Illumination devices with adjustable optical elements

• US 9,410,680 B2
• Filed: 04/17/2014
• Issued: 08/09/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Original Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Inventors: Ng, Andrew Tien-Man, Speier, Ingo, Dau, Wilson, Lerman, Louis, Stormberg, Hans Peter
• Primary Examiner(s): BANNAN, JULIE A
• Application Number:
  US14/418,194
• Publication Number:
  US 20150167940A1
• Time in Patent Office: 845 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/23 Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with a single fitting for each light source, e.g. for substitution of incandescent lamps with bayonet or threaded fittings
• CPC Class Codes: F21K 9/61 using light guides
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/002 Table lamps, e.g. for ambient lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/007 for indirect lighting only, e.g. torchiere with reflector bowl directed towards ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 6/008 with a combination of direct and indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 14/04 by movement of reflectors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/675
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 23/06 the elements being coupling devices , e.g. connectors
• 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: 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 27/30 Collimators
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0278 used in transmission
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 5/0284 used in reflection
• 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 6/0028 Light guide, e.g. taper
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/003 : Lens or lenticular sheet or layer
• 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 6/0096 : the lights guides being of the hollow type

Abstract

Illumination devices with adjustable optical elements configured to provide a variable illumination pattern of an area are described. The adjustable optical elements of the illumination devices can be traversed relative to a surface (e.g., a ceiling of a room) to vary the light distribution and/or intensity to the surface.

Claims

1. An illumination device comprising:

(i) a connector for connecting the illumination device to an Edison screw light socket or other standard light socket;

(ii) an adjustable mount attached to the connector; and

(iii) a luminaire module coupled to the connector via the adjustable mount, wherein the luminaire module comprises

(a) one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs),

(b) a light guide comprising an input end and an output end,

(c) one or more primary optics positioned to receive the light emitted by the one or more LEEs and coupled with the light guide at the input end, the one or more primary optics adapted to at least partially collimate the light from the one or more LEEs and to provide the collimated light to the input end of the light guide, the light guide positioned to receive, at the input end, light from the one or more primary optics and adapted to guide the received light to the output end along a forward direction, wherein the light guide is elongated along a transverse direction orthogonal to the forward direction, and

(d) a secondary optic elongated along the transverse direction and adapted to receive light guided by the light guide to the output end, the secondary optic having at least one redirecting surface, the at least one redirecting surface being adapted to reflect at least a portion of the light received at the secondary optic,

wherein the adjustable mount is adapted to rotate the luminaire module relative to the connector.

2. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the secondary optic comprises one or more curved output surfaces, and wherein the redirecting surface directs the light guided by the light guide to the output end towards the one or more curved output surfaces of the secondary optic.

3. The illumination device of claim 1, wherein the adjustable mount is further adapted to translate the luminaire module relative to the connector.

4. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the light guide comprises parallel side surfaces.

5. The illumination device of claim 4, wherein the side surfaces are planar.

8. The illumination device of claim 1 , wherein the one or more LEEs comprise a plurality of LEEs arranged in a row along the transverse direction.

9. The illumination device of claim 8, wherein the one or more LEEs are white light emitting diodes (LEDs).

6. An illumination device comprising:

(i) a connector for connecting the illumination device to an Edison screw light socket or other standard light socket

(ii) an adjustable mount attached to the connector; and

(iii) a luminaire module coupled to the connector via the adjustable mount, wherein the luminaire module comprises

(a) one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs),

(b) a light guide comprising an input end and an output end, the light guide positioned to receive, at the input end, light emitted by the one or more LEEs and adapted to guide the received light to the output end along a forward direction, wherein the light guide is elongated along a transverse direction orthogonal to the forward direction, and

(c) a secondary optic adapted to receive light guided by the light guide to the output end, the secondary optic comprising a cylindrical element having a cylinder axis along the transverse direction and a wedge-shaped groove extending along the cylinder axis,

wherein the wedge-shaped groove forms a redirecting surface and a cylindrical surface of the cylindrical element forms curved output surfaces of the secondary optic, such that the redirecting surface reflects at least a portion of the guided light received at the secondary optic towards the curved output surfaces of the secondary optic, and

wherein for a cross-sectional plane, the redirecting surface has a shape that comprises a vertex of the wedge-shaped groove,

wherein the adjustable mount is adapted to rotate the luminaire module relative to the connector.

7. The illumination device of claim 6, wherein the cylindrical surface of the cylindrical element has a constant radius of curvature.

10. The illumination device of claim 6, wherein the adjustable mount is further adapted to translate the luminaire module relative to the connector.

11. The illumination device of claim 6, wherein the one or more LEEs comprise a plurality of LEEs arranged in a row along the transverse direction.