Connector for lighting devices and corresponding method

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10775033-B2
Application number	US-201615151522-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 11, 2016
Priority date	May 12, 2015
Publication date	Sep 15, 2020
Grant date	Sep 15, 2020

Abstract

A connector for connecting mutually facing ends of elongate lighting devices is provided. The connector includes a connector body having opposed end regions coupleable to the facing ends of said lighting devices. The connector body includes a light emission region between the opposed end regions.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A connector for connecting mutually facing ends of elongate lighting devices, the connector comprising:
a connector body comprising opposed end regions slidably engageable with said facing ends of said elongate lighting devices, the connector body comprising a light permeable region between said opposed end regions, wherein the connector body comprises:
a C-shaped configuration providing the light permeable region as an opening exposing light radiation from one or more light radiation sources located on the elongate lighting devices, or
a light permeable material in the light permeable region for exposing light radiation from the one or more light radiation sources located on the elongate lighting devices; and

an electrical power feed line including electrical cables, wherein the electrical power feed line includes electrical contacts for cooperation with said mutually facing ends of said lighting devices.

2. The connector of claim 1 ,
wherein the light emission region in the connector body comprises the light permeable material for exposing light radiation from the one or more light radiation sources located on the elongate lighting devices.

3. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the elongate lighting devices are elongated ribbon-shaped lighting devices.

4. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector is slidably engageable on a first side with a first elongate lighting device of the elongate lighting devices; and wherein the connector is slidably engageable on a second side with a second elongate lighting device of the elongate lighting devices.

5. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the light permeable material comprises a window to expose light from the opposed end regions of the elongate lighting device.

6. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the connector body comprises the C-shaped configuration.

7. The connector of claim 1 , wherein the electrical contacts are electrical sliding contacts connected to the electrical cables for providing electricity to the elongate lighted devices.

8. A method of connecting mutually facing end regions of elongate lighting devices, the method comprising:
providing a connector for connecting mutually facing ends of elongate lighting devices, the connector comprising:
a connector body comprising opposed end regions slidably engageable with said facing ends of said elongate lighting devices, the connector body comprising a light permeable region between said opposed end regions, wherein the connector body comprises:
a C-shaped configuration providing the light permeable region as an opening exposing light radiation from one or more light radiation sources located on the elongate lighting devices, or
a light permeable material in the light permeable region for exposing light radiation from the one or more light radiation sources located on the elongate lighting devices; and

an electrical power feed line including electrical cables, wherein the electrical power feed line includes electrical contacts for cooperation with said mutually facing ends of said lighting devices;

coupling said mutually facing ends of said lighting devices to said opposed end regions of said connector body.

9. A lighting system comprising:
a first elongate lighting device and a second elongate lighting device, each of the first and second elongate lighting devices comprising a plurality of electrically powered light radiation sources distributed with a uniform pitch to provide a uniform distribution of light emission along the length of the first or second elongate lighting devices; and
a connector for connecting mutually facing ends of the first and second elongate lighting devices, the connector comprising:
a connector body comprising opposed end regions slidably engageable with the mutually facing ends of the first and second elongate lighting devices, the connector body comprising a light permeable region between the opposed end regions, wherein the connector body comprises a C-shaped configuration providing the light permeable region as an opening exposing one or more of the electrically powered light radiation sources which are located at the mutually facing ends of the first and second elongate lighting devices to expose light radiation from the first and second elongate lighting devices; and
an electrical power feed line including electrical cables, wherein the electrical power feed line includes electrical contacts for cooperation with the mutually facing ends of said first and second lighting devices.

10. The lighting system of claim 9 , wherein the electrical contacts are electrical sliding contacts connected to the electrical cables for providing electricity to the first and second elongate lighted devices.

Assignees

• Osram Gmbh

Inventors

• Zanotto Alberto
• Bobbo Simon
• Michielan Valerio
• Morra Andrea

Classifications

• H05B45/10

  Controlling the intensity of the light · CPC title

• F21Y2103/10

  comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements · CPC title

• F21S4/24

  of ribbon or tape form, e.g. LED tapes · CPC title

• F21V23/06 Primary

  the elements being coupling devices {, e.g. connectors} · CPC title

• F21V3/04

  characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings · CPC title