Lighting apparatus

• US 4,855,882 A
• Filed: 04/12/1988
• Issued: 08/08/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 03/29/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Lightgraphix Limited
• Original Assignee: Lightgraphix Limited
• Inventors: Boss, Ian
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cox, D. M.
• Application Number:
  US07/180,943
• Time in Patent Office: 483 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249, 362/250, 362/238, 362/240, 362/219, 362/223, 362/221, 362/222, 362/225, 362/145, 362/146, 362/152, 362/153, 362/226, 439/419, 439/424, 439/425, 439/426, 439/541
• US Class Current: 362/238
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/032 the surface being a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/002 making direct electrical contact, e.g. by piercing F21V21/35 takes precedence

Abstract

The present invention provides a lighting apparatus for strip lighting on floors, walls or the like, which lies flush with the adjacent surfaces or protrudes only slightly therefrom. The lighting apparatus comprises a strip containing electrical conductors in side by side relationship. The conductors are sheathed in insulating material, and individual lighting units make electrical contact therewith in that the units, each carrying a miniature bulb have electrical conduction connector spikes which pierce the insulating sheath and contact the electrical conductors. The individual units can easily be positioned and removed. Each unit comprises a support plate and a miniature light source, and the miniature light source can readily be removed from the support plate and replaced by another. The particular construction simplfies installation and replacement of burnt out light sources.

Claims

1. Lighting apparatus comprising a unit inserted in a channel for coupling to electrical conductors arranged in the channel side by side and covered by insulating sheath means, said unit comprising an elongate support plate adapted to be fitted to the channel with sides of the plate parallel to sides of the channel;

an illumination source supported by said support plate on one side thereof;

first and second electrical terminals connected to said illumination source; and

first and second electrical connectors extending from the other side of said plate and having spike portions for penetrating the sheath means of the electrical conductors in order to make electrical contact with said conductors when the plate is inserted in the channel, said first and second terminals being electrically connected to said electrical connectors.

2. Lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said first and second terminals are wire tails which are inserted in bores in said electrical connectors for the electrical connection of said illumination source to said electrical connectors.

3. Lighting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the plate is of plastics material and at the side carrying said illumination source the plate has an integral partition maintaining the terminals physically and electrically spaced, and integral retention pins maintaining the illumination source in position on the plate, said illumination source being removable from the plate simply by lifting same clear of the pins and partition and by pulling the terminal tails from the said bores.

4. Strip lighting apparatus comprising:

(a) a channel member having a base and walls defining a channel;

(b) a plurality of illumination source assemblies in the channel member and spaced longitudinally thereof;

(c) a cover strip closing the channel member to protect said illumination source assembies;

(d) a supply of electrical power provided by first and second parallel electrical conductors in the base of the channel member;

(e) insulation covering the conductors; and

(f) each of said illumination source assemblies including;

(i) an illumination source having first and second terminals;

(ii) an elongate support plate in the channel lying above the conductors and having sides parallel to the channel walls and a top side on which the illumination source is supported;

(iii) electrical connector spikes extending from an underside of the plate and spiked through said insulation to make electrical contact with said conductors; and

(iv) electrical connection means for electrically coupling said first and second terminals and said electrical connector spikes.

5. Lighting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each said plate comprises pins extending therefrom on the side supporting the illumination source for holding such source in position.

6. Lighting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each plate comprises an upstanding partition on the side of the plate supporting the illumination source, the terminals from the illumination source being located to opposite sides of said partition, and further including apertures in the plate to opposite sides of said partition, said terminals being located in said apertures, and the apertures carrying said electrical connection means.

7. Lighting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein each illumination source, assembly forms a unit which can be applied to the first and second conductors by pressing the unit towards the conductors so that the spikes thereof penetrate the insulation and make electrical connection respectively with said first and second conductors.

8. Lighting apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, wherein said plate is of plastics material.

9. Lighting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein each illumination source comprises a small 24 volt filament light encased in a glass envelope and said first and second terminals comprise conductive wires connected to said filament and extending through the said envelope to provide tail portions which are connected to said electrical connection means.