Combination fluorescent and LED lighting system

• US 7,249,865 B2
• Filed: 09/07/2005
• Issued: 07/31/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Plastic Inventions and Patents Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Plastic Inventions and Patents Incorporated
• Inventors: Robertson, Jonas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US11/219,766
• Publication Number:
  US 20070053182A1
• Time in Patent Office: 692 Days
• Field of Search: 362/228, 362/230, 362/231, 362/229, 362/800, 362/260, 362/396, 313/512
• US Class Current: 362/228
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/27 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/025 Associated optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/0672 characterised by the construction of the electrode
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/30 Vessels; Containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/34 Double-wall vessels or containers
• CPC Class Codes: H01J 61/70 Lamps with low-pressure unconstricted discharge having a cold pressure < 400 Torr
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 35/00 Electric light sources using a combination of different types of light generation
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

LEDs can be added to a conventional fluorescent lighting fixture by providing an LED circuit to the fluorescent lighting fixture pan, by adding LEDs to the fluorescent light tube with an indentation in the light tube rear to receive an LED to influence the apparent color of the the fluorescent light, or by adding an LED to either end cap of the fluorescent light tube to shine down the tube from the interior, added as an add-on band which could clip onto the tube, and could also include a circuit board based LED attached to the rear of the tube and alternatively have LED lighting within a charged fluorescent tube.

Claims

1. A light assembly comprising:

a) a fluorescent tube containing a light emitting gas, said tube having spaced apart ends, each of said ends having electrical connectors for connecting said tube to an electric power source,

b) an LED located within said tube and said LED being electrically connected to said electrical connectors.

2. The light assembly as set forth in claim 1, wherein;

a) said LED is separated from said light emitting gas by a transparent housing.

3. The light assembly as set forth in claim 2 wherein;

a) said transparent housing extends the entire length of said tube.

4. The light assembly as set forth in claim 3 wherein;

a) said transparent housing is concentric with said tube.

5. A light assembly comprising:

a) a fluorescent tube containing a light emitting gas, said tube having spaced apart ends, each of said ends having electrical connectors for connecting said tube to an electric power source,

b) a circuit board having at least one LED is mounted on said tube.

6. The light assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein;

a) said circuit board is connect to a second electric power source.

7. The light assembly as set forth in claim 6, wherein;

a) said second power source is controlled by a signal circuit to operate said circuit board independently of said fluorescent tube.

8. The light assembly as set forth in claim 5, wherein;

a) said circuit board is removably connected to said tube so that said circuit board may be reused when said fluorescent tube is replaced.

9. A light assembly comprising:

a) a fluorescent tube containing a light emitting gas, said tube having spaced apart ends, each of said ends having electrical connectors for connecting said tube to an electric power source,

b) a support mounted to said fluorescent tube;

c) at least one LED mounted on said support;

d) said support having an electrical connector for supplying electric power from a power source to said at least one LED;

wherein, said support is removable from said tube so that said at least one LED may be reconnected when said fluorescent tube is replaced.

10. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein;

a) said power source is controlled by a signal circuit to operate said at least one LED independently of said fluorescent tube.

11. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein;

a) a plurality of LEDs are mounted on said support and said LEDs are different colors.

12. The light assembly of claim 11, wherein;

a) said power source is controlled by a signal circuit to operate said plurality of LEDs independently of said fluorescent tube and independently of each other LED.

14. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein said at least one LED is altered to communicate a signal to users in an emergency situation such as fire, weather warning, building lockdown, bomb threat or terrorist threat.

15. The light assembly of claim 14, wherein said at least one LED is altered to a plurality of different states, each state being to selected to communicate a different threat selected from fire, weather warning, environmental hazard, building lockdown, bomb threat and terrorist threat.

13. A light assembly comprising:

a) a fluorescent tube containing a light emitting gas, said tube having spaced apart ends, each of said ends having electrical connectors for connecting said tube to an electric power source;

b) a first clip mounted on said fluorescent tube, wherein said first clip has an inner surface substantially conforming to the outer surface of said fluorescent tube;

c) at least one LED mounted on said first clip;

d) said LED having an electrical connector in electrical communication therewith for supplying electric power from a power source to said at least one LED.

16. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein:

e) said first clip is removable from said tube so that said at least one LED may be reconnected when said fluorescent tube is replaced.

17. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein:

e) said power source is controlled by a signal circuit to operate said at least one LED independently from said fluorescent tube.

18. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein:

e) a plurality of LEDs are mounted on said first clip and said LEDs are capable of displaying different colors.

19. The light assembly of claim 13, further comprising:

e) a second clip mounted on said fluorescent tube spaced apart from said first clip, wherein said clip has an inner surface substantially conforming to the outer surface of said fluorescent tube; and

f) a circuit board mounted on said first and second clip, wherein said at least one LED is mounted on said circuit board on said first and second clips.

20. The light assembly of claim 13, wherein said first clip is substantially arcuate.

21. The light assembly of claim 19, wherein a plurality of LEDs are mounted about the circumference of said first arcuate clip.