LED LIGHTING SYSTEMS FOR PRODUCT DISPLAY CASES

• US 20080219002A1
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Published: 09/11/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: GE Lighting Solutions LLC (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Inventors: Mayer, Mark J., Sekela, William David, Sommers, Mathew, Toot, Alan B., Hobbs, Joseph M., O'Hara, Gerald P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,002,434 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/247
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/04 Sensors detecting the presence of a person
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED lamp for use in a display case includes a plurality of LEDs and an optic for redirecting the light to illuminate the contents of the display case.

Claims

1. An LED lamp comprising:

a plurality of LEDs spaced along an axis of the lamp; and

at least one optic associated with the LEDs, the at least one optic including a plurality of domes extending away from a base and each being separated from the base by at least one opening, each dome including an inner primary reflective surface associated with a corresponding LED, wherein at least one of the domes is arranged with respect to a respective LED to redirect light reflecting off of the respective primary reflective surface from the respective LED in a first general direction and at least one of the domes is arranged with respect to another respective LED to direct light reflecting off of the respective primary reflective surface from the another respective LED in a second general direction that is opposite the first general direction.

2. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the domes are staggered and face in opposite directions along the axis of the lamp.

3. The lamp of claim 2, wherein the LEDs are staggered on opposite sides of the axis of the lamp.

4. The lamp of claim 3, wherein each dome associated with LEDs on one side of the axis directs light from the respective LED towards the opposite side of the axis.

5. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the at least one opening includes a first opening and a second opening generally opposite the first opening.

6. The lamp of claim 5, wherein the at least one optic includes a secondary reflective surface disposed adjacent the second opening.

7. The lamp of claim 6, wherein the at least one optic includes an additional secondary reflective surface disposed adjacent the first opening, the additional secondary reflective surface being positioned with respect to the corresponding LED and the dome to reflect direct light from the LED towards a target plane.

8. The lamp of claim 5, wherein the first opening is smaller than the second opening.

9. An LED lamp comprising:

a mounting structure;

a printed circuit board (“

PCB”

);

a plurality of LEDs mounted on the PCB; and

an optic for cooperating with the plurality of LEDs to direct light from the LEDs toward a target plane, the optic including an integral snap-in feature to attach the optic to the mounting structure sandwiching the PCB between the optic and the mounting structure.

10. The LED lamp of claim 9, wherein the mounting structure is made from a thermally conductive metal.

11. The LED lamp of claim 9, wherein the PCB is thermally conductive.

12. The LED lamp of claim 9, wherein the integral snap-in feature is a plurality of flexible tabs each including a barb, and the mounting structure includes an inwardly protruding ledge that provides a catch surface for a respective barb.

13. The LED lamp of claim 9, wherein the optic includes a plurality of resilient pressure-applying fingers, each finger being separated from a base of the optic by a cut-out such that the finger acts as a leaf spring applying pressure to the PCB when the optic is attached to the mounting structure.

14. The LED lamp of claim 13, wherein each finger includes a protuberance at a distal end.

15. The LED lamp of claim 13, wherein each finger includes a mounting post and the PCB includes a plurality of openings, each mounting post fits into a respective opening in the PCB.

16. The LED lamp of claim 9, further comprising a thermal isolation barrier provided on a side of the mounting structure opposite the side against which the PCB is pressed.

17. An LED lamp for attaching to a mullion in a display case to illuminate contents of the display case, the lamp comprising:

a plurality of LEDs spaced from a target plane; and

at least one optic associated with the LEDs, the at least one optic including a plurality of primary reflective surfaces and a plurality of secondary reflective surfaces each being associated with a corresponding LED, the primary reflective surfaces being shaped to direct light from the respective LED away from an area of the target plane that is generally perpendicular to the mullion, and the secondary surfaces being shaped to direct light from the respective LED toward the area of the target plane that is generally perpendicular to the mullion.

18. The LED lamp of claim 17, wherein each primary reflective surface is substantially dome shaped.

19. The LED lamp of claim 17, wherein the primary reflective surfaces are staggered and face in opposite directions along an axis of the lamp.

20. The LED lamp of claim 19, wherein the LEDs are staggered on opposite sides of the axis of the lamp.

21. The LED lamp of claim 17, wherein the secondary reflective surfaces includes a first secondary reflective surface and a second secondary reflective surface.

22. The LED lamp of claim 17, wherein the LEDs are in electrical communication with an occupancy sensor and a dimming control module (“

DCM”

).