End cap

Abstract

An end cap (1) for a lighting system with a cover member (10) adapted to cover and retain a free end of a conductor element (2) in the interior space (7) in a backbone element (3) of a lighting device (20). The ends (11, 12) of a cross-beam (9) of the end cap (1) are adapted to be turned into engagement with the backbone element (3) below elongated protrusions (8) in the backbone element (3) and pivoted into a closed position where the cover member (10) covers the free end of the current conductor element (2).

Description

[0001] 2024PF80146

[0002] 1

[0003] END CAP

[0004] FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The present invention relates to an end cap for covering an end of a current conductor element. In particular a current conductor element of a backbone element of an lighting system.

[0006] BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0007] Lighting devices or lighting systems of large areas, such as factory halls, warehouses etc. may be assembled from more or less modular parts to form in order to cover large these large areas. They typically comprise a backbone with a backbone profile. The backbone profile is typically made of suitably bent metal to form a predetermined crosssection across the longitudinal direction of the backbone profile, thus providing an open compartment of the backbone. In the compartment, one or more current conductor elements comprising electrical conductors and suitable insulating barriers are accommodated. The current conductor elements are typically continuous, i.e. running the entire length of the backbone profile. Power supplies, external electrical connectors, and the like may also be accommodated in the compartment. The extension of the backbone may be quite long and essentially be spanning the entire length of a factory hall. It may also be laid out with branches and cross arms to cover a large area. The backbone will typically be mounted on a ceiling or suspended therefrom so that it with the longitudinal direction in a horizontal orientation. The open compartment is normally closed by lighting panels such as LED panels with suitable contacts engaging the electrical conductors of the current conductor elements, which when the panels are not in place are at least partially unprotected, i.e. not covered by insulation, in order for the lighting panels to gain access to e.g. supply current at essentially any desired place along the backbone. That is to say, lighting panel after lighting panel may be arranged one after the other along the much longer backbone, so as to provide an uninterrupted chain of lighting panels e.g. stretching the entire length of the factory hall.

[0008] At some point the backbone must end and it is necessary to terminate the current conductor element and protect the electrical conductors. For this an end cap is used. The end cap inter alia serves to hold the end of the current conductor element in place 2024PF80146

[0009] 2 against the thermal dilation that occurs when the current conductor elements are heated by the current flowing through the electrical conductors. It also serves to cover and protect any free ends of the electrical conductors that may occur due to different thermal dilation of the conductive material of which they are made and the electrical insulation material by which the individual conductors are held and / or separated from each other. An example of such an end cap may e.g. be found in EP2264363. This end cap, however, is not adapted to secure the current conductor element in position with respect to the backbone profile, but only the electrical conductors if they protrude from the insulating material which holds and / or separate them.

[0010] EP2573883 discloses an end cap that has two or more electrical contact bars projecting from a base plate and extending parallel to each other in a longitudinal direction.

[0011] SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] It is an object of the present invention to overcome this problem. The invention is set out in the appended set of claims.

[0013] According to a first aspect of the invention, this and other objects are achieved by an end cap for covering an end of a current conductor element of a backbone element of a lighting device, the backbone element being elongate in the Y-direction of an XYZ cartesian coordination system and comprising a trough-shaped element elongated in the Y-direction, the trough-shaped element comprising a bottom extending in an XY-plane and two essentially parallel side walls opposite each other and extending away from said XY-plane, so as to define an interior space of the trough-shaped element, each side wall comprising a protrusion elongated in the Y-direction and arranged at a predetermined height above and protruding over the bottom towards the opposite side wall, the current conductor element being arranged in said interior space of the trough-shaped element between said two side walls and extending in the Y-direction of the cartesian coordination system, the end cap comprising a cross-beam and a cover member, wherein the cross-beam has a first and a second end defining a rotation axis about which the end cap may be rotated between and open and a closed position and is adapted to so engage the elongate trough-shaped element that when the end cap is mounted in the trough-shaped element, the rotation axis extends in the X-direction, and the cover member is adapted to when mounted and in the closed position cover the current conductor element over a distance onward from the end of the current conductor element towards an opposite end of the current conductor element. Typically, the cross-beam viewed in cross-section may have a (convex) polygonal shape towards its first 2024PF80146

[0014] 3 and second end, and said polygon may have at least one pair of opposing parallel sides and may have 5, 6, 7 or 8 sides.

[0015] According to a second aspect of the invention this and other objects are achieved by a method for fitting an end cap according to the first aspect of the invention to the current conductor element of a backbone element of a lighting system, the method comprising: providing a backbone element, the backbone element being elongate in the Y- direction of an XYZ cartesian coordination system and comprising a trough-shaped element elongated in the Y-direction, the trough-shaped element comprising a bottom extending in an XY-plane and two essentially parallel side walls opposite each other and extending away from said XY-plane, so as to define an interior space of the trough-shaped element, each side wall comprising a protrusion elongated in the Y-direction and arranged at a predetermined height above and protruding over the bottom towards the opposite side wall, the current conductor element being arranged in said interior space of the trough-shaped element between said two side walls and extending in the Y-direction of the cartesian coordination system providing an end cap according to any one of the preceding claims, inserting the cross-beam of the end cap into the interior space of the elongate trough-shaped element at an orientation where the rotation axis of the cross-beam is not co-incident with the X-direction, turning the end cap about the Z-axis to a position where the rotation axis is co-incident with the X-direction and the first end and the second ends are located between the respective elongate protrusion and the bottom, pivoting the cover member the end cap about the rotation axis from an open to a closed position where the cover member covers the current conductor element over a distance onward from the end of the current conductor element towards an opposite end of the current conductor element.

[0016] According to a third aspect of the invention this and other objects are achieved by a lighting system comprising a backbone element, the backbone element being elongate in the Y-direction of an XYZ cartesian coordination system and comprising: a trough-shaped element elongated in the Y-direction, the trough-shaped element comprising a bottom extending in an XY-plane and two essentially parallel side walls opposite each other and extending away from said XY-plane, so as to define an interior space of the trough-shaped element, each side wall comprising a protrusion elongated in the Y-direction and arranged at a predetermined height above and protruding over the bottom towards the opposite side wall, the current conductor element being arranged in said interior space of the trough-shaped element between said two side walls and extending in the Y-direction of the cartesian coordination system, and an end cap according to the first aspect of the invention. 2024PF80146

[0017] 4

[0018] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the cover member is asymmetrical about a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis of the cross-beam and intersecting the cross-beam through the mid-point between the first end and the second end. The asymmetry allows the end cap to engage the current conductor element of the backbone in a specific orientation. The asymmetry of the end cap may, for example, relate to an asymmetric distribution / position of barriers and / or, stems, and / or an asymmetric shape of anchors, and / or mutually different shapes of the first and the second end.

[0019] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the first end and the second end of the cross-beam are adapted to elastically lock with a respective side wall of the elongate trough-shaped element. This allows a secure engagement with and a fixation with respect to the backbone without any additional fastening means.

[0020] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the first end and the second end of the cross-beam comprise a hexagonal cross-section in the YZ-plane, having at least one pair of opposing parallel sides. The hexagonal shape achieved by cutting corners of an essentially square cross-section allows the cover member to be pivoted between firm resting positions / engagement with the bottom and the protrusion, such as open and closed about an axis of the cross-beam without having to apply large forces to elastically deform the material of which the end cap is made. Furthermore, it provides tactile feedback for the user when turning the cover member of the end cap between the open and closed position.

[0021] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the crossbeam comprises an aperture providing a through passage in the Y-direction. Using the aperture reduces the material thickness of the cross-beam so that the maximal material thicknesses throughout the end cap is harmonized, in turn allow uniform cooling times and shrinkage when moulding the end cap from a plastic material.

[0022] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the end cap is adapted to engage a current conductor element comprising a plurality of electrical conductors mutually separated by electrically insulating walls. This engagement aids in firmly securing the cover member in the closed position.

[0023] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the cover member comprises a number of barriers elongated in the Y-direction and extending in the Z- direction away from a base surface of the cover member. This protects any free ends of conductors that may occur due to thermal dilation from each other. 2024PF80146

[0024] 5

[0025] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, at least some of the barriers comprise anchors adapted to engage the current conductor element and to prevent retraction of the end cap in the Z-direction. This further aids in firmly securing the cover member in the closed position.

[0026] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the end cap comprises an elastically deformable material. Using an elastically deformable material, aid in securing the cover member of the end cap in the closed position and aids in providing the tactile feedback for the user when turning the cover member of the end cap between the open and closed position.

[0027] In an embodiment according to the first aspect of the invention, the end cap is made of a material comprising polycarbonate. Polycarbonate lends itself to the manufacturing by injection moulding, has good elastic properties, and has good electrical insulation properties.

[0028] In an embodiment according to the second aspect of the invention, the crossbeam is brought into abutment in the Y-direction with the current conductor element before the cover member is pivoted about the rotation axis. Bringing the cross-beam into abutment ensures the correct alignment of the cover member with the current conductor element before the cover is closed, in turn securing the firm engagement afterwards.

[0029] In an embodiment according to the third aspect of the invention, the current conductor element is arranged at the bottom of the trough-shaped member. This allows the end cap to be used as intended in conjunction with backbones of lighting systems.

[0030] In an embodiment according to the third aspect of the invention, the current conductor element comprises a plurality of electrical conductors mutually separated by electrically insulating walls. This allows the end cap to be used as intended in conjunction with backbones of lighting systems.

[0031] It is noted that the invention relates to all possible combinations of features recited in the claims.

[0032] BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] This and other aspects of the present invention will now be described in more detail, with reference to the appended drawings showing embodiment(s) of the invention. In the drawings:

[0034] Fig. 1 shows an isometric view of a section of a backbone with the end cap fitted, 2024PF80146

[0035] 6

[0036] Fig. 2 shows an isometric view of the end cap from one angle,

[0037] Fig. 3 shows an isometric view of the end cap of Fig. 2 from the opposite angle,

[0038] Fig. 4 shows an isometric view of the end cap of Fig. 2 from a third angle,

[0039] Fig. 5 shows an isometric view of the end cap of fig. 2 in a first position during fitting in a backbone,

[0040] Fig. 6 shows an isometric view of the end cap of fig. 2 in a second position during fitting in a backbone,

[0041] Fig. 7 shows an isometric view of the end cap of fig. 2 in a third position during fitting in a backbone,

[0042] Fig. 8 shows an isometric view of the end cap of fig. 2 fitted in place and with the cover closed above the current conductor element of the backbone, and

[0043] Fig. 9 shows an end view of the end cap in the closed position in the backbone of a lighting device.

[0044] As illustrated in the figures, the sizes of layers and regions may exaggerated for illustrative purposes and, thus, are provided to illustrate the general structures of embodiments of the present invention. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

[0045] DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0046] The present invention will now be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which currently preferred embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided for thoroughness and completeness, and fully convey the scope of the invention to the skilled person.

[0047] Orientations of the various parts of the backbone and the invention in general will be made with reference to a cartesian XYZ-coordinate system, as indicated in the figures. In normal use that would correspond to the longitudinal direction of items described being along the Y-axis, the cross-wise direction along the X-axis, so that the XY-plane is a horizontal plane and the Z-direction is the vertical direction.

[0048] Turning first to Fig. 1 an isometric view of the mechanical parts lighting device 20 forming part of a lighting system is shown. The lighting device 20 comprises a backbone 3 with a backbone profile providing a trough-shaped element 4. The backbone 2024PF80146

[0049] 7 profile 3 is typically made of suitably bent metal to form a predetermined cross-section across the longitudinal direction of the trough-shaped element 4, thus providing an open compartment of the backbone. In the compartment a current conductor element 2 comprising electrical conductors 33 and suitable insulating barriers 34 are typically accommodated. As best seen in Fig. 9 there is in the illustrated examples seven insulating barriers 34, here embodied as seven insulating walls 34, and twelve conductors 33, the insulating barriers 34 serving also as carriers for the conductors 33 Though not show, power supplies, external electrical connectors, and the like may also be accommodated in the compartment. The extension of the backbone 3 may be far longer than illustrated and essentially be spanning the entire length of a factory hall. It may also be laid out with branches and cross arms to cover a large area but that is not of relevance for the present invention. The backbone will typically be mounted on a ceiling or suspended therefrom so that it with the longitudinal direction in a horizontal orientation. In the following orientations of the various parts of the backbone and the invention in general will be made with reference to a cartesian XYZ-coordinate system, as indicated in the figure. In normal use that would correspond to the cross-wise direction along the X-axis and the longitudinal direction of items described being along the Y-axis, so that the XY-plane is a horizontal plane and the Z-direction is the vertical direction.

[0050] An LED panel comprising a carrier 23 is attached to the backbone 3 so as in the normal position of use be arranged below the trough-shaped element 4 and cover it as a lid. The carrier 23 is typically an elongated metal profile with a predetermined cross-section providing a trough in which the LEDs and other parts of the lighting system are accommodated. The LEDs and other parts of the lighting system mounted on the carrier 23 are as such known and are therefore not shown and will not be described in further detail.

[0051] At or rather at a distance before the end of the backbone 3 the current conductor element 2 is terminated so that it does not extend beyond trough-shaped element 4. If the current conductors 33 are heated by the current flowing therein and in turn heat the insulating barriers 34 the whole current conductor element 2 will thermally dilate. Since the current conductor elements 2 may be quite long the dilation in the Y-direction may in general be quite substantial given that for some plastic materials a mere temperature increase of 30 K will lead to a dilation of several mm / m, i.e. a dilation in the range of several centimeters even if the current conductor element 2 is just 10 meters long.

[0052] To counteract the dilation an end cap 1 is secured in the backbone 3 to cover the end 19 of the current conductor element 2. The current conductor element 2 is secured to the bottom 5 of the trough-shaped element 4. The bottom 5 typically being substantially flat 2024PF80146

[0053] 8 and extending in an XY-plane between two essentially parallel side walls 6 opposite each other and extending away from the XY-plane. An interior space 7 in which the current conductor element 2 is arranged is thus provided in the trough-shaped element 4 between the two side walls 6. Each side wall 6 preferably comprises a protrusion 8 elongated in the Y- direction and arranged at a predetermined height H above and protruding inwardly over the bottom 5 towards the opposite side wall 6. As will be described below the end cap 1 is adapted to engage the protrusions 8.

[0054] The end cap 1 is shown separately in Figs. 2 to 4. The indicated X, Y and Z directions correspond to the orientation of the end cap 1 with respect to the backbone 3 when in the mounted closed position shown in Fig. 1 so as to use a common reference frame.

[0055] The end cap l is a single, essentially rigid piece and comprises a cross-beam 9 and a cover member 10. The cross- beam defines a rotation axis R-R which is off-set from an XY-plane in which the cover member essentially extends. A curved transition section 35 may be provided between the cross-beam 9 and the cover member 10.

[0056] The cross-beam 9 preferably presents a slot-shaped aperture 15 in order to reduce the maximum material thickness of the cross-beam 9 in order to harmonized cooling time and shrinkage during manufacturing, by e.g. injection moulding of a suitable plastic material such as polycarbonate. The cross-beam 9 has a first end 11 and a second end 12. The length of the cross-beam 9 in the X-direction between the first end 11 and the second end 12 is preferably adapted to the width of the through-shaped element 4 of the backbone 3, i.e. the distance between the walls 6 below the protrusions 8 of the walls 6 towards the bottom 5. The cross-sectional shapes of the cross-beam 9 at the first and second ends 11, 12 are such that they define the rotation axis R-R which is the axis about which the end cap 1 may be rotated between an open position, cf. Fig. 7, and the closed position shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9. As indicated by the use of the common reference frame, the cross-beam 9 is adapted to engage the elongate trough-shaped element 4 so that when the end cap 1 is mounted in the troughshaped element 4 and with the cover 10 in the closed position, the rotation axis R-R extends in the X-direction.

[0057] The cross-sectional shape of the cross-beam 9 towards the first and ends 11, 12 is generally polygonal, such as a (convex) polygon having 5, 6, 7, or 8 sides / facets, although comers and some sides may be rounded or curved. In the illustrated example the cross-sections of the first and second ends 11,12 are generally hexagonal, the hexagonal shape, however, being irregular but preferably having at least two parallel sides 13, 14, e.g. presented as a square with two differently cut-away corners, yielding two pairs of parallel 2024PF80146

[0058] 9 sides. These irregular shapes generally define the rotation axis R-R, i.e. as the midpoint of the square.

[0059] The cover member 10 is adapted to, when fitted and in the closed position shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9, cover the current conductor element 2 over a distance D onward from the end of the current conductor element 2 towards an opposite end of the current conductor element 2.

[0060] The upper side of the cover member 10, i.e. the side facing away from the current conductor element 2 in the closed position of the cover member 10 is preferably a plane or flat surface. The opposite, lower side, best seen in Fig. 4, comprise a number of barriers 16, 17. The barriers 16, 17 are adapted to penetrate, in the closed position of the cover 10, into the respective gaps between the barriers 34 of the current conductor elements for alignment and for electrically separating the current conductors 33 carried by the barriers 34. At least some of the barriers 17 comprise anchors 18 adapted to engage the current conductor element 2 and to prevent retraction of the end cap 1 in the Z-direction as can best be seen in Fig. 9. The anchors 18 preferably have a cross-sectional profile with an upright stem 36 extending perpendicularly from the underside of the cover 10. The stem is terminated in a pointed head 37 wider than the stem 36 and comprising e.g. a triangular cross-section. The stem may furthermore comprise one or more cross-arms 38 extending generally in a direction in parallel with the upper and lower sides of the cover member 10. The height of the stems 36 and the width of the pointed heads 37 are selected so that the undercut behind the pointed head 37 is adapted to engages behind a bulge 39 or the like of the profile of one or preferably two of the barrier 34 of the current conductor element 2. The bulge 39 may be where the electrical conductors are embedded in the barrier 34 then acting as a carrier. The cross arms 38 are preferably located so that together with the undercut of the pointed head 37 and the stem 36 itself they form a receptacle adapted in size to the bulge 39 on the barrier 34. The cross arms 38 may furthermore be adapted in size and position to engage behind T-shaped end parts in the cross-section of the barriers 34, when during the closing movement of the cover 10 the pointed heads 37 have passed the bulges 39 and the barriers 34 snap back into their natural position. That is to say the width of the pair of cross arms 38 is narrower than the width of the pointed heads 37, so that during closing motion they do not engage the barriers 34, in turn meaning that they need not be pointed or have cam surfaces.

[0061] As will be understood, during closing of the cover 10 the pointed head 37 profile will bend a respective pair of the barriers 34 elastically aside 37 in a slicing motion 2024PF80146

[0062] 10 from which they will snap into their normal position (as shown) with the bulges 39 behind the undercuts of the pointed heads 37. In this position the undercut ensures that a substantially greater opening force will be needed to open the cover 10 again as compared to the force needed to close the cover 10.

[0063] The method for mounting the end cap 1 and closing the cover 10 will now be described in greater detail based on Fig. 5 to 8.

[0064] Fig. 5 shows a backbone 3 of a lighting system with a trough-shaped element 4 with a bottom 5 and two sides 6 defining an interior space as described above. In the troughshaped element 4 i.e. on the bottom 5 thereof a current conductor element 2 that needs to be terminated is located. Each side wall 6 comprises a protrusion 8 elongated in the Y-direction and arranged at a predetermined height above and protruding over the bottom 5 towards the opposite side wall 6. In the gaps formed between the bottom and the protrusions 8 on either side of the trough-shaped element the ends 11, 12 must be placed and the cover member 10 pivoted to cover the free end of the current conductor element 2.

[0065] This can be done inserting the cross-beam 9 of the end cap 1 into the interior space of the elongate trough-shaped element 4 at an orientation where the rotation axis R-R of the cross-beam 9 is not co-incident with the X-direction. The cross-beam needs to be inserted all the way to the bottom 5, so the rotation axis R-R evidently need not be aligned with Y-axis along which the trough-shaped element 4 extends but needs to be at some angle as otherwise the access to the bottom 5 will be blocked by the protrusions 8 of the walls 6. During this the cover part 10 generally extends upward from the bottom 5 in the Z-direction allowing a firm grip by hand of the person fitting the end cap 1. With the cover part 10 gripped by the person fitting the end cap 1, and with the cross-beam 9 at the bottom 5 the end cap 1 may be moved along the bottom 5 until the cross-beam 9 abuts the free end of the current conductor element 2. The end cap 1 may then be turned with respect about the Z-axis of the trough-shaped element 4 as indicated by curved arrows in Fig. 6 in order to press the ends 11, 12 into the respective gaps between the protrusions 8 of the walls 6 and the bottom 5 to the position of Fig. 7 where the cross-beam 9 preferably abuts the free end of the current conductor element 2 and the rotation axis R-R is co-incident with the X-direction.

[0066] With the ends 11, 12 of the cross-beam 9 located in the gap between the protrusions 8 of the walls 6 and the bottom 5, the end cap 1 may then be pivoted about the cross-beam 9, i.e. , as can be seen in Fig. 7, a rotary motion about the X-direction along which the cross-beam 9 now extends, from the open position of the cover 10 to the closed position thereof shown in Fig. 8. During the pivoting motion cross-section of the cross-beam 2024PF80146

[0067] 11

[0068] 9 will be elastically deformed, especially at the corners of the hexagonal shape, allowing in the closed position a firm engagement of the pair of flat sides 13, 14 with the bottom and the protrusion 8 of the wall 6, respectively. The trough-shaped element 4 in this respect may of course also exhibit some elastic properties. This in turn ensures that the end cap 1 will hold the free end of current conductor element 2 in place against thermal dilation.

[0069] Furthermore, during this pivoting motion of the cover 10 the pointed head 37 profile will bend a respective pair of the barriers 34 elastically aside 37 in a slicing motion from which they will snap into their normal position (as shown) with the bulges 39 behind the undercuts of the pointed heads 37. In this position which is shown in Fig. 9 the undercut ensures that a substantially greater opening force will be needed to open the cover 10 again as compared to the force needed to close the cover 10.

[0070] As can be seen in Fig 8, in this position the cover member 10 covers the current conductor element 2 over a distance onward from the end of the current conductor element 2 towards an opposite end of the current conductor element 2.

[0071] The person skilled in the art realizes that the present invention by no means is limited to the preferred embodiments described above. On the contrary, many modifications and variations are possible within the scope of the appended claims. For example, the profile of the trough-shaped element may differ, as may the current conductor element, in turn necessitating modifications within the scope of the invention to the end cap 1 such as symmetry or different asymmetry.

[0072] Additionally, variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and effected by the skilled person in practicing the claimed invention, from a study of the drawings, the disclosure, and the appended claims. In the claims, the word "comprising" does not exclude other elements or steps, and the indefinite article "a" or "an" does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measured cannot be used to advantage.

Claims

2024PF8014612CLAIMS:

1. An end cap (1) for covering an end (19) of a current conductor element (2) of a backbone element (3) of a lighting device (20), the backbone element (3) being elongate in the Y-direction of an XYZ cartesian coordination system and comprising a trough-shaped element (4) elongated in the Y-direction, the trough-shaped element (4) comprising a bottom (5) extending in an XY-plane and two essentially parallel side walls (6) opposite each other and extending away from said XY-plane, so as to define an interior space (7) of the troughshaped element (4), each side wall (6) comprising a protrusion (8) elongated in the Y- direction and arranged at a predetermined height (H) above and protruding over the bottom (5) towards the opposite side wall, the current conductor element (2) being arranged in said interior space (7) of the trough-shaped element (4) between said two side walls (6) and extending in the Y-direction of the cartesian coordination system, the end cap (1) comprising a cross-beam (9) and a cover member (10), wherein the cross-beam (9) has a first and a second end (11, 12) defining a rotation axis (R-R) about which the end cap (1) may be rotated between and open and a closed position and is adapted to so engage the elongate trough-shaped (4) element that when the end cap (1) is mounted in the trough-shaped element (4), the rotation axis (R-R) extends in the X- direction, and the cover member (10) is adapted to when mounted and in the closed position cover the current conductor element (2) over a distance (D) onward from the end (19) of the current conductor element (2) towards an opposite end of the current conductor element (2), wherein the first end (11) and the second end (12) of the cross-beam is shaped as a polygon in cross-section in the YZ-plane, the polygon having at least one pair of opposing parallel sides (13, 14) and having 5, 6, 7 or 8 sides, and a firm engagement of the pair of flat sides (13, 14) with the bottom (5) and the protrusion (8) of the wall (6).

2. An end cap (1) according to claim 1, wherein the cover member (2) is asymmetrical about a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis (R-R) of the cross-beam (9) and2024PF8014613 intersecting the cross-beam (9) through the mid-point (21) between the first end (11) and the second end (12).

3. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the first end (11) and the second end (12) of the cross-beam (9) are adapted to elastically lock with a respective side wall (6) of the elongate trough-shaped element (4).

4. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the first end (11) and the second end (12) of the cross-beam comprise a hexagonal cross-section in the YZ-plane.

5. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cross-beam (9) comprises an aperture (15) providing a through passage in the Y-direction.

6. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end cap (1) is adapted to engage a current conductor element (2) comprising a plurality of electrical conductors (33) mutually separated by electrically insulating walls (34).

7. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cover member (10) comprises a number of barriers (16, 17) elongated in the Y-direction and extending in the Z-direction away from a base surface (22) of the cover member (10).

8. An end cap (1) according to claim 7, wherein at least some of the barriers (17) comprise anchors (18) adapted to engage the current conductor element (2) and to prevent retraction of the end cap (1) in the Z-direction.

9. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end cap (1) comprises an elastically deformable material.

10. An end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the end cap (1) is made of a material comprising polycarbonate.2024PF801461411. A method for fitting an end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims to the current conductor element (2) of a backbone element (3) of a lighting device (20), the method comprising: providing a backbone element (3), the backbone element (3) being elongate in the Y-direction of an XYZ cartesian coordination system and comprising a trough-shaped element (4) elongated in the Y-direction, the trough-shaped element (4) comprising a bottom (5) extending in an XY-plane and two essentially parallel side walls (6) opposite each other and extending away from said XY-plane, so as to define an interior space (7) of the troughshaped element (4) , each side wall comprising a protrusion (8) elongated in the Y-direction and arranged at a predetermined height (H) above and protruding over the bottom (5) towards the opposite side wall (6), the current conductor element (2) being arranged in said interior space (7) of the trough-shaped element (4) between said two side walls (6) and extending in the Y-direction of the cartesian coordination system, providing an end cap (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, inserting the cross-beam (9) of the end cap (10) into the interior space (7) of the elongate trough-shaped element (4) at an orientation where the rotation axis (R-R) of the cross-beam (9) is not co-incident with the X-direction, turning the end cap (1) about the Z-axis to a position where the rotation axis (R-R) is co-incident with the X-direction and the first end and the second ends (11, 12) are located between the respective elongate protrusion (8) and the bottom (5), pivoting the cover member (10) the end cap (1) about the rotation axis (R-R) from an open to a closed position where the cover member (10) covers the current conductor element (2) over a distance (D) onward from the end of the current conductor element (2) towards an opposite end of the current conductor element (2).

12. A method according to claim 11, wherein the cross-beam (9) is brought into abutment in the Y-direction with the current conductor element (2) before the cover member (10) is pivoted about the rotation axis (R-R).

13. A lighting system comprising a backbone element (3), the backbone element (3) being elongate in the Y-direction of an XYZ cartesian coordination system and comprising: a trough-shaped element (4) elongated in the Y-direction, the trough-shaped element (4) comprising a bottom (5) extending in an XY-plane and two essentially parallel2024PF8014615 side walls (6) opposite each other and extending away from said XY-plane, so as to define an interior space (7) of the trough-shaped element (4), each side wall (6) comprising a protrusion (8) elongated in the Y-direction and arranged at a predetermined height (H) above and protruding over the bottom (5) towards the opposite side wall (6), the current conductor element (2) being arranged in said interior space (7) of the trough-shaped element (4) between said two side walls (6) and extending in the Y-direction of the cartesian coordination system, and an end cap (1) according to any one of claims 1-8.

14. A lighting system according to claim 13, where the current conductor element(2) is arranged at the bottom (5) of the trough-shaped member (4).

15. A lighting system according to any one of claims 13 and 14, wherein the current conductor element (2) comprises a plurality of electrical conductors (33) mutually separated by electrically insulating walls (34).

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