Linear lenses for LEDs
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A lighting system comprising:
- an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having a central portion and a pair of surrounding outer portions, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes to redistribute said light, wherein (i) said central portion is shaped to uniformly illuminate a first planar region disposed a first distance from said array and (ii) said outer portions of said cylindrical lens are shaped to uniformly illuminate outer portions of a second planar region at a second distance from the array.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Various embodiments described herein comprise array of light emitting diodes and a cylindrical lens having front and rear curved surfaces. The cylindrical lens is disposed to receive light from the light emitting diodes and to redistribute the light. The cylindrical lens is located no more than about 8 inches distance from the front an illumination target, which may for example, comprise products on shelves in a refrigerator. The front and rear surfaces of the cylindrical lens are shaped to provide substantially uniform illumination across the target.
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Citations
59 Claims
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1. A lighting system comprising:
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an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having a central portion and a pair of surrounding outer portions, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes to redistribute said light, wherein (i) said central portion is shaped to uniformly illuminate a first planar region disposed a first distance from said array and (ii) said outer portions of said cylindrical lens are shaped to uniformly illuminate outer portions of a second planar region at a second distance from the array. - View Dependent Claims (2, 5, 7)
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3. (canceled)
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8. A refrigerator comprising:
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a refrigerator door frame;
at least one refrigerator door;
a refrigerator compartment;
a plurality of shelves positioned in said refrigerator compartment such that front edges of said plurality of shelves form a product display plane transverse to said plurality of shelves;
an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having front and rear curved surfaces, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes and to redistribute said light, said cylindrical lens being located no more than about 8 inches distance from the front edges of said plurality of shelves, wherein said front and rear surfaces of said cylindrical lens are shaped to provide substantially uniform illumination across a portion of said product display plane having a width substantially equal to the width of said front edge of one of said shelves. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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9. (canceled)
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12. A refrigerator comprising:
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a refrigerator door frame;
at least one refrigerator door;
a refrigerator compartment;
a plurality of shelves positioned in said refrigerator compartment such that front edges of said plurality of shelves form a product display plane transverse to said plurality of shelves;
an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having front and rear curved surfaces, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes and to redistribute said light, said cylindrical lens located no more than 2 inches distance from the front edges of said plurality of shelves, wherein said front and rear surfaces are shaped to provide substantially uniform illumination across a pair of spaced apart regions in said product display plane. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15)
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13. (canceled)
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16. A lighting system comprising:
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an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having a central portion and a pair of surrounding outer portions, said central portion shaped to refract light from the light emitting diodes into an inner distribution of angles and said pair of surrounding outer portions shaped to refract light from the light emitting diodes into an outer distribution of angles disposed about said inner distribution angles, such that (i) light in said inner distribution of angles illuminates a central region of a first plane more uniformly than said light in said outer distribution illuminates outer regions of said first plane and (ii) light in said outer distribution illuminates outer regions of a second plane more uniformly than said light in said inner distribution illuminates a inner region of said second plane. - View Dependent Claims (18, 25, 27)
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17. (canceled)
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19. (canceled)
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20. (canceled)
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21. (canceled)
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22. (canceled)
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23. (canceled)
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28. A lighting system comprising:
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an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having a central portion and a pair of surrounding outer portions, wherein (i) said central portion is shaped to match the cumulative lateral flux of the array of light emitting diodes with the cumulative lateral flux of a uniformly illuminated central region of a first plane and (ii) said outer portions of said cylindrical lens are shaped to match the cumulative lateral flux of the array of light emitting diodes with the cumulative lateral flux of a uniformly illuminated outer region of a second plane. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33)
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29. (canceled)
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30. (canceled)
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34. A lighting system comprising:
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an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes to redistribute said light, said cylindrical lens having first and second curved surfaces, said first surface having negative optical power, said second surface having a central portion and a pair of surrounding outer portions, said central portion having negative optical power to increase uniformity in illuminating a first planar region and said outer portions having positive optical power so as to increase uniformity in illuminating a second planar region. - View Dependent Claims (35, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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36. (canceled)
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41. (canceled)
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42. (canceled)
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43. (canceled)
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44. (canceled)
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45. (canceled)
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47. A refrigerator comprising:
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a refrigerator door frame;
at least one refrigerator door;
a refrigerator compartment;
a plurality of shelves positioned in said refrigerator compartment such that front edges of said plurality of shelves form a product display plane transverse to said plurality of shelves;
an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having front and rear curved surfaces, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes and to redistribute said light, wherein said front and rear surfaces of said cylindrical lens are shaped to match the cumulative lateral flux of the array of light emitting diodes with the cumulative lateral flux of a uniformly illuminated portion of said product display plane.
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49. A refrigerator comprising:
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a refrigerator door frame;
at least one refrigerator door;
a refrigerator compartment;
a plurality of shelves positioned in said refrigerator compartment such that front edges of said plurality of shelves form a product display plane transverse to said plurality of shelves;
an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having front and rear curved surfaces, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes and to redistribute said light, wherein said front and rear surfaces of said cylindrical lens are shaped to provide substantially uniform illumination across a portion of said product display plane between about 6 inches and 12 inches wide, said substantially uniform illumination varying by no more than about 30% per inch.
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50. A refrigerator comprising:
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a refrigerator door frame;
at least one refrigerator door;
a refrigerator compartment;
a plurality of shelves positioned in said refrigerator compartment such that front edges of said plurality of shelves form a product display plane transverse to said plurality of shelves;
an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes to redistribute said light, said cylindrical lens having a central portion and an outer portion, said central portion having either more negative power or less positive power than said outer portion such that said central portion is more diverging than said outer portion so as to increase uniformity in illuminating a planar region. - View Dependent Claims (51, 52, 53)
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54. A lighting system comprising:
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an array of light emitting diodes; and
a cylindrical lens having front and rear surfaces, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes and to redistribute said light; and
a diffuser positioned between said array of light emitting diodes and said cylindrical lens, wherein said front and rear surfaces of said cylindrical lens are shaped to match the cumulative lateral flux of the array of light emitting diodes with the cumulative lateral flux of a uniformly illuminated portion of a planar region.
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55. (canceled)
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56. (canceled)
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57. A lighting system comprising:
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an array of light emitting diodes;
a cylindrical lens having front and rear surfaces, said cylindrical lens disposed to receive light from said light emitting diodes and to redistribute said light; and
a mask positioned between said array of light emitting diodes and said cylindrical lens, said mask configured to block transmission of light incident thereon, wherein said front and rear surfaces of said cylindrical lens are shaped to match the cumulative lateral flux of the array of light emitting diodes with the cumulative lateral flux of a uniformly illuminated portion of a planar region.
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58. (canceled)
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59. (canceled)
Specification