Low glare lighting for a transit vehicle

• US 8,210,724 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2009
• Issued: 07/03/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Original Assignee: I/O Controls Corporation
• Inventors: Ying, Jeffrey
• Primary Examiner(s): BRUCE, DAVID VERNON
• Application Number:
  US12/409,304
• Publication Number:
  US 20090237950A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,198 Days
• Field of Search: 362/479, 362/471, 362/490, 362/545, 362/217.03, 362/217.04, 362/290, 362/291
• US Class Current: 362/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/43 General lighting
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 3/66 for distributing light among several lighting devices

Abstract

A low glare overhead lighting fixture for a transit vehicle comprises a lighting fixture base assembly for mounting one or more light sources (e.g., LEDs or fluorescent tubes), and a light permeable cover adapted to reduce glare. The light permeable cover may include a light guide embodied as a grid-like structure with holes or perforations for directing the light from the light source in a manner reducing light spread. The light guide may be disposed between a front and rear lens covers. The lighting fixture may also utilize a light permeable cover having an anti-glare surface element, such as a privacy filter screen or mesh which may be formed using microlouver technology. The lighting fixture base assembly may have separate compartments, each lined with a highly reflective coating, housing one or more deeply set LEDs.

Claims

1. A lighting fixture for a transit vehicle, comprising:

a lighting fixture base for overhead mounting in a conveyance;

one or more light sources mounted in the lighting fixture base for illuminating the interior of the conveyance; and

a light permeable front cover attached to the lighting fixture base, said light permeable front cover comprising a lens cover and a light guide for reducing light spread from the one or more light sources;

wherein said light guide comprises an opaque sheet with perforations for allowing light to pass through from the one or more light sources.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said perforations form a honeycomb grid pattern.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said perforations form a lattice-like grid pattern.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said light permeable front lens cover is arced, and wherein said light guide conforms its shape so to follow the contours of the front lens cover when placed thereon.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said light guide has a thickness within a range of about ⅛

″

to ¼

″

.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said perforations have a width of approximately ⅛

″

.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said light guide is substantially formed from aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 1, wherein said one or more light sources comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. The lighting fixture of claim 8, wherein said lighting fixture base comprises a plurality of compartments separated by interior walls, each compartment having one or more LEDs disposed therein.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 9, wherein said compartments are surfaced with a highly reflective substance.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 10, wherein said highly reflective substance comprises aluminum.

12. The lighting system of claim 1, wherein said one or more light sources comprises at least one fluorescent tube.

13. The lighting system of claim 1, further comprising an anti-glare material affixed to said light permeable front lens cover.

14. A lighting fixture for a transit vehicle lighting system, comprising:

a lighting fixture base for overhead mounting in a conveyance;

one or more light sources mounted in the lighting fixture base for illuminating the interior of the conveyance; and

a light permeable front cover attached to the lighting fixture base, said light permeable front cover comprising a lens cover with anti-glare material disposed thereon for reducing light spread from the one or more light sources;

wherein said anti-glare material comprises a privacy mesh having a pattern of microlouvers effectively reducing the spread of light from the one or more light sources.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 14, wherein said light permeable front lens cover is arced, and wherein said anti-glare material conforms its shape so to follow the contours of the front lens cover when placed thereon.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 14, wherein said one or more light sources comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs).

17. The lighting fixture of claim 16, wherein said lighting fixture base comprises a plurality of compartments separated by interior walls, each compartment having one or more LEDs disposed therein.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 17, wherein said compartments are surfaced with a highly reflective substance.

19. The lighting system of claim 14, wherein said one or more light sources comprises at least one fluorescent tube.

20. A lighting fixture for a transit vehicle lighting system, comprising:

a lighting fixture base for overhead mounting in a conveyance;

one or more light sources mounted in the lighting fixture base for illuminating the interior of the conveyance; and

a light permeable front cover attached to the lighting fixture base, said light permeable front cover comprising a lens cover with anti-glare material disposed thereon for reducing light spread from the one or more light sources;

wherein said one or more light sources comprises a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs); and

wherein said anti-glare material restricts the spread of light from said LEDs to approximately 80 degrees.

21. A lighting fixture for a transit vehicle, comprising:

a lighting fixture base for overhead mounting in a conveyance;

a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) mounted in the lighting fixture base for illuminating the interior of the conveyance; and

an light permeable front cover attached to the lighting fixture base, said light permeable front cover comprising an arced lens cover and a light guide, curved to follow the contours of said arced lens cover, for reducing light spread from the LEDs;

wherein said light guide comprises an opaque sheet with perforations for allowing light to pass through from the LEDs, said perforations forming a gridlike pattern.

22. The lighting fixture of claim 21, wherein said perforations form a lattice-like grid pattern.

23. The lighting fixture of claim 21, wherein said perforations form a honeycomb grid pattern.

24. The lighting fixture of claim 21, wherein said light guide has a thickness within a range of about ⅛

″

to ¼

″

.

25. The lighting fixture of claim 24, wherein said perforations have a width of approximately ⅛

″

.

26. The lighting fixture of claim 21, wherein said light guide is substantially formed from aluminum or an aluminum alloy.

27. The lighting fixture of claim 21, wherein said lighting fixture base comprises a plurality of compartments separated by interior walls, each compartment having one or more LEDs disposed therein, said compartments being surfaced with a highly reflective substance.