Downwardly directing spatial lighting system

• US 10,030,852 B2
• Filed: 03/17/2014
• Issued: 07/24/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kenall Manufacturing Company (Legrand SA)
• Original Assignee: Kenall Manufacturing Company (Legrand SA)
• Inventors: Stolte, Brandon, Mui, Yanwai
• Primary Examiner(s): Kryukova, Erin
• Application Number:
  US14/215,853
• Publication Number:
  US 20140268764A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,590 Days
• Field of Search: 362242
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/00 Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/08 producing an asymmetric light distribution
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A luminaire that includes a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), a light diffuser having a planar surface facing the LEDs, and a reflector that surrounds a cavity formed between the light diffuser and the LEDs. Also disclosed is a light distribution system having a first plurality of lenses configured to convert incident light into a light distribution pattern and a second plurality of lenses configured to convert incident light into a different light distribution pattern. Further disclosed is a method of distributing light that involves emitting light towards a light diffuser, scattering a first portion of the light with the light diffuser, reflecting a second portion of the light with the light diffuser, reflecting the second portion of the light with a first reflective surface back towards the light diffuser, and scattering the second portion of the light with the light diffuser.

Claims

1. A light distribution system comprising:

a first plurality of lenses disposed on a mount surface, each of the first plurality of lenses having a central surface and an outer surface adjacent to the central surface to convert incident light into a first light distribution pattern;

a second plurality of lenses disposed on the mount surface and arranged around a periphery of the first plurality of lenses, each of the second plurality of lenses having a central surface, a first outer surface adjacent to the central surface, and a second outer surface adjacent to the first outer surface to convert incident light into a second light distribution pattern different from the first light distribution pattern;

a light diffuser spaced apart from the first and second pluralities of lenses and having a planar surface facing the first and second pluralities of lenses; and

a reflector surrounding a cavity formed between the light diffuser and the second plurality of lenses,

the first and second light distribution patterns configured to include light emitted directly to the planar surface of the light diffuser, whereat a first portion of the light in the first and second light distribution patterns transmits through the light diffuser and a second portion of the light reflects to the reflector.

2. The light distribution system of claim 1, the first light distribution pattern having a peak of light intensity along a conical plane centered about a central axis of a respective one of the first plurality of lenses.

3. The light distribution system of claim 2, the second light distribution pattern having:

(i) a first peak of light intensity along a first conical plane centered about a central axis of a respective one of the second plurality of lenses; and

(ii) a second peak of light intensity along a second conical plane centered about the central axis of the respective one of the second plurality of lenses.

4. The light distribution system of claim 3, the second light distribution pattern having a third peak of light intensity disposed radially between the first and second peaks of light intensity, the third peak of light intensity being less than the first peak of light intensity and less than the second peak of light intensity.

5. The light distribution system of claim 4, the central axis of the respective one of the first plurality of lenses and the central axis of the respective one of the second plurality of lenses being parallel to each other.

6. The light distribution system of claim 3, comprising a plurality of light sources mounted on a base, each of the plurality of light sources being configured to emit light through a respective one of the first plurality of lenses or the second plurality of lenses.

7. The light distribution system of claim 6, each of the plurality of light sources including a light emitting diode (LED).

8. A method of distributing light, the method comprising:

emitting light from a first light source towards a planar surface of a light diffuser in a first light distribution pattern such that the emitted light is directly incident upon the planar surface;

emitting light from a second light source towards the planar surface of the light diffuser in a second light distribution pattern different than the first light distribution pattern such that the emitted light is directly incident upon the planar surface;

scattering a first portion of the light from the first light source and the second light source with the light diffuser, and reflecting a second portion of the light from the first light source and the second light source with the light diffuser;

reflecting the second portion of the light from the first light source and the second light source with a first reflective surface back towards the light diffuser; and

scattering the second portion of the light from the first light source and the second light source with the light diffuser.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein the planar surface faces the first and second light sources.