Patent Publication Number: US-2011075413-A1

Title: Lighting system

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention is an improved lighting system. In particular, the present invention is directed to an LED lighting system with replaceable circuit boards. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Recently, lighting systems, in particular theater lighting systems, have begun to replace incandescent and other bulbs with light emitting diodes (LEDs.) LEDs are useful as they generally have longer life cycles than incandescent bulbs and use less energy. 
     However, the replacement and/or change of LEDs in existing LED systems has drawbacks. For example, LEDs are not easily removed from printed circuit boards and pronged LEDs can be difficult to remove from electric leads. The present invention provides an improved lighting system that has more easily replaceable LEDs and printed circuit boards that can also be easily configured into a variety of shapes and layouts. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is an improved lighting system. In particular, the present invention is directed to an LED lighting system with replaceable circuit boards. The lighting system comprises a printed circuit board with a set of LEDs on top and two electrical contact surfaces on the bottom that snaps into a module assembly. The module assembly has an exterior element with two contact windows on its surface with a set of fingers extended to hold the circuit board to two electrical contacts. The electrical contacts pierce two electrical leads inside channels in an interior element of the module assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The objects and features of the present invention, which are believed to be novel, are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The present invention, both as to its organization and manner of operation, together with further objects and advantages, may best be understood by reference to the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
         FIG. 1  is a side view of a three LED embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of a three LED embodiment; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the modular assembly mounted on electric leads; 
         FIG. 4  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the exterior element of the modular assembly; 
         FIG. 5  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the interior element of the modular assembly; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective view of an embodiment of the modular assembly; 
         FIG. 7  is an exploded perspective view of the interior element of the modular assembly with two electric leads, electric contacts and a wedge; 
         FIG. 8  is a side view of a preferred installation of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  is a top view of a three LED embodiment of the present invention; and, 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of an alternative preferred installation of the invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     The following description is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make and use the invention and sets forth the best modes contemplated by the inventors of carrying out their invention. Various modifications, however, will remain readily apparent to those skilled in the art, since the general principles of the present invention have been defined herein specifically to provide an improved lighting system. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of the invention  10  is shown. A printed circuit board (PCB)  20  with three light emitting diodes  100  (LEDs) is shown in  FIG. 1 . However, PCB configurations of 1, 2 or more LEDS are possible. 
     In addition to LEDs, other electronics can also be mounted on the PCB  20 . For example, a photo sensor could be mounted on the PCB  20  along with the LEDs. The photo sensor could monitor the light output of the LEDs and increase or decrease the power to the LEDs to compensate for possible degradation of the LEDs during their life span. Alternately, an infrared sensor could be mounted on the PCB to turn the LEDs on or off depending on whether people are present where the device is installed. 
     The PCB  20  is preferably coated to resist moisture and corrosion. The preferred coating is silicon based conformal coating such as Konform by Chemtronics. The PCB  20  is held on a module assembly  30  by a plurality of fingers  32 , preferably four fingers  32 , on each side of the module assembly  30 . The module assembly  30  is affixed to a pair of electrical leads  40 . The PCB  20  preferably has a plurality of electrical contact surfaces  22  on its bottom side.  FIG. 9  is a top view of the embodiment in  FIG. 1  showing the electrical contact surfaces  22  on the bottom of the PCB  20  in phantom lines. The module assembly  30  is preferably made from polycarbonate plastic with a flammability rating of FR94. 
     An exploded view of the embodiment in  FIG. 1  is shown in  FIG. 2 . The module assembly  30  preferably comprises an exterior element  34  and interior element  50 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the exterior element  34  is shown in  FIG. 4 . The exterior element  34  shown has a plurality of fingers  32  extending from the exterior element  34  (preferably 2 sets of four fingers as shown). The exterior element  34  shown further comprises an interior channel  37  and two electrical contact windows  38 . 
     A preferred embodiment of the interior element  50  is shown in  FIG. 5 . The interior element  50  shown comprises two electrical lead channels  52  and electrical contact notches  54 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the electrical leads  40  fit into the electrical lead channels  52 . As shown in  FIG. 6 , the interior element  50  is preferably insertable into the interior channel  37  of the exterior element  34 . 
     Referring back to  FIG. 2 , two electrical contacts  60  are shown. The electrical contacts preferably have first ends  62  that are bent, e.g. V-shaped and have second ends  64  that can pierce the electrical leads  40 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , the first ends  62  of the electrical contacts  60  extend through the electrical contact windows  38  in the exterior element  34  of the module assembly  30 . This configuration allows the plurality of fingers  32  to hold the electrical contact surfaces  22  of the PCB  20  to the first ends  62  of the electrical contacts  60  as shown in  FIGS. 1 and 9 . When the first ends  62  are V-shaped, the contact apex  66  makes contact with the electrical contact surfaces  22  of the PCB  20 . The electrical contacts  60  are preferably flexible and provide a spring force resistant to the force of the plurality of fingers  32  applied against the PCB  20 . The electrical contacts  60  are preferably made from nickel-plated brass and/or stainless steel. By placing the LEDs  100  on a separate component (PCB  20 ) from the electrical contacts  60 , it separates the mechanical component ( 60 ) from the LEDs  100  thus reducing the chances that the LEDs  100  or other electronic component on the PCB  20  could be damaged during installation. 
     Referring back again to  FIG. 2 , the module assembly  30  preferably further comprises two wedges  70  that are insertable into the electrical contact notches  54 . The wedges  70  are used to hold the electrical contacts  60  in place in the notches  54  so that the second ends  64  can pierce the electrical leads  40 . The exploded view in  FIG. 7  showing a portion of a preferred embodiment shows where the electrical contacts  60  are placed in the notches  54 . The wedge  70  shown in  FIG. 7  is then inserted into the notch  54  over the ridge  56  to hold the electrical contact  60  in place on the interior element  50  to pierce the electrical lead  40  and for placement in the exterior element  34  of the module assembly  30 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , a preferred installation of the invention is shown. In  FIG. 8 , the PCB  20  with LED  100  is mounted on the module assembly  30  containing electrical leads  40 . The module assembly  30  is then inserted into a lighting base  80  preferably having a mounting base or module assembly track  82  for holding the module assembly  30  and a lens  84 . The lens  84  is preferably removable so that the PCB  20  and LED  100  can be easily removed from the module assembly for replacement or other purposes. In the embodiment shown in  FIG. 8 , the lighting base  80  is configured to obscure light from the LED  100  from above and to direct light downward from the base. e.g. toward a stair step or walkway in a darkened theater environment. The lens  84  is preferably polycarbonate plastic. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 10 , another preferred installation of the invention is shown. A cove lighting installation in an arc shape is shown in  FIG. 10 . As in  FIG. 8 , the installation in  FIG. 10  has several PCBs  20  with LEDs  100  mounted on module assemblies  30  containing electrical leads  40 . The module assemblies  30  are then mounted on mounting bases  82 . However, as opposed to  FIG. 8 , the mounting bases  82  shown in  FIG. 10  are not a single track but a series of bases  82  that are unconnected (except by the electrical leads  40  between the bases  82 ) and that can be configured in a variety of shapes and positions including, but not limited to, the arc of bases  82  shown in  FIG. 10 . 
     Thus, an improved lighting system is described above that utilizes LED printed circuit boards that are more easily replaceable and where the lighting can be readily configurable into a variety of shapes and positions. In each of the above embodiments, the different positions and structures of the present invention are described separately in each of the embodiments. However, it is the full intention of the inventor of the present invention that the separate aspects of each embodiment described herein may be combined with the other embodiments described herein. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiment can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein.