LED illumination module with fixed optic and variable emission pattern

• US 10,420,177 B2
• Filed: 12/19/2017
• Issued: 09/17/2019
• 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:
  US15/847,387
• Publication Number:
  US 20180192484A1
• Time in Patent Office: 637 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/005 the device being a pocket lamp F21L4/022, F21L4/045, F21L4/085 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/045 for portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/045 the lens having discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/16 square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/17 forming a single encapsulated light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0028 refractive and reflective surfaces, e.g. non-imaging catadioptric systems
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0066 in the form of an LED array
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0955 Lenses lenses per se G02B3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0977 Reflective elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/40 Optical focusing aids
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/10 Controlling the intensity of the light
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 47/17 Operational modes, e.g. switching from manual to automatic mode or prohibiting specific operations

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 emitting a variable light emission pattern with no moving parts, comprising:

a beam-forming optic having a focus;

a plurality of light emitting dies including a center die having an optical axis A_O passing through said focus so that light from said center die is emitted from said optic as a collimated beam, and a plurality of peripheral dies surrounding said center die, each said peripheral die having an optical axis offset from optical axis A_O so that light from said peripheral dies is emitted from said optic in a divergent emission pattern radially outward of said collimated beam;

a controller operatively connected to said center die and said peripheral dies to vary power delivered to said center die and said peripheral dies, said controller configured to independently vary the power applied to said center die and said peripheral dies from 0% to 100% of a maximum sustainable power,

wherein in a first mode of operation, said controller applies 100% of said maximum sustainable power to said center die to generate said collimated beam, and in a second mode of operation, said controller reduces power applied to said center die and increases power applied to said peripheral dies to generate a divergent beam, the power applied to said center die in said second mode being at least 10% of said maximum sustainable power.

2. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein in said first mode of operation said controller applies 0% of said maximum sustainable power to said peripheral dies, and power applied to said center die in said second mode never falls below at least 10% of said maximum sustainable power.

3. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to transition from said first mode to said second mode in a plurality of steps, each step reducing power applied to said center die at a first variable rate of change that decreases from the first mode to the second mode, and increasing power applied to said peripheral dies at a second variable rate of change that increases from said first mode to said second mode.

4. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said controller is configured to alternate between said first mode and said second mode in a continuous or intermittent pattern to generate a light emission pattern that alternates between a focused beam and a divergent beam.

5. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said controller varies power delivered to the center light emitting die and the plurality of peripheral dies according to an input.

6. The LED light assembly of claim 5, wherein the input is selected from the group consisting of an angular position of the light assembly, a distance of the light assembly to a target illuminated by said light assembly, a speed of a vehicle to which the light assembly is attached, an altitude of an aircraft to which the light assembly is attached, and a GPS location of the light assembly.

7. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said peripheral dies are arranged in at least one ring centered on said focus.

8. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said center die generates a first maximum luminous flux when driven at said maximum sustainable power and said peripheral dies generate a second maximum luminous flux when driven at said maximum sustainable power, said second maximum luminous flux being greater than said first maximum luminous flux.

9. The LED light assembly of claim 1, wherein said plurality of light emitting dies are arranged on a common support.

10. An LED light assembly emitting a variable light emission pattern with no moving parts, comprising:

a beam-forming optic having a focus in a first plane;

a plurality of light emitting dies arranged on a support to emit light into said beam forming optic, said plurality of light emitting dies including a plurality of peripheral dies in said first plane, said plurality of peripheral dies having optical axes radially offset from said focus;

a controller operatively connected to apply power independently to each of said peripheral dies, application of power to a peripheral die resulting in light emission from said optic at a position diametrically across from a position of said peripheral die on said substrate, said controller configured to apply power to selected peripheral dies to generate a moving light emission pattern from said optic.

11. The LED light assembly of claim 10, wherein said plurality of peripheral dies surround said focus and said controller is configured to apply power to said peripheral dies in a rotating sequence to produce a swirling light emission pattern.

12. The LED light assembly of claim 10, wherein said plurality of peripheral dies surround said focus and said controller is configured to apply power to said peripheral dies in a non-linear pattern across said substrate.

13. The LED light assembly of claim 10, wherein each of said peripheral dies comprise a plurality of light emitting dies to which power is applied at the same time.

14. An LED light assembly emitting a variable light emission pattern with no moving parts, comprising:

a beam-forming optic having a focus;

a plurality of light emitting dies including a center die having an optical axis A_O passing through said focus so that light from said center die is emitted from said optic as a collimated beam, and a plurality of peripheral dies surrounding said center die, each said peripheral die having an optical axis offset from optical axis A_O so that light from said peripheral dies is emitted from said optic in a divergent emission pattern radially outward of said collimated beam;

a controller operatively connected to said center die and said peripheral dies to vary power delivered to said center die independently of power delivered to said peripheral dies,

wherein power is applied to said center die and said peripheral dies in a continuous or intermittent pattern alternating between said center die and said peripheral dies to generate a light emission pattern which varies between a collimated beam and divergent beam.

15. The LED light assembly of claim 14, wherein said center die emits light of a first color different from a color of light emitted from the plurality of peripheral dies.

16. The LED light assembly of claim 14, wherein said plurality of peripheral dies are arranged in at least a first group and a second group and said controller is configured to vary power applied to said first group independently of power applied to said second group.

17. The LED light assembly of claim 14, wherein said peripheral dies are arranged in at least one ring centered on said focus.