Removable flat-panel lamp and fixture
View Patent ↗A flat-panel lamp and fixture having a removable flat-panel lamp having at least two externally accessible electrode contacts and a fixture for removably receiving the flat-panel lamp and providing electrical connections to the at least two externally accessible electrode contacts. At least one rotating element that rotates to hold the flat-panel lamp in alignment within the fixture such that the electrical connections are connected to the externally accessible electrode contacts.
1. A flat-panel lamp and fixture comprising:
a removable flat-panel lamp having at least two externally accessible electrode contacts;
a fixture for removably receiving the flat-panel lamp and providing electrical connections to the at least two externally accessible electrode contacts; and
at least one rotating element for rotating the flat-panel lamp relative to the fixture and holding the flat-panel lamp in alignment within the fixture such that the electrical connections are connected to the externally accessible electrode contacts.
2. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lamp is an OLED lamp.
3. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the electrode contacts are flat and wherein the electrical connections deform to provide an electrical contact to the electrode contacts when the electrode contacts are brought into contact with the electrical connections.
4. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 3 wherein the electrical contact is a strip of metal.
5. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the electrode contacts protrude from the surface of the flat-panel lamp and wherein the electrical connections are located within a socket to receive the protruding electrode contacts.
6. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the electrical connections protrude from the fixture and the electrode contacts are located within a socket in the flat-panel lamp to receiving the protruding electrical connections.
7. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the one or more rotating elements are one or more rotating hinges that rotate the flat-panel lamp.
8. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the electrode contacts are connected to rotating elements and the electrical connections are made to the rotating elements.
9. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein at least two electrode contacts are connected within one rotating element.
10. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 comprising at least two rotating elements and wherein at least one electrode contact is connected through each rotating element.
11. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the rotating element also comprises one or more electrode contacts.
12. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the one or more rotating elements are pins protruding from the flat-panel lamp and further comprising a detent formed in the fixture to receive the pins.
13. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 12 wherein the pin is an electrode contact.
14. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 comprising a detent formed in the flat-panel lamp and wherein the at least one rotating element protrudes from the fixture.
15. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the at least one rotating element is positioned to rotate the flat-panel lamp about one edge of the flat-panel lamp.
16. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 is rotated into alignment with respect to the fixture.
17. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 further comprising channels in the fixture having a channel opening with at least one portion of the channels having a depth deeper than the thickness of the flat-panel lamp wherein the flat-panel lamp is rotated into alignment with respect to the fixture.
18. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 16 wherein the flat-panel lamp is removably inserted by inserting the edge of the flat-panel lamp into the channel by simultaneously rotating the flat-panel lamp and sliding the flat-panel lamp in the channel.
19. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 1 wherein the rotating element is a latch attached to the fixture that, when rotated, holds the flat-panel lamp in alignment with the fixture.
20. The flat-panel lamp and fixture according to claim 19 wherein the flat-panel lamp is brought into alignment with the fixture by lifting it into the fixture and then securing the rotating latches.
21. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lamp is a rigid lamp.
22. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lamp is a flexible lamp.
23. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 wherein the flat-panel lamp and fixture are part of a suspended ceiling.
24. The flat-panel lamp according to claim 1 further comprising a latch to hold the flat-panel lamp in position within the fixture.