SIGN BOX LIGHTING SYSTEM

• US 20140268785A1
• Filed: 12/09/2013
• Published: 09/18/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sloan Company Incorporated (Sloan)
• Original Assignee: Sloan Company Incorporated (Sloan)
• Inventors: Quaal, Bruce, Ferrie, Timothy Drew, Meyer, Aaron, Chu, Chad
• Granted Patent: US 10,446,065 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/249.08
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/22 flexible or deformable, e.g. into a curved shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/007 with provision for shipment or storage
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/088 Clips; Clamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/14 Adjustable mountings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/001 the elements being electrical wires or cables
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0413 Frames or casing structures therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/08 using both translucent and non-translucent layers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/10 using transparencies
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs

Abstract

A lighting system comprising a light box housing, a plurality of lighting units including a housing, a plurality of light emitting elements mounted on a PCB within the housing. The lighting units can also be interconnected in a daisy-chain configuration on at least one carrier, such that the lighting units form an array of lighting units. The array of lighting units adapted to be mounted within the light box housing, wherein the light box housing comprises one or more arrays of lighting units.

Claims

1. A lighting system, comprising:

a light box housing including a light transmissive face, a back, and a plurality of sidewalls separating said face and said back;

a plurality of interconnected lighting units on at least one carrier in said light box housing and comprising conductors to provide an electrical signal to each of said units, each of said plurality of lighting units comprising;

a plurality of light emitting elements; and

a printed circuit board (PCB), wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are on said PCB and adapted to emit light substantially away from said PCB and toward said light transmissive face in response to said electrical signal; and

a mounting mechanism arranged to mount said plurality of lighting units to said light box housing, wherein light emitted from said plurality of lighting units has a light distribution pattern to form a substantially uniform light emission through said light transmissive face.

2. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of lighting units are on two carriers, such that each of said plurality of lighting units are aligned with each other.

3. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one carrier comprises a plurality of carrier holes and each of said PCBs comprises at least one slot, wherein said carrier hole of said at least one carrier is aligned with a respective slot of said PCB in order to couple said PCBs to said at least one carrier.

4. The lighting system of claim 3, wherein the aligned slots and carrier holes are adapted to receive a fastener in order to couple each of said PCBs to said at least one carrier about said carrier holes.

5. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a housing adapted to cover at least part of said PCB, said conductors and said at least one carrier.

6. The lighting system of claim 5, wherein said housing is an overmold housing overmolded onto at least part of said PCB, conductors and said at least one carrier.

7. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said conductors are a continuous length of conductors in electrical connection with each of said plurality of lighting units.

8. The lighting system of claim 7, wherein each PCB of said plurality of lighting units comprises a pair of crimp terminals, wherein said conductors are center-stripped such that an exposed center conductor of said conductors is received by a respective one of said pair of crimp terminals.

9. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said mounting mechanism comprises at least one pair of mounting brackets mounted to opposing sidewalls of said light box housing, each of said mounting brackets comprising:

a base; and

at least one leg extending from said base, wherein said base is mounted to said sidewall of said light box housing and said plurality of lighting units are mounted to said at least one leg of each of said opposing mounting brackets.

10. The lighting system of claim 9, said mounting mechanism further comprising a clamp adapted to be coupled to a respective one of said mounting brackets, wherein said clamp is arranged to receive respective ends of said at least one carrier in order to mount said plurality of lighting units to said opposing mounting brackets.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, said clamp comprising:

a front plate;

a back plate, wherein each of said front and back plate comprise a plurality of recesses, a plurality of projections and at least one aperture; and

a hinge, wherein said front plate is hingedly coupled to said back plate;

wherein said back plate comprises a stop and said front plate comprises a tongue, such that said tongue is adapted to be received by said stop when said clamp is closed, whereby said clamp is coupled to said respective end of said at least one carrier.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of projections of said front and back plate adapted to contact a respective side of said at least one carrier and hold said at least one carrier in place when said clamp is closed.

13. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein said at least one aperture of said front and back plate adapted to form a channel when said clamp is closed.

14. The lighting system of claim 13, wherein said channel is adapted to receive a bolt in order to mount said clamp to said mounting bracket.

15. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein said plurality of recesses of said front and back plates adapted to form a pocket on opposing ends of said clamp when said clamp is closed.

16. The lighting system of claim 15, wherein each of said plurality of lighting units further comprising a housing adapted to cover at least part of said at least one carrier proximate said PCB, said housing comprising a first shoe and a second shoe around said at least one carrier proximate said PCB on opposite sides of said housing.

17. The lighting system of claim 16, wherein one of said first or second shoe is disposed within one of said plurality of recesses of said front or back plates such that said first or second shoe is received by said pocket of said clamp when said clamp is closed.

18. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are on the same side of said PCB, such that each of said plurality of lighting units is arranged in a single-sided configuration.

19. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting elements are on both sides of said PCBs, such that each of said plurality of lighting units is arranged in a double-sided configuration.

20. The lighting system of claim 19, wherein each of said plurality of lighting units comprises a conductor on each side of said PCB to provide said electrical signal to said light emitting elements on both sides of said PCB.

21. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said at least one carrier is comprised of a webbing formed of strong fabric woven as a flat strip.

22. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein said at least one carrier is a multi-paneled webbing.

23. The lighting system of claim 21, wherein said webbing is flexible and able to provide structural support to said lighting units.

24. An array of lighting units, comprising:

at least one carrier;

a plurality of lighting units mounted to said at least one carrier, wherein said plurality of lighting units are electrically connected to each other in a daisy-chain configuration, each of said lighting units comprising;

a printed circuit board (PCB) coupled to said at least one carrier;

a plurality of light emitting elements on at least one side of said PCB; and

first and second electrical conductors coupled to said PCB and arranged to provide an electrical signal to each of said plurality of light emitting elements;

wherein said at least one carrier is adapted to be flexible such that said at least one carrier can bend freely in many different directions;

wherein said plurality of lighting units and said at least one carrier are adapted to be coiled to form a coiled array of lighting units.

25. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said at least one carrier comprises a plurality of carrier holes spaced apart, such that said PCBs are mounted to said at least one carrier about said carrier holes such that said lighting units are spaced apart along said at least one carrier.

26. The array of lighting units of claim 25, wherein the positioning of said lighting units can be adjusted by mounting said PCB to different carrier holes of said at least one carrier.

27. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said at least one carrier arranged to comprise a plurality of carriers coupled together, wherein respective ends of said plurality of carriers are coupled together using a coupler.

28. The array of lighting units of claim 27, wherein said coupler comprising:

a back plate comprising a plurality of recesses, a plurality of projections and an opening proximate the projections;

a first and second front plate, each front plate comprising an aperture, a recess, a plurality of projections and an indentation; and

a hinge, wherein said first and second front plates are hingedly coupled to said back plate.

29. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said indentations are arranged to be aligned with said opening to form a groove when said coupler is closed, wherein said groove adapted to receive a bolt to mount said coupler to a structure or surface.

30. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said plurality of projections of said front and back plates adapted to contact a respective side of said at least one carrier, wherein a pin can be received by said aperture of said front walls in order to hold said at least one carrier in place when said coupler is closed.

31. The array of lighting units of claim 28, wherein said recesses of said front and back plates adapted to form a pocket on opposing ends of said coupler when said coupler is closed.

32. The array of lighting units of claim 24, further comprising a housing covering at least part of said PCB and part of said at least one carrier proximate said PCB, and part of said first and second electrical conductors proximate said PCB.

33. The array of lighting units of claim 31, further comprising a housing covering at least part of said PCB and part of said at least one carrier proximate said PCB, wherein said housing comprises a first shoe and a second shoe around said at least one carrier proximate said PCB on opposite sides of said housing.

34. The array of lighting units of claim 33, wherein one of said first or second shoe is disposed within one of said recesses of said front or back plates such that said first or second shoe is received by said pocket of said coupler when said coupler is closed.

35. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said at least one carrier is comprised of a webbing formed of woven fabric.

36. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said at least one carrier is formed of cotton, nylon, polyester, polypropylene, or a combination thereof.

37. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said coiled array of lighting units is arranged to provide an extended length of fully assembled and electrically connected array of lighting units on said at least one carrier.

38. The array of lighting units of claim 24, further comprising at least one bracket around part of said coiled array of lighting units, wherein said at least one bracket adapted to maintain the coiled shape of said coiled array of lighting units.

39. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said at least one carrier is adapted to be substantially flat when said coiled array of lighting units is uncoiled.

40. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said coiled array of lighting units is adapted to be packaged in a box, wherein a storage support structure is arranged in a central opening of said coiled array of lighting units.

41. The array of lighting units of claim 40, wherein said box is a pizza-type box.

42. The array of lighting units of claim 40, wherein said storage support structure is adapted to maintain the coiled shape of said coiled array of lighting units.

43. The array of lighting units of claim 40, wherein said storage support structure is adapted to be modified, such that the shape or size said storage support structure can be adjusted to accommodate different coiled arrays.

44. The array of lighting units of claim 40, wherein said box comprises said storage support structure.

45. The array of lighting units of claim 40, wherein said storage support structure is a separate element, such that said storage support structure is removable from said box.

46. The array of lighting units of claim 24, wherein said coiled array of lighting units is adapted to be packaged on a spool.