Patent Grant
7168843
The present invention relates generally to electrical lighting and, more particularly, to easily installed recessed lighting for use with railings and similar structures.
Average homeowners, and even semi-skilled construction workers, find conventional railing systems nearly impossible to install. Specialized installation knowledge and the present need for a variety of fittings have made standardization prohibitively expensive and mass marketing infeasible. These problems are compounded when in railings installations on staircases such as, for example, on decks where electrical lighting is also desirable. There are too many variables to make existing systems easy to install, as there are a wide variety of fittings from which selections can be made, some of which require further modification to allow them to be used. Presently, the scope of installations on stairs requires considerable knowledge, far beyond that of the average homeowner or general contractor.
There is a well-established general trend and desire for homes and commercial structures to be largely maintenance free. This has spurred the use of recycled plastic, PVC and other materials in decking and other residential and commercial building projects. Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to introduce maintenance-free deck lighting and railing systems that can be successfully installed by a novice using simple tools.
Miniature illumination lighting devices have historically used incandescent or halogen bulbs. These types of lighting systems are relatively inefficient. A substantial amount of energy is lost generating heat as a byproduct. Another disadvantage of these types of systems is the relatively short life span of the lighting bulbs. Consequently, these lighting systems result in high operational and maintenance costs. The problems associated with past miniature illumination systems have, in part, been solved by illumination devices of the type disclosed in commonly-assigned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/755,516, entitled “Super Bright LED Utility And Emergency Light.”
There remain problems relating to the costs and adaptability of light emitting diodes (LED's) to electricity supply lines in structures such as, for example, new and existing railing systems. Thus, another objective of the present invention is to provide versatile, adaptable, inexpensive lighting systems employing miniature light sources, such as, for example, LED's that are easy to install in such systems.
The present invention provides a modular lighting bar that is durable, inexpensive and yet versatile and easy to install. The lighting bar includes miniature light assemblies recessed within a mounting bar so as to expose no wiring externally. Although the modular lighting systems may be employed in a wide variety of applications, they are especially useful in providing illumination to railing systems. The lighting system allows quick, easy connection between miniature light sources such as, for example, light emitting diodes (LEDs) and electric supply lines.
In certain embodiments, the modular lighting bar has at each of its ends a mateable connector, such as male and female dovetail connectors. This allows multiple lighting bars to be hooked together to accommodate any length project that requires lighting.
These and other objectives are achieved by a plurality of LED lights mounted in suitable recesses (hollowed out volumes) inside a mounting bar. Each LED is contained in a light housing that has two prongs protruding from its back, one of which is positive and the other negative. The light housing is shaped in such a way as to allow it to be inserted into the mounting bar recess in only one possible way, thus ensuring that the positive prong and the negative prong are always in exactly the same position.
In a first embodiment, the mounting bar has a lengthwise notch or groove for mateably receiving a specially shaped supply housing designed in such a way as to firmly hold an electrical supply line. A preferred, commercially available supply line is comprised of one positive and one negative lead each surrounded by differently-shaped flexible molded plastic segments; one segment rounded and the other square so as to identify the positive and the negative leads. The supply housing includes a lengthwise recess shaped to accept the asymmetric supply line in only one possible orientation, thus ensuring that the positive lead and negative are always arranged in the same position. This allows the supply line to be aligned with the prongs of the light source(s), so as to maintain proper polarity. In certain embodiments, the light source prongs are designed to penetrate the outer plastic of the supply line to connect directly to the positive and negative leads within. This can be achieved by beveling or sharpening the prong ends to be sharp. Alternatively, the end of each prong may terminate in a small blade fixture for better penetration of the electrical supply line.
In another embodiment, the groove in the mounting bar is narrower at the surface of the bar, and wider towards the interior of the bar. For example, an inverted “T” shape in the mounting bar can be used to properly align and secure the asymmetric electrical supply line, eliminating the need for a mateable supply line housing component.
Each miniature light assembly preferably, but not necessarily, comprises an LED light source as described in commonly assigned and co-pending patent application Ser. No. 10/755,516 entitled “Super Bright LED Utility and Emergency Light”, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference. In such light assemblies, the negative prong incorporates an insulated wire directly connected to the light source, while the positive prong incorporates an insulated wire connected to the light source by a resistor. In each light assembly, sealant is disposed within the light housing affixing the relevant position of the positive and negative prongs and the light source. The sealant prevents any water or moisture from reaching the electrical connections of the light assembly. The light housing is shaped so as to surround and protect the light source without allowing the sealant to reach or coat the light source.
The present invention requires only one continuous electric supply line, and LED connections are made to that supply line by pushing the LED into its specially shaped recess, and thus forcing the prongs (or optional blade fixtures connected thereto) to puncture the plastic coating of the electric supply line and make a direct connection. This eliminates significant electrical work, usually required with standard lights having two leads protruding from them and therefore requiring individual electric connections to those. The use of uniform orientation of the electrical supply line alternatively throughout the supply housing and/or in the mounting bar groove ensures that the same electric supply line from the power source can be used throughout the installation without concern over reorientation each time a light is to be connected. The supply line can be easily twisted through holes in posts, plates, stanchions or similar supports, but regardless of such contortions will still be aligned properly in the supply housing with respect to the lights source prongs or conductive blade leads. This is especially important with LEDs, which function only with proper polarity.
The use of a single electrical supply line provides the maximum flexibility to mount LED lights anywhere along the housing, and enables use of differently shaped mounting bars that conform with the design of the structure (e.g., railing system) within which it is employed. This allows application of the lighting bars in both new and existing retrofit railing systems, regardless of the construction of those railing systems, and further permits use of the present invention for many other applications not mentioned herein, provided the mounting bar and/or supply housing bar can be mounted to a surface of a structure.
The mounting bar has through-holes disposed either horizontally or vertically to allow fastening to any surface through any conventional fastening means (e.g., screws, bolts, nails, etc.) In both the two-component lighting bar (i.e., having a mated mounting bar and supply housing) and single-mounting bar configurations, a nearly seamless and water-tight assembly is formed for conveying electrical power to a plurality of recessed, miniature light sources. Alternatively, the mounting bar may be fastened to the desired surface by means of an adhesive, eliminating the need for fasteners and through-holes.
In a preferred embodiments, the single-mounting bar or mated two-component lighting bar also serve as supports for a handrail, in which a groove or channel may be formed to receive the assembly.
In yet another embodiment, the modular lighting bar may additionally be used to hold rods and tubes such as, for example, railing balusters in both horizontal and vertically sloping railing configurations. In such configurations, substantially identical top and bottom lighting bars additionally have a series of recesses suitably shaped to securely hold solid bars or hollow tubing that form railing balusters or spindles. The electrical supply line recess is offset from the baluster-holding recesses to prevent interference between the low voltage installation and any metal surface of the balusters.
In order to accommodate sloping staircase railings, the lighting bars may additionally be configured with a plurality of rotating plug recesses corresponding to and oriented at 90 degrees to the baluster-holding recesses that each internally connect to the baluster-holding recesses. In these recesses are disposed plugs that have features such as holes or flanges to receive the end of the baluster and that rotate so as to allow the baluster to pivot within the baluster-holding recess. The baluster-holding recesses in the mounting bar, of course, should be elongated to allow such pivoting, and are preferably located on the side of the mounting bar opposite the side receiving the electrical supply line. The elongated holes and pivoting plugs allow the lighting bar to be employed in securing balusters at up to 45 degree angles, thus allowing use in a wide variety of stair angles.
For a better understanding of the present invention, together with other and further aspects thereof, reference is made to the accompanying drawing and detailed description, wherein:
a is a pictorial top view of a surface mounted, unitized housing containing several miniature lighting assemblies;
b is a pictorial bottom view of a surface mounted, unitized housing containing several miniature lighting assemblies;
c is a pictorial side view of a surface mounted, unitized housing containing several miniature lighting assemblies;
a is a pictorial side view of a miniature lighting assembly with several LEDs;
b is a pictorial bottom view of the miniature lighting assembly of
a,b are pictorial views of various housings containing a miniature lighting assembly with several LEDs;
a–d are pictorial views depicting alternative single and two-component configurations of the line supply housing and cover bar;
a–c are exploded and perspective views of a lighting bar in accordance with the principles of the present invention;
a–d are perspective views illustrating a variety of attachment scenarios for the lighting bar to railing components;
With reference to
The electrical component assembly 23 is then inserted into the housing 22. As shown in
With reference to
Since the lighting assemblies 10 are very small (e.g., the outside diameter of the housing 22 may be as small as ¼″), the assemblies 10 can be directly and without other parts mounted in practically any natural and synthetic material, such as wood, fiberglass, glass, metal, stone, plastics, concrete, plasterboard, and other such materials. As described in an embodiment below, the housing 22 may simply be inserted into a hole or recess formed in a mounting block. The recess in the mounting block is preferably shaped to receive the light assembly in only one orientation, thus ensuring that the positive and negative leads of the light assembly are properly positioned with respect to an electrical supply line within the mounting block. The light assembly may be secured in the recess by dimensioning the recess such that the light assembly fits snugly in the recess, or through other purely mechanical means such as, for example, a grommet. A sealant, such as epoxy or silicon sealer may be additionally applied to secure the light assembly in the recess, bearing in mind that the light assembly will need replacement at the end of its useful life.
With reference to
Referring to
The lighting bar system of the present invention, which preferably incorporates a plurality of miniature light assemblies such as described above, is useful in emergency lighting in houses or any other buildings, and may be permanently or temporarily installed with ease. Depending on the size of the room, one or more lighting bars may be permanently mounted into the walls, preferably approximately 12″ from the ceiling, or into the ceiling itself. Such installations generate a brighter light inside the room, since the ceilings reflect the bright white light of the LED 12. A small room may only require one lighting bar, whereas an average 10′×10′ room may require two or three lighting bars. Corridors may require one lighting bar having miniature light assemblies 10 positioned within the bar every six to eight feet. Although the illumination provided by the miniature light assemblies 10 is probably not bright enough to permit reading in such rooms, the brightness is certainly sufficient to see all objects inside the room, find the doors, windows, beds or other features very easily. When not in use, the miniature light assemblies 10, due to the very small size of their face and being flush with the wall, are hardly noticeable and will not detract from any decor.
a presents an exploded view of a miniature light assembly having a light source within a housing 78 and end cap 84. Through the end cap 84 protrude a positive lead or prong 76 and negative lead or prong 77 for supplying power to the light source, which is preferably an LED.
b presents a preferred alternative embodiment of the miniature light assembly. As shown, at the end of each of the prongs 76,77 are connected conductive blade fixtures 15. The blades are in electrical contact with the prongs, and oriented so as to allow stabbing into the electrical supply line along the long axis of the supply line. This more effectively creates a connection between the miniature light and power supply. The conductive blade fixtures' orientation can be assisted by means of, for example, alignment notches in the light housing 78.
Before describing in detail
Lighting bars 80 may be used to provide illumination for walkways using brick, natural, or concrete paving stones of any shape. In all stone applications, a masonry drill is used to form a channel for the light bar(s) and to drill one or more holes through the stone for securing the light bar. It is preferred for safety purposes that the light bar lies recessed below the surface of the stone, thus protected from any traffic. As paving is laid, light bars can be inserted into pre-cut stones and held in place by fasteners or sealants. An end of a lighting bar may be sealed to protect the supply line within, and the supply line itself is then connected to a power source, which can either be activated by a switch, photo-eye or timer. In such applications, any light pattern design may be possible. The light bar can be manufactured from a variety of materials in straight or curved sections and/or in articulating segments to adapt to any setting.
Lighting bars 80 also have application in any marine environment. A small number of the miniature light assemblies 10 installed in a cockpit of a boat can illuminate the space or the steps down in such a way as to avoid the loss of night vision. In any cabin, one or more of the miniature light assemblies 10 can provide enough illumination to comfortably use the space such as near bunks, over galley equipment, or as spot or emergency lights in the salon. This is especially useful when attached to a rigging, where such miniature light assemblies 10 can illuminate upwards towards the sails, or downwards towards the blocks and other equipment. The exceptionally small, compact size of the light bars makes installation feasible even in applications that were not previously accommodated with standard lights.
Another application of the light bars is in illumination within and around vehicles. The light bars may be mounted into or onto the sides of truck loading beds, or the “roll bars” or compartments of vehicles. The advantages of the light bars include manufacture and adjustment of size and shape to fit an application, durability, and easy installation.
Various systems and components of the present invention are now described with reference to
An exploded view of a cross-section of one embodiment of the lighting bar 80 is shown in
The mounting bar 69 includes one or more specially shaped recesses 71 capable of receiving the miniature LED light assembly housing(s) 78 in one orientation only, thus ensuring the proper orientation of the positive lead 76 and negative lead 77 of the light source with relative to the positive wire 66 and a negative wire 67 of the supply line 61. The recesses 71 may have flats 72 to perfectly accept a corresponding flat 72′ on the LED light housing 78. A recess or relief 73 allows a small flat screwdriver or similar tool to be used to pry out the LED light housing in case replacement is required. Other means for assuring the proper orientation of the electrical supply line 61 may be employed in addition to or as an alternative to the asymmetrically shaped recesses 71, such as color-coding portions of the supply line recess and/or identification by traditional symbols “+” and “−”.
Suitable, commercially available fasteners 70 such as screws, nails or bolts can be inserted into through holes 74 to firmly affix the mounting bar 69 to the supply line housing 62 and to the desired mounting surface, such as the underside of handrail 79. Proper positioning of the through holes 74 with respect to the supply line housing 62 assures no fastener 70 contact or interference with supply line 61.
The preferably opaque LED light housings 78 are shaped in such a way as to be fit and aligned inside the specially shaped recesses 71. The housings may also contain flanges or grooves 75 that can determine the exact depth they can be inserted into the recess 71 in order to assure penetration by the positive lead 76 and negative lead 77 of the light source through the plastic housing 68 and into electrical contact with the corresponding positive wire 66 and a negative wire 67 of the supply line 61. The positive lead 76 and negative lead 77 of the light source consist of rigid prongs having beveled or sharpened tips designed to be of a shape and strong enough to puncture the outer plastic cable covering 68 of the electrical supply cable 61.
With reference to the perspective view provided in
a–d illustrate alternative configurations of the lighting bar assembly. Note that the relative position of the electrical supply housing with respect to the mounting bar to which it is mated may be varied, and that the cover bar may have a variety of shapes to match the particular structure to which it is secured. Other aesthetically pleasing and functional variations in the cover bar are deemed to be within the scope of the present invention. It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that multiple lighting bars could be combined to expand the functionality and range of use of the present invention, such as noted above in illuminating all sorts of walkways, landscapes and motor and/or marine vehicle applications.
d illustrates a significant variation of the lighting bar design, in which the electrical supply line 61 is positioned within a groove 63 of the mounting bar 69, eliminating the need for a separate supply line housing component. The internal groove preferably has an inverted “T” shape with an opening to an exterior surface of the mounting bar wide enough to facilitate the supply line placement but narrower than the internal portion of the groove so as to minimize the possibility of undesired displacement of the supply line. This groove may also be asymmetrically shaped or have the other features for assuring proper polarity described above.
a–c illustrate several additional embodiments of lighting bar 80, wherein the mounting bar 69 is preferably made from nylon or polymer suitable for injection molding to enhance color selectivity and mass production. The lighting bar 80 will typically be a basic color such as white, black or gray depending on intended use with wood, PVC or other material used in the deck railings. One end of the mounting bar 69 has a male dovetail connector 84 and the opposing end a female dovetail 86. This arrangement allows the use of standardized bar lengths and essentially eliminates any waste, since off-cuts from one lighting bar section can be used to start another application section.
With reference to
Also offset from the centerline of the mounting bar are through-holes 74 suitable to either accept fasteners 70 such as, for example, commercially available attachment screws, and/or recesses 71 in which may be mounted miniature light assemblies 78 such as described above. As reflected in
a–d illustrate a variety of potential lighting bar attachment configurations to support surfaces, which are shown for example purposes to be portions of a railing, but which could be virtually any surface of the application types noted above. The mounting bar 69 can be attached, for example, to either a horizontal wooden or PVC top support 96 (
Each plug recess 110 extends within the mounting bar 69 so as to connect with a corresponding recess 88, which in this embodiment are preferably oval-shaped to accommodate insertion of the end of a baluster 90 and allow pivoting of the baluster about the axis 116 of the rotating plug 108. Once the end of the baluster or spindle has been inserted through the mounting bar recess 88 into the baluster recess 112 of the rotating plug 108, the baluster can pivot freely in the direction of the length of the mounting bar 69 in order to accommodate any conventional stair case angle. The baluster 90 is held firmly by the rotating plug 108, which is in turn prevented from slipping out of the plug recess 110 without requiring use of fasteners of any kind, making installations on standard stair cases quite easy.
Although the invention has been described with respect to various embodiments, it should be realized this invention is also capable of a wide variety of further and other embodiments within the spirit of the invention.
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/755,516 entitled “Super Bright LED Utility And Emergency Light”, filed Jan. 12, 2004, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/968,560 filed Oct. 1, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,676,278, which claims priority of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/237,012 entitled “Super Bright LED Utility And Emergency Light”, filed Sep. 29, 2000, all of the above are herein incorporated by reference in their entirety.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20050141225 A1 | Jun 2005 | US |
| Number | Date | Country | |
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| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Parent | 10755516 | Jan 2004 | US |
| Child | 10834725 | US | |
| Parent | 09968560 | Oct 2001 | US |
| Child | 10755516 | US |
