I

MODULAR LIGHTING APPARATUS Technical Field

This invention relates to modular lighting apparatus and in particular to modular lighting apparatus particularly but not exclusively suited to cabinet or shelf lighting. The present invention also relates to a shelving system incorporating modular lighting apparatus. Background Art

Various lighting systems are in use for the purposes of lighting cabinets or shelves tor example cabinets or shelves which display jewellery in a retail situation. The lighting systems which are in use have incandescent light sources or fluorescent light sources. These light sources are usually relatively large and they tend to obscure part of what is desired to be displayed in a cabinet or on a shelf for example the contents of a cabinet or articles on a display shelf. Furthermore, light sources of the above type often occupy an area of the cabinet which should be used for display of articles. A further disadvantage of conventional lighting systems is that of heat generation particularly where incandescent light sources are used and this limits their use in applications where products to be displayed may be heat sensitive

In addition to the above disadvantages, the known lighting systems are required to be specifically designed to suit a particular cabinet and therefore their cost can be relatively high.

Summary of the Invention

The present invention aims to provide modular lighting apparatus which is particularly but not exclusively suited to lighting of cabinets or lighting a display surface such as a display shelf which overcomes or alleviates the above disadvantages or which at least provides an alternative to the known cabinet and shelf lighting systems. The present invention in a further aspect aims to provide a modular lighting apparatus which may be readily adapted for use in lighting different size cabinets or display areas. The present invention in yet a further aspect aims to provide a shelving system incorporating modular lighting apparatus. Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

The present invention thus provides in one aspect although not necessarily the broadest aspect, modular lighting apparatus for lighting a display surface, said lighting apparatus comprising an elongated light assembly having at least one elongated support

member, a plurality of solid state light sources arranged at spaced positions along the at least one support member, and supporting legs for supporting said light assembly in use at an elevated attitude above said display surface whereby said light sources can illuminate said display surface. Preferably the light assembly is angled Io a horizontal plane such that when positioned to or adjacent one side of the display surface, light emitted from the light sources is angled downwardly to illuminate the display surface.

The supporting legs may be provided at opposite ends of the at least one elongated support member. Supporting legs may additionally or alternatively be provided intermediate the opposite ends of the at least one elongated support member.

Preferably the supporting legs are hollow to thereby enable supply cables or wires for supply of current to the light sources to pass therethrough and be hidden from view. Preferably the supporting legs are hollow tubular members The hollow tubular members suitably comprise tubular members of circular cross section. Preferably the supporting legs are connected to the at least one elongated support member through mounting brackets. The mounting brackets may comprise end mounting brackets and/or intermediate mounting brackets.

Each bracket suitably comprises a main body with which a supporting leg may be engaged. The main body may include a socket therein for receiving a complementary end of a supporting leg. The socket suitably comprises a cylindrical socket where the supporting legs are tubular. The main body suitably also includes a tongue for cooperation with an end of an elongated member. The tongue which may comprise a flange-like member may be received in and secured to an end of an elongated member.

Where the mounting bracket comprises an end mounting bracket, the bracket suitable has a tongue on one side only. Preferably end mounting brackets for mounting to , respective opposite ends of an elongated member or members are a mirror image of each other.

Where the mounting bracket comprises an intermediate bracket, the main body suitably includes tongues on opposite sides thereof for cooperation with the ends of _ι elongated members on opposite sides of the main body. As with the end mounting brackets, the tongues may be flange-like members which be received in and secured to the respective adjacent ends of longitudinally aligned elongated support members.

Suitably the main body of a mounting bracket includes an opening

communicating with the socket and adapted for communication with an elongated support member, the opening permitting the passage of supply cables or wires through the main hody from the socket and support leg supported therein to the elongated member. Where the main body comprises the main body of an intermediate bracket, openings are suitably provided on opposite sides of the body to permit cables or wires to pass therethrough to the elongated support members on opposite sides of the intermediate bracket

Preferably the ends of the elongated support members include channels for . communication with the openings in the main bodies of the brackets. A plurality of lighting apparatuses may be supported one above the other in a multi-level assembly with the respective light assemblies in each level extending substantially parallel to each other. Preferably in this configuration, supporting legs extend between the light assemblies in each level. Preferably mounting brackets in each lighting apparatus in each level arc substantially vertically aligned and supporting legs extend between the mounting brackets. Preferably for this purpose, the mounting brackets may have aligned sockets on opposite upper and lower sides to receive the ends of an upper and lower supporting leg respectively.

In another alternative or additional form, a plurality of elongated support members may be joined in a longitudinally aligned end-to-end relationship. Preferably spanning members may be provided to span the adjacent ends of the end-to-end arranged support members. The spanning members may comprise flange-like members which are received in and secured to the ends of the respective elongated members.

Each elongated support member suitably includes a recess or recesses for receiving the light sources. Preferably the recess extends longitudinally of the elongated member. Preferably the recess communicates with channels at each end of the elongated member such that supply cables or wires may pass through the channels into the recesses.

Preferably a facing member is provided to close the recess, the facing member having openings therein through which light can pass from the light sources or through which the light sources project. The facing member suitably comprises a planar face plate.

Typically the solid-state light sources comprise light emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs most preferably comprise high intensity LEDs. The LEDs preferably project

at least partially through or extend into the openings in the facing member. The LEDs are preferably arranged in a parallel electrical circuit. The LEDs may be mounted on circuit boards received within lhe recess of an elongated support member.

Preferably the or each elongated support member comprises a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the solid-state light sources.

Preferably the power supply to the solid-state light sources is arranged so as not to be viewable externally of the lighting apparatus.

The supporting legs for the lighting apparatus may be mounted to a surface to extend upwardly from the surface, which may comprise the display surface. Brackets may support the supporting legs in an upright attitude. Alternatively the legs may be received in apertures or bores in a support surface to be supported in an upright attitude.

The lighting apparatus may serve as a support for a shelf typically a planar shelf such as a shelf formed of a transparent material, typically glass. Thus a shelf may be supported in a horizontal attitude on the elongated support member or members of the lighting apparatus. The lighting apparatus may provide a support at one side of a shelf The opposite side of the shelf may be supported by support legs or struts or by any other arrangement. A plurality of shelves may be provided one above the other and respective lighting apparatuses may be provided to support the shelves at each level. The present invention in a further aspect provides a shelving system comprising at least one shelf member and means for at least partially supporting said shelf member, said supporting means comprising an elongated light assembly having at least one elongated support member, means for supporting said elongated light assembly in a substantially horizontal attitude, said shelf member being seated on said elongated light assembly, and a plurality of solid state light sources arranged at spaced positions along said elongated support member for illuminating a display surface.

Suitably supporting legs are provided for supporting the light assembly in its substantially horizontal attitude and the light sources are adapted to illuminate a display surface beneath the one shelf member. The display surface may be defined by a further shelf member below the one shelf member. The elongated support member is suitably located adjacent one longitudinal edge of the shelf member and additional means are suitably provided for supporting the shelf member adjacent the opposite longitudinal edge thereof. The additional means may comprise further legs or an upright wall or panel to which the shelf member is supported.

The shelving system may comprise a multi-level shelving system having a plurality of shelf members arranged one above the other, each being supported on respective light assemblies arranged one above the other. Suitably, the respective said light assemblies are interconnected by the supporting legs and the light assembly above an immediately adjacent lower shelf member illuminates the display surface defined by the lower shelf member.

Typically the shelf members comprise planar transparent members such as glass panels but may comprise non-transparent members.

The elongated support members and/or mounting brackets may be constructed of any material but most preferably are of aluminium alloy. The elongated support members may be of any cross section and the main body of the mounting brackets may also be of any shape or configuration Brief Description of the Drawings

In order that the invention may be more readily understood and put into practical effect, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which illustrate preferred embodiments of the invention and wherein :-

Figs. 1 are 2 are pictorial views from the front and rear of lighting apparatus according to an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of the light assembly of the lighting apparatus; Fig. 4 is a view from the top of the support member of the light assembly;

Figs. 5 a. and b. are pictorial views of a right hand knuckle or bracket of the lighting apparatus;

Figs. 6a. and b. are pictorial views of a left hand knuckle or bracket of the lighting apparatus; Fig. 7 is a front elevation of a right hand knuckle or bracket;

Fig. 8 illustrates one manner of joining of a pair of support members in end-to- end relationship;

Fig. 9 illustrates a typical assembly of brackets and light assemblies; Figs. 10 a. and b. are pictorial views of a right hand through knuckle or bracket for use in the lighting apparatus;

Figs. 11 a. and b. are pictorial views of a lefl hand through knuckle or bracket for se in the lighting apparatus

Fig. 12 is an end view in the direction A of the knuckle or bracket of Fig. 10;

Figs. 13 a., b. and c. are pictorial views of an intermediate through knuckle or bracket for use in the lighting apparatus; and

, Fig. 14 illustrates a shelf system incorporating the modular lighting apparatus. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment Referring to the drawings and firstly to Figs. 1 and 2, there is illustrated modular lighting apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the invention and comprising an elongated light assembly 11 which includes a plurality of longitudinally spaced light emitting diodes (LEDs) 12, a pair of opposite end knuckles or brackets 13, and a pair of legs 14 connected to the respective end brackets 13, the legs 14 being of a hollow tubular configuration. The legs 14 may be received at their lower ends in mounting members 15 (shown in dotted outline) which can be mounted to a horizontal supporting surface to support the legs 14 in an upstanding attitude. Alternatively the legs 14 may simply extend into vertical openings in a horizontal supporting surface. Thus the legs 14 when supported to the supporting surface hold the elongated light assembly 11 in a substantially horizontal attitude. The light assembly 1 1 is oriented relative to the brackets 13 such that the lower side 16 thereof carrying the LEDs 12 is angled to the horizontal plane such that the LEDs 12 are directed downwardly at an inclination towards a surface to be illuminated, for example a surface upon which the brackets 15 arc mounted. The light assembly 11 includes a main elongated member 17 shown more clearly in Figs 3 and 4 which comprise a generally channel sectioned member having an elongated recess 18 extending longitudinally of the member 17, the recess 18 being adapted to accommodate circuit boards 19 which carry respective LEDs 12 which are connected in an electrical parallel circuit via connecting wires 20. Lead or supply wires 21 are provided for the supply of current to the LEDs 12. The recess 18 terminates at mounting shoulders 22 at opposite ends of the member 17 through which respective channels 23 extend to open through opposite ends of the member 17. The channels 23 extend to and communicate with the recess 18 to enable the electric supply wires 21 to pass into the recess 18 for connecting to the parallel wired LEDs 12. The member 17 additionally has opposite side flanges 24 which extend longitudinally for the full length of the member 17. The outer surface of the member 17 opposite the recess 18 is formed with a series of longitudinally extending trenches or slots 25 as shown in Figs. 1 and 4 which form the elongated member 17 into a heat sink to dissipate heat generated by the

LEDs 12. Typically the member 17 is formed of a high heat conductivity material and preferably is formed of aluminium alloy.

An elongated face plate 26 is adapted to cooperate with the member 17 to close the recess 18 to hide the electrical wiring 20 and 21 and circuit boards 19 carrying the LEDs 12. The face plate 26 includes a plurality of spaced openings 27 through which respective LEDs 12 at least partially project. The face plate 26 is of a width such that it can be received neatly between opposite flanges 24 and is secured in position by screws or other fasteners (not shown).

The opposite end brackets 13 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 are a mirror image of each other and comprise a multi-sided main body 28 having on one side profiled surfaces 29 to match the outer profiled surface 30 of the member 17. A tongue-like flange 31 extends to a side of the main body 28, the flanges 31 being on one or the other side of the main body 28 depending upon whether a bracket 13 is to be provided at the left or right hand end of the member 17. The flange 31 is positioned relative to the profiled surfaces 29 such that when secured to the member 17, the profiled surfaces 29 are aligned with the profiled surfaces 30 of the member 17. m addition, the top surface 13' of the brackets 13 are aligned with the top surface 17' of the member 17, the surfaces 13' and 17' being of planar land-like form. The main body 28 additionally has an angled surface 32 opposite the profiled surface 29 in which a blind bore 33 is formed, the bore 33 being of substantially the same diameter as the external diameter of a leg 14 such that an end of a leg 14 may be received therein. The bore 33 communicates with a passage 34 which opens through the side of the body 28 on the same side as the flange 31. An end bracket 13 is mounted to the member 17 by positioning the flange 31 on a shoulder

22 and securing it in position by means of fasteners driven through aligned apertures 35 and 36 in the flange 31 and shoulder 22 respectively. When the brackets 13 are secured in position, the passage 34 is aligned with the channel 23. This enables the lead or supply wires 21 to be passed through the bore 33 in the main body 28 into the passage 34 and into the recess 18 via the channel 23 tor connection to the LEDs 12.

As referred to above, one end of a leg 14 is received within the bore 33 and may be secured therein by a grub screw or the like passed through an opening 36 in the main body 28. Thus the lead wires 21 can be passed from the recess 18, through the channel

23 and into the interior of the leg 14 and therefore are hidden from view. The wires 21 pass out of the end of the leg 14 as illustrated in Fig. 2 for connection to a power supply.

The modular lighting apparatus 10 is particularly suited to positioning within display cabinets and provides minimal visual obstruction to display stock particularly when fitted within full glass cabinets. The elongated member 17 can be positioned by the legs 14 in an upper corner of a cabinet adjacent to a person looking into the cabinet and therefore will be substantially hidden from view. The LEDs 12 however are directed downwardly towards a display surface so that the articles within the cabinet are clearly illuminated.

The modular apparatus 10 may be simply adapted for use in different width cabinets by varying the length of the member 17. Alternatively and as shown in fig. 8, the member 17 may be joined to a further similar member 17 by means of a planar joining or spanning plate 37 having apertures 38 adapted to be aligned with the apertures

36 in the members 17. Thus a pair of members 17 may be longitudinally aligned and joined by means of the plate 37 which seats on the shouldeτs 22 with the apertures 36 in the plate 37 being aligned with the apertures 36 in the shoulders 22 of the respective members 17 to receive screws or other fasteners therethrough.

For extended lengths or other applications, the members 16 may also be joined through an intermediate bracket 39 which is similar to a bracket 13 and thus like components to the brackets 13 have been given like numerals. In this case however the intermediate bracket 39 as illustrated in figs. 5 and 7 has a rurther flange 31 ' (shown in dotted outline) on the side of the body 28 opposite the flange 31. In addition, the passage 34 which communicates with the bore 33 extends through to the opposite sides ofthc body 28.

Thus by using the ioining plates 37, intermediate brackets 39, end brackets 13, legs 14 and a series of light assemblies 1 1, an extended length lighting assembly 40 such as that illustrated in Fig. 9 may be formed using selected components as above. It will be appreciated that various combinations of these components may be used for assembling varying lengths of lighting assemblies 40. The modular construction therefore permits a lighting assembly 40 to be designed to suit a cabinet of any length or any application where required. Tower can be supplied to the LEDs 12 within the assembly by means of lead wires 21 passed up through the end legs 14 and/or intermediate legs 14 associated with the intermediate brackets 39 and directed to either or both sides of the intermediate brackets 39 through the passages 34.

Additional end brackets 41 illustrated in Figs. 10 to 12 and intermediate brackets 42 illustrated in Fig. 13 may be use for forming multi-level light assemblies. The end brackets 41 are similar to the brackets 13 of Figs. 5 and 6 however the bore 43 in the body 44 (equivalent to the bore 33 of the bracket 13) passes through the body 44. The bore 44 however is stepped at 45 at opposite ends to form opposite sockets and opposite legs 14 comprising an upper and lower leg 14 can be inserted up to the steps or shoulders 45 as illustrated in dotted outline in Fig. 12. Flanges 46 equivalent to the flanges 31 are provided on one or the opposite side of the body 44 to enable connection to the light assemblies 11. The inteπnediate bracket 42 of Fig. 13 is of similar construction to the end brackets 41 except that mounting flanges 46 are provided on opposite sides of the body 44.

The end brackets 41 and intermediate brackets 42 are connected to the respective elongated members 17 of the light assemblies I l by securing the flanges 46 to the shoulders 22 in the same manner that the flanges 31 arc secured to the members 17.

Fig. 14 illustrates an application of a multi-Jevel lighting assembly 47 constructed using the components described above in a shelving system which comprises upper and lower shelves 48 and 49, the shelves 48 and 49 typically comprising planar glass shelves and being arranged in substantially horizontal planes. The lighting assembly 47 comprises an upper light assembly 11 located between and supported by a pair of opposite end brackets or knuckles 13 and a lower light assembly 10' located between and supported by a pair of opposite end brackets 41 of the type illustrated in Fig. 11. Upper legs 14 extend between the upper and lower brackets 13 and 41 being received in the respective bores 33 and 43 and lower legs 14 are received in the bores 43 on the lower side of the brackets 41 and extend downwardly therefrom. Leads or wires 21 for supply of power to the LEDs 12 pass through the respective hollow legs 14 and into the respective light assemblies 1 1 as described above. The legs 14 may be mounted to a support surface such as by use of the mounting means of Fig. 1 or be received in complementary bores in the support surface. The upper shelf 48 is supported directly on the upper light assembly 11 being seated adjacent one longitudinal side on the land-like surfaces 13' and 17' of the brackets 13 and member J 7. The lower shelf 49 is similarly supported on the lower light assembly 11 " and brackets 41. Light rays from the LED's 12 of the upper light assembly

1 1 as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 14 illuminate in use the upper display surface of the shelf 49. Similarly the lower light assembly 1 1 is arranged to illuminate a display surface below the lower light assembly 1 ] .

The shelving system may have more than two levels of shelves, each supported by a respective light assembly 1 1 in a similar manner to that described with reference to Fig. 14 with each shelf being seated adjacent one longitudinal edge on an elongated light assembly 1 1 and supported at or adjacent its opposite longitudinal edge by additional legs (as shown in dotted outline) or other support means such as a rear wall or panel of a display cabinet. It will be appreciated that because of its modular construction, light assemblies of various configurations and any number of levels may be constructed by using end brackets 13 and/or 41 with or without intermediate brackets 39 and 42 and with or without joining plates 37.

The LEDs used in the assemblies comprise high power LEDs to provide high light output. In the illustrated embodiment, four LEDs are used in each light assembly however the light assembly may have any number of LEDs. Whilst it is preferred that LEDs be the preferred light source, other equivalent light sources may be used.

The components of the light apparatus of the invention may be of many different designs other than that described and illustrated. Further the structural components are preferably formed of aluminium alloy but may be constructed of other materials.

The terms "comprising" or "comprises" as used throughout the specification and claims are taken to specify the presence of the stated features, integers and components referred to but not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other feature/s, integer/s, componeπt/s or group thereof Whilst the above has been given by way of illustrative embodiment of the invention, all such variations and modifications thereto as would be apparent to persons skilled in the art are deemed to fall within the broad scope and ambit of the invention as herein defined in the appended claims.