Patent Abstract:
Aspects of the disclosure relate to a lighting assembly and method for illuminating a vertical planar area, such as a merchandise display. The lighting assembly can comprise a circuit board having a plurality of LEDs arranged in a substantially straight line and an LED driver circuit, and an integral lens assembly. The integral lens assembly can have a plurality of lenses and each of the plurality of lenses can be placed over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs. The lenses capture the light from the respective LED, modify its beam pattern, and re-project the light such that the light emitted from the lighting assembly is distributed substantially evenly in a vertical plane or direction.

Full Description:
FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates generally to LED lighting assemblies for a merchandise display and methods of lighting. In particular, in one aspect of the invention, an LED light assembly is provided with various lenses to capture the light from LED emitters so as to modify their beam patterns, and re-project the light to provide an even distribution of the light in a vertical plane. 
     BACKGROUND 
     In many retail stores it is desired to illuminate the front of product packages on merchandise display shelves to improve the product presentation, shopping environment, and to highlight products to ultimately improve the overall sales of the products. 
     Typically, this is accomplished with a fluorescent lighting fixture, which is located above a shelving unit and emits light down upon the front of the shelves. However, in most existing installations of this type, much of the light is not used because it is not captured and directed to the front of the shelves. Lack of focusing, specific reflectors, or beam modification results in product on higher shelves being too brightly illuminated and product on lower shelves receiving very little light at all. 
     Additionally, there are also significant costs with replacing lamps on fluorescent fixtures when they deteriorate or burn out including the costs of new lamps and labor to replace the lamps. In addition, when the lamps are replaced on the scale of a large retail chain, replacement can become environmentally harmful since all fluorescent lamps contain mercury. 
     In one exemplary aspect of the present invention, more of the available light is directed to the front of products merchandised on a shelf and a higher illuminance per watt of power is output than with existing fluorescent fixtures. In another exemplary aspect of the present invention, a lower cost lighting solution is disclosed that uses less energy, directs and improves the illumination on the product packages, particularly on the lower shelves, and requires lower maintenance costs. 
     SUMMARY 
     The following presents a general summary of aspects of the invention in order to provide a basic understanding of the invention and various features of it. This summary is not intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way, but it simply provides a general overview and context for the more detailed description that follows. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, a lighting assembly for a merchandise display is disclosed. The lighting assembly can comprise a circuit board assembly having a plurality of LEDs and an LED driver circuit and an integral lens assembly. The integral lens assembly can comprise a plurality of lenses. The plurality of lenses can be placed over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs allowing the lenses to capture the light from a respective LED, modify the beam pattern, and re-project the light. 
     In another exemplary embodiment, a lighting method for a merchandise display is disclosed. The method can comprise arranging a plurality of LEDs and a LED driver circuit on a circuit board and, securing a plurality of lenses to the circuit board, placing the plurality of lenses over a corresponding one of the plurality of LEDs so as to capture the light from a respective LED, modify a beam pattern emitted from the respective LED, and re-project the light emitted from the respective LED. 
     Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent by reference to the following description and drawings. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       A more complete understanding of the present invention and certain advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the following detailed description in consideration with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of exemplary lighting assemblies in use on a merchandise display; 
         FIG. 2  shows another perspective view of exemplary lighting assemblies; 
         FIGS. 3A and 3B  show top views of an exemplary circuit board assembly contained in the lighting assemblies; and 
         FIG. 4  shows a perspective view of the exemplary circuit board assembly. 
         FIG. 5  shows a top view of another exemplary circuit board assembly contained in the lighting assemblies 
     
    
    
     The reader is advised that the attached drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following description of various example structures in accordance with the invention, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof, and in which are shown by way of illustration of various structures in accordance with the invention. Additionally, it is to be understood that other specific arrangements of parts and structures may be utilized, and structural and functional modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Also, while the terms “top” and “bottom” and the like may be used in this specification to describe various example features and elements of the invention, these terms are used herein as a matter of convenience, e.g., based on the example orientations shown in the Figures and/or the orientations in typical use. Nothing in this specification should be construed as requiring a specific three dimensional or spatial orientation of structures in order to fall within the scope of this invention. 
       FIGS. 1 and 2  depict exemplary LED lighting assemblies  10  for a merchandise display. As shown in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the LED lighting assemblies  10  each include a housing  12 , a circuit board assembly  24 , and a circuit board  16  having an LED driver circuit  22  (shown in  FIG. 3B ). The housing  12  can include a series of clamps  28  for securing the housings above the area being illuminated. A plurality of LED emitters  20  are mounted to the circuit board  16  and are powered with the LED driver circuit  22 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the LEDs are spaced apart from each other along the circuit board assembly  24 . The circuit board assembly  24  is also connected to a power cord  18 . 
     The lenses  14  can be secured over individual LED emitters  20  to provide different refractive properties for reflecting the light emitted by the LEDs in various angles and directions such as over product shelves. As shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the lenses  14  can be provided with different refractive configurations. However, alternatively, the lenses can all be provided with the same refractive configurations. In another alternative embodiment, the lenses may be placed over ever other LED to modify the light pattern. Other arrangements are also contemplated to provide optimal lighting properties and configurations depending on the environment and desired results. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, as shown in  FIGS. 3A and 3B , the lenses are provided with a spotlight beam refractive surface  15 A and an oval beam refractive surface  15 B. The light emitted from the spotlight pattern  15 A lenses on the circuit board assembly  14  is directed at the lowest point such as a product on the bottom shelf, whereas the light emitted from the oval pattern  15 B lenses is directed at the upper and middle areas such as at products on the top and middle shelves. When in use in the lighting assembly, the different refractive surfaces or lens types (spotlight pattern  15 A and oval pattern  15 B) project the light in various directions such that the individual patterns in aggregate from all LED emitters, result in light more evenly distributed in a vertical plane such as over products and shelves on display. 
     In one exemplary embodiment, the lens types can alternate on the circuit board assembly  24  between the spotlight pattern  15 A configuration and the oval pattern  15 B configuration. This embodiment may aid in providing an evenly distributed vertical lighting area such as over product shelves. In particular, the lighting pattern is narrower near the housing such as near the top shelves and grows wider as it travels down to the lower areas such as near the bottom shelves. Additionally, the light from the oval pattern  15 B lenses overlaps to provide for more evenly lit areas. 
     The lenses  14  may be secured to the circuit board assembly  24  via a snap fit or by any other known suitable connection. As depicted in  FIG. 5 , the lenses may be fixed individually, for example, one lens per one LED or one or more lenses may be connected together via connection  30  to create a uniform, one-piece lens assembly that is easier, faster, and more cost effective to install on the circuit board assembly. 
     The LED lighting housing can be adjustable in several ways to adjust the orientation of the housing and to fine tune the position of the projected light. First, the housing can be adjusted on horizontal arms (not shown) that are generally perpendicular to the long edge of the shelves and positioned above the top shelf in a set of shelves. This adjustment allows the LED lighting assembly to be moved closer to or farther from the plane being illuminated. The second adjustment allows the assembly to rotate about its horizontal axis  26  to direct light at a different angle in the plane. The two adjustments change the angle at which the light intercepts the product faces. Moving the lighting fixture away from the product on the horizontal arms can improve the lighting on the lower positioned product by reducing shadows on the product caused by the lower shelves. 
     Each of the LED lighting assemblies  10  modify the light output from the point source LED emitters  20  to illuminate an artificial planar surface area which can be represented by a front surface of product on a shelf in a retail store. Each LED lighting assembly can be approximately the length of a shelf in a retail store, typically 3 ft or 4 ft long. The LED lighting assemblies  10  can be positioned in a horizontal orientation above a product on the top shelf and slightly in front of an artificial plane. The light is modified by the plurality of lenses  14  fitted onto the circuit board  16  and over the LEDs  20  to capture the light from an LED, modify the beam pattern, and re-project the light evenly over a vertical plane in front of the product shelves. 
     The modified light projected onto the products on the retail shelf is relatively consistent in brightness over the planar surface and adds sufficient relative brightness beyond the general store luminaire lighting to call attention to or highlight the product merchandised on the shelf. Also, the lensing technique directs the available LED light such that the lighting pattern produced on the planar surface and the product faces is far more homogenous than that of a fluorescent system. Top, center, and lower product on the shelves is relatively evenly illuminated providing the desired effect for the consumer shopper. The modified light projected onto the products may increase shopper awareness of the products, better present the products, and increase the sales of products. 
     By capturing and directing a higher percentage of total light output from the LEDs using appropriate lensing, the illuminance per watt can be higher than is generally possible with a fluorescent light, adding to a further reduction in necessary power input to achieve the desired lighting effect and energy savings. 
     The LED circuit board and housing is designed to be thermally efficient and to remove as much heat from the LED as possible. Projected life of the LEDs is on the order of 4-6 times than that of typical existing fluorescent lamps. This reduces service call frequency by four to five times and commensurate cost. 
     Cost savings from reduced energy use and fewer service calls, along with improved sales from better product presentation may offset the cost of replacing existing fluorescent fixtures with an LED lighting fixture. 
     The reader should understand that these specific examples are set forth merely to illustrate examples of the invention, and they should not be construed as limiting the invention. Many variations in the lighting assemblies may be made from the specific structures described above without departing from this invention. 
     While the invention has been described in detail in terms of specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying out the invention, those skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous variations and permutations of the above described systems and methods. Thus, the spirit and scope of the invention should be construed broadly as set forth in the appended claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5