Luminaire

• US 9,372,298 B2
• Filed: 05/28/2012
• Issued: 06/21/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2011
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips N.V.
• Inventors: De Zwart, Siebe Tjerk, Van Gheluwe, Jochen Renaat, Michiels, Wilhelmus Petrus Adrianus Johannus, Van Baardwijk, Menno, Pijlman, Fetze, De Haas, Cornelis Gerardus Maria
• Primary Examiner(s): Lee, Y M
• Application Number:
  US14/122,279
• Publication Number:
  US 20140192550A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,485 Days
• Field of Search: 362/616, 362/628
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/063 with a rigid pendant, i.e. a pipe or rod
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0005 the light guides being of the fibre type G02B6/0003 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0021 for housing at least a part of the light source, e.g. by forming holes or recesses
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0051 Diffusing sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0053 Prismatic sheet or layer; Brightness enhancement element, 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 6/0076 Stacked arrangements of multiple light guides of the same or different cross-sectional area

Abstract

The invention relates to a luminaire that enables the use of more sparsely distributed light sources, having a uniform fixture surface brightness and good color mixing. The luminaire comprises first and second light guide layers (10, 11) optically coupled together by at least one optical coupler (12a, 12b), which allows the passage of light from the first (10) to the second light guide layer (11). The luminaire also comprises a plurality of light sources (16a, 16b), each of which being arranged such that light emitted by the light source (16a, 16b) is coupled into the first light guide layer (10) at an interface surface (17)arranged substantially perpendicularly to a longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer (10). The luminaire further comprises a scattering element (14) adapted to cause light to be emitted from an emitting surface of the second light guide layer (11). By providing two optically coupled light guide layers (10, 11), one for receiving light emitted by the light sources (16a, 16b) and the other for emission, greater opportunity for dispersion and color mixing of the light is provided.

Claims

1. A luminaire comprising:

first and second light guide layers optically coupled together by at least one optical coupler, which allows the passage of light from the first to the second light guide layer, the at least one optical coupler comprising an edge coupler for coupling adjacent edges of the first and second light guide layers, the adjacent edges being parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer;

a plurality of light sources, each light source being arranged such that light emitted by the light source is coupled into the first light guide layer at an interface surface arranged substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer so that the light travels substantially in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer; and

a scattering element adapted to cause light to be emitted from an emitting surface of the second light guide layer.

2. A luminaire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first light guide layer, the second light guide layer and the at least one optical coupler is made from a material having a refractive index that is greater than the square root of 2.

3. A luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the at least one optical coupler comprises two spaced apart mirrored surfaces.

4. A luminaire according to claim 3, wherein the at least one optical coupler comprises at least one coupling element passing between inwardly facing surfaces of the first and second light guide layers.

5. A luminaire according to claim 4, further comprising an optical structure associated with the second light guide layer adapted to couple light into a desired angular range.

6. A luminaire according to claim 5, wherein the optical structure is formed in the emitting surface, or an inwardly facing surface, opposite to the emitting surface, in the second light guide layer.

7. A luminaire according to claim 6, wherein the first and second light guide layers and the optical coupler are integrally formed.

8. A luminaire according to claim 7, wherein a gap is defined in the first light guide layer, the gap extending between two edges of the first light guide layer opposed along the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer.

9. A luminaire according to claim 8 wherein a plurality of cavities are defined in the first light guide layer, each cavity having a side wall forming the interface surface and extending substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer, at least one of the plurality of light sources being disposed within each cavity to emit light towards the side wall.

10. A luminaire according to claim 9, wherein each cavity comprises two converging side walls, a light source within each cavity facing away from the two converging side walls.

11. A luminaire according to claim 10, wherein the plurality of light sources comprises first and second sets of light sources, each set adapted to emit light of different colors.

12. A luminaire according to claim 11, further comprising an array of optical structures in the first light guide layer, each of the optical structures disposed on a straight line path between two of the plurality of light sources and adapted to reflect light emitted by one or other of the light sources along the path.

13. A luminaire according to claim 12, wherein the scattering element is disposed between the first and second light guide layers.

14. A panel support element for a modular panel system comprising a luminaire according to claim 13.

15. A luminaire comprising:

first and second light guide layers optically coupled together by at least one optical coupler, which allows the passage of light from the first to the second light guide layer, the at least one optical coupler comprising an edge coupler for coupling adjacent edges of the first and second light guide layers, the adjacent edges being parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer,

a plurality of light sources, each light source being arranged such that light emitted by the light source is coupled into the first light guide layer at an interface surface arranged substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer so that the light travels substantially in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer; and

a scattering element adapted to cause light to be emitted from an emitting surface of the second light guide layer,

wherein a gap is defined in the first light guide layer, the gap extending between two edges of the first light guide layer opposed along the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer.

16. A luminaire comprising:

first and second light guide layers optically coupled together by at least one optical coupler, which allows the passage of light from the first to the second light guide layer, the at least one optical coupler comprising an edge coupler for coupling adjacent edges of the first and second light guide layers, the adjacent edges being parallel to a longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer,

a plurality of light sources, each light source being arranged such that light emitted by the light source is coupled into the first light guide layer at an interface surface arranged substantially perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer so that the light travels substantially in a direction parallel to the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer;

a scattering element adapted to cause light to be emitted from an emitting surface of the second light guide layer; and

an optical structure associated with the second light guide layer adapted to couple light into a desired angular range,

wherein the at least one optical coupler comprises two spaced apart mirrored surfaces, wherein the at least one optical coupler comprises at least one coupling element passing between inwardly facing surfaces of the first and second light guide layers, wherein the optical structure is formed in the emitting surface, or an inwardly facing surface, opposite to the emitting surface, in the second light guide layer, wherein the first and second light guide layers and the optical coupler are integrally formed and wherein a gap is defined in the first light guide layer, the gap extending between two edges of the first light guide layer opposed along the longitudinal axis of the first light guide layer.