T-bar for suspended ceiling with heat dissipation system for LED lighting
OwnerSilvio Porciattiinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The T-bar includes an elongate rigid spine extending between terminal ends including either a fixed anchor or adjustable anchor for attachment to adjacent T-bars or other supports. An upper heat sink is provided on an upper portion of the spine to enhance heat transfer from the T-bar to air surrounding upper portions of the T-bar. A light housing is provided on a lower portion of the T-bar which is configured to support a lighting module therein, such as a light emitting diode (LED) light. A lower heat sink is provided above this light housing and integrated into a rest shelf which supports ceiling tiles adjacent the T-bar. A power supply is provided which can be removably attached to the T-bar and provide appropriately conditioned power for the lighting module.
Claims21
A T-bar for a suspended ceiling, comprising in combination:
- an elongate rigid spine extending between terminal ends including a first terminal end and a second terminal end;
- said spine formed at least partially of a material having a higher than average thermal conductivity;
- said terminal ends each adapted to be coupled to adjacent supports;
- a lower portion of said spine including a rest shelf extending to at least one lateral side of said spine, said rest shelf adapted to support an edge of a ceiling tile resting upon said rest shelf, wherein said rest shelf includes at least one fin on a top thereof;
- at least one light source carried by said spine beneath said rest shelf;
- and
- at least one fin coupled to a portion of said spine above said rest shelf, said fin in heat transfer connection with said spine and said light source, said fin enhancing a surface area available for heat transfer to air adjacent said spine.
A heat dissipating T-bar with included light source, comprising in combination:
- an elongate T-bar adapted to support ceiling tiles within a suspended ceiling system;
- said elongate T-bar formed of a material having a higher than average thermal conductivity;
- an upper portion of said T-bar including a heat sink having at least one fin;
- a lower portion of said T-bar including a light source adapted to shine light downwardly from said lower portion of said T-bar, wherein said lower portion of said T-bar includes a rest shelf upon which edges of ceiling tiles are supported, said rest shelf including a plurality of fins extending therefrom at least partially upward from said rest shelf, an outer one of said plurality of fins extending at least partially upward from said rest shelf to an extent higher than other fins extending from said rest shelf;
- and
- said heat sink in heat transfer connection with said light source through said T-bar.
A method for enhancing the operating life of a dropped ceiling T-bar mounted light emitting diode lighting system, including the steps of:
- providing at least one light emitting diode light suspended from a lower portion of a T-bar;
- configuring the T-bar to include a rest shelf adapted to support at least one ceiling tile thereon, and configuring the rest shelf to include a plurality of heat sink fins extending at least partially upward therefrom;
- configuring the T-bar to include a spine extending up from the rest shelf;
- forming the T-bar at least partially of a material having a higher than average thermal conductivity;
- providing a heat sink on the T-bar;
- and
- connecting the heat sink in heat transfer relationship with the spine and the light emitting diode light such that heat generated by the light is conducted to the heat sink to reduce a temperature of the light and correspondingly enhance the operating life of the light.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.