Thin profile surface mount lighting apparatus

• US 10,488,000 B2
• Filed: 06/22/2018
• Issued: 11/26/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/22/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DMF Incorporated
• Original Assignee: DMF Incorporated
• Inventors: Danesh, Michael D., Williams, Vincent, Jongewaard, Mark
• Primary Examiner(s): Hines, Anne M
• Application Number:
  US16/016,040
• Publication Number:
  US 20180372284A1
• Time in Patent Office: 522 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/68 Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/03 of surface-mounted type F21S8/02, F21S8/04 take precedence; details of wall or floor bases F21V21/02
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/043 mounted by means of a rigid support, e.g. bracket or arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/047 Mounting arrangements with fastening means engaging the inner surface of a hole in a ceiling or wall, e.g. for solid walls or for blind holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/088 Clips; Clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/87 Organic material, e.g. filled polymer composites; Thermo-conductive additives or coatings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/16 square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/18 annular; polygonal other than square or rectangular, e.g. for spotlights or for generating an axially symmetrical light beam
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer

Abstract

A thin profile surface mount LED lighting apparatus includes a housing, an LED board including multiple uniformly distributed LEDs, and a lens. The lens has a back side facing the LED board and a front side that provides a downward facing surface when the LED lighting apparatus is installed in an opening of a ceiling. The lens is disposed with respect to the LED board such that the LEDs illuminate the back side of the lens. A first spacing of the LEDs causes resulting light from the downward facing surface of the lens to be substantially uniform during operation of the apparatus. In one example, a thin front edge of a sidewall of the housing, forming a perimeter around the lens, is flush with the lens and is appreciably thin (e.g., a thickness of less than three millimeters), and a depth of the sidewall housing is less than one inch.

Claims

1. An LED lighting apparatus, comprising:

a housing comprising at least one sidewall having a front facing edge and a back facing edge positioned adjacent to a ceiling when the LED lighting apparatus is installed in an opening of the ceiling, wherein a depth of the at least one sidewall of the housing, between the front facing edge and the back facing edge, is less than one inch such that the apparatus does not visibly appear to protrude substantially from a surface of the ceiling when the apparatus is installed in the opening of the ceiling;

an LED board coupled to the housing, the LED board comprising a plurality of LEDs; and

a lens coupled to the housing, the lens having a back side facing the LED board and a front side opposite to the back side, wherein the front side of the lens provides a downward facing surface when the LED lighting apparatus is installed in the opening of the ceiling, the lens being disposed with respect to the LED board such that the plurality of the LEDs illuminate the back side of the lens,

wherein;

a first spacing of the plurality of the LEDs on the LED board causes resulting light from the downward facing surface of the lens to be substantially uniform during operation of the apparatus; and

the front side of the lens, providing the downward facing surface when the LED lighting apparatus is installed in the opening in the ceiling, is essentially flush with the front facing edge of the at least one sidewall of the housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a second spacing between the LED board and the lens further causes the resulting light from the downward facing surface of the lens to be substantially uniform during operation of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the second spacing is approximately or equal to eight millimeters.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the at least one sidewall is less than ten millimeters.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the at least one sidewall is less than five millimeters.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a thickness of the at least one sidewall is less than three millimeters.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein an edge thickness of the front facing edge of the at least one sidewall is less than two millimeters.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein an edge thickness of the front facing edge of the at least one sidewall is less than 1.5 millimeters.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens includes friction fit clips to mount the lens in the housing.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of LEDs are distributed uniformly on the LED board and spaced apart almost identically.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein an LED-to-LED spacing of the plurality of LEDs on the LED board is in a range of from approximately 7.5 millimeters to 8.5 millimeters.

12. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the lens is a milky white diffusive polymer.

13. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the lens includes Makrolon®

polycarbonate.

14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the lens has a thickness of approximately or equal to three millimeters.

15. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the LED board is circular; and

the plurality of LEDs are arranged on the LED board as a plurality of concentric rings.

16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein a distance between any two adjacent concentric rings of the plurality of concentric rings is the same or approximately the same.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein:

at least a first ring of the plurality of concentric rings comprises a first group of the plurality of LEDs; and

respective LEDs of the first group are spaced substantially evenly around the first ring of the plurality of concentric rings.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein:

each ring of the plurality of concentric rings comprises a different group of the plurality of LEDs; and

respective LEDs of each different group are spaced substantially evenly around a corresponding ring of the plurality of concentric rings.

19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the lens is a milky white diffusive polymer.

20. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein:

at least a first ring of the plurality of concentric rings comprises a first plurality of LEDs; and

respective LEDs of the first plurality of LEDs are spaced substantially evenly around the first ring of the plurality of concentric rings.

21. The apparatus of claim 20, wherein:

each ring of the plurality of concentric rings comprises a different group of the plurality of LEDs; and

respective LEDs of each different group are spaced substantially evenly around a corresponding ring of the plurality of concentric rings.

22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the lens is a milky white diffusive polymer.

23. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein:

the LED board is rectangular; and

the plurality of LEDs are arranged substantially uniformly across an entire surface or substantially the entire surface of the LED board.

24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein an LED-to-LED distance between neighboring LEDs of the plurality of LEDs is in a range of from approximately 7.5 millimeters to 8.5 millimeters.

25. The apparatus of claim 24, wherein the lens is a milky white diffusive polymer.

26. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein

a second spacing between the LED board and the lens further causes the resulting light from the downward facing surface of the lens to be substantially uniform during operation of the apparatus;

the second spacing is approximately or equal to eight millimeters;

a thickness of the at least one sidewall is less than three millimeters;

the plurality of LEDs are distributed uniformly on the LED board and spaced apart almost identically;

an LED-to-LED spacing of the plurality of LEDs on the LED board is in a range of from approximately 7.5 millimeters to 8.5 millimeters;

the lens is a milky white diffusive polymer; and

the lens has a thickness of approximately or equal to three millimeters.

27. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of friction fit clips to couple the apparatus to a junction box.

28. The apparatus of claim 27, in combination with an adapter ring to couple the apparatus to the junction box, wherein:

the adapter ring is attached to the junction box; and

the apparatus is snapped into the adapter ring via the plurality of friction fit clips.

29. The combination of claim 28, further comprising the junction box.

30. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a test button, coupled to the at least one sidewall of the housing and at least one electrical wire, to provide an electrical signal on the at least one electrical wire upon activation of the test button.