OPTICAL DEVICE FOR LED-BASED LAMP

• US 20080123349A1
• Filed: 01/07/2008
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 05/13/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Light Engine Limited
• Original Assignee: Light Prescriptions Innovators, LLC
• Inventors: Falicoff, Waqidi, Parkyn, William A., Benitez, Pablo, Minano, Juan Carlos, Sun, Yupin, Munoz, Fernando, Chaves, Julio Cesar
• Granted Patent: US 7,753,561 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/329
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• 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 19/0071 adapted to illuminate a complete hemisphere or a plane extending 360 degrees around the source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0927 Systems for changing the beam intensity distribution, e.g. Gaussian to top-hat
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/095 Refractive optical elements
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/06 with cylindrical or toric faces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 3/08 with discontinuous faces, e.g. Fresnel lens diffractive Fresnel lenses G02B5/1876
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

An optical device for coupling the luminous output of a light-emitting diode (LED) to a predominantly spherical pattern comprises a transfer section that receives the LED'"'"'s light within it and an ejector positioned adjacent the transfer section to receive light from the transfer section and spread the light generally spherically. A base of the transfer section is optically aligned and/or coupled to the LED so that the LED'"'"'s light enters the transfer section. The transfer section can comprises a compound elliptic concentrator operating via total internal reflection. The ejector section can have a variety of shapes, and can have diffusive features on its surface as well. The transfer section can in some implementations be polygonal, V-grooved, faceted and other configurations.

Claims

1. An optical device for distributing the radiant emission of a light emitter comprising:

a lower transfer section; and

an upper ejector section situated upon the lower transfer section, said lower transfer section operable for placement upon the light emitter and operable to transfer the radiant emission to said upper ejector section, said upper ejector section shaped such that the emission is redistributed externally into a substantial solid angle and wherein said ejector section comprises a lower and a connecting upper portion.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said ejector section is a biconic surface comprising a lower vertically expanding cone extending out of said transfer section and an upper pointed cone.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein said lower portion of said ejector section comprises a cylindrical section surfaced with convex and concave toroidal lenslets.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said lower portion of said ejector section has a protruding flange-like profile of thickness comparable to the diameter of said transfer section and diameter comparable to the height of said transfer section.

5. The device of claim 4 wherein said flange-like profile of said lower portion of said ejector section comprises an upper equiangular spiral with its center at the uppermost axial point of said transfer section.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said upper portion of said ejector section comprises a solid of revolution with a profile of an equiangular spiral with center at the upper edge of said transfer section.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein said lower portion of said ejector section a portion of a sphere.

8. The device of claim 1 wherein said upper portion of said ejector section is an inverted cone.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein said sphere is surfaced with toroidal lenslets.

10. An optical device for distributing radiant emissions of a light emitter, the optical device comprising:

a transfer section; and

an ejector section situated upon the transfer section, said transfer section operable for placement adjacent with a light emitter and operable to transfer radiant emission from said light emitter to said ejector section, said ejector section shaped such that the emission is redistributed externally into a substantial solid angle.

11. The optical device of claim 10, wherein said ejector section has an upper surface with a profile of an equiangular spiral with a center at an upper edge of said transfer section.

12. The optical device of claim 10, wherein said ejector section has a surface comprised of a radial array of V-grooves.

13. The device of claim 12 wherein said V-grooves subtend right angles.

14. The optical device of claim 10, wherein a surface of said transfer section is comprised of an array of V-grooves.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein said V-grooves subtend right angles.

16. The device of claim 14 wherein said transfer section is a cylinder.

17. The optical device of claim 10, wherein said transfer section is polygonal.

18. The optical device of claim 10, wherein said transfer section is faceted.