US 11,079,100 B2 · Partially lighted t-bar

Abstract

The partially lit T-bar includes a spine with a rest shelf at a lower portion thereof. The rest shelf supports adjacent ceiling tiles. The under surface of the rest shelf includes a lighting module on a portion and a plain unlit undersurface on other portions. Additional T-bars which are shorter, and typically fully lit or fully unlit and half the length of the partially lit T-bar are also provided which can attach at ends or near a midpoint of the partially lit T-bar and typically perpendicularly thereto. A great variety of lighting patterns in a dropped ceiling is thus facilitated. Each of the T-bars preferably also includes a heat sink on an upper portion of the spine and also preferably a lower heat sink on an upper portion of the rest shelf. Heat associated with the light element of the T-bar can thus be drawn away from a space below the ceiling.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A partially lighted T-bar for a suspended ceiling, comprising in combination:

a single elongated spine extending between opposing terminal ends;
a rest shelf at a lower portion of said spine, said rest shelf separated into two sides by said single elongated spine and configured so that at least one ceiling tile may rest upon each of said two sides of said rest shelf;
a light covering a portion of an underside of said rest shelf;
a plain unlit surface on a portion of said underside of said rest shelf;
and
wherein approximately half of said underside of said rest shelf is covered by said light.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application

16/429,682Filed 3 Jun 2019 · continuation

Priority

11 Mar 2010

Published

US 2019/0301721 A13 Oct 2019

Granted

3 Aug 2021

Term ends

Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification12 codes

F21V 29/76
With fins or blades: with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
E04B 9/241
With the slabs, panels, sheets or the like positioned on the upperside of, or held against the underside of the horizontal flanges of the…: with…
F21S 8/02
Lighting devices intended for fixed installation: of recess-mounted type, e.g. downlighters
F21V 29/713
Using a combination of separate elements interconnected by heat-conducting means, e.g. with heat pipes or thermally conductive bars between…: in…

Family

Application12/661,252Parent of this continuation · filed 11 Mar 2010

PCT/US2011/000455Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 11 Mar 2011

US 8,177,385 B2Parent of this continuation · filed 15 May 2012

Application62/082,760Us provisional application · filed 21 Nov 2014

Application14/948,803Parent of this continuation · filed 23 Nov 2015

US 9,879,850 B2Parent of this continuation-in-part · filed 30 Jan 2018

US 2019/0301721 A1Pre-grant publication · published 3 Oct 2019

US 10,309,638 B2Parent of this continuation

Application13/634,219Parent of this continuation-in-part

Application14/948,803Parent of this continuation-in-part

Application13/634,219Parent of this continuation

US 2011/0222270 A1Published application

US 2013/0039066 A1Published application

US 2016/0076746 A1Published application

US 11,079,100 B2This patent

From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.

Partially lighted t-bar

Life of this patent

Partially lighted t-bar

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20