LED lamp

• US 9,328,874 B2
• Filed: 06/30/2014
• Issued: 05/03/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Demuynck, Randolph C., Medendorp, Nicholas W. Jr., Rowlette, John R. Jr., Power, David, Nguyen, Nick, Reier, Bart P., VanEpps, Daniel J. Jr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Santiago, Mariceli
• Application Number:
  US14/319,066
• Publication Number:
  US 20150276140A1
• Time in Patent Office: 673 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/272 Details of end parts, i.e. the parts that connect the light source to a fitting; Arrangement of components within end parts F21K9/278 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0045 by tongue and groove connections, e.g. dovetail interlocking means fixed by sliding
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• 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: H01R 33/06 with two current-carrying pins, blades or analogous contacts, having their axes parallel to each other

Abstract

An LED lamp includes an elongated at least partially optically transmissive enclosure. The LEDs are mounted on an LED board. The enclosure has a support structure for supporting the LED board. The support structure is formed as one-piece with the enclosure and of an optical material. A pair of end caps are secured to the ends of the enclosure using a snap-fit connection. The end caps retain pins for connecting to a light fixture.

Claims

1. A lamp comprising:

an elongated at least partially optically transmissive enclosure having a first end and a second end;

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

the at least one LED being mounted on an LED board, the enclosure comprising at least a first support structure for supporting the LED board, the support structure being formed as one-piece with the enclosure and being formed of an optical material; and

an end cap secured to the enclosure using a snap-fit connection;

wherein the end cap supports a first pin and a second pin, the first pin and the second pin being in the electrical path; and

a first conductor connecting the first pin to the LED board using a first contact coupling,

the first conductor being formed as one piece with the first pin; and

a second conductor connecting the second in to the LED board using a second contact coupling, the second conductor being formed as one piece with the second pin, the first pin and the first conductor being retained in the first end cap by a deformable first tang and the second pin and the second conductor being retained in the first end cap by a deformable second tang.

2. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the snap-fit connection comprises a tang on one of the end cap and the enclosure that mates with a detent on the other of the end cap and enclosure.

3. The lamp of claim 2 wherein the tang is formed on the end cap and the detent is formed on the enclosure.

4. The lamp of claim 2 wherein the detent comprises an aperture that extends through the enclosure.

5. The lamp of claim 2 wherein the tang comprises an angled camming surface that deforms the enclosure when the enclosure is inserted into the end cap.

6. The lamp of claim 2 wherein a plurality of tangs engage a plurality of detents.

7. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the first conductor is resilient.

8. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the LED board comprises a first contact and the first conductor is deformed to create a bias force between the first conductor and the first contact.

9. The lamp of claim 8 wherein a support surface is positioned adjacent the LED board to a side of the LED board opposite the first conductor.

10. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the first pin and the first conductor are made of a first piece of electrically conductive material that is bent to form the first pin and the first conductor.

11. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the first pin and first conductor and the second pin and the second conductor are made of stainless steel.

12. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the first pin and the second pin are hollow.

13. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the enclosure and the support structure are formed of the same optically transmissive material.

14. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the support structure extends for substantially the length of the enclosure.

15. The lamp of claim 1 wherein the support structure comprises a first channel and a second channel for receiving opposite longitudinal edges of the LED board.

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

17. A lamp comprising:

a plastic, elongated at least partially optically transmissive tubular enclosure;

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

a first end cap and a second end cap snap-fit onto the enclosure, the first end cap supporting a first pin and the second end cap supporting a second pin, the first pin and the second pin being coupled to the electrical path;

a first conductor connecting the first pin to the LED board using a first contact coupling; and

a second conductor connecting the second in to the LED board using a second contact coupling;

the first pin and the first conductor being retained in the first end cap by a deformable first tang and the second pin and the second conductor being retained in the second end cap by a deformable second tang.

18. A lamp comprising:

an elongated at least partially optically transmissive enclosure having a first end and a second end;

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

the at least one LED being mounted on an LED board, the enclosure comprising at least a first support structure for supporting the LED board, the support structure being formed as one-piece with the enclosure and being formed of a low thermally conductive material;

an end cap snap-fit onto the enclosure by a deformable tang on one of the end cap and the enclosure that engages an aperture on the other one of the end cap and the enclosure, the end cap supporting a first pin and a second pin in the electrical path;

a first conductor formed integrally with the first pin and connecting the first pin to the LED board using a first contact coupling, and a second conductor formed integrally with the second pin and connecting the second pin to the LED board using a second contact coupling;

each of the first pin and the first conductor and the second pin and the second conductor being retained in the end cap by a snap-fit connector comprising a deformable member that engages the end cap.

19. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the enclosure and the support structure are formed of the same low thermally conductive material.

20. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the support structure extends for substantially the length of the enclosure.

21. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the support member comprises a channel for receiving the LED board.

22. The lamp of claim 18 wherein the enclosure and the support structure are formed of plastic.