Low profile direct/indirect luminaires

• US 7,258,467 B2
• Filed: 03/14/2005
• Issued: 08/21/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 03/12/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Original Assignee: Honeywell International Inc.
• Inventors: Steiner, Ivan B., Saccomanno, Robert J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee; Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAKIYA, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US11/078,723
• Publication Number:
  US 20050201102A1
• Time in Patent Office: 890 Days
• Field of Search: 362/346, 362/298, 362/147, 362/217
• US Class Current: 362/346
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/00 Systems of lighting devices, not provided for in main groups F21S4/00 - F21S10/00 or F21S19/00, e.g. of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/14 with many small apertures
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 2200/40 of hollow light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/09 with a combination of different curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/00 Planar light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0078 Side-by-side arrangements, e.g. for large area displays

Abstract

A luminaire for distributing light rays from a light source may include first and second reflector sections. The first reflector portion may be configured to direct light rays in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the luminaire. The second reflector portion is disposed along the longitudinal axis configured to direct light rays in a second direction. The second direction may have a directional component substantially normal to the longitudinal axis and the first direction.

Claims

1. A luminaire comprising:

an elongated light source being operable to emit light rays;

a region configured to contain the light source, the region extending longitudinally along the longitudinal axis of the luminaire;

a first reflector portion configured to direct light rays emitted from the light source in a first direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the luminaire, the first reflector portion comprising;

a first pair of curved reflectors each having a first end, a second end, and a surface, the first ends being connected to one another, the first pair of curved reflectors being disposed on opposite sides of the region, and the surfaces of the first pair of curved reflectors facing one another;

a hollow member having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the second ends of the first pair of curved reflectors; and

a plurality of additional curved reflectors each having a first end, a second end, and a surface, each of the first ends of the additional curved reflectors being connected with the second end of the hollow member; and

a second reflector portion disposed along the longitudinal axis, the second reflector portion being configured to direct the light rays directed by the first reflector in a second direction away from the longitudinal axis, the second direction being normal to the longitudinal axis and the first direction.

2. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the second reflector portion comprises:

a first pair of curved reflectors each having a first end, a second end, and a surface, the first ends being spaced from one another on opposite sides of said region, the first pair of curved reflectors being disposed on opposite sides of said region, and the surfaces of the first pair of curved reflectors facing one another.

3. The luminaire of claim 2, wherein the second reflector portion further comprises:

a second pair of curved reflectors each having a first end, a second end, and a surface, each of the first ends of the second pair of reflectors being connected with one of the second ends of the first pair of reflectors, the second pair of curved reflectors being disposed on opposite sides of said region, and the surfaces of the second pair of curved reflectors facing one another.

4. The luminaire of claim 1, wherein the plurality of additional curved reflectors comprises four additional curved reflectors arranged in two pairs such that the surfaces of each pair face one another.

5. The luminaire of claim 1, further comprising a waveguide coupled with the second reflector portion, the waveguide being configured to direct light rays in the second direction and in a third direction, the third direction being opposite to the first direction.

6. The luminaire of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of first reflector portions and a plurality of second reflector portions, the plurality of first reflector portions and the plurality of second reflector portions being disposed alternately along the longitudinal axis of the light source.

7. A lighting assembly configured to be mounted to a ceiling, comprising:

an elongated light source having a longitudinal axis and being operable to emit light rays;

a first reflector portion between the light source and the ceiling, the first reflector portion being configured to direct light rays from the light source in a first direction away from the ceiling; and

a second reflector portion disposed along the longitudinal axis, the second reflector portion being configured to direct the light rays directed by the first reflector in a second direction away from the longitudinal axis, the second direction being substantially parallel with the ceiling and normal to the longitudinal axis, the second reflector portion comprising a first curved reflector and a second curved reflector spaced from one another, the first curved reflector being between the light source and the ceiling, and the light source being between the second curved reflector and the ceiling.

8. The lighting assembly of claims 7, wherein the first and second curved reflectors each have a first end, a second end, and a surface, the surfaces of the first and second curved reflectors facing one another.

9. The lighting assembly of claim 8, wherein the second reflector portion further comprises:

a third curved reflector and a fourth curved reflector, each of the third and fourth curved reflectors having a first end, a second end, and a surface, each of the first ends of the third and fourth reflectors being connected with one of the second ends of the first and second curved reflectors, the third and fourth curved reflectors being disposed on opposite sides of the light source, and the surfaces of the third and fourth curved reflectors facing one another.

10. The lighting assembly of claim 7, wherein the first reflector portion comprises:

a first pair of curved reflectors each having a first end, a second end, and a surface, the first ends being connected to one another, the first pair of curved reflectors being disposed on opposite sides of the light source, and the surfaces of the first pair of curved reflectors facing one another.

11. The lighting assembly of claim 10, wherein the first reflector portion further comprises:

a hollow member having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the second ends of the first pair of curved reflectors; and

a hollow light collimator having a first end and a second end, the first end of the hollow light collimator being connected with the second end of the hollow member.

12. The lighting assembly of claim 11, wherein the hollow light collimator comprises a plurality of additional curved reflectors.

13. The lighting assembly of claim 7, further comprising a plurality of first reflector portions and a plurality of second reflector portions, the plurality of first reflector portions and the plurality of second reflector portions being disposed alternately along the longitudinal axis of the light source.

14. The lighting assembly of claim 13, further comprising waveguides coupled with the second reflector portions, the waveguides being configured to direct light rays in the second direction and toward the ceiling.

15. The lighting assembly of claim 14, wherein the waveguides comprise a substantially planar reflector extending from the second reflector portion, the planar reflector being spaced from the ceiling such that the light source is closer to the ceiling than the planar reflector.

16. A lighting assembly configured to be mounted to a ceiling, comprising:

a plurality of elongated light sources each having a longitudinal axis, the light sources being arranged substantially parallel with one another in a spaced apart relationship in an array aligned substantially parallel with the ceiling;

a plurality of first reflector portions, each reflector portion being between one of the light sources and the ceiling, and being configured to direct light rays in a first direction away from the ceiling, each first reflector portion comprising;

a first pair of curved reflectors each having a first end, a second end, and a surface, the first ends being connected to one another, the first pair of curved reflectors being disposed on opposite sides of the light source, and the surfaces of the first pair of curved reflectors facing one another;

a hollow member having a first end and a second end, the first end being connected to the second ends of the first pair of curved reflectors; and

a hollow light collimator having a first end and a second end, the first end of the hollow light collimator being connected with the second end of the hollow member;

a plurality of second reflector portions, the plurality of first reflector portions and the plurality of second reflector portions being disposed alternately along the longitudinal axes of the light sources, the second reflector portion being configured to direct light rays in a second direction away from the longitudinal axis, the second direction being substantially parallel with the ceiling and normal to the longitudinal axis; and

a plurality of waveguides extending between each pair of adjacent light sources, the waveguides being configured to direct light rays in the second direction and toward the ceiling.