Patent Publication Number: US-2023151935-A1

Title: Linear luminaire including a light inset inserted in a channel

Description:
This is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 17/527,111, filed Nov. 15, 2021 and hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
    
    
     The present disclosure relates generally to linear luminaires and more specifically to a linear luminaire including a light inset inserted in a channel. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Linear luminaires can be mounted directly to a ceiling or wall or can be supported on a pendant. 
     SUMMARY 
     A linear luminaire is provided that includes a linear channel defining an interior space and a linear light inset configured for being inserted into the channel in the interior space. The light inset includes a cover and a printed circuit board fixed to the cover. The printed circuit board supports a plurality of light emitting diodes. The cover base wall includes a translucent portion. The light emitting diodes are arranged for emitting light through the translucent portion. The cover includes two cover connectors, each configured for being snapped into the channel to hold the cover in the interior space. The cover connectors are on an opposite side of the printed circuit board as the translucent portion. 
     A linear luminaire is provided that includes a linear channel defining an interior space and a linear light inset configured for being inserted into the channel in the interior space. The light inset includes a cover and a printed circuit board fixed to the cover. The printed circuit board supports a plurality of light emitting diodes. The cover base wall includes a translucent portion. The light emitting diodes are arranged for emitting light through the translucent portion. The cover includes a first support section supporting the printed circuit board and a second support section configured for supporting a further printed circuit board. The second support section and the first support section are different distances from the translucent portion. 
     A linear luminaire is provided that includes a linear channel defining an interior space and a linear light inset configured for being inserted into the channel in the interior space. The light inset includes a cover and a printed circuit board fixed to the cover. The printed circuit board supports a plurality of light emitting diodes. The cover base wall includes a translucent portion. The light emitting diodes are arranged for emitting light through the translucent portion. The cover includes two cover connectors each configured for being connected to the channel to hold the cover in the interior space. The linear luminaire further includes a fall down protection fastener fixed to printed circuit board and configured for being fixed to the channel base wall to prevent the cover and printed circuit board from being disconnected from the channel upon failure of a connection of the cover connectors to the channel. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The present invention is described below by reference to the following drawings, in which: 
         FIG.  1   a    shows a cross-sectional longitudinally facing view of a linear luminaire configured to be mounted directly to a ceiling or wall or can be supported on a pendant; 
         FIG.  1   b    shows an enlarged view of a portion of  FIG.  1   a    illustrating the connectors; 
         FIG.  2    shows an exploded view of the linear luminaire shown in  FIGS.  1   a    and  1   b;    
         FIG.  3    shows a perspective view of a longitudinal end of the linear luminaire shown in  FIGS.  1   a    to  2 ; 
         FIGS.  4   a  and  4   b    respectively show a downward facing and an upward facing perspective view of the linear luminaire shown in  FIGS.  1   a    to  3 ; 
         FIG.  5    shows a side exploded view of a portion of the linear luminaire shown in  FIGS.  1   a    to  4   b;  and 
         FIG.  6    shows a cross-sectional lateral facing view of the luminaire shown in  FIGS.  1   a    to  5 , illustrating a longitudinal overlap two printed circuit boards. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       FIG.  1   a    shows a cross-sectional longitudinally facing view of a linear luminaire  10  configured to be mounted directly to a ceiling or wall, recessed in a ceiling or wall or can be supported on a pendant, and  FIG.  2    shows an exploded view of linear luminaire  10 . Terms used herein, including vertically, horizontally, higher, lower, above and below, unless otherwise stated, are used in reference to the orientation present when the luminaire  10  is mounted to the ceiling as an overhead light, or in the ceiling as a recessed light. Luminaire  10  includes a linear channel  12  and a linear light inset  14 . Linear channel  12  includes a channel base wall  16  and two channel side walls  18 ,  20  extending away from base wall  16 . When luminaire  10  is mounted to the ceiling as an overhead light, channel base wall  16  constitutes the top of the luminaire  10 . Channel  12  may be formed by a single piece of a metal. In one example, channel  12  is formed of aluminum. In particular, channel  12  may be formed of extruded aluminum. In other examples, channel  12  may be formed as sheet metal parts that are welded together—i.e., with walls  16 ,  18 ,  20  as separate sheet metal parts that are welded together. In other examples, channel may also be formed of plastic. 
     Linear light inset  14  is configured for being inserted into channel  12  in a space  22  between the two channel side walls  18 ,  20 . Light inset  14  includes a cover  24  and two printed circuit boards (PCBs)  26 ,  28  fixed to cover  24 . PCBs  26 ,  28  each support a plurality of light sources in the form of light emitting diodes  30  to emit light through cover  24 . 
     Cover  24  includes a cover base wall  32  and two cover side walls  34 ,  36  extending away from the cover base wall  32 . PCBs  26 ,  28  are each fixed to the two cover side walls  34 ,  36 . Cover base wall  32  forms a translucent portion, and LEDs  30  arranged for emitting light through cover base wall  32 . Light inset  14  defines an interior space  14   a  between walls  32 ,  34 ,  36  and PCBs  26 ,  28  through which light travels before passing through cover base wall  32 . 
     Cover  24  also includes two cover connectors  38 ,  40 , and each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  is fixed to a respective one of the two cover side walls  34 ,  36 . Cover connectors  38 ,  40  are configured for being snapped into the channel  12  to hold the cover  24  in the space  22  between the two channel side walls  18 ,  20 . The connection by connectors  38 ,  40  to channel  12  prevents light insert  14  from falling downward from channel  12  through an opening  42  defined at lower ends  18   a,    20   a  of channel side walls  18 ,  20 . 
     Cover connectors  38 ,  40  are positioned above an upward facing side  26   a  of upper PCB  26 —i.e., the side facing channel base wall  16 , which is opposite a downward facing side  26   b  of upper PCB  26 —i.e., the side facing cover base wall  32 . LEDs  30  are fixed to downward facing side  26   b  of PCB  26 . Each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  is formed integrally as a single piece with an end of the respective cover side wall  34 ,  36 . Further, cover side walls  34 ,  36  are formed integrally as a single piece with cover base wall  32 . In other words, cover base wall  32 , cover side walls  34 ,  36  and cover connectors  38 ,  40  are formed integrally as a single piece to constitute cover  24 . In one advantageous example, cover  24  may be formed of plastic and may have an opal color such that it is translucent, but not transparent. In other examples, cover  24  may be translucent and transparent or cover  24  may be translucent and colored. 
     Each of the two channel side walls  18 ,  20  includes a channel connector  44 ,  46 . Each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  is configured for being snapped onto one of the channel connectors  44 ,  46  to create a form fit connection between the channel  12  and the cover. 
       FIG.  1   b    shows an enlarged section of a portion of  FIG.  1   a    including cover connectors  40  and channel connector  46 . The following discussion of connectors  40 ,  46  also applies to connectors  38 ,  44 . Referring to  FIGS.  1   a  and  1   b    together, each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  includes an outwardly extending section  39   a  extending horizontally away from a longitudinal center plane C CR  of cover  24 . Longitudinal center plane C CR  of cover  24  extends along a length of cover  24 . Outwardly extending sections  39   a  are each configured for contacting a securing surface  45   a  of the respective channel connector  44 ,  46  to prevent the cover  24  from falling out of the linear channel  12  and away from the channel base wall  16 . More specifically, outer downwardly facing surfaces  41   a  of outwardly extending sections  39   a  contact securing surfaces  45   a,  respectively, to prevent the cover  24  from falling out of the linear channel  12  and away from the channel base wall  16 . Outer downwardly facing surfaces  41   a  are inclined with respect to longitudinal center plane C CR  such that surfaces  41   a  face away from longitudinal center plane C CR  and also face downwardly toward the respective side wall  34 ,  36 . In other words, outer downwardly facing surfaces  41   a  extend both vertically and horizontally. Securing surfaces  45   a  face upward toward the channel base wall  16  and also angle toward center plane C CR , such that surfaces  45   a  also extend vertically while extending horizontally. 
     Each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  also includes an inwardly extending section  39   b  extending horizontally away from the respective cover side wall  34 ,  36  and toward the longitudinal center plane C CR  of cover  24 . Inwardly extending sections  39   b  are each configured for contacting a respective abutment surface  45   b  of the respective channel connector  44 ,  46  to prevent the cover  24  from being forced further into the linear channel  12  toward the channel base wall  16 . More specifically, upwardly facing surfaces  41   b  of inwardly extending sections  39   b  are each configured for contacting a respective abutment surface  45   b  to prevent the cover  24  from being forced further into the linear channel  12  toward the channel base wall  16 . Abutment surfaces  45   b  extend horizontally and face downwardly away from the channel base wall  16 . Inwardly extending sections  39   b  also include horizontally extending downwardly facing surfaces  41   e  contacting or are at least directly facing surface  26   a  of PCB  26 . Each of the inwardly extending sections  39   b  is formed integrally with an upper end  34   b,    36   b  of the respective cover side wall  34 ,  36 . 
     Each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  further includes an intermediate section  39   c  connecting inwardly extending section  39   b  to outwardly extending section  39   a.  Each of intermediate sections  39   c  is configured for laterally contacting an alignment surface  45   c  of the respective channel connector  38 ,  40  to center the cover  24  within the channel  12 . Alignment surfaces  45   c  face toward each other. More specifically, each alignment surface  45   c  faces toward longitudinal center plane C CR  and away from the respective channel side wall  18 ,  20  and extends vertically upward from the respective abutment surface  45   b  to the respective securing surface  45   a.    
     Each of cover connectors  38 ,  40  additionally includes an insertion section  39   d  tapering inward from outwardly extending section  39   a  by extending horizontally toward longitudinal center plane C CR  and horizontally away from the respective cover side wall  34 ,  36  while extending vertically toward channel base wall  16  and away from PCB  26 . More specifically, each insertion section  39   d  includes an inclined surface  41   d  that extends horizontally and vertically away from surface  41   a  toward longitudinal center plane C CR . 
     Each of cover side walls  34 ,  36  is also provided with two circuit board support sections including an upper support section  48  and a lower support section  50 . Sections  48 ,  50  extend along an entire length of cover  24 . Upper support section  48  vertically supports upper PCB  26  and lower support section  50  vertically supports lower PCB  28 . Cover side walls  34 ,  36  include outer surfaces  35   a  facing away from light inset interior space  14   a  and toward the respective channel side walls  18 ,  20  and inner surfaces  35   b  facing toward interior space  14   a  and away from the respective side walls  18 ,  20 . Support sections  48 ,  50  protrude horizontally inward from the respective inner surface  35   b  toward longitudinal center plane C CR . Each of support sections  48 ,  50  includes a respective horizontally extending support surface  48   a,    50   a  for contacting the lower surface  26   b,    28   b  of the respective PCB  26 ,  28 . Lateral ends  28   c  of PCB  28  are received in gaps  52   a  formed vertically between the respective support surface  50   a  and a respective lower horizontally extending surface  48   b  of support section  48 , and lateral ends  26   c  of PCB  26  are received in gaps  52   b  formed vertically between the respective support surface  48   a  and the horizontally extending downwardly facing surfaces  41   e  of the respective cover connector  38 ,  40 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  4   a    and  6 , providing two different support sections  48 ,  50  at two different vertical positions provides flexibility during the installation of luminaire  10 . In particular, for example, if a plurality of standard length PCBs  26  or  28  are used and luminaire is not an integer multiple of this standard length, PCBs  26 ,  28  can overlap with each other in the longitudinal direction. As an illustrative example, if each of PCBs  26 ,  28  are ten inches long, and luminaire has a length of forty-five inches, four different PCBs  26  can be provided on upper support sections  48  and a fifth PCB  28  can be provided on lower support sections  50  overlapped in the longitudinal direction by five inches with one of upper PCBs.  FIG.  6    shows a cross-sectional lateral facing view of luminaire  10 , illustrating a longitudinal overlap LO of an upper PCB  26  and a lower PCB  28 . 
     As shown in  FIGS.  1     a,    2 ,  4   a,    4   b  and  5 , luminaire  10  further includes a fall down protection fastener  54  configured for being connected to channel base wall  16  on a first end  54   a  thereof and to one of PCBs  26 ,  28  at a second end  54   b  thereof. Fall down protection fastener  54  includes a cord  56  extending from a first end connector  58  to a second end connector  60 . First end connector  58  is configured for being removably connected to channel base wall  16  and second end connector  60  is configured for being removably connected to one of PCBs  26 ,  28 . End connector  58  includes a threaded section  59   a  for being screwed to threaded section  16   a  of channel base wall  16  and end connector  60  includes a threaded section  59   b  for being screwed to threaded section  27  of PCBs  26 ,  28 . In the illustrated example, threaded sections  59   a,    59   b  are formed as male connectors including external threads and threaded sections  16   a,    59   b  are formed as female connectors including internal threads, but this arrangement can be reversed. The connection of fastener  54  to channel base wall  16  and PCB  26  or  28  prevents light inset  14  from being disconnected from channel  12  and falling to the ground in the event that connectors  38 ,  40  fail. In other embodiments, instead of a screw connection, the connectors  58 ,  60  can be welded or riveted to the channel base wall  16  and PCB  26 ,  28 , respectively. 
     Luminaire  10  further includes an electrical driver  62  received in space  22  inside of channel  12 . Electrical driver  62  connects to channel base wall  16  and electrically connects to PCBs  26 ,  28  to provide electricity to LEDs  30 . Each PCB  26 ,  28  is provided with an electrical connector  64  for connecting to driver  62 , directly via wiring or via wiring to another PCB  26 ,  28 . 
     As denoted in  FIGS.  1   a    and  5 , in order to organize the wires  66  for providing electricity from electrical driver  62  to LEDs  30 , luminaire  10  includes a plurality of wire securing assemblies  68  each configured for being fixed to channel base wall  16  for securing wires  66  above light inset  14 . Each wire securing assembly  68  includes two flexible arms  68   a  for receiving wires  66  and clips  68   b  for removably gripping a longitudinally extending support rail  70  fixed to channel base wall  16 . Support rail  70  includes one or more threaded sections  16   a  integrally formed therein. Arms  68   a  face each other and each defines a receptacle  72  for receiving a subset of wires  66 . Assembly  68  includes a base  68   c  for contacting support rail  70 , and for contacting further rails  74  positioned on both lateral sides of rail  70 . Two sets of clips  68   b  extend upward from opposite longitudinal sides of base  68   c,  and arms  68   a  extend downward from opposite lateral sides of base  68   c.  Each of clips  68   b  includes two prongs  68   d  for laterally contacting opposite sides of rail  70 . Arms  68   a  each include a vertical section  69   a  extending downward from base  68   c,  a horizontal section  69   b  extending from the respective vertical section  69   a  toward the other arm  68   a,  and inclined section  69   c  extending upward from horizontal section  69   b  and horizontally toward the other arm  68   a.  Inclined sections  69   c  intersect each other to define an upside-down V-shape, as shown in  FIG.  1     a.  Wires  66  are inserted into receptacles  72  by forcing wires  66  upward into the V-shape to force inclined sections  69   c  away from each other to define a gap between sections  69   c  for the wires  66  to pass through. After wires clear the intersection of sections  69   c,  the resiliency of arms  68   a  cause sections  69   c  to move back toward each other. The gap is eliminated and inclined sections  69   c  return into contact with each other. 
     A method for installing linear luminaire  10  includes fixing linear channel  12  to a support structure and inserting linear light inset  14  into channel  12  in a space  22  between the two channel side walls  18 ,  20  and connecting the linear light inset  14  to the channel  12  in the space by cover connectors  38 ,  40  of the linear light insert  14 . Prior to the installation of light inset  14  into channel  12 , PCBs  26  and/or PCBs  28  are slid in the longitudinal direction into respective gaps  52   a,    52   b  and onto respective support sections  48 ,  50  of side walls  34 ,  36  such that PCBs  26  and/or PCBs  28  are connected to cover  24 . As noted above, depending on whether or not the desired length of light insert  14  is an integer multiple of the length of PCBs  26 ,  28 , solely PCBs  26  are used, solely PCBs  28  are used, or both at least one PCB  26  and at least one PCB  28  are used with one PCB  26  longitudinally overlapping with one PCB  28 . It is noted that in one advantageous embodiment, PCBs  26  are exactly the same as PCBs  28 . 
     After PCBs  26  and/or PCBs  28  are connected to cover  24  to form light inset  14 , light inset  14  is inserted into the opening  42  defined at lower ends  18   a,    20   a  of channel side walls  18 ,  20  with connectors  38 ,  40  leading the way. Insertion sections  39   d  of connectors  38 ,  40  are forced into respective channel connectors  44 ,  46  such that insertions sections  39   d  and outwardly extending sections  39   a  are forced laterally inward toward center plane C CR  of cover  24  as outer tips  39   e  at an intersection of sections  39   a,    39   d  are slid along the respective surfaces  45   c  and past respective surface  45   a.  After outer tips  39   e  pass the respective surfaces  41   a,  sections  39   a  move laterally outward to engage the respective surfaces  41   a  to hold inset  14  in channel  12 . Surfaces  41   b  of inwardly extending sections  39   b  contact abutment surface  45   b  to align light inset  14  vertically in channel  12 . 
     Prior to the installation of light inset  14  into channel, fall down protection fasteners  54  are connected to two or more of PCBs, PCBs  26 ,  28  by connecting end  60  to the respective PCB  26 ,  28 . Each of cords  56  of fasteners  54  is elastically deformable to increase the distance between the respective ends  58 ,  60 . This allows fasteners  54  to be stretched from the orientation shown in  FIG.  5    to the orientation shown in  FIGS.  4     a,    4   b.  With end  60  connected to the respective PCB  26 ,  28  and light inset  14  spaced from the opening  42 , end  58  is raised upward into space  22  of channel  12  and connected to base wall  16  of channel  12  by screwing end  58  into threaded section  16   a  of channel base wall  16 . In the example shown in  FIGS.  4     a,    4   b,  fall down protection fasteners  54  are used to secure inset  14  to channel  12 , one at each longitudinal end of luminaire  10 . Then, light inset  14  is pushed upward into channel  12  and connected to channel  12  via connectors  38 ,  40 . 
     The preceding specification refers to specific exemplary embodiments and examples. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto without departing from the broader spirit and scope as set forth in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative manner rather than a restrictive sense.