Lens for preferential-side distribution

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10408429-B2
Application number	US-201213466076-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 7, 2012
Priority date	Feb 29, 2012
Publication date	Sep 10, 2019
Grant date	Sep 10, 2019

Abstract

A lens for distribution of light from a light emitter having an axis, the lens including a (1) base forming a substantially rectangular opening to an emitter cavity defined by an inner surface, (2) a main output surface transverse the axis, (3) a reflecting surface positioned to reflect light received from the inner surface toward the main output surface, the reflecting surface including front and back curvatures and a pair of substantially-identical lateral curvatures each adjoining the front and back curvatures. Configuration of the lateral curvatures differs from configurations of the front and back curvatures, which differ from one another.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A lens for distribution of light from a light emitter having an axis, the lens comprising a light-distribution wall having a base, a light-receiving inner surface and an outward surface, the light-distribution wall being configured for internal redirection of light entering the wall through the inner surface toward the outward surface for total internal reflection therefrom toward a main light-output surface which is transverse the axis, the base being bordered by inward and outward closed-perimeter edges each comprising at least four substantially straight edge portions joined by concave edge portions, the light-receiving inner surface defining an emitter cavity and extending from the base inward edge forming a closed-perimeter opening into the emitter cavity, the outward surface extending from the base outward edge toward the main light-output surface.

2. The lens of claim 1 wherein the light emitter includes at least one LED.

3. The lens of claim 2 wherein:
the light emitter includes an LED package having a primary lens over the at least one LED; and
the lens is a secondary lens placed over the primary lens.

4. The lens of claim 2 wherein at least about half of the cross-dimension of each side of the cavity opening is straight.

5. The lens of claim 4 wherein at least one pair of the at least four substantially straight edge portions of the base outward edge is substantially equidistantly spaced from the corresponding edge portions of the inward closed-perimeter edge.

6. The lens of claim 2 wherein the outward surface extends from the base away from the axis radially outwardly of and around the inner surface.

7. The lens of claim 6 wherein:
front and back sides of the base outward edge is longer than lateral sides of the base outward edge; and
the outward surface includes front and back curvatures, the front curvature having a front-curvature configuration which differs from the configuration of the back curvature.

8. The lens of claim 7 wherein the back curvature of the outward surface terminates at a greater distance from a plane defined by the base than the front curvature.

9. The lens of claim 2 wherein the main output surface includes front and back sectors, the front sector spanning greater than 180° about the emitter axis.

10. The lens of claim 9 wherein the main output surface is disposed at distances from a plane defined by the base which are greatest along the back of the back sector and gradually decrease toward the front of the front sector.

11. The lens of claim 10 wherein:
the main output surface has an edge including back-sector and front-sector portions;
a projection of the front-sector edge portion on the plane defined by the base extends along a circle; and
the back-sector edge portion is substantially linear and extends between the ends of the front-sector edge portion.

12. The lens of claim 11 wherein:
the main output surface includes a singularity point on a front-to-back plane which includes the emitter axis;
the front sector includes a convex curvature extending from the singularity point; and
the back sector includes a convex curvature extending from the singularity point, the back sector adjoining the front sector along planes each of which includes the singularity point and one of the ends of the front-sector edge portion.

13. The lens of claim 12 wherein the singularity point is offset from the emitter axis toward a preferential side.

14. The lens of claim 13 wherein the front and back sectors are each bilaterally symmetric along the front-to-back plane.

15. The lens of claim 2 wherein:
an outer surrounding-wall surface extends from the main output surface toward a plane defined by the base; and
an outward flange extends from the outer surrounding-wall surface away from the emitter axis.

16. The lens of claim 2 being bilaterally symmetric in a front-to-back direction.

17. A lens for preferential-side distribution of light from a light emitter having an axis, the lens comprising a light-distribution wall having a base, an inner surface and an outward surface, the light-distribution wall being configured for internal redirection of light entering the wall through the inner surface toward the outward surface for total internal reflection therefrom toward a main light-output surface which directs light toward the preferential side, the base being bordered by inward and outward closed-perimeter edges each comprising at least four substantially straight edge portions joined by concave edge portions, the inner surface defining an emitter cavity and extending from the base inward closed-perimeter edge forming a closed-perimeter opening into the emitter cavity, the outward surface extending from the base outward edge toward the main output surface and including front and back curvatures and a pair of substantially-identical lateral curvatures each adjoining the front and back curvatures, the front and back curvatures extending from longer sides of the base edge than do the lateral curvatures.

18. The lens of claim 17 wherein the light emitter includes at least one LED.

19. The lens of claim 18 wherein:
the light emitter includes an LED package having a primary lens over the at least one LED; and
the lens is a secondary lens placed over the primary lens.

20. The lens of claim 18 wherein:
the cavity opening is substantially square;
at least one pair of the at least four substantially straight edge portions of the base outward edge being substantially equidistantly spaced from the corresponding edge portions of the inward closed-perimeter edge; and
a lateral spacing of the base edge from the cavity opening being greater than spacings forwardly and rearwardly.

21. The lens of claim 20 wherein:
the opening is in a base plane substantially normal to the axis; and
the back curvature terminates at greater distances from the base plane than the front curvature.

22. The lens of claim 21 wherein the front and back curvatures are each bilaterally symmetric.

23. The lens of claim 18 wherein the front and back curvatures are each bilaterally symmetric.

24. The lens of claim 18 being bilaterally symmetric in a front-to-back direction.

25. A lens for a distribution of light from an LED light emitter having an axis, the lens comprising a light-distribution wall having a base, a light-receiving inner surface and an outward surface, the light-distribution being configured for internal redirection of light entering the wall through the inner surface toward the outward surface for total internal reflection therefrom toward a main output surface which is transverse the axis and directs light toward the preferential side, the base being bordered by inward and outward closed-perimeter edges each comprising at least two pairs of substantially straight edgeportions joined by concave edge portions, the substantially straight edge portions of one pair of at least one of the edges being longer than the substantially straight edge portions of another pair of such at least one of the edges, the light-receiving inner surface defining an emitter cavity and extending from the base inward closed-perimeter edge which forms a closed-perimeter opening into the emitter cavity, the outward surface extending from the base outward closed-perimeter edge toward the main output surface.

26. The lens of claim 25 wherein the inner surface includes a su

Assignees

• Castillo Mario Alberto
• Ideal Ind Lighting Llc

Inventors

• Castillo Mario Alberto

Classifications

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• F21V13/04 Primary

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

• F21V5/04

  of lens shape · CPC title

• F21V7/00

  Reflectors for light sources (characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505) · CPC title

• G02B19/0061

  the light source comprising a LED · CPC title