Patent Publication Number: US-10323835-B1

Title: Combination LED lighting system and angle power strip

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to a LED Lighting System and an Angle Power Strip which are mounted in a single housing which may be positioned beneath a kitchen cabinet located above a kitchen countertop. The invention may also be positioned below a cabinet located above a desk or the like. The invention may also be positioned on a vertically disposed wall above a countertop or desk. 
     Description of the Related Art 
     Many lighting devices have been previously provided to be positioned beneath a kitchen cabinet so as to illuminate a countertop. Additionally, many electrical outlet devices have been previously provided for positioning beneath kitchen cabinets to provide electrical power to devices being used on the countertop located below the cabinet. See for example FIGS. 1 and 2 of Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,694 which illustrate such prior art electrical outlets. Applicant&#39;s U.S. Pat. No. 7,156,694 solved many of the problems associated with the electrical outlets of the prior art. However, to the best of Applicant&#39;s knowledge, no one has previously combined an LED lighting system with an angle power strip in a single housing which not only provides convenient access to the electrical outlets of the angle power strip but which also illuminates the countertop or desk located therebelow. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key aspects or essential aspects of the claimed subject matter. Moreover, this Summary is not intended for use as an aid in determining the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     The Combination LED Lighting System and Angle Power Strip of this invention comprises an elongated, horizontally disposed housing including a horizontally disposed upper wall member having an inner end, an outer end, a first end, and a second end. A lens mounting wall member, having upper and lower ends, extends downwardly and outwardly from the outer end of the upper wall member. An intermediate wall member, having upper and lower ends, extends downwardly from the upper wall member inwardly of the outer end of the upper wall member. An angular wall member, having upper and lower ends, extends downwardly and inwardly from the lower end of the intermediate wall member. An elongated arcuate connector shoulder is mounted on the lower end of the angular wall member. A vertically disposed inner wall member, having upper and lower ends, extends downwardly from the inner end of the upper wall member. A horizontally disposed bottom wall member, having inner and outer ends, extends inwardly from the lower end of the inner wall member. The outer end of the bottom wall member has an enlarged ball-like member secured thereto. The housing includes an angularly disposed outer wall member, having upper and lower ends. The upper end of the outer wall member has an inwardly protruding shoulder which has an arcuate recess formed therein. The upper end of the outer wall member is selectively removably secured to its elongated arcuate connector shoulder at the lower end of the angular wall member. The lower end of the outer wall member has an elongated arcuate lip which receives the ball-like member at the inner end of the bottom wall member to selectively removably secure the lower end of the outer wall member. An elongated lens, having a first end, a second end, an upper end edge, and a lower end edge has its upper end edge removably secured to the lens mounting wall member. The lower end edge of the lens is removably secured to the intermediate wall member. 
     An LED light assembly is positioned between the lens mounting wall member and the intermediate wall member which is configured to direct light downwardly and outwardly through the lens. A plurality of horizontally spaced-apart electrical outlets are positioned on the angularly disposed outer wall member so that the outlets are disposed at an acute angle with respect to the inner wall member and the upper wall member. 
     In the preferred embodiment, the light lens is translucent. In the preferred embodiment, the light lens has a curved cross-section. In the preferred embodiment, the outer wall member is selectively removably secured to the housing. In the preferred embodiment, the LED light system includes an LED dimmer and the LED system includes an elongated and horizontally disposed LED light bar. 
     It is therefore a principal object of the invention to provide a combination LED lighting system and an angle power strip in a single housing. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is easy to install and which is easily serviced if needed. 
     A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the type described which is economical of manufacture and durable in use. 
     These and other objects will be apparent to those skilled in the art. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       Non-limiting and non-exhaustive embodiments of the present invention are described with reference to the following figures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the various views unless otherwise specified. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a top view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 3  is a front view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 4  is an end view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 5  is a partial exploded perspective view of one end of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 6  is a sectional view of the housing of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention mounted below a cabinet; 
         FIG. 8  is an interior view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
         FIG. 9  is another interior view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; and 
         FIG. 10  is a further interior view of the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention; 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Embodiments are described more fully below with reference to the accompanying figures, which form a part hereof and show, by way of illustration, specific exemplary embodiments. These embodiments are disclosed in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. However, embodiments may be implemented in many different forms and should not be construed as being limited to the embodiments set forth herein. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense in that the scope of the present invention is defined only by the appended claims. 
     The numeral  10  refers to the combination LED lighting system and angle power strip of this invention which will be referred to hereinafter as “invention” for purposes of conciseness. Invention  10  includes an elongated and horizontally disposed housing  12  which will normally be positioned directly beneath a horizontally extending bottom wall of a kitchen cabinet  13  or the like which is secured to a vertically disposed wall  14  in conventional fashion. The invention  10  may be positioned in different locations if so desired. 
     Housing  12  has opposite ends  16  and  17 . Housing  12  includes a horizontally disposed upper wall member  18  having an inner end  20  and an outer end  22 . An inclined wall member  24  extends downwardly and outwardly from the outer end  22  of upper wall member  18 . The inner side of wall member  24  has an elongated and horizontally extending slot  26  formed therein which extends between the ends of the housing  12 . An intermediate wall member  28  extends downwardly and from the underside of wall member  18  inwardly of outer end  22  thereof. The upper inner end of wall member  28  has an elongated recess  29  formed therein the ends of which serve as screw openings. Wall member  28  has at least one opening  30  formed therein. Wall member  28  includes an inclined wall portion  32  which extends downwardly and inwardly from the lower end thereof. Wall member  28  has an elongated and horizontally extending slot  34  formed in the outer side thereof between the ends of the housing  12 . The lower end of wall portion  32  has an elongated and horizontally extending arcuate connector shoulder  36  which extends between the ends of the housing  12 . Connector shoulder  36  has an elongated recess  38  formed therein. The ends of recess  38  serve as screw openings. 
     Housing  12  also includes an inner wall member  40  having an upper end  42  and a lower end  44 . The juncture of the upper end  42  of wall member  40  and the inner end  20  of upper wall member  18  has an elongated slot  46  formed therein, the ends of which serve as screw openings. Bottom wall member  48  extends horizontally inwardly from the lower end  44  of inner wall member  40  and has a ball-shaped connector element  50  at its inner end which extends between the ends of bottom wall member  48 . 
     The numeral  52  refers to the outer wall member of this invention which serves as a cover for the housing  12  and which is snap-fitted into place to close the lower outer end of the housing  18 . The lower inner end of wall member  52  has an elongated protruding connector element  54  extending therefrom which has a recess  56  formed therein which is adapted to receive the connector element  50  therein. The upper inner end of outer wall member  52  has an elongated protruding connector element  57  extending therefrom which has a recess  58  formed therein which is adapted to receive the connector shoulder  36  as seen in  FIG. 6 . 
     The numeral  60  refers to an elongated and horizontally extending lens having an upper end  62  and a lower end  64 . The upper end  62  of lens  60  is configured to be selectively removably received by slot  34  in wall member  28 . The lower end  64  of lens  60  is configured to be selectively removably received by the slot  26  in wall member  28 . 
     The numeral  66  refers to an elongated and horizontally disposed LED lighting system which is preferably an LED light bar having a plurality of spaced-apart LED&#39;s  68  mounted thereon. System  66  is secured to the underside of upper wall  18  at end  22  thereof. System  66  could be secured to the outer side of wall member  28 . System  66  is designed to direct light downwardly and outwardly through lens  60 . A plurality of 120V electrical outlets  70  are mounted in outer wall  52  so as to be an acute angle with respect to upper wall  18  and inner wall  40 . 
     There are several ways to power the electrical outlets  70  and the LED lights. One way is shown in  FIG. 8 . Electrical 120 Volt leads  72 ,  74  and  76  pass through a knock-out in wall  40  and are electrically connected to the outlets  70 . The 120 Volt lead  72  is connected to a switch  77  which is connected to a 15 Volt driver  78  by lead  80 . Lead  76  is also connected to driver  79  which converts 120 V to 15 V. Leads  82  and  83  connect driver  78  to the LED lighting system  66 . The switch  77  may be located on the housing  12  or wherever convenient. 
       FIG. 9  illustrates another way of powering the driver  78  and the LED system  66 . In  FIG. 9 , a remote switch  84  is electrically connected to driver  78  by 120 Volt leads  86 ,  88  and  90  which enter the housing  12  through a knock-out  92 . Yet another way of powering the LED lighting system  66  is shown in  FIG. 10 . In  FIG. 10 , the system  66  is powered by a remote driver  78  which is connected to 120V power and a switch. 
     End  16  of housing  12  is closed by a cap  94  which has screws  98  extending therethrough into the ends of recesses  29  and  38  and slot  46 . 
     End  17  of housing  12  is closed by a cap  96  which has screws  100  extending therethrough into the ends of recesses  29  and  38  and slot  46 . 
     Thus it can be seen that the invention accomplishes at least all of its stated objectives. 
     Although the invention has been described in language that is specific to certain structures and methodological steps, it is to be understood that the invention defined in the appended claims is not necessarily limited to the specific structures and/or steps described. Rather, the specific aspects and steps are described as forms of implementing the claimed invention. Since many embodiments of the invention can be practiced without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention, the invention resides in the claims hereinafter appended.