Spherical bulb for light-emitting diode with spherical inner cavity

• US 7,663,315 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 02/16/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/24/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: iLight Technologies Incorporated (Luminii, LLC)
• Original Assignee: iLight Technologies Incorporated (Luminii, LLC)
• Inventors: Hulse, George R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton; Toan
• Assistant Examiner(s): FEATHERLY, HANA SANEI
• Application Number:
  US11/945,778
• Time in Patent Office: 812 Days
• Field of Search: 313/512, 313/498
• US Class Current: 313/512
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/06 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0014 at least one surface having optical power
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 19/0061 the light source comprising a LED semiconductor devices with at least one potential-jump barrier or surface barrier specially adapted for light emission H01L33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 27/0955 Lenses lenses per se G02B3/00
• 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: H05B 33/22 characterised by the chemical or physical composition or the arrangement of auxiliary dielectric or reflective layers

Abstract

A bulb is adapted to fit over and around a light-emitting diode emitting a light of a first hue in a generally Lambertian radiation pattern. The bulb has a generally spherical shape and a substantially circular external cross-sectional geometry, and further defines an inner cavity with a substantially circular cross-sectional geometry for housing the light-emitting diode. The bulb is composed of a light-transmitting material and a light color-converting material, with the light color-converting material converting the light of the first hue into a light of a desired hue, which is then viewed along an external surface of said bulb.

Claims

1. A bulb adapted to fit over and around a light-emitting diode emitting a light of a first hue in a generally Lambertian radiation pattern, said bulb having a generally spherical shape and a substantially circular external cross-sectional geometry, said bulb defining an inner cavity with a substantially circular cross-sectional geometry for housing the light-emitting diode, and said bulb being composed of a substantially homogenous mixture of a light-transmitting material and a light color-converting material, said light color-converting material converting the light of the first hue into a light of a desired hue, which is then viewed along an external surface of said bulb, and wherein the light of the first hue emitted along a vertical axis of the bulb passes through a greatest amount of the light color-converting material of the substantially homogenous mixture, while the light of the first hue emitted at the bottom edge of the bulb passes through a minimal amount of the light color-converting material of the substantially homogenous mixture.

2. The bulb as recited in claim 1, wherein said light color-converting material is one or more fluorescent dyes.

3. The bulb as recited in claim 1, wherein said light color-converting material is one or more phosphorescent dyes.

4. The bulb as recited in claim 1, wherein said light color-converting material is a combination of fluorescent dyes and/or phosphorescent dyes.

5. The bulb as recited in claim 1, wherein said light-transmitting material is an acrylic resin.

6. The bulb as recited in claim 5, herein said light color-converting material is one or more fluorescent dyes mixed into said acrylic resin.

7. A lighting assembly, comprising

a light-emitting diode emitting a light of a first hue in a generally Lambertian radiation pattern;

and

a bulb fit over and around the light-emitting diode, said bulb having a generally spherical shape and a substantially circular external cross-sectional geometry, said bulb defining an inner cavity with a substantially circular cross-sectional geometry for housing the light-emitting diode, and said bulb being composed of a substantially homogenous mixture of a light-transmitting material and a light color-converting material, said light color-converting material converting the light of the first hue into a light of a desired hue, which is then viewed along an external surface of said bulb, and wherein the light of the first hue emitted along a vertical axis of the bulb passes through a greatest amount of the light color-converting material of the substantially homogenous mixture, while the light of the first hue emitted at the bottom edge of the bulb passes through a minimal amount of the light color-converting material of the substantially homogenous mixture.