Decorative light tile

• US 7,607,793 B2
• Filed: 07/31/2007
• Issued: 10/27/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG), The United States of America As Represented By The Secretary of Agriculture
• Original Assignee: OSRAM Sylvania Inc. (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Tessnow, Thomas, Coushaine, Charles, St. Onge, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Alavi; Ali
• Application Number:
  US11/831,310
• Publication Number:
  US 20090034241A1
• Time in Patent Office: 819 Days
• Field of Search: 362/84, 362/145, 362/153, 362/153.1, 362/362
• US Class Current: 362/145
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 13/08 composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements, E04F13/072 takes precedence; borders, skirtings E04F19/02; of webs or fabrics E04F13/002; fixing strips E04F19/06; separate provisional spacers between adjacent tiles E04F21/0092; implements or means for setting tiles E04F21/18
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 15/02 Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements of webs E04F15/16
• CPC Class Codes: E04F 2290/026 for lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• 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 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A decorative light tile includes a base, a light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least a slanted light reflecting area of the base, and a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area. Additionally, the light tile includes a bus bar system. The bus bar system includes positioned along a perimeter of the light tile. The bus bar system is electrically connected to the light source and provides a circuit for supplying power to the light source. A light tile system includes a plurality of light tiles, a decorative sheet positioned adjacent to each light tile and illuminated by the light source within the light tile, and a power supply. Each light tile includes a bus bar system connected to a light source within the light tile and the light tiles may be positioned contiguous to each other so that the bus bar systems are in electrical contact with each other.

Claims

1. A light tile comprising:

a base comprising

a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and

a front surface comprising;

a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;

an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and

a slanted light reflecting area surrounding the apex and comprising at least three regions defining the apex extending between the peripheral area and the apex;

at least three light sources adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least the slanted light reflecting area of the base, the light sources being arranged to direct light along at least three different directions;

each of said at least three regions of the slanted light reflecting area facing a different direction and having a respective said light source positioned to illuminate said corresponding region; and

a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the light sources reflected off the slanted light reflecting area.

2. The light tile of claim 1, wherein the rear surface is adapted to mounted to a wall and includes one or more of the following:

a screw, a nail, double-faced tape and removable double-faced tape.

3. The light tile of claim 1, wherein the apex is located generally at the center of the base.

4. The light tile of claim 1, wherein four substantially equal regions surrounding surround the apex.

5. The light tile of claim 1, wherein the slanted light reflecting area is curved towards the apex.

6. The light tile of claim 1, wherein the slanted light reflecting area comprises a plurality of faces, the faces being oriented at reflecting angles which increase successively towards the apex.

7. The light tile of claim 6, wherein the faces are curved on arcs centered generally at a respective light source.

8. The light tile of claim 6, wherein the face nearest the respective light source is substantially planar.

9. The light tile of claim 6, wherein the reflecting angles of the successive faces are within a range of approximately 0 degrees to 12 degrees.

10. The light tile of claim 1, wherein the peripheral area is substantially planar and wherein the light tile is square.

11. The light tile of claim 1, at least one said light source further comprising:

a primary lens positioned adjacent to the perimeter of the base between the light source and the slanted light reflecting area; and

a secondary lens positioned adjacent the primary lens between the primary lens and the slanted light reflecting area increasing the angle of divergence of the light transmitted by the primary lens toward the slanted light reflecting area and decreasing the vertical columniation of the light transmitted by the primary lens.

12. The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source includes one or more of the following:

an LED and a secondary spread lens.

13. The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source emits a conical beam having an angle of divergence of approximately 7 degrees.

14. The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source emits a light beam having an angle of divergence of approximately 90 degrees.

15. The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source comprises a 3-color LED with an operable controller to generate a plurality of light colors, wherein the light tile is rectangular and the a least three light sources comprises four light sources positioned near respective corners of the slanted light reflecting area, and wherein the cover is translucent.

16. The light tile of claim 1, further comprising a translucent sheet positioned over the cover and illuminated by light from the light sources reflected by the slanted light reflecting area.

17. The light tile of claim 16, wherein the translucent sheet comprises at least one of the following:

a vellum sheet, a photograph, a printed sheet, a colored sheet, and a transparent sheet.

18. The light tile of claim 16, further comprising a shield positioned over the translucent sheet.

19. A light tile comprising:

a base comprising

a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and

a front surface comprising;

a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;

an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and

a slanted light reflecting area between the peripheral area and the apex;

at least one light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least the slanted light reflecting area of the base;

a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the at least one light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area; and

a flex circuit system positioned along a perimeter of the light tile, said flex circuit system being electrically connected to the at least one light source and providing a circuit for supplying power to the at least one light source.

20. The light tile of claim 19, wherein the flex circuit system includes at least one positive contact and at least one negative contact, the positive and negative contacts being positioned at different elevations from the front surface of the light tile.

21. The light tile of 19, wherein the light tile is rectangular;

wherein the flex circuit system has two positive contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one positive contact on each side of said first corner, two positive contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one positive contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and

wherein the flex circuit system has two negative contact areas adjacent to a third corner of the light tile, one negative contact on each side of said third corner, two negative contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one negative contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.

22. A light tile comprising:

a base comprising

a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and

a front surface comprising;

a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;

an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and

a slanted light reflecting area between the peripheral area and the apex;

at least one light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least the slanted light reflecting area of the base;

a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the at least one light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area; and

a bus bar system positioned along a perimeter of the light tile, said bus bar being electrically connected to the at least one light source and providing a circuit for supplying power to the at least one light source.

23. The light tile of claim 22, wherein the bus bar system comprises a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar, the positive and negative bus bars being positioned at different elevations from the front surface of the light tile.

24. The light tile of 22, wherein the light tile is rectangular;

wherein the positive bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said first corner, two contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and

wherein the negative bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a third corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said third corner, two contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.

25. A light tile system comprising:

a plurality of light tiles, each light tile having a bus bar system connected to a light source within the light tile, such that with the light tiles positioned contiguous to each other the bus bar systems of neighboring light tiles are in electrical contact with each other;

a decorative sheet positioned adjacent to each light tile and illuminated by the light source within the light tile; and

a power supply having a power bus connecting to one of the bus bar systems of one of the light tiles for supplying power to the one bus bar system and to the other bus bar systems in electrical contact with the one bus bar system.

26. The light tile system of claim 25, wherein each light tile comprises:

a base comprising

a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and

a front surface comprising;

a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;

an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and

a slanted light reflecting area between the peripheral area and the apex;

at least one light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate the slanted light reflecting area; and

a cover mounted on the base being adapted to be illuminated by light from the at least one light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area.

27. The light tile system of claim 25, wherein the bus system comprises a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar, the positive and negative bus bars being positioned at different elevations from the front surface of the base.

29. The light tile system of claim 25, wherein the at least one light source includes one or more of the following:

an LED, a plurality of LEDs, a secondary spread lens and a 3-color LED with a controller to generate a plurality of light colors.

30. The light tile system of claim 25, wherein the decorative sheet comprises at least one of the following:

a vellum sheet, a photograph, a printed sheet, a colored sheet, and a transparent sheet.

28. The light tile system of 27, wherein the light tile is rectangular;

wherein the positive bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said first corner, two contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and

wherein the negative bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a third corner of light tile, one contact on each side of said third corner, two contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.

31. A light tile comprising:

at least one light source on the light tile to illuminate the light tile; and

a bus bar system positioned along a perimeter of a light tile electrically connecting the at least one light source and providing a circuit for supplying power to the at least one light source comprising;

a positive bus bar; and

a negative bus bar, wherein the positive and negative bus bars being positioned at different horizontal elevations along the sides of the light tile.

32. The bus bar of claim 31, wherein the light tile is rectangular;

wherein the positive bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said first corner, two contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and

wherein the negative bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a third corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said third corner, two contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.