LED lighting arrangement including light emitting phosphor

• US 9,045,688 B2
• Filed: 04/06/2012
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 08/03/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intematix Corporation
• Original Assignee: Intematix Corporation
• Inventors: Li, Yi-Qun
• Primary Examiner(s): HINES, ANNE M
• Application Number:
  US13/441,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20120187441A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: 313498-512
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/0883 Arsenides; Nitrides; Phosphides
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/77342 Silicates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7741 Sulfates
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 11/7774 Aluminates
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/14 the elements being filters or photoluminescent elements, reflectors and refractors
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/12 the coatings comprising photoluminescent substances
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/041 Ball lenses
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/10 comprising photoluminescent material
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/30 Semiconductor lasers
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 2933/0041 relating to wavelength conversion elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01L 33/502 Wavelength conversion materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/13 Hollow or container type article [e.g., tube, vase, etc.]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/24479 including variation in thickness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 1 mil or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31511 Of epoxy ether
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/31663 As siloxane, silicone or silane

Abstract

A method of manufacturing an LED lighting arrangement, comprises: receiving an optical component having a diffusing material that is light diffusive and at least one photoluminescent material that is excitable by light of a first wavelength range and which emits light of a second wavelength range; receiving an LED assembly that is operable to generate the light of the first wavelength range and mounting the optical component to the LED assembly to form the LED lighting arrangement. The optical component having the diffusing and photoluminescent materials is mass produced separately from the LED assembly and can be selected such that light generated by the optical component combined with the light generated by the LED assembly corresponds to light of a selected color. Also disclosed are LED lighting arrangements, components for LED lighting arrangements and methods of fabricating an optical component.

Claims

1. An LED lighting arrangement, comprising:

an elongate optical component comprising a transparent material, and a layer containing a diffusing material, a first photoluminescent material, and a second photoluminescent material mixed together, wherein the diffusing material is light diffusive and the first and second photoluminescent materials are excitable by light of a first wavelength range and emit light of a second and third wavelength range respectively, and wherein the optical component has a hollow form; and

an LED assembly that is operable to generate the light of the first wavelength range, wherein the optical component is separated from the LED assembly,

wherein the optical component is mounted to the LED assembly to form the LED lighting arrangement, and wherein the LED lighting arrangement is operable to emit white light comprising a combination of light emitted by the LED assembly and light emitted by the first and second photoluminescent materials.

2. The lighting arrangement of claim 1, and wherein the layer comprises at least a part of a surface of the component selected from the group consisting of:

a concave surface;

a convex surface; and

combinations thereof.

3. The lighting arrangement of claim 1, and wherein the layer comprises at least a part of the inner or outer surfaces of the component and wherein the component is in the form of a hollow cylinder.

4. The lighting arrangement of claim 1, and wherein the layer is of substantially uniform thickness.

5. The lighting arrangement of claim 1, and wherein the diffusing material is selected from the group consisting of:

titanium dioxide;

silica, alumina; and

combinations thereof.

6. A component for a LED lighting arrangement, comprising:

an optical component comprising a transparent material and having a planar surface, a layer provided on at least a portion of said planar surface, the layer containing a diffusing material, a first photoluminescent material, and a second photoluminescent material mixed together, wherein the diffusing material is light diffusive and the first and second photoluminescent materials are excitable by light of a first wavelength range and emit light of a second and third wavelength range respectively, and wherein the optical component has a hollow form,

wherein the optical component is separated from an LED assembly to which the optical component is mountable, such that the LED lighting arrangement is operable to emit white light comprising a combination of light emitted by the LED assembly and light emitted by the first and second photoluminescent materials.

7. The component of claim 6, wherein the layer is of substantially uniform thickness.

8. The component of claim 6, and wherein the layer is provided using an approach selected from the group consisting of:

spraying;

dropping;

printing;

painting;

spin coating; and

tape casting.

9. The component of claim 6, and wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of:

a lens;

an optical window; and

a waveguide.

10. The component of claim 6, and wherein the first and second photoluminescent materials comprise phosphor materials selected from the group consisting of:

a YAG-based phosphor;

a silicate-based phosphor;

a nitride-based phosphor;

a sulfate-based phosphor; and

combinations thereof.

11. An LED lighting arrangement, comprising:

an optical component comprising a transparent material having at least one planar surface, and a layer provided on at least a part of the planar surface, the layer containing a diffusing material, a first photoluminescent material, and a second photoluminescent material mixed together, wherein the diffusing material is light diffusive and the first and second photoluminescent materials are excitable by light of a first wavelength range and emit light of a second and third wavelength range respectively; and

an LED assembly that is operable to generate the light of the first wavelength range, wherein the optical component is separated from the LED assembly,

wherein the optical component is mounted to the LED assembly to form the LED lighting arrangement, and wherein the LED lighting arrangement is operable to emit white light comprising a combination of light emitted by the LED assembly and light emitted by the first and second photoluminescent materials.

12. The lighting arrangement of claim 11, wherein the layer is of substantially uniform thickness.

13. The lighting arrangement of claim 11, and wherein the layer is provided using an approach selected from the group consisting of:

spraying;

dropping;

printing;

painting;

spin coating; and

tape casting.

14. The lighting arrangement of claim 11, and wherein the component is selected from the group consisting of:

a lens;

an optical window; and

a waveguide.

15. The lighting arrangement of claim 11, and wherein the first and second photoluminescent materials comprise phosphor materials selected from the group consisting of:

a YAG-based phosphor;

a silicate-based phosphor;

a nitride-based phosphor;

a sulfate-based phosphor; and

combinations thereof.