Patent Application
20140268781
Not applicable.
The present invention relates to lighting fixtures, and in particular, to modular LED lighting systems and methods of assembling same.
Embodiments of the present invention include a lighting system. The lighting system comprises a light fixture. The light fixture includes a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) strings and a housing. The plurality of LED strings are electrically coupled in a low voltage configuration. The housing has the plurality of LED strings disposed in the direction of a longitudinal axis of the housing and includes a first and second member. The first member protrudes from a first end of the housing and has a first set of conductive elements electrically coupled across the plurality of LED strings. The second member protrudes from a second end of the housing and has a second set of conductive elements electrically coupled across the plurality of LED strings. The first and second members are complimentary to provide mechanical and electrical coupling between the light fixture and other fixtures without external wiring.
Embodiments of the present invention include a light fixture. The light fixture comprises a housing, a set of conductive actuators, a set of conductive surfaces, and a plurality of LED strings. The set of conductive actuators is integrated into a first end of the housing. The set of conductive surfaces is integrated into a second end of the housing. The plurality of LED strings is disposed within the housing and electrically coupled to the set of conductive actuators and the set of conductive surfaces. The set of conductive actuators is complimentary to the set of conductive surfaces such that a plurality of light fixtures, each identical to the light fixture, may be affixed end to end with the light fixture to provide a continuous electrical connection to illuminate the plurality of LED strings and a plurality of LED strings of each light fixture of the plurality of light fixtures.
The following detailed description and accompanying drawings provide a better understanding of the nature and advantages of the present invention.
Described herein are techniques for modular lighting systems and method of assembling same. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous examples and specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. It will be evident, however, to one skilled in the art that the present invention as defined by the claims may include some or all of the features in these examples alone or in combination with other features described below, and may further include modifications and equivalents of the features and concepts described herein.
AC power source 101 provides power to light fixtures 103-104 through modules 102a and 102b. Module 102a includes direct current (DC) power supply 105 which receives a single line from AC power source 101 and distributes power to two independent circuits of light fixtures 103-104. Module 102b couples DC power electrically from power supply 105 to lighting fixture 103 through conductive elements 119-120 and 107-108. Power supply 105 includes a plurality of DC supplies 106 which work in concert to provide DC power to lighting fixture 103 and 104. Power supply 105 may interactively adjust power based on the number of lighting fixtures coupled in series (e.g. fixture 103 and 104). In one embodiment, modules 102a and 102b are integrated together such that only a single cable (having two conductive wires) is required to power lighting fixtures 103 and 104. Implementation of this embodiment may depend on the weight of power supply 105. In this embodiment, conductive elements 107 and 108 are conductive actuators and conductive elements 119-120 are conductive surfaces.
Lighting fixture 103 includes conductive elements 107-108, 111-112, and light emitting diode (LED) strings 109-110. DC power supply 105 couples through conductive element 119 and 107 to power LED strings 109. DC power supply 105 couples through conductive element 120 and 108 to power LED strings 110. Light fixture 103 couples electrically to lighting fixture 104 through conductive elements 111-114.
Lighting fixture 104 includes conductive elements 113-114, 117-118, and light emitting diode (LED) strings 115-116. DC power supply 105 couples through conductive element 119, 107, 111, and 113 to power LED strings 115. DC power supply 106 couples through conductive element 120, 108, 112, and 114 to power LED strings 116. Light fixture 104 couples electrically to other lighting fixtures through conductive elements 117-118. LED strings 109 and 115 are electrically isolated from LED strings 110 and 116 to increase the likelihood of continuous light upon partial electrical failure or partially interrupted power from DC power supply 105 or 106.
Cut away view 313 includes a portion of the second plurality of LED strings. LED 315 is an example of component placement within housing side 310. The LEDs (e.g. LED 315) may be disposed on a printed circuit board (PCB) 314 and directed to shine into an edge 316 of diffuser (not shown) located just below lens 317. This may illuminate a region between the first and second plurality of LED strings. The light diffuser between the first plurality of LED strings and the second plurality of LED strings may redirect a plurality of light rays toward a normal axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis 311 and a lateral axis 312. Both the first and second pluralities of LED strings below housing side 309-310 respectively are disposed in the direction of a longitudinal axis 311 of the housing.
Members 318 and 320 are complimentary to provide mechanical and electrical coupling between light fixture 300 and other fixtures without external wiring. Similarly, members 319 and 321 are complimentary to provide mechanical and electrical coupling between light fixture 300 and other fixtures without external wiring. For example, hole 305 and 307 are complimentary to hole 306 and 308 respectively such that each fixture is modular and may be affixed end to end to form a plurality of light fixtures.
Ridge 350 partially circumscribes set of conductive actuators 334 and is mechanically complimentary to a surface 323 of
A method of assembling a modular lighting system may include rigidly affixing modules 300 and 301 by mating their complimentary members to electrically couple a first plurality of LED strings of module 300 to a second plurality of LED strings of module 301. The complimentary members are located on opposite ends of each of the modules 300-301. Rigidly affixing module 300 to module 301 may also simultaneously rigidly affix module 300-301 to a support. Machine screws used in the embodiment may be long enough to engage a threaded hole or wood screws used in another embodiment may engage a plastic pilot hole in the support below (not shown).
The method may also include suspending modules 300-301 from a ceiling and providing only one drop cable from a ceiling to module 300 in order to provide power to the first and second pluralities of LED strings. The drop cable has at least two separate wires. The method may also include rigidly affixing an endcap module (e.g. module 102b of
Although pogo pins have been shown as actuators, other actuators such as spring loaded contacts may also be used as an actuator. Some conductive surfaces may be stamped. In other embodiments a deflected metal forms or assemblies may be used as the actuator. In other embodiments MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) may be used to implement the actuators. Although screws and holes have been used in the above embodiment, other connectors such as clips and snaps may be employed to affix one module to another. Although a top down assembly has been demonstrated in the above embodiment, other embodiments may be affixed along walls or floors to provide lighting.
The above description illustrates various embodiments of the present invention along with examples of how aspects of the present invention may be implemented. The above examples and embodiments should not be deemed to be the only embodiments, and are presented to illustrate the flexibility and advantages of the present invention. Based on the above disclosure, other arrangements, embodiments, implementations and equivalents will be evident to those skilled in the art and may be employed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
