LED illumination profile system and connecting technique

An illumination system comprising:

• at least one mounting profile rail (60a, 60b, 60c), without a power rail, for the accommodation of at least one lighting unit (70), which can be introduced into the mounting profile rail, and
• at least one supply connector (50a, 50b, 50c), which can be introduced into the mounting profile rail;
• wherein the mounting profile rail (60a, 60b, 60c) is designed as an extruded plastic or aluminum profile,
• wherein the at least one lighting unit (70) is designed as a long, rigid strip,
• on a front surface of which it has at least one semiconductor light source, and
• on its rear surface it has at least two exposed, continuous contacting conductor tracks,
• wherein the at least one lighting unit (70) furthermore comprises a translucent housing element (73), which is designed such that it can be mechanically coupled to the mounting profile rail, and with which the lighting unit can be held in the mounting profile rail,
• wherein the supply connector (50a, 50b, 50c) has contact devices for making an electrical coupling of the contacting conductor tracks of the lighting unit with those of a second lighting unit, and/or with a supply cable, and
• wherein the supply connector (50a, 50b, 50c) furthermore comprises a housing element, which can be mechanically coupled to the mounting profile rail (60a, 60b, 60c) or to the at least one lighting unit (70), and with which the supply connector is retained in the mounting profile rail,
• wherein
• the electrical supply connector (50a, 50b, 50c) has,
• a PCB (51), or an over-moulded lead frame (51), with at least two spring contacts (52) on an under surface,
• a cable outlet (67) with at least two cable connections (53) on an upper surface, and
• a retaining element (56) which is designed to:
• snap onto a profile system (60);
• or
• magnetically attach to a profile system.

A method for installation or connection of an LED illumination system to a supply voltage, comprising:

• installing one or a plurality of mounting profile rails (60a, 60b, 60c) of the illumination system at an installation site;
• introducing at least one electrical supply connector (50a, 50b, 50c) onto the mounting profile rail, wherein at least one of the supply connectors is connected to a supply cable (67), and the supply connector can be moved in the longitudinal direction of a profile of the profile rail;
• introducing at least one lighting unit (70) onto the mounting profile rail (60a, 60b, 60c), above the supply connector (50a, 50b, 50c), so that the latter establishes contact with a continuous, rear surface, supply conductor track (74) of the lighting unit, wherein the lighting units are shortened at least in a predetermined grid pattern, and/or are butted against one another lengthwise, so as to adapt them to the length of the profile, wherein a supply connector is introduced beforehand at each of the butt joints, such that it overlaps both abutting lighting units;
• mounting a translucent cover (69, 73) on the mounting profile rail (60a, 60b, 60c).