LUMINAIRE HAVING A TWO-WAY WAVEGUIDE

• US 20110013417A1
• Filed: 09/29/2010
• Published: 01/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Steiner, Ivan B., Saccomanno, Robert J.
• Granted Patent: US 8,142,062 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/606
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources

Abstract

A luminaire includes a waveguide having first and second opposing ends and first and second opposing sides between the first and second ends. The waveguide is configured to totally internally reflect light propagating through the waveguide in a first direction and direct light propagating through the waveguide in a second direction through at least one of the first and second sides. A reflective body is coupled to the second end of the waveguide and configured to reflect light propagating towards the second end of the waveguide such that the light propagates towards the first end of the waveguide.

Claims

1. A luminaire, comprising:

a waveguide having an input face, communicating with a microstructured beam modifier at a distal end of the waveguide, and a plurality waveguide extraction features communicating with the beam modifier and located between the input face and the distal end of the waveguide; and

a plurality of light sources adjacent the input face and separated by a first predetermined distance, S_i, each configured to emit a diverging beam of light through the input face, such that the angle θ

_n at which the beams in the waveguide are at their half-intensity intersect at a distance, B_i, towards the distal end of the waveguide and normal to the input face,

wherein the diverging beam has a radius, R=L*tan(θ

_n), where L is the distance down the waveguide normal to the input face,

wherein at any distance, L, the uniformity of the light across that cross section of the waveguide is defined as Δ

S_iNorm(s_i), where s_i=S_i/R,

wherein the uniformity transitions through local maxima and local minima as a function of L, where the minima are more uniform than the maxima,

wherein the microstructured beam modifier is located at a distance normal from the input face substantially greater than B_i for intercepting the diverging beam where the uniformity is at or near a local minima.