Patent ID: 8561340

Claim:
An illumination device comprising: a light tube holder comprising: a base; a light-emitting diode (LED) tube drive circuit board mounted in the base; a fluorescent tube drive circuit board mounted in the base; first and second connectors arranged at opposite ends of the base for selectively receiving one of a fluorescent tube and an LED tube, the fluorescent tube comprising two conductive pins arranged on one end thereof and another two conductive pins arranged on an opposite end thereof, the LED tube comprising two conductive pins arranged on one end thereof and two insulated pins arranged on an opposite end thereof; wherein the first connector comprises: a retainer defining a though hole; a rotary member rotatably received in the through hole, and defining a first groove to receive the two pins on one end of one of the two tubes; and at least three elastic pieces positioned in the retainer around the through hole, the at least three elastic pieces comprising at least one first elastic piece, a second elastic piece and a third elastic piece, the at least one first elastic piece electrically connecting with the LED tube drive circuit board and the fluorescent tube drive circuit board, the second elastic piece electrically connecting with the LED tube drive circuit board and the third elastic piece electrically connecting with the fluorescent tube drive circuit board; and wherein the second connector comprises: a retainer; and fourth and fifth elastic pieces received in the retainer of the second connector, in which the fourth elastic piece electrically connects with a positive terminal of a power supply via a ballast and the fifth elastic piece electrically connects with a starter which is in turn electrically connected with the third elastic piece of the first connector; wherein when the rotary member of the first connector is rotated to a first position, the two pins on one end of one of the two tubes stay in contact with the at least one first elastic piece and the second elastic piece, respectively, and the two pins on the opposite end of one of the two tubes stay in contact with the fourth and fifth elastic pieces, respectively, and wherein when the one of the two tubes is LED tube and the two pins on the one end of the LED tube are the conductive pines, the LED tube is driven by the LED tube drive circuit board; and when the rotary member of the first connector is rotated to a second position, the two pins on one end of one of the two tubes stay in contact with the at least one first elastic piece and the third elastic piece, respectively, and the two pins on the opposite end of one of the two tubes stay in contact with the fourth and fifth elastic pieces, respectively, and wherein when the one of the two tubes is the fluorescent tube, the fluorescent tube is driven by the fluorescent tube drive circuit board.