Decorative lighting system

• US 4,994,944 A
• Filed: 03/24/1989
• Issued: 02/19/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1988
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Thomas & Betts International Incorporated (ABB Limited)
• Original Assignee: Customerville Limited
• Inventors: Vernondier, David R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Yeung, James C.
• Application Number:
  US07/328,455
• Time in Patent Office: 697 Days
• Field of Search: 362/240, 362/238, 362/800, 362/362, 362/249, 362/219, 362/223, 362/221, 362/222, 362/225, 362/145, 362/146, 362/152, 362/153, 439/419, 439/232, 439/210, 439/541, 439/346, 439/239
• US Class Current: 362/239
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 11/166 with means for fixing a separate edging strip
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 19/061 used to finish off an edge or corner of a wall or floor covering area in connection with floor fabrics A47G27/045; sealings between walls and baths A47K3/008
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1048 with lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/027 for indicating kerbs, steps or stairs
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A lighting system includes a plurality of modular components, each comprising an elongate strip of finite length, supporting or constituting an elongate lighting circuit extending along the strip and connector means for connecting adjacent strips end to end, and electrically connecting the lighting circuits thereon to enable a voltage to be applied across a series of illuminating devices provided at predetermined spaced locations along the length of the strips so connected. Preferably, the illuminating devices on each strip are connected in series, and the series connected illuminating devices associated with each strip are connected in parallel with the series connected illuminating devices associated with each of the other strips.

Claims

1. A lighting system including a plurality of modular components comprising a plurality of elongate strips of different finite lengths, each strip having an elongate lighting circuit extending along the strip, which lighting circuit provides a pair of voltage supply lines extending along the length of the strip and ann electrical connecting line for connecting at least one illuminating device in parallel between said pair of voltage supply lines, said lighting circuit of at least one of said strips being adapted to connect at least one predetermined resistor in series with said at least one illuminating device thereof so that the total electrical resistance of said at least one illuminating device and said at least one resistor of each of the strips is substantially the same to provide a set of voltage compatible elongate strips;

connector means for engaging juxtaposed ends of said strips to connect the strips end to end, said connector means comprising at least one connector element for location between a pair of adjacent strips and having means for resiliently gripping each of said juxtaposed ends of the strips and means for making an electrical connection between the voltage supply lines at the adjacent ends of said electrical lighting circuits associated with the strips; and

a voltage supply connector means for connecting to one end of one of said strips to provide an electrical connection between the voltage supply lines associated with that particular strip and a voltage supply.

2. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein each of said modular components comprises a rigid or semi-rigid strip having said elongate lighting circuit provided thereon.

3. A lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said strip is in the form of a printed circuit board.

4. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said continuous electrical lighting circuit includes a series connection for all the illuminating devices to be mounted on each strip.

5. A lighting system according to claim 1, including flexible connecting means for electrically connecting a pair of strips which can be set at different angular positions with respect to one another, said flexible connecting means comprising connector portions each adapted to be resiliently gripped by a respective one of a pair of said connector members which are to be resiliently engaged with adjacent ends of said pair of strips, respectively;

flexible means connecting said connector portions; and

electrical connecting means for making an electrical connection between the electrical connection means of said pair of connector members.

6. A lightning system according to claim 5, wherein said flexible connecting means and said connector members, each have three separate electrical connection paths extending therethrough for electrically connecting said pair of voltage supply lines and the electrical series connection of said at least one illuminating device of an elongate strip which has been cut intermediate its length.

7. A lighting system according to claim 1 further including a housing having a translucent or transparent wall or wall portion, for receiving said plurality of elongate strips when connected by said connector means.

8. A lighting system according to claim 7 wherein said housing is in the form of an elongate tubular container.

9. A lighting system according to claim 8 wherein said tubular container has a removably mounted wall section extending along its length.

10. A lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said voltage supply connecting means comprises a terminal portion adapted to be resiliently gripped by a connector member as aforesaid which is to be resiliently engaged with one end of one of said strips and having electrical connecting means for making an electrical connection between the electrical connecting means of that connector member and a voltage supply.

11. A lighting system according to claim 1, further including a housing having a translucent or transparent wall or wall portion, for receiving said plurality of elongate strips when connected by said connector means.

12. A lighting system according to claim 11 wherein said housing is in the form of an elongate tubular container.

13. A lighting system according to claim 12 wherein said tubular container has a removably mounted wall section extending along its length.

14. A lighting system including a plurality of modular components comprising a plurality of elongate strips of different finite lengths, each strip having an elongate lightning circuit extending along the strip, which lighting circuit provides a pair of voltage supply lines extending along the length of the strip and an electrical connecting line for connecting at least one illuminating device in parallel between said pair of voltage supply lines, and the lighting circuit off at least one of said strips being adapted to connect at least one predetermined resistor in series with said at least one illuminating device thereof so that the total electrical resistance of said at least one illuminating device and said at least one resistor of each of the strips is substantially the same to provide a set of voltage compatible elongate strips;

connector means for engaging juxtaposed ends of said strips to connect the strips end to end, said connector means comprising at least two connector elements having at opposite ends thereof means for resiliently gripping respective end sections of said strips and means for providing three separate electrical connection paths therethrough for connection to the voltage supply lines and the series connection of said at least one illuminating device of said electrical lightning circuit associated with each one of said strips;

flexible connecting means having connector portions each adapted to be resiliently gripped by a respective one of said connector elements, flexible means connecting said connector portion, and electrical connecting means for making separate electrical connections between said three electrical connection paths of each of said connector elements when engaged with said connector portions, respectively; and

a voltage supply connector means for connecting to one end of one of said strips to provide an electrical connection between said pair of voltage supply lines associated with that strip and a voltage supply.