Light fixture with textured reflector

• US 9,488,329 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 11/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Lay, James Michael, Pickard, Paul Kenneth, Durkee, John
• Primary Examiner(s): CARTER, WILLIAM JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US13/633,207
• Publication Number:
  US 20130176722A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,498 Days
• Field of Search: 362341-350
• 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 29/745 the fins or blades being planar and inclined with respect to the joining surface from which the fins or blades extend
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/777 the planes containing the fins or blades having directions perpendicular to the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/09 with a combination of different curvatures
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/24 characterised by the material
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/13 comprising an assembly of point-like light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

A light fixture with a textured reflector surface is disclosed. Embodiments of the present invention provide for a lighting system in which LEDs face, and the majority of light form the LED light source is incident on, a textured surface of a back reflector while producing minimal glare and minimal imaging of the light source. Such a reflector may be referred to as a retro-reflector. The reflector for the light fixture can be made from a relatively inexpensive material such as polycarbonate, which without texturing has a specular or semi-specular surface. This material can be used alone or with a metal substrate to form the reflector. The textured surface can be textured by way of an imprinted pattern or by roughening, and can be extruded. A prismatic texture may be used. The texturing can also be spatially varied.

Claims

1. A troffer fixture comprising:

a reflector to provide back reflection of light, wherein the reflector includes a single surface comprising a substantially flat central region making a smooth transition to two parabolic regions on opposite sides of the substantially flat central region, and a plastic material with a plurality of pyramidal elements, wherein the plastic material is at least semi-specular and is fixed to a metal substrate arranged for the troffer fixture to be used in a plenum-rated application; and

a plurality of LEDs to emit light, the plurality of LEDs positioned to face opposite an illumination area that is external to the troffer fixture so that at least 70% of the light from the plurality of LEDs is incident on the textured surface and is reflected into the illumination area from the troffer fixture.

2. The troffer fixture of claim 1 wherein the plastic material further comprises polycarbonate.

3. The troffer fixture of claim 2 wherein the plurality of LEDs further comprises at least two groups of LEDs, wherein one group, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength from 435 to 490 nm, and another group, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength from 600 to 640 nm, one group being packaged with a phosphor, which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength from 540 to 585 nm.

4. The troffer fixture of claim 3 further comprising at least one lens plate proximate to the plurality of LEDs.

5. A reflector for a troffer fixture, the reflector including a metal substrate arranged for the reflector to be used in a plenum-rated application, and being configured to receive at least 70% of light from a plurality of LEDs positioned to face opposite an illumination area that is external to the troffer fixture, the reflector also configured to provide back reflection of the light into the illumination area from the troffer fixture, the reflector further comprising a single surface including a substantially flat central region making a smooth transition to two parabolic regions on opposite sides of the substantially flat central region, and a plastic material with plurality of pyramidal elements, wherein the plastic material is at least semi-specular and is fixed to the metal substrate.

6. The reflector of claim 5 further comprising a roughened surface.

7. The reflector of claim 6 wherein a roughening of the surface spatially varies relative to a center of the reflector.

8. A method of directing light into an illumination area that is external to a troffer fixture, the method comprising:

energizing a plurality of LEDs positioned to face opposite the illumination area;

directing at least 70% of light from the plurality of LEDs to be incident on a reflector positioned to provide back reflection of the light, wherein the reflector comprises a single surface including a substantially flat central region making a smooth transition to two parabolic regions on opposite sides of the substantially flat central region, and a plastic material with a plurality of pyramidal elements, and wherein the plastic material is at least semi-specular and is fixed to a metal substrate arranged for the troffer fixture to be used in a plenum-rated application; and

reflecting at least a portion of the light incident on the imprinted pattern into the illumination area.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein the reflector further comprises a roughened surface.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the roughened surface varies relative to at least one of the plurality of LEDs and a center of the reflector.