# US 12,181,127 B1 · LED light holder system

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- Number: US 12,181,127 B1
- Document ID: US12181127B1
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B1
- Application number: 18/794,008
- Filed: 2024-08-05
- Granted: 2024-12-31
- Earliest claimed: 2023-12-26
- Assignees: Sigma Switches Plus, Inc.
- Applicants: Sigma Swiches Plus, Inc.
- Inventors: Brian Rothbauer; Adrian Byers; Nick Rothbauer
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12181127B1

## CPC

- F21S 8/043: {mounted by means of a rigid support, e.g. bracket or arm}
- F21S 4/28: rigid, e.g. LED bars
- F21V 19/004: {by deformation of parts or snap action mountings, e.g. using clips}
- F21V 19/0035: {the fastening means being capable of simultaneously attaching of an other part, e.g. a housing portion or an optical component}
- F21W 2106/00: Interior vehicle lighting devices
- F21Y 2103/10: comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21W: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO USES OR APPLICATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

A light holding system having a light holder with wings that define an outer contoured surface. A channel extends inwardly of the outer contoured surface and has a bottom wall and lateral walls. The bottom wall has a ridge wall having a retention barb extending from a bottom surface. The wings are resiliently bendable between an uninstalled and an installed position. In the uninstalled position the tips of the wings are at a first distance from the retention barb and in the installed position the tips of the wings are at a second distance. The second distance is greater than the first distance. An end cap having an outer shell and a coped portion within the end may receive the light holder in the coped portion.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light holding system for use in an RV ceiling, said ceiling including a joist having a width and a retaining strip being fastened to said joist, said retaining strip having upstanding walls extending from a base, said upstanding walls defining a groove and said groove including retention nubs within said groove, said light holding system comprising:
an elongate light holder having wings defining an outer contoured surface and said wings having tips, a channel extending beneath said outer contoured surface, said channel including overhanging walls adjacent to said outer contoured surface, said channel having lateral walls and said lateral walls joined to a bottom wall, said channel including an opening adjacent to said outer contoured surface, a ridge wall extending from a bottom surface of said bottom wall opposite said channel and said ridge wall including a retention barb, said wings being resiliently bendable between an uninstalled position and an installed position, said uninstalled position locating said tips of said wings at a first distance from said opening and said installed position locating said tips of said wings at a second distance from said opening and said second distance being nearer than said first distance with respect to said opening, when said wings are in said installed position said wings being biased away from said opening and toward said uninstalled position; and
an end cap having an outer shell and said end cap having a coped portion, said coped portion having a complementary fit with said outer contoured surface when said elongate light holder is inserted into said coped portion.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light holding system of claim 1, wherein said retention barb includes inclined surfaces and catch surfaces facing said bottom surface of said bottom wall.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The light holding system of claim 2, wherein said overhanging walls include inclined surfaces facing said outer contoured surface and adjacent to said outer contoured surface, and said overhanging walls having catch surfaces facing said bottom wall of said channel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The light holding system of claim 3, wherein said inclined surfaces and said catch surfaces meet at terminal edges, said terminal edges being nearer to each other than said lateral walls.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The light holding system of claim 3, wherein said channel is capable of receiving an LED light strip and when said wings are in said installed position, said lateral walls of said channel being biased against said LED light strip received within said channel when said wings are in said installed position.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light holding system of claim 1, wherein said end cap includes a ridge wall having a retention barb for engaging said groove of said retaining strip, a portion of said retention barb being wider than said ridge wall.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The light holding system of claim 6, wherein a portion of said shell adjacent to said coped portion is more opaque than other portions of said shell.

### Claim 8

A light holding system for use in an RV having panels, said panels abutting a joist having a width and a retaining strip being fastened to said joist between said panels, said retaining strip having upstanding walls extending from a base, said upstanding walls defining a groove and said groove including retention nubs within said groove, said light holding system comprising:
an elongate light holder having wings defining an outer contoured surface and said wings having tips, a channel extending beneath said outer contoured surface, said channel including overhanging walls adjacent to said outer contoured surface, said channel having lateral walls defining an internal width of said channel, said overhanging walls extending toward each other and being narrower than internal width of said channel, said lateral walls joined to a bottom wall, said channel including an opening adjacent to said outer contoured surface, a ridge wall extending from a bottom surface of said bottom wall opposite said channel and said ridge wall including a retention barb being spaced from said bottom surface, a portion of said retention barb being wider than said ridge wall, said wings being resiliently bendable between an uninstalled position and an installed position, said uninstalled position locating said tips of said wings at a first distance from said opening and said installed position locating said tips of said wings at a second distance from said opening and said second distance being nearer than said first distance with respect to said opening, when said wings are in said installed position said wings being biased away from said opening and toward said uninstalled position; and
an end cap having an outer shell and said end cap having a coped portion, said coped portion having a complementary fit with said outer contoured surface when said elongate light holder is inserted into said coped portion.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The light holding system of claim 8, wherein said retention barb includes inclined surfaces and catch surfaces facing said bottom surface of said bottom wall.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

The light holding system of claim 9, wherein said overhanging walls include inclined surfaces facing said outer contoured surface and adjacent to said outer contoured surface, and said overhanging walls having catch surfaces facing said bottom wall of said channel.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The light holding system of claim 10, wherein said inclined surfaces and said catch surfaces meet at terminal edges, said terminal edges being nearer to each other than said lateral walls.

### Claim 12 (depends on 10)

The light holding system of claim 10, wherein said channel is capable of receiving an LED light strip and when said wings are in said installed position, said lateral walls of said channel being biased against said LED light strip received within said channel when said wings are in said installed position.

### Claim 13 (depends on 8)

The light holding system of claim 8, wherein said end cap includes a ridge wall having a retention barb for engaging said groove of said retaining strip, and a portion of said retention barb being wider than said ridge wall.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The light holding system of claim 13, wherein a portion of said shell adjacent to said coped portion is more opaque than other portions of said shell.

### Claim 15

A light holding system for use between adjacent panels, said panels abutting a joist having a width and a retaining strip being fastened to said joist between said panels, said retaining strip having upstanding walls extending from a base, said upstanding walls defining a groove and said groove including retention nubs within said groove, said light holding system comprising:
an elongate light holder having wings defining an outer contoured surface and said wings having tips, a channel extending beneath said outer contoured surface and said channel having lateral walls defining an internal width of said channel, said lateral walls joined to a bottom wall, said channel including an opening adjacent to said outer contoured surface, a ridge wall extending from a bottom surface of said bottom wall opposite said channel and said ridge wall including a retention barb being spaced from said bottom surface, a portion of said retention barb being wider than said ridge wall, said wings being resiliently bendable between an uninstalled position and an installed position, said uninstalled position locating said tips of said wings at a first distance from said opening and said installed position locating said tips of said wings at a second distance from said opening and said second distance being nearer than said first distance with respect to said opening, when said wings are in said installed position said wings being biased away from said opening and toward said uninstalled position; and
an end cap having an outer shell and said end cap having a coped portion, said coped portion having a complementary fit with said outer contoured surface when said elongate light holder is inserted into said coped portion.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The light holding system of claim 15, wherein said channel includes overhanging walls spaced from said bottom wall and said overhanging walls being nearer to each other than said lateral walls and a distance between said overhanging walls being narrower than said internal width of said channel.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The light holding system of claim 16, wherein said overhanging walls include inclined surfaces facing said outer contoured surface, and said overhanging walls having catch surfaces facing said bottom wall of said channel.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The light holding system of claim 17, wherein said channel is capable of receiving an LED light strip and when said wings are in said installed position, said lateral wall of said channel being biased against said LED light strip received within said channel when said wings are in said installed position.

### Claim 19 (depends on 18)

The light holding system of claim 18, wherein said end cap includes a ridge wall having a retention barb for engaging said groove of said retaining strip, a portion of said retention barb being wider than said ridge wall.
