LED Lighting Assembly and Method of Lighting for a Merchandise Display

• US 20110063844A1
• Filed: 11/29/2010
• Published: 03/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Ernest, Joseph Christian, Breslow, David S., Swafford, John Wesley Jr.
• Granted Patent: US 8,864,334 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.02
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/06 the fastening being onto or by the lampholder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a lighting assembly and method for illuminating a vertical planar area, such as a merchandise display. The lighting assembly can comprise a circuit board having a plurality of LEDs arranged in a substantially straight line and an LED driver circuit, and an integral lens assembly. The integral lens assembly can have a plurality of lenses and each of the plurality of lenses can be placed over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs. The lenses capture the light from the respective LED, modify its beam pattern, and re-project the light such that the light emitted from the lighting assembly is distributed substantially evenly in a vertical plane or direction.

Claims

1. A lighting assembly for a merchandise display comprising:

a circuit board assembly having a plurality of LEDs and an LED driver circuit;

an integral lens assembly, wherein the integral lens assembly comprises a plurality of lenses wherein the plurality of lenses is placed over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs, and wherein the lenses capture the light from a respective LED, modify the beam pattern, and re-project the light.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1 further comprising an adjustable housing configured to adjust the orientation of the circuit board assembly.

3. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lenses each individually fit over each one of the LEDs to distribute the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs in a substantially even distribution in a vertical plane.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein at least one of the plurality of lenses provides a different beam pattern than another one of the plurality of lenses.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lenses comprise two different lens types and the two different lens types are placed over the LEDs in an alternating pattern.

6. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lenses are snap-fit into place over the plurality of LEDs.

7. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the LEDs are aligned in a substantially straight line.

8. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lenses comprise configurations that produce a spotlight beam pattern and an oval shaped beam pattern.

9. The lighting assembly of claim 1 wherein the plurality of lenses are connected together to create a uniform, one-piece integral lens assembly.

10. A merchandise display lighting method comprising:

arranging a plurality of LEDs and a LED driver circuit on a circuit board and;

securing a plurality of lenses to the circuit board;

placing the plurality of lenses over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs so as to capture the light from a respective LED, modify a beam pattern emitted from the respective LED, and re-project the light emitted from the respective LED.

11. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising adjusting the beams with an adjustable housing.

12. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising fitting each of the plurality of lenses over a corresponding one of the LEDs to distribute the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs in a substantially even distribution in a vertical plane.

13. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising providing more than one configuration on the plurality of lenses to produce more than one beam pattern.

14. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising providing two different lens types in the plurality of lenses and placing the two different lens types over the LEDs in an alternating pattern.

15. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising snap-fitting the plurality of lenses into place over each of the plurality of LEDs.

16. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising aligning the plurality of LEDs in a substantially straight line.

17. The lighting method of claim 10 wherein the plurality of lenses are provided with configurations that produce a spotlight beam pattern and an oval shaped beam pattern.

18. The lighting method of claim 10 further comprising connecting the plurality of lenses together to create a uniform, one-piece lens assembly for placement onto the circuit board.

19. An LED lighting system for a merchandise display comprising:

a circuit board assembly having a plurality of LEDs arranged in a substantially straight line and an LED driver circuit;

an integral lens assembly fitting to the circuit board assembly, wherein the integral lens assembly comprises a plurality of lenses wherein each of the plurality of lenses is placed over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs, and wherein the lenses capture the light from a respective LED, modify the beam pattern, and re-project the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs in a substantially even distribution vertically;

an adjustable housing configured to direct and aim light emitted from the LEDs.

20. The LED lighting system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of lenses comprise two different lens types and the two different lens types are placed over the LEDs in an alternating pattern.

21. The LED lighting system of claim 20 wherein the two different lens types comprise different configurations that produce a spotlight beam pattern and an oval shaped beam pattern.

22. The LED lighting system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of lenses are snap-fit into place over each of the plurality of LEDs.

23. The LED lighting system of claim 19 wherein the plurality of lenses are connected together to create a uniform, one-piece integral lens assembly.