Modular LED Profile Rail Connection for Flexible Linear Lighting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED illumination systems have complex and static structures with limited flexibility, requiring manual prefabrication and many components, leading to inefficient warehousing, installation, and transportation challenges, especially when dealing with structural tolerances and retrofitting.
Innovation Solution
A modular LED illumination system with a mounting profile rail and flexible supply connectors that allow for easy assembly and configuration without tools, enabling length adjustments, corner connections, and multiple supply points, using extruded plastic or aluminum profiles with U- or H-shaped cross-sections, and symmetrical conductor tracks for polarity protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional LED illumination systems use permanently mounted power supply rails and pre-assembled connectors, then electrical connection reliability is improved, but device complexity and installation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides the illumination installation into separate modular components: mounting profile rails without integrated power supply, separate lighting units, and independent supply connectors. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently while simplifying the overall system structure and reducing pre-assembly requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The mounting profile rail serves multiple functions: mechanical support for lighting units, structural framework for the illumination system, and mounting surface for supply connectors. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate power supply rails, reducing device complexity while maintaining connection reliability.
2Manufacturing precision
If LED profiles are prefabricated with fixed configurations, then manufacturing precision is improved, but adaptability to different installation situations deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from static, pre-configured LED profiles to a dynamic assembly where supply connectors can be positioned at different locations along the mounting profile rails. This allows the installation configuration to be adapted to various structural tolerances and retrofitting conditions while maintaining manufacturing precision of individual components.
Solution Approach 2:
The system allows variation in installation parameters such as connector position, lighting unit spacing, and profile length without requiring different pre-fabricated products. This parameter flexibility enables adaptation to different installation situations while maintaining precise manufacturing of standard components.
3Adaptability or versatility
If modular LED systems use multiple specialized components, then adaptability is improved, but ease of manufacture and warehousing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting profile rail is designed as a universal component that can accommodate different lighting units and supply connectors without requiring specialized variants. This universality simplifies manufacturing and warehousing while maintaining system adaptability through flexible component combinations.
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges the functions of mechanical support and electrical connection into a unified mounting profile rail structure. This consolidation reduces the number of separate specialized components needed, improving manufacturing efficiency and warehousing while preserving installation flexibility.
4Duration of action of stationary object
If LED profiles are delivered in long continuous lengths, then installation continuity is improved, but transportation efficiency deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mounting profile rails are supplied in standardized, transportable lengths that can be easily handled and transported. These segments are designed to be assembled on-site to achieve the required total illumination length, improving transportation efficiency while maintaining installation continuity through simple mechanical connections.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an illumination system (80) comprising at least one conductor-bar-free assembly profile rail (60) for accommodating at least one lighting unit (70) that is insertable into the assembly profile rail (60), and at least one supply connector (50) that is insertable into the assembly profile rail (60). In this case, the assembly profile rail (60) is in the form of an extruded plastics or aluminum profile and the lighting unit (70) is in the form of a long rigid strip which has at least one semiconductor light source (71) on its front surface and at least two exposed, continuous contacting conductor tracks (74) on its back surface. The lighting unit (70) further comprises a housing element (73) which is designed to be mechanically couplable to the assembly profile rail (60) and which is used to hold the lighting unit (70) in the assembly profile rail (60). The supply connector (50) comprises contact devices (52), by means of which it is possible to establish electrical coupling of the contacting conductor tracks (74) of the lighting unit (70) to those of a further lighting unit (70) and/or to a supply cable (67), and further comprises a housing element (56b) which is mechanically couplable to the assembly profile rail (60) or to the lighting unit (70) and which is used to hold the supply connector (50) in the assembly profile rail (60).