Cylindrical light fixture

A light fixture built around a cylindrical, light-weight core. Mounted within the core are a battery, an LED driver, a DMX512 receiver, and an antenna. An LED ribbon is wound spirally around the core and is electrically connected to the LED driver. Circular bottom and top caps are mounted to the bottom and top of the core. A seamless, cylindrical lens coaxially aligned with the core is positioned between the caps. The top cap has several controls including a power switch, a battery charger port, and an LCD display that indicates various settings and conditions. Optionally, the top cap includes a mechanism for hanging the fixture.

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REFERENCE TO A SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to lighting, more particularly, to LED light fixtures.

2. Description of the Related Art

Cylindrical light fixtures are used in the entertainment industry as visual enhancements, such as for mood lighting or for internal illumination.

Current wireless DMX512, battery powered LED fixtures are predominantly large in size, and are not designed to be looked at but are designed to illuminate other objects. Also, many of them use a proprietary control method, like a simple radio frequency or infra-red remote. In addition, most wireless LED fixtures are heavier than ten pounds, making them very difficult to suspend safely and cleanly from a tent beam or hanging grid.

No fixture currently being sold has a seamless, 360-degree lens. The Cyclone 360 from ColorMaker has a full 360 degrees of light output, but does not have a seamless lens. It also has unsightly metal and hardware which hinders its use as a light fixtures in the entertainment industry.

A number of light fixtures have only a single color and are without a way to adjust the brightness.

There are currently no light-emitting diode (LED) light fixtures for the entertainment industry that have a combination of 360-degree seamless light output, low weight, small size, battery operation, multi-color output with adjustable brightness, wireless DMX512 control, and clean appearance.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a light fixture that (1) has a clean appearance, (2) lights itself up, (3) has a 360-degree, seamless, frosted lens with no obstructions, (4) can be made small and light weight, (5) responds to wireless control using the DMX512 protocol, (6) requires minimal set-up time, and (7) is completely self-contained.

The fixture is built around a cylindrical, light-weight core. Mounted within the core are a rechargeable battery, an LED driver printed circuit board (PCB), a DMX512receiver PCB, and an antenna. These components can be mounted in the core to be either user serviceable or not.

An LED ribbon is wound spirally around the core and is electrically connected to the LED driver board by leads through holes in the core. Alternatively, there can be multiple LED ribbons for more variety in the lighting of the fixture.

Circular bottom and top caps are mounted to the bottom and top of the core, either permanently or removably. A seamless, cylindrical lens coaxially aligned with the core is positioned between the caps. The caps secure the lens in place in whatever manner is practical. The lens is typically frosted, but can be transparent or translucent. The lens typically has a circular cross-section but can be other the circular.

The top cap has several controls including a power switch, a battery charger port, and an LCD display that indicates various settings and conditions. Optionally, the top cap includes a mechanism for hanging the fixture10.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is a light fixture with a combination of characteristics that provide a large improvement over fixtures of the prior art.

The fixture has a clean appearance and is very pleasing to the eye from all angles. It is specifically designed to light itself up and to light other objects internally. It has a 360-degree, seamless, frosted lens that completely diffuses the light emitted by the LEDs. The fixture has no external or internal bracing or framework that obstructs the light in any way.

The fixture can be made smaller and lighter than fixtures of the prior art. The present design is only ten inches long with a five-inch diameter, making it small enough to fit into Chinese lanterns, spandex shapes, plastic furniture, and under tables. The fixture weighs under five pounds, as compared to the ten pounds or more of currently available fixtures, so it can be easily and safely hung with monofilament line.

The fixture responds to wireless control using the DMX512 protocol, the standard protocol for controlling lighting units in the industry. It provides the user with full control of color and intensity, allowing users to program effects and timing on DMX512 consoles.

The fixture requires no assembling and minimal set-up time. It is ready to be used right out of the road case. There are no cables to attach and no separate parts like batteries or wireless packs. It is completely self-contained and can be placed or hung with ease.

The fixture10of the present invention has a number of components. As shown inFIGS. 2-4, the fixture10is built around a cylindrical core12. The core12is composed of a light-weight, generally rigid material. A preferred material is polyvinyl chloride (PVC). The present invention contemplates that other materials can be used as long as the core12is reasonably transparent to the radio frequencies used by the DMX512 control protocol.

Mounted within the core12are the battery pack14, the LED driver printed circuit board (PCB)16, the DMX512 receiver PCB18, and the antenna20. In one configuration, these components are not intended to be user-serviceable and are secured together and to the core12with adhesives. Alternatively, the components are packed in foam or other shaped material and inserted into one end of the core12so that they can be removed from the core12for service. Alternatively, the components can be fitted into the core12in any way that allows the components to be easily removed and/or to be user serviceable.

The antenna20is located within the core12such that the battery14does not block signal reception. Preferably, the antenna20is located above or below the battery14. Optionally, the antenna20in integrated with the DMX512 receiver PCB18.

The preferred battery14is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery (LIB), but any other type of battery that supplies the necessary power can be used, including other rechargeable batteries and single-use batteries. Alternatively, the fixture10can powered externally by a battery and/or by a plug to AC wall power. In such case, the internal battery14is optional.

As shown inFIG. 2, an LED ribbon28is wound spirally around the core12. The LED ribbon12is a flexible PCB30with LED chips32of various colors mounted to it. The LED ribbon28used in the present embodiment has RGB (red, green, blue) LED chips32mounted on it. The present invention contemplates that LEDs of single colors or other combinations of colors can be used. An adhesive is used to attach the LED ribbon28to the core12. Optionally, the adhesive is an adhesive strip on the back of the LED ribbon28. Optionally, the adhesive allows removal of the LED ribbon28for repair or replacement.

The LED ribbon28is electrically connected to the LED driver board16by leads34through holes36in the side of the core12to the core interior38where the LED driver PCB16is located. The number of leads34will depend on the number of different colors of LEDs there are on the LED ribbon28. There is a common lead and one lead for each color. Thus, for an RGB LED ribbon, there are four leads34.

Alternatively, rather than a single LED ribbon, there can be multiple LED ribbons for more variety in the lighting of the fixture10. In one example, there can be two LED ribbons wound spirally around the core12in a double helix structure. In another example, there can be two LED ribbons, one wound spirally on the top half of the core12and the other attached wound spirally on the bottom half of the core12. In another example, there can be multiple LED ribbons mounted longitudinally on the core12, as inFIG. 5. In another example, there can be multiple LED ribbons wound horizontally around the core12, as inFIG. 6.

Optionally, the LEDs are mounted to hard PCBs that are attached to the core12or otherwise mounted within the fixture10.

A circular bottom cap44is mounted to the bottom of the core12and a circular top cap46is mounted to the top of the core12. Both caps44,46can be permanently attached to the core, both caps44,46can be removably attached to the core12, or one cap44can be permanently attached and other cap46can be removably attached. A permanent attachment can be by adhesive and a removable attachment can be by screws50.

A seamless, cylindrical lens48is located between the bottom cap44and top cap46and is coaxially aligned with the core12. The caps44,46secure the lens48in position. The present invention contemplates that the lens48can be secured to the caps44,46in any way that is practical. In one example, the lens48is secured to the bottom cap44and top cap46using an adhesive. In another, shown inFIG. 7, the lens48is secured to the caps44,46by annular grooves56in the caps44,46that the lens edges54fit into. Rotation of the lens48can be prevented by a finger from at least one of the caps44,46that fits into a notch in the lens edge54. Alternatively, the grooves56can be less than fully annular.

In another method of securing the lens48, the lens edges54fit outside of fingers56extending from the caps44,46, as inFIG. 8. Alternatively, the fingers56are longer and curved to follow the inside curve of the lens48.

In another method of securing the lens48, each cap44,46has an annular notch68, as inFIG. 9. The smaller diameter portion70of the caps44,46fit inside the lens48.

Because the lens38is secured solely by the caps44,46, there are no visual obstructions between the LED ribbon28and the lens48.

The lens48is typically frosted, but can be transparent or translucent. It is typically a clear lens, but can be colored.

In the illustrated fixture of the present specification, the lens48has a circular cross-section. However, the present invention contemplates that the lens48can be a cross-sectional shape other the circular, such as oval, square, rectangular, hexagonal, and octagonal.

Optionally, the top cap44includes a mechanism74for hanging the fixture10. Such mechanism can be one or more screw eyes76, hooks, or other similar devices. Optionally, the hanging mechanism74is removable.

The top cap46has several controls including a power switch80, a battery charger port82, and an LCD display86.

Optionally, the top cap46includes a 5-pin DMX jack so that the fixture10can be connected to other DMX512 devices. The fixture10can act as a wireless DMX512 receiver master device that can be used to control other DMX512 slave devices that do not have wireless capability.

The LCD display86indicates various settings and conditions including the radio frequency, radio signal presence, master/slave function, etc.

The antenna20receives radio signals sent from any compatible DMX512 transmitter, from hand-held remote controls to large consoles, and forwards the signals to the DMX512 receiver PCB18. The DMX512 receiver PCB18converts the DMX512 radio signals to DMX512 wired signals and sends them to the LED driver PCB16. The LED driver PCB16interprets the DMX512 signals as instructions to control the LED ribbon28. The LED ribbon28can be controlled via the DMX512 protocol for color and intensity and with timing elements to create dynamic color effects, static colors, and strobing.

The seamless, 360-degree lens48is primarily what gives the fixture10of the present invention its clean and pleasing look. Putting all of the major electrical components within the core and securing the lens48solely at the caps44,46allow for a completely unobstructed light output of the LED ribbon28to the lens48.

Thus it has been shown and described a cylindrical light fixture which satisfies the objects set forth above.

Since certain changes may be made in the present disclosure without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter described in the foregoing specification and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.