Track lighting is used to provide illumination which can be conveniently manipulated or adjusted to cast light in a desired direction. Track lighting systems are light fixtures that come with multiple lamps supported on a track that itself is mounted to a support structure for instance a ceiling or a wall. Track lighting systems serve a dual purpose: aggregating one or more light sources to the power source and supporting the light fixture. Track lighting systems can deliver illumination over a wide area and can be used to visually intensify specific objects within a room. Track lighting is used to accent or accentuate merchandise in a manner that it stands out from the rest of the products around it. Generally, track lighting provides approximately three times more light on a product when compared to the general illumination in the area. These light fixtures could be selectively moved and or oriented to illuminate in a desired direction. Track lighting systems provide an easy way to customize the light distribution in a given area. Hence, track lighting systems are frequently used both in private residences as well as in publicly accessible buildings, e. g. commercial establishments and museums.
Track lighting systems come in a wide range of shapes, sizes, and configurations. A track lights includes a minimum of one such luminaire and a track or rail which is designed to accommodate the luminaire and supply electric power. The track luminaire mounted to a track head which mechanically affixing the luminaire to the track. Track lighting systems generally include spot light fixtures that are inserted across the narrow, electrified track frame. Due to the fact luminaires may be conveniently added, removed, or put in different locations along the track with minimal effort, luminaires can be added or changed without the very expensive addition of new fixtures or power supplies. The track head mechanically fortifies or ensures such support and affixation of the track to the track luminaire via a rotary lock or the like. The light is typically emitted in a concentrated manner. The reflector portion is often parabolic, spherical, elliptical, or any other surface providing optically reflective characteristics. Often the fixtures include pivoting and/or rotational connections when the housing can be selectively targeted relative to the track for pointing the light in a particular direction. Optical control of track lighting is typically achieved by positioning the track lights along side the track and afterwards directing the positioned lights at a particular target area. All the same, other optical control systems for track lights may employ reflectors, refractors, diffusers, shades, hoods, cowls, and other devices. Track and track fixtures are generally fabricated in black or white, but other finishes, such as bronze and silver, are offered also.
Electrical power distribution tracks are usually made up of an elongated housing containing multiple electrically-isolated, conductive busbars. Track is often manufactured from extruded material that in most cases resembles an "H" in cross section, with two vertical members interconnected by a horizontal member. Thereby, tracks may provide structural support for installation to the ceiling/wall, structural support for mounting the track heads/track lights, and a conduit for delivering power from a power source to the track heads/lights. The lighting track will take power from an external power source and delivers power to the track head which may be configured to affix to the lighting track, and the light source may be disposed in the track head or within the lighting track. The track comes with a slot that receives a connector that attaches each lighting assembly to the track. The conductors are typically open conduits secured inside grooves of the track, insulated from the track. Each conduit is connected to opposite terminals of an electric power supply. The track can be straight, curved, or have various other shape, may be flexible or rigid, and its surface may have a range of colors and textures. Furthermore, since track lighting luminaires are almost always aimable, the pendant mounting system necessitates balance and stability to counteract when arms created when pivoting the luminaire for aiming.
So-called track luminaires, or track lights, are available in many shapes and styles for use with a multitude of lamps including incandescent, halogen, metal-halide, fluorescent, and light emitting diode (LED). The concerns of the inefficiency of incandescent and lighting in the conversion of electricity into useable light expressed in lumens per watt and the somewhat better efficiency but lower quality of light (narrow spectrum and glare) from fluorescent lights are widely recognized. Lighting based on LED products are proliferating the market for every conceivable lighting application. Extremely bright LED light sources are well-suited to track lighting, they produce very high lumens from a relatively small package to highlight an object. The superior technology in LED track lights means they outperform halogen spotlights when it comes to reliability and energy efficiency. LED track luminaires typically includes an integrated power conversion circuit to convert the input constant voltage DC into a constant current output to drive the LEDs. The LED luminaire housing may have any shape, including but not tied to cylindrical, square, parabolic, rectilinear, frustoconical, etc. Additional heat-sinking is required to effectively thermal manage the heat generated by the LED driver which leads to added weight to the track fixture. The LED light sources may either integrated LED modules or can be independent LED bulbs such as GU10, MR16, or PAR20/PAR30/PR38 neck/long neck offered in different watts.
