Lighting strip system

• US 5,337,225 A
• Filed: 01/06/1993
• Issued: 08/09/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cooper-Standard Automotive Incorporated (Cooper-Standard Holdings Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: The Standard Products Company (Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company)
• Inventors: Brookman, Marc A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Jones, Larry
• Application Number:
  US08/001,066
• Time in Patent Office: 580 Days
• Field of Search: 362/145, 362/147, 362/152, 362/226, 362/457, 362/458, 362/800, 362/806
• US Class Current: 362/145
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/26 of rope form, e.g. LED lighting ropes, or of tubular form
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/032 the surface being a floor or like ground surface, e.g. pavement
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• 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: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The present invention relates to a lighting strip system including interconnectable lighting strip sections and connector sections. The lighting strip sections include lighting means such as light emitting diodes or incandescent lamps encapsulated in a polymeric molding. The connector sections include metallic inserts or metallic strips which partially extend from the polymeric molding of the connector section wherein the metallic inserts or metallic strips are plugged into the lighting strip sections to form an electrical junction between an adjacent lighting strip section and connector section. The lighting strip system is particularly useful for pathway lighting.

Claims

1. A lighting strip system, comprising:

at least one lighting strip section including at least one lighting means for providing illumination, said at least one lighting means including lead wires extending therefrom, said at least one lighting strip section further including means for carrying an electrical charge, said means for carrying an electrical charge extending the length of said lighting strip section and terminating proximate to the ends of said lighting strip section, said means for carrying an electrical charge being electrically connected to the lead wires, wherein the at least one lighting strip section is formed of a polymeric molding such that the at least one lighting means is positioned within a cavity extending along the length of the lighting strip section and the means for carrying an electrical charge is substantially encapsulated within the polymeric molding, said polymeric molding including apertures at an end of the at least one lighting strip section so as to expose the means for carrying an electrical charge; and

connector means for joining said at least one lighting strip section to another lighting strip section, said connector means including means for conveying an electrical charge between the joined lighting strip sections, said means for conveying an electrical charge extending the length of said connector and being partially encapsulated within a polymeric molding such that the ends of said means for conveying an electrical charge project from said polymeric molding;

whereby upon aligning said at least one lighting strip section contiguously against said connector means such that the ends of said means for conveying an electrical charge extend into the apertures of said lighting strip section an electrical junction is formed thus allowing the lighting strip system to become illuminated upon the introduction of an electrical charge.

2. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said connector means include pocket means disposed along at least one end for receiving said light strip section.

3. The lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said means for carrying an electrical charge further comprise oppositely chargeable wires.

4. The lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said means for carrying an electrical charge further comprise metallic strips.

5. The lighting strip system according to claim 2, wherein said means for conveying an electrical charge further comprise:

apertures extending into said polymeric molding along said pocket means,

oppositely chargeable wires extending substantially the length of said light strip section and terminating at said apertures; and

a plurality of metallic inserts having a first end which extends into said apertures and a second end which extends into said pocket means.

6. The lighting system according to claim 5, wherein said metallic inserts include barbed ends.

7. The lighting strip system according to claim 2, wherein said means for conveying an electrical charge further comprises a pair of oppositely chargeable metallic strips having ends which extend into said pocket means.

8. The lighting system according to claim 7, wherein said metallic strips include barbed ends.

9. The lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said connector means has an overall T-shape.

10. The lighting system according to claim 2, wherein said connector means has an overall L-shape.

11. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said lighting means include at lease one light emitting diode.

12. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said lighting means include at least one incandescent lamp.

13. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein said polymeric molding of said at least one lighting strip section includes an opaque portion and a relatively transparent portion.

14. The lighting system according to claim 13, wherein said polymeric molding is formed from polyvinyl chloride.

15. The light strip system according to claim 1, further comprising means for attaching said light strip system to a substrate.

16. The lighting system according to claim 15, wherein said means for attaching the lighting strip to a substrate includes at least one bracket member which is adhered to the substrate.

17. The lighting system according to claim 16, wherein said bracket member has upwardly extending hook shaped ends which are embedded within said polymeric molding.

18. The lighting system according to claim 16, wherein said bracket member has upwardly extending ends which fittingly engage the edges of said polymeric molding.

19. The lighting system according to claim 16, wherein said bracket member includes ends having incurred flanges such that said incurred flanges engage outwardly projecting tabs which extend from the molding edges to secure said molding.

20. The lighting system according to claim 1, wherein the lighting strip system is a pathway light.