WO2019025604A1 - LED LIGHTING DEVICE - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a modular LED lighting device with an elongate carrier (12), at least one held on the carrier (12) LED module (26) with one or more light-emitting semiconductor elements as a light source, a control circuit with at least one LED driver for the operation of the LED module and connection means (40) which connect output terminals (60) of the control circuit to electrical terminals of the LED module (26). The control circuit is located in a separate control circuit housing (30A) which is replaceably held on the carrier (12). The LED module (26) is also replaceably held on the carrier (12) outside the control circuit housing (30A). The control circuit located in the control circuit housing (30A) can dissipate generated heat directly to the ambient air via the control circuit housing (30A) without significantly contributing to the heating of the LED module (26). The good heat dissipation and less heating of the LED module (26) ensures a long life of the modules, which together with the interchangeable support on the support leads to low maintenance costs and high luminous efficacy.

Description

 LED LIGHTING DEVICE

description

The present invention relates to an LED illumination device, in particular an LED illumination device according to the preamble of claim 1.

background

LEDs (light-emitting diodes) or LED modules with one or more LEDs have increasingly displaced incandescent lamps, fluorescent lamps, so-called energy-saving lamps etc. as light sources in lighting technology in recent years and will continue to do so. LEDs have as light sources compared to their predecessors considerable advantages that are well known and therefore not further elaborated here. will need (see, for example, the font published by licht.de, Fördergemeinschaft Gutes Licht, Lyoner Strasse 9, 60528 Frankfurt am Main and ZSG, the service company of the ZVEI available licht.wissen 17, the online at: https: // www. licht.de/fileadmin/Publikationen Downloads / lichtwissenl7 LED.pdf is available).

LEDs or LED modules are used on the one hand as permanently installed, ie non-exchangeable elements of LED lights. On the other hand, the prior art but also "retrofit lamps". "Retrofit lamps" are lamps that use LEDs as a light source and fit into the sockets of conventional luminaires to replace their original lamps. As a result, the benefits of LED lighting can be used without the replacement of complete lights. Such retrofit lamps already exist as a replacement for fluorescent lamps in luminaires, which were developed for fluorescent lamps and are still in use in large numbers. Insofar as the term "fluorescent lamp" is used in the following text, this always means a fluorescent tube which has just been capped on both sides, in particular but not exclusively of the T8 type.

DE 10 2012 000 973 A1 discloses an example of such a retrofit lamp for replacing a fluorescent lamp. Its outer shape is similar to that of a conventional fluorescent lamp including the pedestals at both ends. An elongated straight tube composed of two half-shells is closed by two lamp sockets designed as end caps to form a housing. In the closed housing is located on a first board in addition to the LEDs and a mains-driven control electronics for the LEDs. To achieve a modular structure of this lamp, at least one other board with LEDs are provided, which is connected by means of a plug connection electrically and mechanically with the first board quasi as an extension and allows a variable length of the lamp with only two or three types of platinum. The LEDs of the second board are also fed by the control electronics of the first board due to the electrical connection between the boards. The control electronics are preferably located on the side facing away from the LEDs of the first board. A first of the two half shells of the housing is located on the LED side of the board (s), while the second half shell sits on the opposite side of the board (s). The first half-shell is substantially transparent, while the second half-shell is made of a thermally conductive material, in particular aluminum, steel or the like and serves to dissipate heat to the environment.

DE 10 2014 111 746 B4 describes another retrofit lamp whose external shape also resembles that of a conventional fluorescent lamp. In an elongate straight tube as a housing is an elongated base plate as a support of an LED module and a drive circuit. The tube is made of a transparent resin material or glass and is completed by two end caps attached to the tube to a closed housing containing all the components of the lamp. The end caps are penetrated by pins and thus form practical lamp base for insertion into corresponding sockets of a lamp. The LED module has on a further plate, which is mounted on one side of the base plate, a first and a second light-emitting unit, each of which includes a plurality of light-emitting elements lined up in the longitudinal direction of the plate. This prior art involves changing the emission color of the lamp by means of an external signal controlling the drive circuit.

From DE 10 2009 006 406 AI a housing assembly for a plug-in electronic ballast (ECG: electronic Vorsc haltgerät) for fluorescent lamps is known, which is intended to T8 fluorescent lamps with their G13 socket in lamps provided for such lamps by T5 fluorescent lamps with G5 socket to replace. This clip-on electronic ballast therefore combines a base adapter from G5 to G13 with an electronic ballast. The various electronic components of this electronic ballast are housed in different, separated by partitions chambers of a housing, in such a way that heat-sensitive components and heat-generating components are in different chambers. This special design is intended to counteract thermal problems and lead to a higher reliability of the device. From WO 2014 189 700 A2 is a conversion kit for retrofitting of conventional

Luminaires for fluorescent lamps known to operate with LEDs as the light source. This prior art is particularly intended for larger lighting systems with numerous arranged in lattice lights. The conversion kit goes beyond the simple replacement of the Fluorescent lamps through LEDs and allows with the aim of energy consumption optimization a diverse control of the totality of the retrofitted lights as well as each lamp individually. Retrofit lamps such as the aforementioned are relatively inexpensive and designed as disposable items. They are neither intended nor suitable to be repaired in the event of a defect, let alone by non-specialists. A typical feature of the described retrofit lamps is that they contain both the LEDs or LED modules and the required control circuit or the so-called LED driver within the same closed, at least partially transparent housing. It is known that both the LED drivers and the LEDs themselves generate heat as a rule and thus heat the interior of the housing. In DE 10 2012 000 973 AI, although one half of the housing consists of a good heat conducting metal for heat dissipation. However, the heat-generating components are only connected to the metal via a relatively large air gap with a corresponding heat transfer resistance.

On the other hand, it is also known that LEDs should be operated at the lowest possible temperatures in order to achieve a high light output and the longest possible lifetime. The service life of the LEDs or LED modules, the LED drivers and, if necessary, other components has a decisive influence on the annual maintenance costs of an LED lighting system. On the one hand, this lifetime is a question of the quality of the individual components and thus of the manufacturing costs, but on the other hand it is also a question of the temperature. The operating temperature of LEDs should - as I said - be as low as possible. Although the typical structure of an LED driver also contains elements whose lifetime significantly decreases with increasing temperature, but also those elements whose efficiency is better at a higher temperature than at low temperature. The LED drivers therefore have to find a compromise between a longer service life and better efficiency. DIN EN 12665 defines luminaires as "devices for the operation of lamps and for

Distribution of light "and lamps as" sources of optical radiation, usually in the visible range. "Fluorescent lamps are lamps in this sense.For the operation of a fluorescent lamp, the lamp contains a so-called Vorsc haltgerät and for light distribution, the lamp has a corresponding optics, for example in the form of or multiple reflectors and / or diffusers.

From this for fluorescent lamp and associated lamp applicable division of functions between the lamp and the lamp results in the use of retrofit lamps another problem. The trained in the same form as fluorescent retrofit lamps have in comparison to Fluorescent lamps have a different emission characteristics. In cross-section, a fluorescent lamp has a quasi-circular luminous intensity distribution curve about the axis of the fluorescent lamp. In contrast, the corresponding luminous intensity distribution curve of each LED of an LED strip, which consists of a plurality of LEDs arranged in the axial direction, approximately represents a circle on which the respective LED tangentially bears comparable to a Lambert radiator. This difference means that the light distribution obtained by means of the optics of the same luminaire in the case of an LED lamp is completely different from that in the case of a fluorescent lamp. The appearance of a lamp for fluorescent lamps is of course designed to distribute the light of the fluorescent lamp in the desired manner. Therefore, when replacing a fluorescent lamp against a retrofit lamp often disappointment, because the light distribution is now a completely different, which is virtually unpredictable.

Against this background, the inventor of the present invention has set itself the goal of creating an LED lighting device, which is characterized by longevity and minimized maintenance costs. The LED lighting device should also be designed so that they not only, but also as a retrofit lamp can replace a fluorescent lamp in a corresponding light and doing as independent of the optics of the lamp makes a desired light distribution and radiation characteristics achievable.

Summary

To solve the above object, an LED lighting device according to claim 1 is proposed. Dependent claims relate to preferred embodiments of the present invention.

In particular, according to one aspect of the present invention, an LED illumination device is proposed, comprising: an elongated carrier (preferably designed as an elongate profile element), at least one LED module held on the carrier with one or more light-emitting semiconductor elements as the light source, a control circuit held on the carrier at least one LED driver for the operation of the LED module, and connecting means (eg, connection elements) which connect output terminals of the control circuit (31) to electrical terminals of the LED module.

According to one aspect of the present invention, the control circuit is replaceably held on the carrier in a separate closed control circuit housing. According to a preferred exemplary embodiment, the LED module outside the control circuit housing (particularly preferably interchangeable) may be held on the carrier. The term "LED lighting device" as a term for the present invention takes into account the fact that it is neither a "lamp", nor a "lamp" in the traditional sense (see the definitions of DIN EN 12665 mentioned above) is. The LED lighting device according to the invention contains in its design with LED module, control circuit and, if necessary. Optical element, all held by a carrier, all components of a lamp with inserted lamp and can also - regardless of a separate light - used as such.

On the other hand, if the LED lighting device according to the invention is provided with sockets, e.g. G13 provided, which are not absolutely necessary for use without a separate lamp, but it can also be used as a retrofit lamp as a replacement of a fluorescent lamp in a created for the latter lamp and then represents a quasi light in a lamp. In the latter case the control circuit is fed with the supplied via the socket mains voltage. When used not as a retrofit lamp, but as a standalone light is the supply with mains voltage (in Germany 220 - 240 V) depending on the design of the control circuit for the LED lighting device according to the invention is not essential.

For the LED module are all semiconductor light-emitting elements into consideration, which are suitable for lighting purposes. This applies to the known semiconductor light-emitting elements as well as to future developments and including organic semiconductor elements such as OLEDs. An LED module may comprise one or more substantially point-wise emitting semiconductor elements arranged in one or more rows, or also planar-like (e.g., strip-shaped) emitting semiconductor elements, if available.

An LED lighting device according to the invention is advantageously modular. The most important modules or main components are the LED module and the control circuitry required for its operation, together with the carrier holding it. Unlike the prior art, these main components are not housed in a common housing. This has, inter alia, the advantage that the heat generated by the control circuit does not or only to a negligible extent contribute to a heating of the LED module and vice versa. In addition, the heat generated by these two modules can be dissipated effectively by direct contact with the ambient air or on the carrier, which benefits the life and the light output of the LED module. The extended service life helps reduce maintenance costs. The trained with their housing as an independent module control circuit is like the stand-alone LED module - preferably without tools - held easily replaceable on the carrier. The housing (control circuit housing) in which the control circuit is located is preferably hermetically closed, and the drive voltage for the LED module that generates the control circuit is preferably a safety extra low voltage (SELV). Under these conditions, the LED lighting device falls into protection class III according to DIN EN 61140. It is then not only possible but also permissible for non-specialists to replace the control circuit with its housing in the event of a defect or replace it for other reasons.

Another advantage is that under this condition, even a support made of an electrically conductive material without otherwise required as protection against electric shock required insulating sheathing. Thus, it can also be a carrier made of a material with high thermal conductivity, but also electrical conductivity, e.g. Aluminum, are used, which serve as an effective heat sink because of its relatively large directly in contact with the surrounding air surfaces and can significantly increase the heat dissipation for both the control circuit and the LED module again. In the following, preferred developments or preferred embodiments of the present invention are described, which can be provided individually or in combination with each other.

In a first preferred or exemplary development, the carrier furthermore holds an optical element which is preferably designed or arranged to receive the light emitted by the LED module in whole or in part and to emit it to achieve a predetermined emission characteristic of the LED illumination device.

In a second preferred or exemplary development, the optical element is preferably held exchangeably on the carrier.

In a third preferred or exemplary development, at least one of the components which are held interchangeably on the carrier is exchangeable without tools. In particular, the LED module held on the carrier is preferably exchangeable without tools and / or the control circuit housing held on the carrier can be exchanged without tools. Preferably, the optical element held on the carrier can be exchangeable without tools. In a fourth preferred or exemplary embodiment, the carrier is preferably an approximately H-shaped profile element with two longitudinally extending side walls and a longitudinally extending, connecting the side walls transverse leg.

 Preferably, the LED module is held on a first side of the transverse leg, while the control circuit housing is preferably held with the control circuit on a first side opposite the second side of the transverse leg.

In a fifth preferred or exemplary development, the carrier and the control circuit housing preferably on the mutually facing sides preferably interlocking guide rails, which particularly preferably a relative displacement of the carrier and control circuit housing in the longitudinal direction of the carrier (preferably including the withdrawal of the Control circuit housing from the carrier), but prevent relative movement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

In a sixth preferred or exemplary development, the carrier and the LED module preferably on the sides facing each other preferably in interlocking guide rails, which particularly preferably a relative displacement of the carrier and LED module in the longitudinal direction of the carrier (preferably including the withdrawal of the LED module from the carrier), but prevent relative movement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

The fifth and sixth developments allow a particularly simple mounting of the control circuit with its housing or the LED module on the carrier by these components are inserted into respective guides of the carrier from one end side of the same. In the same way, these components can be dismantled or replaced again. The guides are preferably designed to lock said components in all directions except the longitudinal direction of the carrier. For arresting in the longitudinal direction of the carrier, a wide variety of possibilities familiar to the person skilled in the art come into consideration. However, it must be taken into account whether the carrier is stable in length or not with respect to temperature changes, which is known to depend on the particular material used.

In a seventh preferred or exemplary development, a preferably two projecting pins having lamp base for supplying a mains voltage to the control circuit is provided at each longitudinal end of the carrier. Preferably, the lamp sockets are an integral part of a respective socket holder or mounted on such. Preferably, the lamp bases are compatible with the sockets provided for typical fluorescent tubes. Preferably, the control circuit housing also forms one of the socket holders. With the provision of sockets, for example of the type G13 at both longitudinal ends of the carrier, which are compatible with those of fluorescent lamps, for example of the type T8, according to the seventh development, the LED lighting device according to the invention receives the means for electrical and mechanical connection in one required for fluorescent lamps. If the housing of the control circuit (hereinafter also referred to as "control circuit housing") serves as a base carrier for one of the two sockets, the mains voltage passes without any wiring outside the control circuit housing directly to the control circuit. In an eighth preferred or exemplary development, when an axis defined by the centers between the two contact pins of both bases is referred to as an optical axis, the lamp bases are held relative to the carrier such that the LED module moves from the optical axis in the direction of a main emission direction the LED module is spaced apart.

The above-mentioned problem of the dependence of the radiation characteristics of conventional retrofit lamps on the optics of the light receiving them, can be solved in an LED lighting device of the type proposed here, on the one hand according to the first development, a separate optical element as another component of the LED - Lighting device added and the LED module according to the eighth development relative to the optical axis of the lamp, in the main direction of the LED module (direction of maximum light intensity) is offset. Under the optical axis in luminaires for fluorescent lamps capped on both sides is the lamp axis of the cylindrical lamp inserted in the luminaire. This lamp axis corresponds to the line connecting the midpoint between the two pins of one socket to the corresponding center of the other socket. In a superimposed arrangement of base holders and LED module according to the fourth development, the required offset of about 2 cm can be easily achieved in the commercial lights. With such an offset of about 2 cm or in some cases, perhaps a little more, the optics of the light no longer or no longer appreciably affects the emission characteristics of the LED lighting device.

In a ninth preferred or exemplary development, fixing means (fixing elements) are preferably provided which fix the base holder and the LED module in the longitudinal direction of the carrier so as to be immovable relative to one another. In a tenth preferred or exemplary development, the fixing means

(Fixation elements) preferably provided so that they fix the base holder and the LED module in the longitudinal direction of the carrier while relative to each other, but not immovably to the carrier. The tenth development allows the use of a material for the carrier whose thermal expansion coefficient is not negligible, which is particularly important for the use of the LED lighting device as a retrofit lamp. The lengths of the fluorescent lamps are standardized and thus the distance between their two sockets. If this distance is greater or less than the norm, the lamp will no longer fit into the luminaire. If, therefore, the length change to be expected due to thermal effects is beyond the predetermined distance between the sockets, at least one of the base holders can not be fixed to the carrier in its longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the required base distance without any fixation of the base holder in the longitudinal direction of the carrier can not be guaranteed.

It is therefore proposed for this case, the socket holder not on non-length-constant carrier, but to fix relative to the LED module. The length of the LED module, which extends virtually the length of the carrier, is substantially constant regardless of the temperature. Although the support is also constant in length, the base holder and the LED module can each be fixed relative to the support in its longitudinal direction, independently of each other or by the same means. In an eleventh preferred or exemplary development, the

Fixing means at least one plug-in element for each of the base holder. Preferably, the plug-in elements can each be attached to the base holder. Preferably, the plug-in elements each have at least one protruding pin which, in the inserted state of the respective plug element preferably penetrates the transverse leg of the carrier, preferably engages with the LED module, in particular preferably such that the base holder and the LED module are longitudinally relative to are mutually immovable.

In a twelfth preferred or exemplary refinement, the at least one pin of the plug-in elements preferably penetrates a respective through hole in the transverse leg of the carrier whose dimension in the longitudinal direction of the carrier is preferably greater than a maximum difference of the carrier occurring during operation of the LED lighting device due to thermal influences.

A particularly simple solution for this fixation according to the eleventh or twelfth development provides a plug-in element. This plug-in element as a fixing means has at least one PIN, which passes in the inserted state of the plug element first by a respective base holder and then by a transverse leg of the carrier, before he finally comes into engagement with the LED module and the respective socket holder so relative to the LED module in Carrier longitudinal direction fixed. If the carrier has a length independent of thermal influences, ie if it consists of aluminum, for example, the at least one pin of the plug element can at the same time also fix the socket holder and the LED module relative to the carrier. The fixation by means of such a plug-in element is not only very easy to do, it is even by simply plugging and without the use of any tool.

In a thirteenth preferred or exemplary development, at least one of the base holder and the LED module in the longitudinal direction of the carrier are preferably fixable in at least two different positions relative to each other, preferably such that two different distances between the two base holders are adjustable.

The thirteenth development is related to socket adapters, which will be explained in detail in the following description of the figures.

In a fourteenth preferred or exemplary development, at least the plug-in element assigned to the control circuit housing as one of the socket holders preferably has at least two pins protruding from it, which are preferably in addition to the fixation of the control circuit housing relative to the LED module as the connection means (connecting elements ), which preferably connect output terminals of the control circuit to electrical terminals of the LED module.

According to the fourteenth development, two pins in at least one of the plug-in elements, not only fix the control circuit housing in the carrier longitudinal direction of the LED module, but also serve as electrical connection means between the output terminals of the control circuit and the electrical terminals of the LED module. Alternatively, however, the connection means can also be formed independently of the fixing means. This can be achieved for example with two pins of the plug element as a connecting means and a further pin as a fixing means. In a fifteenth preferred or exemplary development, the one, preferably the control circuit housing associated plug element is preferably connected via a cable to at least one other similar plug-in element, particularly preferably such that each of the two pins of a plug-in element with the corresponding pin of the at least one another similar plug element is electrically connected.

The fifteenth development is advantageous if, in a multi-lamp, one LED lighting device is to serve as a master and at least one further as a slave. The at least one serving as a slave LED lighting device is with of the Fed control circuit of the master. This shows one of the advantages of the modular construction of the LED lighting device according to the invention.

In a sixteenth preferred or exemplary development, the control circuit housing is preferably divided in the longitudinal direction of the carrier into a plurality of thermally insulated chambers, wherein adjacent chambers may preferably be separated by a separating portion, preferably the two mutually facing chamber walls of the adjacent chambers and a The control circuit located in the Steuerschaltungs- housing preferably contains heat-generating and heat-sensitive components and wherein preferably the heat-generating and heat-sensitive components are housed in different chambers separated by a separating portion located between these chamber walls to the ambient air.

In a seventeenth preferred exemplary embodiment, the control circuit housing preferably includes (preferably hermetically) the control circuit, and the control circuit is preferably such that the voltage supplied by it to its output terminals for operation of the LED module meets the requirements of a safety extra-low voltage Fulfills.

In an eighteenth preferred or exemplary development, the LED lighting device comprises an emergency power source and a circuit arrangement associated therewith, which may be e.g. in case of total or partial failure of the mains voltage, the LED module can preferably operate as emergency lighting with the energy of the emergency power source.

In a nineteenth preferred exemplary embodiment, the emergency power source is e.g. housed in the form of one or more batteries from one or more secondary cells together with at least a portion of their associated circuitry in a second interchangeable held by the carrier housing.

In a twentieth preferred or exemplary development, the second housing forms or comprises the second base holder.

In the foregoing, aspects of an LED lighting device have been proposed. It should be noted that the items described below, for example, as spare parts or for use in the LED lighting device are proposed separately or independently. Consequently, the present invention also relates to the carrier, the housing or the housing, the plug-in element and / or the socket adapter for use in an LED illumination device according to one of the aspects described above or the embodiments below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

In the following, preferred embodiments of the invention will be explained by way of example with reference to the accompanying figures. 1 is an exemplary overall perspective view of the LED

Lighting device according to an embodiment of the invention;

 FIG. 1B is an illustrative sectional view of the LED lighting device of FIG. 1A taken along arrows B-B in FIG. 1A; FIG.

 FIG. 2 shows an exemplary perspective view of the part of FIG. 1A showing the housing 30A with the housing cover lifted off the housing bottom and the control circuit located on the housing bottom;

 3A shows, by way of example, an exploded perspective view of the LED illumination device from FIG. 1A for explaining a plug-in element and its function;

 3B shows an example of the arrangement of Figure 3A in the assembled state with a sectional view of a plug connection.

 Fig. 4A is an illustrative view of a socket adapter on its pin side; and FIG. 4B is an exemplary view of the back side of the socket adapter of FIG. 4A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

AND PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The same or similar elements in the figures are designated in the following description with the same reference numerals unless otherwise described. It should be emphasized that the present invention is in no way limited to the embodiments and their embodiments described below, but further includes any modifications of the embodiments, in particular those by modifications of the features of the examples described or by combination of individual or more of the features of the described examples are included within the scope of the claims.

An LED lighting device according to the present invention comprises by way of example two main components or modules which are held by a carrier as a further module. The two main components are in the most general form at least one LED module as a light generator and, in the simplest case, a power supply that supplies the at least one LED module with electrical energy in the required form (power, voltage). As a third main component, also held by the carrier, at least one optical element for the distribution of the generated light may be added.

Fig. 1A shows an embodiment of a lighting device 10 according to the invention in a perspective side view, in which a central portion of an elongate support 12 is cut out to better represent the above all interesting longitudinal ends. Fig. 1B is a sectional view taken in the direction of arrows B-B in Fig. 1A.

Figures 1A and 1B show the LED lighting device 10 in its position of use, that is, the LED module with its light emission side facing downwards in the figures. The main emission direction (direction of maximum light intensity without being influenced by an optical element) then corresponds to the arrow A in FIGS. 1A and 1B.

In the sectional view of FIG. 1B, by way of example, all three main components of this embodiment of the invention and their arrangement relative to each other can be seen.

Of two housings 30A and 30B (Fig. 1A) located at the top (second side) of the carrier 12, the housing 30A can be seen in Fig. 1B. It houses by way of example a control circuit 31 (FIG. 2) with at least one so-called LED driver for generating the voltage required for the operation of the LED module. The at least one LED module 26 is initially located on the underside (first side) of the carrier 12. Below the LED module 26, ie also on the underside of the carrier 12, there is an optical element 20.

1A, by way of example, two contact pins 36 which are anchored in the housing and are electrically connected to the control circuit 31 can be seen on the outer end side of the housing 30A. In conjunction with the housing 30A, the contact pins 36 form a pedestal such as type G13 as standardized for type T8, T10 and T12 fluorescent lamps (IEC 60061-1 7004-51). At the outer end side of the housing 30B, which is not visible in FIG. 1A, a similar second socket is formed with corresponding contact pins 36, but the two contact pins are electrically short-circuited. The two bases as such (with the exception of the short circuit) and the distance between them correspond to those known fluorescent lamps and thus allow the use of the illustrated LED lighting device 10 as a retrofit lamp. The bases serve in the same way as in fluorescent lamps in cooperation with the corresponding lamp holders both the electrical connection to the lamp and the mechanical support in the lamp. It need not be mentioned that not only the length dimension, but also the other dimensions of the LED lighting device according to the invention preferably comply with the limits set by commercial lights for use as a retrofit lamp to replace a fluorescent lamp. In the illustrated embodiment, the sockets are an example of an integral part of the housing 30A, 30B. The pedestals can be designed without affecting their function as well as removable or permanently attached separate parts on the housings.

If the lighting device according to the invention is to be used as an independent LED light, the base is not necessarily required, since then other means than the base can be used both for the electrical connection to an electrical installation and for the mechanical support. Also, the dimensions mentioned are not subject to the limits that apply to retrofit lamps.

It may be an object of the optical element 20 to produce a desired emission characteristic of the LED illumination device 10, namely - in the case of use as a retrofit lamp - as unaffected as possible by the optics of the luminaire. In the simplest case, the effect of the optical element 20 is in a light scattering as in a diffuser. If the emission characteristic of the LED illumination device is determined by the one or more of its own optical elements and not by the light, which may be accommodated, it can be predicted and therefore planned.

As can be clearly seen in FIG. 1B, the support 12 in this exemplary embodiment is, for example, a profile element 12 whose cross-sectional view is similar to an upside-down U. At the open side of the U-facing first side or surface 14 of the transverse leg of the U-shape of the profile element 12, the LED module 26 is held here exemplified as LED strip with a variety of on a strip-shaped LED board 28 in Longitudinally arrayed LED chips 26a is formed (only one of the LED chips is indicated in Fig. 1B). From the first side of the transverse limb (in Fig. 1B down) at a distance a little larger than the width of the LED board 28 two mirror-symmetrically arranged, in cross-section L-shaped first guide rails 12a, 12b. Together with the transverse leg surface 14 they each form a guide groove and together a first guide rail (12a, 12b) for the LED board 28, in which it is held longitudinally displaceable. Similarly, on the side facing away from the open side of the U second side or

Surface 16 of the transverse leg a second guide rail of two (in Fig. 1B upwards) protruding, in cross-sectionally reversed L-shaped second guide rails 12c, 12d formed. Fig. 1A shows on the profile element 12 at one longitudinal end (left in Fig. 1A) by way of example the housing 30A and at the other longitudinal end (on the right in Fig. 1A) the further housing 30B. The underside of the two housings 30A and 30B is exemplarily formed as a plate or strip-like guide rail 38 (Fig. 1B) complementary to the second guide rail (12c, 12d), with which the housings are held longitudinally displaceable in the second guide rail (12c, 12d).

By way of example, the carrier or here the profile element 12 is an extruded profile of metal, such as e.g. Aluminum or stainless steel. In principle, however, other materials can be used for the profile element 12, such as plastic or fiber-reinforced plastic or the like. The profile element 12 may also comprise an upper profile piece which is opaque, e.g. made of metal, plastic or a fiber-reinforced plastic, and a lower profile piece, which is at least diffusely transparent, e.g. made of plastic.

The higher the thermal conductivity of the material of the carrier or profile element 12, the better the dissipation of heat from the control circuit 31 and the LED module 26. The full utilization of a high thermal conductivity of the carrier or profile element 12 assumes that the heat transfer resistance between the carrier and the surrounding air is as low as possible. For this reason, especially in the case of a carrier material in which high thermal conductivity is paired with electrical conductivity, the control circuit is preferably designed such that all prerequisites for generating the driver voltage for the LED module 26 are fulfilled as safety extra-low voltage. If these requirements are met and thus the lighting device in protection class III according to DIN EN 61140 falls, it requires no contact protection even for an electrically conductive support, which would reduce the aforementioned heat transfer resistance.

As a material for the optical element 20 are mainly plastic and glass into consideration. Plastics suitable for optical applications are known. Among them, one skilled in the art can select the most suitable one for the optical element 20 in a particular case. In the case of a metal profiled element 12, as can be seen in the illustrated exemplary embodiment and in FIG. 1B, the optical element 20 is preferably mounted interchangeably on its underside of the open side. The optical element 20 has an approximately U-shaped cross section in the example. For fixing such an optical element 20 may be formed on the inside of both side legs of the U-shaped profile element 12 extending over its length or distributed over its length arranged retaining lugs 12 e, of hook-like locking tongues 20 a at the free ends of the side legs of the U-shaped be engaged behind optical element 20. This embodiment is particularly suitable for optical elements made of plastic, in which the locking tongues are resilient. When the optical element 20 from below (Fig. 1B) is pressed against the profiled element 12, slide the locking tongues 20a on the longer lower inclined surfaces of the retaining lugs 12e and are bent to each other until they finally rash again at the upper end of the longer lower inclined surfaces and the retaining lugs 12e elastically engage behind ,

Such a spring force exploiting attachment of the optical element 20 allows easy replacement of the optical element, be it to replace a defective optical element, either to try different acting optical elements and finding out that reaches the most suitable radiation characteristic for a particular illumination requirement. The described clipping and peeling off can take place even when used as a retrofit lamp in a lighting fixture 10. The lighting device 10 does not need to be taken out of the light for this purpose. It should be emphasized that the retaining lugs 12e and the locking tongues 20a shown in FIG. 1B are to be understood as examples only and may be replaced by other means, as far as they allow a simple, preferably tool-free replacement of the optical element 20. So could e.g. instead of engaging the optical element 20 in the open side of the profile element 12, this also encompassing it from the outside and in a similar manner resiliently engaging behind latching tongues on the optical element retaining lugs on the profile element. If the optical element 20 is made of glass or a rigid, inelastic plastic, retaining lugs and locking tongues, as shown, can generally be used, but used as intermeshing guide rails. Like the housings 30A, 30B and the LED module 26, the optical element would then have to be inserted in the longitudinal direction of the profile element from one end thereof.

In the case of a profile element 12 made of a plastic material, it may e.g. for reasons of rigidity of the profile element be useful to form it down closed. The or an optical element is in this case an integral part of the then at least partially diffusely translucent profile element.

So far, there was talk of a single optical element. Depending on the required optical effect, two or more optical elements can also be used in further exemplary embodiments. As an optical element alone or in combination with others, lenticular optical elements arranged directly on one, several or all LED chips can also be used in a manner known per se.

The two housings 30A and 30B are shown differently shaped in FIG. 1A. However, the two housings can also be identical. The housing 30B is identical to In the simplest case, one housing (30B) merely serves as a socket holder without any other function except for the electrical short circuit of the two contact pins of the corresponding socket. In a later explained embodiment of the invention, means for using the LED module are also provided as emergency light in the second housing 30B. For this purpose can be used as a housing 30B of the same shape as the housing 30A or one of a third optimized for this use form, which is not shown. However, the underside of the housing 30B of this third form would also be formed as a guide rail complementary to the second guide rail (12c, 12d).

Among the known retrofit lamps for replacing a fluorescent lamp, an LED lighting device according to the invention differs, inter alia, in that the said three main components and the carrier (12) are not housed in a common housing and that the level of the LED module 26 is significantly offset downwardly from the plane of the socket contact pins 36 (Figures 1A and 1B) .The axis connecting the center between the two contact pins of one socket to the corresponding center of the other socket is referred to as Optical axis of a luminaire for a fluorescent lamp An offset of the emission level of the LED module with respect to this optical axis> 20 mm is sufficient for most commercially available luminaires for fluorescent lamps, to avoid unwanted influence of the emission characteristics of the LED lighting device by the optics of the lamp.

2 shows by way of example the housing bottom 30a of the housing 30A (control circuit housing) with the control circuit 31 located on a circuit board 46 (control circuit board) and the lifted housing cover 30b. As can be clearly seen from Figures 1A and 2, the housing cover 30b of the housing 30A is divided into three chambers in this example. Between the chamber 42a furthest to the right in the representation of FIG. 2 and the chamber 42b located to the left, there is a separating section 43a of the housing cover 30b. Between the chamber 42b and the left of her located chamber 42c is a partition portion 43b of the housing cover 30b. In both separating sections, the housing cover 30b has a significantly flatter design than in the region of the chambers 42a-42c. The dimension of the separating sections in the longitudinal direction of the profile element 12, ie the distance between adjacent chambers, is for example such that the air in the region of the separating sections leads to an effective thermal separation of adjacent chambers. A distance in the single-digit millimeter range has led to good results in a practical embodiment. When the housing 30A is closed, electrolyte capacitors, for example, are located in the chamber 42a as smoothing capacitors of the LED driver whose life is greatly reduced at higher temperatures. For example, in chamber 42b Transformer that generates heat loss and whose efficiency increases with increasing temperature. The extra deep partition portion 43a between these two chambers 42a and 42b prevents direct air exchange between the two chambers 42a and 42b within the housing and causes the chambers to be separated substantially over their entire height by the two chamber walls and a thermally insulating air layer between them , This prevents deterioration of the life of the electrolytic capacitors and / or other heat-sensitive components by the heat loss of the adjacent transformer.

The partitioning portion 43b is shown in this example less deep than the separating portion 43a. As a result, the thermal insulation between the two chambers 42b and 42c is less good than between the chambers 42a and 42b. Rather, a moderate direct exchange of air remains possible between the two chambers 42b and 42c. Due to the not completely closed air space of the chamber 42b, a part of the air heated in it passes into the chamber 42c. Thereby, the dissipation of the heat from the chamber 42b can be distributed to a larger area of the control circuit housing 30A, which causes a moderate increase in temperature in the chamber 42c and prevents too high a temperature rise in the chamber 42b. The chamber 42c should in this case contain components that are less temperature sensitive than, for example, the electrolytic capacitors in the chamber 42a. It should be emphasized that the shown and described division of the housing 30A into the various chambers and the corresponding spatial arrangement of components on the control circuit board 46 are to be understood as purely exemplary. It is only important that the spatial arrangement of the individual components of the control circuit 31 on the control circuit board 46 is made as far as possible so that heat-generating and heat-sensitive components are spaced from each other so that they can be in thermally mutually insulated chambers of the housing. Depending on the circuit configuration, this may be more or fewer chambers whose mutual thermal insulation is more or less dependent on the components containing them. The achieved by the measures just described thermal insulation between

Components of the control circuit 31 makes it possible to combine a long life with a high efficiency.

The two housing parts of the control circuit housing 30A shown in FIG. 2, namely housing bottom 30a with control circuit 31 and housing cover 30b thereon, are preferably provided with fastening means known per se, which hook into one another during the mating of the two housing parts, preferably a hermetically closed one Housing is created, the two housing parts are only below At least partial destruction can be solved again from each other. Instead of using said fasteners, the two housing parts can also be glued, welded or otherwise connected together to form a hermetically sealed housing that can not be opened without at least partial destruction again.

The described displaceability of the housings 30A, 30B and also of the LED module 26 in the longitudinal direction of the profiled element 12 is a preferred way of mounting these elements on the support or profiled element 12. In this way, the housings 30A, 30B and the LED element remain Modul 26 only one degree of freedom, namely a movement in the longitudinal direction of the profile element 12. This displacement makes it possible to comply with the above-mentioned required distance between the two sockets, even if the existing example of plastic profile element of a non-negligible thermally induced change in length within the Operation is subject to expected temperature range. The length of the LED module 26 (in the illustrated embodiment, the LED board 28) can be considered as constant over the temperature range in question. Thus, when the housings 30A, 30B and the LED module 26 are fixed in the longitudinal direction of the profile element 12 relative to each other, but not relative to the profile element 12 itself, length variations of the profile element 12 do not affect the distance between the two pedestals. A preferred type of such fixation is a plug-in element 40, as can be seen in Figures 1A, 1B, 3A and 3B.

FIG. 3A shows an exemplary illustration of the LED illumination device from FIGS. 1A and 1B in the region of the housing 30A. Evident are in a kind of exploded view from top to bottom, a plug-in element 40, the housing 30A and the profile element 12. The housing cover 30b and the profile element 12 are partially cut to look at contact sleeves 60 on the control circuit board 46 and on the LED board 28 and on a contact sleeve 64 of a pair of contact sleeves 64 release it. 3B shows in a perspective sectional view the plane of a plug connection produced by the plug element 40 between the control circuit 31 and the LED module 26. The example of the plug element 40 shown is a box whose underside is complementary to the top of a shoulder 56 at the respective Pedestal opposite end of the housing 30A and 30B. Of the plug element 40 is a pin pair 54 down (Fig. 3A). The shoulder 56 of the housing 30A is penetrated by two hole pairs 58 staggered in the longitudinal direction of the profile element, of which only the pair of holes facing the housing end can be seen in FIG. 3A (but see FIG. 2).

When the plug-in element 40 is placed on the shoulder 56 in the position shown, its pin pair 54 dips into the pair of holes not to be seen in FIG. 3A. On the Control circuit board 46 (FIG. 2) in the housing 30A passes through the pin pair of contact sleeves 60. The four contact sleeves 60 assigned to the two pairs of holes 58 can be seen in the cut-out region of the housing cover 30b bordered by dashed lines. They are soldered to the control circuit board 46 or otherwise anchored and electrically connected. The two in the support longitudinal direction offset from each other contact sleeve pairs are electrically connected in parallel and form the output terminals of the control circuit 31 to which the drive voltage for the LED module is applied. They are designed in a manner known per se so that a sufficient contact pressure on the pins of the pin pair 54 is ensured. The pair of pins projecting downwards from the housing bottom 30a then passes through through holes 62 in the transverse limb of the profile element 12 (only one of the through holes 62 can be seen outside the cut-out region of the profile element 12 bordered by dashed lines).

If the profile element 12 consists of a material with not negligible coefficient of thermal expansion, the through holes 62 must be dimensioned so that the pins of the pin pair 54 have sufficient play in the entire range of the possible change in length of the profile element without abutting the profile element 12. If the material of the profile element is electrically conductive, it must be ensured that electrical contact between the profile element 12 and the pins of the pin pair 54 is prevented. This can be achieved for example by a single sufficiently large passage opening if necessary. Also with insulating wall instead of the four small holes shown. Also, for a non-electrically conductive, but a significant thermal expansion underlying material as a large through hole is suitable. In Fig. 3A, however, the two through holes 62 are formed as elongated holes, which are equally well suited.

Below the transverse leg of the profile element 12 is the LED board 28, are soldered to the at least one pair of contact sleeves 64 for receiving the pin pair 54 or otherwise mounted electrically and mechanically. For the contact sleeves 64 with respect to the contact pressure is the same as for the above-mentioned contact sleeves 60. The contact sleeves 64 form the electrical connections of the LED module 26. LED chips, tracks, etc. on the LED board 28 are in Fig. 3A of Not shown for simplicity.

3B shows the assembled state as a sectional view in the plane of the pin pair 54. In this figure it can be seen how the pins 54 anchored in the plug element 40 pass through the control circuit housing 30A and the contact sleeves 60 of the control circuit located therein and finally from the contact sleeves 64 the LED board 28 are received. In this way, the electrical connection between the control circuit 31 and the LED module 26 is made. At the same time, the control circuit (and its housing 30A) is fixed immovably relative to the LED module in the longitudinal direction of the profile element 12. To the right of the profile element 12, a dust protection end plate is shown in FIG. 3A, one of which is plugged onto the front sides of the profile element 12 after insertion of the LED module 26 into the first guide rail (12a, 12b). These end plates 18 are held on the profile element, that they can be easily removed and attached preferably without use of tools. In Fig. 1A, such an end plate 18 at the left end of the profile element 12 mounted state can be seen.

The control circuit can be designed so that its power allows the simultaneous operation of the LED modules of several LED lighting devices according to the invention. Under this condition, when using the LED lighting device as a retrofit lamp in a two- or multi-lamp, which is designed for two or more fluorescent lamps, a single control circuit sufficient. Of the two or more LED lighting devices 10 serving as replacement for the fluorescent lamps, one provided with a control circuit may then function as a master lighting device, while the at least one further LED lighting device represents a slave lighting device. The at least one slave illumination device may have a similar housing without control circuit instead of the control circuit housing with control circuit. Alternatively, the control circuit package in the at least one slave lighting device may be replaced by a simple socket holder such as that shown in FIG. 1A as the housing 30B.

For the supply of the LED module of a slave lighting device by the control circuit of the master lighting device requires appropriate electrical connection means. In a particularly advantageous manner, this can be realized in that in the master lighting device, the pin pair 54 of the plugged onto the control circuit housing 30A plug element 40 as a master plug element via a connecting line (not shown) with the pin pair least another plug element 40 as a slave Plug is connected. If the slave plug-in element is plugged onto the housing of the slave illumination device corresponding to the control circuit housing of the master illumination device, electrical connections of the LED module of the slave illumination device are also electrically connected to output connections of the control circuit of the master illumination device. Such a master-slave arrangement is very easy to manufacture due to the modular construction of the lighting device according to the invention. In a lighting device serving as a master, a module of control circuit housing and control circuit is mounted on the carrier. For all lighting devices serving as slaves, a module is mounted instead which contains one of the mentioned variants of a housing without control circuit. And instead of two separate plug-in elements, two plug-in elements connected by a connecting line are used. As can be seen in Fig. 1A, a plug-in element 40 on the control circuit housing 30A practically identical plug-in element 40 is on a paragraph 56 of the housing 30A corresponding paragraph 56 of the housing 30B and fixes the latter in the manner described on the LED module , If there is no electronic circuitry in the housing 30B other than the mentioned short circuit between the socket contact pins 36, the pin pair 54 of the plug element need not make electrical contact with the LED module. Instead of contact sleeves 64 then simple holes in the LED board for immersion of the pin pair 54 of the plug element 40 would be enough. Just for fixing and without electrical function of this plug-in element would come with a single pin 54 instead of the pin pair.

Due to the fact that both housings 30A, 30B and thus both pedestals are fixed to the LED board 28 of the LED module 26, the distance between the pedestals remains practically unaffected by thermal influences. The two pairs of holes 58 in the paragraph 56 and the corresponding two pairs of contact sleeves 60 on the control circuit board 46 but allow this mutual fixation of housing and LED module in two mutually offset in the longitudinal direction of the profile element 12 positions relative to each other.

The reason for this is that, in certain cases, a socket adapter 32 (FIG. 3A) must be placed on the sockets before the LED lighting device is plugged into the sockets of a luminaire. This is related to the above-mentioned different light intensity distribution curve of Leuchtstofflam e on the one hand and an LED lighting device according to the invention on the other hand together.

By way of example, it can be seen in FIG. 1A that the base contact pins 36 in the described exemplary embodiment of the invention lie in a plane parallel to the emission surface of the LED module. Therefore, in the normal position of use of the LED lighting device, the socket contact pins should lie in a substantially horizontal plane if the main direction of radiation (arrow A in FIG. 1A) is to be vertical. Luminaire holders in question standing lights contain an arrangement that is rotatable between an insertion and removal position and a relative to them usually offset by 90 ° focal position. Only in the burning position do the socket contact pins get in contact with the mains voltage. With a fluorescent lamp, it does not matter if the socket pins are in the burning position of the sockets in a horizontal plane or in a vertical plane. There are lights where the latter is the case. For the LED lighting device 10, this means that in such a luminaire, the actually desired radiation characteristic is not achieved. In such a case, socket adapters 32, one of which can be seen in Fig. 3A in front of the socket on the housing 30A, help. Each socket adapter 32 has on a front side of an example cylindrical, for example made of plastic adapter body a female part with two sockets 70 for receiving the two socket contact pins 36 of each socket and on the other end a plug part with two pins corresponding to the socket pins 36 pins 72. The perspective in FIG. 3A shows only the plug part with the plug pins 72.

Fig. 4A shows an exemplary perspective view of the plug part side and Fig. 4B such on the female part side of the socket adapter 32. With its sockets 70, the socket adapter 32 is fitted to the socket contact pins 36 of a respective socket and the plug pins 72 in the Light socket plugged. In each case a socket 70 is electrically connected to a respective plug pin 72.

For the assumed case of a burning position of the lamp holders, in which the socket contact pins lie in a vertical plane, the sockets 70 of the socket part must be angularly offset relative to the plug pins 72 of the plug part by 90 ° about the axis of the socket adapter 32. As far as a different angular offset than 90 ° is required for certain luminaires, different socket adapters differing in the angular offset between the plug pins and the sockets can be made available. Alternatively, socket adapters with stepwise or continuously variable angular offset between the plug pins and the sockets are also possible. be adjusted on-site according to need.

When using the socket adapter 32, the distance between the plug pins 72 of the one socket adapter 32 and those of the other socket adapter 32 is greater than the distance between the socket contact pins 36 of a socket and those of the other socket of the LED lighting device 10. Since the distance between standardized the luminaire sockets regardless of the variant of the respective lamp holders and thus is always the same, so when using the socket adapter 32, the distance between the two housings 30A and 30B as the socket holders compared to the without socket adapter 32 by the total length of the adapter body both socket adapter must be shorter. This purpose is served by the mentioned two pairs of holes 58 in paragraph 56 of the housings 30A, 30B and the associated two pairs of contact sleeves 60 on the control circuit board 46. They allow to choose between two different distances between the pedestal holders and thus the pedestals.

The male member 40 is exemplified to fit the heel 56 in the position shown in FIG. 3A, but fits just as well when placed about the vertical axis in Fig. 3A by 180 ° on the heel 56. While the pin pair 54 in the illustrated Case in the not recognizable in Fig. 3A right (inner) hole pair of the paragraph 56 engages, it engages in the latter case in the recognizable in the figure left (outer) hole pair 58 a. When the pins of the pin pair 54 in both described plug positions finally dip into the same contact sleeves 64 on the LED board 28, the housing 30A opposite the LED module in the latter case (engagement in the visible hole pair 58) compared to the former case (Eingriff in the invisible pair of holes 58) to the right, so away from the housing 30B, which is not shown in Fig. 3A, however, offset. The same offset of the housing 30B to the left, so away from the housing 30A causes a correspondingly rotated male member 40 on the housing 30B. The distance between the two pairs of holes 58 determines the by turning the

Plug element reached distance change between the sockets. If the distance between the two pairs of holes 58 in both housings 30A, 30B corresponds to the axial length of a socket adapter 32, the additional length described can be compensated for by the described reversal of both socket adapters. In principle, it would also be possible that only one of the two housings 30A, 30B has two pairs of holes and the other only one. If the distance between the two pairs of holes is equal to twice the length of a socket adapter, only one plug-in element 40 needs to be turned over to use the socket adapter 32. It is also conceivable, instead of two pairs of holes 58 in one or both housings 30A, 30B provide only one in each housing, and for two pairs of contact sleeves 64 with a corresponding distance from each other for each or only one of the two housings 30A, 30B in the appropriate place or Make the LED board 28 to arrange. In this latter case, each pair of contact sleeves 64 in the LED board 28 would have to be assigned a pair of through holes 62 in the transverse leg of the profile element.

If the coefficient of thermal expansion of the material of the profile element 12 is negligible for the present application, the connector with the help of the plug-in elements 40, the housing 30 A, 30 B in the longitudinal direction of the profile element 12 at this lock. This can be achieved by a correspondingly narrow dimensioning and, if necessary, insulation of the through holes 62 in the transverse leg of the profile element.

The described connector for the electrical and mechanical connection of the control circuit 31 with the LED module in conjunction with the sliding support of the two housings 30A, 30B on the support allows on the one hand a light and also by laymen without the use of tools of any kind feasible assembly and disassembly of the housing and an equally simple adjustment of the housing in the longitudinal direction of the carrier when the need for the use of the socket adapter 32 described requires it. According to a further advantageous development, the LED lighting device according to the invention can be additionally provided with an emergency lighting device. In principle, the components required for realizing emergency lighting can be integrated into the housing 30A of the control circuit 31. Alternatively, at least part of these components are accommodated in the second housing 30B. In this case, as the least expensive variant, a housing 30A, of course without the control circuit 31, may be used as the housing 30B.

Such a larger housing instead of the housing 30B shown in the figures could then at least contain the emergency power source for the emergency lighting in the form of a rechargeable battery with one or more secondary cells. In addition, in the housing would also expediently an emergency light control circuit with a charging circuit and a circuit that provides for the detection of a power failure and the switching on and off of the emergency lighting operation.

The charging circuit is responsible for charging or maintaining the charge of the battery. One way to let the emergency light control circuit detect whether or not there is a power failure is to use a corresponding radio signal. For this purpose, outside the illumination device 10, a network monitoring module can be provided which monitors the mains voltage and transmits a corresponding radio signal to the emergency lighting control circuit.

Such a network monitoring would have to be in the electrical circuit in front of any switches, which if necessary serve the switching on and off of the lighting device by disconnecting the mains circuit. If such switches are not present, so the lighting device is always connected to the mains circuit and only by radio on and off and dimmed, comes on and off the emergency lighting operation depending on the voltage at the electrical connections (the contact sleeves 64 and the associated conductor tracks) of the LED module 26 into consideration. The control circuit or even the emergency light control circuit itself can then ensure that the LED module is dimmed in emergency lighting mode in order to load the battery with the lowest possible power, which is sufficient for the emergency lighting. To pack the battery and the described functionality as much as possible into the housing 30B has the advantage that the emergency lighting functionality can easily be retrofitted as a module if the LED lighting device was initially provided with a housing 30B serving only as a base holder.

It goes without saying that the emergency lighting control circuit of such an emergency light module must be electrically connected to the electrical connections of the LED module, what with the help the described plug element 40 in the same manner as in the control circuit 31 is possible.

Depending on where the LED lighting device 10 is ultimately to be used, it can be provided in different lengths. The conventional lengths of G13 socket fluorescent lamps include e.g. 150 cm, 120 cm, 89.5 cm and 59 cm (length each without the base contact pins). For each desired length, a correspondingly long carrier (profile element 12) and a correspondingly long LED module 26 must be present. An optical element 20 may also have to correspond to the length of the respective carrier, depending on its type.

Of course, for the sake of completeness, it should be mentioned that the control circuit can also be hard-wired or provide innumerable additional functions by means of a program-controlled microprocessor, for example in the manner described in WO 2014 189 700 A2 mentioned in the introduction. This would allow to equip even the many still in use "dumb" lights for fluorescent lamps with the smart functionality of the latest lighting technology by practically only the fluorescent lamp is replaced by the LED lighting device 10 described here. In the above, embodiments of the present invention and advantages thereof have been described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. It was. again emphasized that the present invention is in no way limited or limited to the embodiments described above and their execution features, but further includes modifications of the embodiments, in particular those by modifications of the features of the examples described or by combination of one or more of Features of the examples described are included within the scope of the claims.

Claims

claims 1. LED lighting device comprising:  an elongate support (12),  at least one LED module (26) held on the carrier (12) with one or more light-emitting semiconductor elements as light source,  - A on the carrier (12) held control circuit (31) with at least one LED driver for the operation of the LED module, and  Connecting means (40) which connect output terminals of the control circuit (31) to electrical terminals of the LED module (26),  characterized in that  the control circuit (31) is replaceably held on the carrier (12) in a separate closed control circuit housing (30A). 2. LED lighting device according to claim 1, characterized in that  the LED module (26) is held outside the control circuit housing (30A) on the carrier (12), in particular being held exchangeably on the carrier (12). 3. LED lighting device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the carrier (12) also holds an optical element (20) formed and arranged, the light emitted from the LED module (26) light in whole or in part to receive and to emit to achieve a predetermined emission characteristic of the LED lighting device. 4. LED lighting device according to claim 3, characterized in that  the optical element (20) is replaceably held on the carrier (12). 5. LED lighting device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that  at least one of the interchangeable on the carrier (12) held components (30A, 31, 26, 20) is replaceable without tools. 6. LED lighting device according to one or more of the preceding Claims, characterized in that the support (12) is an approximately H-shaped tread element having two longitudinally extending side walls and a longitudinally extending transverse leg connecting the side walls, the LED module (26) being mounted on a first side (14) of the leg Querschenkels is held while the control circuit housing (30A) with the control circuit (31) on one of the first side (14) opposite the second side (16) of the transverse leg is held. 7. LED lighting device according to claim 6, characterized in that  the carrier (12) and the control circuit housing (30A) have, on the facing sides, intermeshing guide rails (12c, 12d, 38) which allow relative displacement of the carrier (12) and control circuit housing (30A) in the longitudinal direction of the carrier including withdrawing the control circuit housing (30A) from the carrier (12), but preventing relative movement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 8. LED lighting device according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the carrier (12) and the LED module (26) on the mutually facing sides interlocking guide rails (12 a, 12 b, 28), which has a relative displacement of Allow carrier (12) and LED module (26) in the longitudinal direction of the carrier including the extraction of the LED module from the carrier (12), but prevent relative movement perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. 9. LED lighting device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that  at each longitudinal end of the carrier (12) a two projecting pins (36) comprising a lamp base for supplying a mains voltage to the control circuit (31) is provided that the lamp base are an integral part of a respective socket holder (30A, 30B) or mounted on such and that the lamp base are compatible with the provided for typical fluorescent tubes sockets, said Control circuit housing (30A) at the same time forms one of the base holder. 10. LED lighting device according to claim 8, characterized in that,  when an axis defined by the centers between the two contact pins (36) of both bases is referred to as an optical axis, the lamp bases are held relative to the carrier (12) so that the LED module (26) moves from the optical axis towards Main emission of the LED module (26) is spaced. 11. LED lighting device according to claim 8 in reference to back to claim 7 and one of claims 9 and 10, characterized by  Fixing means (40) comprising the base holders (30A, 30B) and the LED module in Fix longitudinally of the carrier (12) immovable relative to each other. 12. LED lighting device according to claim 11, characterized in that the fixing means (40), the socket holders (30A, 30B) and the LED module in  Although the longitudinal direction of the carrier (12) relative to each other, but not to the carrier (12) fix immovably. 13. LED lighting device according to claim 11 or 12, characterized in that the fixing means at least one plug-in element (40) for each of the base holder (30A, 30B), the plug-in elements (40) in each case to the socket holder (30A, 30B) are attachable and each have at least one protruding pin (54) in the infected state of the respective plug element (40) the transverse leg of the carrier (12) passing through the LED module (26) is engaged such that the base holders (30A, 30B) and the LED module are longitudinally displaceable relative to each other. 14. LED lighting device according to claim 11 and claim 13, characterized marked that  the at least one pin (54) of the plug-in elements (40) passes through a respective through-hole (62) in the transverse leg of the carrier (12) whose dimension in the longitudinal direction of the carrier (12) is greater than a maximum due to thermal influences during operation of the LED lighting device Length difference of the carrier (12). 15. LED lighting device according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that at least one of the base holder (30A, 30B) and the LED module in the longitudinal direction of Carrier (12) in at least two different positions relative to each other are fixable such that two different distances between the two base holders (30A, 30B) are adjustable. 16. LED lighting device according to one of claims 13 to 15, characterized marked that  at least the plug-in element (40) associated with the control circuit housing (30A) as one of the pedestal holders has at least two pins (54) projecting therefrom serving as the connection means in addition to fixing the control circuit housing (30A) relative to the LED module connecting the output terminals (60) of the control circuit (31) to electrical terminals (64) of the LED module (26). 17. LED lighting device according to claim 16, characterized in that the one, the control circuit housing (30A) associated plug element (40) via a cable to at least one other similar plug-in element (40) is connected such that each of the two pins (54) of the one plug element (40) is electrically connected to the corresponding pin of the at least one further similar plug-in element (40). 18. LED lighting device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that  the control circuit housing (30A) in the longitudinal direction of the carrier (12) into a plurality of thermally isolated from each other chambers (42a-42c), wherein adjacent chambers by a separating portion (43a, 43b) are separated, which the two mutually facing chamber walls of the adjacent Chambers and an air space open to the atmosphere between these chamber walls include the control circuit (31) in the control circuit housing (30) containing heat-generating and heat-sensitive components, and the heat-generating and heat-sensitive components in different ones being separated by a partition section (43a, 43b). separate chambers (42a-42c) are housed. 19. LED lighting device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that  the control circuit housing (30A) hermetically encloses the control circuit (31) and the control circuit (31) is such that the voltage supplied by it to its output terminals for operation of the LED module (26) meets the requirements of Safety extra-low voltage fulfilled. 20. LED lighting device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that  it contains an emergency power source and associated circuitry, which operates the LED module (26) with the energy of the emergency power source as emergency lighting in case of total or partial failure of the mains voltage. 21. LED lighting device claim 20, characterized in that  the emergency power source is housed in the form of a battery of one or more secondary cells together with at least a portion of its associated circuitry in a second housing (30B) replaceably supported by the carrier (12). 22. LED lighting device according to claim 21 in conjunction with claim 10, characterized in that the second housing (30B) forms the second pedestal holder.