Skylight fixture

• US 10,465,869 B2
• Filed: 05/06/2018
• Issued: 11/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 01/30/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Keller, Bernd P., Lowes, Theodore D., Leung, Michael, Jacobson, Benjamin A., Tarsa, Eric, Ibbetson, James, Girotto, Claudio
• Primary Examiner(s): Cariaso, Alan B
• Application Number:
  US15/972,176
• Publication Number:
  US 20180252374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 548 Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 19/005 Combining sunlight and electric light sources for indoor illumination
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/006 Solar simulators, e.g. for testing photovoltaic panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• 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: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• 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]
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 45/20 Controlling the colour of the light

Abstract

A lighting fixture appears as a skylight and is referred to as a skylight fixture. The skylight fixture has a sky-resembling assembly and a plurality of sun-resembling assemblies. The sky-resembling assembly has a sky-resembling optical assembly and a sky-specific light source, wherein light from the sky-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sky-resembling light optical assembly as skylight light. The plurality of sun-resembling assemblies are arranged adjacent one another and extend downward from a periphery of the sky-resembling assembly. Each of the plurality of sun-resembling assemblies has a sun-resembling optical assembly and a sun-specific light source, wherein light from the sun-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sun-resembling optical assembly as sunlight light.

Claims

1. A skylight fixture comprising:

a sky-resembling assembly comprising a sky-resembling optical assembly and a sky-specific light source wherein light from the sky-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sky-resembling optical assembly as skylight light;

a plurality of sun-resembling assemblies that are arranged adjacent one another and extend downward from a periphery of the sky-resembling assembly, each of the plurality of sun-resembling assemblies comprising a sun-resembling optical assembly and a sun-specific light source, wherein light from the sun-specific light source exits a planar interior surface of the sun-resembling optical assembly as sunlight light, wherein the planar interior surfaces of the sky-resembling optical assembly and the plurality of sun-resembling optical assemblies define a cavity; and

at least one control module configured to, in a first mode, drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the skylight light has a first color point and the sunlight light of at least one of the plurality of sun-resembling assemblies has a second color point that is different from the first color point, wherein an interior angle formed between the planar interior surface of the sky-resembling optical assembly and the planar interior surface of each of the sun-resembling optical assembly is an obtuse angle.

2. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the interior angle is greater than 90 degrees and less than or equal to 135 degrees.

3. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the interior angle is greater than or equal to 95 degrees and less than or equal to 130 degrees.

4. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the interior angle is greater than or equal to 100 degrees and less than or equal to 125 degrees.

5. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.1; and

the first color point falls within a first color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.37, 0.34), (0.35, 0.38), (0.15, 0.20), and (0.20, 0.14); and

the second color point falls within a second color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.29, 0.32), (0.32, 0.29), (0.41, 0.36), (0.48, 0.39), (0.48, 0.43), (0.40, 0.41), and (0.35, 0.38).

6. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.1; and

the first color point falls within a first color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.32, 0.31), (0.30, 0.33), (0.15, 0.17), and (0.17, 0.14); and

the second color point falls within a second color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.30, 0.34), (0.30, 0.30), (0.39, 0.36), (0.45, 0.39), (0.47, 0.43), (0.40, 0.41), and (0.35, 0.38).

7. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.1; and

the first color point falls within a first color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.39, 0.31), (0.34, 0.40), (0.10, 0.20), and (0.16, 0.06); and

the second color point falls within a second color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.28, 0.36), (0.35, 0.26), (0.44, 0.33), (0.62, 0.34), (0.50, 0.46), (0.43, 0.45), (0.36, 0.43).

8. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.1; and

the first color point falls within a first color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.39, 0.31), (0.34, 0.40), (0.10, 0.20), and (0.16, 0.06); and

the second color point falls within a second color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.28, 0.36), (0.35, 0.26), (0.44, 0.33), (0.62, 0.34), (0.50, 0.46), (0.43, 0.45), (0.36, 0.43).

9. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.1; and

the first color point falls within a first color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.10, 0.20), (0.36, 0.43), (0.43, 0.45), (0.50, 0.46), (0.62, 0.34), (0.44, 0.33), (0.16, 0.06); and

the second color point falls within a second color space defined by x, y coordinates on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

(0.10, 0.20), (0.36, 0.43), (0.43, 0.45), (0.50, 0.46), (0.62, 0.34), (0.44, 0.33), (0.16, 0.06).

10. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.15.

11. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.2.

12. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein an x coordinate value of the first color point is less than an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

13. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein a y coordinate value of the first color point is less than a y coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

14. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

an x coordinate value of the first color point is less than an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram; and

the y coordinate value of the first color point is less than the y coordinate value of the second color point on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

15. The skylight fixture of claim 14 wherein an x coordinate value of the first color point and an x coordinate value of the second color point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.15.

16. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

the sky-specific light source comprises first LEDs that emit light having a third color point, second LEDs that emit light having a fourth color point, and third LEDs that emit light having a fifth color point; and

the third color point, the fourth color point, and the fifth color point are spaced apart from one another on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram by at least 0.05 in at least one of x and y directions.

17. The skylight fixture of claim 16 wherein the first LEDs emit white light and the third color point is within seven MacAdams Ellipses of a blackbody curve.

18. The skylight fixture of claim 17 wherein the second LEDs emit bluish light, the third LEDs emit greenish light, and a y coordinate value of the fourth color point and a y coordinate value of the fifth color point on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram differ by at least 0.1.

19. The skylight fixture of claim 18 wherein:

at least two of the sun-specific light sources comprise fourth LEDs that emit light having a sixth color point, fifth LEDs that emit light having a seventh color point, and sixth LEDs that emit light having an eighth color point; and

the sixth color point, the seventh color point, and the eighth color point are spaced apart from one another on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram by at least 0.05 in at least one of x and y directions.

20. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein:

at least two of the sun-specific light sources comprise first LEDs that emit light having a third color point, second LEDs that emit light having a fourth color point, and third LEDs that emit light having a fifth color point; and

the third color point, the fourth color point, and the fifth color point are spaced apart from one another on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram by at least 0.05 in at least one of x and y directions.

21. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the skylight light and the sunlight light provide a composite light output that has a color rendering index of greater than 90.

22. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the sky-resembling assembly emulates a window of a traditional skylight and each of the plurality of sun-resembling assemblies emulates sunlight passing through and reflecting off of sidewalls of the traditional skylight.

23. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to independently and variably drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are independently variable.

24. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point change temporally.

25. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are selected based on a time of day.

26. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are selected based on information received from a remote device.

27. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are selected based on sensor information provided by at least one sensor.

28. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are selected based on outdoor lighting conditions.

29. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are selected based on outdoor weather conditions.

30. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the first color point and the second color point are selected based on outdoor environmental conditions.

31. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to, in a second mode, drive each sun-specific light source to change the second color point of the sunlight light provided by each sun-specific light source to provide a circadian stimulus.

32. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to, in a second mode, drive each sun-specific light source to change the second color point of the sun-specific light provided by each sun-specific light source to have additional red spectral content.

33. The skylight fixture of claim 1 wherein the at least one control module is further configured to communicate with other skylight fixtures and drive the sky-specific light source and each sun-specific light source such that the skylight light and the sunlight light are coordinated with that from the other skylight fixtures.