Securing electrical devices

• US 8,061,886 B1
• Filed: 04/30/2009
• Issued: 11/22/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Velcro IP Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Velcro Industries BV (Chartwell Industries Ltd)
• Inventors: Hinton, Kristel, Devershetty, Vamshideep, Kraus, David P. Jr., Gallant, Christopher M., Clarner, Mark A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Han; Jason Moon
• Application Number:
  US12/433,353
• Time in Patent Office: 936 Days
• Field of Search: 362/147, 362388-389, 362/396, 362/418, 362/430, 362/647, 362/652, 362655-659
• US Class Current: 362/647
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35

Abstract

An electrical cable includes first and second conductive strips and an electrically insulative base extending between and joining the first and second conductive strips and electrically isolating the first conductive strip from the second conductive strip. The first and second conductive strips each include an electrically conductive thermoplastic resin in contact with a longitudinally continuous electrical conductor, the electrically conductive thermoplastic resin having a lower electrical conductivity than the electrical conductor. The electrically conductive thermoplastic resin forms an exposed surface of the cable and a field of fastener elements extending from the exposed surface. Lighting systems and electrical fastening devices include similar features.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a power cable including

a first conductive strip and a second conductive strip, each conductive strip including;

a longitudinally continuous electrical conductor;

an electrically conductive thermoplastic resin in contact with the electrical conductor, the electrically conductive thermoplastic resin with a lower electrical conductivity than the electrical conductor, the electrically conductive thermoplastic resin forming an exposed surface of the cable and an array of hook fastener elements integrally formed with and extending from the exposed surface; and

an electrically insulative base extending between and joining the first conductive strip and the second conductive strip and electrically isolating the first conductive strip from the second conductive strip; and

multiple discrete lighting units, each lighting unit comprising;

a contact portion, a first securing portion, and a second securing portion, the contact portion electrically isolated from each securing portion, the contact portion engageable with a longitudinally exposed, continuous electrical conductor to allow electrical communication therebetween, the first securing portion releasably engageable with the fastener elements of the first conductive strip to allow electrical communication therebetween, the second securing portion releasably engageable with the fastener elements of the second conductive strip to allow electrical communication therebetween.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising the longitudinally exposed, continuous electrical conductor carried by the electrically insulative base and having an exposed, conductive surface on the front side of the electrically insulative base, wherein the longitudinally continuous electrical paths formed by the first and second conductive strips are spaced from, and arranged on opposite sides of, the longitudinally exposed, continuous electrical conductor.

3. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein the contact portion comprises a resilient member configured to bias the contact portion toward the longitudinally exposed, continuous electrical conductor when the securing portions engage the fastener elements.

4. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein a lane of an electrically insulative resin is attached to the electrically insulative base between the first conductive strip and the second conductive strip.

5. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the longitudinally continuous electrical conductors of the first and second conductive strips comprises conductive yarn extending along the cable.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a wire at least partially embedded in the conductive yarn.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising an adhesive layer on a back surface of the electrically insulative base, opposite the array of hook fastener elements.

8. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising an electrically insulative layer disposed along a portion of an outer surface of at least some of the hook fastener elements of each array.

9. The lighting system of claim 8 wherein each hook fastener element comprises user exposed surfaces and substantially unexposed surfaces, the electrically insulative layer disposed along the exposed surfaces of the fastener, and substantially unexposed surfaces of the fasteners substantially uncoated to permit electrical communication through one or more of the substantially unexposed surfaces.

10. The lighting system of claim 1 wherein each lighting unit further comprises a light source configured to direct illumination in a direction substantially opposite the contact portion.

11. The lighting system of claim 10 wherein the light source is in electrical communication with the first securing portion and the second securing portion.

12. The lighting system claim 1 wherein the contact portion is disposed between the first securing portion and the second securing portion.

13. The lighting system of claim 12 wherein the first securing portion and the second securing portion are portions of an annulus disposed around the contact portion of each lighting unit, the annulus spaced apart from the contact portion.

14. A lighting system comprising:

a power cable including

a first conductive strip and a second conductive strip, the first conductive strip electrically isolated from the second conductive strip, and each conductive strip including a longitudinally continuous electrical conductor; and

two electrically conductive thermoplastic regions, each in contact with a respective longitudinally continuous electrical conductor of the first conductive strip and the second conductive strip, each electrically conductive thermoplastic region forming a respective exposed surface of the cable and a respective array of hook fastener elements integrally formed with and extending from the exposed surface; and

at least one lighting unit, each of the at least one lighting units comprising;

a contact portion, a securing portion, the contact portion electrically isolated from the securing portion, the contact portion engageable with a longitudinally exposed, continuous electrical conductor to allow electrical communication therebetween, the securing portion releasably engageable with the fastener elements of at least one of the first conductive strip and the second conductive fastener strip to allow electrical communication between the securing portion and the first and/or second conductive strip.

15. The lighting system of claim 14 wherein the first conductive strip is spaced apart from the second conductive strip and the contact portion has a dimension less than the spacing between the first and second conductive strips.

16. The lighting system of claim 14 wherein the at least one lighting unit further comprises a housing substantially transparent to visible light in a direction substantially opposite the contact portion.

17. The lighting system of claim 16 wherein the contact portion and the securing portion extend from a surface of the housing, the contact portion extending a first distance from the surface and the securing portion extending a second distance from the surface, and the first distance is greater than the second distance.