Lighting device

• US 8,174,036 B2
• Filed: 12/22/2004
• Issued: 05/08/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Original Assignee: Osram Opto Semiconductors GmbH (Ams-Osram AG)
• Inventors: Blümel, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Joseph L
• Assistant Examiner(s): FAROKHROOZ, FATIMA N
• Application Number:
  US11/022,565
• Publication Number:
  US 20050218790A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,694 Days
• Field of Search: 313/498, 313/501, 313/512, 313/113, 313/502, 313/504, 362326-328, 362332-335, 362/338, 362/311, 362/84, 362/800, 362/97.1, 362/97.3, 362/97.4, 362/235, 362/240, 362/244, 362/245, 362/249.02, 362/296.05, 362/310, 362/311.02, 362/311.06, 362/329, 257 79-103
• US Class Current: 257/98
• 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 2924/00 Indexing scheme for arrangements or methods for connecting or disconnecting semiconductor or solid-state bodies as covered by H01L24/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2924/0002 Not covered by any one of groups H01L24/00, H01L24/00 and H01L2224/00
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/54 having a particular shape
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/60 Reflective elements

Abstract

The invention relates to a lighting device comprising a light source (1) that emits incoherent light with a total radiation power P and has a radiation-emitting area (S) divided into a plurality of subareas (S_i), wherein assigned to each subarea (S_i) is a light ray (2) having a radiation power P_i and the sum of the radiation powers P_i is equal to the total radiation power P, and disposed after said light source (1) is an optical element (4) having a decoupling surface (5) and a total reflection angle (θ_c) assigned to said decoupling surface (5), said decoupling surface (5) being shaped so that at least for a portion of said light rays (2) the angle (α) of incidence on said decoupling surface (5) is smaller than the total reflection angle (θ_c), and the radiation power of said light rays collectively is greater than a predetermined fraction, equal to at least 50%, of the total radiation power P.

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising a light source that emits incoherent light rays from at least one light emitting surface, and an optical element disposed after the light source and comprising a light exit surface and at least one reflector configured to reflect light rays emitted from the at least one light emitting surface in the direction of the light exit surface,

wherein the light exit surface is arc-shaped in cross-section, the arc-shaped cross-sectional surface comprising two end points and an apex between the end points, and

wherein a curvature of the light exit surface at the apex is spherical, and a curvature of the light exit surface at points corresponding to the curvature portion that is below each of the end points is less than spherical to reduce total internal reflection of light rays that are reflected by the at least one reflector,

wherein the cross-sectional shape of the light exit surface is free of kinks over its entire length, and

wherein the light source is a semiconductor body embedded in the optical element such that the semiconductor body is in direct contact with the optical element.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light exit surface is shaped so that for at least a portion of the light rays, an angle of incidence on the light exit surface is smaller than a total reflection angle, and the radiation power of the portion of light rays is at least 50% of a total radiation power emitted by the light source.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light rays comprise visible light.

4. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the light source is at least partially surrounded by the optical element.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflector comprises a metal or is provided with a metallized surface.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflector comprises a reflector body formed of a first material, and a coating formed of a second material having a higher reflectivity than the first material.

7. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the at least one reflector has a compound parabolic concentrator structure.

8. The lighting device of claim 4, wherein the optical element is formed from an enveloping material for the light source.

9. The lighting device of claim 8, wherein the enveloping material is a synthetic material.

10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein the enveloping material is a reactive resin.

11. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the at least one reflector comprises a duroplast.

12. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the at least one reflector comprises a thermoplast.

13. The lighting device of claim 5, wherein the at least one reflector comprises a ceramic material.