LED lighting system for producing white light

• US 6,234,645 B1
• Filed: 09/15/1999
• Issued: 05/22/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/28/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Philips Lighting North America Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: US Philips Corporation (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Nikol, Hans, Busselt, Wolfgang, Ronda, Cornelis R., Börner, Herbert Friedrich, Jüstel, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lee, Guiyoung
• Application Number:
  US09/396,561
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 362/555, 362/545, 362/231, 362/235, 362/324, 362/800, 362/227, 362/230
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/233 specially adapted for generating a spot light distribution, e.g. for substitution of reflector lamps
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/62 using mixing chambers, e.g. housings with reflective walls
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

As a white light source, the lighting system (1) has at least three light-emitting diodes (6, 7, 8) for providing visible light at preselected wavelengths. The invention is characterized in that the lighting system (1) is provided with at least one fourth light-emitting diode (9) which, in operation, emits visible light in a further wavelength region, the maximum of the spectral emission of the fourth light-emitting diode (9) lying in the further wavelength region from 575 to 605 nm. Preferably, the further wavelength region ranges from 585 to 600 nm. Preferably, the color rendition of the lighting system (1) is above 60. Preferably, the luminous efficacy of the lighting system (1) is above 30 lm/W, preferably above 40 lm/W. In another preferred embodiment, the color temperature of the lighting system (1) can be adjusted by selectively switching the light-emitting diodes (6, 7, 8, 9).

Claims

1. A lighting system for producing white light, which lighting system comprises four light-emitting diodes, each one of the light-emitting diodes emitting, in operation, visible light in a preselected wavelength range, one of the said light emitting diodes having a maximum of spectral emission lying in the wavelength range from 575 to 605 nm, wherein the luminous efficacy of the lighting system is greater than 40 lm/W.

2. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the maximum of the spectral emission of said one of the said light emitting diodes lies in the wavelength range from 585 to 600 nm.

3. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein a color rendering index of the lighting system is at least 60.

4. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the four light-emitting diodes comprise a blue light-emitting diode, a blue-green light-emitting diode, a red light-emitting diode, and a yellow light-emitting diode.

5. A lighting system as claimed in claim 4, wherein the maximum of the spectral emission of the blue light-emitting diode lies in the wavelength range from 460 to 490 nm, the maximum of the spectral emission of the blue-green light-emitting diode lies in the wavelength range from 510 to 530 nm, and the maximum of the spectral emission of the red light-emitting diode lies in the wavelength range from 610 to 630 nm.

6. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lighting system provided with reflection means.

7. A lighting system as claimed in claim 6, wherein the reflection means comprise a material selected from the group formed by BaSO₄, ZnS, ZnO and TiO₂.

8. A lighting system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the color temperature of the lighting system is adjustable by separately driving the light-emitting diodes.