Modular lighting bar

• US 7,168,843 B2
• Filed: 04/29/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/29/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Suncor Stainless, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Suncor Stainless, Inc.
• Inventors: Striebel, Roman F.
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Truong; Bao Q.
• Application Number:
  US10/834,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20050141225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,006 Days
• Field of Search: 362/382, 362/249, 362/365, 362/362, 362/364, 362/145, 362/146, 362/576, 362/640, 362/647, 362/652, 362/659, 248/904, 248/906, 248/915, 439/419
• US Class Current: 362/652
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1048 with lighting means
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2011/1872 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/03 rechargeable by exposure to light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/28 adjustable in more than one plane
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/006 General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/027 for indicating kerbs, steps or stairs
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/08 for handles or handrails
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Modular lighting bar mountable on a surface into which may be mounted one or more miniature light sources and an electrical supply line. The light sources can include light emitting diodes. The lighting bar has alternative single and two-component configurations that fix the position of the electrical supply line, and may be formed with a recess that receives an asymmetrically shaped electrical supply line in only one possible orientation. The ends of the lighting bar include mateable features for connecting additional bars. The bars may include recesses for receiving rigid members such as railing balusters, and optionally rotatable plugs to allow adaptation of the mounting bars to fit stair case railings with lighting and/or balusters.

Claims

1. A modular lighting bar, comprising:

a housing having a length, a width, and a supply recess along the length of the housing dimensioned to receive an electrical supply line having a positive lead and a negative lead; and

a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two ends, and including

a housing recess along the top surface dimensioned to receive the housing and to orient the electric supply line therebetween,

at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the at least one light recess dimensioned and positioned such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact with the corresponding positive and negative lead of the electric supply line,

a male connector at one of the two ends, and

a corresponding female connector at the other of the two ends.

2. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, further comprising means for fastening the mounting bar to a surface.

3. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one through hole extending through the mounting bar through which the modular lighting bar is fastenable to a surface.

4. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the male connector and the female connector comprise interlocking dovetail connectors.

5. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one member-receiving recess on the bottom surface dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.

6. The modular lighting bar of claim 5, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.

7. The modular lighting bar of claim 5, wherein

the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;

the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and

further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.

8. The modular lighting bar of claim 7, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.

9. The modular lighting bar of claim 5, wherein the at least one light recess and at least one member-receiving recess respectively further comprise symmetrically spaced pluralities of light recesses and member-receiving recesses.

10. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar and the housing together serve as a hand rail mounting base.

11. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the supply recess is mateable with the electrical supply line in only one possible orientation.

12. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong supplying power to the light source protruding from the light housing.

13. The modular lighting bar of claim 12, wherein the light source is an LED.

14. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, composed of at least one of the materials selected from the group consisting of metal, wood and plastic.

15. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar and housing each include at least one section that is straight or curved.

16. The modular lighting bar of claim 1, wherein the mounting bar and housing include at least one articulating segments.

49. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 1.

17. A modular lighting bar, comprising:

a housing having a length, a width, and a supply recess along the length of the housing dimensioned to receive an electrical supply line having a positive lead and a negative lead; and

a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, and including

a housing recess along the top surface dimensioned to receive the housing and orient the electrical supply line therebetween,

at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the least one light recess dimensioned and positioned such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact with the corresponding positive and negative lead of the electrical supply line, and

at least one member-receiving recess on the top surface of the mounting bar dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.

18. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.

19. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein

the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;

the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and

further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.

20. The modular lighting bar of claim 19, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.

21. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the at least one light recess and at least one member-receiving recess respectively further comprise symmetrically spaced pluralities of light recesses and member-receiving recesses.

22. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar and the housing together serve as a hand rail mounting base.

23. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the supply recess is mateable with the electrical supply line in only one possible orientation.

24. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong for supplying power to the light source protruding from the light housing.

25. The modular lighting bar of claim 24, wherein the light source is an LED.

26. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, composed of at least one material selected from the group consisting of metal, wood and plastic.

27. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar and the housing include at least one section having a shape selected from the group consisting of straight and curved.

28. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar and the housing each include at least one articulating segments.

48. The modular lighting bar of claim 17, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one articulating segment.

50. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 17.

51. The railing system of claim 50, wherein a pair of lighting bars comprise segments of top and bottom rails, respectively, each holding opposite ends of at least one baluster.

29. A modular lighting bar, comprising:

a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface, two side surfaces and two ends, and including

an internal supply recess dimensioned to receive and to orient a pair of electrical supply lines within the mounting bar in a predetermined orientation to establish a specific polarity,

at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the at least one light recess being dimensioned and positioned to receive a light assembly in only a predetermined orientation such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact with corresponding positive and negative leads of the electrical supply lines,

a male connector at one of the two ends, and

a corresponding female connector at the other of the two ends.

30. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, further comprising means for fastening the mounting bar to a surface.

31. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one through hole extending through the mounting bar through which the modular lighting bar is fastenable to a surface.

32. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the male connector and the female connector comprise interlocking dovetail connectors.

33. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar further comprises at least one member-receiving recess on the bottom surface dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.

34. The modular lighting bar of claim 33, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.

35. The modular lighting bar of claim 33, wherein

the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;

the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and

further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.

36. The modular lighting bar of claim 35, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.

37. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong supplying power to the light source.

38. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one section that is of a shape selected from the group consisting of straight or curved.

39. The modular lighting bar of claim 29, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one articulating segment.

52. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 29.

40. A modular lighting bar, comprising:

a mounting bar having a top surface, a bottom surface and two side surfaces, and including

an internal supply recess dimensioned to receive and to orient an electrical supply line in only one possible orientation within the mounting bar,

at least one light recess on the bottom surface for receiving a miniature light assembly, the at least one light recess dimensioned and positioned such that a positive prong and negative prong of a light assembly disposed in the at least one light recess makes electrical contact only with corresponding positive and negative leads of the electrical supply line, and

at least one member-receiving recess on the bottom surface dimensioned to receive an end of at least one member.

41. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the at least one member is a baluster.

42. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein

the mounting bar further comprises at least one cylindrical recess on at least one of the two side surfaces of the mounting bar that internally connects to a corresponding member-receiving recess;

the at least one member-receiving recess is sufficiently wide to allow the member to pivot within the member-receiving recess; and

further comprising at least one rotating cylindrical plug disposed in the at least one cylindrical recess and having a means for securely receiving the end of the at least one member.

43. The modular lighting bar of claim 42, further comprising at least one cap dimensioned to cover an end of the at least one cylindrical recess.

44. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the at least one light recess and at least one member-receiving recess respectively further comprise symmetrically spaced pluralities of light recesses and member-receiving recesses.

45. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the supply recess is mateable with the electrical supply line in only one possible orientation.

46. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, further comprising at least one miniature light assembly including a light source enclosed in a light housing and a positive prong and a negative prong supplying power to the light source protruding from the light housing.

47. The modular lighting bar of claim 40, wherein the mounting bar includes at least one section that is straight or curved.

53. A railing system including at least one modular lighting bar as in claim 40.

54. The railing system of claim 53, wherein a pair of lighting bars comprise segments of top and bottom rails, respectively, each holding opposite ends of at least one baluster.