LED lighting systems for product display cases

• US 8,002,434 B2
• Filed: 02/12/2008
• Issued: 08/23/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 02/12/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: GE Lighting Solutions LLC (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Inventors: O'Hara, Gerald P. Jr., Hobbs, Joseph M., Mayer, Mark J., Sekela, William David, Sommers, Mathew, Toot, Alan B.
• Primary Examiner(s): HAN, JASON
• Application Number:
  US12/029,742
• Publication Number:
  US 20080219002A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,288 Days
• Field of Search: 362/92, 362/133, 36221705-21707, 362/235, 362/241, 362/243, 362/247, 362/249.02, 362/296.01, 362297-298, 362/341, 362346-347, 362/350, 362/800
• US Class Current: 362/247
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/001 the light sources being semiconductors devices, e.g. LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0471 the sensor detecting the proximity, the presence or the movement of an object or a person
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 2700/04 Sensors detecting the presence of a person
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

An LED lamp for use in a display case includes a plurality of LEDs and an optic for redirecting the light to illuminate the contents of the display case.

Claims

1. An LED lamp comprising:

a plurality of LEDs spaced along an axis of the lamp; and

,

at least one reflector associated with the LEDs, the at least one reflector including a plurality of domes extending away from a base and each being separated from the base by at least one opening including a first opening and a second opening generally opposite the first opening, each dome including an inner primary reflective surface associated with a corresponding LED, wherein at least one of the domes is arranged with respect to a respective first LED to redirect light reflecting off of the respective primary reflective surface from the respective first LED in a first general direction and at least one of the domes is arranged with respect to another respective second LED to direct light reflecting off of the respective primary reflective surface from the another respective second LED in a second general direction that is opposite the first general direction, wherein a majority of the light produced by the first respective LED is directed in the first general direction and a majority of the light produced by the second respective LED is directed in the second general direction.

2. The lamp of claim 1, wherein the domes are staggered and face in opposite directions along the axis of the lamp.

3. The lamp of claim 2, wherein the LEDs are staggered on opposite sides of the axis of the lamp.

4. The lamp of claim 3, wherein each dome associated with LEDs on one side of the axis directs light from the respective LED towards the opposite side of the axis.

5. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said second opening creates a truncated portion of said dome.

6. The lamp of claim 5, wherein the at least one reflector includes a secondary reflective surface disposed adjacent the second opening, wherein at least a portion of light passing through said truncated portion is reflected by said secondary reflective surface.

7. The lamp of claim 6, wherein the at least one reflector includes an additional secondary reflective surface disposed adjacent the first opening, the additional secondary reflective surface being positioned with respect to the corresponding LED and the dome to reflect direct light from the LED towards a target plane.

8. The lamp of claim 5, wherein the first opening is smaller than the second opening.

9. The lamp of the claim 1 wherein said dome is a partial dome.

10. The lamp of claim 1 wherein said LEDs are mounted to a printed circuit board.

11. The lamp of claim 1 wherein said dome is substantially half elliptical.

12. The lamp of claim 5 wherein said first opening and said second truncated opening of adjacent domes are directed in a generally staggered orientation.

13. The lamp of claim 1 wherein a portion of the light exiting the lamp is not reflected light.

14. The lamp of claim 1 being mounted to a mullion of a display case.

15. The lamp of claim 1 wherein said dome optic includes a plurality of projections for snap mating to a substrate.