MODULAR LUMINAIRES FOR APPLIANCE LIGHTING
20240117962 ยท 2024-04-11
Inventors
Cpc classification
F21V5/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2103/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V33/002
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V33/0044
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V7/005
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V7/0091
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2105/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21W2131/307
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21W2131/301
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2115/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V23/0471
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V33/0024
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
A47B2220/0077
HUMAN NECESSITIES
F21V33/0012
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V7/00
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
Abstract
The luminaires of the present disclosure provide a slim profile and simple construction for use in a variety of lighting applications. A circuit board can have a plurality of light sources thereon, and a lens can at least partially encapsulate the circuit board to protect and electrically insulate the circuit board. When used, for example, in a lighted shelf application, power can be provided to the luminaire through shelf brackets along the side of the shelf panel.
Claims
1-35. (canceled)
36. A shelf assembly comprising: a shelf panel comprising a front edge and two side edges, wherein the shelf panel has a top surface and a bottom surface, the shelf panel having a flat profile; a luminaire under the shelf panel, wherein the luminaire has a slim profile; a frame that is connected to the front edge of the shelf panel and at least partially covers the luminaire, the frame defining a rearwardly and downwardly opening gap; and a shelf bracket that conducts electricity to the luminaire, the shelf bracket comprising: a first area that conducts electricity from a support rail to the shelf bracket; a second area that conducts electricity from the shelf bracket to the luminaire; and a non-electrically conductive coating applied to substantially all of the shelf bracket except the first and second areas, wherein a body of the shelf bracket is formed from an electrically conductive material that conducts electricity between the first and second areas, and wherein the body of the shelf bracket has a horizontal surface received within the gap of the frame.
37. The shelf assembly of claim 36, wherein a first electrically conductive material is applied to at least a portion of the first area and a second electrically conductive material is applied to at least a portion of the second area.
38. The shelf assembly of claim 36, wherein the luminaire has a first conductive contact area, and electricity is conducted from the second area to the first conductive contact area.
39. The shelf assembly of claim 36, wherein the second area comprises a second conductive contact area and the second conductive contact area is a pad, plastic, tape, liquid, gel, foam or solder.
40. The shelf assembly of claim 36, wherein the luminaire comprises one or more light sources, and the frame at least partially encapsulates the one or more light sources.
41. The shelf assembly of claim 36, wherein the luminaire is (a) connected to a bottom surface of the shelf panel, or (b) is directly connected to a bottom surface of the shelf panel adjacent to the front edge, and wherein the shelf bracket is connected to the side edge.
42. The shelf assembly of claim 36, further comprising a lens connected to a bottom surface of the shelf panel, wherein the luminaire comprises one or more light sources, and wherein the lens at least partially encapsulates the one or more light sources.
43. The shelf assembly of claim 42, further comprising a circuit board, wherein the lens comprises a groove therein and an outer lip, the circuit board is within the groove, and the outer lip contacts the bottom surface of the shelf panel to at least partially encapsulate the circuit board between the lens and the shelf panel.
44. The shelf assembly of claim 42, wherein the luminaire further comprises a circuit board, and wherein the lens contacts the circuit board.
45. The shelf assembly of claim 36, further comprising a circuit board and a lens that at least partially encapsulates the luminaire, wherein the circuit board has a first exposed area at a first end thereof not encapsulated by the lens, and wherein the shelf bracket contacts the circuit board at the first exposed area.
46. The shelf assembly of claim 45, further comprising a conductive contact pad between the shelf bracket and the first exposed area.
47. The shelf assembly of claim 36, wherein the luminaire is (a) integrated into the shelf assembly so that the frame functions as a lens or a housing for the luminaire, or (b) is permanently connected to the shelf assembly.
48. A shelf assembly, comprising: a shelf panel comprising a front edge, two side edges, a top surface, and a bottom surface; a light assembly affixed to the bottom surface of the shelf panel, the light assembly comprising: a circuit board having one or more light sources thereon; and a lens affixed to the circuit board to at least partially encapsulate the one or more light sources; and a frame that is connected to the front edge of the shelf panel and is adjacent to and at least partially covers the light assembly, wherein the frame comprises a flat portion that contacts the top surface of the shelf panel.
49. The shelf assembly of claim 48, wherein the luminaire is permanently connected to the shelf assembly.
50. A shelf assembly, comprising: a shelf panel comprising a front edge and two side edges, wherein the shelf panel has a top surface and a bottom surface, the shelf panel having a flat profile; a luminaire located under the shelf panel, the luminaire comprising one or more light sources, a circuit board having the one or more light sources coupled thereto, and a lens configured to receive light from the one or more light sources therethrough, wherein the luminaire has a slim profile; and a frame that is connected to the front edge of the shelf panel and extends above and below the top and bottom surfaces of the shelf panel adjacent to the front edge, the frame at least partially covering the luminaire; wherein the lens comprises a groove therein and an outer lip, the circuit board being within the groove, and the outer lip contacting the bottom surface of the shelf panel to at least partially encapsulate the circuit board between the lens and the shelf panel.
51. The shelf assembly of claim 50, wherein the lens (a) at least partially encapsulates the one or more light sources, or (b) contacts the bottom surface of the shelf panel.
52. The shelf assembly of claim 50, further comprising a first shelf bracket and a second shelf bracket; and wherein the luminaire is connected (a) to the bottom surface of the shelf panel adjacent to the front edge, and wherein each of the first and second shelf brackets are connected to the side edges, or (b) to the first shelf bracket and the second shelf bracket.
53. The shelf assembly of claim 52, wherein the circuit board has a first exposed area at a first end thereof not encapsulated by the lens, and wherein the first shelf bracket contacts the circuit board at the first exposed area.
54. The shelf assembly of claim 53, further comprising a conductive contact pad between the first shelf bracket and the first exposed area.
55. The shelf assembly of claim 50, wherein the luminaire (a) is connected to the bottom surface of the shelf panel, or (b) is integrated into the shelf assembly so that the frame functions as the lens or a housing for the luminaire.
56. The shelf assembly of claim 50, further comprising a first shelf bracket and a second shelf bracket, wherein the luminaire is adjacent to a front of the first and second shelf brackets.
57. The shelf assembly of claim 56, wherein at least one of the first shelf bracket and the second shelf bracket is a conductive shelf bracket and comprises: a first area that conducts electricity from a support rail to the conductive shelf bracket; a second area that conducts electricity from the conductive shelf bracket to the luminaire; and a non-electrically conductive coating applied to substantially all of the conductive shelf bracket except the first and second areas, wherein the conductive shelf bracket is formed from an electrically conductive material that conducts electricity between the first and second areas, and wherein the conductive shelf bracket has a horizontal surface beneath the shelf panel that supports the shelf panel and the luminaire.
58. The shelf assembly of claim 57, wherein (a) a first electrically conductive material is applied to at least a portion of the first area and a second electrically conductive material is applied to at least a portion of the second area, (b) the luminaire has a first conductive contact area, and electricity is conducted from the second area to the first conductive contact area, or (c) the second area comprises a second conductive contact area.
59. The shelf assembly of claim 50, wherein the frame (a) at least partially covers an edge portion the luminaire adjacent to the front edge of the shelf panel, or (b) is made of a plastic material.
60. The shelf assembly of claim 50, wherein the luminaire (a) further comprises a circuit board, and wherein the lens contacts the circuit board, or (b) is permanently connected to the shelf assembly.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008]
[0009]
[0010]
[0011]
[0012]
[0013]
[0014]
[0015]
[0016]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0017] The present disclosure provides a lighting module, known as a luminaire, for illumination of one or more glass shelves or interior spaces in an appliance. In one embodiment, the appliance is a refrigerator. Advantageously, the luminaires of the present disclosure are modular, and can be used with shelving in various ways. As will be discussed in greater detail below, the luminaire can be integrated into the shelving unit, removably or permanently connected to the same, or adapted to a particular shelf's size or dimensions. This allows for the use of the luminaires of the present disclosure in a variety of different applications.
[0018] Referring to the drawings, and in particular
[0019] Luminaire 10 comprises printed circuit board (PCB) 20, lens 30, and housing 40. PCB 20 has a plurality of light sources, such as light-emitting diodes (LED) 22, along a length thereof. LEDs 22 can be in communication with a power source. When activated, LEDs 22 provide light to illuminate shelf 2. Lens 30 and housing 40 provide the optics that direct the light emitted from LEDs 22 back into shelf 2, or an interior of the space in which shelf 2 is installed. Housing can be sized and shaped so as to ensure a secure connection for luminaire 10 to shelf 2.
[0020]
[0021] Panel 2 and the panels of subsequent embodiments can be glass, metal, plastic, wood, or any other suitable structural material, which can be bonded or attached to the brackets 4. Panel 2 can be flat, or also have bent or curved edges. The bonding or attachment between panel 2 and brackets 4 can be with curable adhesives, two-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive or tape, other types of adhesives or tape, encapsulation, mechanical fasteners, or other methods. If panel 2 is made of a conductive material, e.g. metal, brackets 4 should be insulated from panel 2. The attachment medium between panel 2 and brackets 4 can then serve the dual purposes of connecting panel 2 and brackets 4 and also provided electrical isolation or insulation.
[0022] Brackets 4, as well as the brackets in any of the embodiments discussed below, can have a coating. This coating can provide decoration and resistance to corrosion. The coating also serves to insulate the metal of brackets 4 for the power being conducted through the brackets 4. The coating can be a powder coat, liquid paint, another type of paint, or other suitable coatings. As discussed in greater detail below, exposed or masked interconnect areas on brackets 4 at the point of connection to luminaire 10, as well as at a power source (e.g. bus 50), facilitate power conduction.
[0023] In luminaire 10, and all of the additional embodiments discussed below, the PCB (in this embodiment PCB 20) can be connected to a substrate, such as panel 2, with curable adhesives, two-sided pressure-sensitive adhesive or tape, other types of adhesives or tape, encapsulation, mechanical fasteners, or other methods. These connection methods can provide the double function of sealing PCB 20 from the environment, electro-static discharge (ESD), contamination, or human touch, and structurally attaching PCB 20 to the substrate.
[0024] One way to achieve the sealing and connection functions discussed immediately above is by using lens 30 to connect or enclose PCB 20 to shelf panel 2. Referring to
[0025] Luminaire 10 is modular with a slim profile. Thus, luminaire 10 can be adapted into several types of drawer and shelf configurations. It is also easy to assemble and inexpensive, due to the simplified construction. In some embodiments, discussed in further detail below, luminaire 10 is integrated into a shelf so that the shelf or a shelf frame itself serves the function of lens 30 or housing 40, thus eliminating the need for one or both of these components. These features distinguish the luminaires of the present disclosure over those of the prior art. The latter often require cumbersome housing assemblies with additional components such as fasteners, all of which have to be attached to or surround the glass shelf panel. This adds significantly to the profile or size of the final shelf assembly. With the luminaires of the present disclosure, by contrast, the overall profile or dimensions of the shelf assembly is not significantly altered. Moreover, as discussed in greater detail below, they can be easily adapted for many different types of applications.
[0026] Referring to
[0027] Referring to
[0028] In the embodiment of a shelf assembly 100 shown in
[0029] As shown in
[0030] As shown in
[0031] Luminaire 110 can also have an additional contact pad (not shown) to facilitate and maintain the connection between interface 124, lens 130, and a power source. The contact pad can be made of a conductive compound, such as solder or other conductive liquids, gels, or tapes. The contact pad can be connected to or applied to any or all of brackets 104, lens 130, or PCB 120. The contact pad can be used when second region 134 is conductive or insulating.
[0032] As shown in
[0033] As shown in
[0034] In the embodiment of a shelf assembly 200 shown in
[0035] As shown in
[0036] Shelf assembly 200 has front frame 206, the latter of which is shown in
[0037] As shown in
[0038]
[0039]
[0040]
[0041]
[0042] Referring to
[0043] Luminaire 810 uses the principle of total internal reflection (TIR) to reflect light towards the illumination target area. Lens 830 has an asymmetrical or symmetrical shape with a TIR optic surface 831 (
[0044] In any of the above-described embodiments, the luminaires 10-810 can also be removably connected to the associated shelves or drawers. This removable connection could be, for example, a snap connection. A removably connected luminaire has several advantages, such as allowing the luminaire to be sold separately, for the customer to choose a desired color temperature, and for the luminaire to be serviceable without replacing the entire shelf. Luminaires 10-810 can also be sealed onto the associated shelf or drawer to that it is dishwasher safe.
[0045] Also, in any of the above-described embodiments, the luminaires can have a design that allows for PCBs with variable LED population and density, i.e. number of LEDs, while maintaining overall performance. Thus, the light intensity of the luminaire can be scalable without changing the lens or reflector. With this feature, the same lens and housing can become, for example, a 100 lumen, 200 lumen or 300 lumen luminaire with all the same parts. The luminaires can thus have scalable light output and cost. In addition, white liners, gray liners, and black liners require different levels of light to appear bright. With variable LED counts and densities, a universal product can easily fit a variety of applications.
[0046] The optical designs and light patterns of the luminaires of the present disclosure can also be changed by molding the lenses or housings out of different materialsfor example, by molding the lens out of clear as compared to white plastic. Each material gives appreciably different optical patterns.
[0047] The luminaires of the present disclosure can also be used to illuminate graphics displayed on the associated glass panels. The luminaire can be under the panel, on top of the panel, shining through the glass, or as edge lighting. This can be particularly useful for highlighting any text or logos etched into the glass panel, such as a company brand name.
[0048] The luminaires of the present disclosure can also use power transferred via bus bars screened on the glass panel, as opposed to having to move power from the back of shelf to the front edge of the shelf with wires or other traditional methods. Such bus bars can be similar to what is used in commercial cooler doors to transfer power on the glass. Power can also be transferred using the side brackets of the shelf assembly, as discussed above.
[0049] With any luminaire of the present disclosure, a reflective surface can be applied to the inside of the front frame surface. The inside surface of the front frame can act as a reflector to project light into the target area.
[0050] The present disclosure also contemplates a feature that can be used with any of the above-described luminaires, whereby illumination can be interactive. There can be sensors on the shelf or luminaire (e.g., infrared sensors) that sense the presence of a person (e.g., by detecting the person's hand) and change the intensity of the emitted light. The sensors could also be used to change the color of the light.
[0051] In some applications, it can be suitable to apply a coating to the glass panel and or the frames that enhances the transfer of heat from a luminaire affixed to the shelf to the open air portion of the shelf. This will allow the luminaire to perform at higher light outputs. Such a coating could also be used to increase the reflective properties of the luminaire.
[0052] While the present disclosure has been described with reference to one or more particular embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes can be made and equivalents can be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope thereof. In addition, many modifications can be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the present disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiment(s) disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure.