Patent Publication Number: US-2012042549-A1

Title: LED illuminated header valance with front illumination and downward directional lighting

Description:
PRIORITY 
     The present invention claims priority based on 35 USC section 119 for a provisional application entitled LED illuminated header valance system which was filed on Aug. 22, 2010 with a Ser. No. of 61/375844 and an attorney docket number of WDS-6520. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention is directed to an edge-lit backlighting and strip light system for light emitting diode displays, and, more particularly, to a strip light system employing a number of light strips in the form of thin, light weight sections of a substrate each of which mounts a plurality of light engines having an array of densely packed, primary color light emitting diodes (“LEDs”). 
     BACKGROUND 
     In recent years, there have been developed light-emitting diodes capable of emitting red, green, and blue colors (hereinafter referred to as “RGB” in some cases) and light-emitting diodes which are formed of light emitting elements in combination with phosphor materials so that they emit various colors, such as a white color, with a high brightness. Since a light-emitting diode (hereinafter referred to as an “LED”) is a solid-state element, it has superior resistance against vibration, a low-power consumption rate, a long operating life, and superior drive properties such as a high-speed drive. Accordingly, the light-emitting diodes have been increasingly used for various applications such as light sources for signal heads and full-color LED displays. 
     Light-emitting diode devices having various sizes and display effects have been developed and are available in the market. Depending on the complexity of required illumination pattern, most of the light-emitting diode devices include arrays of light-emitting diodes selectively switched on/off to generate such illumination pattern. When a complex illumination pattern is desired, the number of required light-emitting diodes can be significant. In addition, when the light-emitting diode devices are applied to an educational toy, the educational value is limited to the image only. 
     SUMMARY 
     A header valance system to provide front illumination for attachment to a retail environment may include a transformer housing to power a LED edge-lit panel and a light array, an extension arm housing to house the LED light array to provide a downward projecting light, a header mounting assembly to detachably connect the header valance system to the retail environment/fixturing. 
     The extension arm may include a transformer housing and may include a power cord to connect to a second header valance system, and the transformer housing may include a power outlet to connect to the power cord. 
     The LED edge-lit panel may include a power cord to connect to the transformer housing and provides illumination for the front graphic messaging/communication. 
     The extension arm housing may include a substantially straight extension arm. 
     The extension arm housing may include a substantially curved extension arm, and the header mounting assembly may include a side header panel to connect to the retail environment. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be understood by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which, like reference numerals identify like elements, and in which: 
         FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of the LED illuminated header valance system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the LED illuminated header valance system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of another LED illuminated header valance system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  illustrates a perspective view of the other LED illuminated header valance system of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  illustrates a perspective view of the LED illuminated header valance system being mounted on the retail fixturing; 
         FIG. 6  illustrates a perspective view of the other header valance system mounted on the retail fixturing. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present invention is applicable to applications which may include retail environments in particularly the present invention may be used in health and beauty departments and is applicable to be used in almost any application. 
     The LED illuminated header valance system  100  of the present invention may be mounted directly to the existing retail gondola or other types of wall fixtures in order to provide a substantially front LED illuminated graphic/communication area with an extension arm housing  105  which may house LED modules or strip lighting for substantially downward lighting for the product or area below the LED illuminated header valance system. 
     Front Illuminated lighting may be achieved by using LED edge-lit panels (all available technologies) which may be positioned within the top and bottom channels  135  and  137  which may connect into a plug directly into an outlet found within the LED Extension arm housing/assembly  105 (transformer housing). 
     The LED extension arm housing  105  may incorporate an outlet in its main assembly that powers the front LED Edge-lit Panel. The LED modules (LED Strip Lighting or LED Modules) may be held within the front curved structure of the extension arm housing  105  and the adjacent to the header mounting assembly  103 . 
     The Extension Arm or Arms extending from its main assembly may be straight, curved or angled as the arm extends out for the substantially as downward directional lighting. 
     The lighting from the extension arm housing  105  may be achieved by incorporating LED Modules/LED Strip Lighting into the front curved structure which may be protected by a clear (transparent/translucent) extrusion profile. 
     Rigid side panels of the header mounting assembly  103  may allow the header electrical cords to run from one to the other end and may have bracket teeth that secure the structure of the LED edge lit header valance system  100  to the existing retail gondola fixtures or other types of wall fixtures. 
     The LED illuminated header valance system  100  may include top and bottom channels to hold the LED edge-lid panel and graphics in place, while allowing both to be removed and replaced. 
     The individual units of the LED illuminated header valance system  100  may be designed to plug one to the other side-to-side so that the user may have a continuous run which may ultimately plug into one standard wall electrical outlet. The low power requirements of the LED lights permit very long continuous runs without the need for multiple electrical outlets. 
     The LED illuminated header valance system  100  maybe formed into standard sizes to accommodate most retail environments, and this structure can be customized to different heights, widths, depths and shapes. 
     The LED illuminated header valance system  100  may be all LED based, resulting in an energy efficient, low power consumption, minimal heat, no mercury or heavy metals design with a longer life span than other types of lighting options. 
       FIG. 1  illustrates an exploded view of the LED illuminated header valance system  100  of the present invention. The LED illuminated header valance system  100  may include a transformer housing  101 , a header mounting assembly  103  and an extension arm housing  105  and may be formed from a rigid material such as metal, plastic or other appropriate material. 
     The transformer housing  101  may include a transformer front wall  107  which may be connected to a pair of opposing transformer sidewalls  109 , a transformer back wall  111  which may be opposed to the transformer front wall  107  and may be connected to the opposing transformer sidewalls  109 , a transformer top wall  113  which may be connected to the transformer front wall  107 , the opposing transformer sidewalls  109  and the transformer back wall  111  and a transformer bottom wall  115  which may be opposed to the transformer front wall  107  and connected to the transformer front wall  107 , the opposing transformer sidewalls  109  and the transformer back wall  111 . 
     The transformer front wall  107  may include a transformer aperture  117  to cooperate with a power cord  119  to supply power to the power transformer (not shown) positioned within the transformer housing  101  to power the LED lights  121  and LED edge-lit panel  129 . The transformer housing  101  may be hollow in order to accommodate the power transformer (not shown). 
     The transformer front wall  107  may also include a power outlet  123  to provide an electrical connection for and adjacent LED illuminated header valance system  100 . 
     A pair of extension arms  125  may extend outwardly and substantially horizontally from the transformer front wall  107 , and each of the extension arms  125  may be positioned on opposing sides of the transformer front wall  107 . Each of the extension arms  125  may support and connect to an extension arm housing  105  which may include an array of LED lights  121  which may be formed into a strip of the LED lights  121  to illuminate the product or area below the LED illuminated header valances system  100 . 
     The LED edge lit panel  129  may be a front panel for the header mounting assembly  103  and may be connected to a pair of opposing side header panels  133  and may be positioned in a top channel  135  and a bottom channel  137  so that the LED edge lit panel  129  may be removed and replaced to form a detachable connection with the head mounting assembly  103 . The top channel  135  may be positioned on the bottom surface of the top header panel  139  and the bottom channel  137  may be positioned on the top surface of the bottom header panel  141  which may be opposed to the top header panel  139  and which may be connected to the side header panel  133  which may be connected to the top header panel  139 . 
     The transformer housing  101  may be positioned against the shoulder  143  of the side header panel  133 , and the back surface of the side header panel  133  may include an attachment device  145  which may be a multitude of downward extending hooks or other appropriate attachment device to attach to existing retail gondola fixture. 
       FIG. 2  illustrates a perspective view of the LED illuminated header valance system  100  of the present invention. The LED edge lit header valance system  100  may include a transformer housing  101 , a header mounting assembly  103  and an extension arm housing  105  and may be formed from a rigid material such as metal, plastic or other appropriate material. 
     The transformer housing  101  may include a transformer front wall  107  (not shown) which may be connected to a pair of opposing transformer sidewalls  109 , a transformer back wall  111  (not shown) which may be opposed to the transformer front wall  107  and may be connected to the opposing transformer sidewalls  109 , a transformer top wall  113  which may be connected to the transformer front wall  107 , the opposing transformer sidewalls  109  and the transformer back wall  111  and a transformer bottom wall  115  which may be opposed to the transformer front wall  107  and connected to the transformer front wall  107 , the opposing transformer sidewalls  109  and the transformer back wall  111 . 
     The transformer front wall  107  may include a transformer aperture  117  (not shown) to cooperate with a power cord  119  to supply power to the power transformer (not shown) positioned within the transformer housing  101  to power the LED lights  121 . The transformer housing  101  may be hollow in order to accommodate the power transformer (not shown). 
     The transformer front wall  107  may also include a power outlet  123  (not shown) to provide an electrical connection for an adjacent LED illuminated header valance system  100  and front LED edge-lit panel  129 . 
     A pair of extension arms  125  may extend outwardly and substantially horizontally from the transformer front wall  107 , and each of the extension arms  125  may be positioned on opposing sides of the transformer front wall  107 . Each of the extension arms  125  may support and connect to an extension arm housing  105  which may include an array of LED lights  121  which may be formed into a strip of the LED lights  121  to illuminate the product or area below the LED illuminated header valances system  100 . 
     The LED edge lit panel  129  may be a front panel for the header mounting assembly  103  and may be connected to a pair of opposing side header panels  133  and may be positioned in a top channel  135  and a bottom channel  137  so that the LED edge lit panel  129  may be removed and replaced to form a detachable connection with the head mounting assembly  103 . The top channel  135  may be positioned on the bottom surface of the top header panel  139  and the bottom channel  137  may be positioned on the top surface of the bottom header panel  141  which may be opposed to the top header panel  139  and which may be connected to the side header panel  133  which may be connected to the top header panel  139 . 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an exploded view of the LED header valance system  200  for the product or area below the LED illuminated header valances system  100 , of the present invention. The LED edge lit header valance system  200  may include a transformer housing  201 , a header mounting assembly  203  and an extension arm housing  205  and may be formed from a rigid material such as metal, plastic or other appropriate material. 
     The transformer housing  201  which may be substantially U-shaped may include a transformer front wall  207 , a transformer back wall  211  which may be opposed to the transformer front wall  207  and may be connected to a transformer bottom wall  215 . 
     The side header panels  233  may include a transformer aperture  217  to cooperate with a power cord  219  to supply power to the power transformer (not shown) positioned within the transformer housing  201  to power the LED lights  221  and the LED edge-lit panel  129 . 
     The transformer housing  201  may also include a power outlet  223  to provide an electrical connection for an adjacent LED edge lit header valance system  200 . 
     A pair of extension arms  225  may extend and curve outwardly and from the transformer housing  201 . Each of the extension arms  225  may support and connect to an extension arm housing  205  which may include an array of LED lights  121  which may be formed into a strip of the LED lights  221  to illuminate the product or area below the LED illuminated header valance system  100 . 
     The LED edge lit panel  229  may be a front panel for the header mounting assembly  203  and may be connected to a pair of opposing side header panels  233  and may be positioned in a top channel  235  and a bottom channel  237  so that the LED edge lit panel  229  may be removed and replaced to form a detachable connection with the head mounting assembly  203 . The top channel  235  may be positioned on the bottom surface of the top header panel  239  and the bottom channel  237  may be positioned on the top surface of the bottom header panel  241  which may be opposed to the top header panel  239  and which may be connected to the side header panel  233  which may be connected to the top header panel  239 . 
     The bottom header panel  241  and the top header panel  239  may be integrally formed with a back header panel  240  which may be connected to the transformer housing  201 . 
     The side header panel  233  may include an aperture  232  to allow a electrical connection with another LED illuminated header valance system  200 . 
     The back surface of the side header panel  233  may include an attachment device  245  which may be a multitude of downward extending hooks or other appropriate attachment device to attach to existing retail gondola fixture. 
       FIG. 3  illustrates an upward extending member  238  which may upwards extend from the front surface of the top header panel  239  which includes the top channel  235  and a downward extending member  240  which extend downward from front surface of the bottom header panel  241  which includes the bottom channel  237 . 
       FIG. 4  illustrates an upward extending member  238  which may upwards extend from the top panel  235  and a downward extending member  240  which extend downward from the bottom channel  237 .  FIG. 4  additionally illustrates the LED edge lit panel  229  which may be positioned between the top channel  235  and the bottom channel  237 . 
     The side header panel  233  may include an aperture  232  to allow a electrical connection with another header valance system  200  and may include an attachment device  245  which may be a multitude of downward extending hooks or other appropriate attachment device to attach to existing retail gondola fixture.  FIG. 4  additionally illustrates the extension arms  225  which may be substantially straight, angled or curved or other geometries and the extension arm  205 . 
       FIG. 5  illustrates the LED illuminated header valance system  100  attached to an existing retail gondola fixture  300  and illustrates the power cord  119 , the extension arm  125 , the light housing  127 , a retail gondola fixture or back wall section  303  to be lit by the LED lights  121  within the light housing  127 , and the side header panel  133  which may include the attachment device  145 . The LED edge-lit panel  129  illuminates a front area for graphic communication. 
       FIG. 6  illustrates the LED edge lit header valance system  200  attached to an existing retail gondola fixture  300  and illustrates the power cord  219 , the extension arm  225 , the light housing  127 , a retail gondola fixture or back wall section  303  to be lit by the LED lights  221  within the light housing  227 , and the side header panel  233  which may include the attachment device  245 . The LED edge-lit panel  129  illuminates a front area for graphic communication. 
     While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed.