Flexible, self-adhesive, modular lighting system

• US 5,559,681 A
• Filed: 05/13/1994
• Issued: 09/24/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CNC Automation, Inc.
• Original Assignee: CNC Automation, Inc.
• Inventors: Duarte, Noah G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gromada, Denise L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan B.
• Application Number:
  US08/242,293
• Time in Patent Office: 865 Days
• Field of Search: 362/237, 362/249-252, 362/800, 362/806-808, 362/244, 362/236, 362/457, 362/458, 362/151, 362/152, 439/210, 439/641, 439/648
• US Class Current: 362/231
• 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: F21V 21/08 Devices for easy attachment to any desired place, e.g. clip, clamp, magnet
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0808 Adhesive means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/806 Ornamental or decorative

Abstract

A flexible, self-adhesive, lighting system includes a continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light emissive material, cuttable into segments of light emissive material, each segment including a plurality of light emitting diodes serving as light emissive devices. The segments are electrically coupled by different shaped couplers, for forming a variety of configurations of light emissive material, and further coupled to a source of power. Each coupler includes at least two electrical conductors for conducting power from one segment of light emissive material to a coupled segment or a source of power. Each of the light emissive devices may be covered by one clear or colored lens. Alternatively, multiple light emissive devices, of the same or different color, may be covered by one lens. Further, steady or intermittent power from a power control unit may be supplied to each light emissive device for providing different lighting sequences and colors.

Claims

1. A flexible, self-adhesive, lighting system, comprising:

a continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light footemissive material adapted to be cut at any location into at least first and second light emissive segments, said continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light emissive material including at least first and second electrical conductors and a plurality of light emissive devices electrically coupled to said at least first and second electrical conductors;

at least a first light emissive material coupler, for coupling said at least first and second electrical conductors in one of said at least first and second light emissive segments to a source of electrical power, wherein said at least first and second electrical conductors are adapted to conduct electrical power from said source of electrical power to said plurality of light emissive devices; and

at least a second light emissive material coupler, for mechanically and electrically coupling said at least first and second light emissive segments together, wherein said second light emissive coupler includes a plurality of conductor engaging elements, for piercing said at least first and second light emissive segments to contact said at least first and second electrical conductors within said at least first and second light emissive segments, and includes at least first and second interconnecting electrical conductors, for providing a continuous flow of electrical power from said first electrical conductor of said first light emissive segment to said first electrical conductor of said second light emissive segment and from said second electrical conductor of said first light emissive segment to said second electrical conductor of said second light emissive segment.

2. The system of claim 1, further including an adhesive strip coupled to a bottom surface of said light emissive material.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein said first segment includes a colored lens covering each of said plurality of electrically coupled light emissive deices, for changing a color of light emitted by said light emissive device.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said first segment includes a clear lens covering each of said plurality of electrically coupled light emissive devices.

5. The system of claim 1, wherein said second electrical coupler includes a "T" shaped coupler, for electrically coupling said at least first and second segments into a "T" shaped configuration.

6. The system of claim 1, wherein said second electrical coupler includes a "Y" shaped coupler, for electrically coupling said at least first and second segments into a "Y" shaped configuration.

7. The system of claim 1, wherein said second electrical coupler includes a right angle coupler, for electrically coupling said at least first and second segments into a right angle configuration.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second electrical conductor comprises a copper strip.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein each of said first and second electrical conductor comprises a strip of braided metallic fabric.

10. A flexible, self-adhesive, lighting system, comprising:

a continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light emissive material adapted to be cut at any location along said continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light emissive material into at least a first light emissive segment;

said continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light emissive material including at least one negative electrical conductor and at least two positive electrical conductors and a plurality of groups of light emissive devices, each light emissive device in a group of light emissive devices being electrically coupled to said at least one negative electrical conductor and one of said at least two positive electrical conductors;

said continuous length of flexible, self-adhesive, light emissive material further including a plurality of lenses, each lens of said plurality of lenses covering a respective group of light emissive devices; and

at least a first light emissive coupler, for electrically coupling said first light emissive segment to a source of power.

11. The system of claim 10, further comprising an electrical power control unit, coupled between said source of electrical power and said first light emissive material coupler, for providing intermittent electrical power to one of said at least two positive conductors, for lighting selected light emissive devices electrically coupled to said one of said at least two positive conductors in each group of light emissive devices.

12. The system of claim 11, wherein said electrical power control unit includes a color selector, for selecting a color of light emitted by selected light emissive devices in each group of light emissive devices.

13. The system of claim 11, wherein said electrical power control unit includes a lighting sequence controller, for controlling the duration of lighting and sequence of lighting of each of said plurality of electrically coupled light emissive devices.

14. The system of claim 10, wherein each light emissive device in each group of light emissive devices covered by said lens differ in color with respect to each other light emissive device in each group of light emissive devices.