LED light assembly with transparent substrate having array of lenses for projecting light to illuminate an area

• US 10,460,634 B2
• Filed: 01/07/2019
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ultravision Technologies, LLC (Ultravision International Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ultravision Technologies, LLC (Ultravision International Inc.)
• Inventors: Auyeung, David Siucheong, Hall, William Y, Magarill, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Negron, Ismael
• Application Number:
  US16/241,067
• Publication Number:
  US 20190139465A1
• Time in Patent Office: 295 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/60 Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/006 for direct lighting only, e.g. task lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/003 Fastening of light source holders, e.g. of circuit boards or substrates holding light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/26 Pivoted arms
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/002 Arrangements of cables or conductors inside a lighting device, e.g. means for guiding along parts of the housing or in a pivoting arm
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/00 Protecting lighting devices from thermal damage; Cooling or heating arrangements specially adapted for lighting devices or systems lighting fixtures combined with outlets for air-treatment systems F24F13/078
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/15 Thermal insulation
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/503 of light sources cooling arrangements structurally associated with gas-discharge or vapour-discharge lamps H01J61/52; cooling arrangements structurally associated with electric incandescent lamps H01K1/58; cooling arrangements structurally associated with light-emitting diodes H01L33/64
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/70 characterised by passive heat-dissipating elements, e.g. heat-sinks
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/745 the fins or blades being planar and inclined with respect to the joining surface from which the fins or blades extend
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/76 with essentially identical parallel planar fins or blades, e.g. with comb-like cross-section
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/83 the elements having apertures, ducts or channels, e.g. heat radiation holes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/89 Metals
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/005 Sealing arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/00 Structural combinations of lighting devices with other articles, not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/40 : Lighting for industrial, commercial, recreational or military use
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 : comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• 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 2105/16 : square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• 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 19/0061 : the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0066 : in the form of an LED array
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/02 : Signs, boards, or panels, illuminated by artificial light sources positioned in front of the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/22 : electroluminescent electroluminescent light sources per se H05B33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/00 : Boards, hoardings, pillars, or like structures for notices, placards, posters, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/0037 : supported by a post
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 15/005 : for orientation or public information
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 : with LEDs

Abstract

A light assembly includes a thermally conductive support structure, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to a circuit board and thermally coupled to a heat sink and a single transparent substrate with a corresponding plurality of optical elements over the LEDs. Each of the optical elements include a first portion configured to direct light in a second direction, a second portion configured to direct light in a second lateral direction, and a third portion configured to direct light in a third direction.

Claims

1. A light assembly comprising:

a thermally conductive support structure with an attachment point for securing the support structure to a supporting element;

a heat sink;

a substantially planar circuit board attached to the support structure;

a plurality of LEDs attached to the circuit board to form an array, the LEDs being thermally coupled to the heat sink; and

a single transparent substrate overlying all LEDs attached to the circuit board and including a corresponding plurality of optical elements;

wherein each optical element includes a first portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a first direction, a second portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a second direction, and a third portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a third direction so that the light is directed asymmetrically so as to illuminate a substantially rectangular area that is off-center relative to the light assembly.

2. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein, for each optical element, the second portion intersects with the first portion in a region between the first portion and the second portion, and wherein, for each optical element, the first portion and the second portion are shaped so that at least one surface normal of the first portion intersects with at least one surface normal of the second portion.

3. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins and wherein a portion of the heat sink is in direct contact with the support structure.

4. The light assembly of claim 1, further comprising:

a second substantially planar circuit board attached to the support structure, a main surface of the second circuit board being parallel to a main surface of the circuit board;

a second plurality of LEDs attached to the second circuit board; and

a second single transparent substrate overlying all LEDs attached to the second circuit board.

5. The light assembly of claim 1, wherein the attachment point is coupled to an adjustable mount for attaching the support structure to a stationary object, wherein the adjustable mount has an angle of tilt that ranges between 0 degrees and 45 degrees relative to a plane parallel to the first and second directions.

6. A light assembly comprising:

a thermally conductive support structure with an attachment point for securing the support structure to a supporting element;

a heat sink;

a substantially planar circuit board attached to the support structure;

a plurality of LEDs attached to the circuit board to form an array, the LEDs being thermally coupled to the heat sink; and

a single transparent substrate overlying all LEDs attached to the circuit board and including a corresponding plurality of optical elements;

wherein each optical element includes a first portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a first direction, a second portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a second direction, and a third portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a third direction so as to illuminate a substantially rectangular area; and

wherein the light assembly is configured to direct light from the LEDs towards the area in a manner that does not create hot spots or result in dead spots on the area regardless of whether all of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs or some of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs are functional.

7. The light assembly of claim 6, wherein the light assembly is further configured to provide illumination redundancy such that the failure of one to five of the LEDs will cause an illumination level of light emitted from the light assembly to decrease while a uniformity of the light emitted from the light assembly remains substantially the same.

8. The light assembly of claim 7, wherein the light assembly is further configured to provide illumination redundancy such that the average illumination to an area when all LEDs are functional and emitting light is no more than three times the average illumination to the area when two or fewer of the LEDs are not emitting light.

9. A light assembly comprising:

a thermally conductive support structure with an attachment point for securing the support structure to a supporting element;

a heat sink;

a substantially planar circuit board attached to the support structure;

a plurality of LEDs attached to the circuit board to form an array, the LEDs being thermally coupled to the heat sink; and

a single transparent substrate overlying all LEDs attached to the circuit board and including a plurality of optical elements, an outer surface of the transparent substrate being an outer surface of the light assembly;

wherein each optical element includes a first portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a first direction, a second portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a second direction, and a third portion configured to direct light from the corresponding LED away from the circuit board in a third direction; and

wherein the light assembly is configured so that the light is directed asymmetrically so as to illuminate a substantially rectangular area that is off-center relative to the light assembly.

10. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the light assembly is configured to direct light from the LEDs towards an area in a manner that does not create hot spots or result in dead spots on the area regardless of whether all of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs or some of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs are functional.

11. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the transparent substrate is configured to provide illumination redundancy such that the average illumination to an area when all LEDs are functional and emitting light is no more than three times the average illumination to the area when two or fewer of the LEDs are not emitting light.

12. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins on a first side of the heat sink.

13. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein the single transparent substrate is attached to the circuit board, wherein the substrate when attached to the circuit board is configured to prevent a substantial amount of water from directly contacting a first surface of the circuit board.

14. The light assembly of claim 9, wherein:

the single transparent substrate includes a first plurality of holes;

the heat sink includes a second plurality of holes; and

the light assembly further comprises a plurality of screws, wherein the screws attach the single transparent substrate to the heat sink by being fastened through the first of plurality holes of the substrate to the second plurality of holes in the heat sink.

15. The light assembly of claim 9, further comprising a reflector disposed within the thermally conductive support structure positioned adjacent to the plurality of LEDs, wherein a portion of the reflector has surfaces that are not coplanar with first or second sides of the circuit board, wherein the reflector includes surfaces configured to direct light emitted by each of the LEDs towards a direction away from the first side of the circuit board.

16. A light assembly comprising:

a thermally conductive support structure with an attachment point for securing the support structure to a supporting element;

a heat sink;

a substantially planar circuit board attached to the support structure;

a plurality of LEDs attached to the circuit board to form an array, the LEDs being thermally coupled to the heat sink; and

a single transparent substrate overlying all LEDs attached to the circuit board and including a corresponding plurality of optical elements;

wherein each optical element includes a first portion configured to direct light from the associated LED in a first primary direction away from the circuit board, a second portion configured to direct light from the associated LED in a second primary direction away from the circuit board, and a third portion configured to direct light in a third primary direction away from the circuit board;

wherein the light assembly is configured so that the light is directed asymmetrically in the third direction so as to illuminate a substantially rectangular area that is off-center relative to the light assembly; and

wherein the light assembly is configured to direct light from the LEDs towards an area in a manner that does not create hot spots or result in dead spots on the area regardless of whether all of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs or some of the LEDs of the plurality of LEDs are functional.

17. The light assembly of claim 16, wherein the light assembly is further configured to provide illumination redundancy such that the average illumination to an area when all LEDs are functional and emitting light is no more than three times the average illumination to the area when two or fewer of the LEDs are not functional and not emitting light.

18. The light assembly of claim 16, wherein the heat sink includes a plurality of fins extending in a direction away from the circuit board.

19. The light assembly of claim 16, wherein a portion of the heat sink is in direct contact with the support structure.

20. The light assembly of claim 16, wherein the heat sink is directly exposed to the outside atmosphere and is not entirely enclosed by the support structure.

21. The light assembly of claim 16, wherein the support structure and the heat sink are portions of a single integral component.

22. The light assembly of claim 16, wherein each optical element overlies a single associated LED and wherein each and every one of the plurality of LEDs has an overlying optical element.

23. The light assembly of claim 16, further comprising:

a second circuit board attached to the support structure;

a second plurality of LEDs attached to the second circuit board; and

a second single transparent substrate overlying all LEDs attached to the second circuit board.