VARIABLE SPOT SIZE LENSES AND LIGHTING SYSTEMS

• US 20090109687A1
• Filed: 10/27/2008
• Published: 04/30/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Fraen Corporation
• Original Assignee: Fraen Corporation
• Inventors: Boxler, Lawrence H., Householder, John R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,016,451 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/309
• CPC Class Codes: F21L 4/027 the light sources being a LED
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/025 in portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/045 in portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/006 applied to portable lighting devices
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• 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 19/0047 for use with a light source G02B19/009, G02B19/0095 take precedence; details of lighting devices in general F21V; non-semiconductor lasers having optical devices external to the laser cavity H01S3/005
• 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

Abstract

Improved lighting devices and methods are provided. In many embodiments, the devices and methods provide the capability to change a spot of light projected onto a target surface. In other embodiments, the devices and methods are fixed-focus. In one embodiment a lens can have a lens body with anterior and posterior surfaces. The anterior surface can be adapted to receive light from a light source. The posterior surface can have a central portion and a peripheral portion. Some of the light from the light source can pass through the lens body and exit the central portion of the posterior surface via refraction. Some of the light from the light source can pass through the lens body and exit the peripheral portion of the posterior surface via both refraction and reflection at various surfaces of the lens.

Claims

1. A lens, comprising:

a lens body disposed about an optical axis and characterized by an anterior surface and a posterior surface, at least a portion of the anterior surface being adapted for receiving light from a light source, said posterior surface having a central portion and a peripheral portion,

wherein for at least one position of the light source along the optical axis said posterior peripheral portion primarily reflects, and said posterior central portion primarily refracts, light incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body from the light source.

2. The lens of claim 1, wherein said anterior surface comprises a peripheral portion adapted to receive light reflected by said peripheral posterior surface portion.

3. The lens of claim 2, wherein said anterior peripheral portion reflects light received from said posterior peripheral portion back thereto.

4. The lens of claim 2, wherein said anterior peripheral portion reflects light received from said posterior peripheral portion back thereto such that said posterior peripheral portion primarily refracts said reflected light as it exits the lens body.

5. The lens of claim 2, wherein at least a portion of said anterior peripheral portion is coated with a reflective material.

6. The lens of claim 1, wherein said reflection by said posterior peripheral portion comprises total internal reflection.

7. The lens of claim 1, wherein said anterior surface comprises a central portion adapted to receive light from the light source, said central portion of the anterior surface and said central portion of the posterior surface defining a portion of the lens body that provides an optical power.

8. The lens of claim 7, wherein said optical power is a converging optical power.

9. The lens of claim 1, wherein said peripheral portion of said posterior surface has a flat profile.

10. The lens of claim 9, wherein said central portion of said posterior surface has a convex profile.

11. The lens of claim 2, wherein said peripheral portion of said anterior surface has any of a substantially cup-shaped, parabolic, and elliptical profile.

12. The lens of claim 1, wherein for at least one position of the light source along the optical axis said posterior peripheral portion reflects at least 90% of light incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body from the light source and said posterior central portion refracts at least about 90% of light incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body from the light source.

13. The lens of claim 1, wherein for at least one position of the light source along the optical axis said posterior peripheral portion reflects at least 95% of light incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body from the light source and said posterior central portion refracts at least about 95% of light incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body from the light source.

14. The lens of claim 1, wherein said light source comprises a light-emitting diode.

15. A lens, comprising:

an optic having an anterior surface and a posterior surface disposed about an optical axis, each of said surfaces having a central portion and a peripheral portion, said central portion of the anterior surface being adapted to receive light from a source disposed along said optical axis and said central portion of the posterior surface being adapted to refract at least some of the source light entering the optic,

wherein, for a plurality of positions of the source along the optical axis, said peripheral surface portions are adapted to direct at least some of said received source light out of the optic via successive reflections at said posterior and anterior peripheral portions, followed by refraction at said posterior peripheral portion.

16. The lens of claim 15, wherein said central portions of the anterior and posterior surfaces define a portion of the optic providing an optical power.

17. The lens of claim 16, wherein said optical power is in a range of about 120 diopters to about 160 diopters.

18. The lens of claim 16, wherein said optical power is a converging optical power.

19. The lens of claim 15, wherein the plurality of positions of the source long the optical axis include all positions in which light exiting the source at an angle of at least 25 degrees to the optical axis is incident on the central portion of the anterior surface.

20. The lens of claim 15, wherein a portion of said peripheral portion of the posterior surface comprises a reflective coating.

21. A lens, comprising

a lens body having an anterior surface and a posterior surface configured such that a central portion of the anterior surface is adapted to receive light from a light source,

wherein for at least one position of the light source anterior to the central portion of the anterior surface, a central portion of the posterior surface is configured to primarily cause refraction of light from the light source incident thereon via passage through the lens body and a peripheral portion of said posterior surface is configured to primarily cause reflection of light from the light source incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body.

22. The lens of claim 21, wherein the peripheral portion of the posterior surface is configured to primarily cause total internal reflection of said light from the light source toward a peripheral portion of said anterior surface.

23. The lens of claim 21, wherein a peripheral portion of the anterior surface is configured to primarily cause reflection of light that is incident thereon as a result of being reflected from said peripheral portion of the posterior surface.

24. The lens of claim 23, wherein said peripheral portion of said anterior surface has any of a substantially cup-shaped, parabolic, and elliptical profile.

25. The lens of claim 23, wherein said peripheral portion of the anterior surface comprises a metallic coating for causing reflection of light incident thereon.

26. The lens of claim 21, wherein the central portions of each of said anterior and posterior surfaces have a profile that is any of substantially cup-shaped, spherical, parabolic, and elliptical.

27. The lens of claim 21, wherein said peripheral portion of said posterior surface has a flat profile.

28. The lens of claim 21, wherein said central portion of said posterior surface has a convex profile.

29. The lens of claim 21, wherein said central portion of the anterior surface has a concave profile forming a cavity in said lens body in which the light source can be disposed.

30. The lens of claim 21, wherein said central portions of the said anterior and posterior surfaces together provide an optical power of about 120 to about 160 diopters.

31. The lens of claim 21, wherein for at least one position of the light source anterior to the central portion of the anterior surface, the central portion of the posterior surface is configured to cause refraction of at least 90% of light from the light source incident thereon via passage through the lens body and a peripheral portion of said posterior surface is configured to cause reflection of at least 90% of light from the light source incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body.

32. The lens of claim 21, wherein for at least one position of the light source anterior to the central portion of the anterior surface, the central portion of the posterior surface is configured to cause refraction of at least 95% of light from the light source incident thereon via passage through the lens body and a peripheral portion of said posterior surface is configured to cause reflection of at least 95% of light from the light source incident thereon via a single passage through the lens body.

33. The lens of claim 21, wherein said light source comprises a light-emitting diode.

34-75. -75. (canceled)