INCANDESCENT ILLUMINATION SYSTEM INCORPORATING AN INFRARED-REFLECTIVE SHROUD
First Claim
1. An incandescent illumination system for projecting a beam of light, comprising:
- an incandescent lamp comprising one or more filaments for emitting visible light and infrared light; and
a lighting fixture configured to removably receive and retain the incandescent lamp, the lighting fixture comprising;
a socket for supporting the incandescent lamp in a prescribed position,a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the incandescent lamp when it is in its prescribed position, the shroud including a substrate and an infrared-reflective coating disposed on the substrate, anda concave reflector defining a longitudinal fixture axis;
wherein the shroud is configured to reflect a substantial portion of the infrared light emitted by the one or more filaments of the incandescent lamp back to the one or more filaments;
wherein the shroud further is configured to transmit a substantial portion of the visible light emitted by the one or more filaments of the incandescent lamp to the concave reflector, which in turn reflects such visible light to project a beam of light along the longitudinal fixture axis; and
wherein the incandescent lamp and the shroud are separately mounted in prescribed positions relative to the concave reflector and are configured such that the incandescent lamp is removable from the lighting fixture without requiring removal of the shroud.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An improved incandescent lamp and incandescent lighting system are disclosed, for projecting a beam of light with substantially improved energy efficiency. The incandescent lamp includes a pair of reflective ceramic filament supports for supporting one or more filaments in prescribed position(s) within an envelope while reflecting back substantially all visible and infrared light for incorporation into the projected beam or for absorption by the filament(s). The incandescent lighting system includes a special infrared-reflective shroud concentrically encircling the incandescent lamp, for reflecting infrared light back toward the lamp filament(s) while transmitting visible light to a concave reflector for incorporation into the projected beam. The infrared-reflective coating is deposited onto the shroud'"'"'s inner surface, and it includes a dielectric coating and an underlying transparent conductive coating. The lamp and the shroud are separately mounted relative to the concave reflector and are configured such that the lamp is removable without requiring removal of the shroud.
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Citations
52 Claims
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1. An incandescent illumination system for projecting a beam of light, comprising:
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an incandescent lamp comprising one or more filaments for emitting visible light and infrared light; and a lighting fixture configured to removably receive and retain the incandescent lamp, the lighting fixture comprising; a socket for supporting the incandescent lamp in a prescribed position, a shroud surrounding at least a portion of the incandescent lamp when it is in its prescribed position, the shroud including a substrate and an infrared-reflective coating disposed on the substrate, and a concave reflector defining a longitudinal fixture axis; wherein the shroud is configured to reflect a substantial portion of the infrared light emitted by the one or more filaments of the incandescent lamp back to the one or more filaments; wherein the shroud further is configured to transmit a substantial portion of the visible light emitted by the one or more filaments of the incandescent lamp to the concave reflector, which in turn reflects such visible light to project a beam of light along the longitudinal fixture axis; and wherein the incandescent lamp and the shroud are separately mounted in prescribed positions relative to the concave reflector and are configured such that the incandescent lamp is removable from the lighting fixture without requiring removal of the shroud. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32)
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33. An incandescent illumination system comprising:
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(a) a concave reflector; (b) an electrical socket mounted in a prescribed position relative to the concave reflector; (c) an incandescent lamp including (1) a base configured to releasably seat in the electrical socket and to receive electrical power therefrom, (2) one or more filaments for emitting visible light and infrared light, (3) an envelope secured to the base and cooperating with the base to enclose the one or more filaments; and (d) a shroud encircling the incandescent lamp and comprising (1) a transparent substrate having an inner surface facing toward the incandescent lamp and an outer surface facing away from the incandescent lamp, and (2) a coating system deposited onto the transparent substrate, wherein the coating system comprises a dielectric coating configured to transmit a substantial portion of visible light emitted by the lamp filament and to reflect a substantial portion of infrared light emitted by the lamp filament. - View Dependent Claims (34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 40, 41)
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39. The incandescent illumination system as defined in claim 39, wherein:
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the dielectric coating comprises a plurality of dielectric layers having prescribed refractive indices and prescribed thicknesses; the plurality of dielectric layers comprise alternating layers of a first material having a relatively low refractive index and of a second material having a relatively high refractive index; and the transparent substrate and the second material of the dielectric coating have coefficients of thermal expansion that differ from each other by no more than a factor of 2.5.
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42. An incandescent illumination system comprising:
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(a) a concave reflector; (b) an electrical socket mounted in a prescribed position relative to the concave reflector; (c) an incandescent lamp including (1) a base configured to releasably seat in the electrical socket and to receive electrical power therefrom, (2) one or more filaments for emitting visible light and infrared light, and (3) an envelope secured to the base and cooperating with the base to enclose the one or more filaments; and (d) a shroud encircling the incandescent lamp and comprising (1) a transparent substrate having an inner surface facing the lamp and an outer surface facing away from the lamp, and (2) a coating system deposited onto the transparent substrate, the coating system including a dielectric coating configured to transmit a substantial portion of visible light emitted by the lamp filament and to reflect a substantial portion of infrared light emitted by the lamp filament, wherein the dielectric coating comprises a plurality of alternating layers of a first material having a relatively low refractive index and of a second material having a relatively high refractive index, (3) wherein the transparent substrate and the second material of the dielectric coating have coefficients of thermal expansion that differ from each other by no more than a factor of 2.5. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44)
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45. A lighting fixture for use in combination with an incandescent lamp to project a beam of light, the lighting fixture comprising:
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a concave reflector defining a longitudinal fixture axis; a socket mounted on the concave reflector and configured to removably hold an incandescent lamp; and a shroud mounted in a prescribed position relative to the concave reflector and the socket and configured to surround at least a portion of an incandescent lamp held by the socket, the shroud including a transparent substrate and an infrared-reflective coating system disposed thereon; wherein the shroud'"'"'s infrared coating system is configured to reflect a substantial portion of infrared light emitted from an incandescent lamp held by the socket back to the incandescent lamp for absorption by a lamp filament; wherein the shroud further is configured to transmit a substantial portion of visible light emitted from an incandescent lamp held by the socket to the concave reflector, which in turn reflects such visible light to project a beam of light along the longitudinal fixture axis; and wherein the lighting fixture is configured such that an incandescent lamp held by the socket is removable from the lighting fixture without requiring removal of the shroud. - View Dependent Claims (46, 47, 48, 49, 50, 51, 52)
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Specification