LED illumination for cold storage compartments
First Claim
1. A storage compartment equipped with a light emitting diode (LED) light source for illuminating contents inside the compartment,the LED light source comprising a LED light engine including a two-dimensional arrangement of LEDs outside the compartment and a light guide inside the compartment, the light guide being optically coupled to the LED light engine for bringing light illumination from the LED light engine into the compartment via the light guide, such that the two-dimensional pattern of LEDs forms an angular distribution of light input into the light guide with respect to the optical axis of the light guide.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A storage compartment is equipped with a light emitting diode (LED) light source for illuminating contents inside the compartment. The LED light source includes a LED light engine outside the compartment and a light guide inside the compartment. The light guide is optically coupled to be LED light engine to bring light from the LED light engine into the compartment for providing illumination inside the compartment. The LED light engine may include red, green, and blue LEDs that contribute to the illumination inside the compartment. Respective outputs of the red, green, and blue LEDs may be separately controllable to allow a variably controlled color point of illumination inside the compartment. Total output of the LED light engine may be controllable to vary intensity of illumination inside the compartment.
112 Citations
19 Claims
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1. A storage compartment equipped with a light emitting diode (LED) light source for illuminating contents inside the compartment,
the LED light source comprising a LED light engine including a two-dimensional arrangement of LEDs outside the compartment and a light guide inside the compartment, the light guide being optically coupled to the LED light engine for bringing light illumination from the LED light engine into the compartment via the light guide, such that the two-dimensional pattern of LEDs forms an angular distribution of light input into the light guide with respect to the optical axis of the light guide.
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9. A method for illuminating frozen foods in a freezer cabinets, comprising:
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providing a freezer cabinet with an externally mounted LED light engine including a plurality of LEDs arranged in a two-dimensional pattern, providing the freezer cabinet with a light guide extending inside the cabinet, optically coupling the LED light engine to the light guide such that the two dimensional pattern of LEDs forms an angular distribution of light input into the light guide with respect to the optical axis of the light guide, and operating the LED light engine such that light is passed via the light guide into the interior of the cabinet to provide interior cabinet illumination at a first steady light level. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 18, 19)
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15. A method for illuminating frozen foods in a freezer cabinets, comprising:
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providing a freezer cabinet with an externally mounted LED light engine provided with a plurality of different colors of LEDs, including first, second, and third colors, that contribute to the illumination inside the compartment, providing the freezer cabinet with a light guide extending inside the cabinet, optically/coupling the LED light engine to the light guide, and operating the LED light engine such that light is passed via the light guide into the interior of the cabinet to provide interior cabinet illumination at a first steady light level;
varying respective outputs of the first, second, and third color LEDs to control color point of the illumination inside the compartment; and
providing at least one feedback sensor in at least one of the light engine and the cabinet, and controlling the color point of the Illumination based on a signal received from the at least one feedback sensor. - View Dependent Claims (16)
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17. A method for illuminating frozen foods in a freezer cabinets, comprising:
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providing a freezer cabinet with an externally mounted LED light engine provided with a plurality of different colors of LEDs, including first, second, and third colors, that contribute to the illumination inside the compartment, providing the freezer cabinet with a light guide extending inside the cabinet, optically coupling the LED light engine to the light guide, and operating the LED light engine such that light is passed via the light guide into the interior of the cabinet to provide interior cabinet illumination at a first steady light level;
varying respective outputs of the first, second, and third color LEDs to control color point of the illumination inside the compartment; and
providing a user interface, and controlling the color point of the illumination based on a signal received from the user interface.
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Specification