Flexible perimeter lighting apparatus

• US 7,604,376 B2
• Filed: 03/27/2007
• Issued: 10/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloanled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Sloanled Incorporated
• Inventors: Quaal, Bruce, Sloan, Thomas C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Truong; Bao Q
• Application Number:
  US11/729,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20070171640A1
• Time in Patent Office: 938 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362/249, 362/227, 362/230, 362/231, 362/248, 362/240, 362/244, 362/246, 362/249.04, 362/249.08
• US Class Current: 362/246
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/088 Clips; Clamps
• 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 2013/1895 Imitating a neon tube
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 9/33 being semiconductor devices, e.g. diodes

Abstract

An elongated flexible lighting system according to the present invention includes an array of light sources that are illuminated by electric power. It further includes an elongated translucent extrusion of flexible material. The array of light sources is integral to the extrusion with said extrusion transmitting and dispersing the light from the array such that the lighting system gives the appearance that the array of light sources is a continuous light source. The elongated lighting system can be used for many different applications including, but not limited to, the lighting of structural features and illumination of sign features.

Claims

1. An elongated flexible lighting system, comprising:

an array of light sources illuminated by electric power, said array cuttable at intervals to shorten said array while allowing the remaining light sources in said array to emit light;

an elongated translucent extrusion of flexible material, said flexible material bendable upon application of a bending force and capable of returning to a straight configuration when said bending force is removed, said array of light sources integral to said extrusion, said extrusion transmitting and dispersing the light from said array such that the individual light sources within said array are not visible as individual light sources when illuminated, giving the appearance said array of light sources is a continuous light source.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said extrusion is cuttable to match the length of said array.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said array of light sources comprises an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

4. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein said array of LEDs comprises a linear array of LEDs.

5. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein said array of LEDs comprises a plurality of parallel connected sub-arrays of LEDs, said electric power coupled across each of said plurality of sub-arrays.

6. The lighting system of claim 5, further comprising a plurality of voltage regulators each of which is at a respective one of said parallel connected sub-arrays, each of said voltage regulators providing a substantially similar voltage to said respective sub-array.

7. The lighting system of claim 5, wherein said array of LEDs is cuttable between adjacent ones of said plurality of parallel connected sub-arrays.

8. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a mounting means.

9. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein said mounting means comprises a bracket.

10. The lighting system of claim 8, wherein said extrusion further comprises one or more longitudinal grooves, said mounting means comprising a bracket having one or more lips, each said lip arranged to mate with a respective one of said grooves to hold said extrusion within said bracket.

11. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising means for conducting said electrical power from said lighting system to another device.

12. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a flexible printed circuit material integral to said extrusion, wherein said array of light sources are mounted on said flexible printed circuit material.

13. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein said flexible printed circuit material is vertically mounted integral to said extrusion, said light sources emitting out the top of said extrusion.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, further comprising an opaque strip in proximity to said flexible printed circuit material, said light sources arranged between said strip and printed circuit material and said strip and printed circuit material blocking light from emitting out the sides of said extrusion.

15. The lighting system of claim 12, wherein said flexible printed circuit material is horizontally mounted integral to said extrusion, said light sources emitting out the top of said extrusion.

16. The lighting system of claim 15, further comprising two opaque strips arranged on opposite sides of said light sources to block light from emitting out the sides of said extrusion.

17. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said extrusion comprises silicone.

18. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said extrusion further comprises a longitudinal cavity, light from said light sources passing through and dispersed by said cavity.

19. An elongated flexible lighting system, comprising:

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) to emit light in response to electrical power;

a plurality of electrical power regulators arranged so each of said plurality of LEDs is driven by substantially the same electrical power;

an elongated translucent extrusion of flexible material comprising a first and second longitudinal cavity, said flexible material bendable upon application of a bending force and capable of returning to a straight configuration when said bending force is removed, said plurality of LEDs mounted in said first longitudinal cavity and capable of transmitting at least some light through at least some of said extrusion, said second longitudinal cavity capable of diffusing at least some of said light and said extrusion dispersing the light from said array giving the appearance that said array of light sources is a continuous light source.

20. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein some of said plurality of LEDs can be separated from the others of said plurality of LEDs, the remaining of said plurality of LEDs emitting light.

21. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein said array of LEDs comprises a plurality of parallel connected sub-arrays of LEDs, said electric power coupled across each of said plurality of sub-arrays, each of said electrical power regulators driving a respective one of said sub-arrays.

22. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein each of said electrical power regulators is a voltage regulator.

23. The lighting system of claim 19, further comprising a flexible printed circuit material integral to said extrusion, wherein said LEDs are mounted on said flexible printed circuit material.

24. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein said first longitudinal cavity is filled with a potting material.