LED lamp

• US 9,222,659 B2
• Filed: 07/16/2013
• Issued: 12/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Medendorp, Nicholas William Jr., Bernard, Randall Levy, Lay, James Michael, Snell, Nathan Ray, Pickard, Paul Kenneth
• Primary Examiner(s): TSO, LAURA K
• Application Number:
  US13/943,152
• Publication Number:
  US 20150003069A1
• Time in Patent Office: 896 Days
• Field of Search: 362/249.02, 362/311.02, 362/647, 362/649, 362/651, 362/254
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 9/65 specially adapted for changing the characteristics or the distribution of the light, e.g. by adjustment of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/69 Details of refractors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/02 characterised by the shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/10 of different colours
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lamp comprises an enclosure that is at least partially optically transmissive. The enclosure comprises an optically transmissive lens and a base where the lens is connected to the base; and a LED board supporting an LED. A first of pins and a second pair of pins are rotatable relative to the enclosure and are in the electrical path supplying power to the LEDs. The lamp is positioned between a pair of tombstone connectors such that the first pair of pins engages the first tombstone connector and the second pair of pins engages the second tombstone connector. The first and second pair of pins are inserted into the tombstone connectors and are rotated to engage the electrical connectors in the tombstone connectors.

Claims

1. A lamp comprising:

an enclosure at least partially optically transmissive;

at least one LED in the enclosure operable to emit light through the enclosure when energized through an electrical path;

a first pair of pins mounted in a control member, the control member being freely rotatable relative to the enclosure and being in the electrical path.

2. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a base, the base being substantially planar.

3. The lamp of claim 2 wherein the base is made of a thermally conductive material and is in thermal communication with the at least one LED.

4. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a base, the base dissipating heat from the at least one LED to the exterior of the lamp.

5. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a base and a plurality of LEDs where the plurality of LEDs extend for substantially the length of the base.

6. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises an optically transmissive lens.

7. The lamp of claim 4 wherein the enclosure comprises an optically transmissive lens, the lens being connected to the base.

8. The lamp of claim 7 wherein the lens is connected to the base using a snap-fit connection.

9. The lamp of claim 7 wherein the lens diffuses light emitted by the at least one LED.

10. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED is mounted on a LED board that provides physical support for the at least one LED and forms part of the electrical path.

11. The lamp of claim 10 wherein the LED board comprises one of MCPCB, FR4, a flex circuit, and a lead frame.

12. The lamp of claim 10 wherein the enclosure comprises a base, the LED board being mounted on the base.

13. The lamp of claim 12 wherein the base is made of a thermally conductive material and is thermally coupled to the LED board, the base being exposed to the exterior of the lamp.

14. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises an optically transmissive lens and a base where the lens is connected to the base;

and a LED board supporting the at least one LED, the LED board being connected to the base.

15. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the base comprises a first channel and a second channel where the first-channel and the second channel face one another to receive the LED board, and the base comprises a third channel and a fourth channel where the third-channel and the fourth channel receive a first edge and a second edge of the lens.

16. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure comprises a lens where a portion of the lens extends behind the plane of the at least one LED.

17. The lamp of claim 16 wherein the lens extends at least 180 degrees relative to the at least one LED.

18. The lamp of claim 2 wherein the enclosure comprises a lens where the ratio of a width of a base to the maximum width of the lens is less than 1.

19. The lamp of claim 14 wherein the enclosure comprises a first end cap and a second end cap.

20. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the first end cap and the second end cap receive the base, the LED board and the lens.

21. The lamp of claim 19 wherein the first end cap and the second end cap are connected to at least one of the base, the LED board and the lens.

22. The lamp of claim 14 where the first pair of pins are mounted on a member that is rotatably connected to the first end cap.

23. The lamp of claim 22 wherein a first pair of conductors are electrically coupled to the first pair of pins and to the electrical path.

24. The lamp of claim 22 wherein the first pair of pins are rotatable relative to the enclosure at least 90 degrees.

25. The lamp of claim 1 further comprising a second pair of pins, the second pair of pins being rotatable relative to the enclosure and being in the electrical path.

26. The lamp of claim 25 where the second pair of pins are mounted on a second member that is rotatably connected to the second end cap.

27. The lamp of claim 25 wherein a second pair of conductors are electrically coupled to the second pair of pins and to the electrical path.

28. The lamp of claim 27 wherein the second pair of pins are rotatable relative to the enclosure at least 90 degrees.

29. A method of assembling a LED fixture comprising:

removing a fluorescent tube from a first tombstone connector and second tombstone connector;

providing an LED lamp comprising an enclosure at least partially optically transmissive and at least one LED in the enclosure operable to emit light through the enclosure when energized through an electrical path and a first pair of pins and a second pair of pins mounted to the enclosure, the first pair of pins and the second pair of pins being in the electrical path;

positioning the LED lamp between the tombstone connectors such that the first pair of pins engage the first tombstone connector and the second pair of pins engage the second tombstone connector;

holding the enclosure stationary and rotating the first pair of pins and the second pair of pins relative to the enclosure.

30. A lamp comprising:

an enclosure at least partially optically transmissive wherein the enclosure comprises a base, the base being substantially planar and a lens where a width of the lens is greater than a width of the base;

at least one LED in the enclosure operable to emit light through the enclosure when energized through an electrical path;

a first pair of pins being rotatable relative to the enclosure and being in the electrical path.

31. A lamp comprising:

an enclosure at least partially optically transmissive wherein the enclosure comprises a base, the base being substantially planar and a lens having a height where the base is disposed in the bottom quarter of the height of the lens;

at least one LED in the enclosure operable to emit light through the enclosure when energized through an electrical path;

a first pair of pins being rotatable relative to the enclosure and being in the electrical path.

32. A lamp comprising:

an enclosure at least partially optically transmissive wherein the enclosure comprises an optically transmissive lens and a base where the lens is connected to the base;

at least one LED in the enclosure operable to emit light through the enclosure when energized through an electrical path and a LED board supporting the at least one LED, the LED board being connected to the base;

a first pair of pins being rotatable relative to the enclosure and being in the electrical path;

wherein the enclosure comprises a first end cap and a second end cap connected to at least one of the base, the LED board and the lens using a snap-fit connection.

33. The lamp of claim 32 wherein the first end cap and the second end cap are provided with a deformable member that engages one of the LED board, the lens and the base.

34. The lamp of claim 33 wherein the deformable member engages the LED board when the LED board is inserted into the first end cap and the second end cap.