Bollard luminaire

• US 5,105,347 A
• Filed: 05/02/1991
• Issued: 04/14/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/1991
• Status: Expired

• Current Assignee: Ruud Lighting Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Ruud Lighting Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ruud, Alan J., Haugaard, Eric J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lazarus, Ira S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): CAVANAUGH, DAVID
• Application Number:
  US07/634,504
• Time in Patent Office: 348 Days
• Field of Search: 362/157, 362/158, 362/186, 362/187, 362/190, 362/255, 362/268, 362/153, 362/153.1, 362/300, 362/346
• US Class Current: 362/268
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/617 Illuminated or wired-up posts, bollards, pillars or like upstanding bodies or structures for traffic guidance, warning or control E01F9/559 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/083 of bollard type, i.e. with lighting fixture integrated into the standard or mounted on top of it and having substantially the same diameter
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 31/00 Gas-tight or water-tight arrangements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0033 with successive reflections from one reflector to the next or following
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/08 with elliptical curvature

Abstract

The improved bollard luminaire has an upwardly directed, elliptical main reflector and a lamp "nested" within such reflector and positioned at or near its lower focal point. An upper cone-shaped reflector receives light from the main reflector and directs it laterally through a transparent lens element. Such element provides a 360° lateral light opening unobstructed by wiring, support posts or the like. Light reflected through such opening is relatively sharply focused along an axis about 70° from vertical. Unreflected light from the lamp which "misses" both reflectors also provides a degree of "uplighting," often found useful for aesthetic purposes.

Claims

1. A bollard luminaire including:

a 360°

lateral light opening;

an upwardly directed main reflector having a top rim below such opening;

a lamp positioned below such rim;

an upper reflector receiving light from the main reflector and reflecting such light at an angle less than 90°

from vertical;

whereby such reflected light is directed laterally through such opening for ground illumination.

2. The luminaire of claim 1 wherein such main reflector has an upper focal point.

3. The luminaire of claim 2 wherein the upper focal point is positioned above the upper reflector, whereby light from the main reflector is received on the upper reflector in a convergence area.

4. The luminaire of claim 3 wherein:

such main reflector is elliptical and has a lower focal point; and

the lamp is substantially at such lower focal point whereby such convergence area on the upper reflector is ring-like.

5. The luminaire of claim 1 wherein the reflected, laterally directed light is greatest at an angle of about 70°

from vertical, thereby providing illumination over a broad 360°

area.

6. The luminaire of claim 1 further including a one-piece unobstructed lens element having a light occluding top and a coating on an interior surface of such lens element, whereby such coating is protected from physical damage.

7. The luminaire of claim 6 wherein such lens element includes a UV inhibitor whereby such coating is protected from fading.

8. The luminaire of claim 1 wherein:

such main reflector is elliptical and has a lower focal point; and

the lamp is substantially at such lower focal point whereby light emitted by such lamp is reflected upwardly onto the upper reflector in a ring-like convergence area.