APPARATUS, METHOD, AND SYSTEM FOR PRECISE LED LIGHTING

• US 20180347787A1
• Filed: 06/05/2018
• Published: 12/06/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Inventors: GORDIN, MYRON, MCKEE, LUKE C., LICKISS, CHRIS P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,378,732 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/65 specially adapted for changing the characteristics or the distribution of the light, e.g. by adjustment of parts
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/68 Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/086 with lighting device attached sideways of the standard, e.g. for roads and highways
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/183 pivotable
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/08 by movement of the screens or filters
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/02 with provision for adjustment F21V17/04 - F21V17/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/05 plane
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/105 of arenas or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/16 square or rectangular, e.g. for light panels
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

Lighting applications which are particularly difficult to light because of “non-standard” target area characteristics or the like would benefit from advancements in lighting design. That being said, conventional wisdom in lighting design has reached a point of diminishing returns in terms of beam control. Envisioned is an LED lighting system designed for precision lighting insomuch that—as compared to state-of-the-art LED lighting fixtures—sharpness of cutoff is improved while in at least some cases simultaneously allowing a steeper cutoff without undesirable beam shift. Furthermore, overall beam dimensions can be tailored fixture-to-fixture for an application without replacing an entire optic system or designing an entirely new fixture, and control of intensity distribution is improved (e.g., by avoiding striations at the edge of beam patterns). Said envisioned LED lighting system employs a number of materials not used in conventional LED lighting systems in novel ways to achieve the aforementioned.

Claims

1. An LED lighting fixture comprising:

a. a lighting fixture housing having an emitting face defined by an opening in the lighting fixture housing into an internal space in the lighting fixture housing;

b. a thermally conductive surface in the internal space in the lighting fixture housing;

c. a plurality of LEDs mounted to the thermally conductive surface in the internal space in the lighting fixture housing, each LED having a beam output;

d. a silicone secondary lens device having one or more integrally formed secondary lenses each of which encapsulates one or more of the LEDs mounted to the thermally conductive surface in the internal space in the lighting fixture housing; and

e. a secondary lens holder having one or more devices to resiliently hold the silicone secondary lens device in a position that prevents distortion of the LED beam outputs when the silicone secondary lens device thermally expands and contracts.

2. The LED lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the one or more devices to resiliently hold the silicone secondary lens device comprises a plurality of pegs sized to fit through complementary apertures in the silicone secondary lens device.

3. The LED lighting fixture of claim 1 wherein the silicone secondary lens device comprises a sheet of silicone having a plurality of integrally formed secondary lenses.

4. The LED lighting fixture of claim 3 wherein the plurality of integrally formed secondary lenses in the silicone secondary lens sheet includes at least two different beam types.

5. The LED lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a multi-part visoring system having a first portion and second portion and wherein:

a. the first portion is installed proximate the emitting face of the lighting fixture housing such that a reflective surface of the first portion redirects the beam output from one or more of the plurality of LEDs; and

b. the second portion is installed remote from the emitting face of the lighting fixture housing such that a light absorbing surface of the second portion cuts off the beam output from one or more of the plurality of LEDs.

6. The LED lighting fixture of claim 5 wherein the second visor portion is attached to the first visor portion.

7. The LED lighting fixture of claim 5 wherein the second visor portion is not attached to the first visor portion or the lighting fixture housing and is located some distance away from the lighting fixture housing.

8. The LED lighting fixture of claim 5 wherein the second visor portion is attached to the lighting fixture housing or a portion of an elevating structure common to the lighting fixture housing, and wherein the second visor portion is pivotable independently from the first visor portion via a pivoting mechanism.

9. The LED lighting fixture of claim 1 further comprising a multi-part differential reflection system installed proximate the emitting face of the lighting fixture housing and comprising:

a. one or more differential reflection materials; and

b. one or more fastening devices to secure the one or more differential reflection materials in a desired plane relative the emitting face of the lighting fixture housing.

10. The LED lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the differential reflection materials of the multi-part differential reflection system comprise one or more of:

a. aluminum sheet;

b. aluminum sheet with a reflective coating;

c. aluminum sheet with a light absorbing coating;

d. glass;

e. glass with a reflective coating on a back surface;

f glass with an anti-reflective coating on a back surface;

or

g. glass with a light absorbing coating on a back surface.

11. The LED lighting fixture of claim 9 wherein the one or more fastening devices to secure the one or more differential reflection materials comprises one or more of:

a. channel rails;

b. rubber grommets with associated screws;

or

c. glue.

12. A method of illuminating high demand or difficult to illuminate sites with an array of light fixtures each including a plurality of LED light sources comprising:

a. evaluating lighting needs for the site including one or more of;

i. light uniformity;

ii. light intensity;

iii. spill light;

iv. glare light;

b. evaluating site restrictions relating to one or more of;

i. lighting fixture placement relative the site to be illuminated;

ii. the site to be illuminated;

iii. spectators or bystanders;

c. addressing the lighting needs for the site and the site restrictions by;

i. tailoring beam dimensions by directing light at or near the light sources of the fixture consistent with lighting needs and site restrictions;

ii. redirecting or cutting off the directed light to promote sharper and/or steeper cutoff of beams from the light fixture consistent with lighting needs and site restrictions and deter beam shift;

iii. redirecting some of the directed light by second surface mirror technique to promote light uniformity and intensity consistent with lighting needs and site restrictions.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the tailoring beam dimensions uses multi-part light directing components comprising:

a. an optic at the light sources;

b. an optic holder structure for the optic.

14. The method of claim 12 wherein the redirecting or cutting off the directed light uses multi-part light redirecting components comprising:

a. a first stage nearer the light sources configures to promote maximum candela or photometric center at a desired location at the site;

b. a second stage farther from the light sources to control beam cutoff and shape from the light sources.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the second stage is one of:

a. structurally connected to the first stage;

b. separated from the first stage.

16. The method of claim 12 wherein the redirecting of at least some of the directed light uses multi-part differential reflection comprising:

a. one or more surfaces configured to operate as second surface mirrors to avoid beam shifting and lower glare from the light sources.

17. The method of claim 15 wherein each of the one or more surfaces configured to operate as second surface mirrors comprises one or more of:

a. a coating;

b. paint;

c. a processed material.

18. A system for illuminating sites comprising:

a. an array of light fixtures, each light fixture of the array comprising a plurality of LED light sources in a fixture housing having a light emitting opening at or near the light sources;

b. one or more of the light fixtures comprising;

i. multi-part light directing components at the light sources comprising;

1. a single piece secondary lens device with integral secondary lenses

2. a single piece secondary lens device holder for holding it in alignment with the light sources and deterring distortion of its shape during operation of the light sources;

ii. multi-part visor components away from the light sources comprising;

1. a first stage nearer the light sources configures to promote maximum candela or photometric center at a desired location at the site;

2. a second stage farther from the light sources to control beam cutoff and shape from the light sources.

iii. Multi-part differential reflection components at the multi-part visor components comprising;

1. surfaces that act as second surface reflectors;

2. at or around the multi-part visor components.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the multi-part light directing components are near the light emitting opening of the fixture housing for a compact fixture housing.

20. The system of claim 18 wherein the multi-part light directing components are heat staked to a substrate to which the light sources are mounted.