Luminaires utilizing edge coupling

• US 10,168,467 B2
• Filed: 03/31/2017
• Issued: 01/01/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tarsa, Eric J., Benjamin, Hormoz, Durkee, John W., Keller, Bernd P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hines, Anne M
• Application Number:
  US15/476,052
• Publication Number:
  US 20170205567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/00 Lighting devices intended for fixed installation F21S9/00, F21S10/00 take precedence; using a string or strip of light sources F21S4/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/003 the elements being electronics drivers or controllers for operating the light source, e.g. for a LED array
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0016 Grooves, prisms, gratings, scattering particles or rough surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0078 Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0083 Details of electrical connections of light sources to drivers, circuit boards, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0085 Means for removing heat created by the light source from the package heat extraction or cooling elements for semiconductor light sources in general H01L33/64
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0088 of the light guide or other optical sheets in the package
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/009 of the light source in the package G02B6/0021 takes precedence

Abstract

A luminaire includes at least first and second waveguides. The first waveguide has a first coupling surface extending between a first surface and a second surface opposite the first surface, and the second waveguide has a second coupling surface extending between a third surface and a fourth surface opposite the third surface. The first and second coupling surfaces define a coupling cavity. The luminaire further includes at least one light source within the coupling cavity.

Claims

1. A luminaire, comprising:

first and second waveguides comprising first and second coupling surfaces, respectively, extending along a length dimension thereof; and

at least one LED element carried by a structural member between the first and second coupling surfaces of the respective first and second waveguides, wherein each coupling surface comprises a first edge and a second edge opposite the first edge, wherein the structural member is disposed adjacent to the second edges of the first and second coupling surfaces, wherein the structural member supports the first and second waveguides, and wherein the structural member comprises optical grade silicone.

2. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coupling surfaces is scalloped.

3. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein at least one of the coupling surfaces is textured.

4. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the structural member is overmolded onto the second edges of the first and second coupling surfaces of the respective first and second waveguides.

5. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the structural member comprises a piece-wise linear shape to approximate a concave curve relative to the coupling surfaces of the waveguides.

6. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminaire exhibits an overall efficiency of at least 90%.

7. A luminaire, comprising:

a first waveguide comprising a first coupling surface extending between opposing surfaces;

a second waveguide comprising a second coupling surface extending between further opposing surfaces, wherein the second coupling surface is spaced apart from the first coupling surface;

a frame comprising first and second receptacles for receiving the first and second waveguides, respectively; and

a light source disposed within the frame between the first and second coupling surfaces of the first and second waveguides, respectively, wherein the frame further comprises a first structural member and a second structural member, and wherein the first and second coupling surfaces of the first and second waveguides are disposed between the first and second structural members.

8. The luminaire of claim 7, wherein the light source is carried by the first structural member.

9. The luminaire of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of dividers extending from the first member toward the second structural member, the first coupling surface, and the second coupling surface.

10. The luminaire of claim 7, wherein a plurality of extraction features are disposed on at least one of the opposing surfaces of the first and second waveguides.