Housing for an LED fixture and soffit lighting system utilizing the same

• US 20040090785A1
• Filed: 09/02/2003
• Published: 05/13/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/12/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delphitech Corporation
• Original Assignee: Delphitech Corporation
• Inventors: McInnis, Rodney
• Granted Patent: US 6,991,350 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/362
• 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: F21V 15/01 Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts F21V15/02 takes precedence housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/0442 activated by means of a sensor, e.g. motion or photodetectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A housing for a light source, the housing comprising: an outer shroud, th outer shroud including an outer surface, a front edge, and a hollow inner surface; and an inner shroud, the inner shroud including a front edge and a concentric bore within which the light source is affixed, the inner shroud fitting concentrically within the inner surface of the outer shroud and the front edge of the inner shroud being offset back from the front edge of the outer shroud; wherein the radius between the outer edge of the concentric bore and the outer edge of the inner shroud shades the front edge of the outer shroud from the light source.

Claims

1. A housing for an light source, said housing comprising:

an outer shroud, said outer shroud including an outer surface, a front edge, and a hollow inner surface; and

an inner shroud, said inner shroud including a front edge and a concentric bore within which the light source is affixed, said inner shroud fitting concentrically within said inner surface of said outer shroud and said front edge of said inner shroud being offset back from the front edge of said outer shroud;

wherein the radius between the outer edge of said concentric bore and the outer edge of said inner shroud shades said front edge of said outer shroud from said light source.

2. The housing of claim 1 wherein the inner shroud is non-reflective and non-transmissive.

3. The housing of claim 1, wherein the light source is a light emitting diode.

4. The fixture of claim 1 wherein said outer shroud is comprised of a UV resistant plastic.

5. The housing of claim 1 further comprising a heat sink, said heat sink being affixed over the rear side of said inner shroud.

6. The housing of claim 5, wherein the heat sink includes a channel within which a current limiting device is installed.

7. A fixture for directionally illuminating architectural and landscaping features of a property, said fixture comprising:

a housing;

a light emitting diode affixed within said housing;

a power supplying means to provide power to said light emitting diode; and

a mounting means for mounting said housing to a building;

wherein said light emitting diode provides illumination for the architectural and landscaping features of the property.

8. The fixture of claim 7 wherein the mounting means is mounted to a soffit of the building.

9. The fixture of claim 7 wherein said housing comprises:

an outer shroud, said outer shroud including an outer surface and a hollow inner surface;

an inner shroud;

wherein said inner shroud fits concentrically within said inner surface of said outer shroud.

10. The fixture of claim 9 wherein said inner shroud includes a front edge, and said outer shroud includes a front edge, and wherein said front edge of said inner shroud is offset rearwardly from the front edge of said outer shroud.

11. The fixture of claims 9 wherein the inner shroud is non-reflective.

12. The fixture of claim 9 wherein said outer shroud is comprised of a UV resistant plastic.

13. The fixture of any of claim 7 further comprising:

a heat dissipating system for removing heat from said light emitting diode.

14. The fixture of claim 13 wherein said heat dissipating system comprises:

a heat sink;

a heat conducting heat spreader affixed about the base of said light emitting diode; and

a heat conductor affixed between said heat conducting heat spreader and said heat sink, wherein heat can flow from said light emitting diode to said heat spreader, through said heat spreader to said heat conductor, and from said heat conductor to said heat sink.

15. The fixture of claim 14 wherein said power supplying means includes a current limiting resistor.

16. The fixture of claim 15 wherein the heat sink includes a channel within which the current limiting device is mounted.

17. The fixture of claim 7, wherein said mounting means comprises:

an angled bracket;

an affixing means to affix a first end of said angled bracket to said building;

a pivotal attachment means for pivotally attaching said housing to a second end of said angled bracket; and

a holding means affixed to said pivotal means, said holding means allowing manual pivoting of said housing but holding said housing in a fixed position absent manual pivoting.

18. The fixture of claim 17, wherein said holding means comprises a resilient “

o”

ring.

19. The fixture of claim 7 further comprising a lens, said lens being affixed to said housing in front of said light emitting diode.

20. A light fixture comprising:

a housing;

a light emitting diode affixed within said housing;

a power input for providing power to said light emitting diode;

a current limiting device located between said power input and said light emitting diode; and

a heat dissipation device affixed to said housing,

wherein said current limiting device is located within said heat dissipation device.

21. The light fixture of claim 20, wherein said power input is a direct current input.

22. The light fixture of claim 21, wherein said current limiting device is a resistor.

23. The light fixture of claim 22, wherein said resistor is placed within a hole formed for said resistor in said heat dissipation device.

24. The light fixture of claim 23 further comprising a sealant to seal said hole in said heat dissipation device and provide better thermal conduction after said resistor is placed in said hole.

25. The light fixture of claim 24 further comprising a mounting means to mount said light fixture to a structure.

26. The light fixture of claim 25, wherein said mounting means is an angled bracket affixed to said heat dissipation device.

27. The fixture of claim 20 further comprising a lens, said lens being affixed to said housing in front of said light emitting diode.