LED light fixtures with arrangement for electrical connection

• US 9,273,833 B2
• Filed: 11/01/2013
• Issued: 03/01/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilcox, Kurt, Bendtsen, Andrew, Quella, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Anh
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEATHERLY, HANA SANEI
• Application Number:
  US14/070,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20150124449A1
• Time in Patent Office: 851 Days
• Field of Search: 362/244
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED light fixture includes a heat sink structure, at least one LED board in thermal engagement with the heat sink structure, the at least one LED board having at least one LED emitter thereon, and an on-board connector on the LED board for connecting electrical wiring to the LED emitter(s). At least one enclosing member forms with the heat sink an interior space enclosing a corresponding LED board, the rigid enclosing member defining a wiring aperture therethrough in alignment with the on-board connector. The LED light fixture also has an exterior wireway structure including a one-piece duct which has an end portion engaged with the wiring aperture and forms a channel for wires to the on-board connector. The wireway structure further includes a single-piece rigid cover secured with respect to the enclosing member and enclosing the duct.

Claims

1. In an LED apparatus of the type comprising at least one optical member disposed over at least one LED emitter thereon, the optical member including (a) at least one optical portion corresponding to and over the at least one LED emitter and (b) a flange portion about the at least one optical portion, the improvement comprising:

at least one on-board connector configured for connection with electrical wiring for powering the LED emitter(s);

the optical-member flange portion defining an aperture therethrough positioned over the at least one on-board connector; and

a wireway structure comprising a one-piece flexible duct with an end portion in engagement with the flange aperture, the duct forming a channel for passing wires to the on-board connector.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the end portion of the duct is in sealing engagement with the flange aperture.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the end portion of the flexible duct has an outward lip defining a groove receiving the edge of the flange aperture thereby forming a seal thereabout.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the wireway structure further comprises a single-piece rigid cover secured with respect to the optical-member flange portion and enclosing the flexible duct.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein the rigid cover includes an attaching portion detachably securing the rigid cover to the optical-member flange portion.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein the attaching portion includes a resilient tab terminating with a hook positioned and configured for snap-engagement with the optical-member flange portion.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein the rigid cover is further secured with respect to the flange portion by a fastener extending through the rigid cover into the flange portion.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein the fastener extends into a closed-end fastener receptor formed in the flange portion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 as part of a light fixture that includes (a) a housing defining a chamber with a wire-passage opening through which wires extend from the chamber and (b) a heat sink secured with respect to the housing and in thermal-communicating engagement with the LED board, the one-piece flexible duct being a source-to-board duct and having a second end portion in engagement with the wire-passage opening of the housing, whereby wires from the chamber pass though the duct to the on-board connector.

10. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the wireway structure further comprises a single-piece rigid cover secured with respect to the optical-member flange portion and enclosing the flexible duct.

11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein the chamber encloses electronic LED power circuitry.

12. The apparatus of claim 9 comprising at least two lighting sets adjacent to one another, each set including one of the optical members and its corresponding LED board, wherein:

one of the lighting sets is proximal to the wire-passage opening from the chamber with the source-to-board duct extending between the opening and such set;

each adjacent pair of the lighting sets includes a board-to-board on-board connector for each lighting set of such pair, such board-to-board on-board connectors being proximal to one another;

the flange portion of each optical member of each adjacent pair of the lighting sets defining a board-to-board flange aperture which is positioned over the corresponding board-to-board on-board connector; and

a board-to-board flexible duct has two end portions each in engagement with one of such board-to-board flange apertures, the board-to-board flexible duct forming a channel for passing wires between the board-to-board on-board connectors of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 comprising at least two lighting sets adjacent to one another, each set including one of the optical members and its corresponding LED board, wherein:

each adjacent pair of the lighting sets includes a board-to-board on-board connector for each lighting set of such pair, such board-to-board on-board connectors being proximal to one another;

the flange of each optical member of each adjacent pair of the lighting sets defining a board-to-board flange aperture which is positioned over the corresponding board-to-board on-board connector; and

the one-piece flexible duct being a board-to-board duct which has two end portions each in engagement with one of such board-to-board flange apertures, the board-to-board flexible duct forming a channel for passing wires between the board-to-board on-board connectors of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein each end portion of the board-to-board flexible duct has an outward lip defining a groove receiving the edge of the corresponding board-to-board flange aperture thereby forming a seal thereabout.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 wherein the wireway structure further comprises a single-piece board-to-board rigid cover enclosing the board-to-board flexible duct and secured with respect to the flange portion of each of the optical members of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein the board-to-board rigid cover includes an attaching portion securing the rigid cover to the flange portions of the optical members of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

17. The apparatus of claim 16 wherein the attaching portion includes a resilient tab terminating with a hook positioned and configured for simultaneous snap-engagement with the flange portions of both of the optical members.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 wherein the board-to-board rigid cover is further secured with respect to each of the flange portions by a fastener extending through the board-to-board rigid cover into the corresponding flange portion.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein each of the fasteners extends into a closed-end fastener receptor formed in the respective flange portion.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the at least one LED emitter comprises an array of LED light sources spaced along the board.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein the optical member comprises a plurality of lenses each over a corresponding one of the LED light sources.

22. The apparatus of claim 20 wherein each LED light source comprises an array of LEDs.

23. An LED light fixture comprising:

a housing with a chamber and a wire-passage opening through which wires extend therefrom;

at least one optical member disposed over a corresponding LED board with at least one LED emitter thereon, the optical member(s) including (a) at least one optical portion corresponding to and over the at least one LED emitter and (b) a flange portion defining an aperture therethrough;

an on-board connector for connecting electrical wiring to the LED emitter(s), the on-board connector being aligned with the flange-portion aperture; and

a wireway structure comprising a one-piece flexible duct which has a first end engaged with the wire-passage opening and a second end engaged with the flange-portion aperture and which forms a channel for wires to the on-board connector.

24. The LED light fixture of claim 23 comprising at least two lighting sets adjacent to one another, each set including one of the optical members and its corresponding LED board, wherein:

one of the lighting sets is proximal to the wire-passage opening from the chamber with the source-to-board duct extending between the opening and such set;

each adjacent pair of the lighting sets includes a board-to-board on-board connector for each lighting set of such pair, such board-to-board on-board connectors being proximal to one another;

the flange portion of each optical member of each adjacent pair of the lighting sets defining a board-to-board flange aperture which is positioned over the corresponding board-to-board on-board connector; and

a board-to-board flexible duct has two end portions each in engagement with one of such board-to-board flange apertures, the board-to-board flexible duct forming a channel for passing wires between the board-to-board on-board connectors of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

25. An LED light fixture comprising:

a heat sink structure;

at least one LED board in thermal engagement with the heat sink structure, the at least one LED board having at least one LED emitter thereon;

an on-board connector on the LED board for connecting electrical wiring to the LED emitter(s);

at least one enclosing member forming with the heat sink an interior space enclosing a corresponding LED board, the rigid enclosing member defining a wiring aperture therethrough in alignment with the on-board connector; and

an exterior wireway structure comprising a one-piece flexible duct which has an end portion engaged with the wiring aperture and which forms a channel for wires to the on-board connector.

26. The LED light fixture of claim 25 wherein the enclosing member comprises at least one optical portion corresponding to and over the at least one LED emitter.

27. The LED light fixture of claim 26 wherein the enclosing member is a rigid optical member having the at least one optical portion and an flange portion thereabout, the flange portion forming the wiring aperture.

28. The LED light fixture of claim 27 further including a housing with a wire-passage opening through which wires extend to the on-board connector, the one-piece flexible duct being a source-to-board duct and having a second end in engagement with the wire-passage opening of the housing, whereby wires from the chamber pass though the duct to the on-board connector.

29. The LED light fixture of claim 28 comprising at least two lighting sets adjacent to one another, each set including one of the enclosing members and its corresponding LED board, wherein:

one of the lighting sets is proximal to the wire-passage opening of the housing with the source-to-board duct extending between the opening and such set;

each adjacent pair of the lighting sets includes a board-to-board on-board connector for each lighting set of such pair, such board-to-board on-board connectors being proximal to one another;

each enclosing member of each adjacent pair of the lighting sets defining a board-to-board wiring aperture which is positioned over the corresponding board-to-board on-board connector; and

a board-to-board flexible duct has two end portions each in engagement with one of such board-to-board wiring apertures, the board-to-board flexible duct forming a channel for passing wires between the board-to-board on-board connectors of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

30. The LED light fixture of claim 29 wherein the proximal board comprises bypass circuitry extending from the source-to-board on-board connector to the board-to-board on-board connector for connection to the adjacent LED board.

31. An LED light fixture comprising:

a mounting structure;

at least one LED emitter secured with respect to the mounting structure and defining a light-emission side of the mounting structure;

conductive paths from the at least one LED emitter to a quick-connect connector which is secured with respect to the mounting structure on the light emission side for connecting electrical wiring to the LED emitter(s);

at least one enclosing member, having interior and exterior sides, the interior side forming with the mounting structure an interior space enclosing the at least one LED emitter, the quick-connect connector being accessible through the enclosing member; and

an exterior wireway structure forming a channel for wires to the quick-connect connector, the channel being spaced from the mounting structure on the light-emission side thereof and at least partially extending along the exterior side of the enclosing member.

32. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein:

the enclosing member defines a wiring aperture therethrough in alignment with the quick-connect connector; and

the exterior wireway structure is in sealing engagement with the wiring aperture such that the channel is closed for sealed wiring connection to the quick-connect connector.

33. The LED light fixture of claim 32 wherein:

the at least one LED emitter and the quick-connect connector are on an LED board which includes the conductive paths; and

the exterior wireway structure comprises a one-piece flexible duct which has an end portion engaged with the wiring aperture.

34. The LED light fixture of claim 33 wherein the enclosing member is a rigid optical member comprising (a) at least one optical portion corresponding to and over the at least one LED emitter and (b) a flange portion about the optical portion, the flange portion forming the wiring aperture.

35. The LED light fixture of claim 33 further comprising a housing with a wire-passage opening through which wires extend to the quick-connect connector, the one-piece flexible duct being a source-to-connector duct and having a second end in engagement with the wire-passage opening of the housing.

36. The LED light fixture of claim 35 comprising at least two lighting sets adjacent to one another, each set including one of the enclosing members and its corresponding at least one LED emitter, wherein:

one of the lighting sets is proximal to the wire-passage opening of the housing with the source-to-connector duct extending between the opening and such set;

each adjacent pair of the lighting sets includes a set-to-set quick-connect connector for each lighting set of such pair, such set-to-set quick-connect connectors being proximal to one another;

each enclosing member of each adjacent pair of the lighting sets defining a set-to-set wiring aperture which is positioned over the corresponding set-to-set quick-connect connector; and

a set-to-set duct has two end portions each in engagement with one of such set-to-set wiring apertures, the set-to-set duct forming a channel for passing wires between the set-to-set quick-connect connectors of the adjacent pair of the lighting sets.

37. The LED light fixture of claim 36 wherein:

the at least one LED emitter and the quick-connect connector are on an LED board which includes the conductive paths; and

the LED board of the proximal lighting set comprises bypass circuitry extending from the source-to-connector quick-connect connector to the set-to-set quick-connect connector for connection to the adjacent LED board.

38. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein the mounting structure is a heat sink in thermal engagement with the LED board.

39. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein the exterior wireway structure has an electrically-insulating inner surface.

40. The LED light fixture of claim 31 wherein the exterior wireway structure has an outer reflective surface, thereby to reflect LED-emitter light.

41. The LED light fixture of claim 40 wherein the exterior wireway structure has an electrically-insulating inner surface.

42. The LED light fixture of claim 41 wherein the exterior wireway structure comprises:

a one-piece flexible duct forming the channel and connected at each end for sealed wiring connection; and

a single-piece rigid cover enclosing the flexible duct.