HIGH EFFICACY LED LIGHT ASSEMBLY FOR A MERCHANDISER

• US 20100214769A1
• Filed: 02/19/2010
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Hussmann Corporation (Panasonic Holdings Corporation)
• Inventors: Reichert, Craig S., Bhargava, Anshuman, Madireddi, Sesha
• Granted Patent: US 9,456,704 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/125
• 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 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A merchandiser including a case and a light assembly coupled to the case. The case defines a product display area and at least one shelf for supporting and displaying food product within the product display area. The light assembly is coupled to the case and is positioned to illuminate the food product. The light assembly includes a housing, at least one LED coupled to the housing, a lens cover defining a sidewall portion of the light assembly, and a specular member coupled to the sidewall portion and spaced apart from the LED to reflect a portion of light from the LED toward the product display area.

Claims

1. A merchandiser comprising:

a case defining a product display area and at least one shelf for supporting and displaying food product within the product display area; and

a light assembly coupled to the case and positioned to illuminate the food product, the light assembly including a housing, at least one LED coupled to the housing, a lens cover defining a sidewall portion of the light assembly, and a specular member coupled to the sidewall portion and spaced apart from the LED to reflect a portion of light from the LED toward the product display area.

2. The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the lens cover is a frost-inhibiting lens cover including an obscured portion and a transparent portion, and wherein the obscured portion defines the sidewall portion.

3. The merchandiser of claim 2, wherein the obscured portion includes a recess and the specular member is coupled to the obscured portion within the recess.

4. The merchandiser of claim 2, wherein the obscured portion includes light obscuring material and the transparent portion includes transparent material, and wherein the obscured portion and the transparent portion are co-extruded with each other.

5. The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the LED is positioned to cast a first portion of light directly into the product display area, and to cast a second portion of light directly toward the specular member such that the second portion of light is reflected and redirected by the specular member toward the product display area.

6. The merchandiser of claim 1, wherein the housing defines a plane extending vertically through the light assembly and perpendicular to a mounting surface to which the light assembly is attached, and wherein the specular member is positioned substantially parallel to the plane.

7. A merchandiser comprising:

a case defining a product display area and at least one shelf for supporting and displaying food product within the product display area; and

a light assembly coupled to the case and positioned to illuminate the food product, the light assembly including a housing defining a plane extending vertically through the light assembly and perpendicular to a mounting surface to which the light assembly is attached, at least one LED coupled to the housing, and a specular member coupled to the housing to reflect at least a portion of light from the LED into the product display area, the specular member disposed at an angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the plane.

8. The merchandiser of claim 7, wherein the specular member is disposed at an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than or approximately equal to 110 degrees relative to the plane.

9. The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the specular member is disposed at an angle of approximately 97 degrees relative to the plane.

10. The merchandiser of claim 8, wherein the LED defines an axis along which light is generally directed outward from the housing, and wherein the axis is angularly spaced between about 40 degrees and 85 degrees from the plane.

11. The merchandiser of claim 10, wherein the axis is angularly spaced approximately 70 degrees from the plane.

12. The merchandiser of claim 10, wherein the LED is positioned to cast a first portion of light directly into the product display area, and to cast a second portion of light directly toward the specular member such that the second portion of light is reflected by the specular member toward the product display area.

13. The merchandiser of claim 12, wherein the specular member is a first specular member, and wherein the light assembly is defined by a sidewall portion and further includes a second specular member coupled to the sidewall portion and spaced apart from the LED to reflect at least a portion of light from the LED toward the product display area.

14. The merchandiser of claim 13, wherein the light assembly further includes a lens cover having a transparent portion with transparent material and an obscured portion with light obscuring material, and wherein the obscured portion defines the sidewall portion.

15. The merchandiser of claim 14, wherein the transparent portion and the obscured portion are co-extruded with each other.

16. The merchandiser of claim 13, wherein the second specular member is substantially parallel to the plane.

17. The merchandiser of claim 13, wherein the second specular member is disposed at an angle between about 60 degrees and 120 degrees relative to the first specular member.

18. The merchandiser of claim 17, wherein the second specular member is disposed at an angle between about 60 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the first specular member.

19. The merchandiser of claim 17, wherein the second specular member is disposed at an angle of approximately 83 degrees relative to the first specular member.

20. The merchandiser of claim 17, wherein the second specular member is positioned to further reflect at least a portion of light reflected from the first specular member toward the product display area, and wherein the LED is positioned to cast a third portion of light directly toward the second specular member such that the third portion of light is directly reflected by the second specular member toward the product display area.

21. A merchandiser comprising

a case defining a product display area and at least one shelf for supporting and displaying food product within the product display area;

and

a light assembly coupled to the case and positioned to illuminate the food product, the light assembly including

a housing defining a plane extending vertically through the light assembly and perpendicular to a mounting surface to which the light assembly is attached,

at least one LED coupled the housing and defining an axis along which light is generally directed outward from the housing, the axis angularly spaced between about 40 degrees and 85 degrees from the plane,

a lens cover coupled to the housing and having a transparent portion and an obscured portion defining a sidewall portion of the light assembly,

a first specular member coupled to the housing and disposed at an angle greater than 90 degrees relative to the plane to reflect a portion of light from the LED toward the product display area, and

a second specular member coupled to the sidewall portion and disposed at an angle between about 60 degrees and 120 degrees relative to the first specular member, the second specular member spaced apart from the LED to reflect light from at least one of the LED and the first specular member into the product display area.

22. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the obscured portion includes light obscuring material and the transparent portion includes transparent material, and wherein the obscured portion and the transparent portion are co-extruded with each other.

23. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the second specular member is substantially parallel to the plane.

24. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the first specular member is disposed at an angle greater than 90 degrees and less than or approximately equal to 110 degrees relative to the plane.

25. The merchandiser of claim 24, wherein the specular member is disposed at an angle of approximately 97 degrees relative to the plane.

26. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the axis is angularly spaced approximately 70 degrees from the plane.

27. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the second specular member is coupled to the obscured portion within a recess.

28. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the second specular member is positioned to reflect at least a portion of light reflected from the first specular member toward the product display area, and wherein the LED is positioned to cast a portion of light directly toward the second specular member such that the portion of light from the LED is directly reflected by the second specular member toward the product display area.

29. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the second specular member is disposed at an angle between about 60 degrees and 90 degrees relative to the first specular member.

30. The merchandiser of claim 29, wherein the second specular member is disposed at an angle of approximately 83 degrees relative to the first specular member.

31. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the LED is positioned to cast a first portion of light directly into the product display area, to cast a second portion of light directly toward the first specular member such that the second portion of light is reflected by the first specular member toward at least one of the product display area and the second specular member, and to cast a third portion of light directly toward the second specular member such that the third portion of light is reflected by the second specular member toward the product display area.

32. The merchandiser of claim 21, wherein the light assembly is substantially symmetrical about the plane.