Light fixture with fabric layer having printed dots

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10101002-B2
Application number	US-201514936493-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Nov 9, 2015
Priority date	Nov 9, 2015
Publication date	Oct 16, 2018
Grant date	Oct 16, 2018

Abstract

A light fixture is disclosed. The light fixture includes a frame, a light source disposed within and coupled to the frame, and a lens coupled to the light source. The light also includes a first fabric layer coupled to the frame at a first distance from the lens and a second fabric layer coupled to the frame at a second distance from the lens. The first fabric layer has a plurality of dots printed thereon.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light fixture comprising:
a frame;
an array of light sources disposed within and coupled to the frame;
a lens coupled to each light source;
a first fabric layer disposed within and coupled to the frame at a first distance from the lenses and having a plurality of dots printed thereon, wherein the first fabric layer extends across a width and a length of the frame; and
a second fabric layer disposed within and coupled to the frame at a second distance from the lenses, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance, and wherein the second fabric layer extends across a width and a length of the frame.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the second fabric layer encloses the array of light sources, the lenses, and the first fabric layer within the frame.

3. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the dots comprise ink.

4. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the dots form a matrix.

5. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the dots are uniformly distributed on the first fabric layer.

6. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer comprises a lightly woven fabric.

7. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer comprises a translucent fabric.

8. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer comprises gauze.

9. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer comprises a sheer fabric.

10. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the second fabric layer comprises a finished fabric.

11. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the array of light sources comprises a light-emitting diode.

12. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the frame comprises an acoustical panel.

13. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the lenses comprise a diverging lens.

14. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the second fabric layer comprises a light diffuser.

15. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the second fabric layer comprises glass fiber.

16. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the second fabric layer comprises polyester.

17. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first fabric layer is configured to adjust a color characteristic of light emanating from the array of light sources by a combination of reflecting light, passing light through areas of the first fabric layer without dots, and passing light through the dots.

18. A light fixture comprising:
a frame;
a light source disposed within and coupled to the frame;
a lens coupled to the light source;
a first fabric layer coupled to the frame at a first distance from the lens and having a plurality of dots printed thereon; and
a second fabric layer coupled to the frame at a second distance from the lens,
wherein the first fabric layer is configured to adjust a color characteristic of light emanating from the light source by interaction with the dots.

19. The light fixture of claim 18 , wherein the color characteristic comprises color temperature.

20. A method of producing light with desired color characteristics comprising:
diverging light emanating from an array of light sources through lenses coupled to the light sources;
passing the light through a first fabric layer having a plurality of dots disposed thereon, the first fabric layer disposed at a first distance from the lenses; and
passing the light through a second fabric layer configured to diffuse the light, the second fabric layer disposed at a second distance from the lenses, wherein the second distance is greater than the first distance,
wherein the color characteristics of the light are altered by the first fabric layer and the second fabric layer.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the dots comprise ink.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the dots are printed on the first fabric layer.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the dots are disposed in a pattern on the first fabric layer.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the color characteristics comprise color temperature.

25. The method of claim 20 , wherein the produced light is homogeneous throughout the second fabric layer.

26. A method of making a light capable of producing light with desired color characteristics comprising:
selecting light sources that approximate the desired color characteristics;
printing a plurality of ink dots on a first fabric layer;
passing light emanating from the light sources through the first fabric layer, and a second fabric layer, wherein the second fabric layer is disposed below and spaced apart from the first fabric layer;
measuring color characteristics of the light; and
adjusting a parameter of the plurality of printed ink dots based on measuring the color characteristics.

27. The method of claim 26 , wherein adjusting a parameter comprises adjusting a pattern of the printed ink dots.

28. The method of claim 26 , wherein adjusting a parameter comprises adjusting a color of the printed ink dots.

29. The method of claim 26 , wherein adjusting a parameter comprises adjusting a shape of the printed ink dots.

30. The method of claim 26 , wherein adjusting a parameter comprises adjusting a size of the printed ink dots.

31. The method of claim 26 , wherein adjusting a parameter comprises adjusting a density of the printed ink dots.

32. The method of claim 26 , further comprising adjusting a color of the second fabric layer.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Richter Bernd
• Feeney Casey
• Cook Michael
• Peak Christopher Daniel
• Jäckl Matthais
• Röhrer Sebastian
• Hennessy Sean

Classifications

• F21V1/22

  the material being plastics · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• E04B9/32

  Translucent ceilings, i.e. permitting both the transmission and diffusion of light ({E04B9/303 and} E04B9/34 takes precedence; lighting F21) · CPC title

• F21V11/14

  with many small apertures · CPC title

• F21V1/02

  Frames · CPC title