Patent ID: 8403692

Claim:
An illumination device comprising: a light tube holder comprising: a base; a drive circuit board mounted in the base and comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) tube drive circuit board, and a fluorescent tube drive circuit board; 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 a conductive pin and an insulated pin arranged on each end of the LED tube; wherein each of the first and second connectors comprising: a retainer defining a though hole; a rotary member rotatably received in the through hole, and defining a first groove to receive two pins on one end of one of the tubes; and four elastic pieces positioned in the retainer around the through hole, the four elastic pieces comprising at a first elastic piece, a second elastic piece, a third elastic piece, and a fourth elastic piece, the first and second elastic pieces electrically connecting with the LED tube drive circuit board, and the third and fourth elastic pieces electrically connecting with the fluorescent tube drive circuit board, the first elastic piece of the first connector electrically connecting with a positive terminal of a power supply, the third elastic piece of the first connector electrically connecting with the positive terminal power supply via a ballast, the fourth elastic piece of the first connector electrically connecting with the third elastic piece of the second connector via a starter, and the first and fourth elastic pieces of the second connector electrically connecting with a negative terminal of the power supply; wherein when the rotary member of the first connector is rotated to a first position, the two pins on the one end of one of the tubes stay in contact with the first and second elastic pieces, and wherein when the one of the tubes is the LED tube, the conductive pin and the insulated pin in one end of the LED tube are respectively connected with the first and second elastic pieces of a corresponding connector, whereby power flows through the conductive pins of the LED tube via the LED tube drive circuit to cause the LED tube to illuminate; and wherein when the rotary member of the first connector is rotated to a second position, the two pins on the one end of one of the tubes stay in contact with the third and fourth elastic pieces of a corresponding connector, respectively, and wherein when the one of the tubes is the fluorescent tube, the fluorescent tube is driven by the fluorescent tube drive circuit board.