Light-directing apparatus with protected reflector-shield and lighting fixture utilizing same

• US 8,511,854 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2012
• Issued: 08/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wilcox, Kurt S.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ward, John A
• Application Number:
  US13/647,162
• Publication Number:
  US 20130027932A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• Field of Search: 362/296.1, 362/296.02, 362/296.05, 362/296.07, 362/297, 362/310, 362/311.15, 362/227, 362235-237, 362/240, 362/243, 362/351, 362/360, 362/361, 362/245, 362/248, 362/328
• US Class Current: 362/245
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/60 Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/085 of high-built type, e.g. street light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 11/16 using sheets without apertures, e.g. fixed
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/10 the elements being reflectors and screens
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/12 Combinations of only three kinds of elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/00 Controlling the distribution of the light emitted by adjustment of elements reflectors with provision for adjusting the curvature F21V7/16; light filters or the like with provision for controlling the colour or intensity F21V9/40; screens using adjustable parallel laminae or strips F21V11/04; screens using iris-type diaphragms F21V11/10; screens using movable sheets without apertures F21V11/18; adjustable mountings for lighting devices F21V21/14
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/005 with keying means, i.e. for enabling the assembling of component parts in distinctive positions, e.g. for preventing wrong mounting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/04 of lens shape
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 9/40 with provision for controlling spectral properties, e.g. colour, or intensity
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/103 of streets or roads
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A light-directing apparatus for preferential-side distribution of light from a light emitter having an emitter axis, including a lens member positioned over the light emitter and a shield member. The lens member has a proximal end substantially transverse the emitter axis and an outer surface which may be configured for refracting light from the emitter. The shield member is received in a shield-receiving void of an inner surface of the lens member. Another aspect of this invention is a lighting fixture utilizing such light-directing apparatus.

Claims

1. A light-directing apparatus for off-axial preferential-side distribution of light from a light emitter having an emitter axis, comprising a lens member positioned over the light emitter and having an inner surface defining an emitter void and a shield-receiving void which is on a non-preferential side of the lens member, the shield-receiving void being different in configuration than the emitter void and including a shield-contacting inner-surface portion with a shield member thereagainst.

2. The light-directing apparatus of claim 1 further including an outer surface configured for refracting light from the emitter in a predominantly off-axial direction toward a preferential side.

3. The light-directing apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the lens member further includes a proximal end transverse to the emitter axis and defining a shield-insertion opening and an emitter-insertion opening; and

the emitter void is an emitter-receiving void extending from the emitter-insertion opening and facing the emitter.

4. The light-directing apparatus of claim 3 wherein the shield-insertion opening and the emitter-receiving opening are in communication and form a single proximal-end opening.

5. The light-directing apparatus of claim 4 wherein the shield-receiving void is contiguous with the emitter-receiving void.

6. The light-directing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the shield member is in the shield-receiving void in position in the path of light emitted toward the non-preferential side, the shield member having a back surface configured to engage the shield-contacting inner-surface portion and a reflective front surface in the path of light emitted toward the non-preferential side to redirect such light toward the preferential side.

7. The light-directing apparatus of claim 6 wherein the reflective front surface is entirely within the lens member.

8. The light-directing apparatus of claim 7 wherein the reflective front surface of the shield member is non-planar.

9. The light-directing apparatus of claim 8 wherein the reflective front surface of the shield member has a plurality of sections angled with respect to each other.

10. The light-directing apparatus of claim 9 wherein the sections are each substantially planar.

11. The light-directing apparatus of claim 6 wherein the shield member includes a shield portion and a base portion.

12. The light-directing apparatus of claim 11 wherein:

the shield portion extends from the base portion into the path of light emitted toward the non-preferential side;

the base portion extends from the shield portion away from the light emitter at the proximal end of the lens member; and

the reflective front surface is on the shield portion.

13. The light-directing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the light emitter comprises an LED.

14. The light-directing apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

the light emitter is an LED package including at least one LED and a primary lens over the LED;

the lens member is a secondary lens placed over the primary lens; and

the shield member includes a reflective front surface generally facing the primary lens.

15. The light-directing apparatus of claim 1 wherein the lens member includes an outward flange around the opening(s) at the proximal end.

16. A lighting fixture with a plurality of light emitters spaced from one another on a mounting board, each light emitter having an emitter axis substantially parallel to the axes of the other light emitters, and light-directing apparatus positioned over the light emitters for off-axial preferential-side distribution of light from the emitters, the light-directing apparatus comprising a plurality of lenses each positioned over a respective one of the light emitters and each having an inner surface defining an emitter void and a shield-receiving void which is on a non-preferential side of the lens member, the shield-receiving void being different in configuration than the emitter void and including a shield-contacting inner-surface portion with a shield member thereagainst.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein each lens is a separate piece.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the lenses have preferential sides and are oriented in the same lateral direction, thereby to facilitate illumination toward one lateral direction.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 16 wherein the lenses have preferential sides and are oriented in different lateral directions, thereby to facilitate illumination in different lateral directions.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 19 wherein:

the lenses are arranged in a substantially circular pattern; and

each lens has a preferential side oriented in a substantially radially outward direction with respect to the circular pattern.