Undercabinet lighting with light emitting diode source

• US 6,758,573 B1
• Filed: 06/27/2000
• Issued: 07/06/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Savant Technologies, LLC (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Nelson, Wordell, Thomas, Edward J., Elghoroury, Hesham M.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong, Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US09/604,468
• Time in Patent Office: 1,470 Days
• Field of Search: 362/133, 362/800, 362/127, 362/249, 362/250, 362/251, 362/252, 362/235, 362/236, 362/244, 362/295, 362/394, 362/230, 362/231, 362/20, 362/277, 362/317, 362/125, 362/267
• US Class Current: 362/133
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 97/00 Furniture or accessories for furniture, not provided for in other groups of this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An apparatus (A) for improving the performance of undercabinet lighting includes a housing (10) that receives a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) (28, 30, 32). The LEDs serve as the light source and an optical assembly focuses and disperses the LED output to a desired light contour. The undercabinet lighting assembly further includes a switch (44) formed from a variable resistor adapted to control the level of optical output. The switch is adapted to turn on and off any select number of LEDs. A battery pack (70) having a battery source is enclosed by the housing for providing back up power and emergency lighting. In a preferred embodiment, the battery source automatically provides power to the undercabinet lighting assembly upon primary power failure.

Claims

1. An undercabinet lighting assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted within the housing forming at least one array of LEDs, the LEDs generating an LED beam and serving as a light source;

a switch coupled to a variable resistor for controlling a level of optical output;

an optical assembly operatively associated with the housing for focusing and dispersing the LED beam traveling through said optical assembly to a desired light contour; and

a fixing apparatus disposed on a surface of the housing for attaching the undercabinet lighting assembly to an associated structure.

2. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch is adapted to selectively turn on and off any select number of LEDs within the array of LEDs.

3. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch provides a step level variable control having at least two distinct levels of illumination.

4. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 3, wherein the switch has a first level adapted to provide partial illumination equivalent to night-light functionality and a second level adapted to provide full illumination.

5. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the switch operates as a rheostat having continuous variable control.

6. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 5, wherein the switch further includes a step level variable control thereby allowing a user to choose between a step level mode of operation and a rheostat mode of operation.

7. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first plurality of LEDs have multiple colors of spectral output for achieving desired light output, light level, and beam characteristics.

13. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the housing is formed from a flexible material allowing the undercabinet lighting assembly to adopt a desired shape.

8. An undercabinet lighting assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted within the housing forming at least one array of LEDs, the LEDs generating an LED beam and serving as a light source;

an optical assembly operatively associated with the housing for focusing and dispersing the LED beam traveling through said optical assembly to a desired light contour;

a fixing apparatus disposed on a surface of the housing for attaching the undercabinet lighting assembly to an associated structure; and

further comprising a battery pack having a battery source enclosed by the fixture housing for providing back up power and emergency lighting.

9. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 8, wherein the battery source automatically provides power to the undercabinet lighting assembly upon primary power failure.

10. An undercabinet lighting assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted within the housing forming at least one array of LEDs, the LEDs generating an LED beam and serving as a light source;

an optical assembly operatively associated with the housing for focusing and dispersing the LED beam traveling through said optical assembly to a desired light contour; and

a fixing apparatus disposed on a surface of the housing for attaching the undercabinet lighting assembly to an associated structure;

wherein the optical assembly is continuous and encapsulates the LED array, and is selectively adjustable for focusing and dispersing the LED beam as desired.

11. An undercabinet lighting assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted within the housing forming at least one array of LEDs, the LEDs generating an LED beam and serving as a light source;

an optical assembly operatively associated with the housing for focusing and dispersing the LED bean traveling through said optical assembly to a desired light contour;

a fixing apparatus disposed on a surface of the housing for attaching the undercabinet lighting assembly to an associated structure;

wherein the optical assembly encapsulates the LED array and is fixed and the array of LEDs serving as the light source is selectively moveable for focusing and dispersing the LED beam as desired.

12. An undercabinet lighting assembly comprising:

a housing;

a first plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted within the housing forming at least one array of LEDs, the LEDs generating an LED beam and serving as a light source;

an optical assembly operatively associated with the housing for focusing and dispersing the LED beam traveling through said optical assembly to a desired light contour;

a fixing apparatus disposed on a surface of the housing for attaching the undercabinet lighting assembly to an associated structure; and

further comprising a second plurality of LEDs for providing lower levels of illumination, the second plurality of LEDs being separate and distinct from the first plurality of LEDs, the second plurality of LEDs adapted to automatically turn on upon primary power failure.

14. An undercabinet lighting assembly comprising:

a housing; and

a first plurality of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) mounted within the housing forming at least one array of LEDs, the array of LEDs generating an LED beam and serving as a light source, said first plurality LEDs being powered by an AC power source and a battery source upon failure of the AC power source including a switch having a variable resistor for controlling a level of optical output.

15. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, further comprising a switch formed from a variable resistor for controlling a level of optical output.

16. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the switch is adapted to selectively turn on and off any select number of LED'"'"'s within the at least one array of LED'"'"'s, thereby allowing a user to choose from several different levels of illumination.

17. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the switch operates as a step level variable control having at least two distinct levels of illumination.

18. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 17, wherein the switch has a first level of illumination adapted to provide partial illumination equivalent to night-light functionality and a second level of illumination adapted to provide full illumination.

19. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the switch operates as a rheostat having continuous variable control.

20. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 19, wherein the switch further includes a step level variable control thereby allowing a user to choose between a step level mode of operation and a rheostat mode of operation.

21. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the first plurality of LEDs have multiple colors of spectral output for achieving desired light output, light level, and beam characteristics.

22. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the battery source automatically provides power to the undercabinet lighting assembly upon primary power failure.

23. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, further comprising at least one continuous, encapsulating optical assembly operatively associated with the housing which is selectively adjustable for focusing and dispersing the LED beam.

24. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 23, wherein the optical assembly encapsulates at least one of the array of LEDs and is fixed, and the array of LEDs serving as the light source is selectively moveable for focusing and dispersing the LED beam.

25. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, further comprising a second plurality of LEDs for providing lower levels of illumination, the second plurality of LEDs being separate and distinct from the first plurality of LEDs, the second plurality of LEDs being operative in response to primary power failure.

26. The undercabinet lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the housing is formed from a flexible material.