High output radial dispersing lamp using a solid state light source

• US 6,350,041 B1
• Filed: 03/29/2000
• Issued: 02/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Cree Lighting Company (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tarsa, Eric J., Thibeault, Brian
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea, Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): DELGIZZI, RONALD ERNEST
• Application Number:
  US09/537,531
• Time in Patent Office: 699 Days
• Field of Search: 362/231, 362/230, 362/293, 362/345, 362/246, 362/355, 362/311
• US Class Current: 362/231
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/232 specially adapted for generating an essentially omnidirectional light distribution, e.g. with a glass bulb
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/64 using wavelength conversion means distinct or spaced from the light-generating element, e.g. a remote phosphor layer
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/68 Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/767 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/20 Dichroic filters, i.e. devices operating on the principle of wave interference to pass specific ranges of wavelengths while cancelling others
• 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: F21Y 2115/30 Semiconductor lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/505 characterised by the shape, e.g. plate or foil
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/58 Optical field-shaping elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

The invention provides a new solid state lamp emitting a light useful for room illumination and other applications. It comprises a solid state Light Source which transmits light through a Separator to a Disperser that disperses the light in a desired pattern and/or changes its color. In one embodiment, the Light Source is a blue emitting LED operating with current high enough for room illumination, the Separator is a light pipe or fiber optic device, and the Disperser disperses the light radially and converts some of the blue light to yellow to produce a white light mixture. The Separator spaces the Light Source a sufficient distance from the Disperser such that heat from the Light Source will not transfer to the Disperser when the Light Source is carrying elevated currents necessary for room illumination.

Claims

1. A lamp, comprising:

a light source;

a disperser that scatters, focuses, or directs light passing through it; and

a separator having two ends, said light source disposed at one of said two ends and said disperser disposed at the other of said two ends, at least some of the light from said light source directed along said separator and through said disperser.

2. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser scatters light in a predefined pattern.

3. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser scatters light in a spherical pattern.

4. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser contains material to change the wavelength of at least some of the light passing through it.

5. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said light source is at least one light emitting diode or at least one laser.

6. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said separator spaces said light source and disperser a sufficient distance to prevent substantial heat transfer from said light source to said disperser.

7. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said light source emits an output light flux sufficient for illumination.

8. The lamp of claim 1, further comprising an at least partially transparent substantially spherical and hollow enclosure surrounding said light source, separator, and disperser.

9. The lamp of claim 8, wherein said enclosure changes the wavelength of at least some of the light from said light source.

10. The lamp of claim 8, wherein said enclosure disperses light from said light source.

11. The lamp of claim 1, further comprising a reflective lamp enclosure, said disperser positioned within said lamp enclosure such that at least some of the light from said disperser reflects off said lamp enclosure as a directional beam.

12. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said separator scatters, disperses, redirects, or wavelength-converts at least some of said light from said light source.

13. The lamp of claim 4, wherein said light source is an LED or laser that emits blue light and said disperser converts the wavelength of some of said blue light to yellow light, whereby said disperser emits a white light combination of blue and yellow.

14. The lamp of claim 13, wherein said disperser includes at least one of said yellow emitting phosphor, fluorescent dye, or fluorescent polymer to produce said wavelength conversion.

15. The lamp of claim 4, wherein said light source is a LED or laser emitting light of one wavelength, said disperser converting substantially all of the light to one or more different wavelengths.

16. The lamp of claim 4, wherein said light source emits ultraviolet light, said disperser converting substantially all of the ultraviolet light to colors that combine to produce white light.

17. The lamp of claim 1, further comprising a heat sink around said light source to draw away heat generated by said light source.

18. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser further comprises at least one optical element to shape the light passing through it.

19. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser further comprises at least one mask or other patterned surface to shape the light emitted from said disperser.

20. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser further comprises at least one of the materials from the group consisting of fluorescent phosphors, minerals, polymers, dyes, crystals and thin films.

49. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said disperser is removably mounted to said separator.

50. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said separator is an elongated hollow or at least partially transparent element through which light can travel.

51. The lamp of claim 1, wherein said light source is at least two separate light sources, the light from said at least two light sources mixing in said separator and said disperser, the intensity of light emitted from said two separate light sources being controllable to control the color of light emitted from said lamp.

21. A lamp, comprising:

a light source;

a disperser that mixes and disperses light passing through it; and

a separator having two ends, said light source disposed at one of said two ends and said disperser disposed at the other of said two ends, said light source and disperser spaced apart by said separator a sufficient distance to prevent substantial heat transfer from said light source to said disperser, at least some of the light from said light source directed along said separator and through said disperser.

22. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said light source comprises at least one light emitting diode.

23. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said light source comprises at least one laser.

24. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said light source comprises at least two light emitting diodes (LEDs), the light from said diodes mixing in said separator and disperser such that said lamp emits a combination of light from said LEDs.

25. The lamp of claim 24, wherein a current is respectively applied to said LEDs causing them to emit light, said respective currents manipulated to control the combination of light emitted from said lamp.

26. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said light source emits blue and yellow light, said disperser emitting a white light combination of blue and yellow.

27. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said light source emits red, green, and blue light, said disperser emitting a white light combination of red, green, and blue.

28. The lamp of claim 21, further comprising an at least partially transparent hollow enclosure surrounding said light source, separator, and disperser.

29. The lamp of claim 28, wherein said enclosure scatters light from said light source.

30. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said enclosure changes the wavelength of at least some of the light from said light source.

31. The lamp of claim 21, further comprising a reflective lamp enclosure, said disperser positioned within said lamp enclosure such that at least some of the light from said disperser reflects off said lamp enclosure as a directional beam.

32. The lamp of claim 21, further comprising a heat sink around said light source to draw away heat generated by said light source.

33. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said disperser contains optical elements to shape the light emitting from said disperser.

34. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said disperser contains at least one mask to shape the light emitted from said disperser.

52. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said disperser is removably mounted to said separator.

53. The lamp of claim 21, wherein said separator is an elongated hollow or at least partially transparent element through which light can travel.

35. A lamp, comprising:

a light source comprising at least one solid state laser;

a disperser that mixes and disperses light passing through it; and

a separator comprising having two ends, said light source mounted at one of said two ends and said disperser mounted on the other of said two ends, said light source and disperser spaced apart by said separator, at least some of the light from said light source directed through said disperser.

36. The lamp of claim 35, wherein said separator comprises one or more offset rods.

37. The lamp of claim 35, wherein said separator comprises a hollow tube.

38. The lamp of claim 35, wherein said solid state laser emits an output light flux sufficient for room illumination.

39. A lamp, comprising:

a light source comprising at least one light emitting diode that emits an output light flux sufficient for room illumination;

a disperser that disperses light passing through it;

a separator having two ends, said light source mounted at one of said two ends and said disperser mounted at the other of said two ends, said light source and disperser spaced apart by said separator a sufficient distance to prevent substantial heat transfer from said light source to said disperser, at least some of the light from said light source directed along said separator and through said disperser;

a hollow lamp enclosure that is a least partially transparent and containing materials to change the wavelength of at least some of the light which passes through it, said enclosure surrounding said light source, separator and disperser such that light dispersed by said disperser passes through said enclosure.

40. The lamp of claim 39, wherein said light source is a blue light emitting diode or laser and said lamp enclosure includes a wavelength converting material which changes some of said blue light to yellow light, whereby said disperser emits a white light combination of blue and yellow.

41. The lamp of claim 39, wherein said enclosure, disperser, or separator includes yellow phosphor to produce said wavelength conversion.

42. The lamp of claim 39, wherein said enclosure, disperser, or separator includes a fluorescent dye or polymer to produce said wavelength conversion.

43. The lamp of claim 39, wherein said light source is an ultraviolet light emitting diode or laser, said lamp enclosure, disperser, or separator includes a wavelength converting material which converts substantially all of the ultraviolet light to colors which combine to produce colored or white light.

44. A multiple element lamp, comprising:

at least two individual lamps whose light mixes to produce the light from said multiple element lamp, each said individual lamp comprising;

a light source;

a disperser that scatters, focuses, or directs light passing through it; and

an elongated separator having two ends, said light source disposed at one of said two ends and said disperser disposed at the other of said two ends, at least some of the light from said light source directed along said separator and through said disperser.

45. The lamp of claim 44, having two said individual lamps wherein one of said two individual lamp emits blue light and the other of said two individual lamp emits yellow light such that said lamp emits white light.

46. The lamp of claim 44, having three individual lamps, emitting red, green, and blue light, said multiple element lamp emitting a white light combination of red, green, and blue.

47. The lamp of claim 44, wherein a current is applied to each said individual lamp causing them to emit light, the current applied to said individual lamps manipulated to control the color of light emitted from said multiple element lamp.

48. A method for producing dispersed light, comprising:

generating light at a first location;

transmitting at least some of the light to another location which is out of substantial heat transfer communication with said first location; and

scattering or converting the wavelength of some of the light at said other location, and dispersing all of the light.