System for Lighting Refrigeration Cabinets Using LED Lights

• US 20110235307A1
• Filed: 02/22/2008
• Published: 09/29/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/22/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Imbera S.A. De C.V.
• Original Assignee: Vendo de México SA de CV (Fomento Economico Mexicano SAB de CV)
• Inventors: Hernandez, Francisco Pineda
• Granted Patent: US 8,317,349 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/92
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/04 air-conditioned, refrigerated refrigerators F25D; heating arrangements specially adapted for transparent or reflecting areas H05B3/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/345 Current stabilisation; Maintaining constant current

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting system intended to light the interior of cabinets of the type used in commercial refrigerators, having glass doors. The system is based on a series of three interconnected LEDs mounted on a printed circuit board (PCB). The assembly is inserted into a diffusion tube, the shape of which enables optimized light emission and is designed for sections installed inside cabinet door frames. The LEDs can be powered by a current or voltage source and the manner in which the LEDs are housed along the inner periphery of the door enables the optimized lighting of the items on display.

Claims

1. A lighting system for the interior of the commercial-type refrigeration cabinets, with glass doors, wherein it includes modules formed by:

a. a light source based on LED lights connected to each other,

b. a driver or rectifier circuit with regulation of supply current to the light source,

c. a diffusion tube to connect the set of LEDs mounted on the driver, said lighting system comprising;

i) the light source is comprised by modules of two or three serial-connected LEDs, wherein the modules are interconnected to the rest of the modules, whether serial-connected or preferably parallel-connected;

ii) the rectifier circuit or driver mounted on the printed circuit board or PCB, provides a direct current supply, rectifying the current signal with a diode bridge;

the driver includes an arrangement of parallel-capacitors by which the current passes prior to correction;

after correction, one or two linear preprogrammed integrated circuits are used by means of the resistances to provide a constant amount of current;

iii) the set of LEDs mounted on the PCB are encapsulated at the interior of the diffusion tube, which also serves as heat dissipation means;

LEDs mounted on the PCB are maintained at the interior of the diffusion tube by the application of hermetic caps in both ends of the diffusion tube;

where said hermetic caps allow going through the wall, from the electric connectors to supply the current to the set;

iv) modules can be connected to each other to form luminaries of several lengths; and

v) luminaries thus formed can be connected to each other to be adapted to the geometric configuration of the interior of cabinets, thus comprising the lighting system.

2. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein current provided to the driver is 80 mA.

3. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein the driver has an operation range of 90 to 230 VAC.

4. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein LED lights used have high luminosity from the order of 80 mA.

5. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein LED lights used have a projection angle from 120°

to 180°

.

6. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein the PCB that contains the components of the driver is protected in an injected plastic cabinet and filled with resin.

7. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein the PCB and the set of LEDs are inserted into the diffusion tube, being the set in position at the interior by the action of supports at the interior of the tube, so the light coming from each LED may be spread through the transparent wall of the diffuser at an angle of up to 180°

.

8. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 7, wherein once the set of PCB and LEDs is inserted into the diffusion tube, this will be hermetically sealed by placing the caps adjusted at both ends.

9. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 8, wherein the caps of the diffusion tube are made of rubber.

10. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein to maintain tightness, caps of the diffusion tube are subject in situ by conventional media, for example, use of adhesive.

11. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein the transparent wall of the diffuser shows at the interior a plurality of diffusing lines or longitudinal grooves that improve diffusion.

12. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein the diffuser tube is made of plastic material resistant to temperature and deformation.

14. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein the set of PCB and walls of the diffuser act as heat dissipation media, transferring this to the body of the molding where the luminary is installed.

15. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 1, wherein each encapsulated module of LEDs is connected to others in order to form a luminary of desired length, in accordance with the need of lighting the cabinet.

16. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 15, wherein luminaries comprised by groups of individual modules, in turn, can be connected to each other, in order to be adapted to the configuration of the door (s) of the cabinet to be highlighted, thus forming the lighting system at the interior of the refrigeration cabinets.

13. A lighting system for refrigeration cabinets of claim 13, wherein plastic material is preferably polycarbonate.