Lighting fixtures

• US 5,640,792 A
• Filed: 06/07/1995
• Issued: 06/24/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: National Service Industries, Inc. (Alsco Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: National Service Industries, Inc. (Alsco Incorporated)
• Inventors: O'Shea, Donald C., Smith, Stephen T.
• Primary Examiner(s): GREEN, BRIAN
• Application Number:
  US08/471,820
• Time in Patent Office: 748 Days
• Field of Search: 40/546, 40/570, 40/581, 362/31, 362/293, 362/800, 362/812
• US Class Current: 40/546
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0003 the light guides being doped with fluorescent agents
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0026 Wavelength selective element, sheet or layer, e.g. filter or grating
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

Lighting fixtures which feature indicia illuminated more uniformally and with greater brightness than in conventional lighting fixtures. LEDs which operate at a higher frequency/shorter wavelength, such as blue LEDs, emit light which causes the transformation material to reemit, reradiate or emit light at a lower frequency/longer wavelength with increased brightness and uniformity. In a preferred embodiment of the lighting fixtures, blue LEDs cause the transformation material to emit green light for bright and even illumination of indicia such as letters and chevrons in exit signs, and at a wavelength to which the human eye is serendipitously sensitive.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture, comprising:

a. a housing comprising structure for mounting to a supporting surface;

b. a plurality of light emitting diodes contained within the housing, at least one of which is adapted to emit light energy of predominantly blue wavelengths;

c. at least one indicium associated with the housing for imparting information, the indicium comprising transformation material which, upon receipt of and excitation by the light energy of predominantly blue wavelengths, emits light of predominantly green wavelenghts.

2. A lighting fixture according to claim 1 in which the housing comprises a frame which contains the light emitting diodes, and in which a substantially clear panel extends from the housing and includes the indicium formed at least partially from the transformation material, the indicium disposed so as to receive light from the light emitting diodes for reemission.

3. A lighting fixture according to claim 2 further comprising a screen comprising transformation material disposed between the light emitting diodes and the indicium.

4. A lighting fixture according to claim 3 in which:

a. the screen defines a screen plane;

b. the panel defines a panel plane; and

c. the screen is disposed in the housing such that the screen plane is substantially perpendicular to the panel plane.

5. A lighting fixture according to claim 2 in which the light emitting diodes emit light featuring wavelengths of predominantly 420 to 470 nanometers.

6. A lighting fixture according to claim 2 in which the light emitting diodes emit light featuring peak wavelengths of substantially 430 to 450 nanometers.

7. A lighting fixture according to claim 2 in which the transformation material is adapted to radiate light featuring peak wavelengths of substantially 500 to 520 nanometers upon receipt of light featuring peak wavelengths of substantially 440 to 450 nanometers.

8. A lighting fixture according to claim 2 in which the transformation material is adapted to radiate light of substantially 500 to 520 nanometer peak wavelength upon receipt of substantially blue light.

9. A lighting fixture, comprising:

a. a housing comprising structure for mounting to a supporting surface and a plurality of light emitting diodes adapted to emit light of predominantly 420 to 470 nanometer wavelength;

b. a substantially clear panel extending from the housing and comprising at least one indicium for imparting information; and

c. a screen comprising transformation material which, upon receipt of an excitation by the light of predominantly 420 to 470 nanometer wavelengths, emits light of predominantly 490 to 550 nanometer wavelengths, which screen is interposed in the housing between the light emitting diodes and the indicium.

10. A lighting fixture according to claim 9 in which the indicium comprises transformation material.

11. A lighting fixture according to claim 9 in which the light emitting diodes are adapted to emit light of substantially 430 to 450 nanometer peak wavelength, and the screen, upon receipt of such light, to radiate light of substantially 500 to 520 nanometer peak wavelength.

12. A lighting fixture according to claim 9 in which the light emitting diodes are positioned to emit light in a direction substantially parallel to a plane in which the indicium is disposed.

13. A lighting fixture which employs long life, low power lighting emitting diodes to illuminate indicia with maximum brightness and in wavelengths corresponding substantially to those to which the human eye is most sensitive, comprising:

a. a housing comprising structure for connection to a supporting surface;

b. at least one indicium associated with the housing, the indicium comprising transformation material which is adapted to emit light in wavelengths of predominantly 500 to 580 nanometers when excited by light of shorter wavelengths;

c. a plurality of light emitting diodes adapted to emit light in a blue portion of a spectrum of wavelengths corresponding substantially to those to which the human eye is sensitive which, upon striking the transformation material, causes the transformation material to radiate light in a green portion of the spectrum.

14. A lighting fixture according to claim 13 in which the indicium comprises transformation material.

15. A lighting fixture according to claim 13 in which the light emitting diodes are adapted to emit light of substantially 430 to 450 nanometer peak wavelength and the transformation material is adapted to radiate light of substantially 500 to 520 nanometer peak wavelength upon receipt of such light.

16. A lighting fixture comprising:

a. a housing;

b. a light emitting diode contained within the housing that is adapted to emit predominantly blue light energy;

c. an indicium for imparting information, which indicium is in light communication with the light emitting diode;

d. a transformation material disposed between the light emitting diode and the indicium that, upon receiving and being excited by the predominantly blue light energy, emits predominantly green light energy.

17. A lighting fixture according to claim 16 further comprising a substantially clear panel extending from the housing on which panel the indicium is mounted.

18. A lighting fixture according to claim 17 in which the panel further comprises an edge disposed between the light emitting diode and the indicium and in which the transformation material is applied to the edge.

19. A lighting fixture according to claim 17 further comprising a screen disposed between the light emitting diode and the panel in which the transformation material is applied to the screen.

20. A lighting fixture according to claim 19 in which:

a. the screen defines a screen plane;

b. the panel defines a panel plane; and

c. the screen is disposed in the housing such that the screen plane is substantially perpendicular to the panel plane.