Patent ID: 8366467

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; a pair of connectors 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 each end thereof, two conductive pins each on one of opposite ends of the LED tube electrically connecting with LEDs in the LED tube therebetween, while the other two conductive pins also electrically connecting the LEDs in the LED tube therebetween; wherein each of the pair of connectors 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 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 second elastic piece and the third elastic piece electrically connecting with the fluorescent tube drive circuit board; wherein when the rotary members of the pair of connectors are rotated to a first position, the two pins on each end of one of the tubes stay in contact with the at least one first elastic piece of each of the pair of connectors, and wherein when the one of the tubes is the LED tube, the LED tube is driven by the LED tube drive circuit board; and when the rotary members of the pair of connectors are rotated to a second position, the two pins on each end of one of the tubes stay in contact with the second third elastic piece and the third elastic of each of the pair of connectors, 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.