LED LIGHTING ELEMENT

• US 20120014108A1
• Filed: 02/25/2011
• Published: 01/19/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 02/25/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: B/E Aerospace, Inc. (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Eckel, David P., Glater, Michael, Greenfield, Thomas F., Gambeski, Gannon T., Reilly, John M., Secilmis, Seckin K., Zbytniewski, William J.
• Granted Patent: US 9,091,422 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/02 Wall, ceiling, or floor bases; Fixing pendants or arms to the bases F21V21/08 takes precedence; bases for movable standing lamps F21V21/06
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/006 the substrate being distinct from the light source holder
• 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 27/00 Cable-stowing arrangements structurally associated with lighting devices, e.g. reels storing lengths of cable in general B65H; the lighting devices being vehicle headlamps F21S41/192; the lighting devices being vehicle lights F21S43/195
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2106/00 Interior vehicle lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2107/30 for aircraft
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49117 Conductor or circuit manufacturing

Abstract

An LED lighting element having an H-shaped housing. The housing, which may be an extruded housing, has a first section and a second section which is separated from the first section by a cross bar. A back plate is positioned opposite of the crossbar and is removably secured to the first section. A heat sink is located within the housing while a microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply contacts the heat sink and is attached to the back plate. An LED PC board that is electrically connected to the microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply is positioned in the second section and is attached to the housing. An end cap for the housing along with a method for constructing the lighting element are also disclosed.

Claims

1. An LED lighting element comprised of:

an H-shaped housing, said housing having a first section and a second section separated from the first section by a crossbar;

a back plate opposite the crossbar, said back plate removably secured to the first section;

a heat sink located within the housing;

a microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply contacting the heat sink; and

an LED PC board positioned in the second section and attached to the housing, said PC board electrically connected to the microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply.

2. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein the heat sink is a first thermal pad.

3. The LED lighting element of claim 2, wherein the first thermal pad is adjacent to the back plate.

4. The LED lighting element of claim 1 further comprising a second heat sink located in the second section.

5. The LED lighting element of claim 4, wherein the second heat sink is a second thermal pad positioned between the crossbar and the LED PC board.

6. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein:

a protrusion extends inward from the housing proximal to a first end of a first side of the first section;

the back plate includes a leg portion, said leg portions extending into the first section and defining a protrusion receiving section; and

the protrusion snaps into the protrusion receiving section, thereby engaging the back plate with the housing.

7. The LED lighting element of claim 6, wherein

a second protrusion extends inward from the housing into the first section;

and

said second protrusion limits a distance a first end of the leg portion of the back plate can advance into the first section.

8. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein:

the first section of the housing has a first width;

the second section of the housing has a second width; and

the first width is greater than the second width.

9. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein:

the housing has a first length; and

the housing has an outer surface that defines a first groove that extends along the length of the housing.

10. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein the first groove is located between the crossbar and the back plate.

11. The LED lighting element of claim 1 further comprising a washer located between the heat sink and the back plate.

12. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein:

the housing has at least one end;

an end cap attaches to the at least one end of the housing, the end cap comprised of;

a first element having;

a first pair of mounting legs proximal to a first end;

a second pair of mounting legs adjacent to the second end; and

a cable access portion adjacent the second end

a second element having;

a cable access portion adjacent a first end;

a pair of mounting legs perpendicular to and adjacent the first end,

wherein the first and second elements are made of a first material and the cable access portion of each element is made of a second material that is more flexible than the first material.

13. The LED lighting element of claim 12, wherein the cable access portion of the first element is capable of separating from the cable access portion of the second element.

14. The LED lighting element of claim 12, wherein:

connection prongs extend from the an end of each of the mounting legs; and

the connection prongs fit in respective holes in the side of the housing,

thereby connecting the first and second element of the end cap to the housing.

15. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein the lighting element is enclosed in a housing, the housing comprised of:

a first component having a plurality of sides defining a void suitable for receiving the LED lighting element; and

a lens removably attached to the first component,

thereby enclosing the void.

16. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein the lens snaps together with the first component.

17. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein the void is a channel.

18. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein:

a lanyard has a first end attached to the first component; and

a second end of the lanyard is attached to the lens so as to secure the lens to the first component.

19. The LED lighting element of claim 17, wherein the first end of the lanyard is attached to an inner surface of one of the plurality of sides of the first component.

20. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein one of the plurality of sides defines a hole.

21. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein:

one of the plurality of sides is rectangular; and

at least two of the plurality of sides are trapezoids, each of the two trapezoidal sides being opposite one another.

22. The LED lighting element of claim 21, wherein at least one of the two trapezoidal sides defines a hole.

23. The LED lighting element of claim 15, the lens is in the shape of oval.

24. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein the lens has a smooth outer surface.

25. The LED lighting element of claim 21, wherein the wiring bundle extends through the void.

26. The LED lighting element of claim 15, wherein the plurality of sides equals five.

27. The LED lighting element of claim 1, wherein the lighting element is attached to a housing, the housing comprised of:

a lighting-element mounting portion, said lighting-element mounting portion having a first surface extending approximately 90°

from the lighting-element mounting portion, and a second surface extending approximately 90°

from the lighting-element mounting portion opposite the first end; and

a cabin mounting bracket surrounding the lighting-element mounting portion, the cabin mounting bracket angled approximately 45°

with respect to the lighting-element mounting portion.

28. The LED lighting element of claim 27, wherein the LED lighting element is mounted flush to a first surface of the lighting-element mounting bracket.

29. The LED lighting element of claim 28, wherein:

a first and a second mounting clamps are attached to the first surface of the lighting-element mounting bracket; and

the LED lighting element is attached to the mounting clamp.

30. The LED lighting element of claim 27, wherein a first and a second wiring bundle extend from the housing.

31. The LED lighting element of claim 30, wherein:

the first wiring bundle is connected to a main power source; and

the second wiring bundle is connected to an emergency power source.

32. A method for assembling an LED lighting element, the method comprised of:

providing an H-shaped, housing, said housing having a first section and a second section separated by a crossbar;

attaching a heat sink to a first side of a back plate;

placing a microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply over the heat sink;

securing the back plate to the housing;

placing an LED PC board in the second section; and

electrically connecting the LED PC board to the microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply.

33. The method of claim 32 further comprising attaching an end cap to each of a first and second end of the housing.

34. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply has a first end and a second end; and

an electrical connector is attached to the microcontroller and LED drive/control technology and integrated power supply adjacent to at least one of the first and second end.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein:

a wiring bundle is electrically connected to the electrical connector; and

said wiring bundle extends outward from the housing.

36. The method of claim 35, wherein a grounding wire has a first end connected to the wiring bundle, and a second end connected to the housing.

37. The method of claim 34, wherein:

a first end of a wiring harness is connected to the electrical connector; and

a second end of the wiring harness is connected to a second electrical connector in a second LED lighting element.

38. The method of claim 32, wherein:

the H-shaped housing has a first side and a second side; and

a groove is scored along each of the first and second sides.

39. The method of claim 38, wherein a mounting clamp is fitted into the groove along each of the first and second sides.