This invention relates to improvements in or relating to lighting apparatus.

It is an object of the invention to provide convenient and inconspicuous lighting apparatus for use with shelving and the like.

According to the invention, lighting apparatus comprises first and second electrically conductive tracks secured to opposite major surfaces of a shelf or the like along an edge region thereof, power application means for attachment to the shelf to couple the first and second conductive tracks to respective poles of an electrical power source, and a lamp assembly comprising power pick-up means for attachment to the shelf to couple the first and second conductive tracks to respective terminals of a lampholder of the lamp assembly.

In one embodiment of the invention, the power application means comprises first and second self-adhesive connectors each having a power supply contact for connection to a respective pole of the power source and each for attachment to a respective major surface of the shelf with the power supply contact in electrical contact with the respective conductive track.

In another embodiment of the invention, the power application means comprises a support for attachment to a surface on which the shelf is to be mounted, the support comprising a slot for receiving an edge portion of the shelf, means for securing the shelf in the slot and a pair of opposed power supply contacts in the slo ^* for

electrically contacting the respective conductive tracks of a shelf secured in the slot.

The power pick-up means may comprise a connector bracket for embracing the edge of the shelf and carrying a pair of pick-up contacts each connected to a respective terminal of the lampholder and each arranged to contact a respective conductive track in the attached condition of the pick-up means.

In one form of the invention, the connector bracket is arranged resiliently to clip onto the shelf, the pick-up contacts being mounted on the pick-up bracket so as to be resiliently engaged with the conductive tracks.

In another form of the invention, one of the pick¬ up contacts is movably mounted on the connector bracket for movement towards the other pick-up contact so as to clamp the shelf therebetween and establish electrical contact between the pick-up contacts and the conductive tracks.

The conductive tracks may have an electrically insulating covering, in which case the pick-up contacts of connector bracket are adapted to pierce the insulation covering and establish electrical contacts with the underlying conductive tracks in the attached condition of the pick-up means.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of lighting apparatus according to the present invention;

Figure 2 is an enlarged plan view of a power connector of the lighting apparatus of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an end view of the power connector;

Figure 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of the power connector;

Figure 5 is a partly sectioned view of a clip-on lamp assembly of the lighting apparatus;

Figure 6 is a partly sectioned view of a clamping lamp assembly of another lighting apparatus embodying the invention;

Figure 7 is a plan view of a power connector in the form of a support bracket for use in a lighting system embodying the present invention; and

Figure 8 is a sectional view of the support bracket taken on the line VIII-VIII of Figure 7.

One form of lighting apparatus embodying the invention is illustrated in Figure 1 and is applied to a glass shelf 1.

The illustrated lighting apparatus comprises upper and lower flat electrically conductive tracks 2 and 3 secured to the upper and lower horizontal surfaces of the shelf 1, power application means in the form of a pair of power connectors 4 and 5 for attachment to the shelf to connect the respective conductive tracks 2 and 3 to respective poles of a power supply, and a lamp assembly 6 for attachment to the shelf 1 so as to pick-up electrical power from the conductive tracks 2 and 3.

Each of the conductive tracks 2, 3 is formed from a strip of self-adhesive electrically conductive tape which is preferably folded (or alternatively cut and mitred) to form a continuous conductive strip along three edge regions of the shelf surface, the conductive track 2 on the upper surface of the shelf 1 lying directly above the conductive track 3 on the lower surface of the shelf.

As shown in Figures 1 to 4, each power connector 4,

5 comprises an elongate connector body 7 of constant cross- section and made of electrically insulating material. The body comprises a central spine 8 supported by two legs 9 and 10 which have feet 11 and 12. The under surfaces of the feet 11 and 12 are provided with a contact adhesive, so that the connector body may be stuck to the surface of the shelf 1 with the conductive track 2 located between the feet 11 and 12 and the central spine of the connector body 7 disposed above the track, as shown in Figure 3. Each of the legs of the connector body defines a channel extending longitudinally of the body 7. A wire 14 for connection to one pole of a low voltage (12v) power supply (not shown) extends into the channel defined by the leg 10 and is connected to a terminal 15 carried by the spine 8 and provided with a spring power supply contact 16 for engaging the track 2.

Referring now to Figures 1 and 5, the lamp assembly

6 of the lighting apparatus comprises pick-up means in the form of a connector body 20 carried by a connector bracket in the form of an electrically conducting resilient connector clip 21. The body 20 pivotally supports a lamp holder 22 for a lamp 23.

The electrically conducting clip 21 is connected via an electrically conducting sleeve 24 on the body 20 to

one terminal (not shown) of the lamp holder 22. An upper arm 25 of the clip 21 makes electrical contact with the electrically conductive track 2 on the upper surface of the shelf 1.

Resilient contact with the electrically conductive track 3 on the lower surface of the shelf 1 is established by an adjustable contact 26 of the connector 20, which contact 26 is threaded and received in a threaded bore 27 an insulating core 28 of the connector body 20. The contact 26 has a slotted end 29 which is rotatable to adjust the spacing between the clip 21 and the head 30 of the contact 26 according to the thickness of the shelf 1. The contact 26 is connected via a second electrically conductive sleeve 31 to a second terminal (not shown) in the lamp holder 22.

Figure 6 illustrates another embodiment of the present invention, in which electrically conductive tracks 52 and 53 provided on the upper and lower surfaces of a shelf 51 are covered by an layer of electrically insulating material and the pick-up contacts of the lamp assembly 56 are adapted to penetrate this insulating layer in order to make the required electrical contact with the tracks 52 and 53.

The lamp assembly 56 comprises a connector body 54 carried by a pick-up bracket 55 made of electrically conducting material and provided with a projecting pointed contact 57 for penetrating the insulation of the upper conductive track 52. A second movable contact 58 is threadedly received in a threaded bore 58aof the body 54 and is rotatable by its slotted end 59 after application of the bracket 55 to the edge of the shelf 51 to cause a pointed end 60 of the contact 5 to penetrate the

insulation on the conductive track 53 and to clamp the shelf 51 between the contacts 57 and 58.

The contacts 57 and 58 are connected via the connector body 54 to respective terminals (not shown) in a lamp holder 62 which is pivotally mounted on the connector 54 and receives a lamp 63.

Figures 7 and 8 illustrate another form of a power supply connector in the form of a support 70 for attachment to a vertical support in order to mount shelf 1 on such surface.

The supporting bracket 70 comprises a block 72 of electrically insulating material formed with a slot 73 having a rectangular cross-section and adapted to receive an edge portion of the glass shelf 1.

The shelf 1 is inserted in the slot 73 until it comes to rest against a partition 74 separating power inlet channels 75 and 76 which terminate in an enlarged region 77 of the slot 73.

Opposed surfaces of the rectangular slot 73 are provided with contact plates 78 and 79 which project into the enlarged region 77 of the slot, where respective electrical input conductors 80 and 81 are attached to the contact plates. The conductors 80 and 81 are for connection to respective poles of a power supply (not shown) .

A clamping screw 82 is threadedly received in a bore 83 formed in the block 72 at right angles to the slot 73, so that tightening of the clamping screw 82 both physically clamps the shelf 1 in the slot and establishes

electrical contact between the electrically conductive tracks 2 and 3 and the respective contact plates 78 and 79 in the slot 73.