Strip lighting system incorporating light emitting devices

• US 6,882,111 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2003
• Issued: 04/19/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting BV (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: TIR Systems Limited (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Weston, Adrian, Kan, Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): Dinh, Trinh Vo
• Application Number:
  US10/615,529
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007033A1
• Time in Patent Office: 650 Days
• Field of Search: H05/B03.7/00, F21/S00.4/00, F21/V00.1/00, 315/112, 315/113, 315/121, 315/122, 315/291, 362/249, 362/227, 362/219, 362/225, 362/226, 362/240, 362/362, 362/396, 362/800, 362/238, 362/217
• US Class Current: 315/122
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 1/142 Arrangements of planar printed circuit boards in the same plane, e.g. auxiliary printed circuit insert mounted in a main printed circuit
• CPC Class Codes: H05K 2201/10106 Light emitting diode [LED]

Abstract

The invention provides an elongated lighting apparatus that can withstand temperature fluctuations. The elongated lighting apparatus comprises of the following elements: at least two elongated tubular members fabricated from translucent material. These elongated tubular members are fixed in an end-to-end configuration, separated by a region enabling for thermal expansion/contraction of the members. A substrate upon which a plurality of light emitting devices is placed, is slidably positioned inside each tubular member. End caps seal the open ends of the elongated tubular members. At least one of these end caps has a translucent protrusion that projects towards the region of separation. At least one light emitting device is positioned proximate to an end cap protrusion, thereby illuminating this region. A flexible interconnector encloses and visually conceals separating the adjacent members. The light emitting devices are electrically interconnected. An external power source provides a system to energize the light sources.

Claims

1. An elongated lighting apparatus illuminated along its entire length and capable of operation in environments subject to temperature fluctuations, said apparatus comprising:

a) at least two elongated tubular members each having two ends, each elongated tubular member having a mounting means therein, said elongated tubular members being fabricated from a material that allows the passage of light therethrough and at least one end of each elongated tubular member is an open end, wherein the elongated tubular members are aligned end to end with a region of separation therebetween and at least one open end is adjacent to the region of separation;

b) at least two substrates, each substrate having a plurality of light emitting devices thereon, at least one substrate being slidably connected to said mounting means within each of the elongated tubular members;

c) at least two end caps for sealingly engaging with the open ends of the elongated tubular members, at least one end cap having a protrusion projecting towards the region of separation, said protrusion fabricated from a material that allows the passage of light therethrough and having at least one light emitting device proximate thereto;

d) a flexible interconnector enclosing the region of separation, wherein the flexible interconnector is fabricated from a material that allows the passage of light therethrough, said flexible interconnector being illuminated by the light emitting device proximate to the protrusion; and

e) means for connecting said plurality of light emitting devices to an electrical power source for energising said light emitting devices.

2. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a spherical shape for dispersing illumination from the light emitting devices into the region of separation.

3. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end caps are fabricated from a transparent material.

4. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has integrated optics for focusing, separating or reflecting illumination generated by the light emitting devices into the region of separation.

5. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end caps comprise an entrance aperture, an exit aperture and a conduit therebetween.

6. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion has a shape of a partial cube or octahedron.

7. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the end caps are sealing engaged to the elongated tubular members using a glue or a sealing ring.

8. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated tubular members and the substrates have a radius of curvature between 1 meter and 10 meters.

9. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the mounting system of at least one elongated tubular member comprises two flanges having a groove therebetween for insertion of at least one substrate therein.

10. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated tubular members comprise an external mounting feature for securing the elongated tubular members to a surface.

11. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated tubular members have a cross section selected from the group comprising circular, rectangular, trapezoid or octagonal.

12. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elongated tubular members comprise optical characteristics selected from the group comprising diffusion, refraction or reflection thereby spreading or redirecting illumination generated by the light emitting devices.

13. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting devices are arranged in a linear array on the at least two substrates.

14. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting devices are arranged in a planar array on the at least two substrates.

15. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the light emitting devices produce illumination having one or more wavelengths.

16. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one or more substrates have a plurality of modification locations for adjustment of the length of the one or more substrates.

17. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a controller is electrically connected to the one or more substrates for controlling the illumination of the light emitting devices.

18. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller provides a means for sequencing illumination of the light emitting diodes.

19. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the controller provides a means for regulating illumination level provided by one or more of the light emitting diodes.

20. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible interconnector has a bellow shape.

21. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the flexible interconnector is interconnected to the end caps.

22. An elongated lighting apparatus illuminated along its entire length and capable of operation in environments subject to temperature fluctuations, said apparatus comprising:

a) at least two elongated tubular members each having two ends, each elongated tubular member having a mounting means therein, said elongated tubular members being fabricated from a material that allows the passage of light therethrough and at least one end of each elongated tubular member is an open end, wherein the elongated tubular members are aligned end to end with a region of separation therebetween and at least one open end is adjacent to the region of separation;

b) at least three substrates, each substrate having a plurality of light emitting devices thereon, at least one of the elongated tubular members having at least two substrates slidably connected to said mounting means therein;

c) at least two end caps for sealingly engaging with the open ends of the elongated tubular members, at least one end cap having a protrusion projecting towards the region of separation, said protrusion fabricated from a material that allows the passage of light therethrough and having at least one light emitting device proximate thereto;

d) biasing means electrically interconnecting adjacent substrates within a single elongated tubular member, said biasing means providing a resistive force for maintaining a light emitting device proximate to the protrusion upon thermal expansion or contraction of the apparatus;

e) a flexible interconnector enclosing the region of separation, wherein the flexible interconnector is fabricated from a material that allows the passage of light therethrough, said flexible interconnector being illuminated by the light emitting device proximate to the protrusion; and

f) means for connecting said plurality of light emitting devices to an electrical power source for energising said light emitting devices.

23. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the biasing means comprises two conductive elements and a resistive element, said conductive elements electrically interconnecting the adjacent substrates.

24. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 23, wherein the conductive elements each have two ends, wherein a location proximate to each end of the conductive elements is interconnected to the resistive element, thereby forcing deformation of the conductive elements to a middle region.

25. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the conductive elements have a spring shape in a middle region.

26. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein the resistive element has a compressive force therein during operation.

27. The elongated lighting apparatus according to claim 22, wherein deformation of the resistive element is confined to a predetermined region.