LIGHT BULB WITH LOOP ILLUMINATION ELEMENT
A lighting assembly, and a replaceable lighting element for use with such an assembly, includes a first illumination element comprising a flexible, planar, illuminating material. The lighting assembly also includes a base operable to couple the first illumination element to a socket and an interface physically and electrically coupling the first illumination element to the base. The replaceable lighting element includes an interface configured to removably couple the lighting element to a base both physically and electrically.
1 . A lighting assembly comprising:
a first illumination element comprising a flexible illuminating material, the first illumination element having a thickness (T), a length (L), and a width (W);
a base, separable from the first illumination element, and operable to couple the first illumination element to a socket; and
an interface removably coupling the first illumination element to the base.
2 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first illumination element comprises a first electrical connection disposed at a first end of the first illumination element and a second electrical connection disposed at a second end of the first illumination element.
3 . A lighting assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the first end is fixedly coupled to the interface, and wherein the second end is removably coupled to the interface.
4 . A lighting assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the first and second ends are each fixedly coupled to the interface.
5 . A lighting assembly according to claim 2 , wherein the first illumination element is coupled to the interface,
wherein each of the first and second ends of the illumination element intersects the interface orthogonal to a surface of the interface, and
wherein the flexible illumination element forms a loop.
6 . A lighting assembly according to claim 2 , wherein a first conductive layer of the illumination element is exposed at the first end to electrically couple the first conductive layer to the interface, and
wherein a second conductive layer of the illumination element is exposed at the second end to electrically couple the second conductive layer to the interface
7 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the length (L) of the first illumination element is at least three times the width (W) of the first illumination element.
8 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises a disk.
9 . A lighting assembly according to claim 8 , wherein one of the interface and the base comprises a first magnet and the other of the interface and the base comprises either a second magnet or a metallic element configured to be engaged by the first magnet.
10 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the interface comprises one or more first slots, each first slot adapted to receive one of the first and second ends.
11 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the first illumination element comprises two or more illumination circuits.
12 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a controller.
13 . A lighting assembly according to claim 12 , wherein the controller is disposed in the base.
14 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , wherein the illumination element has a cross-section taken along the length (L) that resembles an A19 light bulb.
15 . A lighting assembly according to claim 14 , wherein each of the first and second illumination elements has the first length (L), and
wherein each of the first and second illumination elements forms an identical loop.
16 . A lighting assembly according to claim 1 , further comprising a second illumination element.
17 . A lighting assembly according to claim 16 , wherein the first illumination element is disposed such that its length (L) is orthogonal to a length (L2) of the second illumination element.
18 . A lighting assembly according to claim 16 , further comprising a third illumination element.
19 . A lighting assembly comprising:
a first illumination element comprising a flexible illuminating material, the first illumination element having a thickness (T), a length (L), and a width (W);
a base operable to couple the first illumination element to a socket; and
an interface physically and electrically coupling the first illumination element to the base.
20 . A replaceable lighting element comprising:
a flexible illuminating material forming a first illumination element having a thickness (T), a length (L), and a width (W); and
an interface configured to removably couple the lighting element to a base both physically and electrically.