Elongated led luminaire and associated methods

A luminaire comprising:

• a lamp comprising
• an outer structure,
• a light source carried by the outer structure and comprising a light-emitting diode (LED) configured to emit a source light,
• a middle structure connected to the outer structure and comprising a heat sink section in thermal communication with the light source, and
• a bi-pin base connected to the middle structure and comprising a pin lock configured to anchor the lamp to a first fluorescent socket;
• a light guide having an inner surface and an outer surface, and comprising a bi-pin connector configured to mechanically attach to a second fluorescent socket;
• and
• a heat dissipating frame having a contact surface in thermal communication with the outer surface of the light guide;
• wherein the light source is configured to emit the source light so as to be incident upon the inner surface of the light guide;
• and
• wherein the light guide comprises an optically transmissive material and a reflective material that are configured, in combination, to change the source light into a shaped light that illuminates a space proximate to the luminaire in a generally even distribution along at least one of a length of the light guide and a width of the light guide.

A method for retrofitting a fluorescent tube lamp with a luminaire that includes a lamp comprising an outer structure comprising a light source configured to emit a source light, a middle structure attached to the outer structure, and a bi-pin base attached to the middle structure, the luminaire further including a light guide and a heat dissipating frame, the method comprising:

• removing the fluorescent tube lamp from a fluorescent light fixture comprising first and second fluorescent sockets;
• positioning a contact surface of the heat dissipating frame substantially adjacent to and in thermal contact with an outer surface of the light guide;
• aligning a through-hole in the heat dissipating frame with a mounting aperture in the light guide;
• inserting the bi-pin base and the middle structure of the lamp through the mounting aperture in the light guide and, in turn, through the through-hole of the heat dissipating frame such that the outer structure of the lamp is fixedly attached to the light guide adjacent the mounting aperture;
• mechanically attaching a bi-pin connector disposed on a first end of the light guide to a first fluorescent socket;
• anchoring the lamp to a second fluorescent socket by mechanically and electrically attaching to the second fluorescent socket at least one pin lock disposed on the bi-pin base;
• and
• positioning the light guide in relation to the light source such that the source light emitted from the light source is incident upon an inner surface of the light guide, and is changed by the light guide into a shaped light that illuminates a space proximate to the luminaire.