Optical lens for beam shaping and steering and devices using the optical lens

• US 10,190,746 B1
• Filed: 01/11/2018
• Issued: 01/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/11/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Mao, An, Malone, Gregory, Krass, Robert M., Ramer, David P., Rogers, Rashmi Kumar, Phipps, James Michael, Lyons, Steve
• Primary Examiner(s): Hammond, Dedei K
• Application Number:
  US15/868,624
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/04 the fastening being onto or by the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/005 the substrate is supporting also the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/046 the lens having a rotationally symmetrical shape about an axis for transmitting light in a direction mainly perpendicular to this axis, e.g. ring or annular lens with light source disposed inside the ring
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 25/0753 the devices being arranged next to each other
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements

Abstract

An example lighting device has illumination light sources, each configured to be independently driven. The device further includes an optical lens positioned over the illumination light sources. The optical lens has a number of aspheric or spheric convex surfaces, including an input surface and an output surface. The input surface includes an input peripheral portion and an input central portion. The input peripheral portion extends from the illumination light sources and curves from a region of the illumination light sources towards the input central portion. The input central portion curves towards the illumination light sources. The output surface includes an output lateral portion, an output shoulder portion, and an output body portion. Another example uses optical-to-electrical transducers, e.g. light detector or photovoltaic devices, in combination with the optical lens, for light reception transducer applications.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising:

a plurality of individually controllable illumination light sources configured to be driven by electrical power to emit light;

an optical lens positioned over the illumination light sources, the optical lens having a plurality of aspheric or spheric surfaces, including an input surface coupled to receive light from the illumination light sources and an output surface;

the input surface includes an input peripheral portion and an input central portion, wherein;

the input peripheral portion extends from the illumination light sources and curves from a region of the illumination light sources towards the input central portion, and

the input central portion curves towards the illumination light sources; and

the output surface includes an output lateral portion, an output shoulder portion, and an output body portion, wherein;

the output lateral portion extends away from the illumination light sources, curves away from the input peripheral portion, and intersects the output shoulder portion;

the output shoulder portion abuts the output body portion; and

the output body portion curves outwards from the illumination light sources and the output shoulder portion.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

incoming light rays for illumination lighting emitted by at least one of the illumination light sources first pass through the input surface where the incoming light rays undergo refraction to shape or steer the illumination lighting; and

after passing through the input surface, the refracted incoming light rays then pass through the output surface where the incoming light rays undergo further refraction to shape or steer the illumination lighting.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

incoming light rays for illumination lighting emitted by at least one of the illumination light sources first pass through the input surface where the incoming light rays undergo refraction to shape or steer the illumination lighting;

after passing through the input surface, the refracted incoming light rays then strike the output lateral portion where the incoming light rays undergo total internal reflection (TIR) to further shape or steer the illumination lighting; and

after striking the output lateral portion, the TIR incoming light rays pass through the output shoulder portion without undergoing further refraction.

4. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

the optical lens is circular or oval shaped;

the output shoulder portion is continuously arranged around the output body portion; and

the input peripheral portion is continuously arranged around the plurality of illumination light sources.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

the optical lens is circular shaped;

the output shoulder portion is annularly arranged around the output body portion; and

the input peripheral portion is annularly arranged around the plurality of illumination light sources.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

the optical lens is rectangular or square shaped; and

the plurality of illumination light sources are arranged inside a base in rows and columns to form a matrix underneath the optical lens.

7. The lighting device of claim 6, wherein:

the output shoulder portion includes left and right output shoulder portions which are linearly arranged along opposing sides of a length of the output body portion; and

the input peripheral portion includes left and right input peripheral portions which are aspheric surfaces that are linearly arranged along opposing sides of the input central portion.

8. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

the output body portion and the input central portion each have an aspheric contour; and

the output body portion and the input central portion curve in opposing directions.

9. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the output shoulder portion is flat or slopes upwards from a circumference of the output body portion where the output shoulder portion surrounds the output body portion.

10. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising:

a circuit board including the illumination light sources disposed thereon; and

a plurality of pixel light emitters disposed on the circuit board co-planar with the illumination light sources and disposed outside of the optical lens so as to not be covered by the input surface.

11. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising:

an illumination lighting board including the illumination light sources disposed thereon;

a display lighting board; and

a plurality of pixel light emitters disposed on the display lighting board;

wherein the display lighting board and the illumination lighting board are optically coupled.

12. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

an optical axis of the optical lens passes through a middle of the input central portion and the output body portion of the optical lens and bisects a cross-section of the optical lens into left and right sides;

the left side of the cross-section includes a left output lateral portion, a left output shoulder portion, a left output body portion, a left input peripheral portion, and a left input central portion; and

the right side of the cross-section includes a right output lateral portion, a right output shoulder portion, a right output body portion, a right input peripheral portion, and a right input central portion.

13. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein:

the left output lateral portion extends away from the illumination light sources, curves away from the left input peripheral portion and intersects the left output shoulder portion; and

the right output lateral portion extends away from the illumination light sources, curves away from the right input peripheral portion and intersects the right output shoulder portion.

14. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein:

the left output shoulder portion intersects the left output lateral portion and the left output body portion; and

the right output shoulder portion intersects the right output lateral portion and the right output body portion.

15. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the left output lateral portion and the right output lateral portion have an aspheric contour and curve in opposing directions.

16. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the left input central portion and the right input central portion have an aspheric contour and curve in opposing directions.

17. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

the illumination light sources are disposed on a circuit board;

the optical lens includes;

a base coupled to the circuit board, and

at least one leg extending longitudinally from the base,

a foot coupled to a distal end of the at least one leg extending laterally with respect to the base;

the at least one leg extends longitudinally through an opening formed in the circuit board; and

the foot extends laterally beneath the circuit board to secure the optical lens to the circuit board.

18. An optical device comprising:

a plurality of optical-to-electrical transducers, each optical-to-electrical transducer being configured to be driven by received light to produce a respective electrical signal and to be individually activated for outputting the respective electrical signal in response to light;

an optical lens positioned over the optical-to-electrical transducers, the optical lens having a plurality of aspheric or spheric surfaces, including an input surface and an output surface coupled to direct light to the optical-to-electrical transducers; and

the input surface includes an input lateral portion, an input shoulder portion, and an input body portion, wherein;

the input lateral portion extends towards the optical-to-electrical transducers, curves towards the output peripheral portion, and intersects the input shoulder portion,

the input shoulder portion surrounds the input body portion, and

the input body portion curves outwards from the input shoulder portion;

the output surface includes an output peripheral portion and an output central portion, wherein;

the output peripheral portion curves around the optical-to-electrical transducers towards the output central portion, and

the output central portion curves towards the optical-to-electrical transducers.

19. The optical device of claim 18, wherein:

incoming light rays drive one or more of the optical-to-electrical transducers first pass through the input surface where the incoming light rays undergo refraction; and

after passing through the input surface, the refracted incoming light rays then pass through the output surface where the refracted incoming light rays undergo further refraction to shape or steer the light rays to be selectively received by at least one of the optical-to-electrical transducers.

20. The optical device of claim 18, wherein each optical-to-electrical transducer is a photo sensor or a photovoltaic device.

21. An optical lens formed of an optical material, the optical lens comprising:

a plurality of aspheric or spheric surfaces, including a first surface and a second surface;

the first surface including a peripheral portion and a central portion, wherein;

the peripheral portion of the first surface extends from a base of the optical lens and curves from a perimeter of the base of the optical lens to the central portion of the first surface, and

the central portion of the first surface curves outward toward an area encompassed by the base of the optical lens; and

the second surface including a lateral portion, a shoulder portion, and a body portion, wherein;

the lateral portion of the second surface extends away from the base of the optical lens, curves away from the peripheral portion of the second surface, and intersects the shoulder portion of the second surface;

the shoulder portion of the second surface abuts the output body portion of the second surface; and

the body portion of the second surface curves outwards away from the base of the optical lens and the shoulder portion of the second surface.

22. A device comprising the optical lens of claim 21, in combination with:

a circuit board; and

a plurality of individually operable transducers optically coupled to the first surface of the optical lens, each transducer being of a type capable of being driven by electrical power to emit light or of being driven by light to produce an electrical signal.

23. The device of claim 22, further comprising:

a controller coupled to selectively activate the transducers to selectively adjust a beam of light output or a field of view of the device through the optical lens.

24. The device of claim 22, wherein the transducers are light sources.

25. The device of claim 22, wherein the transducers are optical-to-electrical transducers.