LIGHTING DEVICE

• US 20070139923A1
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Published: 06/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: LED Lighting Fixtures, Inc. (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: VAN DE VEN, Antony, NEGLEY, Gerald, HUNTER, F. Neal
• Granted Patent: US 8,337,071 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/253
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/02 of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters specially adapted for vehicle exteriors F21S41/00-F21S45/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/02 the power supply being a battery or accumulator
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/032 the solar unit being separate from the lighting unit
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/00 Arrangement of electric circuit elements in or on lighting devices characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/508
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/12 the coatings comprising photoluminescent substances
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/33 annular
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A lighting device comprises, or consists essentially of, a housing, a solid state light emitter and conductive tracks. The conductive tracks are positioned on the housing and are coupleable with a power supply. The conductive tracks comprise a positive conductive track and a negative conductive track. Each of the solid state light emitters is in electrical contact with a positive conductive track and a negative conductive track. Another lighting device comprises a fixture and a solid state light emitter in which the fixture comprises conductive elements which are coupleable to at least one power supply and the solid state light emitter is mounted on the fixture. There is also provided a lighting device which provides light of an intensity which is at least 50 percent of its initial intensity after 50,000 hours of illumination.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a housing;

at least one solid state light emitter; and

conductive tracks coupleable with at least one power supply,

said conductive tracks being positioned on at least a first portion of said housing, said conductive tracks comprising at least a first positive conductive track and at least a first negative conductive track,

each of said solid state light emitters being in electrical contact with at least one said positive conductive track,

each of said solid state light emitters being in electrical contact with at least one said negative conductive track.

2. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises a plurality of solid state light emitters, each of said solid state light emitters being in contact with at least one positive conductive track and at least one negative conductive track.

3. A lighting device as recited in claim 2, wherein each of said solid state light emitters is a light emitting diode.

4. A lighting device as recited in claim 2, wherein said plurality of solid state light emitters are wired in a mesh pattern comprising at least one cross-connection.

5. A lighting device as recited in claim 2, wherein said plurality of solid state light emitters are wired in series parallel.

6. A lighting device as recited in claim 2, further comprising at least one battery and circuitry selectively connecting said battery electrically to at least some of said solid state light emitters.

7. A lighting device as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuitry selectively connects said battery electrically to at least about 5% of said solid state light emitters.

8. A lighting device as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuitry selectively connects said battery electrically to at least about 20% of said solid state light emitters.

9. A lighting device as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuitry selectively connects said battery electrically to all of said solid state light emitters.

10. A lighting device as recited in claim 6, wherein said circuitry automatically connects said battery electrically to at least some of said solid state light emitters during a power outage.

11. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said solid state light emitter is a light emitting diode.

12. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing comprises at least a first concave surface, at least a portion of said first concave surface being reflective, said solid state light emitter being mounted on said first concave surface.

13. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein said first concave surface is substantially hollow conical.

14. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein said first concave surface is substantially hollow semi-elliptical.

15. A lighting device as recited in claim 12, wherein said first concave surface is substantially hollow cylindrical.

16. A lighting device as recited in claim 2, wherein said housing comprises a plurality of concave surfaces, each said concave surface having at least a portion thereof which is reflective, each said concave surface having mounted thereon at least one of said solid state light emitters.

17. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first light emitting diode which emits light within a first wavelength range and at least a second light emitting diode which emits light within a second wavelength range, all values within said second wavelength range being different from all values within said first wavelength range.

18. A lighting device as recited in claim 17, wherein said first wavelength range is within said range of visible light wavelengths and said second wavelength range is within said range of ultraviolet light wavelengths.

19. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises at least 50 light emitting diodes.

20. A lighting device as recited in claim 19, wherein each of said light emitting diodes draws not more than 50 milliamps of current.

21. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises not more than 30 light emitting diodes.

22. A lighting device as recited in claim 21, wherein each of said light emitting diodes draws at least 300 milliamps of current.

23. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises not more than 20 light emitting diodes.

24. A lighting device as recited in claim 23, wherein each of said light emitting diodes draws at least 300 milliamps of current.

25. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises at least 100 light emitting diodes.

26. A lighting device as recited in claim 21, wherein each of said light emitting diodes draws not more than 50 milliamps of current.

27. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one battery and circuitry connecting said battery to said conductive tracks.

28. A lighting device as recited in claim 27, wherein said circuitry connecting said battery to said conductive tracks selectively electrically connects said battery to said conductive tracks.

29. A lighting device as recited in claim 27, wherein said circuitry connecting said battery to said conductive tracks electrically connects said battery to said conductive tracks.

30. A lighting device as recited in claim 27, wherein said battery is electrically connected to at least one photovoltaic energy collection device.

31. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least one photovoltaic energy collection device and circuitry connecting said photovoltaic energy collection device to said conductive tracks.

32. A lighting device as recited in claim 31, wherein said circuitry connecting said photovoltaic energy collection device to said conductive tracks selectively electrically connects said photovoltaic energy collection device to said conductive tracks.

33. A lighting device as recited in claim 31, wherein said circuitry connecting said photovoltaic energy collection device to said conductive tracks electrically connects said photovoltaic energy collection device to said conductive tracks.

34. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, further comprising at least a first luminescent material.

35. A lighting device as recited in claim 34, wherein said first luminescent material comprises at least a first phosphor.

36. A lighting device as recited in claim 34, wherein said lighting device comprises at least one luminescent element which comprises said first luminescent material, said luminescent element being attached to said housing, said luminescent element and said housing defining an internal space, said solid state light emitter being positioned within said internal space.

37. A lighting device as recited in claim 36, wherein said luminescent element has said first luminescent material embedded therein.

38. A lighting device as recited in claim 34, wherein said lighting device comprises at least one luminescent element which comprises at least a first luminescent element region and a second luminescent element region, said first luminescent element region comprising said first luminescent material, said second luminescent element region comprising said second luminescent material, said first luminescent material, upon being excited, emitting light within a first wavelength range, said second luminescent material, upon being excited, emitting light within a second wavelength range, all values within said second wavelength range being different from all values within said first wavelength range.

39. A lighting device as recited in claim 34, wherein said lighting device comprises a plurality of luminescent elements, each luminescent element comprising at least one luminescent material, each luminescent element being attached to said housing to define an internal space, at least one solid state light emitter being positioned within each internal space.

40. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said conductive tracks are metallized portions of said housing.

41. A lighting device as recited in claim 40, wherein said conductive tracks have been painted on said housing.

42. A lighting device as recited in claim 40, wherein said conductive tracks have been printed on said housing.

43. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device provides light of an initial intensity when initially illuminated, and provides light of an intensity which is at least 50 percent of said initial intensity after 50,000 hours of illumination.

44. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said device comprises a plurality of solid state light emitters mounted on an annular flange portion of said housing.

45. A lighting device as recited in claim 44, further comprising a luminescent element attached to said housing and to an inner edge of said annular flange portion, said luminescent element, said housing and said annular flange portion defining an internal space within which said solid state light emitters are positioned.

46. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said conductive tracks each comprise a conductive portion and an insulating layer.

47. A lighting device consisting essentially of:

a housing;

at least one solid state light emitter; and

conductive tracks coupleable with at least one power supply,

said conductive tracks being positioned on at least a first portion of said housing, said conductive tracks comprising at least a first positive conductive track and at least a first negative conductive track,

said solid state light emitter being in electrical contact with at least one said positive conductive track,

said solid state light emitter being in electrical contact with at least one said negative conductive track.

48. A lighting device comprising:

a fixture comprising conductive elements which are coupleable to at least one power supply; and

at least one solid state light emitter,

said solid state light emitter being mounted on said fixture, said lighting device providing light of an initial intensity when initially illuminated, and providing light of an intensity which is at least 50 percent of said initial intensity after 50,000 hours of illumination.