Glare control lamp and reflector assembly and method for glare control

• US 4,947,303 A
• Filed: 02/10/1989
• Issued: 08/07/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 05/19/1986
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Original Assignee: Musco Corporation
• Inventors: Gordin, Myron K., Drost, Jim L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Cox, D. M.
• Application Number:
  US07/308,750
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 362/296, 362/297, 362/298, 362/301-304, 362/306, 362/341, 362/346, 362/347, 362/359, 362/255, 362/256, 362/431, 362/319, 362/277, 362/282, 362/343, 362/247, 362/248, 313/114, 313/117, 313/113
• US Class Current: 362/261
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/00 Screens not covered by groups F21V1/00, F21V3/00, F21V7/00 or F21V9/00 characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/502
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/16 using sheets without apertures, e.g. fixed
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/09 with a combination of different curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/105 of arenas or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/406 for theatres, stages or film studios
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes

Abstract

A glare control lamp and reflector assembly and method for glare control which includes a conventional lamp and symmetrical reflector for providing a controlled light beam to a target area. A reflector shield can be positioned on the reflector below the lamp and has the properties of diverging incident light downwardly towards the target area and thus controls reflection upwardly which would produce glare. A glare shield can be positioned on the top of the reflector and extends outwardly from the outer edge of the reflector to block both direct light and reflected light from traveling upwardly and outwardly which would produce glare. In a further combination, a lamp shield can be positioned over a portion of the outermost extending end of the lamp to prevent unreflected light from directly causing glare. The method for controlling glare includes the steps of providing a conventional lamp and reflector assembly, positioning a reflector shield in the bottom of the reflector beneath the bulb to coverge instant light downwardly to the target area, and providing a glare shield extending around and outwardly from the top of the reflector to block and divert incident light downwardly towards the target area. An additional step would be to provide a lamp shield over the outwardmost end of the lamp to block directly emanating light from causing glare. A still further feature and embodiment of the invention includes an arc shield which is positioned directly adjacent to the arc of the arc lamp used with the glare control lamp and reflector assembly. The arc shield serves to block and redirect light from a short distance from the arc in an accurate and efficient manner without much loss of useful light. The arc shield can be used individually or in combination with any of the reflector shields, glare shields, and lamp shields.

Claims

1. A method of selectively controlling light from a luminaire assembly unit which includes a lamp mounted in a reflector having a reflecting surface, for light target areas and surrounding environment having different glare, spill light, and lighting halo problems, while at the same time still permitting effective utilization of said luminaire assembly unit for the production of maximum uniform, quality, composite, wide scale lighting of the selected light target area comprising:

determining the precise lighting requirements and glare problems including, but not limited to, glare, lighting halo, and lighting spill of a particular light target area;

determining the desired lighting characteristic of each luminaire assembly so that the lighting for the target area will reduce the precise glare problems by selectively and compositely reducing at least one of glare, lighting halo, and lighting spill, while still directing, reflecting, and redirecting increased amounts of usable light to said target area; and

adapting the lamp and reflector lighting and reflecting properties of each luminaire assembly unit to produce lighting with the desired lighting characteristics but without undesired significant upwardly directed stray light, glare, or light spill by selectively incorporating, as needed, a reflector visor to extend from the perimeter of said reflector, a second reflector visor extending from the reflected visor, an inner visor insert means generally within the second reflector visor, and selectively altering a portion of the reflecting surface of said reflector.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising the step of incorporating, as needed, an arc suppressor insert in the inner visor insert.

3. A method of selectively controlling light from a luminaire assembly unit which includes a lamp mounted in a reflector having a reflecting surface, for light target areas and surrounding environment having different glare, spill light, and lighting halo problems, while at the same time still permitting effective utilization of said luminaire assembly unit for the production of maximum uniform, quality, composite, wide scale lighting of the selected light target area comprising:

determining the precise lighting requirements and glare problems including, but not limited to, glare, lighting halo, and lighting spill of a particular light target area;

determining the desired lighting characteristic of each luminaire assembly so that the lighting for the target area will reduce the precise glare problems by selectively and compositely reducing at least one of glare, lighting halo, and lighting spill, while still directing, reflecting, and redirecting increased amounts of usable light to said target area; and

adapting the lamp and reflector lighting and reflecting properties of each luminaire assembly unit to produce lighting with the desired lighting characteristics but without undesired significant upwardly directed stray light, glare, or light spill by selectively incorporating, as needed, a reflector visor to extend from the perimeter of said reflector, selectively altering a portion of the reflecting surface of said reflector, utilizing surfaces of varying specularity on the reflector, and additions to the reflector or lamp, to alter and control lighting and reflecting characteristics.

4. A glare control lighting fixture for producing maximum, non-glare lighting of a light target area, comprising:

a luminaire assembly unit, having a converging reflector with a perimeter edge and a lamp mounted on said reflector, for providing controlled light to a target area;

the luminaire assembly unit having at least one of the following to control, diminish, or eliminate selected lighting problems, including, but not limited to, glare, spill light, or halo effects;

a reflector visor removably positioned on said reflector perimeter edge and extending outwardly from the reflector to block and reflect incident light of said lamp and reflector to the target area; and

a diverging reflector insert removably positioned generally in the lower hemisphere in said symmetrical reflector below said lamp to cause incident light from said lamp and reflector to be directed divergingly to the target area and to prevent incident light from being reflected outside the target area, portions between stepped portions of the diverging reflector insert being covered with a non-specular surface.

5. A glare control lighting fixture for producing maximum, non-glare lighting of a light target area, comprising:

a luminaire assembly unit, having a converging reflector with a perimeter edge and a lamp mounted on said reflector, for providing controlled light to a target area;

the luminaire assembly unit having at least one of the following to control, diminish, or eliminate selected lighting problems, including, but not limited to, glare, spill light, or halo effects;

a reflector visor removably positioned on said reflector perimeter edge and extending outwardly from the reflector to block and redirect incident light of said lamp and reflector to the target area;

a diverging reflector insert removably positioned in said symmetrical reflector below said lamp to cause incident light from said lamp and reflector to be directed divergingly to the target area and to prevent incident light from being reflected outside the target area; and

a second reflector insert generally positionable at the center of the reflector near the location where the lamp is mounted in the reflector to reflect and redirect incident light in a manner to increase light to the target area, the second reflector insert being generally positioned in the upper hemisphere of the reflector.

6. A glare control lighting fixture for producing maximum, non-glare lighting of a light target area, comprising:

a luminaire assembly unit, having a converging reflector with a perimeter edge and a lamp mounted on said reflector, for providing controlled light to a target area;

the luminaire assembly unit having at least one of the following to control, diminish, or eliminate selected lighting problems, including, but not limited to, glare, spill light, or halo effects;

a reflector visor removably positioned on said reflector perimeter edge and extending outwardly from the reflector to block and reflect incident light of said lamp and reflector to the target area;

a second reflector visor extending from the first reflector visor, the second reflector visor being angularly oriented differently than the first reflector visor, and in combination functioning to reflect and redirect light to increase the amount of light to the target area, and to reduce glare; and

a diverging reflector insert removably positioned in said symmetrical reflector below said lamp to cause incident light from said lamp and reflector to be directed divergingly to the target area and to prevent incident light from being reflected outside the target area.

7. A glare control lighting fixture for producing maximum, non-glare lighting of a light target area, comprising:

a luminaire assembly unit, having a converging reflector with a perimeter edge and a lamp mounted on said reflector, for providing controlled light to a target area;

the luminaire assembly unit having at least one of the following to control, diminish, or eliminate selected lighting problems, including, but not limited to, glare, spill light, or halo effects;

a reflector visor removably positioned on said reflector perimeter edge and extending outwardly from the reflector to block and reflect incident light of said lamp and reflector to the target area;

a second reflector visor extending from the first reflector visor;

an inner visor insert positionable within the second reflector visor; and

a diverging reflector insert removably positioned in said symmetrical reflector below said lamp to cause incident light from said lamp and reflector to be directed divergingly to the target area and to prevent incident light from being reflected outside the target area.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the inner visor insert has different reflecting characteristics than the second reflector visor so that in combination an increased amount of light is directed to the target area and glare is reduced.

9. The device of claim 7 further comprising an arc suppressor insert mounted within the inner visor insert.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein the arc suppressor insert is positioned to reduce glare by blocking direct vision of the lamp, and also functions to reflect and redirect light to increase light to the target area.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the reflector of the luminaire assembly unit includes a lens removably mounted on the perimeter of the reflector, and wherein the jaws of the clip means being grippable to the perimeter of the lens, so that removal of the lens from the reflector allows access to the interior of the reflector.

12. A glare control lighting fixture for producing maximum, non-glare lighting of a light target area, comprising:

a luminaire assembly unit, having a converging reflector with a perimeter edge and a lamp mounted on said reflector, for providing controlled light to a target area;

the luminaire assembly unit having at least one of the following to control, diminish, or eliminate selected lighting problems, including, but not limited to, glare, spill light, or halo effects;

a reflector visor removably positioned on said reflector perimeter edge and extending outwardly from the reflector to block and reflect incident light of said lamp and reflector to the target area;

said reflector visor being movably positioned to the reflector perimeter edge by mounting means, said mounting means comprising clip members having first and second legs being joined at one end, and having facing jaw members at the other ends, one of the legs being securable to the reflector visor, the clip means including means for drawing the first and second legs towards one another so as to draw the jaws of the first and second legs together to grip the reflector of the lighting fixture; and

a diverging reflector insert removably positioned in said symmetrical reflector below said lamp to cause incident light from said lamp and reflector to be directed divergingly to the target area and to prevent incident light from being reflected outside the target area.