Lighting unit for a track lighting system and lighting arrangement
A track lighting system having a lighting unit includes a mounting track, which is shaped to follow a path curved at least in portions and which track system, along a longitudinal extension of the mounting track, is provided with at least one mounting slot. The lighting unit can be inserted into the mounting slot for electrical contacting of a conductor device of the mounting track. The lighting unit includes a lighting unit body, which is divided into two or more lighting unit segments along a longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body. In each case, the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are connected to one another in a connecting region. The connecting region allows the lighting unit body to be flexibly bent about at least one bending axis, wherein the bending axis runs non-parallel to the longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body in each case.
1 . A lighting arrangement comprising:
a mounting track of a track lighting system, wherein the mounting track is shaped to follow a path curved at least in portions, is provided with at least one mounting slot along a longitudinal extension of the mounting track and comprises a conductor device; and
at least one lighting unit of the track lighting system, which is inserted into the mounting slot for electrical contacting of the conductor device and is in electrical contact with the conductor device, wherein the lighting unit can be supplied at least with electric power provided by the conductor device for the operation of the lighting unit or at least with electric power provided by the conductor device and a control signal provided by the conductor device;
wherein the lighting unit comprises a lighting unit body which is divided into two or more lighting unit segments along a longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body, wherein in each case the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are connected to each another in a connecting region, wherein the connecting region enables the lighting unit body to be flexibly bent about at least one bending axis in each case and in this respect the bending axis runs in each case non-parallel to the longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body, and wherein the lighting unit body is configured to be more flexible in the connecting region than in the region of the lighting unit segments in each case.
2 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the at least one bending axis runs substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body.
3 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting region in each case enables the lighting unit body to be flexibly bent about at least two bending axes, and in this respect the two bending axes are non-parallel to each another and run non-parallel to the longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body.
4 . The lighting arrangement unit according to claim 1 , wherein the two bending axes are substantially perpendicular to each other and/or run substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body.
5 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein at least one of the lighting unit segments comprises at least one light generating apparatus.
6 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting region/connecting regions is/are configured with at least one corrugation structure with corrugation peaks and corrugation troughs in each case.
7 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the connecting region/connecting regions is/are configured with at least one elastic intermediate portion in each case.
8 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting unit body is of box-like shape and that the lighting unit segments are each configured with at least one lid portion.
9 . The lighting arrangement unit according to claim 8 , wherein in each case in the connecting region, mutually adjacent edge regions of the side walls of the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are connected by a corrugation structure with corrugation peaks ( 12 ) and corrugation troughs and/or in that in each case in the connecting region, mutually adjacent edge regions of the side walls of the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are connected by a plate-like or wall-like elastic intermediate portion.
10 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 9 , wherein the crests of the corrugation peaks and bottoms of the corrugation troughs run substantially parallel to the side walls connected by the corrugation structure, or in that the plate-like or wall-like elastic intermediate portion is configured as a substantially planar continuation of a main extension surface of one of the side walls in the direction of an adjacent one of the side walls.
11 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein at least one flat carrier component is accommodated in the interiors of at least two mutually adjacent lighting unit segments in each case, wherein the flat carrier component carries electrical conductors, and in particular also electronic components and/or electrical contacting devices, and in that wherein the flat carrier components of the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are connected to each other and electrically coupled by means of a ribbon-like or film-like, flexible connector.
12 . The lighting arrangement unit according to claim 11 , wherein one, several or all of the flat carrier components each carry/carries one or more light generating apparatuses configured as or with an LED or LEDs.
13 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the flat carrier component is accommodated in the interior in each case substantially parallel to the lid portion between the side walls.
14 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 11 , wherein the tape-like or film-like, flexible connection is formed in the connecting region with a band-like or film-like, flexible material which carries conductive traces and is arranged bent in a U-shape in the connecting region.
15 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 14 , wherein the U-shape in a transverse direction of the lighting unit; is arranged between two of the corrugation structures ( 11 ; 11 ′; 11 ″) of the connecting region or wherein the U-shape is arranged in a transverse direction of the lighting unit between two of the elastic intermediate portions of the connecting region.
16 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein in the interior there is further accommodated at least one optical element.
17 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 8 , wherein provision is made for a gap between mutually facing narrow side edges of the lid portions of the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments in an unbent state of the lighting unit body, wherein the narrow side edge of a first of the lid portions is formed with a convex contour, as viewed in a main extension plane of the first lid portion, and the narrow side edge of a second of the lid portions is formed with a concave contour, as viewed in a main extension plane of the second lid portion, and the convex and concave contours mesh with each other in such a way that the gap remains in the unbent state.
18 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting unit body is made of at least one plastic material.
19 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are integrally connected in the connecting region.
20 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting unit body is configured with the same plastic material, in the lighting unit segments and in the connecting regions.
21 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein in the lighting unit segments the lighting unit body is configured with a first plastic material, and in the connecting regions the lighting unit body is configured with a second plastic material, said second plastic material being different from the first plastic material.
22 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein the lighting unit body is manufactured in an injection moulding process or in a 3D printing process.
23 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , wherein:
the path is a planar curve and that a depth direction of the mounting slot is substantially aligned normal to a plane of the curve, or wherein
the path is a planar curve and at least in one portion of the mounting track a depth direction of the mounting slot deviates from a normal to the plane of the curve, or wherein
the path is a three-dimensional curve and, at least in one portion of the mounting track, a depth direction of the mounting slot deviates from a binormal of an accompanying tripod of the three-dimensional curve.
24 . The lighting arrangement according to claim 1 , characterized in that the mounting track comprises at least two mounting slots and wherein the lighting arrangement comprises at least two lighting units, which are each inserted into one of the mounting slots at least in portions opposite one another within a portion of the mounting track within which the path is curved.
25 . A track lighting system comprising
a lighting unit and
a mounting track which is shaped to follow a path curved at least in portions, the mounting track being provided with at least one mounting slot along a longitudinal extension of the mounting track, the mounting track comprising a conductor device;
wherein the lighting unit can be inserted into the mounting slot for electrical contacting of the conductor device;
wherein the lighting unit comprises a lighting unit body which is divided into two or more lighting unit segments along a longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body, wherein in each case the mutually adjacent lighting unit segments are connected to each another in a connecting region, wherein the connecting region enables the lighting unit body to be flexibly bent about at least one bending axis in each case and in this respect the bending axis runs in each case non-parallel to the longitudinal extension of the lighting unit body, and wherein the lighting unit body is configured to be more flexible in the connecting region than in the region of the lighting unit segments in each case; and
wherein the lighting unit is configured to be supplied at least with electric power provided by the conductor device for the operation of the lighting unit or at least with electric power provided by the conductor device and a control signal provided by the conductor device.