LED TUBE TO REPLACE FLUORESCENT TUBE

• US 20100270925A1
• Filed: 04/23/2010
• Published: 10/28/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Billy V. Withers
• Original Assignee: Billy V. Withers
• Inventors: WITHERS, BILLY V.
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,223 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 315/51
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/27 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes
• 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: F21V 19/008 of straight tubular light sources, e.g. straight fluorescent tubes, soffit lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/008 the casing being outside the housing of the lighting device
• 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 29/87 Organic material, e.g. filled polymer composites; Thermo-conductive additives or coatings therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• 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: Y02B 20/30 Semiconductor lamps, e.g. solid state lamps [SSL] light emitting diodes [LED] or organic LED [OLED]

Abstract

Presented is an LED light tube in the general configuration of a prior art fluorescent tube. The LED light tube includes end caps with electrodes at each end, with the electrodes providing physical mounting structure to mount the LED light tube in an existing LED light fixture. The end caps of the LED light tube are not electrically active, but merely provide physical mounting structure to mount the LED light bulb in an existing fluorescent light fixture. This allows existing LED light fixtures to be utilized without replacement, by merely replacing the tubes and ballast with LED based equipment.

Claims

1. An LED lighting tube for placement in a fluorescent light fixture, comprising:

a tube body with a long axis, comprising a first dummy end cap and a second dummy end cap, with each end cap having two protruding electrodes configured for engagement with said fluorescent light fixture, with said electrodes configured for physically mounting said tube body, and being electrically unconnected to electrical components of said LED lighting tube;

a heat sink base plate positioned within said tube body and attached to said first and second dummy end caps, with said heat sink base having a first and a second side;

a plurality of LED light sources attached to said heat sink base plate and oriented on said first side of said base plate, and directed generally away from said first side of said base plate;

a diffuser plate attached to said heat sink base plate, and held in a spaced apart relationship with said heat sink base plate, and positioned between said LED light sources and said tube body;

a light cover extending between said end caps and covering said heat sink base plate, said light sources, and said diffuser plate;

a light driver for supplying power low voltage power to said LED light sources, with said light driver comprising a connection to line voltage, and power leads which attach to a low voltage power input connection attached to said light diffuser base plate, with said low voltage power input connection positioned between said end cap electrodes, but not electrically connected to said end cap electrodes.

2. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said tube body is of a generally transparent material.

3. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said tube body is generally cylindrical

4. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said tube body is generally “

U”

shaped in cross section.

5. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said heat sink base plate is an aluminum and generally rectangular in shape.

6. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said diffuser plate is generally translucent

7. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said diffuser plate is attached to said base plate, and held apart from said base plate by a plurality of support posts.

8. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 which further comprises a dimmer switch for adjusting the brightness of said LED light sources.

9. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said LED lighting tube is designed to operate at a plurality of DC voltages.

10. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said LED lighting tube further comprises a power output plug for providing power to adjacent LED lighting tubes via daisy-chain connections.

11. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said Low voltage power input plug on heat sink base is designed to allow connection with power cable only with correct polarity when inserted in plug.

14. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said LED lighting tube further comprises a power output plug for providing power to adjacent LED lighting tubes via daisy-chain connections.

15. The LED lighting tube of claim 1 in which said Low voltage power input plug on heat sink base is designed to allow connection with power cable only with correct polarity when inserted in plug.

12. LED Lighting tube will contain built-in circuit device which limits currents.

16. The LED lighting tube of claim 12 which includes a tube body lower half of aluminum which serves as heat sink and radiator, and is generally semicircular in cross section.

13. An LED lighting tube for placement in a light fixture, comprising:

a tube body with a long axis, comprising a first dummy end cap and a second dummy end cap, with each end cap having two protruding electrodes configured for engagement with said light fixture, with said electrodes configured for physically mounting said tube body, and being electrically unconnected to electrical components of said LED lighting tube;

a heat sink base plate positioned within said tube body and attached to said first and second dummy end caps, with said heat sink base having a first and a second side;

a plurality of LED light sources attached to said heat sink base plate and oriented on said first side of said base plate, and directed generally away from said first side of said base plate;

a diffuser plate attached to said base plate, and held in a spaced apart relationship with said base plate, and positioned between said LED light sources and said tube body;

a light cover extending between said end caps and covering said heat sink base plate, said light sources, and said diffuser plate;

a light driver for supplying a light driver for supplying power low voltage power to said LED light sources, with said light driver comprising a connection to line voltage, and power leads which attach to a low voltage power input connection molded into said first and second end caps, but not electrically connected to said end cap electrodes.