Light fixture having light emitting diode (LED) and resilient member

• US 7,674,010 B2
• Filed: 09/21/2007
• Issued: 03/09/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hogarth Fine Art Limited
• Original Assignee: Hogarth Fine Art Limited
• Inventors: Griffiths, Terence Paul, Griffiths, Robert
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Gunyoung T
• Application Number:
  US11/903,243
• Publication Number:
  US 20080106892A1
• Time in Patent Office: 900 Days
• Field of Search: 362/240, 362/648, 362/250, 362/372, 362/555, 362/285, 362/485, 439/110, 361/719
• US Class Current: 362/249.02
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/10 of iris type
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/18 movable, e.g. flaps, slides
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/02 with provision for adjustment F21V17/04 - F21V17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/104 using feather joints, e.g. tongues and grooves, with or without friction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0005 of sources having contact pins, wires or blades, e.g. pinch sealed lamp F21V19/001 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0045 by tongue and groove connections, e.g. dovetail interlocking means fixed by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/35 with direct electrical contact between the supporting element and electric conductors running along the guiding element
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/304 for pictures
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/14 Rails or bus-bars constructed so that the counterparts can be connected thereto at any point along their length supporting elements for lighting devices, displaceable along guiding elements and making electrical contact with conductors running along the guiding elements F21V21/35

Abstract

A housing for a light fixture, and the light itself, is disclosed. The housing comprises an elongate body and a resilient member mountable in the body to retain at least one light emitting diode (LED) between the resilient member and the housing such that the or each LED is repositionable within the housing. The light includes at least one LED mounted in the housing.

Claims

1. A housing for a light fixture, comprising:

an elongate body with a channel having a base to define a light emitting diode (LED) supporting surface and a pair of parallel slots in the channel on opposite sides of the LED supporting surface, each slot having a respective resilient member removably received therein which extends longitudinally along the body, each elongate resilient member being mounted in the body to retain at least one LED between the resilient member and the housing such that the at least one LED is able to be repositioned within the housing, and each resilient member having an electrically conductive rail so as to contact electrical terminals on the at least one LED to supply power thereto.

2. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the resilient member is configured so that the at least one LED held against the supporting surface is able to independently slide along the supporting surface.

3. A housing according to claim 1 , wherein the rails in respective slots are parallel and spaced from each other.

4. A housing according to claim 1 , wherein each resilient member has a base portion slidably received in said slot and, an arm extending into said channel and towards the LED supporting surface from said base.

5. A housing according to claim 4, wherein the arm of each resilient member is configured so that, when at least one LED is positioned on the LED supporting surface, the arm is resiliently deformed by the at least one LED to hold said LED against said LED supporting surface.

6. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the elongate body has a uniform cross-section so that the elongate body is able to be cut to any desired length prior to use.

7. A housing according to claim 1, comprising a pair of end caps attached to each end of the elongate body.

8. A housing according to claim 7, wherein at least one end cap is removably received so that at least one LED is able to be slid into the channel between the resilient members and the LED supporting surface, or removed therefrom.

9. A housing according to claim 1, comprising a plurality of fins formed on the housing to dissipate heat generated by the at least one LED.

10. A housing according to claim 3, comprising a pair of electrically conductive arms to support the housing and supply power to the resilient members in contact with the LEDs.

11. A housing according to claim 10, comprising a switch mechanism including a pair of conductive tracks disposed in one end cap having one end resiliently biased towards the arm, and lying in contact with the conductive rails at the other.

12. A housing according to claim 11, wherein the switching mechanism includes a switch member configured to urge one of said resilient tracks out of contact with the arm to break the electrical contact between said resilient track and arm when the switch member is operated.

13. A housing according to claim 1, further comprising a diffuser slidably mounted in the body to diffuse light generated by the at least one LED.

14. A housing according to claim 1, comprising a reflector associated with each LED and received in the channel to reflect light generated by the at least one LED.

15. A housing according to claim 1, wherein the at least one LED is held against the LED supporting surface by the resilient member.

16. A light according to claim 15, comprising a plurality of LEDs held against the LED supporting surface by the resilient member, each LED being discrete and configured to move independently relative to each of the remaining LEDs.

17. A light according to claim 15, wherein the at least one LED comprises a light emitting portion and a supporting plate, the resilient members acting against the supporting plate to retain the LED against the LED supporting surface.

18. A light according to claim 17, wherein the at least one LED has electrical terminals formed on the supporting plate and the resilient members are configured so that the at least one LED lies in contact with said electrical terminals when said LEDs are positioned against the LED supporting surface.

19. A housing for a light fixture, comprising:

an elongate body with a channel having a base to define an LED supporting surface, the resilient member being configured so that the at least one LED is held against the supporting surface by the resilient member;

an elongate resilient member extending longitudinally along the body, the elongate resilient member being mounted in the body to retain at least one light emitting diode (LED) between the resilient member and the housing such that the at least one LED is able to be repositioned within the housing;

a pair of slots in the channel on opposite sides of the LED supporting surface and each slot has a respective resilient member removably received therein, wherein each resilient member comprises a rail, and wherein the rails in respective slots are parallel and spaced from each other; and

a pair of electrically conductive arms to support the housing and supply power to the resilient members in contact with the LEDs.