This invention generally relates to lighting systems, and more particularly, to a modular LED lighting system.
The background information is believed, at the time of the filing of this patent application, to adequately provide background information for this patent application. However, the background information may not be completely applicable to the claims as originally filed in this patent application, as amended during prosecution of this patent application, and as ultimately allowed in any patent issuing from this patent application. Therefore, any statements made relating to the background information are not intended to limit the claims in any manner and should not be interpreted as limiting the claims in any manner.
Fluorescent light fixtures, such as strip and troffer light fixtures, have typically been installed to provide general lighting of large indoor spaces. For example, fluorescent light fixtures may include troffers that may be stem or pendant mounted or suspended from a ceiling.
Typically, such fluorescent fixtures may include a channel in the form of an inverted troffer, with the channel being attached to, or suspended from, a structure. Lamp holders or sockets are typically attached to the channel or troffer. A ballast is attached within the troffer and wiring attaches the ballast to the lamp holders. Power is supplied to the ballast by wiring brought into the troffer through the top or end of the channel. A ballast cover is used to cover the ballast and wiring. Linear fluorescent lamps are then placed in the lamp holders for operation of the fixture. The lamps may be left bare or covered, with a lens for example, for providing light to the space below. Because of their low cost and utilitarian use, fluorescent strip light fixtures are currently installed in abundance. For example, typical uses include warehouses, retail stores, such as grocery, drug, and department stores, where the fixtures are commonly mounted in continuous rows.
Since the introduction of the fluorescent lamp at the 1939 World Fair, fluorescent lighting technology has greatly advanced. For example, over the years, lamp and ballast manufacturers have developed fluorescent lamp-ballast systems with improved efficiencies. More recently, light emitting diode (LED) lamps have been developed. An LED lamp is a solid-state lamp that uses LEDs as the source of light. An LED may comprise a conventional semiconductor light emitting diode or an organic or polymeric light emitting diode. LED lamps may have one or more advantages over fluorescent lamps, for example, LED lamps do not contain mercury, they may turn on more instantaneously, they may have a longer service life, and they may have a greater efficiency.
It may be desired to provide advantages of LEDs to lighting systems. However, it may be difficult to provide an LED lighting system that may be tailored to a desired application. Thus, there is a need for modular LED lighting systems, kits, and methods that may provide a desired arrangement of LED lights in an LED lighting system.
In at least one aspect of the present disclosure, a modular LED lighting system is disclosed. The modular LED lighting system comprises at least one LED lamp housing configured to house and hold at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or an array of LEDs mounted inside the lamp housing and electrically connect the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or the array of LEDs to a power source. The LED lamp housing comprises two substantially parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls, each sidewall being at least as long as the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or the array of LEDs. Two substantially parallel end walls extend from edges of the sidewalls to form an LED lamp housing with a rectangular bottom light opening. Each of the sidewalls and each of the end walls comprise a flange extending outwardly from a perimeter of the light opening, the flange being configured for mounting the modular LED lamp on a ceiling suspension grid. An abutting surface extends upwardly from the flange and is configured for abutting each of the at least one LED lamp housings with an adjacent LED lamp housing, in the modular LED lighting system.
In at least one other aspect of the present disclosure, a modular LED lighting system is disclosed. The modular LED lighting system comprises at least one LED lamp housing, wherein the at least one LED lamp housing is configured to house and hold at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or an array of LEDs mounted inside the lamp housing and electrically connect the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or the array of LEDs to a power source. The LED lamp housing comprises two substantially parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls, each sidewall being at least as long as the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or the array of LEDs. Two substantially parallel end walls extend from edges of the sidewalls and form an LED lamp housing with a rectangular lower light opening. Each of the sidewalls are configured to abut with a sidewall of an adjacent LED lamp housing in the modular LED lighting system. Each of the end walls are configured to abut with an end wall of an adjacent LED lamp housing in the modular LED lighting system. Each of the at least one LED lamp housings in the modular LED lighting system is configured to adjoin with an adjacent LED lamp housing.
The following figures, which are idealized, are not to scale and are intended to be merely illustrative of aspects of the present disclosure and non-limiting. In the drawings, like elements may be depicted by like reference numerals. The drawings are briefly described as follows.
Reference will now be made in detail to the present exemplary embodiments and aspects of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying figures. The same reference numbers may be used in the figures to refer to the same or like parts. The presently disclosed embodiments, aspects, and features of the present invention are not to limit the presently claimed invention as other and different embodiments, aspects, and features will become apparent to one skilled in the art upon reading the present disclosure.
LED lamp housing 10 may comprise two substantially parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls 12, each longitudinally extending sidewall 12 is at least as long as the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or the array of LEDs to be mounted in LED lamp housing 10. For example, sidewalls 12 may have a length l, greater than a length of the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp or the array of LEDs to be mounted in LED lamp housing 10. Sidewalls 12 may have tabs 22 extending inwardly. Tabs 22 may be configured and disposed for mechanically mounting a lens in, on, or about a light opening 17, shown in
LED lamp housing 10 may comprise two substantially parallel end walls 20, wherein each end wall 20 may extend from edges of longitudinally extending sidewalls 12 and form LED lamp housing 10 with a rectangular bottom light opening 17. End walls 20 may have a width w and a configuration for holding one or more longitudinally extending LED lamps or the arrays of LEDs. For example, lamp housing 10 may be configured to hold or house a plurality of LED lamps or arrays of LEDs in a parallel configuration, and for providing a desired configuration of light opening 17. For example, light opening 17 may be square. In the embodiment of end walls 20 shown in
A flange 16 may extend outwardly from each of the longitudinally extending sidewalls 12 and end walls 20 and around a perimeter of the light opening 17. Flange 16 may be configured and disposed for mounting a modular LED lamp system comprising one or more LED lamp housing 10 on a ceiling suspension grid. In at least one embodiment of the present disclosure, flange 16 extends completely around light opening 17 and is void of interruptions. However, it is to be understood that flange 16 may not be required to extend outwardly from the four lower corners of LED lamp housing 10.
An abutting surface 18 may extend upwardly from flange 16 and may be configured for abutting each of the at least one LED lamp housings 10, in the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure, with an adjacent LED lamp housing 10. For example, an embodiment of the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure may comprise at least two LED lamp housings 10 adjoined to one another, each LED lamp housing 10 may have a sidewall 12 abutted with a sidewall 12 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 10 or an end wall 20 abutted with an end wall 20 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 10. The abutted surfaces 18, of the sidewalls 12 or end walls 20 of the adjoined LED lamp housings 10, may be entirely, or substantially entirely, in contact with one another upon adjoining.
The modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure may comprise one or more LED lamp housings with a top wall 14 extending from top edges of sidewalls 12 and top edges of the end walls 20. Top wall 14 may enclose a top of LED lamp housing 10 and light opening 17 may be an open bottom of LED lamp housing 10. Fastening sites 24 may be provided in top wall 14. Fastening sites 24 may be configured and disposed for adjoining two or more lamp housings 10 together. For example, an adjoining bar may be fastened at one or more fastening sites 24.
Electrical cover mounting tabs 28 may extend into LED lamp housing 15 and may be configured and disposed for mounting electrical cover 26 onto an inner side of a sidewall 20, as shown in
A modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure may comprise at least one LED lamp housing 15 configured to house and hold at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp 11 or an array of LEDs 13 mounted inside lamp housing 15 and electrically connect the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp 11 or the array of LEDs 13 to a power source, not shown. LED lamp housing 15 may comprise two substantially parallel longitudinally extending sidewalls 12, each sidewall 12 being at least as long as the at least one longitudinally extending LED lamp 11 or the array of LEDs 13. Two substantially parallel end walls 20 may extend from edges of sidewalls 12 and form LED lamp housing 15 with a lower rectangular light opening 17. Each sidewall 12 may be configured to abut with a sidewall 12 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 15, in the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure. Each of the end walls 20 may be configured to abut with an end wall 20 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 15, in the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure. Each of the LED lamp housings 15, in the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure, may be configured to adjoin with an adjacent LED lamp housing 15.
The modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure may be configured to be mounted on a ceiling suspension grid. For example, LED lamp housing 15 may comprise a top wall 14 extending from top edges of the sidewalls 12 and end walls 20. Top wall 14 may enclose a top of LED lamp housing 15 and light opening 17 may be an open bottom. The modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure may comprise at least one adjoining bar attached to top walls 14, of the adjacently adjoined LED lamp housings 15. Upon adjoining adjacent LED light housings 15, in modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure, each of the adjoined LED lamp housings have at least one sidewall 12 abutted with a sidewall 12 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 15 or at least one end wall 20 abutted with an end wall 20 of an adjacent LED lamp housing.
LED lamp housing 15 may further comprise a flange 16 extending outwardly from each of the sidewalls 12 and end walls 20 and about a portion of a perimeter of the light opening 17. Flange 16 may be disposed and configured for mounting the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure on a ceiling suspension grid. The modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure may comprise at least two LED lamp housings 15 adjoined to one another, wherein each of the LED lamp housings 15 have a sidewall 12 abutted with a sidewall 12 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 15 or an end wall 20 abutted with an end wall 20 of an adjacent LED lamp housing 15. For example, LED lamp housing 15 may further comprise an abutting surface 18 extending upwardly from flange 16, which may be configured for abutting each of LED lamp housing 15 with an adjacent LED lamp housing 15, in the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure. However, in at least one embodiment of the LED lamp housing of the present disclosure, the LED lamp housing is void of a flange and/or abutting surface.
Other and different lens configurations may be used with the modular LED lighting system of the present disclosure. For example, a lens may be configured to be magnetically attached to LED lamp housing 10. In at least one embodiment, a lens may have magnets or ferromagnetic materials and the LED lamp housing may have the other of magnets or ferromagnetic materials, wherein the magnets or ferromagnetic materials are configured and disposed to magnetically attach and hold lens to an LED lamp housing. For example, a lens may be substantially flat and may be configured to magnetically attach with or about a flange extending from the sidewalls or end walls. For example, as shown in
A flange 16 may extend outwardly from each of the longitudinally extending sidewalls 12 and end walls 20 and abutting surface 18 may extend upwardly from flange 16. The abutted end walls 20, of each adjoined LED lamp housing 10, may have their adjacent abutting surfaces 18 completely, or substantially completely abutted or in contact with one another.
LED lamp housings 10 have top wall 14 extending from top edges of sidewalls 12 and top edges of the end walls 20. Top wall 14 may enclose a top of LED lamp housing 10 and have fastening sites 24, shown in
A flange 16 may extend outwardly from each longitudinally extending sidewall 12 and/or end walls 20 and abutting surface 18 may extend upwardly from flange 16. The abutted sidewalls 12, of each adjoined LED lamp housing 10, may have their adjacent abutting surfaces 18 completely, or substantially completely abutted or in contact with one another.
LED lamp housings 10 have top wall 14 extending from top edges of sidewalls 12 and top edges of the end walls 20. Top wall 14 may enclose a top of LED lamp housing 10 and have fastening sites 24, shown in
A flange 16 may extend outwardly from at least a portion of each longitudinally extending sidewall 12 and end wall 20 and abutting surface 18 may extend upwardly from flange 16. The abutted sidewalls 12, of each adjacently adjoined LED lamp housing 10, may have their adjacent abutting surfaces 18 completely, or substantially completely abutted or in contact with one another.
LED lamp housings 10 have top wall 14 extending from top edges of sidewalls 12 and top edges of the end walls 20. Top wall 14 may enclose a top of LED lamp housing 10 and have fastening sites 24, shown in
The presently disclosed modular LED lighting system may be configured to provide at least two linear LED sources and may be configured to connect to the branch circuit using a luminaire disconnect and may have a junction box covering the connection point which may be mounted to a wall of a LED lamp housing. The presently disclosed modular LED lighting system may be configured to be mounted with a ceiling grid or conventionally mounted with any number of mounting means including, but not limited to, S-Hook chain hung from an adjoining bar or surface mounted to a ceiling surface.