Illumination device providing direct and indirect illumination

• US 9,206,956 B2
• Filed: 02/07/2014
• Issued: 12/08/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/08/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Original Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Inventors: Speier, Ingo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): CATTANACH, COLIN J
• Application Number:
  US14/417,774
• Publication Number:
  US 20150211710A1
• Time in Patent Office: 669 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/00 Lighting devices or systems using a string or strip of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/04 intended only for mounting on a ceiling or the like overhead structures F21S8/02 takes precedence; details of ceiling bases F21V21/03
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/00 Producing particular characteristics or distribution of the light emitted by means of a combination of elements specified in two or more of main groups F21V1/00 - F21V11/00 controlling the distribution of the light emitted by adjustment of elements F21V14/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/00 Reflectors for light sources characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/505
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/90 on two opposite sides of supports or substrates
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/20 of different form
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0063 for extracting light out both the major surfaces of the light guide

Abstract

A variety of illumination devices are disclosed that are configured and arranged to output a direct intensity distribution onto work surfaces and an indirect intensity distribution towards background regions. The illumination devices include direct and indirect optical components configured to provide direct and indirect illumination. The illumination devices can be configured to allow interdependent as well as independent control of the direct and indirect illumination, e.g., by a user or by pre-programmed internal or external control circuitry.

Claims

1. An illumination device, comprising:

a mount having a first surface, the first surface being elongated and having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension shorter than the longitudinal dimension;

a direct illumination portion of the illumination device supported by the mount; and

an indirect illumination portion of the illumination device supported by the mount, wherein the direct illumination portion of the illumination device comprises;

multiple direct light-emitting elements (LEEs) operatively disposed along the first surface of the mount and distributed along the longitudinal dimension, such that the direct LEEs emit, during operation, light in a first direct angular range with respect to a normal to the first surface of the mount, and

direct optics arranged in an elongated configuration along the longitudinal dimension of the first surface and optically coupled with the direct LEEs, the direct optics configured to redirect light received from the direct LEEs in the first direct angular range, and to output the redirected light in a second direct angular range, wherein the direct optics comprise;

a light guide, a redirecting surface and one or more direct secondary reflectors, such that

the light guide guides light emitted by the direct LEEs from an input end to an output end of the light guide,

the light guided by the light guide is reflected by the redirecting surface to the one or more direct secondary reflectors,

a direction of propagation of the light reflected by the redirecting surface has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

the light reflected by the redirecting surface is reflected by the one or more direct secondary reflectors in the second direct angular range as direct illumination provided by the illumination device, wherein (i) a divergence of the second direct angular range is smaller than a divergence of the first direct angular range in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the first surface of the mount, and (ii) a prevalent direction of propagation of light in the second direct angular range has a non-zero component parallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount,

wherein the indirect portion of the illumination device comprises;

multiple indirect LEEs operatively disposed along another surface of the mount different from the first surface and distributed along the longitudinal dimension, such that the indirect LEEs emit, during operation, light in a first indirect angular range with respect to the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

indirect optics arranged in an elongated configuration along the longitudinal dimension of the first surface and optically coupled with the indirect LEEs, the indirect optics configured to redirect light received from the indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range, and to output the redirected light in a second indirect angular range, wherein (i) a divergence of the second indirect angular range is smaller than a divergence of the first indirect angular range in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the first surface of the mount, and (ii) a prevalent direction of propagation of light in the second indirect angular range has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

wherein the multiple indirect LEEs are powered independently from the direct LEEs.

2. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein

the one or more direct secondary reflectors comprise two direct secondary reflectors,

the light reflected by the redirecting surface is reflected by the two direct secondary reflectors in the second direct angular range and in a third direct angular range as direct illumination provided by the illumination device, and prevalent directions of propagation of light in both the second and third direct angular ranges have non-zero components parallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other.

3. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein

the multiple indirect LEEs comprise a first set of multiple indirect LEEs that emit light in the first indirect angular range, such that prevalent direction of propagation of light in the first indirect angular range is oblique relative to the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

the indirect optics comprise a first indirect reflector that reflects the light emitted by the first set of multiple indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range in the second indirect angular range, such that a prevalent direction of propagation of light output as indirect illumination provided by the illumination device in the second indirect angular range has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount.

4. The illumination device of claim 3 wherein

the multiple indirect LEEs further comprise a second set of multiple indirect LEEs that emit light in a third indirect angular range, such that prevalent directions of propagation of light in the first and third indirect angular ranges are oblique relative to the normal to the first surface of the mount, and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other, and

the indirect optics further comprise a second indirect reflector that reflects the light emitted by the second set of multiple indirect LEEs in the third indirect angular range in a fourth indirect angular range, such that prevalent directions of propagation of light output as indirect illumination provided by the illumination device in both the second and fourth indirect angular ranges have non-zero components antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other.

5. The illumination device of claim 3, wherein the indirect optics further comprise a third indirect reflector, such that the first and third indirect reflectors reflect the light emitted by the first set of multiple indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range in the second indirect angular range.

6. The illumination device of claim 4, wherein the indirect optics further comprise a third indirect reflector and a fourth indirect reflector, such that

the first and third indirect reflectors reflect the light emitted by the first set of multiple indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range in the second indirect angular range, and

the second and fourth indirect reflectors reflect the light emitted by the second set of multiple indirect LEEs in the third indirect angular range in the fourth indirect angular range.

7. The illumination device of claim 5 wherein the third indirect reflector has apertures that allow light reflected by the first indirect reflector in a fifth angular range to pass through the apertures of the third indirect reflector, such that a prevalent direction of propagation of light output as indirect illumination provided by the illumination device in the fifth indirect angular range has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount.

8. The illumination device of claim 6 wherein

the third indirect reflector has apertures that allow light reflected by the first indirect reflector in a fifth angular range to pass through the apertures of the third indirect reflector, and

the fourth indirect reflector has apertures that allow light reflected by the second indirect reflector in a sixth angular range to pass through the apertures of the fourth indirect reflector, such that prevalent directions of propagation of light output as indirect illumination provided by the illumination device in both the fifth and sixth indirect angular ranges have non-zero components antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other.

9. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein

the multiple indirect LEEs comprise a first set of multiple indirect LEEs that emit light in the first indirect angular range, such that a prevalent direction of propagation of light in the first indirect angular range is antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

the indirect optics comprise a first indirect reflector that reflects the light emitted by the first set of multiple indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range in the second indirect angular range, such that prevalent directions of propagation of light output as indirect illumination provided by the illumination device in the second indirect angular range has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount.

10. The illumination device of claim 9 wherein

the multiple indirect LEEs further comprise a second set of multiple indirect LEEs that emit light in a third indirect angular range, such that a prevalent direction of propagation of light in the third indirect angular range is antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

the indirect optics further comprise a second indirect reflector that reflects the light emitted by the second set of multiple indirect LEEs in the third indirect angular range in a fourth indirect angular range, such that prevalent directions of propagation of light output as indirect illumination provided by the illumination device in both the second and fourth indirect angular ranges have non-zero components antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other.

11. The illumination device of claim 10, wherein the first set of multiple indirect LEEs are powered independently from the second set of multiple indirect LEEs.

14. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein

the prevalent direction of propagation of light in the second indirect angular range is antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

the indirect optics comprise a solid indirect optic, such that a first portion of the light emitted by the indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range is redirected by a redirecting surface of the solid indirect optic into the second indirect angular range, such that a prevalent direction of propagation of light output as indirect illumination by the illumination device in the second indirect angular range has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount.

15. The illumination device of claim 14 wherein a second portion of the light emitted by the indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range is redirected by the redirecting surface into a third indirect angular range, and such that prevalent directions of propagation of light output as indirect illumination by the illumination device in both the second and third indirect angular ranges have non-zero components antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other.

16. The illumination device of claim 4, wherein the first set of multiple indirect LEEs are powered independently from the second set of multiple indirect LEEs.

12. An illumination device, comprising:

a mount having a first surface, the first surface being elongated and having a longitudinal dimension and a transverse dimension shorter than the longitudinal dimension;

a direct illumination portion of the illumination device supported by the mount; and

an indirect illumination portion of the illumination device supported by the mount,

wherein the direct portion of the illumination device comprises;

multiple direct light-emitting elements (LEEs) operatively disposed along the first surface of the mount and distributed along the longitudinal dimension, such that the direct LEEs emit, during operation, light in a first direct angular range with respect to a normal to the first surface of the mount, and

direct optics arranged in an elongated configuration along the longitudinal dimension of the first surface and optically coupled with the direct LEEs, the direct optics configured to redirect light received from the direct LEEs in the first direct angular range, and to output the redirected light in a second direct angular range, wherein (i) a divergence of the second direct angular range is smaller than a divergence of the first direct angular range in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the first surface of the mount, and (ii) a prevalent direction of propagation of light in the second direct angular range has a non-zero component parallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount,

wherein the indirect portion of the illumination device comprises;

multiple indirect LEEs operatively disposed along another surface of the mount different from the first surface and distributed along the longitudinal dimension, such that the indirect LEEs emit, during operation, light in a first indirect angular range with respect to the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

indirect optics arranged in an elongated configuration along the longitudinal dimension of the first surface and optically coupled with the indirect LEEs, the indirect optics configured to redirect light received from the indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range, and to output the redirected light in a second indirect angular range, wherein the indirect optics comprise an indirect optical coupler, an indirect redirecting surface and a first indirect reflector, such that

the indirect optical coupler is spaced apart from the indirect redirecting surface such that light emitted by the indirect LEEs in the first indirect angular range that is redirected by the indirect optical coupler impinges on the indirect redirecting surface,

the indirect redirecting surface redirects a first portion of the impinging light to the first indirect reflector, and

the first indirect reflector reflects the first portion of the impinging light redirected by the indirect redirecting surface in the second indirect angular range, such that a prevalent direction of propagation of light output as indirect illumination by the illumination device in the second indirect angular range has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and a divergence of the second indirect angular range is smaller than a divergence of the first indirect angular range in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal dimension of the first surface of the mount, and

wherein the multiple indirect LEEs are powered independently from the direct LEEs.

13. The illumination device of claim 12 wherein the indirect optics further comprise a second indirect reflector that reflects a second portion of the impinging light redirected by the redirecting surface in a third indirect angular range, such that prevalent directions of propagation of light output as indirect illumination by the illumination device in both the second and third indirect angular ranges have non-zero components antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount and have non-zero components perpendicular to the normal to the first surface of the mount that are antiparallel with each other.

17. The illumination device of claim 12, wherein the direct optics comprise a light guide, a redirecting surface and one or more direct secondary reflectors, such that

the light guide guides light emitted by the direct LEEs from an input end to an output end of the light guide,

the light guided by the light guide is reflected by the redirecting surface to the one or more direct secondary reflectors,

a direction of propagation of the light reflected by the redirecting surface has a non-zero component antiparallel with the normal to the first surface of the mount, and

the light reflected by the redirecting surface is reflected by the one or more direct secondary reflectors at least in the second direct angular range as direct illumination provided by the illumination device.