Lighting assembly

• US 9,464,791 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DVA Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Michael W. May
• Inventors: May, Michael W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Husar, Stephen F
• Application Number:
  US14/982,350
• Publication Number:
  US 20160186964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 287 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: F21K 9/278 Arrangement or mounting of circuit elements integrated in the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/046 having multiple lighting devices, e.g. connected to a common ceiling base
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/0085 at least one conductive element acting as a support means, e.g. resilient contact blades, piston-like contact
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/006 the substrate being distinct from the light source holder
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/009 the casing being inside the housing of the lighting device
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/02 the elements being transformers, impedances or power supply units, e.g. a transformer with a rectifier
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/0625 the material diffusing light, e.g. translucent plastics
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/10 Construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 : comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/16 : square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 : Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 : Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 : Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/52 : in a parallel array of LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/56 : involving measures to prevent abnormal temperature of the LEDs

Abstract

An elongate tubular lighting assembly having a body with a length between spaced first and second ends. The tubular lighting assembly has a source of illumination and first and second connectors respectively at the first and second body ends. The first connector has cooperating first and second parts having first and second surfaces. The first and second connector parts are configured so that the first and second surfaces are placed in confronting relationship to prevent separation of the first and second connector parts with the body in an operative state as an incident of the first connector part moving relative to the second connector part from a position fully separated from the second connector part in a substantially straight path that is transverse to the length of the body into an engaged position.

Claims

1. An elongate tubular lighting assembly having a body with a length between spaced first and second ends, the tubular lighting assembly comprising:

an elongate multiple sided heat sink comprising at least first, second and third sidewalls defining a hollow interior region;

the first and second sidewalls comprising generally planar mounting portions lying in intersecting planes;

an outer surface of the third sidewall forming an outer surface of the body;

first and second LED emitter panels, the first LED emitter panel supported on the mounting portion of the first sidewall, the second LED emitter panel supported on the mounting portion of the second sidewall;

each LED emitter panel comprising at an arrangement of spaced DC powered LED emitters for emitting and distributing light outwardly from the emitter panel in a light distribution pattern;

at least one driver circuit mounted to the elongate tubular lighting assembly for driving the LED emitters with a controlled level of electric current;

first and second end cap assemblies positioned at respective first and second ends of the body, each end cap assembly comprising an end wall extending traverse to the length of said body and side portions extending from the end wall toward the body and defining a receptacle opening;

a connector end board positioned within the receptacle opening of the first end cap assembly, the connector end board electrically connected to the at least one driver circuit and to a pair of AC power pin connectors mounted in spaced relationship thereon, the AC power pin connectors extending through the end wall of the first end cap assembly and external thereof in a direction generally parallel to the length of the body for engaging and electrically connecting to a first socket connected to an AC power supply; and

the second end cap assembly includes a pair of spaced pin connectors extending external of its end wall in a direction generally parallel to the length of the body for engaging a second socket.

2. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, configured to be installed in a conventional overhead ceiling fluorescent tubular light fixture.

3. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, further comprising ridges or fins formed on the outer surface of the third side wall, the ridges or fins increasing the outer surface area of the heat sink to facilitate dissipating heat generated from said emitter panels and the at least one driver circuit.

4. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 3, the multiple sided heat sink formed of extruded metal.

5. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, adjacent sidewalls of the multiple sided heat sink converging at corners, at least one of said corners having a rounded external profile.

6. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an elongate light diffuser cover providing a light transmissive lens positioned about and covering the LED emitters for reflecting, diffusing and/or focusing light emitted from the LED emitters.

7. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 6, wherein said light diffuser cover has a generally U-shaped cross section.

8. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, said first and second sidewalls converging at a first corner having a rounded external profile, and said elongate tubular lighting assembly further comprising an elongate light diffuser cover providing a light transmissive lens positioned about and covering the LED emitters for reflecting, diffusing and/or focusing light emitted from the LED emitters, said diffuser cover having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile and configured such that the base of the U-shape is adjacent to the first corner.

9. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein said multiple sided heat sink further comprising a fourth, generally planar sidewall extending between said first and second sidewalls, and said elongate tubular lighting assembly further comprising an elongate light diffuser cover providing a light transmissive lens positioned about and covering the LED emitters for reflecting, diffusing and/or focusing light emitted from the LED emitters, said diffuser cover having a generally U-shaped cross-sectional profile and configured such that the base of the U-shape is adjacent the fourth sidewall.

10. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, further comprising an input connector of the at least one driver circuit for receiving AC current from the connector end board and an output connector for returning DC current to the connector end board, the connector end board connected to the emitter panels and distributing said DC current to the emitter panels.

11. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein each LED emitter panel comprises first and second groups of LED emitters, the first group of LED emitters connected in parallel to the second group of LED emitters and the LED emitters of each group connected in series to the other LED emitters of the same group.

12. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 11, wherein the at least one driver circuit comprises multiple parallel driver subcircuits for driving all LED emitters at substantially the same current level.

13. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one driver circuit controls the current level provided to the LED emitters below a maximum current capacity thereof for providing more efficient conversion of electrical power to light output.

14. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 10, wherein the connector end board comprises a plurality of matingly engagable LED emitter panel connectors and each LED emitter panel comprises a corresponding matingly engagable connector for mechanically and electrically connecting the connector end board to the respective LED emitter panel.

15. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 14, wherein the connector end board comprises a matingly engagable driver circuit connector and a corresponding matingly engagable connector is associated with the at least one driver circuit for mechanically and electrically connecting the connector end board to the at least one driver circuit.

16. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claims 15, wherein the corresponding matingly engagable connectors include a male connector adapted to plug into a female connector.

17. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 16, wherein the connector end board is electrically connected to the LED emitter panels and the at least one driver circuit in the absence of electrical wires.

18. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one driver circuit is provided as at least one PCB driver.

19. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one driver circuit is mounted within the interior region of the multiple sided heat sink.

20. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the at least one driver circuit is at least one non-switching driver circuit.

21. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first and second end cap assemblies each have bracket segments providing clamps extending longitudinally inwardly for abuttingly engaging and clamping a portion of the LED emitter panels.

22. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the first sidewall and second sidewall of the multiple sided heat sink each have multiple LED emitter panels supported on the mounting portion thereof and longitudinally connected end to end.

23. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elongate tubular lighting assembly has a length of about 48 inches and is configured to replace a conventional 48 inch fluorescent tube lamp.

24. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elongate tubular lighting assembly has a length of about 24 inches and is configured to replace a conventional 24 inch fluorescent tube lamp.

25. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, wherein the elongate tubular lighting assembly produces a light beam spread out over an angle of at least 210 degrees.

26. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 25, wherein the elongate tubular lighting assembly produces a light beam having a ½

brightness angle of at least 180 degrees.

27. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 1, further comprising a battery power supply circuit mounted internal to the sidewalls of the multiple sided heat sink for powering the LED emitter panels in the event that AC power supplied by said AC power source is interrupted.

28. The elongate tubular lighting assembly according to claim 27, wherein the battery power supply circuit comprise at least one battery, a charging circuit for providing a charging current to the at least one battery when the AC power source connected to said first socket is in normal operation, and a control sub-circuit for switching the load to the at least one battery if the AC power supplied by said AC power source is interrupted.