Sign and method for lighting

• US 8,112,921 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2006
• Issued: 02/14/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Van De Ven, Antony Paul, Negley, Gerald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Silbermann, Joanne
• Assistant Examiner(s): Islam, Syed A
• Application Number:
  US11/613,733
• Publication Number:
  US 20070137074A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,882 Days
• Field of Search: 405/81
• US Class Current: 40/581
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/00 Light sources using semiconductor devices as light-generating elements, e.g. using light-emitting diodes [LED] or lasers
• CPC Class Codes: G09F 13/04 Signs, boards or panels, illuminated from behind the insignia

Abstract

A sign comprising a surface having a display, and a plurality of sources of visible light. The sources of visible light are oriented to illuminate at least a portion of the display, and include solid state light emitters and/or luminescent materials. Line segments drawn on a Chromaticity Diagram connecting coordinates of some of the illumination color hues define a shape which encompasses coordinates of the display color hue(s). Also, a sign comprising a surface having a display having a surface area of at least 4 square meters, and at least 100 sources of visible light including solid state light emitters and/or luminescent materials. Also, a sign comprising a white light source and at least one additional source of light. Also, methods of illuminating signs.

Claims

1. A sign, comprising:

a sign structure having a first surface, a display on said first surface, said display comprising at least one display color hue, each said display color hue having x,y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram; and

a plurality of sources of visible light, said sources of visible light oriented such that when illuminated, they illuminate at least a portion of said display, said sources of visible light independently selected from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials, each said source of visible light, when illuminated, emitting light of an illumination color hue, each illumination color hue having x,y coordinates on said 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram,

wherein line segments drawn on said 1931 CTE Chromaticity Diagram connecting respective x,y coordinates of at least some of said illumination color hues define a shape which encompasses x,y coordinates of each of said at least one display color hue.

2. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said display comprises at least one letter.

3. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said display comprises at least one image.

4. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

5. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 40 square meters.

6. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sign comprises at least 100 of said sources of visible light.

7. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sign comprises at least 1000 of said sources of visible light.

8. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one solid state light emitter.

9. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one light emitting diode.

10. A sign as recited in claim 9, wherein said at least one light emitting diode has an illumination surface having a surface area of not more than 0.25 mm².

11. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one luminescent material.

12. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one phosphor.

13. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sources of visible light, when illuminated, emit light having a combined intensity of at least 400 lumens.

14. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which has a CRI of at least 85.

15. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

16. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within six MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

17. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within three MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE, Chromaticity Diagram.

18. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said sources of visible light is saturated.

19. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein an intensity of at least one of said color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of a mixed illumination produced by mixing illumination from each of said plurality of sources of visible light.

20. A sign as recited in claim 1, wherein said sign further comprises at least one long-life cooling device.

21. A sign, comprising:

a sign structure having a first surface, a display on said first surface;

a white light source having a CRI of 75 or less, said white light source oriented such that when illuminated, it illuminates at least a portion of said display; and

at least one additional source of visible light, said at least one additional source of visible light oriented such that when illuminated, said additional source of visible light illuminates at least a portion of said display, said at least one additional source of visible light selected from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials,

wherein mixing of light from said white light source and light from said at least one additional source of visible light produces a mixed illumination which has a CRI of at least 85.

22. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said display comprises at least one letter.

23. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said display comprises at least one image.

24. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

25. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 40 square meters.

26. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said sign comprises at least 100 of said sources of visible light.

27. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said sign comprises at least 1000 of said sources of visible light.

28. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said at least one additional source of visible light comprises at least one solid state light emitter.

29. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said at least one additional source of visible light comprises at least one light emitting diode.

30. A sign as recited in claim 29, wherein said at least one light emitting diode has an illumination surface having a surface area of not more than 0.25 mm².

31. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said at least one additional source of visible light comprises at least one luminescent material.

32. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said at least one additional source of visible light comprises at least one phosphor.

33. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said white light source and said at least one additional source of visible light, when illuminated, emit light having a combined intensity of at least 400 lumens.

34. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said white light source and said at least one additional source of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which has a CRI of at least 85.

35. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said white light source and said at least one additional source of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

36. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said white light source and said at least one additional source of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within six MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

37. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein said white light source and said at least one additional source of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within three MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

38. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein an intensity of said white light source, when illuminated, is at least 60% of an intensity of an illumination formed by mixing illumination from said white light source and said at least one additional source of visible light.

39. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein at least one of said at least one additional source of visible light is saturated.

40. A sign as recited in claim 21, wherein an intensity of at least one of said color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of a mixed illumination produced by mixing illumination from said white light source and from said at least one additional source of visible light.

41. A sign, comprising:

a sign structure having a first surface, a display on said first surface, said display comprising at least one display color hue, each said display color hue having x,y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram;

a white light source having a CRI of 75 or less, said white light source oriented such that when illuminated, it illuminates at least a portion of said display; and

a plurality of additional sources of visible light, said additional sources of visible light oriented such that when illuminated, they illuminate at least a portion of said display, said additional sources of visible light independently selected from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials, each said additional source of visible light, when illuminated, emitting light of an illumination color hue, each illumination color hue having x,y coordinates on said 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram,

wherein line segments drawn on said 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram connecting respective x,y coordinates of at least some of said illumination color hues define a shape which encompasses x,y coordinates of each of said at least one display color hue.

42. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said display comprises at least one letter.

43. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said display comprises at least one image.

44. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

45. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 40 square meters.

46. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said sign comprises at least 100 of said sources of visible light.

47. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said sign comprises at least 1000 of said sources of visible light.

48. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said additional sources of visible light comprise at least one solid state light emitter.

49. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said additional sources of visible light comprise at least one light emitting diode.

50. A sign as recited in claim 49, wherein said at least one light emitting diode has an illumination surface having a surface area of not more than 0.25 mm².

51. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said additional sources of visible light comprise at least one luminescent material.

52. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said additional sources of visible light comprise at least one phosphor.

53. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said white light source and said additional sources of visible light, when illuminated, emit light having a combined intensity of at least 400 lumens.

54. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said white light source and said additional sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which has a CRI of at least 85.

55. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said white light source and said additional sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 Chromaticity Diagram.

56. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said white light source and said additional sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within six MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

57. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein said white light source and said additional sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within three MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

58. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein an intensity of said white light source, when illuminated, is at least 60% of an intensity of an illumination formed by mixing illumination from said white light source and said additional sources of visible light.

59. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein at least one of said additional sources of visible light is saturated.

60. A sign as recited in claim 41, wherein an intensity of at least one of said color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of a mixed illumination produced by mixing illumination from said white light source and from said additional sources of visible light.

61. A method of illuminating a sign, comprising:

illuminating a sign structure with a plurality of sources of visible light, said sign structure having a first surface, a display on said first surface, said display comprising at least one display color hue, each said display color hue having x,y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram,

said sources of visible light independently selected from among solid state light emitters and luminescent materials, each said source of visible light, when illuminated, emitting light of an illumination color hue, each illumination color hue having x,y coordinates on said 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram,

wherein line segments drawn on said 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram connecting respective x,y coordinates of at least some of said illumination color hues define a shape which encompasses x,y coordinates of each of said at least one display color hue.

62. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said display comprises at least one letter.

63. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said display comprises at least one image.

64. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 4 square meters.

65. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said display has a surface area of at least 40 square meters.

66. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sign comprises at least 100 of said sources of visible light.

67. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sign comprises at least 1000 of said sources of visible light.

68. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one solid state light emitter.

69. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one light emitting diode.

70. A method as recited in claim 69, wherein said at least one light emitting diode has an illumination surface having a surface area of not more than 0.25 mm².

71. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one luminescent material.

72. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sources of visible light comprise at least one phosphor.

73. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said sources of visible light emit light having a combined intensity of at least 400 lumens.

74. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which has a CRI of at least 85.

75. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

76. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within six MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

77. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein said plurality of sources of visible light, when illuminated, generate light which is mixed to produce a mixed illumination which is within three MacAdam ellipse of at least one point on a blackbody locus on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.

78. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein at least one of said sources of visible light is saturated.

79. A method as recited in claim 61, wherein an intensity of at least one of said color hues is at least 35% of an intensity of a mixed illumination produced by illumination from said plurality of sources of visible light.