# US 7,607,793 B2 · Decorative light tile

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 7,607,793 B2
- Document ID: US7607793B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 11/831,310
- Filed: 2007-07-31
- Published: 2009-02-05
- Granted: 2009-10-27
- Earliest claimed: 2007-07-31
- Assignees: Osram Sylvania Inc.
- Inventors: Charles Coushaine; Frank St. Onge; Thomas Tessnow
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US7607793B2

## CPC

- F21V 33/006: {General building constructions or finishing work for buildings, e.g. roofs, gutters, stairs or floors; Garden equipment; Sunshades or parasols}
- E04F 13/08: composed of a plurality of similar covering or lining elements, (E04F13/072 takes precedence; borders, skirtings E04F19/02; {of webs or fabrics E04F13/002; fixing strips E04F19/06; separate provisional spacers between adjacent tiles E04F21/0092; implements or means for setting tiles E04F21/18})
- E04F 15/02: Flooring or floor layers composed of a number of similar elements (of webs E04F15/16)
- E04F 2290/026: for lighting
- F21S 8/033: {the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade}
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- E04F: FINISHING WORK ON BUILDINGS, e.g. STAIRS, FLOORS (windows, doors E06B)
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- 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 decorative light tile includes a base, a light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least a slanted light reflecting area of the base, and a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area. Additionally, the light tile includes a bus bar system. The bus bar system includes positioned along a perimeter of the light tile. The bus bar system is electrically connected to the light source and provides a circuit for supplying power to the light source. A light tile system includes a plurality of light tiles, a decorative sheet positioned adjacent to each light tile and illuminated by the light source within the light tile, and a power supply. Each light tile includes a bus bar system connected to a light source within the light tile and the light tiles may be positioned contiguous to each other so that the bus bar systems are in electrical contact with each other.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light tile comprising:
a base comprising
a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and
a front surface comprising:
a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;
an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and
a slanted light reflecting area surrounding the apex and comprising at least three regions defining the apex extending between the peripheral area and the apex;
at least three light sources adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least the slanted light reflecting area of the base, the light sources being arranged to direct light along at least three different directions;
each of said at least three regions of the slanted light reflecting area facing a different direction and having a respective said light source positioned to illuminate said corresponding region; and
a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the light sources reflected off the slanted light reflecting area.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein the rear surface is adapted to mounted to a wall and includes one or more of the following: a screw, a nail, double-faced tape and removable double-faced tape.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein the apex is located generally at the center of the base.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein four substantially equal regions surrounding surround the apex.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein the slanted light reflecting area is curved towards the apex.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein the slanted light reflecting area comprises a plurality of faces, the faces being oriented at reflecting angles which increase successively towards the apex.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The light tile of claim 6, wherein the faces are curved on arcs centered generally at a respective light source.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The light tile of claim 6, wherein the face nearest the respective light source is substantially planar.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The light tile of claim 6, wherein the reflecting angles of the successive faces are within a range of approximately 0 degrees to 12 degrees.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein the peripheral area is substantially planar and wherein the light tile is square.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, at least one said light source further comprising:
a primary lens positioned adjacent to the perimeter of the base between the light source and the slanted light reflecting area; and
a secondary lens positioned adjacent the primary lens between the primary lens and the slanted light reflecting area increasing the angle of divergence of the light transmitted by the primary lens toward the slanted light reflecting area and decreasing the vertical columniation of the light transmitted by the primary lens.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source includes one or more of the following: an LED and a secondary spread lens.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source emits a conical beam having an angle of divergence of approximately 7 degrees.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source emits a light beam having an angle of divergence of approximately 90 degrees.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, wherein at least one said light source comprises a 3-color LED with an operable controller to generate a plurality of light colors, wherein the light tile is rectangular and the a least three light sources comprises four light sources positioned near respective corners of the slanted light reflecting area, and wherein the cover is translucent.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The light tile of claim 1, further comprising a translucent sheet positioned over the cover and illuminated by light from the light sources reflected by the slanted light reflecting area.

### Claim 17 (depends on 16)

The light tile of claim 16, wherein the translucent sheet comprises at least one of the following: a vellum sheet, a photograph, a printed sheet, a colored sheet, and a transparent sheet.

### Claim 18 (depends on 16)

The light tile of claim 16, further comprising a shield positioned over the translucent sheet.

### Claim 19

A light tile comprising:
a base comprising
a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and
a front surface comprising:
a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;
an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and
a slanted light reflecting area between the peripheral area and the apex;
at least one light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least the slanted light reflecting area of the base;
a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the at least one light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area; and
a flex circuit system positioned along a perimeter of the light tile, said flex circuit system being electrically connected to the at least one light source and providing a circuit for supplying power to the at least one light source.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The light tile of claim 19, wherein the flex circuit system includes at least one positive contact and at least one negative contact, the positive and negative contacts being positioned at different elevations from the front surface of the light tile.

### Claim 21

The light tile of 19, wherein the light tile is rectangular;
wherein the flex circuit system has two positive contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one positive contact on each side of said first corner, two positive contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one positive contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and
wherein the flex circuit system has two negative contact areas adjacent to a third corner of the light tile, one negative contact on each side of said third corner, two negative contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one negative contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.

### Claim 22

A light tile comprising:
a base comprising
a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and
a front surface comprising:
a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;
an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and
a slanted light reflecting area between the peripheral area and the apex;
at least one light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate at least the slanted light reflecting area of the base;
a cover mounted on the base adapted to be illuminated by light from the at least one light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area; and
a bus bar system positioned along a perimeter of the light tile, said bus bar being electrically connected to the at least one light source and providing a circuit for supplying power to the at least one light source.

### Claim 23 (depends on 22)

The light tile of claim 22, wherein the bus bar system comprises a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar, the positive and negative bus bars being positioned at different elevations from the front surface of the light tile.

### Claim 24

The light tile of 22, wherein the light tile is rectangular;
wherein the positive bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said first corner, two contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and
wherein the negative bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a third corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said third corner, two contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.

### Claim 25

A light tile system comprising:
a plurality of light tiles, each light tile having a bus bar system connected to a light source within the light tile, such that with the light tiles positioned contiguous to each other the bus bar systems of neighboring light tiles are in electrical contact with each other;
a decorative sheet positioned adjacent to each light tile and illuminated by the light source within the light tile; and
a power supply having a power bus connecting to one of the bus bar systems of one of the light tiles for supplying power to the one bus bar system and to the other bus bar systems in electrical contact with the one bus bar system.

### Claim 26 (depends on 25)

The light tile system of claim 25, wherein each light tile comprises:
a base comprising
a rear surface adapted to be placed on a support surface; and
a front surface comprising:
a peripheral area adjacent to an outer perimeter of the base;
an apex elevated in relation to the peripheral area; and
a slanted light reflecting area between the peripheral area and the apex;
at least one light source adjacent to the perimeter of the base positioned to illuminate the slanted light reflecting area; and
a cover mounted on the base being adapted to be illuminated by light from the at least one light source reflected off the slanted light reflecting area.

### Claim 27 (depends on 25)

The light tile system of claim 25, wherein the bus system comprises a positive bus bar and a negative bus bar, the positive and negative bus bars being positioned at different elevations from the front surface of the base.

### Claim 28

The light tile system of 27, wherein the light tile is rectangular;
wherein the positive bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said first corner, two contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and
wherein the negative bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a third corner of light tile, one contact on each side of said third corner, two contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.

### Claim 29 (depends on 25)

The light tile system of claim 25, wherein the at least one light source includes one or more of the following: an LED, a plurality of LEDs, a secondary spread lens and a 3-color LED with a controller to generate a plurality of light colors.

### Claim 30 (depends on 25)

The light tile system of claim 25, wherein the decorative sheet comprises at least one of the following: a vellum sheet, a photograph, a printed sheet, a colored sheet, and a transparent sheet.

### Claim 31

A light tile comprising:
at least one light source on the light tile to illuminate the light tile; and
a bus bar system positioned along a perimeter of a light tile electrically connecting the at least one light source and providing a circuit for supplying power to the at least one light source comprising:
a positive bus bar; and
a negative bus bar, wherein the positive and negative bus bars being positioned at different horizontal elevations along the sides of the light tile.

### Claim 32 (depends on 31)

The bus bar of claim 31, wherein the light tile is rectangular;
wherein the positive bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a first corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said first corner, two contact areas adjacent to a second corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said second corner, said first corner being located diagonally across from the second corner; and
wherein the negative bus bar has two contact areas adjacent to a third corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said third corner, two contact areas adjacent to a fourth corner of the light tile, one contact on each side of said fourth corner, said third corner being located diagonally across from the fourth corner.