LED PANEL

Abstract

The disclosure relates to an LED panel, which has at least one illuminant. The panel also has a contact-connection device or means, which can be used to electrically connect the panel to at least one further panel or an entire panel wall, such as a display board or an advertising wall, for example. The individual panel further has a unit, which can be used to displace the contact-connection device or means such that said panel can be repaired and replaced without difficulty.

Claims

1. An LED panel, which has at least one illuminant, and wherein: the panel has contact-connection means, which can be used to electrically connect the panel to at least one further panel, the contact-connection means is a multipole plug-type connector, and the panel has a unit, which can be used to displace the contact-connection means.

2. The LED panel according to claim 1, wherein, the unit is configured to make it possible to displace the contact-connection means vertically between a connected state and a disconnected state.

3. The LED panel according to claim 2, wherein in the connected state, the unit mechanically and electrically connects the panel to a further panel.

4. The LED panel according to claim 2, wherein, in the disconnected state, the unit mechanically and electrically disconnects the panel from a further panel.

5. The LED panel according to claim 2, wherein, in the disconnected state, the panel can be removed completely from a group of panels.

6. The LED panel according to claim 1, wherein the unit is configured to be displaced by a tool.

7. The LED panel according to claim 1, wherein the unit has a spring element.

8. The LED panel according to claim 7, wherein the spring element is a torsion spring.

9. The LED panel according to claim 1, wherein the unit can be operated from a front side and/or a rear side of the panel.

10. The LED panel according to claim 1, wherein the contact-connection means is a hybrid plug-type connector for transmitting power and/or data and/or signals.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

[0046] An exemplary embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawings and will be explained in greater detail below. In the drawings:

[0047] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a contact-connection device or means and a unit of a panel;

[0048] FIG. 2 shows a further plan view of a contact-connection device or means and a unit of a panel;

[0049] FIG. 3a)-d) shows an overview of the states of a panel; and

[0050] FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a contact-connection device or means and a unit of a panel.

[0051] The figures contain partially simplified, schematic illustrations. In some instances, identical reference symbols are used for elements which are similar but may not be identical. Different views of the same elements may be drawn to different scales.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0052] FIG. 1 shows a plan view of a contact-connection device or means 2 and a unit 3 of a panel 1. In this case, the contact-connection device or means 2 and the unit 3 are arranged opposite one another. The unit 3 and hence also the contact-connection device or means 2 are in this case illustrated in a disconnected state T.

[0053] The contact-connection device or means 2 comprises or consists of a plug-type connector, in particular of a hybrid plug-type connector. In this embodiment, the plug-type connector has two plug-type connectors for signal/data transmission 2.2, wherein in this case RJ45 plug-type connectors are used. The contact-connection device or means 2 furthermore has a plug-type connector for power transmission 2.1 using five power contacts. In this case, the plug-type connector for power transmission 2.1 is arranged between the two plug-type connectors for signal/data transmission 2.2. Corresponding conductors are arranged at the respective plug-type connectors, said conductors being illustrated in capped form purely for illustrative reasons in order that the conductors can be easily identified.

[0054] The unit 3 is a mechanical unit. The unit 3 comprises or consists of an actuator 6, a receptacle 6.1 and a plurality of guides. In FIG. 1, the unit 3 has four vertical guides 5 and one lever guide 5.1. There are two vertical guides 5 arranged behind one another on each side of the unit 3. These two vertical guides 5 are furthermore parallel to the other two vertical guides 5. The vertical guides 5 are grooves as guide rails with corresponding guide bodies. The guide bodies are firmly mounted screws, for example. The vertical guides 5 serve for stabilization, position securing and rectilinear guidance of the unit 3.

[0055] The lever guide 5.1 is a groove having a guide device or means, wherein the guide device or means has a connection to the actuator 6. The connection may be, for example, a droplet-shaped element, which is connected with the pointed side to the guide device or means of the lever guide 5.1 and with the bulbous side to the actuator 6. The guide device or means of the lever guide 5.1 may be, for example, a small plate 4, in particular a metal plate, which can be moved in the groove and to which the connection is fastened.

[0056] The actuator 6 can be either in a connected state V or in a disconnected state T. These two states are shown again more clearly in FIG. 3. In the disconnected state T (FIG. 1), the contact-connection device or means 2 is closer to the unit 3 than in the connected state V, as is illustrated in FIG. 2.

[0057] The actuator 6 has a receptacle 6.1. Said receptacle 6.1 is accessible from both sides and is fully functional. The receptacle 6.1 is configured such that it can receive a tool, preferably a hexagon key. Other shapes of the receptacle 6.1 that is suitable for receiving an auxiliary means or a tool for shifting the actuator 6 between the disconnected state T and the connected state V are also conceivable. The tool serves for being able to shift the unit 3 between the disconnected state T and the connected state V. For this, the actuator 6 has, as illustrated in FIG. 3, a display with a clear label, for example up and down, disconnected and connected or on and off.

[0058] Overall, the unit 3 is configured together with the contact-connection device or means 2 in an approximately rectangular manner, such that a simple contour is present for the receptacle in a panel as well.

[0059] FIG. 2 shows the same combination of the unit 3 and the contact-connection device or means 2. In contrast to FIG. 1, the combination in FIG. 2 is illustrated in the connected state V. In the connected state, the contact-connection device or means 2 protrudes further beyond the unit 3 than in the disconnected state T.

[0060] FIG. 3 is divided into four elements: a), b), c) and d). Here, FIG. 3a) and FIG. 3b) each show a panel 1 from the rear side and FIG. 3c) and FIG. 3d) show a panel 1 from the front side.

[0061] In all four illustrations, the panel 1 has a unit 3 and a contact-connection device or means 2, as illustrated in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2.

[0062] In FIG. 3a), the panel 1 can be seen from the rear side. In this view, the mechanical configuration of the unit 3 cannot be seen. Instead, the current position of the actuator 6 and hence of the unit 3 and of the contact-connection device or means 2 can be seen, since this side of the actuator 6 has the label on and off mentioned above. In this case, on means that the contact-connection device or means 2 and the unit 3 are in the connected state V, as FIG. 3a) shows. This state is shown by the protrusion of the panel 1 through the contact-connection device or means 2. In this state, two panels are firmly connected to one another and can thus form the panel wall, display panel or advertising board mentioned at the outset.

[0063] In FIG. 3b), the panel 1 can likewise be seen from the rear side. In contrast to FIG. 3a), the actuator 6, the contact-connection device or means 2 and the unit 3 are in the disconnected state T. This is shown by the position off of the actuator 6 and the low final position of the contact-connection device or means 2 flush with the panel 1. In this set-up, both the entire panel 1 and also only the contact-connection device or means 2 and the unit 3 or only individual component parts, such as conductors, for example, can be replaced. In the disconnected state T, this is possible on account of the omission of the high pulling forces, which otherwise restrict repairs to the most narrow space.

[0064] FIG. 3c) corresponds to FIG. 3a) and FIG. 3d) corresponds to FIG. 3b), but respectively observed from the front side of the panel 1.

[0065] FIG. 4 shows a perspective illustration of a contact-connection device or means 2 and a unit 3 of a panel 1. The unit 3 and hence also the contact-connection device or means 2 are in this case illustrated in a disconnected state T. The contact-connection device or means 2 in FIG. 4 is identical to the contact-connection device or means 2 from FIG. 1. In this embodiment, said contact-connection device or means 2 also has two plug-type connectors for signal/data transmission 2.2, wherein these are advantageously RJ45 plug-type connectors, and one plug-type connector for power transmission 2.1 with advantageously five power contacts. No conductors are arranged at the respective plug-type connectors. This serves for illustrative purposes for a better and clearer illustration of the constituent parts of the unit 3.

[0066] The unit 3 is a mechanical unit. The unit 3 comprises or consists of an actuator 6, a receptacle 6.1 and a plurality of guides. In FIG. 4, the unit 3 has two vertical guides in the form of spring-groove guides and one lever guide 5.1.

[0067] The lever guide 5.1 of FIG. 4 is a partially circular recess, which is likewise connected to the actuator 6 by a droplet-shaped connection and a plate 4, in particular a metal plate. The recess is formed in the sense of a depression and is formed directly by injection molding, for example, or produced in another production method. The partial circle has a radius of approximately 150. In this case, the peak of the partial circle is aligned with the side face, in this case on the right, of the contact-connection device or means 2.

[0068] Due to the partially circular configuration, the actuator 6 is limited in its movement space such that a stop function like in the groove is provided at the end of the partial circle. To hold the actuator 6 securely in the partially circular recess, said recess has another passage opening through which the actuator 6 protrudes in certain areas. The actuator 6 can therefore be actuated from one side of the panel 1 or even from both sides. The actuator 6 is actuated as described in the other figures.

[0069] FIG. 4 also shows another two spring elements 7 in the form of torsion springs. Said torsion springs 7 are arranged with one on one side wall, in this case on the right, and one on the other side wall, in this case on the left, of the unit 3. In this case, a spring arm and the wound region bear on the side wall; the other spring arm is hooked into a displacement plate 7.1. The displacement plate 7.1 is received in a movement space. The movement space of the displacement plate 7.1 is the region in which the displacement plate 7.1 can be displaced.

[0070] The rest state of the displacement plate 7.1 is at the end of the movement space, which is at a further distance from the plug side of the contact-connection device or means 2. In the illustration, the two spring elements 7 and the displacement plate 7.1 are in the rest state. During plugging of the contact-connection device or means 2, which is not shown here, the displacement plate 7.1 is slid from its rest position in the direction of the plug side. When the displacement plate 7.1 reaches the end close to the plug side, the contact-connection device or means 2 contact-connects a contact-connection device or means of a further panel. The spring elements 7 are oriented such that they counteract the plugging force, that is to say the mechanical force for contact-connecting a further contact-connection device or means. The ideal contact-connection point is therefore reached reliably and mechanical blocking is prevented.

[0071] Even though various aspects or features of the invention are shown respectively in combination in the figures, it is clear to the person skilled in the artunless stated otherwisethat the illustrated and discussed combinations are not the only ones possible. In particular, mutually corresponding units or feature complexes from different exemplary embodiments can be exchanged with one another.

[0072] Moreover, various features and aspects of the embodiments described above may be combined to provide further embodiments. In addition, the foreign patent application listed in the Application Data Sheet, namely, German patent application DE 10 2017 109 103.3, filed Apr. 27, 2017, is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary, to employ concepts of the application to provide yet further embodiments.

[0073] These and other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.