Lighting system cover including AR-coated textured glass, and method of making the same

• US 8,317,360 B2
• Filed: 09/18/2008
• Issued: 11/27/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Guardian Glass LLC (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Guardian Industries Corporation (KOCH Industries Incorporated)
• Inventors: Lu, Yiwei, St. Jean, Jim, Mellott, Nathan P., Wang, Zhongming
• Primary Examiner(s): CARIASO, ALAN B
• Application Number:
  US12/232,539
• Publication Number:
  US 20100067223A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 362/235, 362615-627, 362/339, 362/330, 362/293, 362/236, 362/237, 362/257, 362/311.02, 362/311.05, 362/317, 359/599, 445/58
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 17/00 Surface treatment of glass, not in the form of fibres or filaments, by coating optical coatings of optical elements G02B1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2204/08 Glass having a rough surface
• CPC Class Codes: C03C 2217/73 Anti-reflective coatings with specific characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/002 using microoptical elements for redirecting or diffusing light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/02 of prismatic shape F21V5/04 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/105 of arenas or the like

Abstract

Certain examples relate to lighting system covers that include AR-coated textured glass, and/or methods of making the same. In certain examples, at least one light source is provided proximate to a cover comprising a glass substrate. The glass substrate includes an anti-reflective (AR) coating on the surface that is closer to the at least one light source, and the glass substrate is textured (e.g., such that it is substantially prismatic in texture) on the surface opposite the AR-coated surface. The surface of the glass substrate on which the AR coating is formed may be a flat, irregular, or textured matte. An optional AR coating also may be formed on the textured surface of the glass substrate.

Claims

1. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), the LED lighting system billboard comprising:

a single glass substrate disposed over the plurality of LEDs, the glass substrate comprising a first anti-reflective (AR) coating provided directly or indirectly on a first major surface of the glass substrate,

wherein a second major surface of the glass substrate is prismatically textured to increase transmission of light at viewing angles greater than about 45 degrees from normal, the second major surface being opposite the first major surface,

wherein the glass substrate is arranged such that the first major surface thereof is closer than the second major surface to the plurality of LEDs of the LED lighting system.

2. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first major surface of the glass substrate is substantially flat.

3. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first major surface of the glass substrate is an irregular matte.

4. The LED lighting system of claim 1, further comprising a second AR coating directly or indirectly applied to the second major surface.

5. The LED lighting system of claim 4, wherein the first and second AR coatings are the same.

6. The LED lighting system of claim 4, wherein the lighting system increases radiation transmitted from the plurality of LEDs used in the LED lighting system by at least about 4.5%.

7. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first AR coating has a refractive index of about 1.30-1.35 at 550 nm.

8. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the first AR coating has a physical thickness of about 100-200 nm.

9. The LED lighting system of claim 1, wherein the lighting system increases radiation transmitted from the plurality of LEDs used in the LED lighting system by at least about 2.5%.

10. A lighting system comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs, the light system comprising:

a glass substrate, the glass substrate comprising a first anti-reflective (AR) coating provided directly or indirectly on a first major surface of the glass substrate, the first major surface being either a substantially flat matte or an irregular matte,

wherein a second major surface of the glass substrate is prismatically textured to increase transmission of light at viewing angles greater than about 45 degrees from normal, the second major surface being opposite the first major surface, and wherein a second AR coating directly or indirectly applied to the second major surface,

wherein the glass substrate is arranged such that the first major surface thereof is closer to the plurality of LEDs than the second major surface, and

wherein the first AR coating provided on the first major surface of the glass substrate and the textured second surface of the glass substrate cooperate to increase radiation transmitted from the plurality of LEDs by at least about 2.5%.

11. The lighting system of claim 10, further comprising a second AR coating directly or indirectly applied to the second major surface.

12. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the first and second AR coatings are the same.

13. The lighting system of claim 11, wherein the textured second surface of the glass substrate cooperate to increase radiation transmitted from the plurality of LEDs by at least about 4.5%.

14. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the first AR coating has a refractive index of about 1.30-1.35 at 550 nm.

15. The lighting system of claim 10, wherein the first AR coating has a physical thickness of about 100-200 nm.

16. A method of making a light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), comprising:

forming a first anti-reflective (AR) coating directly or indirectly on a first major surface of a glass substrate, the first major surface being either a substantially flat matte or an irregular matte;

texturing a second major surface of the glass substrate so that the second major surface is prismatically textured to increase transmission of light at angles greater than about 45 degrees from normal, the second major surface being opposite the first major surface;

forming a second AR coating directly or indirectly on the second major surface; and

arranging the glass substrate such that the first major surface thereof is closer than the second major surface to the plurality of LEDs,

wherein the first AR coating provided on the first major surface of the glass substrate and the textured second surface of the glass substrate cooperate to increase radiation transmitted from the plurality of LEDs in the (LED) lighting system by at least about 2.5%.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the first AR coating provided on the first major surface of the glass substrate, the second AR coating provided on the second major surface of the glass substrate, and the textured second surface of the glass substrate cooperate to increase radiation transmitted from the plurality of LEDs in the (LED) lighting system at least one light source by at least about 4.5%.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the first AR coating has a refractive index of about 1.30-1.35 at 550 nm has a physical thickness of about 100-200 nm.