Luminaires with transition zones for glare control

• US 10,309,588 B2
• Filed: 08/11/2017
• Issued: 06/04/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/11/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ABL IP Holding LLC (Acuity Brands, Inc.)
• Inventors: Tyukhova, Yulia, Gibson, Jon Eric, Harvey, John Bryan, Chen, Jie, Marquardt, Craig Eugene, Sekowski, Daniel Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Owens, Douglas W
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kaiser, Syed M
• Application Number:
  US15/674,797
• Publication Number:
  US 20180045385A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 19/005 Combining sunlight and electric light sources for indoor illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• 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 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0083 Array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more reflectors F21V7/0025
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/205 for operating theatres
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/12 characterised by the geometrical disposition of the light-generating elements, e.g. arranging light-generating elements in differing patterns or densities
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/004 Scattering dots or dot-like elements, e.g. microbeads, scattering particles, nanoparticles
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0043 provided on the surface of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0058 varying in density, size, shape or depth along the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/22 using optical feedback
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/11 : by determining the brightness or colour temperature of ambient light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/16 : by timing means
• CPC Class Codes: Y02B 20/40 : Control techniques providing energy savings, e.g. smart controller or presence detection

Abstract

A luminaire includes a housing, a luminous zone coupled with the housing, and one or more transition zones coupled with the housing and disposed adjacent to the luminous zone. The luminous zone provides a first light to an illuminated area, and the one or more transition zones provide a second light to the illuminated area. The first light is harsher than the second light. A method of illuminating an area includes providing a first light to the area from a luminous zone of a luminaire and providing a second light to the area from one or more transition zones disposed adjacent to the luminous zone within the luminaire. The first light is a harsher light than the second light.

Claims

1. A luminaire, comprising:

a housing;

a luminous zone coupled with the housing, wherein the luminous zone is characterized by a luminous zone area; and

one or more transition zones coupled with the housing and disposed adjacent to the luminous zone;

wherein;

the one or more transition zones are characterized by a transition zone area that is at least three times the luminous zone area;

the luminous zone provides a first light to an illuminated area; and

the one or more transition zones provide a second light to the illuminated area.

2. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the one or more transition zones surround the luminous zone, as viewed from within the illuminated area.

3. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminous zone is characterized by a luminous zone area, the one or more transition zones are characterized by a transition zone area, and the transition zone area is less than or equal to the luminous zone area.

4. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminous zone is characterized by a luminous zone area, the one or more transition zones are characterized by a transition zone area, and the transition zone area is greater than the luminous zone area.

5. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminous zone is characterized by a luminous zone area, the one or more transition zones are characterized by a transition zone area, and the transition zone area is at least ten times the luminous zone area.

6. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminaire comprises an arrangement of light emitters that form the luminous zone and the one or more transition zones, wherein a first subset of the light emitters forms the luminous zone and a second subset of the light emitters forms the one or more transition zones.

7. The luminaire of claim 6, wherein the first subset of the light emitters is of a first type, and at least some of the second subset of the light emitters are of a second type that is different from the first type.

8. The luminaire of claim 7, wherein the first subset of the light emitters is characterized by a first chromaticity, and the second subset of the light emitters is characterized by a second chromaticity that is different from the first chromaticity.

9. The luminaire of claim 6, wherein:

the first subset and the second subset of the light emitters are of the same type as one another;

the first subset of the light emitters is powered by one or more first drive circuits; and

the second subset of the light emitters is powered by one or more second drive circuits.

10. The luminaire of claim 9, wherein:

the one or more first drive circuits provide a first level of drive conditions to the first subset of the light emitters; and

the one or more second drive circuits provide a second level of drive conditions to the second subset of the light emitters, the second level being in a fixed ratio with respect to the first level.

16. The luminaire of claim 6, wherein:

the first subset and the second subset of the light emitters are of the same type as one another; and

an identification of at least a portion of the light emitters as being in the first subset or the second subset is adjustable.

17. The luminaire of claim 16, wherein the light emitters identified as being in the first subset or the second subset are adjustable based on time of day.

18. The luminaire of claim 16, further comprising a light sensor, and wherein the light emitters identified as being in the first subset or the second subset are adjustable based at least in part on an illumination condition sensed by the light sensor.

19. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminous zone includes one or more light emitters, and the one or more transition zones comprise one or more reflectors disposed adjacent to the one or more light emitters.

20. The luminaire of claim 19, wherein one or more of the reflectors comprises a convex surface.

21. The luminaire of claim 19, wherein one or more of the reflectors comprises a concave surface.

26. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the luminaire uses sunlight to provide the first light.

27. The luminaire of claim 26, wherein the luminaire uses sunlight to provide at least part of the second light.

28. The luminaire of claim 26, wherein the luminaire uses an artificial light emitter to provide at least part of the second light.

11. A luminaire, comprising:

a housing;

a luminous zone coupled with the housing, wherein a first subset of light emitters forms the luminous zone; and

one or more transition zones coupled with the housing and disposed adjacent to the luminous zone, wherein a second subset of light emitters forms the one or more transition zones;

the first subset and the second subset of the light emitters are of the same e as one another;

the first subset of the light emitters is powered by one or more first drive circuits;

the second subset of the light emitters is powered by one or more second drive circuits;

the luminous zone provides a first light to an illuminated area; and

the one or more transition zones provide a second light to the illuminated area, wherein;

the one or more first drive circuits provide a first level of drive conditions to the first subset of the light emitters; and

the one or more second drive circuits provide a second level of drive conditions to the second subset of the light emitters, the second level being in an adjustable ratio with respect to the first level.

12. The luminaire of claim 11, further comprising a controller that adjusts the adjustable ratio based on time of day.

13. The luminaire of claim 11, further comprising a controller and a light sensor, and wherein the controller adjusts the adjustable ratio based at least in part on an illumination condition sensed by the light sensor.

14. The luminaire of claim 13, wherein the light sensor is disposed so as to sense the illumination condition within the illuminated area.

15. The luminaire of claim 13, wherein the light sensor is disposed so as to sense the illumination condition outside of the illuminated area and does not sense light emitted by the luminaire.

22. A luminaire, comprising:

a housing;

a luminous zone coupled with the housing;

a lens coupled with the housing, and

one or more transition zones coupled with the housing and disposed adjacent to the luminous zone;

wherein;

the luminous zone provides a first light to an illuminated area;

the one or more transition zones provide a second light to the illuminated area,

a central portion of the lens corresponds with the luminous zone, and

a peripheral portion of the lens corresponds with one of the one or more transition zones.

23. The luminaire of claim 22, wherein the peripheral portion of the lens comprises at least one of a diffusive surface, a phosphor and a filter to form the one or more transition zones.

24. A luminaire, comprising:

a housing;

a luminous zone coupled with the housing; and

one or more transition zones coupled with the housing and disposed adjacent to the luminous zone;

a waveguide; and

one or more light emitters that emit light into the waveguide, and wherein;

the luminous zone provides a first light to an illuminated area;

the one or more transition zones provide a second light to the illuminated area;

a central portion of the waveguide corresponds the luminous zone, and

a peripheral portion of the waveguide corresponds with at least one of the one or more transition zones.

25. The luminaire of claim 24, wherein differing light extraction features of the waveguide define the luminous zone and the at least one of the one or more transition zones.

29. A luminaire, comprising:

a housing;

a luminous zone coupled with the housing; and

one or more transition zones coupled with the housing and disposed adjacent to the luminous zone;

wherein;

the luminous zone provides a first light to an illuminated area;

the one or more transition zones provide a second light to the illuminated area;

the housing comprises a top plate portion coupled with a light-diffusing surface extending downwardly from the top plate portion, so as to form a downward-facing cavity;

one or more light emitters couple with an underside of the top plate portion; and

a lens couples with the top plate surface such that the lens and the top plate portion enclose the one or more light emitters;

such that the lens forms the luminous zone and the light-diffusing surface forms the one or more transition zones.

30. A method of illuminating an area, comprising:

providing a first light to the area, at a first intensity, from a luminous zone of a luminaire; and

providing a second light to the area, at a second intensity, from one or more transition zones disposed adjacent to the luminous zone within the luminaire, wherein;

at a first time of day, the first intensity is greater than the second intensity; and

at a second time of day, the second intensity is substantially equal to the first intensity.

31. The method of claim 30, wherein providing the second light comprises providing the second light with one of:

a net light output that is less than a net light output of the first light;

a luminous flux per unit area that is less than a luminous flux per unit area of the first light, and

a chromaticity having a lower correlated color intensity than a chromaticity of the first light.

32. The method of claim 30, wherein providing the first light comprises providing the first light with a first chromaticity, and providing the second light comprises providing the second light with a second chromaticity that is different from the first chromaticity.

34. The method of claim 30, further comprising sensing one or more illumination conditions, and wherein providing the second light comprises adjusting at least one of an intensity and a chromaticity of the second light in response to the illumination conditions.

35. The method of claim 34, wherein providing the first light comprises adjusting at least one of an intensity and a chromaticity of the first light in response to the illumination conditions.

33. A method of illuminating an area, comprising:

providing a first light to the area from a luminous zone of a luminaire; and

providing a second light to the area from one or more transition zones disposed adjacent to the luminous zone within the luminaire, wherein;

providing the first light comprises providing the first light with a first chromaticity;

providing the second light comprises providing the second light with a second chromaticity;

at a first time of day, the second chromaticity is different from the first chromaticity; and

at a second time of day, the second chromaticity is substantially the same as the first chromaticity.