LED lighting system and method for external surfaces
OwnerDouglas Tveitinventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A lighting system includes a substrate having openings therein, and a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned within at least some of the openings in the substrate. A power supply is electrically coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes positioned within the openings. An opaque layer of material substantially covers the substrate and the plurality of openings placed on a first side of the substrate, and the light emitting diodes in the openings. The opaque layer allows light from the plurality of light emitting diodes to pass through the layer when powered. When not powered, the opaque layer substantially hides the plurality of light emitting diodes.
Claims21
A lighting system for attaching to an exterior surface of buildings comprises:
- a flexible substrate having openings therein, the flexible substrate having a substantially rectangular cross section;
- a plurality of light emitting diodes positioned within at least some of the openings;
- a power supply electrically coupled to the plurality of light emitting diodes positioned within at least some of the openings;
- wherein the openings are shaped to correspond to plurality of themes and at least one of the openings is selectively lighted corresponding to one of the themes;
- and
- an opaque layer of material substantially covering the substrate and the plurality of openings placed on a first side of the substrate, the first side of the substrate being substantially planar, the opaque layer being substantially planar and allowing light from the plurality of light emitting diodes to pass through the opaque layer when powered and substantially hiding the plurality of light emitting diodes when not powered, the opaque layer colored to substantially match a portion of the exterior surface of a building.
A lighting system for substantially flat surfaces associated with buildings comprises:
- a flexible substrate having a first set of openings and a second set of openings therein, the flexible substrate having a substantially rectangular cross section;
- a first plurality of light emitting diodes positioned within at least some of the first set of openings;
- a second plurality of light emitting diodes positioned within at least some of the second set of openings;
- wherein the first set of openings and the second set of openings are shaped to correspond to plurality of themes and at least one of the openings is selectively lighted corresponding to one of the themes;
- a power supply electrically coupled to the first plurality of light emitting diodes and the second plurality of light emitting diodes;
- a switch for selectively enabling a the first plurality of light emitting diodes and the second plurality of light emitting diodes;
- and
- an opaque layer of material substantially covering the substrate and the plurality of openings placed on a first side of the substrate, the opaque layer being substantially flat and allowing light from the plurality of light emitting diodes to pass through the layer when powered and substantially hiding the plurality of light emitting diodes when not powered, the first side being substantially planar.
A method of forming a lighting system for buildings comprising:
- making openings in a flexible substrate material having a substantially rectangular cross section;
- wherein the openings are shaped to correspond to plurality of themes and at least one of the openings is selectively lighted corresponding to one of the themes;
- placing light emitting diodes in at least some of the openings made in the substrate material;
- connecting electrical conductors into electrical contact with the light emitting diodes;
- and
- placing a substantially flat opaque layer over the substrate to form a substantially flat surface on the lighting system;
- and
- selecting a color for the substantially flat opaque layer that substantially matches the color of a portion of the building to which the lighting system will be attached.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.