LED lighting assembly and method of lighting for a merchandise display

• US 9,222,645 B2
• Filed: 03/08/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/29/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: RTC Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: Breslow, David S., Swafford, John Wesley Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): BANNAN, JULIE A
• Application Number:
  US13/790,983
• Publication Number:
  US 20130188356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,026 Days
• Field of Search: 362/225, 362/126, 362/92, 362/133, 362/125, 362/370, 362/249.02, 362/217.16, 362/217.12, 362/217.06
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 2220/0075 Lighting
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 11/10 Arrangements of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/60 Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/90 Methods of manufacture
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/06 the fastening being onto or by the lampholder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/16 by deformation of parts; Snap action mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/00 Refractors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/05 plane
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/405 for shop-windows or displays
• 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: H05K 3/30 Assembling printed circuits with electric components, e.g. with resistor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/4913 Assembling to base an electrical component, e.g., capacitor, etc.

Abstract

Aspects of the disclosure relate to a lighting assembly and method for illuminating a vertical planar area, such as a merchandise display. The lighting assembly can comprise two opposing support arms and a lighting bar extending between the two opposing support arms, a circuit board having a plurality of LEDs mounted to the inside of the lighting bar; and a plurality of reflective surfaces located adjacent to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are positioned such that the LEDs project a first light beam in a first direction and a second light beam in a second direction different than the first direction.

Claims

1. A lighting assembly for a merchandise display comprising:

a merchandise display including merchandise display shelves and a plurality of support posts,

two opposing support arms and a lighting bar extending between the two opposing support arms, wherein the lighting bar is defined by a C-shaped configuration in cross section and the two opposing support arms are mountable into the support posts of the merchandise display;

a circuit board assembly having a plurality of LEDs mounted to the inside of the lighting bar, wherein the plurality of LEDs project a light beam onto the merchandise display; and

a plurality of reflective surfaces located adjacent to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are curved mirrors, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces divide the light beam thereby creating multiple beams projecting from the LEDs, wherein the multiple beams include a first light beam in a first direction and a second light beam in a second direction different than the first direction,

wherein the first light beam in the first direction projects as a down light to merchandise display shelf and the second light beam in the second direction projects as a back light against a vertical product support, wherein the first light beam and the second light beam are relatively consistent in brightness over the merchandise display shelf and the vertical product shelf and the first light beam and the second light beam provide relatively even illumination in the first direction and the second direction.

2. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the lighting bar adjusts the orientation of the circuit board assembly.

3. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces distribute the light emitted from the plurality of LEDs in a substantially even distribution in the first direction and the second direction.

4. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the first light beam projects in a vertical direction and the second light beam projects in a horizontal direction.

5. The lighting assembly of claim 1, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are flat mirrors.

6. A merchandise display lighting method comprising:

arranging a plurality of LEDs on a circuit board located within a lighting bar that defines a C-shaped configuration in cross section, wherein the plurality of LEDs project a light beam onto a merchandise display;

mounting a set of two opposing support arms to a plurality of support posts on the merchandise display that includes merchandise display shelves, wherein the lighting bar extends between the two opposing support arms;

securing a plurality of reflective surfaces to the circuit board; and

placing the plurality of reflective surfaces adjacent to the plurality of LEDs, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces divide the light beam thereby creating multiple beams projecting from the LEDs, wherein the multiple beams include a first light beam in a first direction and a second light beam in a second direction different than the first direction,

wherein the first light beam in the first direction projects as a down light to the merchandise display shelf and the second light beam in the second direction projects as a back light against a vertical product support, wherein the first light beam and the second light beam are relatively consistent in brightness over the merchandise display shelf and the vertical product shelf and the first light beam and the second light beam provide relatively even illumination in the first direction and the second direction.

7. The lighting method of claim 6 further comprising adjusting the beams with the lighting bar.

8. The lighting method of claim 6, wherein the first light beam projects in a vertical direction and the second light beam projects in a horizontal direction.

9. The lighting method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are flat mirrors.

10. The lighting method of claim 6, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are curved mirrors.

11. An LED lighting system for a merchandise display comprising:

a merchandise display including merchandise display shelves and a plurality of support posts;

two opposing support arms and a lighting bar, wherein the two opposing support arms are mountable into the support posts of the merchandise display;

a circuit board assembly having a plurality of LEDs mounted to the inside of the lighting bar, wherein the plurality of LEDs project a light beam onto a merchandise display; and

one or more reflective surfaces positioned to cover a portion of the light beam, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces divide the light beam thereby creating multiple beams projecting from the LEDs, wherein the multiple beams include a first beam in a first direction and a second beam in a second direction different than the first direction, wherein the first direction is based on a direction the LED is directionally pointing and the second direction is based on a position and an angle of the one or more reflective surfaces covering the light beam,

wherein the first light beam in the first direction projects as a down light to the merchandise display shelf and the second light beam in the second direction projects as a back light against a vertical product support, wherein the first light beam and the second light beam are relatively consistent in brightness over the merchandise display shelf and the vertical product shelf and the first light beam and the second light beam provide relatively even illumination in the first direction and the second direction.

12. The LED lighting system of claim 11, wherein the first beam projects in a vertical direction and the second beam projects in a horizontal direction.

13. The LED lighting system of claim 11, wherein one individual reflective surface from the one or more reflective surfaces covers each individual LED on the lighting bar.

14. The LED lighting system of claim 11, wherein the one or more reflective surfaces includes one continuous reflective surface that covers all of the plurality of LEDs on the lighting bar.

15. The LED lighting system of claim 11 further including a plurality of lenses placed over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs such that the plurality of lenses focus and direct the light beam in a desired direction and angle and projected onto the one or more reflective surfaces.

16. The LED lighting system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are flat mirrors.

17. The LED lighting system of claim 11, wherein the plurality of reflective surfaces are curved mirrors.

18. The LED lighting system of claim 11, wherein the one or more reflective surfaces individually cover intermittent LEDs on the lighting bar in an alternating pattern.