LED tube structure capable of changing illumination direction

• US 8,177,388 B2
• Filed: 08/05/2010
• Issued: 05/15/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/05/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hsu L.I. Yen
• Original Assignee: Hsu L.I. Yen
• Inventors: Yen, Hsu Li
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US12/850,861
• Publication Number:
  US 20120033417A1
• Time in Patent Office: 649 Days
• Field of Search: 362/217.01, 362/221, 362/222, 362/249.02, 362/249.11
• US Class Current: 362/217.01
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/27 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/66 Details of globes or covers forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An improved LED tube structure capable of changing an illumination direction allows for use of a conventional fluorescent lamp holder and is capable of changing an illumination direction. The LED tube structure includes a transparent tube having a plug track disposed on an inner tube wall thereof, wherein the plug track is disposed approximate to or above a horizontal center line of the transparent tube, and the plug track is adapted for an LED lamp strip to be plugged therein; a conductive terminal having a tandem piece between two terminals thereof; and a positioning enclosure having two terminal plugholes spaced apart disposed in the middle portion thereof for the terminals to be fixedly plugged therein. The plug track grooves are disposed at different angles for the plug track on the inner wall of the transparent tube to be selectively plugged therein.

Claims

1. An improved LED tube structure capable of changing an illumination direction, being characterized in:

a transparent tube having a corresponding plug track disposed on an inner tube wall thereof, wherein the plug track is disposed on the inner wall of the transparent tube at a height that is approximate to or above a horizontal center line of the transparent tube and the plug track is adapted for an LED lamp strip to be plugged and positioned therein;

a conductive terminal being formed of a metal through stamping and having a tandem piece disposed between two terminals thereof, wherein both the terminals have a plurality of protruding hooks disposed thereon; and

a positioning enclosure having two terminal plugholes spaced apart disposed in the middle portion thereof, wherein the protruding hooks of the terminals hook into the wall of the terminal plugholes after insertion of the terminals of the conductive terminal, and the tandem piece of the conductive terminal is connected to the LED lamp strip through a transmission line, and wherein the positioning enclosure has, on an inner surface thereof, a circular groove corresponding to the tube wall and the plug track of the transparent tube and a plurality of sets of plug track grooves disposed at different angles for the plug track of the inner wall of the transparent tube to be selectively plugged therein, thereby achieving the objective of changing the illumination direction of the LED lamp strip of the LED tube.

2. The improved LED tube structure of claim 1, wherein the LED lamp strip comprises a bridge rectifier.

3. The improved LED tube structure of claim 1, wherein the transparent tube also has a plurality of sets of plug tracks positioned at different angles on the inner tube wall thereof for the LED lamp strip to be selectively plugged and positioned therein.

4. The improved LED tube structure of claim 1, wherein the inner surface of the positioning enclosure is formed with a plurality of sets of plug track grooves positioned at different angles and a circular groove that correspond to the plug tracks positioned at different heights on the inner wall of the transparent tube to form a universal positioning enclosure structure, which makes it easy to select one of the plug track grooves and the circular groove positioned at different angles for one of the plug tracks positioned at different heights on the inner wall of the transparent tube to be plugged therein, thereby achieving the objective of changing the illumination direction of the LED lamp strip of the LED tube.