LIGHT EMITTING DIODE ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

• US 20090008573A1
• Filed: 07/02/2008
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Arlie R. Conner
• Original Assignee: Arlie R. Conner
• Inventors: Conner, Arlie R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,709,811 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 250/459.100
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/507 the elements being in intimate contact with parts other than the semiconductor body or integrated with parts other than the semiconductor body
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

In various embodiments of the invention, a unique construction for Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) with prisms and dyes and other optical elements can be used to generate a variety of light sources with different emission spectra. In an embodiment of the invention, reflected light can be redirected outward. In another embodiment of the invention, a white LED based light uses a blue LED and associated optics elements, including a high index glass prism or rod, a layer of dyed florescent polymer and an extraction-enhancing optical element or lens, such that all of the light emitted from with the dye layer can be directed outward.

Claims

1. A multicolor Light Emitting Diode (LED) based lighting element, comprising:

a LED light source, wherein the LED light source emits LED light consisting of one or more selected color;

a fluorescent dye positioned to receive the LED light, wherein the LED light passing through the fluorescent dye emits fluorescent light of one or more colors other than the selected color, wherein the fluorescent light is emitted in a forward direction and in a backward direction; and

an optical element positioned between the LED light source and the fluorescent dye to redirect fluorescent light from the backward direction into the forward direction.

2. The lighting element of claim 1, wherein the LED light is emitted in a forward direction.

3. The lighting element of claim 1, wherein the fluorescent dye is generally transparent to the fluorescent light emitted.

4. The lighting element of claim 1, wherein a plurality of LED light sources emit LED light.

5. The lighting element of claim 1, wherein the LED light passes through a plurality of fluorescent dyes emitting fluorescent light of one or more colors other than the selected color.

6. The lighting element of claim 1, wherein two or more LEDs each emit LED light wherein two or more fluorescent dyes are positioned to receive the LED light.

7. The lighting element of claim 1, wherein the fluorescent dye is contained in a polymer.

8. The lighting element of claim 7, wherein the polymer is generally transparent to the fluorescent light emitted.

9. The lighting element of claim 7, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polyvinyl toluene and poly methyl methacrylate or copolymer combinations thereof.

10. The lighting element of claim 7, further comprising an extracting optical element for directing light emitted in the forward direction from the polymer layer.

11. The lighting element of claim 7, further comprising a space between the polymer layer and the LED.

12. A method of generating a Light Emitting Diode (LED) based lighting element, comprising the steps of:

applying a potential to a LED to generate LED light in at least a selected color;

positioning a fluorescent dye to receive the LED light, wherein the LED light passing through the fluorescent dye emits fluorescent light of one or more colors other than the selected color, wherein the fluorescent light is being emitted in the forward direction and in a backward direction; and

redirecting the backward emitted fluorescent light in the forward direction via an optical element positioned between the LED light source and the fluorescent dye.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein the LED light is emitted in a forward direction.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein the fluorescent dye is generally transparent to the fluorescent light emitted.

15. The method of claim 12, wherein the fluorescent dye is contained in a polymer.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the polymer is generally transparent to the fluorescent light emitted.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the polymer is selected from the group consisting of polystyrene, polyvinyl toluene and poly methyl methacrylate or combinations thereof.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising directing light emitted in the forward direction from the polymer layer via an extracting optical element.

19. A system for identifying a characteristic of one or more analyte comprising:

(a) applying a potential to a LED to generate LED light in at least a selected color;

(b) positioning a fluorescent dye to receive the LED light, wherein the LED light passing through the fluorescent dye emits fluorescent light of one or more colors other than the selected color, wherein the fluorescent light is being emitted in the forward direction and in a backward direction;

(c) directing the forward emitted fluorescent light onto one or more analyte, wherein the one or more analyte emits light;

(d) directing the emitted light onto one or more light detector; and

(e) identifying a characteristic of the one or more analyte based on the emitted light.

20. The identification system of claim 19, further comprising an optical element positioned between the LED light source and the fluorescent dye, wherein the optical element redirects the backward emitted fluorescent light in the forward direction.

21. The identification system of claim 19, wherein the emitted light can be detected based on one or more properties of the light emitted selected from the group consisting of fluorescence, phosphorescence, absorbance, transmittance, scattering and luminescence.