LED illumination module with fixed optic and variable emission pattern

• US 10,400,994 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2016
• Issued: 09/03/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2016
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Whelen Engineering Company Incorporated
• Inventors: Stopa, James L., Smith, Todd J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Harris, William N
• Application Number:
  US15/383,469
• Publication Number:
  US 20180172242A1
• Time in Patent Office: 988 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/003 Searchlights, i.e. outdoor lighting device producing powerful beam of parallel rays, e.g. for military or attraction purposes searchlights mounted on a vehicle B60Q1/245
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/04 the elements being switches safety devices F21V25/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/00 Refractors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/504
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/30 Elements containing photoluminescent material distinct from or spaced from the light source shades F21V1/17; globes, bowls or cover glasses F21V3/08, F21V3/12; refractors F21V5/10; reflectors F21V7/26, F21V7/30; elements with provision for controlling the spectral properties or intensity F21V9/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/16 square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED illumination module including an LED lamp with a plurality of light emitting dies on a substrate in combination with an optic having a single focus. The light emitting dies include a single center light emitting die centered on an optical axis and peripheral dies arranged around the center die. The illumination module includes a beam forming optic having a single focus arranged over the LED lamp with the focus on the optical axis of the center die. Light emitted from the center die is substantially collimated by the optic in a focused “spot” emission pattern. Light emitted from the peripheral dies results in a more dispersed or divergent “flood” emission pattern. The center die and peripheral dies are independently controlled and the power delivered to the dies can be varied independently to generate different light emission patterns using the same optic.

Claims

1. An LED light assembly comprising:

a first beam forming optic and a second beam forming optic, each of said first and second beam forming optics having a focus, said foci intersected by a linear axis;

a first light emitting die and a second light emitting die, said first and second light emitting dies arranged to emit light into said first beam forming optic and said second beam forming optic, said first light emitting die emitting light of a first or second color and having an optical axis passing through the focus and said second light emitting die emitting light of the other of said first or second color and having an optical axis offset from the focus and intersecting said linear axis;

wherein said first light emitting die emits light of the first color into said first beam forming optic, said first light emitting die emits light of the second color into said second beam forming optic, and said light emitting dies emitting light of said first color are energized at the same time so that light of the first color is emitted at the focus of the first beam forming optic and offset from the focus of the second beam forming optic and said light emitting dies emitting light of said second color are energized at the same time so that light of the second color is emitted at the focus of the second beam forming optic and offset from the focus of the first beam forming optic.

2. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said first light emitting die is larger than said second light emitting die.

3. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein energy applied to each of said light emitting dies emitting light of the same color is varied independently of the other light emitting dies emitting light of the same color.

4. The LED light assembly of claim 2, wherein energy applied to each of said light emitting dies emitting light of the same color is varied independently of the other light emitting dies emitting light of the same color.

7. The LED light assembly of claim 1, comprising a third beam forming optic having a focus and a third light emitting die arranged to emit light into each beam forming optic, said third light emitting die having an optical axis offset from the focus of each beam forming optic and intersecting said linear axis, wherein said first light emitting die is positioned intermediate said second light emitting die and said third light emitting die, said first, second, and third light emitting dies emit light of said first and second color and a third color, and said optical axis of the first light emitting die of a third color passes through the focus of said third beam forming optic.

8. The LED light assembly of claim 7, wherein the color not emitted at said focus is emitted offset from the focus of one beam forming optic in a first direction and emitted offset from the focus of another beam forming optic in a second direction opposite said first direction.

9. The LED light assembly of claim 7, wherein said light emitting dies emitting light of said first color are energized at the same time so that light of the first color is emitted at the focus of the first beam forming optic and offset from the focus of the second and third beam forming optic, said light emitting dies emitting light of said second color are energized at the same time so that light of the second color is emitted at the focus of the second beam forming optic and offset from the focus of the first and third beam forming optic, and said light emitting dies emitting light of said third color are energized at the same time so that light of the third color is emitted at the focus of the third beam forming optic and offset from the focus of the first and second beam forming optic to generate a balanced emission pattern.

5. A method of generating light emission patterns of different colors, said method comprising:

providing a plurality of light generating modules, each said module comprising;

an optic having a focus, said optic configured to collimate light emitted from said focus;

a plurality of light emitting dies arranged to emit light into said optic, said plurality of light emitting dies including a first die emitting light of a first color or a second color having an area of light emission centered on the focus and at least one second die emitting light of the other of said first color or said second color having an area of light emission offset from the focus,

arranging said plurality of light generating modules and said second die so that each focus of said plurality of light generating modules and the area of light emission of said second die are intersected by a linear axis;

selecting the first die to emit light of the first color in a first pre-determined number of said plurality of light generating modules; and

selecting the first die to emit light of the second color in a second pre-determined number of said plurality of light generating modules,

wherein said plurality of light emitting dies of the first color are energized at the same time and said plurality of light emitting dies of the second color are energized at the same time.

6. The method of generating light emission patterns of different colors of claim 5, comprising the step of varying energy applied to each of said light emitting dies emitting light of the same color independently of the other light emitting dies emitting light of the same color.

10. The method of generating light emission patterns of different colors of claim 5, wherein said step of providing further comprises said plurality of light emitting dies including a third light emitting die having an optical axis offset from the focus and intersecting said linear axis, said first light emitting die being positioned intermediate said second light emitting die and said third light emitting die, and said plurality of light emitting dies emitting light of at least said first and second color and a third color.

11. The method of generating light emission patterns of different colors of claim 10, further comprising:

selecting the first die to emit light of the third color in a third pre-determined number of said plurality of light generating modules; and

arranging said first, second, and third light emitting dies so that the color not emitted at said focus is emitted offset from the focus of one beam forming optic in a first direction and emitted offset from the focus of another beam forming optic in a second direction opposite the first direction.