Luminaire assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10514149-B2
Application number	US-201515313537-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 28, 2015
Priority date	May 28, 2014
Publication date	Dec 24, 2019
Grant date	Dec 24, 2019

Abstract

A luminaire assembly includes: a substrate extending along a first direction comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a plurality of light emitting elements (LEEs) secured to the substrate and arranged along the first direction; a light guide composed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different over an operating temperature range; a plurality of optical elements arranged along the first direction, each optical element being positioned to receive light emitted from a corresponding one or more of the LEEs and to direct the light to an edge of the light guide; a housing; and a heat coupling layer arranged between the substrate and the housing. The substrate and the heat coupling layer are constructed so that each of the plurality of LEEs, while secured to the substrate, remain registered with their corresponding optical element over the operating temperature range.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A luminaire assembly comprising:
a substrate extending along a first direction and having a first coefficient of thermal expansion in the first direction;
a plurality of light emitting elements (LEEs) secured to the substrate, the light emitting elements being arranged along the first direction;
a light guide having a second coefficient of thermal expansion in the first direction, the second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion over an operating temperature range;
a plurality of optical elements arranged along the first direction, each optical element being positioned to receive light emitted from a corresponding one or more of the light emitting elements and to direct the light to an edge of the light guide;
a housing;
a plurality of fastening features each affixing the light guide to the housing at a corresponding location along the first direction, wherein
one or more of the fastening features are configured to provide a sliding coupling that allows sliding along a portion of the first direction, and
one of the fastening features is configured to provide a tight coupling without mechanical play along the first direction at the corresponding location, wherein the one of the fastening features that provides a tight coupling is arranged between two fastening features providing a sliding coupling; and

a heat coupling layer arranged between the substrate and the housing,
wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements remains registered with its corresponding optical element over the operating temperature range.

2. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the substrate comprises multiple separate portions, and the luminaire assembly further comprising a plurality of registration features configured to register the optical elements relative to corresponding separate portions of the substrate at corresponding locations along the first direction, each separate portion of the substrate having one of the registration features arranged between adjacent fastening features and configured to provide a tight coupling with the respective optical elements.

3. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein each fastening feature extends into the housing and into the light guide at the corresponding location.

4. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein each fastening feature comprises a male portion and a female portion shaped to receive the male portion.

5. The luminaire assembly of claim 4 , wherein the male portion comprises a fastener affixed to the housing at the corresponding location.

6. The luminaire assembly of claim 4 , wherein the housing comprises the male portions of each of the fastening features and the light guide comprises the female portions.

7. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein each fastening feature has an axis arranged perpendicular to the first direction and an axis of the light guide.

8. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein each fastening feature includes a threaded bolt.

9. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a heat sink.

10. The luminaire assembly of claim 9 , wherein the heat coupling layer accommodates differential thermal expansion between the light guide and optical elements and the heat sink over the operating temperature range.

11. The luminaire assembly of claim 1 , wherein the light guide and the optical elements are integrally formed.

12. A luminaire assembly comprising:
a substrate extending along a first direction and having a first coefficient of thermal expansion in the first direction;
a plurality of light emitting elements (LEEs) secured to the substrate, the light emitting elements being arranged along the first direction;
a light guide having a second coefficient of thermal expansion in the first direction, the second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion over an operating temperature range;
a plurality of optical elements arranged along the first direction, each optical element being positioned to receive light emitted from a corresponding one or more of the light emitting elements and to direct the light to an edge of the light guide;
a housing; and
a heat coupling layer arranged between the substrate and the housing, wherein the heat coupling layer comprises spaced-apart portions of a heat coupling material,
wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements remains registered with its corresponding optical element over the operating temperature range.

13. The luminaire assembly of claim 12 , wherein discontinuities in the spaced apart portions of the heat coupling material are located at the same location as the light emitting elements in the first direction.

14. The luminaire assembly of claim 13 , wherein the spaced apart portions of the heat coupling layer extend continuously in the first direction adjacent to at least two or more light emitting elements.

15. The luminaire assembly of claim 12 , wherein discontinuities in the spaced apart portions of the heat coupling material are offset from locations of the light emitting elements in the first direction.

16. The luminaire assembly of claim 12 , wherein portions of the substrate between the LEEs are more rigid than portions of the substrate located adjacent to the LEEs.

17. The luminaire assembly of claim 12 , wherein the heat coupling layer comprises a layer of a flexible material that extends continuously in the first direction adjacent to multiple light emitting elements.

18. The luminaire assembly of claim 12 , wherein the heat coupling layer adheres the substrate to the housing.

19. The luminaire assembly of claim 18 , wherein the heat coupling layer comprises a silicone foam.

20. The luminaire assembly of claim 18 , wherein the heat coupling layer comprises a thermal paste.

21. The luminaire assembly of claim 18 , wherein the heat coupling layer comprises a thermal adhesive tape.

22. The luminaire assembly of claim 12 , wherein the light guide and the optical elements are integrally formed.

23. A luminaire assembly comprising:
a substrate extending along a first direction and having a first coefficient of thermal expansion in the first direction;
a plurality of light emitting elements (LEEs) secured to the substrate, the light emitting elements being arranged along the first direction;
a light guide having a second coefficient of thermal expansion in the first direction, the second coefficient of thermal expansion different from the first coefficient of thermal expansion over an operating temperature range;
a plurality of optical elements arranged along the first direction, each optical element being positioned to receive light emitted from a corresponding one or more of the light emitting elements and to direct the light to an edge of the light guide;
a plurality of registration features configured to register the optical elements relative to the substrate at corresponding locations along the first direction;
a housing; and
a heat coupling layer arranged between the substrate and the housing,
wherein each of the plurality of light emitting elements remains registered with its corresponding optical element over the operating temperature range.

24. The luminaire assembly of claim 23 , wherein the registration features engage the optical elements and the substrate.

25. The luminaire assembly of claim 23 furthe

Assignees

• Quarkstar Llc

Inventors

• Speier Ingo

Classifications

• G02B6/0055

  Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• G02B6/0045

  by shaping at least a portion of the light guide · CPC title

• G02B6/0031

  Reflecting element, sheet or layer · CPC title

• G02B6/0023

  provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source · CPC title