LED lighting units and assemblies with edge connectors

An LED light unit comprising:

• a tile;
• a plurality of discrete LED light sources that are on and dispersed across a major surface of the tile and are electrically connected to electrical pads along an edge region of the tile;
• and
• an edge connector comprising a plurality of contacts that are connected to a plurality of wires extending away from the edge connector, the edge connector configured to releasably connect to an edge of the tile so that the contacts directly connect to the pads and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the LED light sources, wherein the edge connector comprises a body with a cavity having an inner surface, and a locking mechanism that comprises a flexure lever that extends into the cavity and releasably locks onto an opening in a major surface of the tile while the edge connector contacts are directly connected to the tile pads and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the LED light sources.

An LED light unit comprising:

• a tile;
• a plurality of discrete LED light sources that are on and dispersed across a major surface of the tile and are electrically connected to electrical pads along an edge region of the tile;
• and
• an edge connector comprising a plurality of contacts that are connected to a plurality of flexible wires extending away from the edge connector, the edge connector configured to releasably connect to an edge of the tile so that the contacts directly connect to the pads and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the LED light sources, and the edge connector comprises a body having a notched corner adjacent to a closest one of the LED light sources.

An LED lighting assembly comprising:

• a plurality of discrete tiles, each of the tiles comprising a plurality of discrete LED light sources that are on and dispersed across a major surface of the tile and are electrically connected to electrical pads along an edge region of the tile;
• a plurality of bars, wherein a plurality of the tiles are mounted to, and mechanical supported by, each of the bars to form a plurality of bar-tile assemblies arranged in a planar array;
• and
• a plurality of edge connectors, wherein each of the edge connectors comprises a plurality of contacts that are connected to a plurality of flexible wires extending away from the edge connector, the edge connector configured to releasably connect to an edge of an end tile along one of the bars so that the contacts directly connect to the pads of the connected end tile and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the LED light sources on the connected bar, and each of the edge connectors comprises a body with a cavity having an inner surface, and a locking mechanism that comprises a flexure lever that extends into the cavity and releasably locks onto an opening in a major surface of the tile while the edge connector contacts are directly connected to the tile pads and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the LED light sources.

A solid state lighting assembly, comprising:

• a substrate including a major surface, an edge adjacent the major surface, and a plurality of electrical traces on the major surface;
• a plurality of electrical contact pads on the major surface of the substrate and disposed adjacent the edge of the substrate, each of the plurality of electrical contact pads being connected to a respective one of the plurality of electrical traces;
• a plurality of solid state light emitting devices on the major surface of the substrate, wherein the plurality of solid state light emitting devices are in electrical communication with at least one of the plurality of contact pads through at least one of the plurality of electrical traces;
• and
• an edge connector on the edge of the substrate including at least two electrical contacts in contact with at least two of the electrical contact pads, the edge connector comprises a plurality of flexible wires extending away from the edge connector, and wherein the edge connector is configured to releasably connect to the edge of the substrate so that the electrical contacts directly connect to the contact pads and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the solid state light sources, and wherein the edge connector comprises a body with a cavity having an inner surface, and a locking mechanism that comprises a flexure lever that extends into the cavity and releasably locks onto an opening in a major surface of the substrate while the edge connector contacts are directly connected to the contact pads and electrically connect the wires of the edge connector to the solid state light emitting devices.