Patent ID: 9726361
Date: 2017-08-08
CPC Classifications: F21K,F21S,F21V,F21Y,H01R,H02J,H05B,Y02B

Claim:
1. A support connector for coupling an end of an elongate tubular LED lamp in an operative state to a lighting fixture, the elongate tubular LED lamp having a body with a length between spaced first and second ends, a source of illumination comprising at least one LED emitter board on or within the lamp body, and a first end connector at the first end of the body having a first surface, the support connector comprising: a base portion comprising a housing and having a proximal end portion and an distal end portion, the proximal end portion configured to be coupled to a support of the lighting fixture; a leading end portion extending from the distal end portion of the base portion and configured to engage the first end connector of the tubular LED lamp; the base portion defining an internal region sized to receive an end portion of a network cable comprising a plurality of communication wires; the leading end portion comprising an integral plug at its distal tip end comprising a plurality of conductive contacts configured to be electrically coupled to a respective one of the wires for transmitting electrical signals for power and data communications and adapted to be inserted linearly into a jack mounted at least partially within the first end connector of the lamp body; wherein the integral plug conforms to a standardized power and data signal transmission specification and is operable to transmit signals between the support connector and the jack according to a standardized power and data network protocol; the leading end portion further comprising a second surface configured to engage a first surface of the first end connector; the leading end portion configured so that the first and second surfaces are placed in confronting relationship to prevent separation of the first end connector and the support connector with the lamp body in the operative state as an incident of the first end connector moving relative to the support connector from a position fully separated from the support connector in a substantially straight path that is transverse to the length of the body into an engaged position.