Patents by Inventor Alan J. Ruud

Alan J. Ruud has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9541246
    Abstract: An LED light fixture having a light-emitting region and a perimetrical structure therearound. The light-emitting region includes at least one LED-array module supported by an LED heat sink open for air/water-flow. The perimetrical structure has first and second opposite substantially-aligned edge-adjacent portions each extending along the light-emitting region and meeting each other at a perimetrical edge. The first and second edge-adjacent portions converge toward each other at positions progressively closer to the perimetrical edge to form aerodynamic-drag-reducing cross-sectional profiles transverse to the fixture plane and extending in substantially all fixture-plane directions from the intersection of its two major principal axes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2017
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Steven R. Walczak
  • Patent number: 9441824
    Abstract: An LED floodlight fixture LED light fixture including a plurality of heat-sink-mounted LED-array modules, each module engaging an LED-adjacent surface of a heat-sink base for transfer of heat from the module, and at least one venting aperture through the heat-sink base to provide air ingress to the heat-dissipating surfaces adjacent to the aperture. The LED light fixture may include a plurality of heat sinks, each heat sink with its own heat-dissipating surfaces and heat-sink base which has one of the LED-array modules engaged thereon. The heat-sink base is wider than the module thereon such that the heat-sink base includes a beyond-module portion. The venting aperture(s) is/are through the beyond-module portion of the heat-sink base. The inventive light fixture may include a housing and an LED assembly which includes the heat-sink-mounted LED-array modules. The LED assembly and the housing form a venting gap therebetween to provide air ingress along the heat-sink base to the heat-dissipating surfaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2013
    Date of Patent: September 13, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox, David P. Goelz
  • Patent number: 9261270
    Abstract: A light fixture comprising a chamber, at least one power-circuitry driver within the chamber, at least one LED module outside the chamber, and at least one air gap between the chamber and the at least one LED module, the air gap permitting air/water-flow therethrough. The chamber is defined by a housing. The at least one LED module is on an LED heat sink outside the chamber. The housing defines the air gap permitting air/water-flow to and from the heat sink.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Steven R. Walczak, Wayne Guillien
  • Patent number: 9261271
    Abstract: An LED light fixture a housing, a heat sink secured with respect to the housing, the heat sink has a base with front and back surfaces, and an LED arrangement mounted at the front surface of the heat sink. The back surface of the heat sink is open to water/air flow thereover. The LED light fixture also includes at least one closed channel extending along the base and spaced therefrom for receiving wire connections for the LED arrangement. The at least one closed channel receives wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The LED arrangement may include at least first and second LED modules, the first LED module being proximal to the housing with the at least one closed channel receiving wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The first and second LED modules may be in end-to-end relationship to one another such that the second LED module is distal from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Date of Patent: February 16, 2016
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox, Don Miletich
  • Publication number: 20150252999
    Abstract: An LED light fixture a housing, a heat sink secured with respect to the housing, the heat sink has a base with front and back surfaces, and an LED arrangement mounted at the front surface of the heat sink. The back surface of the heat sink is open to water/air flow thereover. The LED light fixture also includes at least one closed channel extending along the base and spaced therefrom for receiving wire connections for the LED arrangement. The at least one closed channel receives wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The LED arrangement may include at least first and second LED modules, the first LED module being proximal to the housing with the at least one closed channel receiving wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The first and second LED modules may be in end-to-end relationship to one another such that the second LED module is distal from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 22, 2015
    Publication date: September 10, 2015
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox, Don Miletich
  • Publication number: 20150241051
    Abstract: A light fixture comprising a chamber, at least one power-circuitry driver within the chamber, at least one LED module outside the chamber, and at least one air gap between the chamber and the at least one LED module, the air gap permitting air/water-flow therethrough. The chamber is defined by a housing. The at least one LED module is on an LED heat sink outside the chamber. The housing defines the air gap permitting air/water-flow to and from the heat sink.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 11, 2015
    Publication date: August 27, 2015
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Steven R. Walczak, Wayne Guillien
  • Patent number: 9039241
    Abstract: An LED light fixture a housing, a heat sink secured with respect to the housing, the heat sink has a base with front and back surfaces, and an LED arrangement mounted at the front surface of the heat sink The back surface of the heat sink is open to water/air flow thereover. The LED light fixture also includes at least one closed channel extending along the base and spaced therefrom for receiving wire connections for the LED arrangement. The at least one closed channel receives wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The LED arrangement may include at least first and second LED modules, the first LED module being proximal to the housing with the at least one closed channel receiving wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The first and second LED modules may be in end-to-end relationship to one another such that the second LED module is distal from the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Date of Patent: May 26, 2015
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox, Don Miletich
  • Publication number: 20140153242
    Abstract: An LED light fixture having a light-emitting region and a perimetrical structure therearound. The light-emitting region includes at least one LED-array module supported by an LED heat sink open for air/water-flow. The perimetrical structure has first and second opposite substantially-aligned edge-adjacent portions each extending along the light-emitting region and meeting each other at a perimetrical edge. The first and second edge-adjacent portions converge toward each other at positions progressively closer to the perimetrical edge to form aerodynamic-drag-reducing cross-sectional profiles transverse to the fixture plane and extending in substantially all fixture-plane directions from the intersection of its two major principal axes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 3, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Steven R. Walczak
  • Publication number: 20140078740
    Abstract: An LED light fixture a housing, a heat sink secured with respect to the housing, the heat sink has a base with front and back surfaces, and an LED arrangement mounted at the front surface of the heat sink The back surface of the heat sink is open to water/air flow thereover. The LED light fixture also includes at least one closed channel extending along the base and spaced therefrom for receiving wire connections for the LED arrangement. The at least one closed channel receives wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The LED arrangement may include at least first and second LED modules, the first LED module being proximal to the housing with the at least one closed channel receiving wiring extending to/from the second LED module. The first and second LED modules may be in end-to-end relationship to one another such that the second LED module is distal from the housing.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 22, 2013
    Publication date: March 20, 2014
    Applicant: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox, Don Miletich
  • Patent number: 8632198
    Abstract: A low-voltage LED lighting system, LED lighting fixtures, and a method for installation thereof in which the system includes: (a) at least one LED lighting fixture each having one or more LEDs; (b) at least one remotely-located power driver; and (c) interconnections between the at least one LED fixture and the at least one driver using communication network cabling and standard 8P8C network connectors. Preferred lighting fixtures are recessed lighting fixtures adapted for ceiling mounting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 21, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Wayne P. Guillien, David G. Jansson
  • Patent number: 8622584
    Abstract: An LED light fixture includes a housing forming a chamber enclosing at least one drive and an extruded portion extending therefrom. In some embodiments, the housing has a dimension in the extruded direction no less than one-third of the fixture length, and the sides of the extruded portion and of the housing have substantially congruent profiles such that enclosure and heat-dissipation functions of the fixture are facilitated without substantial discontinuity in fixture configuration therealong viewed from positions below. A plurality of substantially rectangular LED-array modules are mounted to the LED-adjacent surface which has length and width dimensions accommodating multiple modules of predetermined width and lengths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2012
    Date of Patent: January 7, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox, Don Miletich
  • Publication number: 20130141893
    Abstract: A low-voltage LED lighting system, LED lighting fixtures, and a method for installation thereof in which the system includes: (a) at least one LED lighting fixture each having one or more LEDs; (b) at least one remotely-located power driver; and (c) interconnections between the at least one LED fixture and the at least one driver using communication network cabling and standard 8P8C network connectors. Preferred lighting fixtures are recessed lighting fixtures adapted for ceiling mounting.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 7, 2012
    Publication date: June 6, 2013
    Applicant: RUUD LIGHTING, INC.
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Wayne P. Guillien, David G. Jansson
  • Patent number: 8425071
    Abstract: An LED lighting fixture including a housing and an LED assembly secured with respect to the housing to permit air/water-flow over the LED assembly. The LED assembly includes (a) an LED heat sink having an LED-engaging surface and a heat-transfer surface and (b) an LED-array at the heat-transfer surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 11, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Steven R. Walczak, Wayne Guillien
  • Patent number: 8313222
    Abstract: An LED floodlight fixture includes a housing, an LED heat sink secured to the housing and an LED arrangement mounted on the heat sink in non-water/air-tight condition with respect to the housing. The heat sink including (i) a base having an LED-adjacent surface and an opposite surface and (ii) a heat-dissipating section having heat-dissipating surfaces extending from the opposite surface. The LED arrangement is mounted to the LED-adjacent surface in non-water/air-tight condition with respect to the housing. The housing preferably forms at least one venting gap to provide cool-air ingress to and along the heat-dissipating surfaces by upward flow of heated air therefrom. The base of the heat sink has one or more venting apertures to provide cool-air ingress to and along the heat-dissipating surfaces by upward flow of heated air therefrom.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 20, 2012
    Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt Wilcox
  • Patent number: D681250
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2013
    Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa M. Ruffalo, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Brian L. Kinnune
  • Patent number: D681869
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2013
    Assignee: Ruud Lighting, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Goelz, Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Robert D. Giese
  • Patent number: D683878
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2012
    Date of Patent: June 4, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Ruffalo, Alan J. Ruud, Kurt S. Wilcox, Brian Kinnune
  • Patent number: D694452
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 26, 2013
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: David P. Goelz, Brian Kinnune, Alan J. Ruud, Robert D. Giese
  • Patent number: D708379
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Ruffalo, Alan J. Ruud
  • Patent number: D708380
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 12, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Assignee: Cree, Inc.
    Inventors: Lisa Ruffalo, Alan J. Ruud