Elongated LED lighting fixture

• US 8,235,539 B2
• Filed: 06/25/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Electraled Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Electraled Incorporated
• Inventors: Thomas, James, Lynd, David, Mosier, Jim, Warner, Bryan T., Gatesman, Gary
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/821,793
• Publication Number:
  US 20080037239A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,870 Days
• Field of Search: 362 92- 94, 362/217.01, 362/218, 362/219, 362/221, 362/222, 362/223, 362/225, 3622171-21717
• US Class Current: 362/92
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• 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 29/71 using a combination of separate elements interconnected by heat-conducting means, e.g. with heat pipes or thermally conductive bars between separate heat-sink elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21

Abstract

The invention provides an elongated lighting fixture with multiple light emitting diodes (LEDs) arrayed in two groups that are angled to each other. The fixture provides an extremely broad light emitting angle and includes an elongated housing having a pair of side walls with at least one fin to dissipate heat. Each side wall has a support member extending upward at angle from the side wall, wherein the side walls terminate at a central wall. A generally transparent cover is connected to the housing and extends between opposed ends of the housing. A first elongated fastener and a second elongated fastener are utilized to mount a first group of LEDs and a second group of LEDs to the first support member and the second support member, respectively. First and second interconnection board assemblies are affixed to respective support members beneath the group of LEDs by the first and second fasteners. When the first and second interconnection board assemblies are energized by an internal power source, current travels from each interconnection assembly through the fasteners to each group of LEDs for illumination.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture for use in refrigerator coolers or freezers, the lighting fixture comprising:

an elongated external housing securable to an interior of a refrigerated cooler or freezer, the external housing having a first external side wall and a second external side wall wherein each external side wall has at least one heat dissipating fin extending from an external surface of said external side wall, the housing further having a first support member angularly and integrally extending from the first external side wall and a second support member angularly and integrally extending from the second external side wall, wherein the support members terminate at an elevated central wall, and wherein the first and second external side walls, the first and second support members, and the central wall collectively define a U-shaped internal cavity of the housing with an open end configuration opposite the central wall, and wherein the U-shaped internal cavity is enclosed by a removable rear wall extending between a lowermost portion of the first and second external side walls;

a first group of light modules secured to the first support member by a first elongated fastener and a second elongated fastener, each light module comprising a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a printed circuit board, wherein said elongated fasteners extend through printed circuit board and into the first support member; and

,

a second group of light modules secured to the second support member by a first elongated fastener and a second elongated fastener, each light module comprising a LED mounted on a printed circuit board, wherein said elongated fasteners extend through printed circuit board and into the second support member.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a power supply that resides within the internal cavity of the housing and wherein the power supply is a high-efficiency power supply that provides constant current output.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the printed circuit board of each group of light modules is removably secured to an outer surface of a respective support member.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein each light module includes a first copper trace on the printed circuit board extending between the first fastener and the LED, and a second copper trace extending between the second fastener and the LED.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising:

a first interconnection board assembly affixed to an inner surface of the first support member beneath the first group of light modules by the first and second fasteners;

a second interconnection board assembly affixed to an inner surface of the second support member beneath the second group of light modules by the first and second fasteners;

wherein each of the first and second interconnection board assemblies comprise a plurality of electrically interconnected printed circuit boards.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 5, wherein the first and second fasteners extend into the printed circuit boards that comprise the interconnection board assemblies.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 5, wherein the interconnection board assemblies are inserted into a channel formed adjacent the inner surface of the support member.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing includes a pair of end caps, each end cap coupled to an end of the housing by a fastener extending into the central wall of the housing.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the first and second support members define an internal arrangement angle that ranges between 30 and 100 degrees.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein a longitudinal axis of one LED in the first group intersects a longitudinal axis of one LED in the second group to define an intersection angle that ranges between 150 and 180 degrees.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein each light module further includes a zener diode associated with a LED to form bypass circuitry.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a cover that extends between opposed ends of the housing, the cover having opposed side segments, each segment having a tongue that is received by a recess at an uppermost end of each of the first and second external side walls of the housing.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a wing extending along a lowermost end of each support member and above the uppermost end of each external side wall, the wing having an inclined upper wall that is positioned above a lower edge of the LED.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 1, further comprising a wireless module that allows for remote operation of the fixture, the wireless module comprising a transmitter, a receiver, an antenna, and a control interface for the power supply.

15. A LED lighting fixture comprising:

an elongated external housing configured to be secured to an interior of a refrigerated cooler or freezer, the external housing having a first external side wall and a second external side wall, wherein a first support member extends upwardly from an uppermost end of the first external side wall and a second support member extends upwardly from an uppermost end of the second external side wall, and wherein the first and second support members converge at an elevated central wall that resides above the uppermost end of the first and second side walls, wherein the first and second external side walls, the first and second support members, and the central wall collectively define a U-shaped internal cavity of the housing with an open end configuration opposite the central wall;

a first group of light modules secured to an outer surface of the first support member, each light module comprising a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a printed circuit board;

a second group of light modules secured to an outer surface of the second support member, each light module comprising a LED mounted on a printed circuit board; and

,

a cover that extends between opposed ends of the housing, the cover having opposed side segments, each segment having a tongue that is received by a recess at an uppermost end of each of the first and second external side walls of the housing.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 15, wherein the first group of light modules are secured to the first support member by first and second elongated fasteners, said elongated fasteners extending through the printed circuit board and into the first support member.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 16, further comprising:

a removable rear wall extending between a lowermost portion of the first and second external side walls, wherein the rear wall encloses the U-shaped internal cavity; and

,

a power supply residing within the housing between the first and second external side walls and adjacent the rear wall member extending between said side walls.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein each light module includes a first copper trace on the printed circuit board extending between the first fastener and the LED, and a second copper trace extending between the second fastener and the LED.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 15, further comprising a first interconnection board inserted into a channel formed adjacent the inner surface of the first support member, and wherein first and second elongated fasteners secure the first group of light modules and the first interconnection board to the first support member.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 15, wherein the first and second support members define an internal arrangement angle that ranges between 30 and 100 degrees.

21. The lighting fixture of claim 15, wherein a longitudinal axis of one LED in the first group intersects a longitudinal axis of one LED in the second group to define an intersection angle that ranges between 150 and 180 degrees.

22. The lighting fixture of claim 15, further comprising a blocking wing extending along a lowermost end of each support member and at the uppermost end of each side wall, the blocking wing having an inclined upper wall that is positioned above a lower edge of the LED.

23. A lighting fixture for use in refrigerator coolers or freezers, the lighting fixture comprising:

an elongated external housing securable to an interior of a refrigerated cooler or freezer, the external housing having a first external side wall and a second external side wall, wherein a first angled support member integrally extends from an uppermost end of the first external side wall and a second angled support member integrally extends from an uppermost end of the second external side wall, wherein the first and second support members converge at an elevated central wall that is positioned opposite a removable rear wall extending between the first and second side walls, wherein the first and second external side walls, the first and second support members, and the central wall collectively define a U-shaped internal cavity that is enclosed by the removable rear wall, and the housing further having a wing extending along a lowermost end of each support member and above the uppermost end of the external side wall;

a first group of light modules secured to the first support member, each light module comprising a light emitting diode (LED) mounted on a printed circuit board; and

,

a second group of light modules secured to the second support member, each light module comprising a LED mounted on a printed circuit board.

24. The lighting fixture of claim 23, wherein the wing has a depending projection and the side wall includes a receiver, wherein the projection is slidingly received by the receiver to couple the wing to the housing.

25. The lighting fixture of claim 23, wherein the wing has upwardly extending inner wall and an inclined upper wall, wherein the upper wall is positioned above a lower edge of the LED.

26. The lighting fixture of claim 23, wherein the first group of light modules are secured to the first support member by first and second elongated fasteners, said elongated fasteners also extending through the printed circuit board and into the first support.

27. The lighting fixture of claim 23, wherein the wing resides outward of the first support member.

28. The lighting fixture of claim 23, wherein the lowermost end of the first support member resides inward of the uppermost end of the first side wall, whereby the first support member and the first side wall have a staggered configuration.