SIGN BOX LIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 20140268786A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Company Incorporated (Sloan)
• Original Assignee: Sloan Company Incorporated (Sloan)
• Inventors: Quaal, Bruce, Ferrie, Timothy Drew, Meyer, Aaron, Chu, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 10,443,824 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.08
• 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: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/088 Clips; Clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/001 the elements being electrical wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0413 Frames or casing structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/08 using both translucent and non-translucent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/10 using transparencies
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs

Abstract

A lighting system comprising a light box housing, a plurality of lighting units including a housing, a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on a PCB within the housing. The lighting units can also be interconnected in a daisy-chain configuration on at least one carrier, such that the lighting units form an array of lighting units. The array of lighting units adapted to be mounted within the light box housing, wherein the light box housing comprises one or more arrays of lighting units.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

a light box housing comprising a face, a back, and a plurality of sidewalls between said face and said back;

a plurality of interconnected lighting units on at least one flexible carrier within said light box housing, each of said of plurality of interconnected lighting units comprising;

a printed circuit board (PCB) having a first surface and a second surface, wherein said PCB is substantially planar; and

at least one light emitting element on said first surface of said PCB, wherein said PCB is mounted to said at least one flexible carrier;

a mounting mechanism adapted to mount said plurality of interconnected lighting units within said light box housing, wherein said plurality of interconnected lighting units are adapted to emit light in a substantially uniform light distribution pattern.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of interconnected lighting units are on two flexible carriers, such that each of said plurality of interconnected lighting units are aligned with each other.

3. The lighting system of claim 2, wherein said flexible carriers are mounted to said PCB at opposing ends of said PCB.

4. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one flexible carrier comprises a plurality of carrier holes and each of said PCBs comprises at least one slot, wherein said carrier hole of said at least one flexible carrier is aligned with a respective slot of said PCB in order to couple said PCBs to said at least on flexible carrier.

5. The lighting system of claim 4, wherein a fastener is received by the aligned carrier hole and slot in order to couple each of said PCBs to said at least one flexible carrier about a respective one of said carrier hole.

6. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of interconnected lighting units further comprising a housing adapted to cover at least part of said PCB and said at least one flexible carrier.

7. The lighting system of claim 6, wherein said housing is an overmold housing overmolded onto at least part of said PCB and said at least one carrier.

8. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein each of said plurality of interconnected lighting units is electrically coupled to conductors adapted to provide an electrical signal to each of said plurality of interconnected lighting units.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein each PCB of said plurality of interconnected lighting units comprises terminals to receive said conductors.

10. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said mounting mechanism comprises at least one clamp adapted to mount said plurality of interconnected lighting units to said light box housing, wherein said at least one clamp is arranged to receive a respective one of opposing ends of said at least one flexible carrier to mount said plurality of interconnected lighting units to said light box housing.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein said mounting mechanism comprises at least one pair of mounting brackets mounted to opposing sidewalls of said light box housing, each of said mounting brackets comprising:

a base; and

at least one leg extending from said base, wherein said base is mounted to said sidewall of said light box housing and said plurality of lighting units are mounted to said at least one leg of each of said opposing mounting brackets.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein said mounting brackets further comprise a socket and a bridge, wherein said socket is proximate said base and adapted to accommodate at least one existing lighting solution element, and said bridge proximate said socket and adapted to provide structural support to said mounting bracket.

13. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein said mounting brackets further comprise a socket proximate said base and a lip proximate said base and opposite said socket, said lip adapted to provide structural support.

14. The lighting system of claim 10, said at least one clamp comprising:

a front plate;

a back plate, wherein each of said front and back plate comprise a plurality of recesses, a plurality of projections and at least one aperture; and

a hinge, wherein said front plate is hingedly coupled to said back plate;

wherein said back plate comprises a stop and said front plate comprises a tongue, such that said tongue is adapted to be received by said stop when said at least one clamp is closed, whereby said at least one clamp is adapted to be coupled to said at least one carrier.

15. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein said at least one clamp further comprises a clamp bracket such that said at least one clamp is adapted to be slidably received.

16. The lighting system of claim 14, wherein said plurality of projections of said front and back plate adapted to contact a respective side of said at least one carrier and hold said at least one carrier in place when said at least one clamp is closed.

17. The lighting system of claim 14, wherein said at least one aperture of said front and back plate adapted to form a channel when said at least one clamp is closed.

18. The lighting system of claim 17, wherein said channel is adapted to receive a fastener in order to mount said at least one clamp to said light box housing.

19. The lighting system of claim 14, wherein said plurality of recesses of said front and back plates adapted to form a pocket on opposing ends of said at least one clamp when said at least one clamp is closed.

20. The lighting system of claim 18, wherein each of said plurality of lighting units further comprising a housing adapted to cover at least part of said at least one carrier proximate said PCB, said housing comprising a first shoe and a second shoe around said at least one carrier proximate said PCB on opposite sides of said housing.

21. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein one of said first or second shoe is disposed within one of said plurality of recesses of said front or back plates such that said first or second shoe is received by said pocket of said at least one clamp when said at least one clamp is closed.

22. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are on the same surface of said PCB, such that each of said plurality of lighting units is arranged in a single-sided configuration.

23. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are on opposing surfaces of said PCBs, such that each of said plurality of lighting units is arranged in a double-sided configuration.

24. The lighting system of claim 23, wherein each of said plurality of lighting units comprises a conductor on each of said opposing surfaces of said PCB to provide said electrical signal to said light emitting elements on said opposing surfaces of said PCB.

25. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one carrier is comprised of a webbing formed of strong fabric woven as a flat strip.

26. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein said at least one carrier is a multi-paneled webbing.

27. The lighting system of claim 25, wherein said webbing is flexible and able to provide structural support to said lighting units.

28. An array of lighting units, comprising:

at least one flexible carrier; and

a plurality of lighting units mounted to said at least one flexible carrier, wherein said plurality of lighting units are electrically connected to each other, each of said plurality of lighting units comprising;

a plurality of light emitting elements on a first surface of a printed circuit board (PCB);

first and second conductors electrically connected to said PCB, wherein said first and second conductors are electrically connected to each of said plurality of lighting units;

wherein the separation between adjacent lighting units of said plurality of lighting units on said at least one flexible carrier is substantially similar.

29. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said at least one flexible carrier is adapted to bend freely in many different directions, such that said at least one flexible carrier can substantially return to its original state.

30. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said plurality of lighting units and said at least one flexible carrier are adapted to be coiled to form a coiled array of lighting units.

31. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said at least one flexible carrier comprises a plurality of carrier holes, such that a respective one of said plurality of lighting units is coupled to said at least one flexible carrier about a respective one of said plurality of carrier holes.

32. The array of lighting units of claim 31, wherein said plurality of carrier holes are equally spaced apart such that the plurality of lighting units coupled to said at least one flexible carrier are equally spaced apart.

33. The array of lighting units of claim 31, wherein the positioning of said lighting units can be adjusted by mounting said PCB to different carrier holes of said at least one flexible carrier.

34. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said at least one flexible carrier arranged to comprise a plurality of flexible carriers coupled together, wherein respective ends of said plurality of carriers are coupled together using a coupler.

35. The array of lighting units of claim 34, wherein said coupler comprising:

at least one clamp comprising a clamp bracket; and

a coupler connector adapted to be received by said clamp bracket of said at least one clamp, wherein a bolt is received by said at least one clamp and said coupler connector to couple said coupler to said plurality of flexible carriers.

36. The array of lighting units of claim 35, wherein said at least one clamp comprising:

a front plate;

a back plate; and

a hinge, wherein said front and back plate are hingedly coupled to each other;

said front and back plates comprising a plurality of projections, at least one aperture, and a plurality of recesses;

said back plate comprising a first and a second extension extending from said back plate, wherein a first flange extends from said first extension and a second flange extends from said second extension, such that said first and second flanges extend towards each other.

37. The array of lighting units of claim 36, wherein said back plate comprises a stop and said front plate comprises a tongue, such that said tongue is adapted to be received by said stop when said at least one clamp is closed, whereby said at least one clamp is coupled to said respective end of said at least one carrier.

38. The array of lighting units of claim 36, wherein said plurality of projections of said front and back plate are adapted to contact a respective side of said at least one carrier and hold said at least one carrier in place when said at least one clamp is closed.

39. The lighting system of claim 36, wherein said at least one aperture of said front and back plate is adapted to form a channel when said at least one clamp is closed.

40. The lighting system of claim 39, wherein said channel is adapted to receive a bolt in order to couple said coupler to said respective end of said at least one carrier.

41. The array of lighting units of claim 36, wherein said recesses of said front and back plates are adapted to form a pocket on opposing ends of said at least one clamp when said at least one clamp is closed.

42. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said at least one carrier is comprised of a webbing formed of woven fabric.

43. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said at least one flexible carrier is formed of cotton, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, or a combination thereof.

44. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said array of lighting units is arranged to provide an extended length of fully assembled and electrically connected array of lighting units on said at least one flexible carrier.