Lighting system and housing therefore

• US 6,942,354 B2
• Filed: 03/21/2003
• Issued: 09/13/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/21/2003
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hubbell Lighting Incorporated (Hubbell, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: 9090-3493 Quebec Inc.
• Inventors: Metayer, Francois, Laflamme, Benoit
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US10/393,020
• Publication Number:
  US 20040184267A1
• Time in Patent Office: 907 Days
• Field of Search: 362/101, 362145-150, 362/226, 362/227, 362/232, 362/235, 362/236, 362/238, 362/240, 362/249, 362/250, 362/267, 362/288, 362/306, 362/362, 362/364, 362/365, 362/368, 362/369, 362/375, 362/390, 362/394, 362/395, 362/399, 362/400, 362/800, 362/310, 362/329
• US Class Current: 362/101
• 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 19/04 with provision for changing light source, e.g. turret auxiliary devices for cleaning, placing, or removing incandescent lamps H01K3/32, fluorescent lamps H01J9/006
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting system is provided including an illumination member, a housing and a resilient element. The illumination member has an electricity conductive portion and a light-emitting portion. The housing defines a chamber for receiving therein the illumination member and includes a socket portion adapted for engaging the electricity conductive portion of the illumination member. The resilient element establishes a contact between the illumination member and the housing for biasing the electricity conductive portion against the socket portion. In a variant, the housing has a light receiving portion defining the chamber and a passageway to the chamber. The housing includes a cap adapted to be removably connected to the light receiving portion for sealing the passageway. In this variant, the illumination member includes a handle portion enabling the removal of the illumination member from the chamber through the passageway.

Claims

1. A lighting system comprising:

a) an illumination member including an electricity conductive portion and a light emitting portion;

b) a housing for being positioned within a wall of a human bathing unit, said housing defining a chamber for receiving therein the illumination member, said housing including a socket portion adapted for engaging said electricity conductive portion;

c) a resilient element suitable for establishing a contact between said illumination member and said housing for biasing said electricity conductive portion against said socket portion.

2. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient element protrudes from said light emitting portion.

3. A lighting system as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient element is releasably connected to said light emitting portion.

4. A lighting system as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient element is permanently affixed to said light emitting portion.

5. A lighting system as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient element is positioned substantially centrally to said light emitting portion.

6. A lighting system as defined in claim 2, wherein said light emitting portion defines a periphery, said resilient element being positioned substantially about the periphery.

7. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing has an outer surface and an inner surface, said resilient element protruding from said inner surface.

8. A lighting system as defined in claim 7, wherein said resilient element is releasably connected to said inner surface.

9. A lighting system as defined in claim 7, wherein said resilient element is permanently affixed to said inner surface.

10. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said housing includes a protective cover portion, said protective cover portion being releasably connected to a remaining portion of said housing.

11. A lighting system as defined in claim 10, wherein said protective cover portion includes a translucent member.

12. A lighting system as defined in claim 10, wherein said protective cover portion includes a removable cap.

13. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient element includes a spring.

14. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said illumination member includes a handle portion enabling removal of said illumination member from said housing.

15. A lighting system as defined in claim 14, wherein said resilient element is adapted to engage said handle portion.

16. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said light emitting portion includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

17. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient element includes a rubber exterior surface for increasing frictional engagement between the resilient element and the housing.

18. A lighting system as defined in claim 1, wherein said resilient element includes a rubber element, the rubber element increasing frictional engagement between the resilient element and the housing.

19. An illumination device for use in a lighting system including a housing having a socket portion, said illumination device comprising:

a) an electricity conductive portion adapted for engaging the socket portion of the housing;

b) a light emitting potion;

c) a resilient element suitable for establishing a contact with the housing of the lighting system for biasing said electricity conductive portion against the socket portion of the housing wherein said resilient element includes a rubber element for increasing frictional engagement between the resilient element and the housing; and

d) a handle portion for enabling removal of said electricity conductive portion at said illumination device from the socket of the housing.

20. An illumination device as defined in claim 19, wherein said resilient element protrudes from said light emitting portion.

21. An illumination device as defined in claim 20, wherein said resilient element is releasably connected to said light emitting portion.

22. An illumination device as defined in claim 20, wherein said resilient element is permanently affixed to said light emitting portion.

23. An illumination device as defined in claim 20, wherein said resilient element is positioned substantially centrally to said light emitting portion.

24. An illumination device as defined in claim 20, wherein said light emitting portion defines a periphery, said resilient element being positioned substantially about the periphery.

25. An illumination device as defined in claim 19, wherein said resilient element includes a spring.

26. An illumination device as defined in claim 19, wherein said resilient element is adapted to engage said handle portion.

27. An illumination device as defined in claim 19, wherein said light emitting portion includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

28. An illumination device suitable for use in a lighting system including a housing having a socket portion, said illumination device comprising:

a) an electricity conductive portion adapted for engaging the socket portion of the housing;

b) a light emitting portion;

c) a resilient element suitable for establishing a contact with the housing of the portion of the housing wherein said resilient element includes a rubber exterior surface for increasing frictional engagement between the resilient element and the housing; and

d) a handle portion for enabling removal of said electricity conductive portion of said illumination device from the socket of the housing.

29. A lighting system comprising:

a) illumination means including an electricity conductive means and a light emitting means;

b) housing means for being positioned within a wall of a human bathing unit, said housing means defining a chamber for receiving therein the illumination means, said housing means including means for engaging said electricity conductive means;

c) resilient means suitable for establishing a contact between said illumination means and said housing means for biasing said electricity conductive means against said means for engaging said electricity conductive means.

30. A lighting system comprising:

a) illumination means including a handle means and a light emitting means, wherein said handle means protrudes from said light emitting means;

b) housing means for being positioned within a wall of a human bathing unit, said housing means including;

i) light receiving means defining;

(1) a chamber for receiving said illumination means therein; and

(2) a passageway to said chamber;

ii) sealing means adapted for being removably connected to said light receiving means for sealing said passageway;

wherein the handle means of said illumination means enables removal of said illumination means from said chamber through said passageway.

31. A housing suitable for use in a lighting system, said housing comprising:

a) a light receiving portion for being positioned within a wall of a human bathing unit, said light receiving portion defining a chamber for receiving an illumination member therein, the illumination member having an electricity conductive portion;

b) a socket portion adapted for engaging the electricity conductive portion of the illumination member;

c) a resilient element suitable for establishing a contact between the illumination member positioned within said housing and said housing for biasing the electricity conductive portion of the illumination member against said socket portion.

32. A housing as defined in claim 31 wherein said housing includes a protective cover portion and a receptacle portion, said protective cover portion being releasably connected to the receptacle portion of said housing.

33. A housing as defined in claim 32, wherein said protective cover portion has an outer surface and an inner surface, said resilient element protruding from said inner surface.

34. A housing as defined in claim 33, wherein said resilient element is releasably connected to said inner surface.

35. A housing as defined in claim 33, wherein said resilient element is permanently affixed to said inner surface.

36. A housing as defined in claim 32, wherein said protective cover portion includes a removable cap.

37. A housing as defined in claim 32, wherein said protective cover portion includes a translucent member.

38. A housing as defined in claim 31, wherein said resilient element includes a spring.

39. A housing as defined in claim 31, wherein said resilient element includes a rubber exterior surface for increasing frictional engagement between the resilient element and said housing.

40. An illumination device suitable for use in a lighting system including a housing, the housing having a socket portion, said illumination device comprising:

a) electricity conductive means for engaging the socket portion of the housing;

b) light emitting means;

a) resilient means for establishing a contact with the housing of the lighting system for biasing said electricity conductive means against the socket portion of the housing wherein said resilient means includes a rubber element means for increasing frictional engagement between the resilient means and the housing;

d) handle means for enabling removal of said electricity conductive means from the socket portion of the housing.

41. A lighting system comprising:

a) an illumination member including a handle portion and a light emitting portion, wherein said handle portion protrudes from said light emitting portion;

b) a housing for being positioned within a wall of a human bathing unit, said housing having;

i) a light receiving portion defining;

(1) a chamber for receiving said illumination member therein; and

(2) a passageway to said chamber;

ii) a cap adapted for being removably connected to said light receiving portion for sealing said passageway;

wherein the handle portion of said illumination member enables removal of said illumination member from said chamber through said passageway.

42. A lighting system as defined in claim 41, wherein said handle portion is permanently affixed to said light emitting portion.

43. A lighting system as defined in claim 41, wherein said handle portion is positioned substantially centrally to said light emitting portion.

44. A lighting system as defined in claim 41, wherein said light emitting portion defines a periphery, said handle portion being positioned substantially about the periphery.

45. A lighting system as defined in claim 41, wherein said cap includes a translucent member.

46. A lighting system as defined in claim 41, wherein said light emitting portion includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

47. A lighting system as defined in claim 41, wherein said cap can be accessed from a surface of said wall.

48. A lighting system as defined in claim 47, wherein the wall is selected from the set consisting of a floor and a surrounding wall.

49. A lighting system as defined in claim 48, wherein the wall is part of a spa unit.

50. An illumination device suitable for use in a lighting system including housing having a socket portion, said illumination device comprising;

a) an electricity conductive portion adapted for engaging the socket portion of the housing;

b) a light emitting portion including;

i) a surface generally opposed to said electricity conductive portion;

ii) a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) extending from said surface,

c) a handle portion extending from the surface of said light emitting portion, the handle portion enabling removal of said electricity conductive portion of said illumination device from the socket of the housing;

d) a resilient element suitable for establishing a contact with the housing of the lighting system for biasing said electricity conductive portion against the socket portion of the housing.