Optical waveguide bodies and luminaires utilizing same

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9625636-B2
Application number	US-201614991581-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jan 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 15, 2013
Publication date	Apr 18, 2017
Grant date	Apr 18, 2017

Abstract

A waveguide body comprises a length from a first end to a second end. The waveguide body further comprises a central section extending along the entire length of the waveguide body and comprising a first thickness. First and second opposed side sections extend away from the central section along the length of the waveguide body and comprise second and third thicknesses, respectively, less than the first thickness. A coupling portion is located in the central section, wherein the coupling portion comprises first and second coupling surfaces defining at least in part an elongate coupling cavity extending along the length of the waveguide body. The coupling portion further comprises first and second control surfaces, and the first and second coupling surfaces are configured to direct light onto the first and second control surfaces. The first and second control surfaces are configured to direct light into at least one of the first and second side sections. The side sections comprise optical features to extract light out opposing sides of the at least one side section as the light propagates through the at least one side section.

First claim

We claim:

1. A waveguide body comprising a length from a first end to a second end, comprising:
a central section extending along the entire length of the waveguide body and comprising a first thickness;
first and second opposed side sections extending away from the central section along the length of the waveguide body, the first side section comprising a second thickness, the second side section comprising a third thickness the second thickness being less than the first thickness and the third thickness being less than the first thickness; and
a coupling portion located in the central section, wherein the coupling portion comprises first and second coupling surfaces defining at least in part an elongate coupling cavity extending along the length of the waveguide body, and wherein the coupling portion further comprises first and second control surfaces, and wherein the first and second coupling surfaces are configured to direct light onto the first and second control surfaces, and the first and second control surfaces are configured to direct light into at least one of the first and second opposed side sections;
wherein the at least one side section comprises extraction features to extract light out of opposing sides of the at least one side section as the light propagates through the at least one side section.

2. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second opposed side sections comprises the extraction features to extract light out of opposing sides of each of the first and second opposed side sections.

3. The waveguide body of claim 2 , wherein each of the extraction features protrudes outwardly from an associated one of the first and second opposed side sections.

4. The waveguide body of claim 2 , wherein a portion of the coupling cavity is concave and the first and second control surfaces define a V-shaped surface located opposite the coupling cavity.

5. The waveguide body of claim 4 , wherein the V-shaped surface is coated with a specular material.

6. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the waveguide body comprises a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and at least one of the first surface and the second surface is textured.

7. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second control surfaces is configured to collimate a portion of light into at least one substantially collimated ray group that enters one of the first and second opposed side sections.

8. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first and second opposed side sections are rotationally asymmetric and the first and second control surfaces are configured to direct light into the first and second opposed side sections.

9. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the extraction features are spaced from the first and second control surfaces to extract light out of opposing sides of the first and second opposed side sections as the light propagates through the first and second opposed side sections.

10. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first thickness of the central section extends along a longitudinal axis of the central section.

11. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first side section further comprises a first lower surface disposed at a non-perpendicular first side section angle with respect to a first axis, the second side section further comprises a second lower surface disposed at a non-perpendicular second side section angle with respect to the first axis, the first axis lying in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the central section, wherein the first axis further bisects the coupling portion.

12. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first side section further comprises a first lower surface, the second side section further comprises a second lower surface, the first and second lower surfaces being disposed at different side section angles with respect to a first axis, the first axis lying in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the central section, wherein the first axis further bisects the coupling portion.

13. The waveguide body of claim 12 , wherein at least one of the first and second control surfaces is configured to direct light into one of the first and second side sections as a substantially collimated ray group.

14. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein each of the first and second control surfaces is configured to direct light into one of the first and second opposed side sections and wherein each of the first and second opposed side sections comprises the extraction features to extract light out of opposing sides of the first and second opposed side sections as light propagates through the first and second opposed side sections.

15. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the coupling cavity is concave and the first and second control surfaces define a V-shaped surface located opposite the coupling cavity.

16. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the first and second control surfaces is configured to direct light into one of the first and second opposed side sections as a substantially collimated ray group.

17. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first side section further comprises a first lower surface, the second side section further comprises a second lower surface, the first and second lower surfaces are disposed at equal side section angles with respect to a first axis, the first axis lying in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the central section, wherein the first axis further bisects the coupling portion.

18. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first side sections further comprises a first lower surface, the second side section further comprises a second lower surface, the first lower surface is disposed at a first side section angle with respect to a first axis, the second lower surface is disposed at a second side section angle with respect to the first axis, the first axis lying in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the central section, wherein the first axis further bisects the coupling portion, and wherein the first and second side section angles are both less than about 90 degrees.

19. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first side section further comprises a first lower surface and the second side section further comprises a second lower surface, the first lower surface is disposed at a first side section angle with respect to a first axis, the second lower surface is disposed at a second side section angle with respect to the first axis, and the first axis lying in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the central section, wherein the first axis further bisects the coupling portion, and wherein the first and second side section angles are both greater than about 70 degrees.

20. The waveguide body of claim 1 , wherein the first side section further comprises a first lower surface, and the second side section further comprises a second lower surface, the first lower surface is disposed at a first side section angle with respect to a first axis, the second lower surface is disposed at a second side section angle with respect to the first axis, and the first axis lies in a plane normal to a longitudinal axis of the central section, wherein the first axis further bisects the coupling portion, and wherein at least one of the first and second side section angles is one of: greater than about 45 degrees, less than about 135 degrees, and between about 45 and about 135 degrees.

Assignees

• Cree Inc

Inventors

• Durkee John W
• Wilcox Kurt S
• Tarsa Eric J

Classifications

• G02B6/0078

  Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays · CPC title

• F21V7/0008

  providing for indirect lighting · CPC title

• G02B6/0063

  for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide · CPC title

• F21S8/061

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

• G02B6/0021 Primary

  for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses · CPC title