Interconnection arrangement having mortise and tenon connection features

• US 20070058377A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/15/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Integrated Illumination Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Zampini, Mark, Zampini, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 7,572,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/372
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/28 rigid, e.g. LED bars
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/013 the housing being an extrusion
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 15/015 Devices for covering joints between adjacent lighting devices; End coverings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/104 using feather joints, e.g. tongues and grooves, with or without friction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/02 Wall, ceiling, or floor bases; Fixing pendants or arms to the bases F21V21/08 takes precedence; bases for movable standing lamps F21V21/06
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• 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 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• 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]

Abstract

An interconnection arrangement features a housing having multiple exterior surfaces. The housing is configured to receive an electrical device therein and has a plurality of the multiple exterior surfaces each having at least one mortise connection feature formed therein which is configured to receive a tenon associated with an accessory and to connect the accessory to the housing.

Claims

1. An interconnection system, comprising:

a housing having multiple exterior surfaces, the housing being configured to receive an electrical device therein, a plurality of the multiple exterior surfaces each having at least one mortise connection feature formed therein which is configured to receive a tenon associated with an accessory and to connect the accessory to the housing.

2. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electrical device comprises a light generating arrangement.

3. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 2, wherein the light generating arrangement comprises a plurality of LED (Light emitting diodes).

4. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the LED are mounted on a first board which is supported in a spaced relationship with a second board on which LED control circuitry is supported.

5. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first board is supported on standoffs which are rigid with the housing and wherein the second board is disposed on an inner surface of the housing.

6. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the standoffs are thermally conductive.

7. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the first and second board are electrically connected by a flex circuit.

8. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing is provided with electrical connectors at each end.

9. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the electrical connectors are configured to allow the housing to be connected with other housings of similar configuration.

10. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the connection with the other housings forms a daisy chain type of connection.

11. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 2, further comprising a lens which is disposed with the housing to close a cavity in which the light generating arrangement is disposed and which is configure to direct light produced by the light generating arrangement out of the housing in a predetermined manner.

12. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one mortise is shaped to receive a dovetail shaped tenon therein.

13. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing is elongate and wherein the at least one mortise extends along at least a portion of the elongate housing.

14. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing comprises at least one extruded member extruded from an extrudable material.

15. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 14, wherein the extruded member is configured to have fins extending along side at least one of the at least one mortise.

16. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 1, wherein the accessory comprise one of:

a mounting bracket, a cover, a connection element, a heatsink, and a reflector.

27. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the housing is linear in configuration and is populated with high brightness (HB) LEDs which comprise the electrical device, the housing comprising upper and lower extrusion members.

28. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 27, wherein the HB LEDs are installed to a multilayer or single layer MCPCB comprised of a printed circuit board with an aluminum or copper substrate via direct solder connection or thermally conductive epoxy.

29. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 28, wherein the MCPCB may be configured with one or more high Brightness (HB) LEDs and with or without additional electronic components including current limiting devices and a drive circuit.

30. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 29, wherein the drive circuit is installed to a lower optional circuit board (PCB) and is electrically connected to the upper MCPCB by one of a flex circuit and a discrete wire.

31. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 30 wherein a dimming circuit is installed on a drive circuit.

32. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 28, wherein the LED MCPCB is attached to the linear housing via screws that pass through the upper extrusion member and into threaded standoffs rigid with the lower extrusion member to clamp the upper and lower extrusion members together and form a watertight seal therebetween.

33. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 28, wherein the MCPCB is installed via screws to the upper extrusion member.

34. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 33, wherein, in order to provide adequate thermal transfer from the MCPCBs to the upper extrusion member, a thermally conductive transfer material is disposed between the MCPCB and the upper housing.

35. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 27, further comprising a collimating extruded linear optic which extends along an entire length of the upper extrusion member and which is configured to unify light emission and determined main beam angle.

36. The interconnection system, as set forth in claim 35, wherein the collimating extruded linear optic has an optic profile configured to create beam emitting angles of at least one of 15, 30, 45, and 65 degrees.

37. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 35, wherein the upper extrusion member is formed with a shelf on which the collimating extruded linear optic is configured to set, the shelf having a rounded cutout configured to receive a gasket which compresses between an edge of the collimating extruded linear optic and the cutout to retain collimating extruded linear optic in position and seal the upper extrusion member from contamination.

38. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 27, further comprising electrical connectors on each end of the housing, one comprising a female connection member and the other comprising a male plug member, the female connection member and the male plug member being configured to allow the housing to be multiply daisy-chained to other similarly constructed housings.

39. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 38, wherein each female connection member and each male plug member are configured with four contact positions, two for power, and two for a dimming signal.

40. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 38, further comprising pass through wires which connects the female connection member and the male plug member of each housing so that when daisy-chained with another housing, a voltage is available at the endmost one of the female connection member and the male plug member.

41. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 40, wherein when a driver circuitry is installed to the PCB and only 1 PCB is used, a flex circuit is used to establish a direct connection with the pass through wires.

42. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 40, wherein a junction PCB is used in place of a driver PCB, the junction PCB is connected to the pass through wires and at least one the LED board and at least one flex circuit.

43. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 42 wherein when a junction PCB is used driver circuits may be remotely disposed.

44. The interconnection system as set forth in claim 38, wherein the housing is sealed at its both ends by plastic injection molded end caps which are fitted with gaskets and which have a cutout for the electrical connectors to pass therethrough.

17. An interconnection system, comprising:

a housing having multiple exterior surfaces, the housing being configured to enclose an electrical device;

a plurality of shaped mortise connection features, one or more of the connection features being formed in selected exterior surfaces of the housing, the connection features being configured to receive a shaped tenon associated with an accessory; and

a plurality of accessories each having a shaped tenon receivable in a selected one of the plurality of connection features in an accessory connecting manner.

18. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 17, wherein the shaped tenon and the shaped mortise are respectively dovetailed shaped tenons and mortises.

19. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 17, wherein the housing is elongate and wherein the shaped mortise connection features are elongate and extend along at least a portion of the elongate housing.

20. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 17, wherein the electrical device is a light generating arrangement.

21. An interconnection arrangement comprising:

an elongate housing having two side walls and a bottom wall; and

at least one dovetail mortise formed in each of the two side walls and in the bottom wall, each dovetail mortise having essentially the same dimensions and each configured to connectively engage with a dovetail tenon associated with an accessory.

22. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 21, wherein each dovetail mortise extends along the length of the elongate housing and is open at least one end of the elongate housing to allow the dovetail tenon to be slid thereinto when an accessory is being connected with the housing.

23. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 22, further comprising a plurality of accessories each having a dovetail tenon and each being connectable to the housing, the accessories comprising at least a mounting bracket, a cover, a connection element, a heatsink, and a reflector.

24. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 21, further comprising an electrical device which is operatively disposed in the housing.

25. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 24, wherein the electrical device comprises a light generating arrangement.

26. The interconnection arrangement as set forth in claim 21, wherein the light generating arrangement comprises LED (light emitting diodes).