Luminaire module with multiple light guide elements

• US 9,335,462 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2014
• Issued: 05/10/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Original Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Inventors: York, Allan Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Jong-Suk (James)
• Assistant Examiner(s): Kryukova, Erin
• Application Number:
  US14/422,328
• Publication Number:
  US 20150219836A1
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 349/65, 349/62, 359/265
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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: 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 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2101/00 Point-like light sources
• 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: G02B 6/0006 Coupling light into the fibre in general G02B6/4298
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0008 the light being emitted at the end of the fibre
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/002 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide, e.g. with collimating, focussing or diverging surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0023 provided by one optical element, or plurality thereof, placed between the light guide and the light source, or around the light source
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0035 provided on the surface of the light guide or in the bulk of it
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0036 2-D arrangement of prisms, protrusions, indentations or roughened surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0055 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0068 Arrangements of plural sources, e.g. multi-colour light sources
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0073 Light emitting diode [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0085 Means for removing heat created by the light source from the package heat extraction or cooling elements for semiconductor light sources in general H01L33/64

Abstract

A variety of luminaire modules are disclosed that are configured to output light provided by multiple light-emitting elements (LEEs). In general, embodiments of the luminaire modules feature at least two LEEs disposed on at least one substrate, at least two light guides that receive light from corresponding LEEs of the at least two LEEs, and at least one optical extractor that receives light from corresponding light guides from the at least two light guides.

Claims

1. A luminaire module comprising:

a first set of light-emitting elements (LEEs) disposed on one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in a forward direction;

a first light guide shaped to guide light, emitted by the first set of LEEs and received at an input end of the first light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the first light guide and provide first guided light at the output end of the first light guide;

a first optical extractor optically coupled with the output end of the first light guide and adapted to receive the first guided light, the first optical extractor having at least one redirecting surface, the at least one redirecting surface of the first optical extractor being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the first optical extractor in a first direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction;

a second set of LEEs disposed on the one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in the forward direction, the second set of LEEs being independently controllable from the first set of LEEs;

a second light guide optically shaped to guide light, emitted by the second set of LEEs and received at an input end of the second light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the second light guide and provide second guided light at the output end of the second light guide; and

a second optical extractor optically coupled with the output end of the second light guide and adapted to receive the second guided light, the second optical extractor having at least one redirecting surface, the at least one redirecting surface of the second optical extractor being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the second optical extractor in a second direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction and antiparallel to the orthogonal component of the first direction,

wherein the first and second light guide are spaced apart forming a space between the first and the second light guide,

wherein the space is filled with a medium to control total internal reflection at respective interfaces of the first and second light guides with the medium, and

wherein the medium is an electronically controllable fluid.

2. The luminaire module of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more first couplers positioned to receive a portion of the light emitted by the first set of LEEs and adapted to at least partially collimate the received portion of the light, the one or more first couplers being optically coupled with the first light guide at the input end of the first light guide; and

one or more second couplers positioned to receive a portion of the light emitted by the second set of LEEs and adapted to at least partially collimate the received portion of the light, the one or more second couplers being optically coupled with the second light guide at the input end of the second light guide.

3. The luminaire module of claim 1, wherein the second set of LEEs is adjacent to the first set of LEEs.

4. The luminaire module of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second directions has a component that is antiparallel to the forward direction.

5. The luminaire module of claim 1, wherein

the first optical extractor comprises one or more output surfaces, and wherein the first optical extractor directs at least a portion of the light received from the first light guide towards the one or more output surfaces of the first optical extractor, and

the second optical extractor comprises one or more output surfaces, and wherein the second optical extractor directs at least a portion of the light received from the second light guide towards the one or more output surfaces of the second optical extractor.

6. The luminaire module of claim 1, wherein the first set of LEEs is powered independently from the second set of LEEs.

7. The luminaire module of claim 6, wherein the first set of LEEs and the second set of LEEs are independently controllable via a first power connection to the first set of LEEs and a second power connection to the second set of LEEs.

8. A luminaire module comprising:

a first set of light-emitting elements (LEEs) disposed on one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in a forward direction;

a first light guide shaped to guide light, emitted by the first set of LEEs and received at an input end of the first light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the first light guide and provide first guided light at the output end of the first light guide;

a first optical extractor optically coupled with the output end of the first light guide and adapted to receive the first guided light, the first optical extractor having at least one redirecting surface, the at least one redirecting surface of the first optical extractor being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the first optical extractor in a first direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction;

a second set of LEEs disposed on the one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in the forward direction, the second set of LEEs being independently controllable from the first set of LEEs;

a second light guide optically shaped to guide light, emitted by the second set of LEEs and received at an input end of the second light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the second light guide and provide second guided light at the output end of the second light guide; and

a second optical extractor optically coupled with the output end of the second light guide and adapted to receive the second guided light, the second optical extractor having at least one redirecting surface, the at least one redirecting surface of the second optical extractor being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the second optical extractor in a second direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction and antiparallel to the orthogonal component of the first direction,

wherein the first and second light guide are spaced apart forming a space between the first and the second light guide,

wherein the space is filled with a medium to control total internal reflection at respective interfaces of the first and second light guides with the medium, and

wherein the medium comprises one or more liquid crystal sheets disposed between the first and the second light guide.

9. The luminaire module of claim 8, wherein one or more of the at least one redirecting surface of the first optical extractor or the at least one redirecting surface of the second optical extractor reflects substantially all of the light received from at least one of the first light guide or the second light guide.

10. The luminaire module of claim 8, wherein the first set of LEEs is independently controllable from the second set of LEEs to selectively provide different relative intensities between light provided along the first direction and light provided along the second direction.

11. The luminaire module of claim 8, wherein the first set of LEEs is independently controllable from the second set of LEEs to selectively provide different chromaticities between light provided along the first direction and light provided along the second direction.

12. The luminaire module of claim 8, wherein a subset of one of more LEEs of the first set of LEEs are operated independently of other LEEs of the first set of LEEs.

13. The luminaire module of claim 12, wherein a subset of one of more LEEs of the second set of LEEs are operated independently of other LEEs of the second set of LEEs.

14. The luminaire module of claim 8, wherein at least one of the first and second directions has a component that is antiparallel to the forward direction.

15. A luminaire module comprising:

a first set of light-emitting elements (LEEs) disposed on one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in a forward direction;

a first light guide shaped to guide light, emitted by the first set of LEEs and received at an input end of the first light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the first light guide and provide first guided light at the output end of the first light guide;

a second set of LEEs disposed on the one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in the forward direction, wherein the second set of LEEs is adjacent to and independently controllable from the first set of LEEs;

a second light guide optically shaped to guide light, emitted by the second set of LEEs and received at an input end of the second light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the second light guide and provide second guided light at the output end of the second light guide, wherein the first and second light guides are spaced apart forming a space between the first and the second light guide, and wherein the space comprises an electronically controllable fluid to control total internal reflection at respective interfaces of the first and second light guides with the electronically controllable fluid; and

an optical extractor optically coupled with the output end of the first light guide and the output end of the second light guide and adapted to receive the first and second guided light, the optical extractor having at least one first redirecting surface and at least one second redirecting surface, the at least one first redirecting surface being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the optical extractor from the first light guide in a first direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction and the at least one second redirecting surface being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the optical extractor from the second light guide in a second direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction and antiparallel to the orthogonal component of the first direction.

16. The luminaire module of claim 15, wherein at least one of the at least one first redirecting surface or the at least one second redirecting surface of the optical extractor is at least partially reflective for light received from at least one of the first light guide or the second light guide.

17. The luminaire module of claim 15, wherein one or more of the at least one first redirecting surface or the at least one second redirecting surface of the optical extractor is partially transmissive for the light received from at least one of the first light guide or the second light guide.

18. The luminaire module of claim 15, wherein the optical extractor emits light in the forward direction.

19. The luminaire module of claim 15, further comprising:

one or more first couplers positioned to receive a portion of the light emitted by the first set of LEEs and adapted to at least partially collimate the received portion of the light, the one or more first couplers being optically coupled with the first light guide at the input end of the first light guide; and

one or more second couplers positioned to receive a portion of the light emitted by the second set of LEEs and adapted to at least partially collimate the received portion of the light, the one or more second couplers being optically coupled with the second light guide at the input end of the second light guide.

20. The luminaire module of claim 15, wherein at least one of the first and second direction have a component that is antiparallel to the forward direction.

21. The luminaire module of claim 15, wherein the optical extractor comprises at least one first output surface and at least one second output surface, and wherein the optical extractor directs at least a portion of the light received from the first light guide towards the at least one first output surface of the optical extractor and at least a portion of the light received from the second light guide towards the at least one second output surface of the optical extractor.

22. The luminaire module of claim 15, wherein the first set of LEEs is powered independently from the second set of LEEs.

23. The luminaire of claim 22, wherein the first set of LEEs and the second set of LEEs are independently controllable via a first power connection to the first set of LEEs and a second power connection to the second set of LEEs.

24. A luminaire module comprising:

a first set of light-emitting elements (LEEs) disposed on one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in a forward direction;

a first light guide shaped to guide light, emitted by the first set of LEEs and received at an input end of the first light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the first light guide and provide first guided light at the output end of the first light guide;

a second set of LEEs disposed on the one or more substrates and adapted to emit light in the forward direction, wherein the second set of LEEs is adjacent to and independently controllable from the first set of LEEs;

a second light guide optically shaped to guide light, emitted by the second set of LEEs and received at an input end of the second light guide, in the forward direction to an output end of the second light guide and provide second guided light at the output end of the second light guide, wherein the first and second light guides are spaced apart forming a space between the first and the second light guide, and wherein the space comprises one or more liquid crystal sheets disposed between the first and the second light guide to control total internal reflection at respective interfaces of the first and second light guides with the one or more liquid crystal sheets; and

an optical extractor optically coupled with the output end of the first light guide and the output end of the second light guide and adapted to receive the first and second guided light, the optical extractor having at least one first redirecting surface and at least one second redirecting surface, the at least one first redirecting surface being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the optical extractor from the first light guide in a first direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction and the at least one second redirecting surface being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the optical extractor from the second light guide in a second direction that has a component orthogonal to the forward direction and antiparallel to the orthogonal component of the first direction.

25. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein at least one of the at least one first redirecting surface or the at least one second redirecting surface of the optical extractor comprises a liquid crystal sheet.

26. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein at least one of the at least one first redirecting surface or the at least one second redirecting surface of the optical extractor is at least partially reflective for light received from at least one of the first light guide or the second light guide.

27. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein one or more of the at least one first redirecting surface or the at least one second redirecting surface of the optical extractor is partially transmissive for the light received from at least one of the first light guide or the second light guide.

28. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein one or more of the at least one first redirecting surface or the at least one second redirecting surface of the optical extractor reflects substantially all of the light received from at least one of the first light guide or the second light guide.

29. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein the first set of LEEs are independently controllable from the second set of LEEs to selectively provide different relative intensities between light provided along the first direction and light provided along the second direction.

30. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein the first set of LEEs are independently controllable from the second set of LEEs to selectively provide different chromaticities between light provided along the first direction and light provided along the second direction.

31. The luminaire of claim 24, wherein a subset of one of more LEEs of the first set of LEEs are operated independently of other LEEs of the first set of LEEs.

32. The luminaire of claim 31, wherein a subset of one of more LEEs of the second set of LEEs are operated independently of other LEEs of the second set of LEEs.

33. The luminaire module of claim 24, wherein at least one of the first and second directions has a component that is antiparallel to the forward direction.