Patent Grant
11624483
The present invention relates generally to the field of illumination devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a decorative light kit comprising a plurality of decorative light panels that can be connected to each other and can be easily mounted to a home exterior during festivals, holidays, or other occasions. The decorative light panel features a groove containing multiple decorative lights and includes a retractable plastic cover that can be pulled down to reveal the lights. Accordingly, this disclosure makes specific reference thereto the present invention. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, illumination devices, such as lamps, lighting strips, string lights, hanging lamps, etc., are often used for decorating a home exterior, office premises and other places during seasonal holidays like Christmas, Halloween, etc. At home, people either decorate themselves or they get decoration assistance from various decoration service providers. However, decorating sometimes requires connecting lighting sources, such as lamps, lighting strips, etc. electrically to provide power to the lighting source and then mounting the lighting sources on a wall or other surface. The mounted lights can be activated during festive or holiday seasons and once the season is over, the lights are removed from the wall. Thus, the complete task of decorative lights can be difficult, frustrating and tiresome.
Also, while mounting the lighting devices, users are required to setup a ladder, and then constantly climb up and down ladders to attach the lights to different areas of a home exterior. While climbing up and down the ladder constantly, users may accidently fall down and may get injured. Further, having decorations put up by external service providers on every festival, holiday and occasion can get expensive for users. Thus, users may be reluctant to hire a decoration service provider, and may want to decorate themselves, thereby leaving users tired.
Additionally, while mounting lighting devices, different kinds of clips are used. The conventional clips used to hang lights can be flimsy and may end up falling during inclement weather. People may desire an improved mounting mechanism for mounting illumination devices on the wall.
Further, while connecting multiple lighting devices, a plurality of wires is used that can easily get tangled and damaged as well. Once the wires are tangled, a lot of time and effort of the user is required to untangle the wires and connect the lighting devices properly. The complete lighting setup with wires can degrade the look of walls and make the home exterior appear unappealing to others. The objective of lighting devices to improve the home exterior fails in such situations.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a lighting device that can be used for decorating home exteriors, office premises and more, during festivals or holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween, etc. There is also a long felt need in the art for a lighting device that can be easily mounted to different areas of the home exterior. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that eliminates the need to constantly climb up and down ladders to connect and mount multiple lighting devices, and therefore prevents the users from injuries due to accidental falling from ladders. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that eliminates the need to remove the mounted lighting devices when the holiday season is over. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that can be mounted easily by the user themselves and does not require assistance from external decoration service providers. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that eliminates the use of conventional clips to hang or mount the lighting devices. Also, there is a long felt need in the art for an illuminating device that eliminates the use of wires for connecting multiple lighting devices and therefore prevents tangling of wires as well. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for an illuminating device that enhances the overall look of a home's exterior and is appealing to the users.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a decorative lighting panel that can be mounted on a wall or other areas during festive or holiday seasons, such as Christmas, Halloween, etc. The decorative lighting panel includes a frame having a front surface, a rear surface and a pair of side edges, a plurality of illumination sources in the form of LED strips disposed within a groove positioned between the front surface and the rear surface of the frame, a LED driver for driving the LED strips and controlling sequencing, color, and intensity of the emitted light. The front surface has a lower portion having a slot, wherein a retractable plastic cover configured for covering the LED strips, is pulled up from the slot to cover the LED strips and is retracted back to reveal the LED strips.
In this manner, the novel decorative lighting panel of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives, and provides a relatively easy and convenient solution to decorating a home exterior, office premises, etc., during holiday seasons. The decorative lighting panel of the present invention is also user friendly, as it eliminates the need to remove the lights once the holiday season is over. Also, the panels can be painted to match the color of the walls in order to ensure an aesthetic appealing look to the walls.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a decorative lighting panel. The decorative lighting panel includes a frame having a front surface, a rear surface and a pair of side edges, and a plurality of illumination sources in the form of LED strips disposed within a groove, positioned between the front surface and the rear surface of the frame. Further, the decorative lighting panel comprises a LED driver for driving the LED strips and controlling sequencing, color, and intensity of the emitted light. The front surface has a lower portion having a slot, wherein a retractable plastic cover configured for covering the LED strips is pulled up from the slot to cover the LED strips and is retracted back to reveal the LED strips. The plastic cover is operated using at least one button disposed on the frame for automatic retraction and extension.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a remotely-controlled decorative lighting panel for mounting to a wall of a building is disclosed. The lighting panel includes a plurality of LED strips disposed within a frame, a driver circuit having an integrated sequencing circuit for driving and sequencing the LED strips, a Bluetooth chip for establishing a Bluetooth connection with a remote control, wherein the panel receives wireless instructions for one or more of, changing the color, sequencing and intensity of LEDs from the remote control, a retractable cover for covering and revealing the LED strips, wherein the LED strips are automatically activated when the cover is pulled down to reveal the LED strips and are automatically deactivated when the cover is pulled up to cover the LED strips.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the Bluetooth connection can be established between the panel and a handheld electronic device, wherein a software application installed in the handheld electronic device remotely controls the LED sources and the panel receives wireless instructions for one or more of, changing the color, sequencing and intensity of the LEDs and pulling up or down the plastic cover.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, a series of decorating lighting panels for use as permanently installed seasonal lights is disclosed. The series includes a plurality of lighting panels connected to each other in series connection, wherein each panel has a male electrical connector at one edge and a female electrical connector at the other edge, the male electrical connector of a first panel is connected to the female electrical connector of a second panel for a series connection, wherein the first panel precedes the second panel and the panels are controlled using a control box coupled to the series of panels or remotely through a remote control using a Bluetooth wireless channel.
In yet another embodiment, the decorative lighting panel has replaceable LED sources in the form of LED strips or chips that can be replaced and are driven by DC supply, which is converted from AC supply by an LED driver.
In yet another embodiment, a lighting panel having a retractable cover for covering the illumination sources disposed within the panel is disclosed. The lighting panel has a frame, a plurality of illumination sources in the form of LEDs disposed in a groove formed between a rear surface and a front surface of the frame, a retractable cover designed which extends from a lower portion of the front surface to cover the LEDs, when the LEDs are not illuminated and to retract back to reveal the LEDs, when the LEDs are illuminated, and a driver for driving the LEDs. The panel has a male electrical connector and a female electrical connector for making connections with an external AC supply or with other similar panels.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for a lighting device that can be used for decorating a home exterior, office premises, etc., during festivals and holidays, such as Christmas, Halloween, etc. There is also a long felt need in the art for a lighting device that can be easily mounted to different areas of the home exterior. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that eliminates the need to constantly climb up and down ladders to connect and mount multiple lighting devices on a wall, and therefore prevents users from injuries due to accidental falling from ladders. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that eliminates the need to remove the mounted lighting devices when the holiday season is over. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that can be mounted easily by the user, and does not require assistance from an external decoration service provider. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for an illumination device that eliminates the use of conventional clips to hang or mount the lighting devices on the wall. Also, there is a long felt need in the art for an illuminating device that eliminates the use of wires for connecting multiple lighting devices and therefore, prevents tangling of wires as well. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for an illuminating device that enhances the overall look of a home's exterior and is appealing to users.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel remotely controlled decorative lighting panel for mounting to a wall of a building. The lighting panel includes a plurality of LED strips disposed within a frame, a driver circuit having an integrated sequencing circuit for driving and sequencing the LED strips, a Bluetooth chip for establishing a Bluetooth connection with a remote control, wherein the panel receives wireless instructions for one or more of, changing the color, sequencing and intensity of the LEDs from the remote control, a retractable cover for covering and revealing the LED strips, wherein the LED strips are automatically activated when the cover is pulled down to reveal the LED strips and are automatically deactivated when the cover is pulled up to cover the LED strips.
Referring initially to the drawings,
Further, a grooved panel 108 exists between the front surface 104 and the rear surface 106 and a plurality of illumination sources 110, in the form of one or more LED chips, LED strips, LED modules, or LED packages are accommodated in the groove 108. The illumination sources 110 are covered by a retractable plastic cover that can be pulled down using the control buttons 112, 114 to visually expose the illumination sources 110 from the outside. The control buttons 112, 114 are disposed on the lower portion 1040 of the front surface 104, such that when pushed, the buttons retract a plastic cover (shown as dashed lines in the present embodiment; 202 in
Each of the side edges 116, 118 of the housing 102 has an electrical connector (120 shown on side edge 116) that allows connection of the lighting panel 100 with other lighting panels and also with an external power supply for illumination. The electrical connectors are used for electrically stacking the panels to each other and are described best in
Each electrical connector 120 is internally connected to a driver circuit 122 that drives the illumination sources 110. The driver circuit 122, preferably a LED driver, is connected to the illumination sources 110 through an internal wired circuit (not shown) and provides electrical power to the illumination sources 110. The driver circuit 122 offers a plurality of lighting sequence and can be controlled to create a desired lighting sequence to accommodate different times of the year, such as Christmas, Halloween, etc. and a plurality of patterns such as but not limited to blinking, chasing, swirling, etc. The driver circuit 122 can have an integrated LED light sequencer or chaser circuit that generates a low frequency oscillation for providing sequencing of the light. The electrical connector 120 forms the entry point of an electric wire into the lighting panel 100 and the LED driver 122, disposed within the housing 102, facilitates coupling with the illumination sources 110. In one embodiment, the circuit 122 can be controlled using a remote controller 406 that is in electrical communication with the circuit 122 and device.
It should be appreciated that the disclosed technology of the present invention provides the light fixture 100 including a frame 102 that provides a substantially flat light emitting diode (LED) panel 110 within the grooved panel 108 disposed within the frame 102 and specifically between the front surface 104 and the rear surface 106. The LED driver 122 is electrically coupled to an external AC power supply via AC input wiring through the electrical connector 120 and electrically coupled to the light emitting diode (LED) panel 110. The LED sources 110 provide bright and uniform light in a plurality of colors. The plurality of LEDs 110 can output various colors and/or color temperatures. For example, the LEDs can include white LEDs having an output of a predetermined color temperature. In accordance with another embodiment, the LEDs 110 can include a plurality of colored LEDs (i.e., LEDs having a red output, a green output, and a blue output). The LED driver 122 can be configured (in one exemplary embodiment, by the control 800) to control the intensity of the light emitted, thereby providing a dimming function.
The LED illumination sources 110 can be in the form of one or more strips of LEDs, where the strip of LEDs are removably coupled allowing for the easy replacement of one or more strips of LEDs. For example, in the case of a LED failure or burnout, the strip of LEDs could be easily replaced without replacing the entire fixture. In addition, the color output of the light fixture could be altered by swapping out one or more of the LED strips. For example, during the Christmas season, white LEDs can be replaced with red LEDs.
The upper portion 1042 of the front surface 104 has a plurality of holes 124 for mounting the frame 102 to a mounting surface, such as an exterior surface of a house, using any suitable mechanical fastener as is known in the art. Further, the top portion 1042 extends out to protect the illumination sources 110 disposed in the grooving panel 108 from rain, hailstorm, sleet, etc. In one embodiment, the illumination sources 110 can have a transparent sheet to protect them from inclement weather and physical damage. Further, the housing 102 is paintable, such that it can be matched to the color of a building to which the lighting fixture 100 is mounted. Further, the housing 102 can have any design and shape to securely fit to an exterior of any building. For activating and deactivating the light source 110 of the panel 100, a power button 126 is disposed on the front surface 104. Alternatively, the light sources 110 can be operated remotely using a remote control or a smartphone as shown in
Depending on the capabilities of the illumination source 110 and driver circuit 122, the decorative lighting panel 100 transmits light therefrom according to specific luminance values. In one embodiment, the luminance parameter of light transmitted from the panel 100 is between about 1,000 lm/m to about 1,200 lm/m, or between about 1,200 lm/m to about 1,800 lm/m. The panel 100 comes in various sizes and shapes and can be oriented in either a horizontal or vertical manner.
It should be appreciated that the lighting panel 100 has an extremely thin form factor, allowing the panel 100 to be easily mounted to any flat surface, such as the exterior wall of a building or the like.
The cover 202 is rolled into the lower portion 1040 to reveal the light panel 110 during operation of the light panel 110. Additionally, the cover 202 is designed to cover the lights when the panel 100 is not used for illumination, such as during non-festival or holiday days or during daytime. Here, the cover 202 is moved upwards from the slot 204 to abut the protruding wall 206.
When a plurality of decorative panels 100 are stacked together in a manner as explained in
In any of the configurations discussed herein, it is contemplated that the panel 100 can also be controlled using the control box 408. The control box can be a physical component associated with the panel light 100 in the form of a control box disposed in a wall, ceiling, etc., or any other suitable place.
In one embodiment, the panel 100 may come with a mounting channel (not shown). The mounting channel can be available in various lengths and the lighting panels of the present invention can be mounted on the channel, wherein the channel is secured to the wall of a building. The panels can be mounted in the form of a rail by sliding each panel 100 on the mounting channel.
In one embodiment of the present invention, the illumination sources of the panel 100 are automatically turned off when the retractable plastic cover is pulled up to cover the illumination sources. This provides the advantage of saving electrical power in cases where a user covers the lights but forgets to turn off the LED lights. Similarly, when the plastic cover is pulled down to reveal the LED lights, then, the LED lights are automatically turned on.
In various embodiments of the present invention, for providing sequencing of the illumination sources/LED lights 110, the panel 100 can have IC-4017 or IC-555. The IC 555 timer generates an astable multivibrator or low-frequency oscillator.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “decorative lighting panel”, “lighting panel”, “lighting fixture”, “panel”, “device” and “decorative panel” are interchangeable and refer to the decorative lighting panel 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the decorative lighting panel 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the decorative lighting panel 100 as shown in
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/232,224, which was filed on Aug. 12, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63232224 | Aug 2021 | US |
