Patent Publication Number: US-11391423-B2

Title: Multifunction LED lighting device

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to Italian Application No. 102020000019426 filed Aug. 6, 2020, the entire contents of each of which are hereby incorporated by reference. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     The invention relates to the lighting technology sector: in particular the invention concerns a multifunction LED lighting device, which can be used to light indoor and outdoor environments. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Among the many types of known lighting devices, LED lighting devices for wall mounting are very common. 
     The term wall is used hereinafter in its broadest and most general meaning, not only to define wall structures in construction materials but also simple partition walls, and to define both vertical walls and horizontal ceilings. 
     LED lighting devices generally comprise:
         at least one lighting body comprising an LED assembly;   a frame for connecting to the wall and supporting said at least a lighting body;   electrical connection means of said at least one lighting body to an electrical system and to specific switch-on means;   mechanical connection means between said frame and said at least one lighting body;   an electronic circuit board for converting to low voltage and supplying power to said LED assembly.       

     Conventional lighting devices have a fixed and defined configuration; they are sold with their mechanical parts already assembled, while they require to be electrically connected by a technician. The user is then required to screw in the LED bulb or the LED assembly preferred. 
     The geometry and the overall dimensions of conventional lighting devices cannot be varied; the lighting point and its light cone are substantially predefined. 
     Being already assembled, during storage in warehouses and during sale and transport, the lighting devices are unfavourably bulky and delicate to handle and move. 
     Conventional lighting devices, above all if destined to be fixed to a wall, partition or ceiling, do not as a rule perform accessory functions. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The object of the invention is to eliminate these drawbacks, improving technical and functional performances with respect to prior art lighting appliances, also optimizing yield and satisfying the increasingly demanding requests for aesthetics and reduced consumption. 
     The object of the invention is to produce an LED lighting device that can be assembled, also directly by the user, based on lighting requirements, which is multifunction and can thus function as mobile emergency light, even without a power supply or as a power supply for external electronic devices. 
     A further object of the invention is to produce a lighting device that is practical, easy to handle and has small overall dimensions when disassembled; easy, immediate and intuitive in the assembly step; with clean lines and aesthetically pleasing when operating. 
     These objects are achieved with a multifunction LED lighting device comprising:
         at least one lighting body comprising an LED assembly;   a frame for connecting to the wall and supporting said at least a lighting body;   electrical connection means and mechanical connection means between said frame and said at least a lighting body;   an electronic circuit board for converting to low voltage and supplying power to said LED assembly,
 
characterized in that:
   said lighting body is substantially L-shaped and comprises an upright and a projecting arm, where said upright comprises said electrical connection means and said mechanical connection means and said arm comprises said LED assembly;   said electrical connection means and said mechanical connection means comprise a connector of male/female type with reversible coupling.       

     Advantageously, said lighting device comprises a buffer battery, operatively connected to said LED assembly, adapted to maintain said lighting device active even without a power supply. 
     Preferably, said buffer battery is arranged inside said lighting body. 
     In a preferred variant of the invention, said electrical connection means, produced by means of said connector of male/female type with reversible coupling, are of the electromagnetic induction type and are adapted to charge said buffer battery. 
     Moreover, said multifunction LED lighting device comprises a position sensor adapted to detect the presence of a subject and to selectively control the transfer of current from said buffer battery to said LED assembly. 
     Alternatively, said buffer battery is arranged in said frame. 
     According to a first aspect of the invention, said frame comprises:
         a plate for fixing to the wall;   a base adapted to house the female component of said connector, where the male component thereof is housed at one end of said upright.       

     In a preferred variant of the invention, said frame comprises a stem, arranged between said plate for fixing to the wall and said base, where said stem comprises, at a first end, bayonet type mechanical connection means with said base and, at a second end, screw type mechanical connection means with said plate. 
     Advantageously, said stem is hollow and is adapted to be passed through by electrical cables terminating with a quick coupling connector adapted to coact with a corresponding connector associated with said base. 
     According to further aspects of the invention:
         said electronic circuit board is housed alternatively in said plate for fixing to the wall or in said base;   said base comprises an LED assembly connected to said buffer battery and to said electronic circuit board;   said base comprises a connector of USB type for supplying power to external electronic devices;   said base comprises accessory electronic apparatus selected from a microphone, a display, a video camera, adapted to interface in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi mode with a user to fulfil various functions.       

     The main advantage of the invention is the modularity and versatility of the lighting device. 
     During storage and transport the device has limited overall dimensions, without protruding or projecting portions that could be accidentally broken. 
     During assembly, it is possible to arrange the lighting bodies in different positions on the frame, illuminating only the areas necessary, with savings in consumption and satisfying requirements of an aesthetic nature. 
     The electrical and mechanical connection means are quick coupling through interference with form fitting of male/female type, simple and quick to couple; assembly of the device is therefore rapid and simple. 
     The electrical connection means of the electromagnetic induction charging type supply direct current to said buffer battery provided in the lighting body, ensuring the maximum degree of safety for users and/or operators according to current legislations, according to which electric devices must be manufactured so that it is not possible to accidentally come into contact with live parts. 
     The device comprises a buffer battery that allows the device to be maintained at least partially active even without a power supply, thereby acting as an emergency light. 
     Advantageously, when said buffer battery is provided in the lighting body, this can be easily detached from the frame and used as a torch to move around in dark places. In this case, the L-shape of said lighting body also makes it easy to hold along its upright. 
     In an advantageous variant, said base also comprises an LED assembly connected to a buffer battery, so that the device itself, in addition to the lighting bodies, acts as an emergency light. 
     In the ceiling mounted variant of the lighting device, the frame is produced by means of several components that are however all easy to assembly by means of quick coupling means, both of bayonet and screw type. 
     The mechanical connection means themselves also produce the electrical connection between the lighting body and electrical system, so that the user is not required to handle wires or other dangerous parts. 
     Said lighting device is multifunction: besides conventional lighting, as already stated it can also act as an emergency light, portable torch, charger of external electronic devices (due to a USB socket with which it can be equipped). 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other advantages of the invention will be more evident below, in the description of preferred embodiments provided purely by way of non-limiting example, and with the aid of the figures, wherein: 
         FIGS. 1, 2 and 3  represent, in an axonometric view from different angles, a multifunction LED lighting device according to a first variant of the invention; 
         FIGS. 4 and 5  represent, in an exploded axonometric view, the lighting device of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6  represents, in an axonometric view, a multifunction LED lighting device according to a second variant of the invention; 
         FIGS. 7 and 8  represent, in an axonometric view from different angles, a multifunction LED lighting device according to a third variant of the invention; 
         FIG. 9  represents, in an exploded axonometric view, the lighting device of  FIG. 7 ; 
         FIGS. 10, 11 and 12  represent, in an exploded axonometric view, components of the lighting device of  FIG. 9 ; 
         FIGS. 13 and 14  represent, respectively in an assembly section along a vertical plane and in a detail section, a multifunction LED lighting device according to a further possible variant of the invention; 
         FIG. 15  represents, in an axonometric view, the multifunction LED lighting device of  FIG. 1  in a more complete variant. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     With reference to  FIGS. 1-5 , there is illustrated a multifunction LED lighting device  1  according to a first embodiment of the invention. 
     Said LED lighting device  1  comprises:
         a lighting body  2  comprising internally an LED assembly  3 ;   a frame  4  for supporting said lighting body  2  and for connecting it to a vertical wall;   electrical connection means and mechanical connection means between said frame  4  and said lighting body  2 ;   an electronic circuit board  5  for converting to low voltage and supplying power to said LED assembly  3 .       

     Said lighting body  2  is substantially L-shaped and comprises an upright  6  and a projecting arm  7 . 
     With particular reference to the details of the exploded views in  FIGS. 4 and 5 , said upright  6  comprises said electrical connection means and said mechanical connection means to said frame, while said arm  7  contains internally said LED assembly  3 . 
     Said LED assembly  3  is retained between a supporting plate  21  and a lens  22 . 
     Said electrical connection means and said mechanical connection means are produced by a single connector  8 ,  9  of male/female type with reversible coupling, which therefore allows easy removal and repositioning of the lighting body  2  from and on the frame  4  during assembly and wall mounting of the device  1 . 
     In fact, said frame  4  comprises a plate  11  for fixing to the vertical wall, by means of screws  23  and wall plugs  24 , and a substantially parallelepiped shaped hollow base  12 . 
     Said base  12  can be fixed with interlock on said plate  11 . 
     Said electronic circuit board  5  is housed in said plate  11  for fixing to the wall, while said base  12  is adapted to house the female component  9  of said connector. The corresponding male component  8  of the connector itself is housed at one end of the upright  6  of the lighting body  2 . 
     A low voltage current transformer is associated with said electronic circuit board  5 . 
     Said LED lighting device  1  comprises a buffer battery  10  adapted to maintain said device active even without a power supply. 
     Said buffer battery  10  is housed in said lighting body  2 , inside the upright  6 . In this way it is possible to disconnect said lighting body  2  from the frame  4  and use it as a torch and emergency light. 
     Said upright  6 , id of suitable length, can be used as handle of the lighting body  2  when used as torch. 
     Said base  12  comprises, in its lower face, a connector  20  of USB type for supplying power to external electronic devices. 
     With reference to  FIG. 15 , said base  12  comprises accessory electronic apparatus  29  selected from a microphone, a display, a video camera, adapted to interface with a user in Bluetooth or Wi-Fi mode and with a home automatic system to fulfil various functions, and make the multifunction LED lighting device  1  even more complete and high performing. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates a multifunction LED lighting device  1  substantially identical to the one described above, except for the fact that it comprises two lighting bodies  2 , each provided with its own electrical and mechanical connection means, where said lighting bodies  2  can be alternatively or simultaneously inserted into the frame  4 . 
       FIGS. 13 and 14  illustrate a section of the multifunction LED lighting device  1  according to a variant of the invention, where the electrical connection means between said frame  4  and said lighting body  2  are of the electromagnetic induction charging type. 
     The direct physical contact between said frame  4 , in particular the base  12  that houses the female component  9  of said connector, and said lighting body  2 , in particular the end of the upright  6  that houses the male component  8  of said connector, allows activation of the passage of current through magnetic induction inside the buffer battery  10  which will then supply said LED assembly  3  with power. 
     Due to transfer by means of magnetic induction, it is possible to charge the buffer battery  10  of the lighting body  2 , through specific transmitter sensors  31  positioned on the base  12  in the female component  9  of the connector and specific receiver sensors  32  residing on the lighting body in the male component  8  of the connector. 
     Said buffer battery  10  in this case performs an important role in the operation of the LED lighting device  1 : it does not only come into play only in the case of a power outage or in the case in which the lighting appliance  1  is used as a torch, but is always required for the operation of the LED assembly  3 , as there are no physical electrical connections between the base  12  and the lighting body  2 . 
     To optimize consumption, said LED lighting device  1  comprises a position sensor  28  adapted to detect the physical presence or absence of a moving subject close to the lighting device  1  and to selectively control the transfer of current from said buffer battery  10  to said LED assembly  3  and hence switching on, or not, of the lighting body  2 . 
     Moreover, said LED lighting device  1  comprises a switch  30  of ON/OFF type, also adapted to act on the passage of current from the buffer battery  10  to the LED assembly  3 . 
     The electrical connection means of electromagnetic induction type give the maximum level of safety to the multifunction LED lighting device  1 , which in this way has no open physical electrical contacts. 
     With reference to  FIGS. 7-12 , there is illustrated a multifunction LED lighting device  1  according to a further and original embodiment, in particular suitable to be ceiling mounted and to operate as a ceiling light. 
     Said base  12  has a hexagonal parallelepiped shape and said lighting device  1  comprises six lighting bodies  2  arranged radially on said base  12 . It is clear that the number of the lighting bodies  2  can vary, and also in this case, the electric and mechanical connection means of reversible type  8 ,  9  allow a variable composition of the lighting device  1 , as the number and position of the lighting bodies  2  can be selected. 
     Said frame  4  comprises a stem  13 , arranged between said plate  11  for fixing to the ceiling and said base  12 , where said stem  13  comprises, at a first end, bayonet type mechanical connection means  14  with said base  12  and, at a second end, screw type mechanical connection means  15  with said plate  11 . 
     Said plate  11  also has a hexagonal parallelepiped shape and comprises a box-like body  25  and a closing wall  26 . 
     Said stem  13  is hollow and is adapted to be passed through by electrical cables  16  terminating with a quick coupling connector  17  adapted to coact with a corresponding connector  18  associated with said base  12 . 
     In said variant, said electronic circuit board  5  is housed in said base  12 . 
     The lower face of said base  12 , which in use faces the room to be illuminated, comprises a lens  27  and said base  12  also comprises an LED assembly  19  adapted to emit light through said lens  27 . 
     Inside said base  12  there is also housed a buffer battery  10  connected to said additional LED assembly  19  and to said electronic circuit board  5 : in this variant it is the frame  4  itself that operates as a fixed emergency light as the lighting bodies  2  cannot be easily picked up to be used as a torch due to the fact that the lighting device  1  is positioned on the ceiling. 
     As is apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention can be produced in numerous variants of forms and dimensions, always achieving the advantages set forth above.