Collimating optic for LED illumination assembly having transverse slots on emission surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10352529-B2
Application number	US-201715848930-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 20, 2017
Priority date	Apr 5, 2014
Publication date	Jul 16, 2019
Grant date	Jul 16, 2019

Abstract

A beam forming optic for use with an LED having an optical axis. The beam forming optic includes a first light entry surface cooperating with a first light emission surface and a second light entry surface cooperating with an internal reflecting surface and a second light emission surface to redirect a portion of the light emitted by the LED divergent from the optical axis into a direction substantially parallel with the optical axis. A polygonal periphery extends from the internal reflecting surface to the second light emission surface. A void is defined by a lateral channel and a longitudinal gap extending from the second light emission surface towards the first light emission surface. A portion of the light emitted from the LED passes through the void.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A beam forming optic for use with an LED having an optical axis centered on an area of light emission from which light is emitted in a hemispherical pattern surrounding the optical axis, said light emitted to one side of a first plane behind said LED and perpendicular to the optical axis, said beam forming optic comprising:
a first light entry surface configured to cooperate with a first light emission surface to redirect a portion of the light emitted by said LED divergent from the optical axis into a direction substantially parallel with the optical axis;
a second light entry surface configured to cooperate with an internal reflecting surface and a second light emission surface to redirect a portion of the light emitted by said LED divergent from the optical axis into a direction substantially parallel with the optical axis;
a polygonal periphery extending from said internal reflecting surface to said second light emission surface; and
a void defined by a lateral channel and a longitudinal gap perpendicular to said lateral channel, said lateral channel and longitudinal gap extending from said second light emission surface towards said first light emission surface, said lateral channel and longitudinal gap interrupting said polygonal periphery and intersecting the optical axis;
wherein said substantially all of the light emitted from said LED incident on said second light entry surface is incident on said internal reflecting surface, said first light entry surface and said second light entry surface cooperate to prevent substantially all of the light emitted from said LED from contacting said polygonal periphery, and a portion of said light emitted from said LED passes through said void.

2. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said lateral channel and said longitudinal gap extend from said second light emission surface towards said first light emission surface and terminate in a common plane parallel to the first plane.

3. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said first light emission surface is defined by a curve rotated about the optical axis.

4. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said second light entry surface is defined by a sphere centered on the area of light emission of said LED.

5. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said first light entry surface and said first light emission surface have a plurality of lobes extending away from the optical axis between a plurality of indentations, said polygonal periphery comprises a plurality of surfaces adjoined at corners, and said indentations are angularly aligned with said corners about the optical axis.

6. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said polygonal periphery comprises a plurality of surfaces substantially perpendicular to the first plane.

7. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said polygonal periphery is defined by a square centered on the optical axis.

8. The beam forming optic of claim 1 , wherein said first light entry surface and said first light emission surface have lobes that radially project away from the optical axis to redirect light emitted by said LED that would otherwise be incident on said polygonal periphery.

9. The beam forming optic of claim 8 , wherein said polygonal periphery comprises a plurality of surfaces and said surfaces are angularly aligned with said lobes about the optical axis.

10. An LED light assembly comprising:
an LED having an optical axis centered on an area of light emission from which narrow angle light and wide angle light is emitted in a hemispherical pattern surrounding the optical axis, said light emitted to one side of a first plane behind said LED and perpendicular to the optical axis; and
an optic comprising at least first and second light entry surfaces, at least first and second light emission surfaces, an internal reflecting surface, a polygonal periphery, a longitudinal gap, and a lateral channel perpendicular to said longitudinal gap;
said first light entry surface redirects the narrow angle light through said first light emission surface;
said second light entry surface redirects the wide angle light towards said internal reflecting surface, said internal reflecting surface redirects the wide angle light through said second light emission surface;
said polygonal periphery extends between said internal reflecting surface and said second light emission surface; and
said longitudinal gap and said lateral channel extending from said second light emission surface towards said first light emission surface and intersecting the optical axis;
wherein said narrow angle light and said wide angle light exit said optic substantially collimated with respect to the optical axis and said plurality of light entry surfaces, said plurality of light emission surfaces, and said internal reflecting surface cooperate to prevent light emitted from said LED from contacting said polygonal periphery.

11. The beam forming optic of claim 10 , wherein said lateral channel and said longitudinal gap terminate in a common plane parallel to the first plane.

12. The LED light assembly of claim 10 , wherein said first light emission surface is defined by a curve rotated about the optical axis.

13. The LED light assembly of claim 10 , wherein said polygonal periphery comprises a plurality of surfaces substantially perpendicular to the first plane.

14. The LED light assembly of claim 10 , wherein said second light entry surface has a plurality of indentations and said internal reflecting surface contains a plurality of peaks extending towards said second light emission surface, and said plurality of indentations are angularly aligned with said plurality of peaks about the optical axis.

15. The LED light assembly of claim 10 , wherein said polygonal periphery comprises a plurality of surfaces including at least one planar surface and at least one curved surface.

16. The LED light assembly of claim 10 , wherein said first light entry surface and said first light emission surface have lobes that radially project away from the optical axis to redirect the narrow angle light that would otherwise be incident on said polygonal periphery.

17. The LED light assembly of claim 16 , wherein said polygonal periphery comprises a plurality of surfaces and said surfaces are angularly aligned with said lobes about the optical axis.

18. A beam forming optic for use with an LED having an optical axis centered on an area of light emission from which light is emitted in a hemispherical pattern surrounding the optical axis, said light emitted to one side of a first plane behind said LED and perpendicular to the optical axis, said beam forming optic comprising:
a first light entry surface configured to cooperate with a first light emission surface to redirect a portion of the light emitted by said LED divergent from the optical axis into a direction substantially parallel with the optical axis, said first light entry surface comprised of a planar surface with a noncircular periphery parallel to the first plane;
a second light entry surface configured to cooperate with an internal reflecting surface and a second light emission surface to redirect a portion of the light emitted by said LED divergent from the optical axis into a direction substantially parallel with the optical axis;
a polygonal periphery extending from said internal reflecting surface to said second light emission surface; and
a void defined by a lateral channel extending from said second light emission surface towards said first light emission surface, said channel interrup

Assignees

• Whelen Eng

Inventors

• Smith Todd J
• Shimoda Kyle

Classifications

• G02B19/0061

  the light source comprising a LED · CPC title

• G02B19/0023

  at least one surface having optical power · CPC title

• F21Y2101/00

  Point-like light sources · CPC title

• F21V13/04

  the elements being reflectors and refractors {(for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40)} · CPC title

• F21V7/06

  with parabolic curvature · CPC title