Illumination devices including multiple light emitting elements

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10823905-B2
Application number	US-201514797046-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 10, 2015
Priority date	Aug 8, 2011
Publication date	Nov 3, 2020
Grant date	Nov 3, 2020

Abstract

A variety of illumination devices are disclosed that are configured to manipulate light provided by one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs). In general, embodiments of the illumination devices feature one or more optical couplers that redirect illumination from the LEEs to a reflector which then directs the light into a range of angles. In some embodiments, the illumination device includes a second reflector that reflects at least some of the light from the first reflector. In certain embodiments, the illumination device includes a light guide that guides light from the collector to the first reflector. The components of the illumination device can be configured to provide illumination devices that can provide a variety of intensity distributions. Such illumination devices can be configured to provide light for particular lighting applications, including office lighting, task lighting, cabinet lighting, garage lighting, wall wash, stack lighting, and downlighting.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A light fixture, comprising:
a plurality of light guides each comprising a transparent material having a first dimension, d, extending along a z-direction and second dimension, l, extending along a second direction orthogonal to the z-direction, where l>d and the plurality of light guides being arranged to form the sides of a quadrilateral structure in an x-y plane orthogonal to the z-direction, each light guide comprising a pair of planar surfaces facing each other and separated by an edge having a thickness t, wherein d>t and one of the planar surfaces of each of the light guides provides an outer surface of the light fixture;
four connector elements each being attached to an adjacent edge of two of the light guides, the adjacent edges being edges that extend along the z-direction, wherein the connector elements are configured to allow light to pass through each of the connector elements; and
a plurality of arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs), each array being arranged relative to the edge of a corresponding one of the light guides extending along the second dimension so that light emitted from the array of LEDs is edge-coupled into the corresponding light guide and propagates within the light guide along the z-direction,
wherein at least some of the light coupled into the corresponding light guide propagates within the light guide along the z-direction due to total internal reflection at the planar surfaces of the light guide.

2. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein each light guide has the same first dimension, d.

3. The light fixture of claim 2 , wherein d is in a range from about 1 cm to about 20 cm.

4. The light fixture of claim 3 , wherein each light guide has the same second dimension, l.

5. The light fixture of claim 4 , wherein 1 is in a range from about 1 cm to about 200 cm.

6. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the quadrilateral is a square.

7. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the transparent material is an organic plastic.

8. The light fixture of claim 7 , wherein the transparent organic plastic is polycarbonate or acrylic.

9. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the light fixture includes four light guides.

10. The light fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of optical extractors each positioned at an edge of a corresponding light guide opposite the LED array, the optical extractor being configured to receive light exiting the light guide and to direct the received light away from the light fixture.

11. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the connector elements each bend through 90° in the x-y plane forming the corners of the quadrilateral.

12. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the connector elements are formed from a plastic or a metal.

13. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the connector elements are opaque.

14. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the LEDs are white LEDs.

15. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the arrays are linear arrays.

16. The light fixture of claim 1 , further comprising optical elements arranged and configured to couple light emitted from the LEDs into an edge of the light guides.

17. The light fixture of claim 16 , wherein the optical elements are solid elements formed from the same transparent material as the light guides.

18. The light fixture of claim 1 , further comprising a cover positioned within the quadrilateral structure.

19. The light fixture of claim 18 , wherein the cover is formed from a diffuse reflective material.

20. The light fixture of claim 18 , wherein the cover provides a cavity housing drive electronics for the LEDs.

21. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein a pair of the light guides are arranged such that the second dimension, l, of the light guides are parallel.

22. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the light fixture is configured to provide a symmetric intensity distribution in two orthogonal planes.

23. A light fixture, comprising:
a plurality of light guides each comprising a transparent material having a first dimension, d, extending along a z-direction and second dimension, l, extending along a second direction orthogonal to the z-direction, where l>d and the plurality of light guides being arranged to form the sides of a quadrilateral structure in an x-y plane orthogonal to the z-direction, a surface of each of the light guides forming an outermost surface of the light fixture;
four connector elements each being attached to an adjacent edge of two of the light guides, the adjacent edges being edges that extend along the z-direction, wherein the connector elements are configured to allow light to pass through each of the connector elements;
a plurality of arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs), each array being arranged relative to an edge of a corresponding one of the light guides extending along the second dimension so that light emitted from the array of LEDs is edge-coupled into the corresponding light guide and propagates within the light guide along the z-direction; and
a cover positioned within the quadrilateral structure,
wherein the cover provides a cavity housing drive electronics for the LEDs.

24. The light fixture of claim 1 , wherein the planar surfaces of each light guide are parallel to one another.

Assignees

• Quarkstar Llc

Inventors

• Dau Wilson
• Gardner Robert C
• Lerman George
• Lerman Louis
• Lowery Christopher H
• Ogonowsky Brian D
• Smith George E
• Speier Ingo
• Steele Robert V
• Teng Jacqueline
• York Allan Brent
• Stormberg Hans Peter

Classifications

• F21V7/0041 Primary

  for avoiding direct view of the light source or to prevent dazzling · CPC title

• F21V23/003

  the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array · CPC title

• F21V29/77

  with essentially identical diverging planar fins or blades, e.g. with fan-like or star-like cross-section · CPC title

• G02B1/045

  Light guides · CPC title

• F21S8/061

  with a non-rigid pendant, i.e. a cable, wire or chain · CPC title