Light-emitting diode input for hybrid solar lighting systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9777900-B2
Application number	US-201314774480-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 13, 2013
Priority date	Mar 13, 2013
Publication date	Oct 3, 2017
Grant date	Oct 3, 2017

Abstract

A hybrid lighting system is disclosed in which light emitting diodes (LEDs) provide input light when illumination with solar light is unavailable. Light from LEDs are propagated through an optical fiber, which delivers the light to a point of illumination. The disclosed system reduces the amount of electricity and electric conduit for light in areas using hybrid lighting systems.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A solar collector panel, comprising:
a light detector to detect adequacy of sunlight;
light emitting diodes (LEDs), each LED being an integrated component of the solar collector panel, each LED to provide artificial light in the absence of adequate sunlight;
a triggering mechanism operatively coupled to the light detector, the triggering mechanism further being operatively coupled to each LED, the triggering mechanism to activate each LED in response to the light detector detecting the absence of adequate sunlight;
parabolic reflectors, each parabolic reflector having a focal point, each parabolic reflector being an integrated component of the solar collector panel, each parabolic reflector being optically coupled to at least one of the LEDs such that the LED is located at the focal point of the parabolic reflector, each parabolic reflector having an internal reflective surface to reflect the artificial light;
concentration lenses, each concentration lens being optically coupled to at least one of the parabolic reflectors such that the internal reflective surface faces toward the concentration lens, each concentration lens having a corresponding LED mounted on the concentration lens, each concentration lens to focus the reflected light in the absence of adequate sunlight, each concentration lens further to focus light from the sun in the presence of adequate sunlight; and
optical fibers, each optical fiber being optically coupled to at least one of the concentration lenses, each optical fiber to propagate the focused light from its corresponding concentration lens.

2. The solar collector panel of claim 1 , the concentration lenses being Fresnel lenses.

3. The solar collector panel of claim 1 , further comprising 36 LEDs.

4. The solar collector panel of claim 1 , each of the LEDs being approximately 5 Watts.

5. The solar collector panel of claim 1 , the optical fibers being silica-based optical fibers.

6. A hybrid lighting system, comprising:
a solar collector panel;
a light detector to detect adequacy of sunlight;
light emitting diodes (LEDs) to provide artificial light in the absence of adequate sunlight, each LED being an integrated component of the solar collector panel;
a triggering mechanism operatively coupled to the light detector, the triggering mechanism further being operatively coupled to the LEDs, the triggering mechanism to activate the LEDs in response to the light detector detecting the absence of adequate sunlight;
reflectors having internal reflective surfaces, each reflector being an integrated component of the solar collector panel, each reflector being optically coupled to at least one of the LEDs, each reflector to reflect the artificial light;
lenses, each lens being optically coupled to at least one of the reflectors such that the internal reflective surface faces the lens, each lens to focus light from the sun in the presence of adequate sunlight, each lens further to focus the reflected artificial light in the absence of adequate sunlight; and
optical fibers, each optical fiber being optically coupled to at least one of the lenses, each optical fiber to propagate the focused light.

7. The system of claim 6 , each of the reflectors being a parabolic reflector.

8. The system of claim 6 , each LED being located at a focal point of its corresponding parabolic reflector.

9. The system of claim 6 , each of the lenses being a Fresnel lens.

10. The system of claim 6 , each of the optical fibers being a silica-based optical fiber.

Assignees

• Ofs Fitel Llc

Inventors

• Hansson Jan I

Classifications

• G02B6/4298

  coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers · CPC title

• F21S19/005 Primary

  Combining sunlight and electric light sources for indoor illumination · CPC title

• F21Y2115/10

  Light-emitting diodes [LED] · CPC title

• G02B19/0066

  in the form of an LED array · CPC title

• F24S23/00

  Arrangements for concentrating solar-rays for solar heat collectors · CPC title