LIGHT BOXES WITH UNIFORM LIGHT DISTRIBUTION

• US 20120020112A1
• Filed: 03/29/2010
• Published: 01/26/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: 3Form (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Original Assignee: 3Form (Hunter Douglas N.V.)
• Inventors: Fisher, Kevin L., Martin, Guillaume, Damen, Michael, Hillstrom, Brian, Raissen, Mark Howard, Hernandez, Esteban D.
• Granted Patent: US 8,419,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/608
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 13/12 Transparent tops , e.g. with lighting means under the table top
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0012 Furniture hospital beds F21V33/0072
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0011 the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0096 the lights guides being of the hollow type
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/0422 Reflectors
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/18 Edge-illuminated signs
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/1804 Achieving homogeneous illumination
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/1831 using more than one light source
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/1854 Light diffusing layer
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 2013/222 with LEDs

Abstract

Light boxes for uniformly illuminating panels include a frame that supports one or more translucent panels. The light boxes further include a light source positioned within the light box. Example light sources can include fluorescent bulbs, incandescent lights, and/or light-emitting-diodes. In at least one implementation, a manufacturer positions a relatively limited number of light sources aimed and/or positioned in a particular way to uniformly distribute light throughout the light box and evenly across the translucent panels such that there are no shadows, hot spots or other non-uniform light patterns on the translucent panels.

Claims

1. A uniformly illuminated light box that substantially eliminates hot spots, shadows, scalloping or other non-uniform light characteristics from the lighted panels, comprising:

a frame;

a translucent panel coupled to the frame, the translucent panel having an inner surface and an outer surface;

a diffusion space adjacent the inner surface of the translucent panel;

a light source positioned within the light box; and

an optical lens operatively associated with the light source, such that light emitted from the light source is uniformly distributed throughout the diffusion space and across the translucent panel.

2. The light box as recited in claim 1, comprising a corner assembly, wherein the light source is mounted within the corner assembly and the corner assembly is coupled to an interior corner of the light box.

3. The light box as recited in claim 2, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of LEDs.

4. The light box as recited in claim 3, wherein the plurality of LEDs are operatively associated with optical lenses with differing beam angles.

5. The light box as recited in claim 1, comprising a light fixture positioned proximate an edge of the light box, the light fixture having a plurality of LEDs.

6. The light box as recited in claim 5, wherein the plurality of LEDs are operatively associated with optical lenses with differing beam angles.

7. The light box as recited in claim 6, wherein the optical lenses with differing beam angles alternate between a six degree by twenty five degree lens and a twenty five degree lens.

8. The light box as recited in claim 6, wherein the optical lenses with differing beam angles alternate between a six degree by twenty five degree lens and an open beam lens of one hundred and eighteen degrees.

9. The light box as recited in claim 6, wherein the optical lenses with differing beam angles includes two or more of the following angles:

six degrees, six by twenty five degrees, eleven degrees, fifteen degrees, eighteen degrees, twenty five degrees, forty degrees, and one hundred and eighteen degrees.

10. The light box as recited in claim 5, wherein the light fixture is rotatable about an axis.

11. The light box as recited in claim 1, further comprising:

a back plate with a reflective surface mounted to the frame opposite the translucent panel; and

a side reflector with a reflective surface positioned along at least one wall portion on the interior of the light box.

12. The light box as recited in claim 1, wherein the translucent panel includes a diffusion layer on the inner surface of the translucent panel such that light both passes through the diffusion layer into the translucent panel while at the same time light is reflected by the diffusion layer.

13. A reconfigurable light box configured to allow a manufacturer/designer to change the geometric dimensions of the light box depending on the application for which the manufacturer/designer desires to use the light box, comprising:

a frame including four wall portions, four corner portions, a first side and a second side;

a back plate secured to the first side of the frame;

a translucent panel secured to the second side of the frame; and

a light source assembly mounted within at least a portion of the frame.

14. The reconfigurable light box of claim 13, wherein the light source assembly comprises a light source corner assembly that includes a plurality of LEDs that uniformly illuminate the panel.

15. The reconfigurable light box of claim 14, wherein the length of the four wall portions are variable.

16. The reconfigurable light box of claim 15, wherein the plurality of LEDs are operatively associated with optical lenses that have differing beam angles.

17. The reconfigurable light box of claim 15, wherein the back plate, the wall portions, the corner portions and the translucent panel comprise a diffusion layer that at least partially reflects light emitted from the light source.

18. An illuminated piece of furniture wherein the illuminated portion of the furniture has a uniform light distribution, comprising:

a light box that forms a substantially hollow region surrounded by one or more translucent panels, the light box comprising;

a light fixture having a light source positioned such that light emitted by the light source is directed towards the one or more translucent panels;

an optical element associated with the light source such that the light emitted by the light source is directed through the optical element and diffused at a predetermined beam angle.

19. The illuminated piece of furniture recited in claim 18, comprising one or more supporting legs supporting the light box, wherein the light box forms a table top coupled to the supporting legs.

20. The illuminated piece of furniture recited in claim 18, comprising a base portion supporting the light box, wherein the translucent panels of the light box form the top and sides of a desk.