Current guide rail of a light strip

The current guide rail with displaceable profiles and coding channel walls, along with a protective contact device, addresses alignment issues in luminaire systems, ensuring secure and reliable electrical connections in elongated luminaires.

EP4579965A1Pending Publication Date: 2025-07-02TRILUX GMBH & CO KG
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Patent Information

Application Number
EP2024220987
Authority / Receiving Office
EP · EP
Patent Type
Applications
Current Assignee / Owner
Priority Date
2023-12-29
Filing Date
2024-12-18
Publication Date
2025-07-02

AI Technical Summary

Technical Problem

Existing luminaire systems face challenges in ensuring correct and secure electrical connections between conductor wires due to the complexity of aligning contact devices with conductor rails, particularly in long, elongated luminaires, leading to potential misconnections and safety risks.

Method used

A current guide rail design with displaceable current conducting profiles that interlock comb-like, featuring coding channel walls to ensure proper alignment and insulation, combined with a contact device having a protective mechanism to prevent incorrect insertion, ensuring secure electrical connections.

Benefits of technology

The solution provides reliable and secure electrical connections by ensuring correct alignment and insulation of conductor wires, reducing the risk of misconnections and enhancing safety in elongated luminaires.

✦ Generated by Eureka AI based on patent content.

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Abstract

The invention relates to a current conducting rail 3 which has open channels on an access side of the current conducting rail 3, wherein at least one elongated conductor wire 4 is arranged in at least some of the channels, wherein the current conducting rail 3 has two current conducting profiles 31, 32 which are arranged one behind the other and are displaceable relative to one another, wherein the current conducting profiles 31, 32 engage in one another in a comb-like manner, wherein two of the channel walls 30 are designed as first and second coding channel walls 301, 302, which each form a coding section 311, 312, wherein the first and the second current conducting profile 31, 32 each form a first and a second longitudinal section of each of the two coding channel walls 301, 302, wherein the first longitudinal sections 3111, 3121, 3211, 3212 extend in the plugging direction S over the second longitudinal sections 3112, 3122, 3212, 3222 protrude and the first longitudinal section 3111 of the first orsecond coding channel wall 301, 302 projects beyond the second longitudinal section (3212) of the respective coding channel wall 301, 302 formed by the respective other current conducting profile (31, 32).
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Description

[0001] The invention relates to a current guide rail for a system for realizing a luminaire elongated in a longitudinal direction, as well as to such a system and a luminaire realized by means of such a system, as well as to a method for realizing a luminaire.

[0002] Generic systems and generic busbars of such systems are designed to implement a generic luminaire that is elongated in a longitudinal direction and comprises a plurality of longitudinally elongated support rails. Typically, the support rails serve to fix the luminaire to a building structure, for example, to a ceiling. The support rails represent a type of basic framework for the luminaire and are designed to accommodate supply lines and, preferably, to accommodate mounting bodies to which lamps are attached. Thus, an infrastructure for the luminaire is provided via the support rails. Electrical functional elements of the luminaire are usually attached to the mounting bodies, for example lamps, in particular comprising circuit boards with LEDs, radio modules, electrical cables and / or operating devices.When installing the luminaire, the respective support rail is usually first attached to the structure and then the mounting body, which is equipped with at least one of the aforementioned electrical functional elements of the luminaire, is fixed to the support rail so that the support rail and mounting body enclose an interior space in which essential elements of the luminaire are arranged, for example circuit boards, operating devices, contact devices, etc. Typically, the support rail and mounting body are each elongated in a longitudinal direction; preferably, the longitudinal extent is at least five times the extent perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. The support rail usually has a U-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, which extends in a vertical direction and in a transverse direction and is open at one vertical end and which is formed by a support rail base and two support rail side walls.The support rail side walls thus run vertically away from the support rail base, and the support rail base connects the transversely spaced support rail side walls. Depending on requirements, the support rail base and support rail side walls can have contours or recesses. The support rail base and the support rail side walls usually together form an interior space that is at least partially enclosed by the support rail side walls and the support rail base. The interior space is thus defined by the support rail. Typically, all support rails in a system have the features described here. A generic system often has at least a first and a second support rail, which are connected to one another at their mutually facing longitudinal ends to form the luminaire.They typically form a shared interior space that extends between the support rail side walls of both support rails and the support rail base of both support rails, elongated along the longitudinal extent of both elongated support rails. The two support rails are usually secured to one another by means of a coupling having a U-shaped cross-section formed by a coupling base and two coupling side walls. The coupling side walls thus extend vertically away from the coupling base, and the support rail base connects the transversely spaced-apart coupling side walls. The U-shaped cross-section of the coupling is preferably open at its end opposite the coupling base.Typically, each of the support rails has a substantially constant cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the cross-section is preferably identical except for recesses and / or punchings in the support rail base and / or support rail side walls. Frequently, the cross-section of all support rails is substantially identical. Typically, the support rails are fixed relative to one another by the coupling perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and, in particular, also to one another in the longitudinal direction by means of the coupling. In an operating state of the system in which the first and second support rails are fixed to one another, the coupling is typically arranged in the two support rails in such a way that the coupling base runs along both support rail bases and each of the coupling side walls rests against a respective one of the support rail side walls assigned to it.

[0003] The support rail is usually attached to the building structure via its support rail base. The mounting body is usually arranged at the open vertical end of the support rail, such that the mounting body vertically delimits the interior space defined by the support rail and the interior space is enclosed by the support rail and mounting body perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. At least in some longitudinal sections, the enclosure of the interior space formed by the support rail and mounting body can be interrupted, for example to allow access to the interior space, for example for air supply. The interior space is preferably continuously enclosed over at least 80%, in particular at least 90%, of its longitudinal extent, in particular over its longitudinal extent.The mounting body often has a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, comprising a mounting body base extending transversely and, on the two transverse sides of the mounting base, mounting body side walls extending vertically away from the mounting body base. The support rail and mounting body are usually manufactured separately. Particularly preferably, the support rail and / or mounting body are each usually produced from a sheet metal by forming. In an operating state of the system in which the system is used as intended, the mounting body is usually held by a retaining spring on support rail retaining anchors of the support rail. Various possibilities for implementing such a retaining spring are known in the prior art.Typically, the retaining spring is firmly connected to the mounting body and has elastically deflectable retaining projections in the transverse direction. The transverse direction, when referring to the mounting body, refers to the operating state of the system. The support rail retaining anchors are preferably designed as projections.

[0004] To implement a generic luminaire, supply lines are usually provided which are arranged in the interior of the support rails and are supplied by the lamps and / or other electrical functional elements arranged on the mounting bodies of the luminaire. A generic system has a generic current conducting rail, which is usually made of plastic, in particular by means of an extrusion process or injection molding process, and which is also elongated in the longitudinal direction, i.e. has an elongated longitudinal extension between its two longitudinal ends. The current conducting rail is usually arranged on an inner side of the support rail facing the interior and is fixed to the support rail, in particular to the support rail base and / or to at least one of the support rail side walls.The current conducting rail extends over a significant portion of the length of the support rail, in particular over at least 80% of the longitudinal extent of the support rail. Typically, the current conducting rail has a plurality of channels arranged next to one another along an alignment direction, which channels are open to an access side that is accessible from the interior. In the operating state, the current conducting rail is fixed to the support rail in such a way that the alignment direction runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. In one embodiment, the alignment direction runs parallel to the transverse direction in the operating state of the system. The channels preferably extend continuously over the entire length of the current conducting rail. In particular, the transverse direction, the longitudinal direction and the vertical direction run perpendicular to one another.At least one conductor wire is arranged in at least some of the channels, in particular exactly one conductor wire or exactly two conductor wires, which are held at a distance from one another in the respective channel, and at least one longitudinal end of the current conducting rail, the conductor wires are usually connected to an external voltage source, via which electrical energy and in particular electrical signals can be applied to the conductor wires. The conductor wires can thus serve as supply lines in the support rails. For this purpose, an electrical connector, designed in particular as an electrical feed device, is usually arranged at the longitudinal end and is electrically connected to the conductor wires. Usually, an electrical connector is provided at each longitudinal end of the current conducting rail.The electrical connectors can, for example, be designed as mutually corresponding connectors, for example, a first as a plug to a second as a socket. By providing at least one connector at at least one longitudinal end of the busbar, adjacent busbars in the longitudinal direction can be electrically connected to one another, so that the conductor wires can form a through-wiring.

[0005] A generic system typically further comprises a contact device, via which an electrical contact is established between the conductor wires assigned to the busbar and at least one electrical functional element of the mounting body. The contact device is typically fixed to the mounting body and ensures an electrical connection of the at least one electrical functional element when the mounting body is held in the operating state of the system or in its intended position on the support rail in which the luminaire is implemented. The contact device is designed to engage in the channels from the access side of the support rail to contact the conductor wires.For this purpose, the contact device comprises a plurality of contact units arranged side by side in an arrangement direction, wherein, in the operating state of the system, each of the contact units electrically conductively contacts one of the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail. In the operating state, the arrangement direction, which is defined with reference to the contact device, is arranged parallel to the alignment direction, which is defined with reference to the current conducting rail.To contact the conductor wires, the contact device is arranged with its contact side on the access side of the conductor rail, wherein the contact units for contacting the conductor wires are inserted into the channels in a plug-in direction resulting from the arrangement of the contact units and defined for the contact device, wherein the plug-in direction is usually perpendicular to the arrangement direction and, accordingly, to realize the operating state, perpendicular to the alignment direction.

[0006] Generic systems are used in a wide range of applications, for example in warehouses, production halls, supermarkets, or open-plan offices, where luminaires with a plurality of support rails and mounting bodies are used. The basic principle of luminaires manufactured with a generic system is that the support rails form the electrical and mechanical infrastructure of these luminaires, whereas the mounting bodies are attached to the support rails and contain the electrical functional elements required in the respective application. Of course, at least some of the electrical functional elements are usually designed as lighting modules with light sources, in particular comprising LED boards.For example, alternatively or additionally, further electrical functional elements can be provided on the respective mounting body, such as a presence sensor (e.g. infrared sensor), a camera, a radio module, etc. The electrical functional elements are usually fixed to the mounting body.

[0007] In typical applications, systems of this type are used in such a way that a plurality of luminaire components, each of which comprises a support rail designed as explained, are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction and connected to one another. Further components of the respective luminaire component can be arranged on or in the support rails of the luminaire components. For example, lamps and supply lines can be attached to the support rails, for example directly to the support rails, for example by providing a mounting body designed as explained above and / or a current conducting rail designed as explained above. For example, each luminaire component can each comprise a support rail, a current conducting rail and a mounting body and in particular a coupling attached to the support rail.The luminaire components are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction, with the support rails of the respective luminaire components being mechanically connected to one another by means of the coupling, and the supply lines which run in the support rails, in particular the conductor wires arranged in the current conducting rails of the luminaire components, being electrically connected to one another in pairs, i.e. one conductor wire of the first luminaire component is connected to one conductor wire of the second luminaire component. This makes it possible to create very elongated luminaires, as is required in a variety of applications. A luminaire of the respective system therefore comprises a plurality of support rails and in particular a plurality of mounting bodies and / or current conducting rails or a plurality of luminaire components, which are each connected to one another as explained.

[0008] Since generic luminaires are typically quite long, often exceeding 5 m, 10 m, 20 m, or even more than 50 m, it is necessary to connect a variety of mounting rails using a generic system to create the luminaire. For this purpose, the mounting rails are typically delivered with one longitudinal section of the coupling positioned in the respective mounting rail and another longitudinal section protruding from the mounting rail. This coupling is then inserted into another mounting rail to secure the two mounting rails together.To install the electrical functional elements, in particular the lighting devices, the contact devices are arranged with their contact sides within the interior of the support rail on the access side of the current conducting rail so that the functional element connected to the respective contact device can be electrically connected to at least some of the conductor wires by means of the contact device. The contacting of the conductor wires by the contact device is often carried out in such a way that a mounting body with a pre-mounted contact device is arranged at the open end of the support rail and the contact units of the contact device are inserted into the channels of the current conducting rail, while the contact device is fixed to the mounting body.The contact units are often inserted into the conducting wire channels during and due to the same movement of the mounting body relative to the support rail with which the mounting body is arranged and fastened to the open end of the support rail to close the open side of the support rail. Since a current conducting rail of a generic system typically has a large number of channels arranged next to one another in the direction of alignment, typically at least ten, preferably at least thirteen, ensuring correct contact between the conducting wires arranged in the channels is not easy. It must be taken into account that the current conducting rail with all of its channels usually extends over a limited area in the direction of alignment, so that the current conducting rail, and thus a luminaire manufactured using the system, does not have to be overly large.In most cases, the conductor rail extends in the direction of alignment with its total extension length of less than 20 cm, in particular less than 15 cm. In most cases, the channel walls that separate the clear cross-sections of two adjacent channels of the conductor rail have a channel wall thickness of less than 5 mm, in particular less than 4 mm, in particular less than 3 mm. The contact device and its contact units must therefore be carefully aligned relative to the conductor rail so that its contact units can reach the channels provided for them and, in particular, so that the contact units do not contact unwanted components too early due to an inclination of the contact device relative to the conductor rail.Furthermore, if possible, such incorrect insertion of the contact device onto the conductor rail must be prevented by positioning the contact device on the conductor rail at a 180° angle compared to its intended orientation relative to the conductor rail. It should be noted that each of the conductor wires arranged in the conductor rail channels is typically assigned a specific function, such as a data conductor, neutral conductor, phase conductor, or PE conductor. Therefore, correct positioning of the contact device relative to the conductor rail and correct contacting of the contact units with their respective designated conductor wires are essential for the correct functioning of a luminaire and also for safety reasons.In the prior art, various measures have already been taken to design a conductor rail and corresponding contact device in such a way that incorrect contact is avoided wherever possible. For example, it is known to design the contact device on its outer contour to correspond to an inner contour of the support rail, so that the contact device can only be arranged in a desired position on the access side of the conductor rail determined by the interaction of the contours. However, it has been found that such a mismating protection device can only be designed with considerable effort to exclude incorrect arrangement of the contact device or incorrect contact with sufficient probability.It is also known from the prior art to design a busbar asymmetrically so that a contact device can only be arranged in one rotational position relative to the busbar. However, this only provides inadequate protection against misconnection.

[0009] The present invention is based on the object of providing a current guide rail for a system for producing a luminaire comprising a current guide rail or such a system or a luminaire comprising the current guide rail or a method for realising a luminaire with which at least one disadvantage of generic current guide rails or systems or luminaires or methods can be at least partially remedied.

[0010] As a solution to the objective technical problem underlying the present invention, the invention proposes a current guide rail with the features according to claim 1. The current guide rail is designed and intended to be used as a current guide rail of a system for realizing a longitudinally elongated luminaire. Such a system has, in addition to the current guide rail, a longitudinally elongated mounting body on which a light source is arranged, which is to be electrically supplied by means of conducting wires arranged in channels of the current guide rail. The system further has a longitudinally elongated support rail which has an interior space. The current guide rail is longitudinally elongated and is intended to be arranged in the interior space of the support rail.The current conducting rail has channels arranged side by side in an alignment direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, which are elongated in the longitudinal direction and open on an access side of the current conducting rail, each having a clear cross-section. Two adjacent channels in the alignment direction form a pair of channels whose clear cross-sections are separated from one another by a channel wall of the current conducting rail. At least one longitudinally elongated conductor wire is arranged in at least some of the channels. The current conducting rail is designed to electrically insulate the conductor wires arranged in its channels from one another. The current conducting rail has at least a first and a second current conducting profile, which are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction and can be displaced relative to one another in the longitudinal direction over a predefined displacement range.Thus, in the event of thermal expansion, the current conducting profiles can move relative to one another, although this movement is limited by the length of the displacement range in the longitudinal direction. This limitation can be achieved, for example, by a corresponding design of the current conducting profiles directly by the current conducting rail itself or indirectly via the support rail if they are arranged in the latter. In any relative position that the current conducting profiles can assume within the displacement range, their facing longitudinal end regions interlock in a comb-like manner over an overlap area. Depending on the relative position of the current conducting profiles to one another within the displacement range, the overlap area extends over a length in the longitudinal direction that depends on the relative position.In every relative position, the current-conducting profiles overlap, so that in every relative position there is an overlapping area over which the longitudinal end regions of the two current-conducting profiles interlock and thus overlap. Due to the comb-like interlocking, a channel wall section formed by the first current-conducting profile rests against a channel wall section formed by the second current-conducting profile along the alignment direction. The current-conducting profiles of the current-conducting rail together form the channel walls of the current-conducting rail, which are continuous in the longitudinal direction.Since there is always an overlapping area in every possible relative position of the current conducting profiles to one another over the entire displacement range and thus the longitudinal end areas of the current conducting profiles overlap one another, sufficient electrical insulation of the conductor wires arranged in the channels is ensured by the longitudinal sections of each channel wall formed by the current conducting profiles.

[0011] According to the invention, a first of the channel walls is designed as a first coding channel wall and a second of the channel walls is designed as a second coding channel wall. The coding channel walls each form a coding section of a coding arrangement of the current conducting rail. The coding arrangement is designed to ensure a predefined arrangement of a contact device when the contact device is arranged on the access side of the current conducting rail in order to contact the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail. For this purpose, the coding arrangement forms a predefined contour. The coding channel walls each protrude longitudinally in sections over other channel walls of the current conducting rail along a plug-in direction that runs perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and the alignment direction.The plug-in direction indicates the direction along which the contact units of a contact device are to be inserted into the channels open to the access side of the current conducting rail, starting from the access side, so that the contact units of the contact device can contact the conductor wires. Both the first and the second current conducting profile each form a first longitudinal section of each of the two coding channel walls, and both the first and the second current conducting profile each form a second longitudinal section of each of the two coding channel walls. The first longitudinal sections, i.e. both the first longitudinal section formed by the first current conducting profile and the first longitudinal section formed by the second current conducting profile, of each coding channel wall protrude beyond the second longitudinal sections in the plug-in direction, i.e.both over the second longitudinal section formed by the first current-conducting profile and over the second longitudinal section of the respective coding channel wall formed by the second current-conducting profile. The first longitudinal section of the first channel wall formed by the first current-conducting profile projects beyond the second longitudinal section of the first coding channel wall formed by the second current-conducting profile in the overlap region, and the first longitudinal section of the second coding channel wall formed by the second current-conducting profile projects beyond the second longitudinal section of the second coding channel wall formed by the first current-conducting profile in the overlap region.In the overlapping section, of course, due to the overlap of the two current conducting profiles, the respective first longitudinal section formed by one of the current conducting profiles and the second longitudinal section formed by the other of the two current conducting profiles and projected over by the said first longitudinal section of a specific one of the coding channel walls extend over the same longitudinal extension area over which the first longitudinal section projects over the second longitudinal section.

[0012] The inventive design of the current conducting rail offers the particular advantage that, on the one hand, it ensures that adjacent current conducting profiles can be displaced relative to one another, but, on the other hand, it also ensures that, despite the displaceability, a longitudinal region is kept as short as possible, in which no section of a coding channel wall is provided that projects beyond other channel walls in the plug-in direction. Because the current conducting profiles overlap in the overlapping region and, in the overlapping region, a first longitudinal section of a coding channel wall always projects beyond a second longitudinal section of the same coding channel wall, which is formed by the other of the two current conducting profiles, the first longitudinal section projecting beyond other channel walls can also be provided in the overlapping region.It should be noted that the first longitudinal section and the second longitudinal section projecting beyond it are formed by different current-conducting profiles and both extend over the same longitudinal extension region, within which the first longitudinal section projects beyond the second, so that despite the provision of the first longitudinal section of the coding channel wall projecting beyond other channel walls, the displaceability of the current-conducting profiles is ensured. Preferably, the first and second longitudinal sections, which are formed by different current-conducting profiles and extend over the same longitudinal extension region within the overlap region, slide against one another along the alignment direction. Preferably, the channel wall section of one current-conducting profile, which forms the second longitudinal section of the coding channel wall, is received by the channel section of the other current-conducting profile, i.e.enclosed by it in sections, in particular by the channel walls delimiting a clear cross-section of this current-conducting profile, which forms the first longitudinal section of the same coding channel wall.

[0013] In one embodiment, the coding sections each have an interruption formed by a longitudinal distance provided between the two first longitudinal sections of the coding channel walls. The coding channel walls extend with at least one of their second longitudinal sections continuously across this longitudinal distance. Thus, it is preferably provided that for each coding channel wall, the two first longitudinal sections, which are formed by a respective different one of the two current-conducting profiles, are spaced apart from one another by a longitudinal distance, whereas the coding channel wall nevertheless extends continuously across the longitudinal distance in that it extends with at least one of its second longitudinal sections, which are formed by the two current-conducting profiles, continuously across this longitudinal distance.Preferably, the interruptions provided by the various coding sections are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction, so that one of the longitudinal sections of each of the two coding channel walls extends across the entire longitudinal extension length of the longitudinal distance provided between the first longitudinal sections of the other of the two channel walls. This particularly advantageously ensures that even at the level of an interruption of one of the coding sections, the current guide rail has a functional coding arrangement on its access side, since the other coding section is designed to be uninterrupted across this interruption.

[0014] In one embodiment, the first longitudinal section of the first coding channel wall formed by the first current conducting profile projects over the second longitudinal section of the first coding channel wall formed by the second current conducting profile in the overlapping region with a lateral projection, and the first longitudinal section of the second coding channel wall formed by the second current conducting profile projects over the second longitudinal section of the second coding channel wall formed by the first current conducting profile in the overlapping region with a lateral projection. Thus, each of the first longitudinal sections which project over an associated second longitudinal section formed by the other current conducting profile within the overlapping region has a lateral projection associated with this second longitudinal section. By providing the lateral projection, the coding channel wall can be provided in its first longitudinal section with a sufficient width, ieExtension length along the alignment direction, so that the coding channel wall can fulfill a robust coding function.

[0015] In one embodiment, in the overlapping region, only exactly one of the first longitudinal sections of each coding channel wall projects beyond one of the second longitudinal sections of this coding channel wall. In one embodiment, the projecting first longitudinal section of one of the coding channel walls projects longitudinally beyond the other first longitudinal section of another of the coding channel walls, formed by the same current-conducting profile. In one embodiment, in the overlapping region of each coding channel wall, only one of the two different first longitudinal sections of this coding channel wall, formed by the two current-conducting profiles, is arranged. In one embodiment, a transition between the first and second longitudinal sections of the first coding channel wall formed by one of the current-conducting profiles is offset in the longitudinal direction from a transition between the first and second longitudinal sections of the second coding channel wall formed by this current-conducting profile.

[0016] In one embodiment, the current conducting rail is divided by a central plane running perpendicular to the alignment direction into two halves of equal length in the alignment direction. The central plane is thus a fictitious plane that divides the current conducting rail into two halves of equal length. In one embodiment, the coding channel walls are arranged in only one of the two halves. The coding channel walls are preferably arranged at a distance from the central plane, in particular by at least 5%, in particular at least 10% of the total extension length of the current conducting rail in the alignment direction. In one embodiment, the coding channel walls project beyond all channel walls arranged in the other of the halves. By arranging the coding channel walls in only one of the two halves, incorrect contact can be particularly reliably prevented when using a corresponding contact device.

[0017] In one embodiment, the first longitudinal sections of the current conducting profiles each have a greater channel wall thickness than the second longitudinal sections of the current conducting profiles. The channel wall thickness refers to the thickness of a channel wall, i.e. its extension length in the direction of alignment. This can ensure particularly good stability of the first longitudinal sections extending over a greater length in the plug-in direction. In one embodiment, the current conducting profiles have, at their mutually facing longitudinal end regions, at the absolute longitudinal end of the channel wall sections formed by them, a sliding surface which runs obliquely to the direction of alignment and which slides against one another when the two current conducting profiles are pushed together in the longitudinal direction.This makes it possible to arrange the current conducting profiles in one another in a way that is as non-destructive as possible when the two current conducting rails are pushed into one another, whereby the pushing into one another refers to a displacement in the longitudinal direction.

[0018] In one embodiment, the second longitudinal sections of the coding channel walls end at the same height, relative to the plug-in direction, as the other channel walls of the current conducting rail, i.e. the channel walls of the current conducting rail that are not designed as coding channel walls. This can both simplify the manufacturing process and enforce a targeted alignment of the contact device for correct contacting of the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail. Because the second longitudinal sections end at the same height, relative to the plug-in direction, as the other channel walls of the current conducting rail that are not designed as coding channel walls, the second longitudinal sections, together with the other channel walls, form a section of the access side of the current conducting rail that runs in one plane.

[0019] In one embodiment, all channel wall sections at the mutually facing longitudinal end regions of the current conducting profiles have an extension length in the plug-in direction that decreases towards the respective longitudinal end. This allows for particularly easy sliding of adjacent current conducting profiles against one another and minimizes the impairment of accessibility to the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail from the access side. Particularly preferably, all channel wall sections at the mutually facing longitudinal end regions of the current conducting profiles have a rounded portion, so that they have a rounded portion at their absolute longitudinal ends, wherein this rounded portion forms the extension length that decreases in the plug-in direction towards the respective longitudinal end.

[0020] In one embodiment, one of the current-conducting profiles has, in its longitudinal end region facing the other current-conducting profile, a transverse web running in the alignment direction, which extends along the alignment direction across all channels of the current-conducting rail, and on the upper side of which the other of the current-conducting profiles rests in sliding contact with its longitudinal end region facing the one current-conducting profile. At this point, it should be generally noted that a distinction between "one" and "the other" is not possible.

[0021] "The other" of the current conducting profiles does not imply a commitment to a specific one of the current conducting profiles, but merely serves to differentiate the current conducting rail in the respective feature context. The crossbar can support the other current conducting profile with respect to the vertical direction and thus contribute to a particularly advantageous guidance of the two current conducting rails relative to one another. Because the crossbar extends across all channels of the current conducting rail, i.e. across the extension area of ​​all clear cross sections of the channels in the alignment direction, the crossbar can be designed to be robust, and the other current conducting profile can be guided particularly robustly by the crossbar. Generally speaking, the crossbar is preferably designed to be uninterrupted, so that it runs continuously along the alignment direction, resulting in particularly increased stability.Preferably, the crosspiece extends with respect to the vertical direction over less than 20%, in particular less than 10%, of the total extension length of the current conducting rail in the vertical direction. Particularly preferably, the cross section along the alignment direction extends over at least 70%, in particular at least 80%, in particular at least 90% of the total extension length of the current conducting rail in the alignment direction. Preferably, the crosspiece has, at its end facing the other current conducting profile, a sliding surface running obliquely to the plug-in direction. Due to the sliding surface, the extension length of the crosspiece in the plug-in direction is thus reduced towards the absolute longitudinal end of one current conducting profile and thus towards the other current conducting profile, such that the sliding surface forms an oblique ramp for the other current conducting profile.By sliding along the sliding surface when the two current conducting profiles are pushed into one another, an increasingly close guidance of the current conducting profiles to one another with respect to the plug-in direction can be ensured as the sliding along the sliding surface progresses, in particular if the current conducting profiles are limited in their relative movement to one another by stops with respect to the plug-in direction and the stops are arranged such that the other current conducting profile is fixed in its position to one current conducting profile in one direction along the plug-in direction by the stops abutting one another and is fixed in its relative position to the one current conducting profile in the other direction along the plug-in direction by resting on the crossbar. Particularly preferably, the crossbar is directly connected to all channel wall sections formed by the one current conducting profile.This ensures particularly good stability of the crossbar and in particular of one current conducting profile and in particular of the current conducting rail as a whole.

[0022] In one embodiment, one of the current conducting profiles has a receiving groove on its underside facing away from the access side, in which a locking projection of the other of the current conducting profiles is arranged, wherein the receiving groove has a defined length in the longitudinal direction and the locking projection is displaceable within the receiving groove in the longitudinal direction over the length of the receiving groove, so that a length of the overlap region is determined by the length of the receiving groove. The locking projection can thus only be displaced in the longitudinal direction within the length of the receiving groove, so that the receiving groove, with its longitudinal ends, each provides a stop for the locking projection. Preferably, one of the current conducting profiles has a plurality of receiving grooves on its underside, wherein in each receiving groove there is a locking projection which the other of the current conducting profiles has, wherein the receiving groove and locking projection can each interact as explained here.By arranging a locking projection in the receiving groove, the relative movement of two adjacent conductor rails can be particularly effectively limited, thereby defining the length of the overlapping area. The overlapping area can have a different length depending on the relative position of the conductor profiles to one another. The possible relative positions are limited by the arrangement of the locking projection in the receiving groove, so that the overlapping area can only have a length within a range determined by the displaceability of the locking projection in the receiving groove.Determining the length of the overlap area by the length of the receiving groove thus defines the length of the overlap area to a specific length range, in particular to a length range whose lower value is at most 10 mm, in particular at most 5 mm, and whose upper value is at least 15 mm, in particular at least 20 mm, in particular at least 30 mm. The length of the overlap area indicates the length over which the two adjacent current-conducting profiles overlap in the longitudinal direction.

[0023] In one embodiment, the other current conducting profile has a plurality of locking projections. In one embodiment, a plurality of locking projections are arranged in a same receiving groove of the one current conducting profile. In one embodiment, the one current conducting profile has a plurality of receiving grooves, each receiving groove being assigned exactly one locking projection. Each of the locking projections of the other current conducting profile is preferably arranged on a longitudinal web of the current conducting profile, which extends in the longitudinal direction beyond all of the channel wall sections formed by the current conducting profile. The longitudinal web is preferably arranged below the clear cross sections of all of the channels of the current conducting rail in the plug-in direction. The longitudinal web preferably extends beyond the clear cross sections of a plurality of adjacently arranged channels of the current conducting rail in the alignment direction.By arranging the longitudinal web beneath the channels, the longitudinal web can be designed to be as unobstructive as possible. By extending the longitudinal web sufficiently wide, i.e., extending sufficiently long along the alignment direction, sufficient stability of the longitudinal web can advantageously be ensured. The longitudinal web preferably extends at least 1 cm beyond the channel wall sections formed by the current-conducting profile that encompasses the longitudinal web. Generally, the other current-conducting profile preferably has at least two longitudinal webs, each of which has at least one locking projection provided thereon, the longitudinal webs being spaced apart from one another over their entire longitudinal extent in the alignment direction.This can, on the one hand, simplify the manufacture of the current-conducting profile, and, on the other hand, improve the flexibility of the respective longitudinal web, thus particularly advantageously ensuring engagement of the respective locking projection in the respectively associated receiving groove. Preferably, the longitudinal extent of each longitudinal web is at least 1 cm, in particular at least 1.5 cm, in particular at least 2 cm. Particularly preferably, the extension length of each longitudinal web in the alignment direction is at least 1 cm, in particular at least 1.5 cm.

[0024] In one embodiment, one of the two adjacent current-conducting profiles has a lateral guide section on each of its sides, with the other of the current-conducting profiles being arranged between the guide sections and guided laterally through them to one current-conducting profile. By guiding the other current-conducting profile between the lateral guide sections of one current-conducting profile, the position of the other current-conducting profile is particularly reliably fixed with respect to the alignment direction relative to the one current-conducting profile, which can be particularly advantageous for the overall stability of the current-conducting rail.

[0025] In one embodiment, the current conducting rail has more than two current conducting profiles, wherein two of the current conducting profiles are arranged adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction and one behind the other and are displaceable relative to one another in the longitudinal direction over a predefined displacement range. In each relative position to one another within the displacement range, the respectively adjacent current conducting profiles engage with one another in a comb-like manner with their mutually facing longitudinal end regions over an overlap region, so that a channel wall section formed by one of the adjacent current conducting profiles rests against a channel wall section formed by the other of the adjacent current conducting profiles along the alignment direction, and the current conducting profiles together form the channel walls of the current conducting rail as uninterrupted in the longitudinal direction.Two adjacent current-conducting profiles each form a pair of current-conducting profiles, one of which is designed as the first and the other as the second current-conducting profile of the pair. These first and second current-conducting profiles can be configured to correspond to one another, as generally described here for the first and second current-conducting profiles. Thus, each overlap region provided between two adjacent current-conducting profiles of the current-conducting rail can be configured analogously, so that the coding arrangement can extend uninterruptedly across all current-conducting profiles and thus across all overlap regions, even when more than two current-conducting profiles are provided, in the sense that at least one coding section of the coding arrangement is arranged without interruption at each longitudinal position.

[0026] The invention further relates to a system comprising a current conducting rail according to the invention, as well as a contact device and a longitudinally elongated mounting body on which a light source is arranged as the electrical functional means, and in particular at least one further elongated mounting body on which another electrical functional element is arranged. The respective electrical functional element provided on the respective mounting body is to be electrically supplied by means of a respective contact device. The system further comprises a longitudinally elongated support rail which has a U-shaped cross-section running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and an open end.In an operating state of the system, the contact device is fixed to the mounting body and the mounting body is arranged at the open end of the support rail and fastened relative to the support rail, wherein in the operating state the contact device and the current conducting rail are arranged in an interior space of the support rail which is closed off by the mounting body. In the operating state, the contact device contacts with its contact units at least some of the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail, in particular all of the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail. The contact device is therefore fundamentally designed to be used in such a system, for which purpose the contact device has a housing in which a plurality of contact units are arranged next to one another in an arrangement direction. The arrangement direction is with respect to the contact device orthe housing of the contact device. The contact device preferably comprises at least ten, in particular at least thirteen contact units arranged next to one another along the arrangement direction. The contact device can thus be arranged on the access side of a corresponding current conducting rail, which has a corresponding number of channels open on the access side with conducting wires arranged therein. The contact device preferably has an extension length in the arrangement direction which is less than 15 cm, in particular less than 10 cm. Generally speaking, each of the contact units of the contact device preferably has a contact blade which is made of a conductive material, in particular metal, and which is to be introduced into one of the channels of the current conducting rail in order to contact a conducting wire of the current conducting rail.Preferably, the contact blades of the contact device are spaced apart from one another by less than 5 mm along the arrangement direction. Preferably, each of the contact blades has an extension length of at least 5 mm, in particular an extension length of at least 7 mm, in particular an extension length of at least 10 mm, along a plug-in direction along which the contact units or their contact blades are to be introduced into the channels of the current conducting rail for contacting the conductor wires. The contact device has a contact side and is designed to be arranged with its contact side on the access side of the current conducting rail, which is defined by its explained properties, with at least some of its contact units being introduced along a plug-in direction into one of the channels in each case, contacting the conductor wires arranged in these channels.To make contact with the conductor wires, the contact units are to be inserted at least partially into the channels of the conductor rail, starting from the access side of the conductor rail. Preferably, the contact blades, which are advantageously each encompassed by the contact units, penetrate into the channels of the conductor rail to make contact. The conductor wires are preferably spaced from the access side, i.e. from the end of the channel walls of the channels formed on the access side, by at least 2 mm, in particular by at least 3 mm. The contact device is designed such that it is suitable for being arranged on the access side such that its contact units are brought into electrical contact with the conductor wires arranged in the channels.Generally preferably, the support rail of a system, as part of which the contact device can be used, has a U-shaped cross section with which it extends perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, wherein the U-base runs in a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and connects the U-side walls of the support rail to one another, wherein the current conducting rail is arranged in the support rail with the alignment direction aligned parallel to the transverse direction and the current conducting rail extends along the transverse direction with its channels over at least 80%, in particular at least 90% of the extension length of the interior of the support rail in the transverse direction between the two U-side walls, wherein the contact device from the open side of the support rail, iefrom the open side of the U-shape of the support rail, can be plugged onto the current conducting rail in such a way that one of its contact units is arranged at least in sections in each of the channels of the current conducting rail and contacts the conductor wire arranged in the respective channel. In general, the contact device is suitable for being arranged on the access side of the current conducting rail in such a way that the alignment direction runs parallel to the arrangement direction, wherein in this arrangement one of the contact units is arranged in each of the channels of the current conducting rail and contacts the respective conductor wire arranged in the respective channel.During the arrangement of the contact device with its contact side on the access side of the conductor rail or following the arrangement of the contact device with its contact side on the access side of the conductor rail, the contact units can be inserted along a plug-in direction into the channels of the conductor rail that are open towards the access side. The plug-in direction generally preferably runs perpendicular to the arrangement direction or, with a corresponding arrangement of the contact device on the conductor rail, also perpendicular to the alignment direction. In such a normal state, in which the contact units are in electrically conductive contact with the conductor wires arranged in the channels, the contact units thus extend along the plug-in direction from the access side of the conductor rail into the channels of the conductor rail up to the conductor wires.According to the invention, the contact device comprises a protective device having a protective element mounted on the housing so as to be movable relative to the housing along the plug-in direction, which protective element at least partially conceals the contact units to protect the contact units, and whose mobility along the plug-in direction is blocked in the rest position by a locking section of the protective device engaging a blocking section provided on the housing. The blocking section is preferably designed as an integral component of the housing. By the protective element at least partially concealing the contact units, in particular the contact blades of the contact units, the protective element can effectively prevent incorrect insertion of the contact units into the channels of the current conducting rail when the contact device is arranged with its contact side on the access side of the current conducting rail.The engagement of the locking portion against the blocking portion in a specific direction along the blocking direction blocks the movement of the protective element relative to the housing, wherein this specific direction is directed counter to the insertion direction along the plug-in direction in which the contact units are to be inserted into the channels. The specific direction and the insertion direction thus run in opposite directions parallel to the plug-in direction. In the rest position, the protective element cannot be moved relative to the housing counter to the insertion direction and thus cannot release the contact units if the contact device is pressed with its contact side against the access side of the current conducting rail in the insertion direction, which runs parallel to the plug-in direction.In the release position explained later, however, the contact units can be inserted into the channels in the insertion direction along the plug-in direction, while the protective element moves relative to the housing of the contact device counter to the insertion direction along the blocking direction. The protective element preferably extends at least over the same extension area as the contact units, relative to the plug-in direction, and / or on the side of the contact units facing the contact side and / or forms at least a section of the contact side of the contact device. The protective device further comprises an unlocking element connected to the protective element, which has an unlocking arrangement. The unlocking element is mounted so as to be movable relative to the housing and comprises the locking section of the protective device.The unlocking element can be moved perpendicular to the plug-in direction against the unlocking arrangement by pressing it along the plug-in direction from the access side, thereby creating a release position in which the locking section is arranged completely next to the blocking section and the protective element can therefore be moved along the plug-in direction relative to the housing to enable the contact units to be inserted into the channels of the current conducting rail, i.e. to enable the contact units to make contact with the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail. The unlocking element is therefore specifically mounted on the housing so that pressing on the unlocking arrangement along the plug-in direction creates a movement of the locking element relative to the housing perpendicular to the plug-in direction.This can be achieved, for example, by mounting the unlocking element relative to the housing about a rotation axis provided on the housing and / or by providing inclined surfaces as part of the unlocking arrangement that extend obliquely to the plug-in direction, so that pressing on these inclined surfaces in the plug-in direction, due to the inclined position, leads to a movement of the unlocking element perpendicular to the plug-in direction. Generally, the unlocking arrangement is preferably configured to correspond to the coding arrangement provided on the access side of the current guide rail, which is thus configured to actuate the unlocking arrangement from the rest position from the contact side of the contact device.The unlocking arrangement is thus designed to correspond to the coding arrangement in such a way that, by pressing the coding arrangement against the unlocking arrangement along the plug-in direction, the unlocking element can be moved perpendicular to the plug-in direction, thereby achieving the release position. Preferably, the unlocking arrangement and coding arrangement are designed to correspond to one another in such a way that, when the contact device is arranged with its contact side on the access side of the current conducting rail, contacting of the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail is only possible in a single rotational position of the contact device relative to the current conducting rail, wherein the rotational position refers to a rotation about the plug-in direction. This can be achieved, for example, by an asymmetrical design of the unlocking arrangement and coding arrangement with respect to the plug-in direction.This can make it possible to particularly reliably prevent incorrect plugging or incorrect contact.

[0027] In one embodiment, the unlocking arrangement has a first unlocking section and a second unlocking section that are spaced apart from one another. This ensures improved functionality of the protective device. In one embodiment, the release position of the contact device can be reached by pressing against only one of the two unlocking sections, starting from the rest position of the contact device. In another embodiment, the release position can only be reached by actuating both unlocking sections, starting from the rest position. The provision of the two spaced-apart unlocking sections thus brings with it the advantage of particularly targeted use of the contact device.Particularly preferably, the first unlocking section is assigned to the first coding section of the coding arrangement and the second unlocking section is assigned to the second coding section of the coding arrangement. In one embodiment, in a contacting position of the contact device relative to the current conducting rail, each of the unlocking sections is designed to interact with the coding section respectively assigned to it in order to reach the release position starting from the rest position. In the contacting position, the contact side of the contact device points to the access side of the current conducting rail, and each of the unlocking sections interacts with the coding section respectively assigned to it in order to reach the release position starting from the rest position. The contacting position designates a specific position of the contact device relative to the current conducting rail.The contacting position defines the position of the contact device relative to the current conducting rail with respect to its position along the alignment or arrangement direction, as well as in any direction perpendicular thereto, and with respect to a rotation about the plug-in direction. In one embodiment, the unlocking sections of the contact device are separated from one another by a separating section of the contact device running along the plug-in direction. The separating section and the unlocking sections are each surface sections of the unlocking element. Preferably, the separating section points in a different direction than the coding sections.In one embodiment, the separating section runs parallel to the plug-in direction or points along the plug-in direction in an opposite direction compared to the coding sections; generally preferably, the coding sections run obliquely to the plug-in direction and are each accessible from the contact side of the contact device or form a section of the contact side. In one embodiment, the first and second unlocking sections are spaced apart from one another in the arrangement direction and / or in a direction running perpendicular to the plug-in direction and arrangement direction. When the contact device is used as intended, the direction running perpendicular to the plug-in direction and arrangement direction runs in the longitudinal direction.Generally preferably, the contact device and the current conducting rail are designed to correspond to one another in such a way that when the coding arrangement is pressed against the unlocking arrangement, the contact device rests on the current conducting rail and thus on the coding arrangement exclusively via the first and second unlocking sections. In one embodiment, each of the unlocking sections forms an inclined surface section which is accessible from the contact side, in particular forms a section of the contact side. Generally preferably, the inclined surface sections run parallel and are spaced apart from one another. In one embodiment, the unlocking element is movable from the rest position in a direction of movement to reach the release position, wherein the unlocking sections are spaced apart from one another along the direction of movement. The corresponding spaced-apart arrangements of the unlocking sections orThe rigid coupling of the unlocking sections can be particularly advantageous for the functionality of the protective device, in particular it can be particularly reliably ensured that pressing against only one of the two optionally selectable unlocking sections has the same effect as pressing against both unlocking sections, whereby the effect relates to reaching the release position starting from the rest position.

[0028] In one embodiment, the unlocking element is fixed in position relative to the protective element at least by means of a fixing section along the plug-in direction. As a result, the unlocking element can be guided particularly reliably to the protective element in such a way that the release position can be achieved by the unlocking element upon actuation of the unlocking arrangement or pressing against the unlocking arrangement along the plug-in direction, starting from the rest position. In one embodiment, the unlocking element has an extension length in the arrangement direction that is a multiple, in particular at least three times, in particular at least four times, in particular at least five times, of an extension length of the unlocking element in a direction running perpendicular to the arrangement direction, in particular perpendicular to the arrangement direction and plug-in direction.In one embodiment, the protective element has an extension length in the arrangement direction that is a multiple, in particular at least three times, in particular at least four times, in particular at least five times, of an extension length of the protective element in a direction running perpendicular to the arrangement direction, in particular perpendicular to the arrangement direction and perpendicular to the plug-in direction. This configuration allows the unlocking element or the protective element to be particularly advantageously guided relative to the housing of the contact device. In one embodiment, the protective element extends over at least 60%, in particular at least 70%, in particular at least 80% of the total extension length of the contact device in the arrangement direction.In one embodiment, the unlocking element extends over at least 30%, in particular at least 40%, in particular at least 50%, in particular at least 60% of the total extension length of the contact device in the arrangement direction. In one embodiment, the housing, the protective element, and the unlocking element are each formed as a separately manufactured injection-molded component. This allows each of these injection-molded components to be specifically adapted to the requirements placed on it.

[0029] In one embodiment, the contact device has a first group of contact units and a second group of contact units spaced apart from the first group by a spacing region in a direction perpendicular to the arrangement direction and perpendicular to the plug-in direction, wherein the protective device is arranged in the spacing region between the two groups of contact units. The spaced-apart arrangement of the two groups of contact units can be particularly advantageous for arranging the contact units at a short distance from one another in relation to the arrangement direction and, at the same time, ensuring good accessibility of the contact units for connecting an electrical functional element. All contact units are arranged next to one another along the arrangement direction orarranged one behind the other, with the contact units of the different groups arranged offset from one another in the direction mentioned. The contact units explained naturally include both the first group and the second group of contact units, so that the contact units of both groups can be inserted into the channels of the current conducting rail as intended when the contact device is arranged with their contact side on the access side of the current conducting rail.

[0030] In one embodiment, the protective element has a guide section for each individual contact unit assigned to this respective contact unit, which guides a contact blade of the respective contact unit laterally both in the rest position and in the release position, as well as during a movement of the protective element along the insertion direction starting from the release position. The guide section is preferably arranged on both sides of the contact blade, with the term "sides" referring to the two sides relative to the arrangement direction. The movement of the protective element starting from the release position along the insertion direction refers to a movement of the protective element that the protective element performs when the contact device is arranged with its contact side on the access side of the current conducting rail and its contact units are inserted into the channels along the insertion direction.During the aforementioned movement, the distance along the plug-in direction over which the contact blades of the contact units protrude beyond the protective element on the contact side is increased so that they can be inserted into the channels of the current conducting rail. By guiding the contact blades of the contact units, the contact blades can be aligned particularly reliably so that they can be inserted into the channels of the current conducting rail without interference. At this point, it should be generally noted that the contact units preferably each have a contact blade made of a conductive material, in particular metal. Such contact blades must have a certain length so that they can contact the conductor wires arranged in the channels. At the same time, such contact blades can only have a limited thickness, i.e.have a different blade thickness, on the one hand for cost reasons and on the other hand for reasons of space or distances that have to be maintained between the various contact blades of different contact units. The guidance of the contact blades by the guide section of the protective element is therefore particularly advantageous for the realization of thin and sufficiently long contact blades. Generally speaking, a contact blade preferably has a length along the extension direction that is at least ten times, in particular at least twenty times, in particular at least thirty times the contact blade thickness, i.e. the extension length of the contact blade in the arrangement direction. In one embodiment, the guide section extends on both sides of the contact blade over the same longitudinal extension section as the contact blade.The longitudinal extension section refers to a length section along a direction that is perpendicular to the plug-in direction and perpendicular to the arrangement direction. The longitudinal extension length of the longitudinal extension section preferably increases from the release position during the movement of the protective element along the plug-in direction. Thus, the guide section and contact blade overlap along the said direction over a length that increases during the movement of the protective element, which the protective element, as explained above, performs starting from the release position along the plug-in direction when the contact blades are inserted into the channels of the current-conducting rail along the plug-in direction or when the contact blades increasingly extend beyond the protective element along the plug-in direction.In one embodiment, the guide section is funnel-shaped, with a free space provided for the contact blade tapering along the plug-in direction towards the contact side. This ensures improved guidance towards the contact side, i.e. guidance with less play the closer the guide is to the contact side. In one embodiment, the guide section encloses the contact blade in the manner of a U-shape and is thus open at one end. The U-shape preferably describes the cross-section of the guide section perpendicular to the plug-in direction. This can ensure both sufficient flexibility and adequate guidance of the contact blade.

[0031] In one embodiment, the protective element has a guide arrangement corresponding to the unlocking arrangement, wherein the guide arrangement is arranged in front of the unlocking arrangement on the contact side along the plug-in direction. In the rest position, the unlocking arrangement is preferably arranged in alignment with the guide arrangement so that the coding arrangement can be brought through the guide arrangement to the unlocking arrangement. The guide arrangement can thus ensure guidance of the coding sections of the coding arrangement so that the coding sections can come into contact with the unlocking arrangement with particular precision. Thus, the guide arrangement, just like the unlocking arrangement, is preferably designed to correspond to the coding arrangement. Particularly preferably, the guide arrangement is spaced apart from the unlocking arrangement along the plug-in direction.Particularly preferably, the unlocking arrangement is accessible from the contact side only after passing the guide arrangement. Thus, the unlocking arrangement for the coding arrangement is preferably only accessible after the coding arrangement has passed the guide arrangement. In one embodiment, the guide arrangement has a plurality of arrangement sections that are spaced apart from one another in the arrangement direction, wherein each of the arrangement sections is preferably assigned to exactly one of the unlocking sections and, in the rest position, is arranged in alignment with the respective unlocking section assigned to it.

[0032] In one embodiment, the guide arrangement has a first group of arrangement sections, each of which is assigned to an unlocking section of the unlocking arrangement, and a second group of arrangement sections, which are arranged offset from all of the unlocking sections of the unlocking arrangement. Generally, both the arrangement sections of the first group and the arrangement sections of the second group are each designed as a recess, wherein the arrangement sections of the first group are preferably arranged in the same spatial arrangement as the arrangement sections of the second group. By being designed as a recess, each of the arrangement sections can be designed to receive a coding section comprised by the coding arrangement, wherein the coding sections can be received by both the first group of arrangement sections and the second group of arrangement sections, i.e.can be inserted into the respective arrangement of recesses. The first group of arrangement sections is preferably arranged offset from the second group of arrangement sections along the arrangement direction. The arrangement sections are preferably arranged in front of the locking element on the contact side along the plug-in direction, so that the locking element and thus also the unlocking arrangement are only accessible from the contact side along the plug-in direction after passing the arrangement sections.In one embodiment, in a first position of the contact device in its rest position relative to the current conducting rail, the coding arrangement is in engagement with the first group of arrangement sections, enabling realization of the release position, whereas in a second position of the contact device in its rest position relative to the current conducting rail, the coding arrangement is in engagement with the second group of arrangement sections, preventing realization of the release position.Preferably, in the first position, the coding arrangement rests against the unlocking arrangement, whereas in the second position the coding arrangement is spaced apart from the unlocking arrangement along the arrangement direction, so that, starting from the second position, when the coding arrangement is pressed against the locking element along the plug-in direction, the locking element is blocked in its movement, whereas when the coding arrangement is pressed against the locking element along the plug-in direction, starting from the first position, the pressing causes the locking element to move, and the release position can thereby be reached.By providing the two different groups of arrangement sections, on the one hand, with a correct positioning of the contact device relative to the current conducting rail, which occurs when the contact device is arranged in the first position, a targeted guidance of the coding arrangement to the unlocking arrangement can be ensured, whereas in the case of incorrect positioning, which occurs when the contact device is in the second position, a movement of the locking element along the plug-in direction is blocked by the mutual contact of the locking section and the blocking section and thus incorrect contact of the conductor wires arranged in the current conducting rail is prevented as far as possible.

[0033] The invention further relates to a luminaire manufactured using a system according to the invention. To realize the luminaire, the system is in the operating state. As explained above, the luminaire can comprise several luminaire components, each of which comprises a support rail, a current conducting rail, and several mounting bodies, as well as an electrical functional element and a contact device on each mounting body.

[0034] The invention further relates to a method for implementing a luminaire using a system according to the invention. To implement the operating state of the system and thus to implement the luminaire, the contact device with its contact units is moved along the plug-in direction toward the conductor rail, and the coding arrangement is pressed against the unlocking arrangement in the plug-in direction, whereby the unlocking element is moved perpendicular to the plug-in direction. Subsequently, by continuing the movement of the contact units along the plug-in direction, in particular together with the housing of the contact device, toward the conductor rail or into the channels of the conductor rail, at least some of the conductor wires arranged in the channels of the conductor rail, in particular all of these conductor wires, are contacted with the contact units.

[0035] In advantageous embodiments, the conductor rail according to the invention, the system according to the invention, the luminaire according to the invention, and the method according to the invention can each have features that are described for a respective other inventive solution and / or that are described in connection with generic systems or conductor rails or luminaires or methods. Furthermore, the described embodiments of the invention can be combined with one another in a particularly advantageous manner.

[0036] The invention is explained in more detail below with reference to twelve figures using exemplary embodiments.

[0037] They show: Figure 1: in various schematic principle representations, components of an embodiment of a system according to the invention; Figure 2: in various schematic principle representations, different views of an embodiment of a contact device in its rest position; Figure 3: in a schematic principle representation, the contact device according to Figure 2 when approaching a conductor rail in the plug-in direction; Figure 4: in various schematic diagrams the contact device according to Figure 2 in its release position; Figure 5: in various schematic diagrams the contact device according to Figure 2 in a state in which their contact units contact conductor wires of the current conducting rail; Figure 6: in a schematic principle representation, the contact device according to Figure 2together with a rail in the event of incorrect positioning; Figure 7: in a schematic principle representation, components of an embodiment of a system according to the invention; Figure 8: in various schematic principle representations, components of the contact device according to Figure 2 ; Figure 9: in a schematic principle representation of the locking element of the contact device according to Figure 2 ; Figure 10: in a schematic principle representation, a section of an embodiment of a current conducting rail according to the invention; Figure 11: in a schematic principle representation, a view of a current conducting profile of the current conducting rail according to Figure 10 ; Figure 12: in a schematic principle representation a view of another current conducting profile of the current conducting rail according to Figure 10 .

[0038] In Figure 1 comprehensively the Figures 1a, 1b and 1cseveral components of an embodiment of a system according to the invention comprising a contact device 1 and a current conducting rail according to the invention are shown in schematic principle representations. In Figure 1a To illustrate the basic principle of a system according to the invention and thus also of a luminaire according to the invention, a perspective view of a section through components of the system according to the invention is shown. Relative to the longitudinal direction X and transverse direction Y of the system, the components are in Figure 1a shown in their relative arrangement to each other, which they have in the operating state of the system. In Figure 1aa cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction X is shown. The system comprises a support rail 2 which has a U-shaped cross-section with a support rail base and support rail side walls extending away from the support rail base in a vertical direction which is perpendicular to the transverse direction Y and the longitudinal direction X. The system further comprises a mounting body 5 which is arranged at an open end of the support rail 2 and which is fixed in a fixed position to the support rail 2 by means of a retaining spring 51 in order to implement the operating state. For fixing, projections 511 of the retaining spring engage behind projections 20 which are formed by the support rail side walls of the support rail 2. The mounting body 5 also has a U-shaped cross-section, wherein the U-shapes of the mounting body 5 and the support rail 2 are opposite one another.The mounting body side walls each have a projection 50, under which the retaining spring 51 is pressed with retaining projections 512 and is thus held pressed against the mounting body base. Starting from the in . Figure 1a In the relative position of the mounting body 5 and the support rail 2 shown in FIG. 1, the mounting body 5 must still be moved vertically toward the support rail base in order to achieve the operating state. A contact device 1 is attached to the mounting body 5, and a current conducting rail 3 is attached to the support rail 2, which has channels in which conductor wires 4 are arranged. Starting from the position shown in FIG. Figure 1aIn the relative position shown, the mounting body 5, together with the contact device 1, must still be moved vertically towards the mounting rail base until the projections 511 of the retaining spring 51 engage behind the projections 20 of the mounting rail 2. In the course of this movement, contact units 11 of the contact device 1 are introduced into the channels of the current conducting rail 3, contacting the conductor wires 4. By means of actuating elements 52, the retaining spring can be deflected from the operating state such that the mounting body 5 can be removed from the mounting rail 2. In the operating state, the contact device 1 and the current conducting rail 3, as well as the conductor wires 4 arranged therein, are arranged in the interior of the mounting rail 2, which is closed off by the mounting body 5. The mounting body 5 has, on its mounting body base, on the side facing away from the interior, a lighting means 58 comprising a circuit board with LEDs.On this side of the mounting base of the mounting body 5, a cover can also be arranged, which can, for example, comprise lenses with which a light distribution of the light emitted by the LEDs of the illuminant 58 can be determined.

[0039] In Figure 1b An embodiment of a contact device 1 is shown schematically in perspective. The contact device 1 has, generally advantageously according to the invention, retaining projections 12, by means of which it can be fastened to the mounting body 5 to implement the operating state of the system, wherein the retaining projections 12 in the operating state Figure 1ashown projections 50 of the mounting body 5 and press against them. The contact device 1 further comprises two groups of contact units 11, each having a contact blade 110. Between the two groups of contact units 11, the protective element 70 is arranged in a protective device of the contact device 1, which covers the contact blades 110 in such a way that faulty contacting of the conductor wires 4, which are arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail 3 according to Figure 1a are effectively prevented. In Figure 1b Due to the oblique view, only all of the contact units 11 of the first group of contact units 11 can be seen, whereas, due to the oblique view, only one of the contact units 11 with its contact blade 110 can be seen from the group of contact units 11 arranged on the other side of the protective element 11. Figure 1cFor explanatory purposes, the current guide rail 3 with protruding conductor wires 4 is also shown. Figure 1c shows that the current conducting rail 3 is elongated in the longitudinal direction X, wherein its conductor wires are arranged next to one another in the alignment direction A. The contact units 11 of the contact device 1 are arranged next to one another with their contact blades 110 in an arrangement direction that relates to the contact device 1 itself, wherein the arrangement direction in the relative arrangement of contact device 1 and current conducting rail 3 according to Figure 1c parallel to the alignment direction A. It can be seen that starting from the Figure 1cshown relative position of contact device 1 and current conducting rail 3, the contact blades 110 of the contact units 11 can only be brought into electrically conductive contact with the conductor wires 4 if the housing 10 of the contact device 1 is moved along the plug-in direction S towards the current conducting rail 3 and the protective element 70 is moved along the plug-in direction S relative to the housing 10 and relative to the contact units 11, wherein the contact units 11 are fixed in a fixed position in the housing 10 in the present exemplary embodiment and generally advantageously.

[0040] In Figure 2 comprehensively the Figures 2a , 2b and 2c In various schematic diagrams, views of an embodiment of a contact device 1 together with a current conducting rail 3 are shown schematically. Figures 2a , 2b and 2c the contact device 1 is shown in an identical position, namely in its rest position. In Figure 2a a plan view of one side of the current conducting rail 3 and contact device 1 is shown, in the Figures 2b and 2c a top view of a section spanned by the insertion direction S and the alignment direction A. In the Figures 2a and 2b The contact device 1 is arranged identically to the current conducting rail 3 and is spaced apart from it in the plug-in direction. The arrangement direction along which the contact units 11 of the contact device 1 are arranged next to one another is parallel to the alignment direction A, which in the Figures 2a and 2b and along which the channels of the current conducting rail 3 and thus also the conductor wires 4 arranged in the channels are arranged next to each other. Figures 2a and 2bIn the arrangement shown, the contact device 1 is arranged relative to the current conducting rail 3 such that its contact side faces the access side of the current conducting rail 3, and is arranged such that it can be arranged on the access side of the current conducting rail 3 solely by a movement of the housing 10 along the plug-in direction S towards the current conducting rail 3 such that its contact units 11 with their contact blades 110 each contact one of the conductor wires 4 arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail 3. From the Figures 2b and 2c The sectional views shown are in conjunction with the Figures 8a and 9 The functional principle of the illustrated embodiment of the contact device 1 is clearly visible. The contact device 1 has a housing 10 and a protective device 7. The protective device 7 comprises a protective element 70 (in Figure 8a shown) and a release element 71 (in Figure 9 shown). In the Figures 2b and 2cIn the rest position shown, the protective element 70 is pressed against a projection by a second spring 82 along the plug-in direction S. The unlocking element 71 is mounted on the protective element 70, in this case in the protective element 70, in a linear guide formed by the protective element 70, so as to be displaceable in a displacement direction determined by the linear guide and running perpendicular to the plug-in direction S. In the rest position shown, the unlocking element 71 is pressed against a stop in a spring direction by a first spring 81. The spring direction is arranged parallel to the displacement direction in this case, which is generally advantageous according to the invention. In the rest position, the protective element partially covers the contact units 11 of the contact device 1.In the present case, the protective element 70 extends along the plug-in direction on the contact side beyond the contact units 11, thereby ensuring particularly good protection against incorrect contact of the contact blades 110 of the contact units 11. It can also be seen from the sectional view that the unlocking element 71 has a first unlocking section 711 and a second unlocking section 712, each of which is designed as an inclined surface section accessible from the contact side of the contact device 1. In the embodiment shown in . Figure 2In the rest position of the contact device 1 shown, the unlocking sections 711, 712 are arranged in alignment with a respective arrangement section 701, 702 of a guide arrangement of the protective element 70. The protective element 70 forms a housing for the unlocking element 71, with which the protective element 70 covers the unlocking element 71 on the contact side with respect to the plug-in direction S, wherein the arrangement sections 701, 702 are formed as a recess in the protective element 70, through which the unlocking sections 711, 712 are accessible along the plug-in direction S starting from the contact side of the contact device 1.Thus, when the contact device 1 is moved toward the current-carrying rail 3 along the plugging direction, a coding section 311, 312 can be moved through the respective arrangement section 701, 702 of the protective element 70 assigned to it to the respective unlocking section 711, 712 and come into contact with it. This is particularly evident from FIG. Figure 3 visible. In Figure 3 is compared to the arrangement of current conducting rail 3 and contact device 1 to each other, as shown in Figure 2As shown, the contact device 1 is arranged closer to the current conducting rail 3 with respect to the plug-in direction S, but otherwise its position relative to the current conducting rail 3 remains unchanged. The coding sections 311, 312 are inserted through the respective arrangement section 701, 702 of the protective element 70 assigned to them and brought into contact with the respective unlocking section 711, 712 assigned to them. As the movement of the contact device 1 continues along the plug-in direction S towards the current conducting rail 3, the coding sections 311, 312 are each pressed against the respective unlocking section 711, 712 assigned to them. Since the unlocking sections 711, 712 are designed as inclined surface sections, they convert the pressing force exerted along the plug-in direction S into a displacement force that acts on the unlocking element 71 along a displacement direction that runs perpendicular to the plug-in direction S.This reversal of movement of the force acting on the unlocking element 71 occurs through the interaction of the design of the unlocking sections 711, 712 as inclined surface sections and the linear guide of the unlocking element 71 in the protective element 70. During the movement of the contact device 1 along the plug-in direction S towards the current conducting rail 3, the coding sections 311, 312 slide off the unlocking section 711, 712 assigned to them, whereby the unlocking element 71 is moved along the displacement direction against the spring force that the spring 81 exerts on the unlocking element 71. At this point, it should be noted that this naturally causes the first spring 81 to be compressed, even if this is not shown in detail in the figures for the sake of simplicity and due to their design as purely schematic figures. In . Figure 4 comprehensively the Figures 4a , 4b and 4cThe relative position of contact device 1 and current conducting rail 3 is shown after such a further movement of contact device 1 relative to current conducting rail 3 along the plugging direction S. Accordingly, contact device 1 is located in the Figures 4a and 4b in the release situation. As is particularly evident from Figure 4b As can be seen, in the release position the locking section is arranged along the arrangement direction completely next to the blocking section 107 of the housing 10, so that starting from the Figure 4 shown release position, the protective element 70 is displaceable relative to the housing 10 along the plugging direction S without further inhibition, except for the spring force generated by the second spring 82. From Figure 4Furthermore, the design of the guide 173 of the protective element 70 as a linear guide can be seen, within which the unlocking element 71 is mounted exclusively linearly along the displacement direction. Furthermore, from the overview of the Figures 4a , 4b and 4c It can be seen that the housing 10 has a sliding guide running along the plug-in direction with sliding guide sections 171, 172. This sliding guide is a linear guide running in the plug-in direction S. In a first sliding guide section 171, a guide section of the protective element 70 is linearly guided along the plug-in direction S. In a second sliding guide section 172, a guide section of the unlocking element 71 can be arranged starting from the release position, and in the first sliding guide section 171, a further guide section 773 of the unlocking element 71 is further arranged starting from the Figure 4While in the rest position, which is for example in the Figures 2 and 3 is shown, the guide sections 772, 773 are arranged offset along the arrangement direction or alignment direction A to the sliding guide sections 171, 172, they are in the Figure 4 shown release position aligned with these sliding guide sections 171, 172. From Figure 4c However, it can be seen that when the release position is reached by the described movement of the contact device with its contact side towards the access side of the current conducting rail 3 in the plug-in direction S, the contact units 11 with their contact blades 110 are not yet arranged in the channels of the current conducting rail 3. However, they can be Figure 4shown relative arrangement of the current conducting rail 3 and the contact device 1 to each other by a further movement of the housing 10 along the plug-in direction S towards the current conducting rail 3 into the channels of the current conducting rail 3 until they electrically conductively abut the respective conductor wires 4 arranged in the channels. This state, in which the contact blades 110 abut the respective conductor wires 4 assigned to them after performing such a movement, is in Figure 5 comprehensively the Figures 5a and 5b shown. While in Figure 5a a sectional view is shown in Figure 5b a top view is shown. Only one group of contact units 11 is visible at a time, since the other group of contact units 11 is provided on the side of the contact device 1 not shown.

[0041] In Figure 6an arrangement of the contact device 1 relative to the current conducting rail 3 is shown, in which the contact device 1 is arranged in a plane in comparison to the arrangement shown in Figure 3shown arrangement, has a position relative to the current conducting rail 3 that is rotated by 180° around the plug-in direction S. Thus, the contact device 1 is incorrectly aligned relative to the current conducting rail 3. With such an incorrect alignment, when the contact device 1 and the current conducting rail 3 move towards each other along the plug-in direction S, the coding sections 311, 312 are arranged in arrangement sections 703, 704 of a second group of arrangement sections. Due to this arrangement of the coding sections 311, 312 in the arrangement sections 703, 704 of the second group, the coding sections 311, 312 are guided particularly reliably and press against a contact surface of the unlocking element 71 that runs perpendicular to the plug-in direction S.In this case, generally advantageous according to the invention, in such an arrangement the coding sections 311, 312 of the current conducting rail 3 are guided both in the arrangement sections 703, 704 of the second group and in receptacles formed by the unlocking element 71 in such a way that a movement of the coding arrangement comprising the two coding sections 311, 312 along the arrangement direction or alignment direction A is prevented, since at least one of the coding sections 311, 312 is fixed in its position along the arrangement direction or alignment direction A in at least one of the said arrangement sections 703, 704 and at least one of the arrangement sections 703, 704 is fixed in its position relative to the receptacle formed by the unlocking element 71 and receiving it along the arrangement direction or alignment direction A.

[0042] In Figure 7For explanatory purposes, a section is shown which is spanned by the plug-in direction S and the arrangement direction or alignment direction A when the contact device 1 is arranged relative to the current conducting rail 3. It can be seen that the protective element 70 is a housing for the Figure 7 only with its unlocking sections 711, 712. Furthermore, the arrangement sections 701, 702, 703, 704 can be seen, which are designed to receive the coding sections 311, 312. In Figure 8 comprehensively the Figures 8a and 8b For further explanation purposes, the protective element 70 is shown alone and together with a contact unit 11. In Figure 9 For explanatory purposes, the unlocking element 71 is shown alone. Figures 8 and 9It can be seen that the protective element 70 has a projection 708 with which it is locked to the housing 10. This projection 708 limits the movement of the protective element 70 relative to the housing 10 along the plug-in direction S. In the rest position, the projection 708 is pressed against a corresponding contact section of the housing 10, with the second spring 82 applying the corresponding pressing force. Figure 8 It can also be seen that the protective element 70 has guide sections 705 for guiding the contact blades 110 of the contact units 11, as well as a guide section 706 for guiding the second spring 82. Accordingly, in Figure 9It can be seen that the unlocking element has a guide section 713 for guiding the first spring 81. The provision of such guide sections 713, 706 for guiding the respective spring 81, 82 is generally advantageous according to the invention, as is the provision of a projection on the protective element to ensure a travel limitation of the protective element relative to the housing 10 in the rest position, based on the plug-in direction S.

[0043] In the Figures 10-12 An embodiment of a current guide rail 3 is shown schematically in various schematic diagrams. In Figure 10 is an oblique view of a section of the conductor rail 3. In Figure 11 is a first current conducting profile 31 of the current conducting rail 3 according to Figure 10 shown. In Figure 12 is a second current conducting profile 32 of the current conducting rail 3 according to Figure 10 The current conducting profiles 31, 32 are shown in the Figures 11 and 12each shown with a longitudinal end section. With their Figures 11 and 12 They overlap in the longitudinal end areas shown to create the current conducting rail 3, as shown in Figure 10is shown. The current conducting rail 3 has a coding arrangement which has a first coding section 311 and a second coding section 312. The coding sections 311, 312 are each formed by a channel wall 30 of the current conducting rail 3, which is designed as a coding channel wall 301, 302. The current conducting profiles 31, 32 each form a section of each of the channel walls 30, so that the channel walls 30 of the current conducting rail 3 are jointly formed by the current conducting profiles 31, 32 of the current conducting rail 3. The first current conducting profile 31 forms a first longitudinal section 3111, 3121 of the first and second coding channel walls 301, 302 and a second longitudinal section 3112, 3122 of the first and second coding channel walls 301, 302.Accordingly, the second current-conducting profile 32 also forms a first longitudinal section 3211, 3221 of the first and second coding channel walls 301, 302 and forms a second longitudinal section 3212, 3222 of the first and second coding channel walls 301, 302. The first longitudinal sections 3111, 3121, 3211, 3221 project beyond the second longitudinal sections 3112, 3122, 3212, 3222 in the plugging direction S. As can be seen from . Figure 10 As can be seen, the coding sections 311, 312 each have an interruption 3110, 3120, which is present over a longitudinal extension region such that the respective coding channel walls 301, 302 are formed solely by the second longitudinal sections 3112, 3122, 3212, 3222. To form the current conducting rail 3, the two current conducting profiles 31, 32 are arranged relative to one another in such a way that they interlock with one another in a comb-like manner with their mutually facing longitudinal end regions over an overlapping region. As can be seen from the synopsis of the Figures 10 , 11 and 12 As can be seen, due to the comb-like interlocking, the current conducting profiles 31, 32 are arranged so that a channel wall section formed by the first current conducting profile 31 rests along the alignment direction A against a channel wall section formed by the second current conducting profile 32. In the overlapping region, a first longitudinal section formed by one of the current conducting profiles 31, 32 projects over a second longitudinal section formed by the other of the two current conducting profiles 31, 32 of the respective coding channel wall 301, 302, which is formed longitudinally by the aforementioned first and second longitudinal sections. As can be seen from the Figures 11 and 12 As can be seen, a lateral projection 3011, 3022 is provided on each of the first longitudinal sections 3111, 3221, with which the respective first longitudinal section projects over the second longitudinal section forming the same coding channel wall within the overlapping area.

[0044] The current conducting profiles 31, 32 are each fixed to one another with their mutually facing longitudinal end regions in such a way that they can be displaced relative to one another along the longitudinal direction X over a predefined displacement range. For this purpose, the second current conducting profile 32 has, within its longitudinal end section, with which it is arranged within the overlapping region, a lateral guide section 34 on its sides provided with respect to the alignment direction A. The first current conducting profile 31, with its longitudinal end section arranged in the overlapping region, is arranged in the alignment direction A between the guide sections 34 of the second current conducting profile and is thus guided by them along the alignment direction A.In addition, the second current conducting profile 32 has locking projections 33, each of which is locked into a receiving groove (not shown in the figures) of the first current conducting profile 31, wherein the receiving grooves are provided on the underside of the first current conducting profile 31 facing away from the access side with respect to the plug-in direction S. The locking projections 33 are guided in the receiving groove with play relative to the longitudinal direction X. The displacement range over which the current conducting profiles 31, 32 can be displaced relative to one another along the longitudinal direction X is thus defined by the stops predetermined by the receiving grooves for the locking projection 33 arranged in each of them. In addition, as is generally advantageous according to the invention, the second current conducting profile has, within the overlap region, a transverse web 35 running along the alignment direction A and extending in the alignment direction A across all channels of the current conducting rail 3.The first current-conducting profile 31 is arranged on the upper side of the crosspiece 35 and rests in sliding contact with the crosspiece 35. The interaction of the guide sections 34, the locking projections 33 with associated receiving grooves, and the crosspiece 35 ensures particularly good fixation of the first and second current-conducting profiles to one another, allowing a defined displacement of the first and second current-conducting profiles 31, 32 along the longitudinal direction X, which is limited to a specified displacement range. Across the entire displacement range, the current-conducting profiles 31, 32 are always arranged relative to one another such that the interruptions 3110, 3120 of the coding sections 311, 312 are always offset from one another in the longitudinal direction X.This has the particular advantage that at least one coding section 311, 312 is always provided in each longitudinal position and thus one of the coding channel walls 301, 302 always protrudes beyond the other of the channel walls 30 of the current conducting rail 3 with respect to the plugging direction S. In interaction with the particularly advantageous contact device 1 of an embodiment of a system according to the invention, as shown in the . Figures 1-9is shown, which has two unlocking sections 711, 712 spaced apart from one another along the arrangement direction, each of which is assigned to one of the coding sections 311, 312, it is thus always ensured at every longitudinal position of the contact device 1 relative to the current conducting rail 3 that, when the contact device 1 is correctly aligned relative to the current conducting rail 3, at least one of the coding sections 311, 312 actuates the associated unlocking section 711, 712 when the current conducting rail 3 is arranged with its access side on the contact side of the contact device 1, so that the contact device 1 assumes its release position. List of reference symbols

[0045] 1 Contact device 2 Support rail 3 Conductor rail 4 Conductor wire 5 Mounting body 7 Protective device 10 Housing 11 Contact unit 12 Retaining projection 20 Projection 30 Channel wall 31 Current conducting profile 32 Current conducting profile 33 Latching projection 34 Guide section 35 Crossbar 50 Projection 51 Retaining spring 52 Actuating element 58 Light source 70 Protective element 71 Release element 81 Spring 82 Spring 107 Locking section 110 Contact blade 171 Sliding guide section 172 Sliding guide section 173 Guide 301 Coding channel wall 302 Coding channel wall 311 Coding section 312 Coding section 511 Projection 512 Retaining projection 701 Arrangement section 702 Arrangement section 703Arrangement section 704Arrangement section 705Guide section 706Guide section 708Protrusion 711Release section 712Release section 713Guide section 772Guide section 773Guide section 3011Protrusion 3022Protrusion 3110Interruption 3111Longitudinal section 3112Longitudinal section 3120Interruption 3121Longitudinal section 3122Longitudinal section 3211Longitudinal section3212 Longitudinal section 3221 Longitudinal section 3222 Longitudinal section A Alignment direction SS Insertion direction XLongitudinal direction YTransverse direction

Claims

1. A busbar (3) for a system for implementing a luminaire, comprising a mounting body (5) elongated in a longitudinal direction (X), on which a light source is arranged, which is to be electrically supplied by means of conducting wires (4) arranged in channels of the busbar (3), and comprising a support rail (2) elongated in the longitudinal direction (X) and having an interior space, wherein the busbar is elongated in the longitudinal direction (X) and is intended for arrangement in the interior space of the support rail (2), wherein the busbar (3) has channels arranged side by side in an alignment direction (A) running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X), which are elongated in the longitudinal direction (X) and open on an access side of the busbar (3), each of which has a clear cross-section, wherein two adjacent channels in the alignment direction (A) form a pair of channels,whose clear cross sections are separated from one another by a channel wall (30) of the current conducting rail (3), wherein in at least some of the channels at least one conducting wire (4) elongated in the longitudinal direction (X) is arranged, wherein the current conducting rail (3) has at least a first and a second current conducting profile (31, 32) which are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction (X) and are displaceable relative to one another in the longitudinal direction (X) over a predefined displacement range, wherein the current conducting profiles (31, 32) in each relative position to one another within the displacement range engage with one another in a comb-like manner with their mutually facing longitudinal end regions over an overlap region, so that in each case a channel wall section formed by the first current conducting profile (31) bears against a channel wall section formed by the second current conducting profile (32) along the alignment direction (A), and the current conducting profiles (31,32) together form the channel walls (30) of the current conducting rail (3) as continuous in the longitudinal direction (X), , characterized in thattwo of the channel walls (30) are designed as first and second coding channel walls (301, 302), each forming a coding section (311, 312) of a coding arrangement of the current conducting rail (3) for ensuring a predefined arrangement of a contact device (1) of the system on the access side when contacting the conductor wires (4) and each projecting longitudinally in sections along a plugging direction (S) running perpendicular to the longitudinal direction (X) and the alignment direction (A) beyond other channel walls (30), wherein the first and the second current conducting profile (31, 32) each form a first longitudinal section (3111, 3121, 3211, 3212) of each of the two coding channel walls (301, 302) and each form a second longitudinal section (3112, 3122, 3212, 3222) of each of the two coding channel walls (301, 302), wherein the first longitudinal sections (3111, 3121, 3211, 3212) protrude in the plugging direction (S) beyond the second longitudinal sections (3112, 3122, 3212, 3222),wherein the first longitudinal section (3111) of the first coding channel wall (301) formed by the first current-conducting profile (31) projects beyond the second longitudinal section (3212) of the first coding channel wall (301) formed by the second current-conducting profile (32) in the overlap region, and the first longitudinal section (3221) of the second coding channel wall (302) formed by the second current-conducting profile (32) projects beyond the second longitudinal section (3122) of the second coding channel wall (302) formed by the first current-conducting profile (31) in the overlap region.

2. Conductor rail (3) according to claim 1, characterized in thatthe coding sections (311, 312) each have an interruption (3110, 3120) which is formed by a longitudinal distance provided between the two first longitudinal sections (3111, 3121, 3211, 3212) of the coding channel walls (301, 302), wherein the coding channel walls (301, 302) extend with at least one of their second longitudinal sections (3021, 3012) continuously over this longitudinal distance and wherein the interruptions (3110, 3120) are offset from one another in the longitudinal direction (X), so that in each case one of the first longitudinal sections of one of the two coding channel walls (301, 302) extends over the entire longitudinal extension length of the longitudinal distance provided between the first longitudinal sections of the other of the two coding channel walls (301, 302).

3. Current guide rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe first longitudinal section (3111) of the first coding channel wall (301) formed by the first current conducting profile (31) projects over the second longitudinal section (3021) of the first coding channel wall (301) formed by the second current conducting profile (32) in the overlapping region with a lateral projection (3011), and the first longitudinal section (3221) of the second coding channel wall (302) formed by the second current conducting profile (32) projects over the second longitudinal section (3122) of the second coding channel wall (302) formed by the first current conducting profile (31) in the overlapping region with a lateral projection (3022), wherein in particular in the overlapping region only exactly one of the first longitudinal sections (3111, 3121, 3211, 3221) of each coding channel wall (301, 302) always projects over one of the second longitudinal sections of this coding channel wall (301, 302) overhanging, wherein in particular this overhanging first longitudinal section (3111, 3121, 3211, 3212) of a coding channel wall (301, 301) over the other,from the same current-conducting profile (31, 32) formed first longitudinal section (3111, 3121, 3211, 3221) of another coding channel wall (301, 301) protrudes in the longitudinal direction (X).

4. Conductor rail according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the overlapping region of each coding channel wall (301) only one of the two different first longitudinal sections (3111, 3121, 3211, 3221) formed by the two current conducting profiles (31, 32) is arranged and / or that a transition between the first and second longitudinal section of the first coding channel wall (301) formed by one of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) is offset in the longitudinal direction (X) to a transition between the first and second longitudinal section of the second coding channel wall (302) formed by this current conducting profile (31, 32).

5. Current guide rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe current conducting rail (3) is divided into two halves of equal length in the direction of alignment (A) by a central plane running perpendicular to the alignment direction (A), wherein the coding channel walls (301, 302) are arranged in only one of the two halves and in particular at a distance from the central plane and in particular project beyond all the channel walls (30) arranged in the other of the halves.

6. Current guide rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe first longitudinal sections (3111, 3121, 3211, 3221) of the current conducting profiles each have a greater channel wall thickness than the second longitudinal sections (3112, 3122, 3212, 3222) of the current conducting profiles (31, 32), and / or that the current conducting profiles (31, 32) have, at their mutually facing longitudinal end regions, at the absolute longitudinal end of the channel wall sections formed by them, a sliding surface which runs obliquely to the alignment direction (A), which slides against one another in the longitudinal direction when the two current conducting profiles (31, 32) are pushed into one another.

7. Current guide rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the second longitudinal sections (3112, 3122, 3212, 3222) of the coding channel walls (301, 302) end at the same height in the plugging direction (S) as the other channel walls (30) of the current conducting rail (3).

8. Current guide rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatall channel wall sections at the mutually facing longitudinal end regions of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) have an extension length in the direction of extension which decreases towards the respective longitudinal end.

9. Current guide rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatone of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) has, in its longitudinal end region facing the other current conducting profile (31, 32), a transverse web (35) running in the alignment direction (A), which extends in the alignment direction (A) over all the channels of the current conducting rail (3) and on the upper side of which the other of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) rests in sliding contact with its longitudinal end region facing the one current conducting profile (31, 32), wherein in particular the transverse web (35) has, at its end facing the other current conducting profile (31, 32), a sliding surface running obliquely to the plug-in direction (S) and / or the transverse web (35) is directly connected to all the channel wall sections formed by the one current conducting profile (31, 32).

10. Conductor rail according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatone of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) has a receiving groove on its underside facing away from the access side, in which a locking projection (33) of the other of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) is arranged, wherein the receiving groove has a defined length in the longitudinal direction (X) and the locking projection (33) is displaceable within the receiving groove in the longitudinal direction (X) over its length, so that a length of the overlapping area is determined by the length of the receiving groove.

11. Conductor rail according to claim 10, characterized in thatthe other current-conducting profile (31, 32) has a plurality of locking projections, wherein each of the locking projections (33) is arranged on a respective longitudinal web of the current-conducting profile (31, 32), which extends in the longitudinal direction beyond all of the channel wall sections formed by the current-conducting profile (31, 32), in particular extends beyond at least 1 cm, wherein in particular at least two longitudinal webs are provided, each with one of the locking projections, wherein the longitudinal webs are spaced from one another in the alignment direction over their entire longitudinal extent, wherein the longitudinal extent is in particular at least 1 cm and in particular an extension length in the alignment direction of each of the webs is at least 1 cm.

12. Conductor rail according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatone of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) has a lateral guide section (34) on each of its sides, wherein the other of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) is arranged between the guide sections (34) and is guided laterally through them to the one current conducting profile (31, 32).

13. Conductor rail according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in thatthe current conducting rail (3) comprises more than two current conducting profiles (31, 32), wherein two of the current conducting profiles (31, 32) are arranged adjacent to one another in the longitudinal direction and one behind the other and are displaceable relative to one another in the longitudinal direction (X) over a predefined displacement range, wherein the adjacent current conducting profiles (31, 32) in each relative position to one another within the displacement range engage with one another in a comb-like manner with their mutually facing longitudinal end regions over an overlap region, so that in each case a channel wall section formed by the first current conducting profile (31) bears against a channel wall section formed by the second current conducting profile (32) along the alignment direction (A), and the current conducting profiles (31, 32) together form the channel walls (30) of the current conducting rail (3) as uninterrupted in the longitudinal direction (X).

14. A system comprising a current conducting rail (3) according to one of the preceding claims, as well as a contact device (1) and a mounting body (5) elongated in the longitudinal direction (X), on which a lighting means is arranged, which is to be electrically supplied by means of the contact device (1), and a support rail (2) elongated in the longitudinal direction (X) and having a U-shaped cross-section and an open end, wherein in an operating state of the system, the contact device (1) is fixed to the mounting body (2), and the mounting body (5) is arranged fastened to the support rail (2) at the open end of the support rail (2), and the contact device (1) and the current conducting rail (3) are arranged in an interior space of the support rail (2) closed off by the mounting body (5), wherein the contact device (1) has a plurality of contact units (11) arranged next to one another in an arrangement direction,wherein, in the operating state, the contact device (1) is arranged with a contact side on the access side of the current conducting rail (3) with an arrangement of the arrangement direction parallel to the alignment direction (A) and at least some of its contact units (11) are arranged in one of the channels, contacting the conductor wires (4) arranged in these channels.

15. A luminaire manufactured by the system of claim 14, wherein the system is in the operating state.

Citation Information

Patent Citations

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