Abstract:
A master lighting fixture and a satellite lighting fixture can each include an LED board including multiple LEDs that can emit visible light. A power supply and a LED regulator can be connected to the LED board in the master lighting fixture to provide power to operate the LED board. The LED board in the master lighting fixture can be connected to the LED board in the satellite lighting fixture to form a circuit to allow the power provided by the LED driver to be transmitted to the LED board in the satellite lighting fixture. A defect in the LED board in the master lighting fixture or the satellite lighting fixture can open the circuit, which can prevent power from being transmitted through the LED boards to enhance the performance of LEDs in the LED boards or reduce a risk of damage that can be caused by the LED boards.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This disclosure claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/246,937, titled “LED Strip Fixture” and filed Oct. 27, 2015, the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0002]    The present disclosure relates generally to fixtures with light-emitting diodes. More specifically, but not by way of limitation, this disclosure relates to a modular fixtures with light-emitting diodes and lighting systems using the modular fixtures. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Some lighting systems that use multiple lighting fixtures require that each fixture have its own LED driver to power the LEDs within the fixture. If there are a number of fixtures and the fixtures are controlled in the same manner, then the requirement for separate LED drivers may increase the cost of the system. 
         [0004]    Other systems may use a single LED driver to power multiple LED boards configured in parallel. If one of the LED boards fails, then the current through the remaining LED boards may increase. The increased current may negatively affect the system by changing the brightness of the remaining LEDs, shortening the life of the LEDs, or damaging the LEDs. In some instances, the increased current may cause an LED board to overheat and may result in damage to the system and to the surrounding area. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    Covered embodiments of the invention are defined by the claims, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various aspects of the invention and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification, any or all drawings and each claim. 
         [0006]    A lighting system includes at least one master lighting fixture and at least one satellite lighting fixture. The master lighting fixture is connected to a power source and includes an LED driver, at least one LED board, and an optional sensor. The LED driver provides power to the LED boards in the master lighting fixture and the satellite lighting fixture. The power from the LED driver is distributed approximately evenly across the LED boards. The LED boards are connected to the LED driver in a daisy chain so that the failure of one of the LED boards disrupts power distribution in the system and protects the remaining LED boards from damage. 
         [0007]    The master lighting fixture may include one or more LED drivers. If more than one LED driver is included, then the drivers may have different characteristics, such as different power ratings. 
         [0008]    The master lighting fixture and the satellite lighting fixtures are modular and are designed to facilitate different system configurations having different numbers of satellite lighting fixtures and different arrangements of the master lighting fixture relative to the satellite lighting fixtures. 
         [0009]    These illustrative embodiments are mentioned not to limit or define the limits of the present subject matter, but to provide examples to aid understanding thereof. Illustrative embodiments are discussed in the Detailed Description, and further description is provided there. Advantages offered by various embodiments may be further understood by examining this specification and/or by practicing one or more embodiments of the claimed subject matter. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0010]      FIG. 1  is a block diagram of an example of a light-emitting diode strip fixture according to one example of the present disclosure. 
           [0011]      FIG. 2  is a block diagram of an example of a light-emitting diode strip fixture according to another example of the present disclosure. 
           [0012]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of an example of a light-emitting diode strip fixture according to another example of the present disclosure. 
           [0013]      FIG. 4  is a block diagram of an example of a light-emitting diode strip fixture according to another example of the present disclosure. 
           [0014]      FIG. 5  is a block diagram of an example of a light-emitting diode strip fixture according to another example of the present disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0015]    Certain aspects and features of the present disclosure are directed to modular lighting fixtures that use LED boards. A lighting system can include a master lighting fixture and one or more satellite lighting fixtures. The master lighting fixture and the satellite lighting fixture can each include one or more LED boards that include multiple LEDs. An LED driver associated with the master lighting fixture can provide power to LED boards within the master lighting fixture and/or to LED boards in one or more satellite lighting fixtures. The LED boards of the master lighting fixture can be connected to the LED boards of the satellite lighting fixture in series so that a failure in one of the LED boards prevents power from being transmitted through the LED boards. Since the remaining LED boards are not powered, the LEDs are not damaged by excess current. The loss of illumination caused by the loss of power indicates that there has been a failure. 
         [0016]    In one example, the master lighting fixture and multiple satellite lighting fixtures are used to illuminate an area, such as an aisle, in a warehouse, manufacturing facility, or retail facility. The fixtures may be arranged linearly to illuminate a length of the aisle. The fixtures may be provided as a new installation or may be a retrofit of an existing installation. For example, the master lighting fixture and each of the satellite lighting fixtures may provide illumination for a four foot linear section. The lighting fixtures are modular in that different systems may use different numbers of satellite lighting fixtures or different arrangements of the master and satellite lighting fixtures. 
         [0017]    These illustrative examples are given to introduce the reader to the general subject matter discussed here and are not intended to limit the scope of the disclosed concepts. The following sections describe various additional features and examples with reference to the drawings in which like numerals indicate like elements, and directional descriptions are used to describe the illustrative examples but, like the illustrative examples, should not be used to limit the present disclosure. 
         [0018]    In the interest of clarity, not all of the routine features of the examples described herein are shown and described. It will, of course, be appreciated that in the development of any such actual implementation, numerous implementation-specific decisions must be made in order to achieve specific goals, such as compliance with application- and business-related constraints, and that these specific goals will vary from one implementation to another. 
         [0019]    In the example depicted in  FIG. 2 , the system  200  can include a master lighting fixture  202  and three satellite lighting fixtures  204 ,  206 ,  208 . The master lighting fixture  202  is connected to a power source  218 , such as line voltage or a power supply. The master lighting fixture includes an LED driver  214 , LED boards  210   a - b,  and optionally a sensor  232 , such as an occupancy sensor. If the master lighting fixture includes a sensor, then the sensor in combination with the LED driver  214  can control all of the LED boards in the master lighting fixture and the satellite fixtures connected to the LED driver. 
         [0020]    In the example shown in  FIG. 2 , the satellite lighting fixture  204  includes LED boards  212   a  and  212   f,  the satellite lighting fixture  206  includes LED boards  212   b  and  212   e,  and the satellite lighting fixture  208  includes LED boards  212   c  and  212   d.  Each LED board can include multiple LEDs. The LEDs on the LED boards may be connected in series, in parallel or in a series/parallel combination. In one implementation, there are  14  parallel strings of LEDs with 2 LEDs in series in each string. There may also be a connection between two parallel strings of LEDs, such as a connection from a point between the 2 LEDs connected in series in one parallel string to a point between the 2 LEDs connected in series in another parallel string. The LEDs on the LED boards may be arranged in the same manner on each LED board or there may be differences in the LED arrangements between boards. 
         [0021]    The LED driver  214  has a first output  216  and a second output  217 . The LED board  210   a  can include a first power connection point  220  (also referred to herein as an input) and a second power connection point  222  (also referred to herein as an output). The LED board  210   b  can include a first power connection point  224  (also referred to herein as an input) and a second power connection point  226  (also referred to herein as an output). Each of the LED boards  212   a - f  includes a first power connection point (or input)  228   a - f  and a second power connection point (or input)  230   a - f.    
         [0022]    In this example, the first output  216  of the LED driver is connected to the input  220  of the LED board  210   a  and the output  222  of the LED board  210   a  is connected to the input  228   b  of the LED board  212   b.  The output  230   b  of the LED board  212   b  is connected to the input  228   c  of the LED board  212   c  and the output of the LED board  212   c  is connected to the input  228   d  of the LED board  212   d  via terminating connector  236   b.  The output  230   d  of LED board  212   d  is connected to the input  228   e  of the LED board  212   e  and the output of the LED board  212   e  is connected to the input  228   a  of LED board  212   a.  The output  230   a  of LED board  212   a  is connected to the input  228   f  of LED board  212   f  and the output of LED board  230   f  is connected to the input  224  of LED board  210   b.  The output of LED board  210   b  is connected to the second output  217  of the LED driver  214 . 
         [0023]    As shown in the example of  FIG. 2 , the LED boards  210   a - b,    212   a - f  can be connected in series so that during normal operation the power from the LED driver is distributed across the LED boards. As an illustrative example, the LED driver  214  can be an 80 W LED driver. The LED driver  214  can receive power from the power source  218  and provide approximately  10 W of power to each of the LED boards  210   a - b,    212   a - f.  If the master lighting fixture includes a sensor, then the power distributed to the LED boards may be controlled, at least in part, by the sensor. For example, if the sensor is an occupancy sensor, then the LED driver may power up or shut down the LED boards based on a sensed condition. 
         [0024]    If there is a board failure in one of the LED boards, then the distribution of power from the LED driver is disrupted and all of the LED boards lose power. 
         [0025]    In the example depicted in  FIG. 2 , the system can also include lighting fixture connectors  234   a - c  for coupling the master lighting fixture  202  and the satellite lighting fixtures  204 ,  206 ,  208 . For example, the satellite lighting fixture  204  can be coupled to the master lighting fixture  202  via the lighting fixture connector  234   a.  The master lighting fixture  202  can be coupled to the satellite lighting fixture  206  via the lighting fixture connector  234   b  and the satellite lighting fixture  206  can be coupled to the satellite lighting fixture  208  via the lighting fixture connector  234   c.  The system  200  may also include terminating connectors  236   a - b.    
         [0026]      FIG. 3  is a block diagram of another example of a lighting system  300  where the master lighting fixture includes two LED drivers. The system  300  includes a master lighting fixture  302  and four satellite lighting fixtures  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310 . The master lighting fixture  302  can include two LED boards  312   a - b.  Satellite lighting fixtures  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310  can each include two LED boards. For example, the satellite lighting fixture  304  can include LED boards  314   a  and  314   h,  the satellite lighting fixture  306  can include LED boards  314   b  and  314   g,  the satellite lighting fixture  308  can include LED boards  314   c  and  314   f,  and the satellite lighting fixture  310  can include LED boards  314   d  and  314   e.    
         [0027]    The master lighting fixture  302  and the satellite lighting fixtures  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310  may be connected using fixture connectors  320   a - d.  The lighting fixture connectors can be any device for connecting two lighting fixtures, including a wire. One example of a lighting fixture connector  130  is an Ideal  30 - 082  luminaries disconnect power plug. For example, the satellite lighting fixture  304  can be coupled to the satellite lighting fixture  306  via lighting fixture connector  320   a.  The master lighting fixture  302  can be coupled to the satellite lighting fixtures  306 ,  308  via respective lighting fixture connectors  320   b,    320   c  and the satellite lighting fixture  308  can be coupled to the satellite lighting fixture  310  via the lighting fixture connector  320   d.  Satellite lighting fixtures  304 ,  310  are also connected to their respective terminating connectors  324   a - b.    
         [0028]    The master lighting fixture is connected to a power source  318 , such as AC line voltage or a power supply. The master lighting fixture  302  can also include an optional sensor  322 , such as an occupancy sensor. If it includes a sensor, then the sensor in combination with the LED drivers  316   a,    316   b  can control all of the LED boards in the master lighting fixture and the satellite fixtures based on a sensed condition. 
         [0029]    The master lighting fixture can include one or more LED drivers,  316   a - b,  which are coupled to the power source. Each LED drivers powers multiple LED boards. In  FIG. 3 , LED driver  316   b  powers four LED boards  314   a - b,    314   g - h  and LED driver  316   a  powers six LED boards  314   c - d,    314   e - f.    
         [0030]    The LED driver and the LED boards it powers are connected in a daisy chain. For example, an output of the LED driver  316   a  can be connected to an input on the LED board  312   a.  An output on the LED board  312   a  can be connected to an input on the LED board  314   c  and an output on LED board  314   c  can be connected to an input on the LED board  314   d.  An output on LED board  314   d  can be connected to an input on the LED board  314   e  via terminating connector  324   b.  An output on the LED board  314   e  can be connected to an input on the LED board  314   f.  An output on the LED board  314   f  can be connected to an input on the LED board  314   b,  and an output on the LED board  312   b  can be connected to another output of the LED driver  316   a.  In this manner the LED driver  316   a  evenly distributes power to each of the connected LED boards. For example, if the LED driver  316   a  is a 50 W driver then it distributes slightly more than 8 W to each LED board. 
         [0031]    As another example, one output of the LED driver  316   b  can be connected to an input of the LED board  314   b.  An output of the LED board  314   b  is connected to an input of the LED board  314   a.  An output of the LED board  314   a  can be connected to an input to the LED board  314   h  via a terminating connector  324   a.  An output of the LED board  314   h  can be connected to an input of the LED board  314   g  and an output of the LED board  314   g  can be connected to an output of the LED driver  316   b.  In this manner the LED driver  316   b  evenly distributes power to each of the connected LED boards. For example, if the LED driver  316   b  is a 30 W driver then it distributes approximately 7.5 W to each LED board.  FIG. 3  illustrates that different LED drivers with different characteristics may be combined in a single master lighting fixture. LED drivers with different power outputs may be used to drive different numbers of LED boards or LED boards with different power requirements.  FIG. 3  also illustrates that there may be some variation in the power distribution across the connected fixtures within a system. 
         [0032]    If there is a board failure in one of the LED boards, the failure disrupts the power distribution so that all of the other LED boards connected in the same chain lose power. This protects the remaining LED boards from excessive power or current. 
         [0033]    For example, a failure in the LED board  314   c  can open the circuit including the LED driver  316   a,  and the LED boards  312   a - b,    314   c - f,  which can prevent power from the LED driver  316   a  from being transmitted through the LED boards  312   a - b,    314   c - f.  One example of a failure in the LED board is a failure of multiple LEDs on the board. Typically, the failure of a single LED does not result in a board failure. 
         [0034]    The master lighting fixture and the satellite lighting fixtures may be modular components capable of use in systems having different configurations. For example,  FIG. 4  is a block diagram of a system where the master lighting fixture  402  is placed between the satellite fixtures so that there are three satellite fixtures  404 ,  406 ,  408  powered by a first LED driver in the master lighting fixture and two satellite fixtures  410 ,  412  powered by a second LED driver in the master lighting fixture. One difference between the systems illustrated in  FIGS. 3 and 4  is the number of LED boards and the number of satellite fixtures.  FIG. 3  illustrates a master fixture  302  with two LED boards  312   a - b  and four satellite fixtures  304 ,  306 ,  308 ,  310  each having two LED boards  314   a - h  for a total of  10  LED boards.  FIG. 4  illustrates a master fixture  402  with two LED boards  414   a - b  and five satellite fixtures  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 ,  412  each having two LED boards  416   a - j  for a total of 12 LED boards. 
         [0035]    The master lighting fixture  402  includes LED boards  414   a - b  and satellite lighting fixtures  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 ,  412  include LED boards  416   a - j.  The master lighting fixture is connected to a power source  420  and may include an optional sensor  422 . Connectors  424   a - e  couple the master lighting fixture  402  and the satellite lighting fixtures  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 ,  412  together. Terminating connectors couple the LED boards within satellite fixtures  304  and  310 . 
         [0036]    In this example, the LED driver  418   a  is connected to the LED boards  414   a - b,    416   d - g  to provide power to the LED boards  414   a - b,    416   d - g.  The LED driver  418   b  is connected to the LED boards  416   a - c,    416   h - j.  In one example, the amount of power provided by the LED driver  418   a  to each LED board  414   a - b,    416   d - g  can be the same as the amount of power provided by the LED driver  418   b  to each LED board  416   a - c,    416   h - j.  In another example, the amount of power provided by the LED driver  418   a  to each LED board  414   a - b,    416   d - g  can be different from the amount of power provided by the LED driver  418   b  to each LED board  416   a - c,    416   h - j.    
         [0037]    In  FIG. 4  one output of LED driver  418   a  is connected to an input of LED board  414   a.  An output of LED board  414   a  is connected to an input of LED board  416   d  and an output of LED board  416   d  is connected to an input of LED board  416   e.  An output of LED board  416   e  is connected to an input of LED board  416   f  via terminating connector  426   b.  An output of LED board  416   f  is connected to an input of LED board  416   g  and an output of LED board  416   g  is connected to an input of LED board  414   b.  An output of LED board  414   b  is connected to a second output of the LED driver  418   a.    
         [0038]    One output of LED driver  418   b  is connected to an input of LED board  416   c.  An output of LED board  416   c  is connected to an input of LED board  416   b  and an output of LED board  416   b  is connected to an input of LED board  416   a.  An output of LED board  416   a  is connected to an input of LED board  416   j  via terminating connector  426   a.  An output of LED board  416   j  is connected to an input of LED board  416   i  and an output of LED board  416   i  is connected to an input of LED board  414   h.  An output of LED board  414   h  is connected to a second output of the LED driver  418   b.    
         [0039]    In the system of  FIG. 4 , if a failure occurs in one of the LED boards, then the power to the remaining LED boards connected to the same LED driver is disrupted. 
         [0040]    In another example,  FIG. 5  is a block diagram of a system with two master lighting fixtures  502  and  504  and six satellite fixtures  506 ,  508 ,  510 ,  512 ,  514 ,  516 . 
         [0041]    The master lighting fixture  502  is connected to a power source  528  and includes an LED driver  524 , LED boards  518   a - b,  and optionally sensor  530 . The second master lighting fixture  504  includes LED boards  520   a - b,  LED driver  526 , and optionally sensor  532 . The master lighting fixture  504  is connected to power source  528  via master fixture  502 , satellite fixtures  506 ,  508 ,  510 ,  512 ,  514 ,  516 , and connectors  534   a - h.    
         [0042]    The satellite lighting fixtures  506 ,  508 ,  510 ,  512 ,  514 ,  516  include LED boards  522   a - l.  In this example, the LED driver  526  powers the LED boards  520   a - b,    522   g - l.  One output of the LED driver  526  is connected to an input of LED board  520   a.  An output of LED board  520   a  is connected to an input of LED board  522   i  and an output of LED board  522   i  is connected to an input of LED board  522   h.  An output of LED board  522   h  is connected to an input of LED board  522   g.  An output of LED board  522   g  is connected to an input of LED board  522   l  via terminating connector  536   b.  An output of LED board  522   l  is connected to an input of LED board  522   k  and an output of LED board  522   k  is connected to an input of LED board  522   j.  An output of LED board  522   j  is connected to an input of LED board  520   b  and an output of LED board  522   b  is connected to another output of LED driver  526 . 
         [0043]    The LED driver  524  powers the LED boards  518   a - b,    522   a - f.  One output of the LED driver  524  is connected to an input of LED board  518   a.  An output of LED board  518   a  is connected to an input of LED board  522   a  and an output of LED board  522   a  is connected to an input of LED board  522   b.  An output of LED board  522   b  is connected to an input of LED board  522   c.  An output of LED board  522   c  is connected to an input of LED board  522   d  via terminating connector  536   a.  An output of LED board  522   d  is connected to an input of LED board  522   e  and an output of LED board  522   e  is connected to an input of LED board  522   f.  An output of LED board  522   f  is connected to an input of LED board  518   b  and an output of LED board  518   b  is connected to another output of LED driver  524 . 
         [0044]    The system of  FIG. 5  illustrates that each of the satellite fixtures may include conductors or a bus to distribute power from a source other than an LED driver. In  FIG. 5 , the conductors connect the power source  528  in one of the master lighting fixtures with the other master lighting fixture. Although  FIG. 5  does not illustrate that the satellite lighting fixtures connect to the power bus, they may do so. The connectors  534   a - c,    524   f - h  may accommodate both the power bus and the connections between the LED boards. The connectors  534   d - e  connect the power bus between satellite lighting fixture  510  and satellite lighting fixture  512  and provide termination  536   a - b  for the devices connected to each LED driver. 
         [0045]    In the system of  FIG. 5 , if a failure occurs in one of the LED boards, then the power to the remaining LED boards connected to the same LED driver is disrupted. 
         [0046]    The system of  FIG. 5  may be implemented so that each of the lighting fixtures provides illumination for approximately  4  linear feet so that the system may be used to retrofit a system that provides illumination for an aisle or other area that is 32 feet long. 
         [0047]      FIG. 1  illustrates a system with only a single satellite fixture. The system  100  includes a master lighting fixture  102  and a satellite lighting fixture  124 . The master lighting fixture  102  can be connected to a power source  108  and can include LED boards  104 ,  106 , an LED driver  110 , and optionally a sensor  142 . 
         [0048]    In the example depicted in  FIG. 1 , the LED driver  110  includes a first output  112  and a second output  114 . The LED board  104  includes a first power connection point (also referred to herein as an input)  116  and a second power connection point (also referred to herein as an output)  118 . The LED board  106  includes a first power connection point (also referred to herein as an input)  120  and a second power connection point (also referred to herein as an output)  122 . 
         [0049]    In one implementation of the master lighting fixture illustrated by  FIG. 1 , the LED boards  104 ,  106  each include  4  strings of LEDs arranged in parallel with each string having  7  LEDs arranged in series. 
         [0050]    In this example the LED boards within the master lighting fixture are connected in series and the LED boards within the satellite lighting fixture are connected in series. The serially connected LED boards are connected in parallel. 
         [0051]    The first output  112  of the LED driver is connected to the input  120  of the LED board  106 . The output  122  of the LED board is connected to the input of LED board  104  and the output of LED board  104  is connected to the second output  114  of the LED driver. The first output  112  of the LED driver is also connected to the input  132  of the LED board  126 . The output  134  of the LED board is connected to the input  136  of LED board  128  via terminating connector  140 . The output of LED board  128  is also connected to the second output  114  of the LED driver. 
         [0052]      FIG. 1  illustrates the modularity of the satellite fixture since it can be used with other satellite fixtures, as in  FIGS. 2-5  or with only a master lighting fixture, as in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0053]    The foregoing description of certain examples, including illustrated examples, has been presented only for the purpose of illustration and description and is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the disclosure to the precise forms disclosed. Numerous modifications, adaptations, and uses thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the disclosure. Modifications include, but are not limited to, the inclusion of different or additional components in the master lighting fixture or the satellite lighting fixture, other configurations of one or more master lighting fixtures and one or more satellite lighting fixtures, other configurations of the master lighting fixture, other configurations of the satellite lighting fixtures, the inclusion of additional or alternative components on the LED boards, other arrangements of the LEDs on the LED boards, and additional or other types of sensors.