profile element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the profile element (1) has a retaining clip (37) encompassing the underside (4) of the housing element (2, 29, 30), which has a bearing surface (38) that can be placed on a substrate (9) and at least one retaining clip wall (39, 40) projecting from the bearing surface (38), with which the retaining clip (37) can be connected to a side wall (5, 6) of the housing element (2, 29, 30) in such a way that the bearing surface (38) of the retaining clip (37) has a distance from the underside (4) of the housing element (2, 29, 30), and that the retaining clip (37) has a fixing recess (41) in the bearing surface (38) through which the retaining clip (37) can be fixed to rest on the substrate (9) with a fastening means. [10] Profile element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by, that in the support shape (10) at least in an area adjacent to an end face (43) of the housing element (2, 29, 30) a fixing section (44) extending in the direction of extension has, within the inner wall sections (45, 46, 47) of the support shape (10), which surround a recess (48) in the support shape (10) accessible from the end face (43) of the housing element (2, 29, 30), are adapted to receive a fastening means that can be inserted from the end face (43). [11] Profile element (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the housing element (2, 29, 30) and the cover element (3) of the profile element (1) can each be manufactured as extruded profile elements using an extrusion process.

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