PCB Rail Connector for Compact Lighting Track Coupling

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lighting systems with internal cabling require significant effort and space for reliable electrical connections between track sections, and they often necessitate a large minimum height to accommodate cable tolerances.

Innovation Solution

A connector and feed component utilizing a printed circuit board with conductor tracks and contact elements to electrically couple conductor arrangements of rail sections, eliminating the need for internal cabling and allowing for a more compact design.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If internal cabling with individual cables or wires is used for electrical connections in connector components, then reliable electrical connections can be achieved, but a large amount of installation space is required within the housing and a relatively large minimum height is needed to accommodate cable tolerances

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of electrical connectionsVSAvoidinstallation space within housing

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple individual cable connections into a single printed circuit board (PCB) structure. The PCB integrates multiple conductor tracks that correspond to individual cable functions, eliminating the need for separate cables while maintaining all necessary electrical connections. This consolidation reduces the overall volume required for housing the connector component.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces the mechanical cable-based connection system with an integrated PCB-based electrical connection system. Instead of using flexible cables with connectors that require significant space for bending radii and tolerance accommodation, the invention uses rigid or flexible PCBs with etched conductor tracks that provide the same electrical connectivity in a more compact form factor.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

2Reliability

If internal cabling with individual cables or wires is used for electrical connections in connector components, then reliable electrical connections can be achieved, but a relatively high level of effort is required to ensure the desired reliability

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereliability of electrical connectionsVSAvoideffort for implementation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines multiple separate cable assembly tasks into a single PCB manufacturing process. Instead of individually routing, connecting, and securing multiple cables, the PCB is manufactured as a single integrated component with all conductor tracks and connection points pre-defined, significantly reducing assembly effort while maintaining connection reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The PCB is pre-manufactured with all necessary conductor tracks, contact points, and electrical pathways before integration into the connector. This preliminary manufacturing of the complete connection structure eliminates the need for complex on-site cable assembly and reduces the effort required during final installation and implementation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Reliability

If conventional connectors with internal cabling are used, then electrical connections between track sections can be established, but the connector requires a relatively large minimum height to ensure tolerance range of wires or cables can be maintained when bending

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetolerance range maintenanceVSAvoidminimum height of connector

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces the flexible cable system with a PCB-based system that has fixed, rigid conductor tracks. This substitution eliminates the need for large bending radii and tolerance accommodation spaces, allowing the connector to be designed with a much smaller minimum height while maintaining stable electrical connections without the variability associated with cable bending.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Data Source

PatentEP4568025A1Connector and supply component and lighting assembly with such a connector and/or supply component

Publication Date: 2025.06.11 H4X

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Figure 3~4
Figure 5

AI summary

The invention relates to a connector (1; 101; 201; 301) which, with a respective connector section (2, 3; 102-105; 202, 203; 302-304), can be inserted into rail sections (901-903) of a lighting system. The rail sections are each provided with a conductor arrangement (950) for supplying lighting devices (990) with at least electrical operating current. The connector is designed to electrically couple the conductor arrangements of at least two of the rail sections to one another. The connector has a printed circuit board (19; 119, 120; 219; 319) with conductor tracks (22; 122, 123; 222; 322), and the connector has contact elements (61-64, 71-74; 161-164, 171-174, 165-168, 175-178; 261-264, 271-274; 361-366, 371-376), each of which is firmly connected to the printed circuit board and is designed to contact a conductor (951-954) of one of the conductor arrangements.The connector enables electrical coupling of corresponding conductors of the conductor arrangements by means of electrical coupling of associated contact elements using at least one of the conductor tracks. The invention further relates to a feed component (401) and lighting arrangements (1000, 2000).