IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,725,992
Granted Patent B2
US 12,725,992 · App. 18/681,616 · Granted Sep 1, 2026

Connection connecting technique for an LED profile system, and LED profile system

Inventors: Peter Stepan (Mels, CH); Thomas Stepan (Maienfeld, CH)
Assignee: Stephan Engineering GmbH
H01R33/92H01R12/61
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,725,992
App. No.
18/681,616
Granted
Sep 1, 2026
Kind
B2
Abstract

The invention relates to an electrical connection system in LED profile systems ( 60 ) and its components and the assembly of said components. The connection system comprises, in particular, an electrical connection element ( 40 ) for supplying electrical power to an LED strip ( 70 ) which is in the form of a flexprint strip ( 41 ). The connection element ( 40 ) has a supply connection length region ( 43 ) with exposed longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ), an LED connecting length region ( 44 ) with longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ) in the positions of the connections of the LED strip ( 70 ) and an adhesive area ( 45 ) on the rear side of the connection element ( 40 ). Here, the electrical connection element ( 40 ) can be folded over at a bending point ( 46 ) between the supply connection length region ( 43 ) and the LED connecting length region ( 44 ), so that they come to rest on opposite sides of the profile system ( 60 ). As an alternative or in addition, the electrical connection system also comprises an associated electrical connector ( 50 ) for supplying electrical power to the LED strip ( 70 ) which has a PCB ( 51 ) or a leadframe ( 51 ) encapsulated by injection moulding and having spring contacts ( 52 ) on a bottom side ( 54 ) and a cable outlet ( 67 ) with cable connections ( 53 ) on a top side ( 55 ), wherein a clip element ( 56 ) is formed for attachment to the profile system ( 60 ).

Claims (42)

1 . An electrical connection element ( 40 ) configured for electrical supply of an LED strip ( 70 ), which is fastened in a profile system ( 60 ), wherein the electrical connection element ( 40 ) is a flexprint strip ( 41 ), which has,

a supply connection length region ( 43 ), which is configured with at least two exposed longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ),

an LED connecting length region ( 44 ), which can be connected electrically with at least two longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ), whose positions correspond to connections of the LED strip ( 70 ), and with the LED strip ( 70 ), and

an adhesive area ( 45 ) on the rear side of the connection element ( 40 ), wherein the electrical connection element ( 40 ) can be folded over at a bending point ( 46 ), which lies between the supply connection length region ( 43 ) and the LED connecting length region ( 44 ).

2 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the flexprint strip ( 41 ) has a bending point marking ( 46 ) at the bending point.

3 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) is provided with a measuring system/tape measure scale ( 48 ), starting at a bending point marking ( 46 ).

4 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 3 , wherein a reinforcing element ( 47 ) is applied to the flexprint strip ( 41 ) following the bending point marking ( 46 ), on the supply connection length region ( 43 ).

5 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at one end of the supply connection length region ( 43 ) a stopper element ( 49 ) is applied to the flexprint strip ( 41 ), which provides a longitudinal stop at the end of the supply connection length region ( 43 ).

6 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection element ( 40 ) is configured to interact with an electrical connector ( 50 ) in such a manner that a snapped-on electrical connector ( 50 ) on the electrical connection element ( 40 ) can be moved along a profile direction.

7 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the supply connection length region ( 43 ) or the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) has a length of the exposed longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ) in a range of 5 cm to 15 cm, wherein the supply connection length region ( 43 ) or the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) is longer than an electrical connector ( 50 ) to be connected to it, and/or the supply connection length region ( 43 ) or the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) has a length of the exposed longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ) in a range of 2 cm to 12 cm, and longer than a pitch section of the LED strip.

8 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the flexprint strip ( 41 ) has at least the same width as the LED strip ( 70 ).

9 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ) in the supply connection length region ( 43 ) are configured as at least three symmetrically arranged longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ).

10 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ) in the supply connection length region ( 43 ) are provided in a polarity-reversal-proof arrangement about a longitudinal central axis of the flexprint strip ( 41 ).

11 . The electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical connection element ( 40 ) is configured to be contacted or soldered to a linear line ( 82 ) in such a way that it can be lengthened so that the linear line ( 82 ) provides a contact option for an electrical connector ( 50 ) at any point along the axis of the profile system ( 60 ).

12 . An electrical connector ( 50 ) configured for the electrical supply of an LED strip ( 70 ) which is glued in a profile system ( 60 ), via the electrical connection element ( 40 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the electrical connector ( 50 ) has,

a PCB ( 51 ) or overmoulded leadframe ( 51 ) with at least two spring contacts ( 52 ) on an underside ( 54 ),

a cable outlet ( 67 ) with at least two cable connections ( 53 ) on a top side ( 55 ), and at least one of:

a holding element ( 56 ) configured to snap onto the profile system ( 60 ) on a profile rear side ( 61 ) facing away from the LED strip ( 70 ), and

the holding element ( 56 ) configured to magnetically attach to the profile system ( 60 ) on the profile rear side ( 61 ) facing away from the LED strip.

13 . The electrical connector ( 50 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the spring contacts ( 52 ) are arranged and configured in a polarity-reversal-proof manner, with at least three spring contacts ( 52 ), arranged mirror-symmetrically about a central axis and electrically connected.

14 . The electrical connector ( 50 ) according to claim 12 , wherein the cable connections ( 53 ) are configured as one of spring-loaded terminals, insulation piercing terminals and/or soldering eyes on the PCB ( 51 ) or the overmoulded leadframe.

15 . The electrical connector ( 50 ) according to claim 12 comprising, a cable outlet ( 67 ) leading laterally or upwards for connection to a supply voltage.

16 . Two electrical connectors according to claim 12 , the two electrical connectors ( 50 ) connected to at least one cable ( 67 ), and configured to form an electrical connection between two electrical connection elements ( 40 ).

17 . An electrical connector element ( 58 , 59 ) with an overmoulded leadframe or a PCB ( 51 ) comprising:

a first group of two spring contacts ( 52 ), on an underside ( 54 ), and

a second group of two spring contacts ( 52 ), on the underside ( 54 ), which are electrically connected to associated spring contacts of the first group, and

a holding element ( 56 ) configured to snap onto a profile system ( 60 ) on a profile rear side ( 61 ) facing away from an LED strip ( 70 ), so that the first group contacts a first connection element ( 40 ) of a first LED strip and the second group contacts a second connection element ( 40 ) of a second LED strip ( 70 ) and electrically connects them to one another in an assembled state.

18 . An electrical connection system ( 80 ) for an LED lighting profile ( 60 ) comprising:

at least one electrical connection element ( 40 ), according to claim 1 , for attachment in the lighting profile ( 60 ), and

at least one electrical connector ( 50 ) for the electrical connection element ( 40 ).

19 . An LED lighting profile ( 60 ) having an extruded aluminium profile or plastic profile with at least one electrical connection system ( 80 ) according to claim 18 .

20 . An LED lighting system ( 81 ) comprising

at least one LED strip ( 70 ),

at least one translucent cover ( 69 ) and,

at least one LED lighting profile ( 81 ) according to claim 19 .

21 . A method for connecting an LED strip ( 70 ) to a supply voltage via an electrical connection element ( 40 ), according to claim 1 , comprising;

adhesively bonding an end region of the LED strip ( 70 ) to the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) of the connection element ( 40 ),

soldering connection pads of the LED strip ( 70 ) to longitudinal conductor tracks ( 42 ) on the LED connecting length region ( 44 ),

adhesively bonding a supply connection length region ( 43 ) of the connection element ( 40 ) onto the profile rear side ( 61 ) on a profile end ( 63 ) of the profile system ( 60 ), wherein a bending point marking ( 46 ) comes to rest on the profile end ( 63 ) of the profile system ( 60 ),

bending the electrical connection element ( 40 ) around the profile end ( 63 ) of the profile system ( 60 ) so that the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) comes to rest on a profile front side ( 62 ),

adhesively bonding the LED connecting length region ( 44 ) and the LED strip ( 70 ) to the profile front side ( 62 ), and

plugging an electrical connector ( 50 ) on the profile rear side ( 61 ) to connect a supply voltage to the supply connection length region ( 43 ).

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Feb 6, 2024
From: STEPAN, PETER; STEPAN, THOMAS
To: STEPAN ENGINEERING GMBH
Reel/Frame 066391/0968 →
Continuity (1)
Related Publication 20240347991A1 · Oct 17, 2024
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