Light assembly

• US 8,896,208 B2
• Filed: 03/09/2012
• Issued: 11/25/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Larry N. Shew
• Original Assignee: Larry N. Shew
• Inventors: Shew, Larry N.
• Primary Examiner(s): LE, DON P
• Application Number:
  US13/417,169
• Publication Number:
  US 20120169234A1
• Time in Patent Office: 991 Days
• Field of Search: 315/88, 315/160, 315/312
• US Class Current: 315/88
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/20 Light sources comprising attachment means
• 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 9/68 Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0464 the sensor sensing the level of ambient illumination, e.g. dawn or dusk sensors
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/15 Organic light-emitting diodes [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: H02J 9/065 for lighting purposes
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/30 Driver circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/3578 Emulating the electrical or functional characteristics of discharge lamps
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

The present invention includes one embodiment containing an LED lighting assembly containing: a troffer; a bulbless and/or tubeless sub-housing; one or more solid state lighting units contained within the troffer and actuated by alternating current power; a night light contained within the bulbless sub-housing and operably communicating with the solid state lighting units, the night light actuated in the absence of light from the solid state lighting units; one or more light emitting diodes contained within the night light; and a battery source for powering the night light in the event of power interruption.

In yet another embodiment of the invention, a replaceable lighting unit contains: a bulbless and/or tubeless sub-housing. One or more light emitting diodes are contained within the sub-housing. A battery source may be contained within the sub-housing, and the battery source may be configured to selectively power the light emitting diodes with direct current energy.

Claims

1. A light assembly comprising:

a troffer adapted to communicate with an alternating current source;

a tubular bulbless sub-housing contained within said troffer and adapted to electronically communicate with said troffer;

one or more solid state lighting units contained within said troffer, said one or more solid state lighting units adjacent said tubular bulbless sub-housing and adapted to electronically communicate with said troffer;

a night light contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing and adapted to operably communicate with said solid state lighting units, said night light actuated by the absence of light emanating from said one or more solid state lighting units; and

one or more light emitting diodes contained within said night light and powered by an alternating current or a direct current power supply.

2. The light assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a battery source contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing for powering said night light in the event of power interruption.

3. The light assembly of claim 1 wherein said one or more solid state lighting units are one or more light emitting diodes electronically communicating with said troffer.

4. The light assembly of claim 1 wherein said one or more solid state lighting units are one or more arrays of light emitting diodes, said one or more arrays electronically communicating with said troffer.

5. The light assembly of claim 1 wherein said one or more solid state lighting units are one or more fluorescent tubes, said one or more fluorescent tubes electronically communicating with said troffer.

6. The light assembly of claim 1 further comprising:

a battery charger contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing, said battery charger operably communicating with said battery source.

7. A lighting unit comprising:

a troffer electronically adapted to communicate with an alternating current source;

a tubular bulbless sub-housing contained within said troffer and adapted to electronically communicate therewith; and

one or more light emitting diodes contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing and adapted to electronically communicate therewith, said one or more light emitting diodes actuated by the absence of ambient light.

8. The lighting unit of claim 7 further comprising:

one or more solid state lighting units contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing and actuated by alternating current power.

9. The lighting unit of claim 8 further comprising:

a night light contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing and adapted to operably communicate with said solid state lighting units, said night light actuated by the absence of light emanating from said one or more solid state lighting units,

wherein at least one of said one or more light emitting diodes is contained within said night light.

10. The lighting unit of claim 9 further comprising:

a battery source contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing adapted to electronically communicate with said night light for powering said night light in the event of power interruption.

11. The lighting unit of claim 10 further comprising:

a battery charger contained within said housing and actuated by direct current power, said battery charger operably communicating with said battery source.

12. The lighting unit of claim 7 further comprising:

a first end cap at a first end of said tubular bulbless sub-housing for electrical communication with an alternating current source; and

a second end cap at a second end of said tubular bulbless sub-housing for electrical communication with an alternating current source.

13. The lighting unit of claim 7 further comprising:

at least one end cap on an end of said tubular bulbless sub-housing for electrical communication with an alternating current source.

14. The lighting unit of claim 8 wherein said one or more solid state lighting units comprise:

one or more light emitting diode arrays, or, one or more fluorescent tubes.

15. The lighting unit of claim 9 wherein said night light is adapted to be actuated by alternating current, direct current, or both.

16. A lighting unit comprising:

a tubular bulbless sub-housing adapted to communicate with a power source; and

one or more light emitting diodes contained within said tubular bulbless sub-housing and adapted to electronically communicate with said tubular bulbless sub-housing, said one or more light emitting actuated by the absence of light.

17. The lighting unit of claim 16 wherein said power source is either alternating current, direct current, or both.

18. The lighting unit of claim 17 wherein said bulbless sub-housing is a panel adapted to electronically communicate with an alternating current source.

19. The lighting unit of claim 18 further comprising:

one or more arrays of light emitting diodes removably fixed to said panel, said one or more arrays electronically communicating with said panel upon actuation thereof.

20. The lighting unit of claim 16 wherein said bulbless sub-housing has one or more end caps adapted to electronically communicate with said power source to energize said tubular bulbless sub-housing.