COLOR-TUNABLE ILLUMINATION SYSTEM

• US 20100172120A1
• Filed: 05/20/2008
• Published: 07/08/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Sweegers, Chantal, Hoelen, Christoph Gerard August, Hendriks, Rene Jan, Wegh, Rene Theodorus, Lankhorst, Martijn Henri Richard
• Granted Patent: US 8,172,415 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/84
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/02 changing colors F21S10/002 - F21S10/007, F21S10/04 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

The invention relates to a color-tunable illumination system (10; 12; 14) and a luminaire. The color-tunable illumination system comprises a first light source comprising a first set of light emitting diodes (21, 24), and a second light source comprising a second set of light emitting diodes (31, 37, 34). Both the first and second light source emit light of substantially a first predefined color into a light mixing chamber (60). The light mixing chamber further comprises a first luminescent material (50) converting light of the first predefined color into light of a second predefined color. The first light source is positioned with respect to the first luminescent material for illuminating the first luminescent material with a first flux of light being part of the light emitted by the first light source into the light mixing chamber. The second light source is positioned with respect to the first luminescent material for illuminating the first luminescent material with a second flux of light being part of the light emitted by the second light source into the light mixing chamber. The first flux is different from the second flux. The effect of the measures according to the invention is that a change in the intensity of the light emitted by the first light source relative to the intensity of the light emitted by the second light source results in a change of the color emitted by the color-tunable illumination system.

Claims

1. A color-tunable illumination system, comprising:

a first light source,

a second light source and

a layer of first luminescent material being arranged inside a light mixing chamber having a light exit window for emitting the light therefrom,

the first light source and the second light source each comprising at least one light emitting diode and emitting light of a first predefined color into the light mixing chamber,

the first luminescent material absorbing light of the first predefined color and converting the absorbed light into light of a second predefined color different from the first predefined color, the first luminescent material being arranged remote from the first light source and the second light source, the first light source being positioned with respect to the first luminescent material for illuminating the first luminescent material with a first relative flux of light being a part of the light emitted by the first light source into the light mixing chamber, the second light source being positioned with respect to the first luminescent material for illuminating the first luminescent material with a second relative flux of light being a part of the light emitted by the second light source into the light mixing chamber, the first relative flux being different from the second relative flux, and

a controller for controlling an intensity of the light emitted by the first light source relative to the intensity of the light emitted by the second light source for altering a flux of light of the first predefined color which illuminates the first luminescent material, and/or for controlling a position of the first light source with respect to the luminescent material relative to the position of the second light source with respect to the luminescent material.

2. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first light source is arranged for directly illuminating the first luminescent material, and wherein the second light source is shielded from directly illuminating the first luminescent material,

3. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 2, wherein dichroic shielding means are arranged for shielding the second light source from illuminating the first luminescent material.

4. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light mixing chamber comprises a further luminescent material converting light of the first predefined color into a further predefined color different from the first predefined color and the second predefined color.

5. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first predefined color is within a range between 400 nanometers and 490 nanometers.

6. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1 further comprising a third light source and a third luminescent material,

the third light source comprising at least one light emitting diode emitting light of the first predefined color into the light mixing chamber, the third light source being arranged for directly illuminating the third luminescent material while the first light source and second light source being shielded from directly illuminating the third luminescent material,

the third luminescent material absorbing light of the first predefined color and converting the absorbed light into light of a third predefined color different from the first predefined color and second predefined color.

7. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first luminescent material and/or the further luminescent material and/or the third luminescent material comprises a phosphor composition being a mixture of phosphors, each phosphor composition of the first luminescent material, the further luminescent material and/or the third luminescent material being different.

8. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first light source and/or the second light source comprises a series arrangement of a plurality of light emitting diodes.

9. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 7, wherein each light emitting diode of the first light source is arranged for directly illuminating the first luminescent material, and wherein each light emitting diode of the second light source is shielded from directly illuminating the first luminescent material.

10. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 8, wherein the light emitting diodes of the first light source are arranged in a further light mixing chamber comprising the first luminescent material or in a plurality of further light mixing chambers comprising the first luminescent material, the further light mixing chamber or the plurality of further light mixing chambers being arranged inside the light mixing chamber.

11. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 10 when comprising the further luminescent material, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are arranged to substantially uniformly illuminate the light exit window of the light mixing chamber and wherein the further luminescent material is arranged at the light exit window of the light mixing chamber.

12. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claims 1, wherein the first light source and the second light source are arranged on an edge of the light mixing chamber next to the light exit window, each of the first light source and the second light source emitting light away from the light exit window preventing direct illumination of the light exit window by the first light source and the second light sources.

13. Color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the first predefined color is the color blue, the first luminescent material converts the absorbed light of the first predefined color into amber light being the second predefined color, and the further luminescent material converts the absorbed light of the first predefined color into yellow light being the further predefined color.

14. Luminaire comprising the color-tunable illumination system as claimed in claim 1.