Lighting device

• US 7,374,315 B2
• Filed: 10/15/2004
• Issued: 05/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/15/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joshua Dorsey, Mathew Laibowitz, Talia Dorsey
• Original Assignee: Joshua Dorsey, Mathew Laibowitz, Talia Dorsey
• Inventors: Dorsey, Joshua, Dorsey, Talia, Laibowitz, Mathew
• Primary Examiner(s): TON, ANABEL
• Application Number:
  US10/966,894
• Publication Number:
  US 20060082987A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,313 Days
• Field of Search: 362/800, 362/108, 362/103, 362/104, 362/105, 362/106, 362/249
• US Class Current: 362/294
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 43/14 Light emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/00 Lighting devices intended to be free-standing F21S9/00, F21S10/00, F21S13/12 take precedence lighting devices specially adapted to be transported from place to place, e.g. lighting devices carried on wheeled supports F21L; details of supports for lighting devices F21V21/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0016 Furnishing for windows and doors sunshades F21V33/006
• 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: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/17 forming a single encapsulated light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

The present invention provides a lighting device that comprises at least one light emitting diode that is adapted for being electrically connected to a power source, and at least one sheet of fabric for covering the at least one light emitting diode. As such, light emitted from the at least one light emitting diode is able to shine through the at least one sheet of fabric.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a first sheet of fibrous material, said first sheet of fibrous material being covered by a finishing sheet of fabric;

a backing sheet of flexible material connected to at least one of said first sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric;

a plurality of light emitting diodes adapted for being electrically connected to a power source, said plurality of light emitting diodes being high-brightness light emitting diodes, at least some of said high-brightness light emitting diodes being mounted to a flexible heat sink, said plurality of light emitting diodes being positioned between said first sheet of fibrous material and said backing sheet such that light emitted from said plurality of light emitting diodes shines through said first sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric.

2. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are colored light emitting diodes.

3. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are RGB light emitting diodes.

4. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said sheet of fibrous material is a flexible non-woven batting fabric.

5. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible heat sink includes a metallic material.

6. A lighting device as defined in claim 5, wherein said flexible heat sink includes a strip of aluminium.

7. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said flexible heat sink is formed of a light reflecting material.

8. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are electrically connected to at least one printed circuit board.

9. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, further comprising a lighting control unit for controlling various settings of at least one light emitting diode in said plurality of light emitting diodes.

10. A lighting device as defined in claim 9, wherein said various settings are selected from the group consisting of an on/off setting, a blinking setting, a dimming setting, a color change setting and a pattern change setting.

11. A lighting device as defined in claim 9, wherein said lighting control unit includes environmental sensors, said lighting control unit being operative for controlling at least one of said light emitting diodes in said plurality of light emitting diodes on the basis of readings from said environmental sensors.

12. A lighting device as defined in claim 11, wherein said lighting control unit includes a light sensor.

13. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are electrically connected to a plug.

14. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are electrically connected to a battery connection unit.

15. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are positioned between said first sheet of fibrous material and said backing sheet in a non-uniform density.

30. A lighting device as defined in claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged in a matrix having at least two rows, and at least two columns.

16. A lighting device comprising:

a first sheet of fabric;

a second sheet of fabric connected to said first sheet of fabric;

a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned between said first sheet of fabric and said second sheet of fabric, said plurality of light emitting diodes being electrically connected to a power source connector;

at least one flexible heat sink in thermally conductive communication with at least two of said plurality of light emitting diodes, said at least one flexible heat sink being a flexible piece of heat conducting material that spans between at least two of said plurality of light emitting diodes.

17. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are high-brightness light emitting diodes.

18. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are colored light emitting diodes.

19. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are RGB light emitting diodes.

20. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said first sheet of fabric is a flexible non-woven batting fabric, and said second sheet of fabric is a flexible non-woven batting fabric.

21. A lighting device as defined in claim 20, wherein said first sheet of fabric is covered by at least one finishing sheet of fabric, such that light emitted from said plurality of light emitting diodes shines through said first sheet of fabric and said at least one finishing sheet of fabric.

22. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said heat sink includes a flexible metallic material.

23. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein each light emitting diode of said plurality of light emitting diodes is electrically connected to a printed circuit board.

24. A lighting device as defined in claim 23, further comprising a lighting control unit for controlling various settings of at least one light emitting diode in said plurality of light emitting diodes.

25. A lighting device as defined in claim 24, wherein said lighting control unit includes environmental sensors, said lighting control unit being operative for controlling said plurality of light emitting diodes on the basis of readings from said environmental sensors.

26. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said power source connector is a plug.

27. A lighting device as defined in claim 16, wherein said power source connector is a battery connection unit.

28. An illuminating device, comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected to one another, and adapted for being electrically connected to a power source;

at least one sheet of fibrous material covered by a finishing sheet of fabric, and a backing sheet of flexible material, said plurality of light emitting diodes being positioned between said at least one sheet of fibrous material and said backing sheet of flexible material such that light emitted from said plurality of light emitting diodes shines through said sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric.

a wall mounting structure connected to said at least one sheet of fibrous material for mounting said plurality of light emitting diodes and said sheet of fibrous material to at least one of a wall and a ceiling of a room, such that light that shines through said at least one sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric provides illumination to the room.

32. An illuminating device as defined in claim 28, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are colored light emitting diodes.

33. An illuminating device as defined in claim 28, wherein said sheet of fibrous material is a flexible non-woven batting fabric.

34. An illuminating device as defined in claim 28, wherein at least some of said plurality of light emitting diodes are mounted to a flexible heat sink.

35. An illuminating device as defined in claim 34, wherein said flexible heat sink includes a metallic material.

36. An illuminating device as defined in claim 35, wherein said flexible heat sink includes a strip of aluminium.

37. An illuminating device as defined in claim 28, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are electrically connected to at least one printed circuit board.

38. An illuminating device as defined in claim 37, further comprising a lighting control unit for controlling various settings of at least one light emitting diode in said plurality of light emitting diodes.

39. An illuminating device as defined in claim 28, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are positioned between said sheet of fibrous material and said backing sheet in accordance with a non-uniform density.

29. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diodes electrically connected to one another and adapted for being electrically connected to a power source;

at least one sheet of fibrous material covered by a finishing sheet of fabric and a backing sheet of flexible material, said plurality of light emitting diodes being positioned between said sheet of fibrous material and said backing sheet of flexible material such that light emitted from said plurality of light emitting diodes shines through said at least one sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric;

a lighting control unit in electrical communication with said plurality of light emitting diodes, said lighting control unit being operative for controlling at least one setting selected from the list of settings consisting of a blinking setting, a dimming setting, a color change setting and a pattern change setting.

40. A lighting device as defined in claim 29, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are colored light emitting diodes.

41. A lighting device as defined in claim 29, wherein said at least one sheet of fibrous material is a flexible non-woven batting fabric.

42. A lighting device as defined in claim 29, wherein at least some of said plurality of light emitting diodes are mounted to a flexible heat sink.

43. A lighting device as defined in claim 42, wherein said flexible heat sink includes a metallic material.

44. A lighting device as defined in claim 29, wherein said plurality of light emitting diodes are electrically connected to at least one printed circuit board.

45. A lighting device as defined in claim 29, wherein said lighting control unit includes environmental sensors, said lighting control unit being operative for controlling at least one of said light emitting diodes in said plurality of light emitting diodes on the basis of readings from said environmental sensors.

31. A lighting device comprising:

a first sheet of fibrous material, said first sheet of fibrous material being covered by a finishing sheet of fabric;

a backing sheet of flexible material connected to at least one of said first sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric;

a plurality of light emitting diodes adapted for being electrically connected to a power source, said plurality of light emitting diodes being positioned between said first sheet of fibrous material and said backing sheet such that light emitted from said plurality of light emitting diodes shines through said first sheet of fibrous material and said finishing sheet of fabric;

a lighting control unit for controlling various settings of at least one light emitting diode in said plurality of light emitting diodes, said lighting control unit including at least one environmental sensor, said lighting control unit being operative for controlling at least one of said light emitting diodes in said plurality of light emitting diodes on the basis of readings from said at least one environmental sensor.