Flexible LED Lighting Systems, Fixtures and Method of Installation

• US 20090086487A1
• Filed: 07/18/2008
• Published: 04/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Ruud Lighting Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Jansson, David G., Ruud, Alan J., Guillien, Wayne P.
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,079 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.20
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/03 Ceiling bases, e.g. ceiling roses F21V21/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/001 the elements being electrical wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 13/7175 Light emitting diodes (LEDs)
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 29/00 Coupling parts for selective co-operation with a counterpart in different ways to establish different circuits, e.g. for voltage selection, for series-parallel selection, programmable connectors

Abstract

A low-voltage LED lighting system and method for installation thereof in which the system includes: (a) at least one LED lighting fixture each having one or more LEDs; (b) at least one remotely-located power driver; and (c) interconnections between the at least one LED fixture and the at least one driver using communication network cabling and standard 8P8C network connectors. Preferred lighting fixtures are recessed lighting fixtures adapted for ceiling mounting.

Claims

1. A low-voltage LED lighting system comprising:

at least one LED lighting fixture each having one or more LEDs;

at least one power driver remote from the fixture(s); and

interconnections between the at least one fixture and the at least one driver using communication network cabling and standard network connectors.

2. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein the at least one fixture has a plurality of LEDs connected in series.

3. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein the interconnections include at least one shift module paired with a fixture.

4. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein the interconnections include at least one star module paired with a fixture.

5. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein the system includes at least one fixture which is terminated.

6. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein each of the power drivers has a Class 2 output voltage limit of 60 volts and a Class 2 output power limit of 100 watts.

7. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein at least one of the fixtures further includes:

an input standard network connector having input connector contacts;

a plurality of output standard network connectors each having output connector contacts; and

an array of switches configured to selectively interconnect the input contacts and output contacts.

8. The LED lighting system of claim 7 wherein the array of switches comprises DIP switches.

9. The LED lighting system of claim 1 wherein the fixture(s) are recessed fixtures adapted for ceiling mounting.

10. A method of installing a low-voltage LED lighting system comprising:

providing at least one LED lighting fixture each having one or more LEDs;

providing at least one power driver;

installing the driver(s) at positions remote from the fixture(s); and

interconnecting the fixture(s) and the driver(s) using communication network cabling and standard network connectors,

thereby facilitating efficient lighting system installation with low man-hour requirements and low installer skill levels.

11. The installation method of claim 10 wherein the providing of fixture(s) is providing recessed fixtures adapted for ceiling mounting.