Abstract:
A light fixture for holding LED tubes. A pair of end caps are held together by an elongated member. Female connectors mounted to the end caps receive the male connectors of the LED light tubes. The female connectors are mounted to the end caps allowing for the pre-selection of the angle of illumination.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates generally to the field of light fixtures. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Prior Art 
         [0004]    Fluorescent light tubes have opposite male connector ends removably mounted to female connectors referred to as tombstones. Tombstones are fixedly mounted to a light fixture generally suspended from a ceiling or recessed into the ceiling. The male connectors are slid into the female slots and the light tubes are then locked or rotated to mount the fluorescent tube to the light fixture. Fluorescent tubes radiate light 360 degrees around the tube. As a result, much of the light is lost since the light reflects against the ceiling or fixture. While fluorescent tubes are more efficient in generating light as compared to an incandescent bulb, the tubes have to be frequently replaced requiring substantial maintenance cost. 
         [0005]    LED (light emitting diode) light tubes are available and have male connector ends identical to those found on fluorescent tubes. Thus, the LED light tubes are removable mounted to existing tombstone female socket connectors provided in the prior fluorescent light fixtures. LED light tubes use semi-conductor diodes that release energy in the form of a photon (light) when current flows from the anode side to cathode side. In an incandescent lamp, an element is heated by electric current until it glows or emits light. In a fluorescent lamp, an electric arc excites mercury atoms, in turn, generating ultraviolet radiation that strikes a phosphor coating and emits visible light. The LED light tube is much more efficient and uses substantially less electricity to generate an appreciable greater amount of light. 
         [0006]    The LED light tube typically includes a reflector extending the length of the tube on one side of the tube to reflect the light emitted by the LEDs downward. As a result, when the LED light tubes are mounted in the prior fixtures that were designed for fluorescent tubes, the light shines vertically downward. This is true since the tombstones or female socket connectors are fixedly mounted to the fixture and do not take into account any reflector built into the LED tube. 
         [0007]    When LED light tubes are placed in fixtures designed for fluorescent tubes, all of the LED light from multiple tubes is concentrated in a small area with little spread. The fixture disclosed herein fixedly mounts the tombstones at different fixed angles or provides tombstones that are adjustable to provide various illumination angles thereby achieving superior illumination. 
         [0008]    The adjustable tombstone allows the user to customize the fixture based on the specific illumination need. For example, an owner of a large warehouse may point every light tube vertically down to light aisles while smaller commercial projects may angle the light tubes outward relative to the vertical to maximize the spread of the light. 
         [0009]    A significant additional advantage of the LED light tube as compared to the fluorescent light tube, is that the LED light tube does not require or use ballast to regulate the amount of electricity that flows to the diodes. Use of the prior light fixtures designed for fluorescent tubes therefore require rewiring around the ballast mounted in the fixture in order to use the fixture for LED tubes. Thus, the LED light fixture disclosed herein has been designed without a ballast. 
         [0010]    Further, the prior light fixtures designed for fluorescent tubes normally have a cover on top of the fixture that helps reflect the light downward. Such a cover is not necessary with the fixture designed specifically for LED light tubes since the LED tubes have built within each tube a reflector. Providing a fixture without a top cover allows greater flexibility in design, makes the fixture less bulky and reduces the cost of the fixture. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0011]    One embodiment of the present invention is an LED light fixture connectible to an electrical supply located external to the light fixture. The fixture has a pair of opposed end caps or supports connected together by an elongated member. Each end cap has a plurality of female connectors thereon that are aligned with corresponding female connectors on the opposite end cap. The female connectors removably receive male connectors located at the opposite ends of an LED light tube. The female connectors are oriented on the end caps to shine the light from each LED light tube downward at a preselected angle. In one version, the female connectors are movably mounted to the end caps allowing the user to manually move the connectors to a desired angle to direct the light from each light tube downward at different angles relative to the vertical. 
         [0012]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a fixture for holding an LED light tube. 
         [0013]    A further object of the present invention is to provide a light fixture allowing for the pre-selection of the angle of illumination associated with an LED light tube mounted to the fixture. 
         [0014]    An additional object of the present invention is to provide a new and improved light fixture. 
         [0015]    Related objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a prior art LED light tube. 
           [0017]      FIG. 2  is a perspective exploded view of a preferred embodiment of a light fixture incorporating the present invention. 
           [0018]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged fragmentary and perspective view of an end cap of the fixture of  FIG. 2 . 
           [0019]      FIG. 4  is a bottom perspective view of the end cap of  FIG. 3 . 
           [0020]      FIG. 5  is a schematic diagram illustrating the orientation of the female connectors. 
           [0021]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of the light fixture incorporating the present invention. 
           [0022]      FIG. 7  is an enlarged perspective view of one of the end caps of  FIG. 6 . 
           [0023]      FIG. 8  is an enlarged perspective view of a mounting strip for holding the female connectors and female connector mounting brackets. 
           [0024]      FIG. 9  is a side view of a female connector mounting bracket. 
           [0025]      FIG. 10  is a front view looking in the direction of arrows  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9 . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates. 
         [0027]    Referring now more particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a commercially available LED light tube  20  having a cylindrical tube  21  with a pair of end covers  22  and  23  affixed thereto. A first pair of male connectors  24  extend outwardly from end cover  22  and a second pair of male connectors  25  extend outwardly from cover  23 . Connectors  24  and  25  are connected to a plurality of LEDs mounted within tube  21  which will emit light when connectors  24  and  25  are connected to a source of electrical energy. A reflector  26  is positioned within the tube or outside of the tube to direct the light emitted by the diodes downward. In other words, assuming reflector  26  is positioned atop tube  21  then the light would be reflected in a downward direction. Reflector  26  may take a variety of forms, such as, a reflective coating or shield. Such LED lighting tubes are available from Elumenus, 9888 East 121 st  Street, Fishers, Ind. 46038. 
         [0028]    The preferred embodiment of the light fixture incorporating the present invention is shown in  FIG. 2 . Fixture  30  includes a pair of identical end caps  31  and  32  joined together by a plurality of elongated members, conduits or rods  33  having their opposite ends attached to end caps  31  and  32  thereby supporting the end caps in spaced relationship. A plurality of female connectors  34  are mounted to end cap  31  and to end cap  32  and are arranged in pairs to allow an LED light tube to be mounted to each pair. Female connectors  34  are commercially available and referred to as tombstones. Female connectors  34  are used to hold the opposite ends of fluorescent tubular lamps. The connectors are available from a variety of sources including Harrington Lights of Chesterfield, N.H. 03443. 
         [0029]    End cap  31  ( FIG. 3 ) will now be described it being understood that an identical description applies to end cap  32 . End cap  31  includes a pair of sidewalls  36  and  37  joined to a bottom wall  38  and top wall  39  in turn joined to an outer wall  40 . Thus, end cap  31  forms a rectangular housing having a recess  41  facing an identical recess formed in end cap  32 . A downwardly extending flange  42  ( FIG. 4 ) is connected to the top wall and includes a plurality of holes  43  through which tubes  33  extend. 
         [0030]    Mounting wall  46  is perpendicularly arranged with respect to flange  42  and outer wall  40  and is connected to each wall. Wall  46  has a curved portion  47  that bows downwardly in the direction of arrow  48  with curved portion  47  being located between the horizontally extending end portions  50  and  51 . 
         [0031]    The end portions  52  and  53  of curved portion  47  are located higher in elevation than the middle portions  54  and  55  of the curved wall. In one particular embodiment, a separate female connector is mounted at each location  52 ,  53 ,  54  and  55  thereby positioning the female connectors mounted at locations  52  and  53  at an elevation higher than the female connectors located at locations  54  and  55 . Further, surface  60  ( FIG. 5 ) curves upwardly in locations  52  and  53  ( FIG. 4 ) relative to locations  54  and  55 . Thus, the female connectors located at locations  52  and  53  are positioned at a greater angle relative to vertical as compared to those at locations  54  and  55 . 
         [0032]    Curved portion  47  provides a downwardly facing surface  60  against which the base of the female connectors are positioned against and mounted thereto. Female connector  66  has a longitudinal axis  67  arranged at angle  62  relative to the vertical axis  61 . Likewise, female connectors  68 ,  69  and  70  have longitudinal axis arranged respectively at angles  63 ,  64  and  65  relative to vertical axis  61 . When four separate LED light tubes  20  ( FIG. 1 ) are mounted respectively to connectors  66 ,  68 ,  69  and  70 , so that the reflector portion  26  of each light tube is arranged in the upper portion of the tube, then the reflector portion  26  is automatically positioned to shine the light downward at angles  62 ,  63 ,  64  and  65  respectively thereby providing a broader range of illumination. 
         [0033]    The female connectors on end cap  31  are aligned with respective female connectors on end cap  32 . That is, the end caps have aligned pairs of female connectors to allow the LED light tubes to extend horizontally and parallel to rods  33  when the light fixture is in its normal position with the end caps&#39; bottom wall and top wall extending horizontal. 
         [0034]    An alternate embodiment of the light fixture is shown in  FIG. 6  and includes a light fixture  70  with a pair of identical end caps  71  and  72  joined together by horizontally extending parallel rods  73 . Fixtures  30  and  70  are different in that the mounting brackets used to hold the female connectors in fixture  70  may be manually moved thereby allowing the user to orient the LED tubes at the desired angle of illumination whereas the female connectors provided in fixture  30  are fixedly mounted and once assembled by the manufacturer cannot be moved. 
         [0035]    End cap  71  will now be described it being understood that an identical description applies to end cap  72 . End cap  71  ( FIG. 7 ) includes a pair of side walls  74  and  75  joined to a top wall  76  and bottom wall  77 . A flange  78  extends downwardly from top wall  76  and terminates intermediate the top wall  76  and bottom wall  77 . Wall  78  is spaced apart from the outwardly facing wall  80  ( FIG. 6 ) thereby forming an enclosure to which the electrical wiring connected to the female connectors extend. Three holes  81  receive an end of rods  73  which are secured to the end cap in any number of ways. For example, the ends of the rods may be fastened to outward facing wall  80  or to the top wall  76  with conventional fastening devices, such as screws. 
         [0036]    Mounting plate  90  ( FIG. 8 ) includes a vertically extending main wall  92  having five outwardly extending flanges  91  integral therewith. Flanges  91  each have an upturned end  93  with a hole  94  extending there through. Plate  90  is positioned within the end cap so that the upturned flanges  93  contact the inside surface of the downwardly extending flange  78  with fasteners then extending through flange  78  into holes  94  securing plate  90  to the end cap. 
         [0037]    The end cap includes a plurality of rivet holes  95  located beneath a radial pattern  97  of holes  96 . For example, pattern  97  includes five dimple holes  96  located in pattern  97  having its focus at hole  95 . 
         [0038]    Each female connector is mounted in a mounting bracket  110  ( FIG. 9 ) having a vertically extending wall  111  with a flange  113  extending perpendicularly therefrom. A hole  116  is provided in wall  111  to allow a fastener to extend through hole  116  and hole  95  ( FIG. 8 ) thereby pivotally and movably mounting the bracket to wall  92 . A dimple or projection  117  extends rearwardly from wall  111  and is slidable within each pattern  97  to be seated in a particular hole  96  as the mounting bracket is pivoted. The female connectors extend through hole  114  provided in flange  113 . A rectangular opening  112  is provided in wall  111  allowing the enlarged head of the female connector to be positioned therein while the body of the female connector extends through hole  114 . Thus, mounting bracket  110  and its associated female connector may be rotated about an axis extending through holes  116  and  95  allowing projection  117  to be positioned in a particular hole  96  depending upon the angle of illumination desired for the LED light. That is, the reflector  26  ( FIG. 1 ) of tube  20  is oriented to shine the light downwardly at an angle relative to the vertical with the angle determined by which hole  96  the dimple  117  is positioned. The entire assembly consisting of plate  90  along with mounting brackets  110  and female connectors  34  is mounted within the end cap with the upturned flanges  93  being positioned inwardly and adjacent flange  78  ( FIG. 7 ) positioning the female connectors within a recess  120  ( FIG. 7 ) formed by the side walls  74  and  75 , bottom wall  77 , top wall  76  and wall  80  of the end cap. 
         [0039]    Many variations are contemplated and included in the present invention. For example, the LED light fixtures disclosed herein may have any number of LED light tubes mounted thereto. For example, a fixture may have two, four, six or eight LED light tubes depending upon the amount of illumination required. Further, light fixtures  30  and  70  may include optional top covers and translucent bottom covers. For example, fixture  30  ( FIG. 2 ) is shown having a translucent bottom cover  121  and a top cover  122 . The top cover extends over conduits  33  and has downwardly extending flanges  123  that frictionally engage the upstanding flanges  124  of translucent bottom cover  121 . Translucent bottom covers may be desired in the event the fixtures are located in ceiling recesses whereas the top covers protect the LED light tubes from external projections. The covers may or may not be used with either fixture disclosed herein. In the event the covers are not being used, then air circulation around the LED light tubes is improved. 
         [0040]    The end caps  31  and  32  of fixture  30  and  71  and  72  of fixture  70  are hollow with the interior compartment for end caps  31  and  32  and  71  and  72  formed respectively by an outer wall  40  and  80  facing away from the fixture and flange  42  and  78 . The wiring connected to the female connectors is routed through the hollow compartments and outward to a source of electrical energy. Additional variations of the routing of the wiring is contemplated and included in the present invention. The rods or conduits  33  and  73  holding the end caps together for fixtures  30  and  70  are hollow with the wiring common to the connectors on both end caps extending through the middle conduits  33  and  73  from one end cap to the opposite end cap. 
         [0041]    While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, the same is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive in character, it being understood that only the preferred embodiments has been shown and described and that all changes and modifications that come within the spirit of the invention are desired to be protected.