Illumination systems

• US 4,748,545 A
• Filed: 02/20/1986
• Issued: 05/31/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 02/20/1986
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Reflector-Hardware Corporation
• Original Assignee: Reflector-Hardware Corporation
• Inventors: Schmitt, Lawrence O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dolinar, Andrew M.
• Application Number:
  US06/831,316
• Time in Patent Office: 831 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362/249, 362/219, 362/226, 362/368, 362/346, 362/227, 362/301, 362/225, 362/232
• US Class Current: 362/219
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/104 using feather joints, e.g. tongues and grooves, with or without friction
• 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 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays

Abstract

An illumination system usable in a display cabinet includes a plurality of spaced apart, low-voltage lamps. The lamps are supported by a reflector off-set from a shell or housing. The air space created between the reflector and the shell or housing provides thermal insulation such that the system will not excessively heat the display cabinet.

Claims

1. A modular illumination system insertable into spaced-apart power supply sockets comprising:

an elongated housing;

a plurality of spaced-apart light source sockets carried by said housing;

a plurality of spaced-apart, electrically energized, low-voltage, removeable and replaceable light sources offset from and carried by said housing;

reflector means carried by said housing; and

first and second conducting means affixed to and extending in part from respective first and second ends of said housing past the lengthwise extent of said housing, with each said conducting means axially oriented in part with respect to the lengthwise direction of said housing said conducting means engageable with the spaced-apart power supply sockets to mechanically support said housing inflexibly therefrom and electrically connect said light source sockets to, a power supply.

2. A modular illumination system as in claim 1 and wherein said light source sockets are coupled to said reflector means.

3. A modular illumination system as in claim 2 and wherein said plurality of light source sockets is affixed to said reflector means.

4. A modular illumination system as in claim 3 including conducting members coupled between said conducting means and said light source sockets.

5. A modular illumination system as in claim 3 including connector means, affixed to said housing for supplying electrical energy to said light sources.

6. A modular illumination system as in claim 3 wherein said reflector means is a three-sided, elongated, reflecting metal member.

7. A modular illumination system as in claim 3 wherein said light sources are low-voltage incandescent lamps.

8. A modular illumination system as in claim 3 wherein said light sources are low-voltage halogen lamps.

9. A modular illumination system insertable into spaced-apart power supply sockets comprising:

an elongated housing;

a plurality of spaced-apart light source sockets carried by said housing;

a plurality of spaced-apart, electrically energized, low-voltage, removeable and replaceable light sources offset from and carried by said housing;

reflector means carried by said housing; and

first and second axially extending conducting means affixed to and extending from respective first and second ends of said housing, said conducting means engageable with the spaced-apart sockets to mechanically support said housing therefrom, and electrically connect said system to a power supply wherein said housing is of an insulating material and further wherein said reflector means comprises a pair of spaced conductive, elongate reflector members positioned within and supported by said housing with said reflector members electrically coupled between said conducting means and said light source sockets.

10. A modular illumination system insertable into spaced-apart power supply sockets comprising:

an elongated housing of an insulating material;

a pair of spaced conductive, elongate reflector members positioned within and supported by said housing;

a plurality of light source sockets, one for each of a plurality of light sources, electrically connected to said reflector members;

a plurality of spaced-apart electrically energized, low-voltage, light sources offset from and carried by said sockets; and

first and second axially extending conducting means affixed to and extending from respective first and second ends of said housing, said conducting means engageable with the spaced-apart sockets to mechanically support said housing therefrom, and electrically connect said system to a power supply.

11. A modular illumination system as in claim 10 and wherein said light source sockets are each removably snap-connected to said reflector members.

12. A modular illumination system as in claim 10 wherein said reflector members are each electrically connected to conductors which are connected to said power supply sockets.

13. A modular illumination system insertable into spaced-apart power supply sockets comprising:

an elongated housing;

at least first and second axially extending conducting means affixed to and extending from said housing, said conducting means engageable with the spaced-apart sockets to mechanically support said housing therefrom, and electrically connect said system to a power supply;

first and second rigid elongated conductive members carried by said housing and electrically coupled to respective of said first and second conducting means; and

a plurality of light source sockets, each of said sockets having spring biased engaging means for removably engaging, electrically and mechanically said first and said second rigid conductive members such that said light source sockets may be positioned selectively along said elongated conductive members and electrical power can be supplied through said conductive members to said sockets.

14. A modular illumination system as in claim 13 including reflector means carried by said housing adjacent said light source sockets.

15. A modular illumination system insertable into spaced-apart support sockets comprising:

an elongated housing;

first and second rigid, elongated, conductive members carried by said housing;

first and second axially extending conducting means affixed to and extending, at least in part, from said housing, said conducting means electrically coupled to respective of said first and second conductive members, said conducting means engageable with the spaced-apart sockets to mechanically support said housing therefrom and electrically connect said conductive members to a power supply; and

a plurality of light source sockets, each of said sockets having spring biased engaging means for removably engaging, electrically and mechanically said first and said second rigid conductive members such that said light source sockets may be positioned selectively along said elongated conductive members and electrical power can be supplied through said conductive members to said light source sockets.