US-20260126169-A1 - LIGHTING SYSTEM

US20260126169A1US 20260126169 A1US20260126169 A1US 20260126169A1US-20260126169-A1

Abstract

A ceiling system comprising a grid frame, one or more ceiling panels attached to the grid frame, and one or more ladder lighting assemblies is disclosed. Each ladder lighting assembly comprises a plurality of printed circuit board rungs connected by a data line configured to provide a control signal to the printed circuit boards. Each printed circuit boards comprises lights thereon that are controlled by the control signal. Each printed circuit board can also comprise detachable segments, or nodes, to accommodate various building structures and/or room dimensions.

Inventors

Jesus VARGAS

Assignees

ARKTURA LLC

Dates

Publication Date: 20260507
Application Date: 20251028

Claims (20)

1 . A ladder lighting system comprising: a first printed circuit board, comprising: a first group of light emitting diodes; a first control circuit configured to control the first group of light emitting diodes; a first power terminal in electrical communication with the first control circuit; a first data input terminal in electrical communication with the first control circuit; and a first data output terminal; a second printed circuit board, comprising: a second group of light emitting diodes; a second control circuit configured to control the second group of light emitting diodes; a second power terminal in electrical communication with the second control circuit; a second data input terminal in electrical communication with the second control circuit; and a second data output terminal; a power line connected to the first power terminal and the second power terminal; and a data line, comprising: a first data line segment connected to the first data input terminal; a second data line segment connected to the first data output terminal and the second data input terminal; and a third data line segment connected to the second data output terminal.
2 . The ladder lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the first printed circuit board further comprises a first ground terminal, wherein the second printed circuit board further comprises a second ground terminal, and wherein the ladder lighting system further comprises a ground line connected to the first ground terminal and the second ground terminal.
3 . The ladder lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board comprise parallel rungs.
4 . The ladder lighting system of claim 3 , wherein the first printed circuit board comprises a first input end segment and a first output end segment, wherein the first input end segment comprises the first data input terminal, wherein the first output end segment comprises the first data output terminal, wherein the second printed circuit board comprises a second input end segment and a second output end segment, wherein the second input end segment comprises the second data input terminal, and wherein the second output end segment comprises the second data output terminal.
5 . The ladder lighting system of claim 4 , wherein the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board are arranged such that: the first input end segment of the first printed circuit board is aligned with the second output end segment of the second printed circuit board; and the first output end segment of the first printed circuit board is aligned with the second input end segment of the second printed circuit board.
6 . The ladder lighting system of claim wherein the first printed circuit board further comprises: a first detachment interface intermediate the first input end segment and a first intermediate segment configured to permit the first input end segment to detach from the first intermediate segment; and a second detachment interface intermediate the first output end segment and the first intermediate segment configured to permit the first output end segment to detach from the first intermediate segment.
7 . The ladder lighting system of claim 6 , wherein the first intermediate segment comprises a first data input terminal and a first data output terminal.
8 . The ladder lighting system of claim 6 , wherein the second printed circuit board further comprises: a first detachment interface intermediate the second input end segment and a second intermediate segment configured to permit the second input end segment to detach from the second intermediate segment; and a second detachment interface intermediate the second output end segment and the second intermediate segment configured to permit the second output end segment to detach from the second intermediate segment.
9 . (canceled)
10 . The ladder lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the first intermediate segment comprises a first intermediate group of light emitting diodes and a first intermediate control circuit configured to control the first intermediate group of light emitting diodes, and wherein the second intermediate segment comprises a second intermediate group of light emitting diodes and a second intermediate control circuit configured to control the second intermediate group of light emitting diodes.
11 .- 17 . (canceled)
18 . The ladder lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the first printed circuit board is identical to the second printed circuit board.
19 . The ladder lighting system of claim 1 , wherein the second printed circuit board is rotated 180 degrees relative to the first printed circuit board.
20 . The ladder lighting system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller in electrical communication with the first control circuit and the second control circuit via the data line, and wherein the controller is configured to emit a control signal from which the first control circuit and the second control circuit can extract data to control the first group of light emitting diodes and the second group of light emitting diodes.
21 . A ladder lighting assembly comprising: a plurality of printed circuit board rungs, each printed circuit board rung comprising: a first node, comprising: a first board segment; a first group of light emitting diodes; a first control circuit configured to conduct a control signal; a first driver circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit, wherein the first driver circuit is configured to control the first group of light emitting diodes in response to the control signal; a first power terminal in electrical communication with the first driver circuit; and a first signal terminal in electrical communication with the first control circuit; a second node, comprising: a second board segment removably attached to the first board segment; a second group of light emitting diodes; a second control circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit configured to conduct the control signal; a second driver circuit in electrical communication with the second control circuit, wherein the second driver circuit is configured to control the second group of light emitting diodes in response to the control signal; and a second signal terminal in electrical communication with the second control circuit; and a data line connecting the second signal terminal of one of the printed circuit board rungs to the first signal terminal of another one of the printed circuit board rungs.
22 . The ladder lighting assembly of claim 21 , wherein each printed circuit board further comprises a line of mousebites between the first board segment and the second board segment configured to facilitate the detachment of the second board segment from the first board segment.
23 . The ladder lighting assembly of claim 21 , wherein each printed circuit board further comprises cut-outs between the first board segment and the second board segment.
24 . (canceled)
25 . The ladder lighting assembly of claim 21 , wherein each printed circuit board rung further comprises a third node comprising: a third board segment removably attached to the first board segment; a third group of light emitting diodes; a third control circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit configured to conduct the control signal; a third driver circuit in electrical communication with the third control circuit, wherein the third driver circuit is configured to control the third group of light emitting diodes in response to the control signal; and a third signal terminal in electrical communication with the third control circuit.
26 . The ladder lighting assembly of claim 25 , wherein the data line connects the second signal terminal of one of the printed circuit board rungs to a third signal terminal of another one of the printed circuit board rungs.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCED TO RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the benefit of priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 63/716,085, filed Nov. 4, 2024, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference. FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to lighting systems for use with wall panel systems and/or suspended ceiling systems, for example. BACKGROUND In various instances, backlighting has been used to provide lighting solutions, especially when used in connection with wall panel systems and/or suspended ceiling systems. Such backlighting, however, has to accommodate various building structures, such as windows, fire alarms, and/or water sprinklers, for example. Modifying the backlighting to accommodate such building structures can be challenging. Moreover, controlling the backlighting, especially after it has been modified, can create additional challenges. Disclosed herein are solutions to these challenges, among others. SUMMARY The present invention provides, in one form, a ceiling system including a grid support having grid support members, ceiling panels having torsion springs mounted thereto, spring clips configured to snap-lock onto the grid support members for coupling the torsion springs of the ceiling panels to the grid support, and lighting assemblies positioned behind the ceiling panels. Each lighting assembly comprises printed circuit boards arranged in a ladder-like arrangement and a data line extending between the printed circuit boards. In various embodiments, the printed circuit boards comprise segments that can be detached therefrom to accommodate various building structures and/or room dimensions. The present invention provides, in one form, a ladder lighting assembly comprising a first printed circuit board and a second printed circuit board. The first printed circuit board comprises a first group of light emitting diodes, a first control circuit configured to control the first group of light emitting diodes, a first power terminal in electrical communication with the first control circuit, a first data input terminal in electrical communication with the first control circuit, and a first data output terminal. The second printed circuit board comprises a second group of light emitting diodes, a second control circuit configured to control the second group of light emitting diodes, a second power terminal in electrical communication with the second control circuit, a second data input terminal in electrical communication with the second control circuit, and a second data output terminal. The ladder lighting assembly further comprises a power line connected to the first power terminal and the second power terminal and a data line comprising a first data line segment connected to the first data input terminal, a second data line segment connected to the first data output terminal and the second data input terminal, and a third data line segment connected to the second data output terminal. The present invention provides, in one form, a ladder lighting assembly comprising a plurality of printed circuit board rungs, each printed circuit board rung comprising a first node and a second node. The first node comprises a first board segment, a first group of light emitting diodes, a first control circuit configured to conduct a control signal, a first driver circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit, wherein the first driver circuit is configured to control the first group of light emitting diodes in response to the control signal, a first power terminal in electrical communication with the first driver circuit; and a first signal terminal in electrical communication with the first control circuit. The second node comprises a second board segment removably attached to the first board segment, a second group of light emitting diodes, a second control circuit in electrical communication with the first control circuit configured to conduct the control signal, a second driver circuit in electrical communication with the second control circuit, wherein the second driver circuit is configured to control the second group of light emitting diodes in response to the control signal, and a second signal terminal in electrical communication with the second control circuit. The ladder lighting assembly further comprises a data line connecting the second signal terminal of one of the printed circuit board rungs to the first signal terminal of another one of the printed circuit board rungs. The present invention provides, in one form, a lighting assembly comprising a plurality of circuit boards arranged in a ladder-like manner, wherein each circuit board comprises a first node comprising a first group of light emitting diodes and a first control circuit including a first data terminal, a second node comprising a second group of light emitting diodes and a second control circuit including a second data terminal, wherein the first node is detacha