Strip lighting

• US 6,796,680 B1
• Filed: 01/28/2000
• Issued: 09/28/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 01/28/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Lumileds Lighting US LLC (Apollo Global Management, Inc.)
• Inventors: Goddard, Kenneth Robert, Showers, David Field, Oldis, Malcolm Wesley, Quantrell, James Berry
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember, Thomas M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TRUONG, BAO Q
• Application Number:
  US09/493,119
• Time in Patent Office: 1,705 Days
• Field of Search: 362/246, 362/249, 362/146, 362/152, 362/223, 362/225, 362/363, 362/367, 362/368, 362/145, 362/219, 362/240, 362/239, 362/252, 362/800, 439/631, 439/328
• US Class Current: 362/246
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• 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 21/005 for several lighting devices in an end-to-end arrangement, i.e. light tracks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for decorative purposes, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2121/004 mounted on the exterior of houses or other buildings to illuminate parts thereof
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01R 25/162 Electrical connections between or with rails or bus-bars rails having primarily a non electrical function H01R4/64

Abstract

A strip lighting device includes an elongate housing, a plurality of light sources arranged at intervals within the housing, and a fastener for fastening the elongate housing to a surface. The elongate housing overlies the plurality of light sources and diffuses, disperses or scatters light from the light sources such that individuals of the plurality of light sources are substantially not distinguishable when the housing is viewed from the outside.

Claims

1. A strip lighting device which includes:

an elongate housing comprising a hollow enclosure with at least one opening, wherein said elongate housing is at least partially translucent and is a single piece of material having one or more cavities to receive said light sources;

a plurality of light sources arranged at intervals within said hollow enclosure; and

a fastener, separate from said elongate housing, for fastening said elongate housing to a surface;

wherein said housing overlies the plurality of light sources and diffuses, disperses, or scatters light emitted by the light sources such that individuals of the plurality of light sources are substantially not distinguishable when activated and viewed from outside said housing.

2. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 wherein the housing includes multiple scattering elements.

3. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 wherein said light sources are semiconductor light emitting devices.

4. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 wherein an outer face of the elongate housing is transversely domed or convex.

5. A strip lighting device to claim 1 wherein said housing is a single piece of hollow material comprising a passageway in the hollow portion extending longitudinally of the housing, and wherein said light sources are disposed in said passageway.

6. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 wherein said elongate housing has a substantially uniform cross-section.

7. A strip lighting device according to claim 5 wherein said light sources are semiconductor devices such as light emitting diode (LED) devices and wherein said semiconductor or LED devices are arranged on a printed circuit board strip extending along and mounted within said passageway.

8. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 wherein said fastener comprises a mounting rail adapted to be fastened to said surface, and cooperable means on the rail and on said housing for effecting a snap or sliding engagement of the housing to the rail so that the housing is generally parallel to the rail.

9. A strip lighting device according to claim 8 wherein, on said engagement, the housing overlies said rail.

10. A strip lighting device according to claim 8 wherein said snap or sliding engagement is between longitudinally extending rib means on one of the rail and housing, and complementary groove means on the other of the rail and housing.

11. A strip lighting device according to claim 10 further including opposed longitudinal undercut formations in said groove means.

12. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 further comprising a face that provides a substantially planar real surface.

13. A strip lighting device according to claim 1 further comprising a connector to couple the housing to another similar strip lighting device.

14. A strip lighting device according to claim 13 wherein said connector permits said housing and said another similar strip lighting device to be relatively longitudinally displaced by thermal explosion or building subsidence, without being uncoupled.

15. A strip lighting device according to claim 14 wherein said connector comprises an integral molded body which defines a pair of generally tubular portions slidably engageable with the respective said housings so that their interiors are in communication within the connector, wherein said integral molded body further defines a relatively thin wall portion between said generally tubular portions, said thin wall portion being resiliently deformable to compensate for relative variations in the relative positions of the generally tubular portions.

16. A strip lighting device according to claim 15 wherein said integral molded body is in a material adopted to engage and sealingly grasp the respective said housings.

17. A strip lighting device according to claim 7 further including means to electrically and physically interconnect said circuit board strip to a similar circuit board strip of a similar device to which said device is coupled.

18. A strip lighting device according to claim 17 wherein said means to electrically and physically interconnect includes:

an integral molded body with features which define spaced generally parallel channels or passages open at their outer ends to receive respective end fingers of the respective said strips, whereby the strips are aligned and generally co-planar;

electrically conductive contact means in said channels or passages for engaging complementary contacts on said strips when said fingers are received in the channels;

means carried by said body electrically connecting each of the contact means for one strip carried by said body with one or more of the contact means for the other strip; and

resiliently deformable means on said body for latching said body to each of said strips.

19. A strip lighting device according to claim 18 wherein said spaced channels are arranged along opposite sides of the integral molded body, and open laterally from the body.

20. A strip lighting device according to claim 18 wherein said resiliently deformable latch means is provided as a pair of deflectable tongue portions with lugs, which tongue portions are defined by slits in a web portion of the integral molded body.

21. A structure having one or more features highlighted or decorated by one or more strip lighting devices comprising:

an elongate housing comprising a hollow enclosure with at least one opening, wherein said elongate housing is at least partially translucent and is a single piece of material having one or more cavities to receive said light sources;

a plurality of light sources arranged at intervals within said hollow enclosure; and

a fastener, separate from said elongate housing, for fastening said elongate housing to a surface;

wherein said housing overlies the plurality of light sources and diffuses, disperses, or scatters light emitted by the light sources such that individuals of the plurality of light sources are substantially not distinguishable when activated and viewed from outside said housing.

22. A structure according to claim 21 wherein said highlighted or decorated feature of the structure is a corner or edge.

23. A structure according to claim 22 wherein said edge is an edge of a roof, a window or a door, or a corner between respective wall or roof sections.

24. A structure according to claim 22 wherein said edge is a gable or ridge line of a building roof.