Light fixture

• US 9,494,292 B2
• Filed: 12/16/2009
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ERCO GmbH (Maack GmbH)
• Original Assignee: ERCO GmbH (Maack GmbH)
• Inventors: Bremerich, Matthias, Goerres, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): May, Robert
• Assistant Examiner(s): MACCHIAROLO, LEAH SIMONE
• Application Number:
  US12/639,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20100165623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,526 Days
• Field of Search: 362/97.3, 362/29, 362/97.4, 362/147, 362/148, 362/153, 362/153.1, 362/219, 362/222, 362/223, 362/224, 362/245, 362/331, 362/339, 362/404, 362/235
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/002 with provision for interchangeability, i.e. component parts being especially adapted to be replaced by another part with the same or a different function F21V17/10 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/002 using microoptical elements for redirecting or diffusing light
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/007 Array of lenses or refractors for a cluster of light sources, e.g. for arrangement of multiple light sources in one plane combination of two or more refractors F21V5/008
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 5/008 Combination of two or more successive refractors along an optical axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/10 Outdoor lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/107 of the exterior of buildings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2105/10 comprising a two-dimensional array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

The invention shows and describes, among others, a light fixture (10) for illuminating building surfaces, comprising a circuit board (11) on which a plurality of LEDs (12a, 12b, 12c) are mounted, secondary optics (14) that bundle the light emitted by the LEDs, and tertiary optics (16) formed by a planar, translucent element that has light-directing microstructures.

Claims

1. A light fixture for illuminating building surfaces, the fixture comprising:

a circuit board;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on the circuit board and emitting light;

tertiary optics spaced from the circuit board and formed by a flat and translucent element having a face provided with a plurality of domed light-directing facets arranged in rows; and

secondary optics formed by one or more lenses of cup-shaped section, each having totally reflective surfaces, between the LEDs on the circuit board and the tertiary optics, and each flared toward the tertiary optics such that the secondary optics totally transform all the light emitted by the LEDs into a single bundle of light beams all substantially parallel to one another and directed at a right angle against the tertiary optics.

2. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the facets are of identical shape.

3. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein each facet is encircled by a plurality of other facets.

4. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the facets each have a curved surface.

5. The light fixture defined in claim 4, wherein the curved surface is spherically curved.

6. The light fixture defined in claim 4, wherein the curved surface is aspherically curved.

7. The light fixture defined in claim 4, wherein the curved surface is cylindrically curved.

8. The light fixture defined in claim 4, wherein the curved surface is a rotational paraboloid.

9. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the facets are provided on a face of the element turned toward the secondary optics.

10. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the facets are provided on a face of the element directed away from the secondary optics.

11. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the element is at a spacing from the secondary optics.

12. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the element is a plate that is planar except at the facets.

13. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the element is curved.

14. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the element comprises a plurality of sections having different light-technical behaviors.

15. The light fixture defined in claim 1, further comprising:

a fixture housing holding the circuit board, the secondary optics, and the tertiary optics.

16. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the tertiary optics are provided in a light-output opening of the light fixture in the manner of a light fixture cover glass piece.

17. The light fixture defined in claim 1, wherein the facets are formed unitarily on the flat translucent element.

18. A modular system for light fixtures for illuminating building surfaces, the system comprising

a circuit board;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on the circuit board and emitting light;

first tertiary optics of a predetermined construction, spaced from the circuit board, and formed by a flat, translucent element having a face provided with a plurality of domed light-directing facets of a first type arranged in rows;

secondary optics formed by one or more lenses of cup-shaped cross section between the LEDs on the circuit board and the tertiary optics and each having totally reflective surfaces such that the secondary optics totally transform all the light emitted by the LEDs into a single bundle of light beams all substantially parallel to one another and directed at a right angle against the tertiary optics; and

second tertiary optics of the same construction as the first tertiary optics but having facets of a second type, the first tertiary and the secondary tertiary optics being constructed such that the secondary tertiary optics can be exchanged with the first tertiary optics, the facets of the second type enabling a radiation characteristic of the light fixture that is different from that of the facets of the first type.

19. The modular system defined in claim 18, wherein the facets of the first type comprise facets having light-directing surfaces of a first type, and the facets of the second type comprise facets have light-directing surfaces of a second type.

20. The modular system defined in claim 18, wherein the first tertiary optics enable light radiation from the light fixture at a first radiation angle, and the second tertiary optics enable light radiation at a second radiation angle that is different from the first radiation angle.

21. A light fixture for illuminating building surfaces, the fixture comprising:

a circuit board;

a plurality of LEDs mounted on the circuit board and emitting light;

tertiary optics spaced from the circuit board and formed by a flat and translucent element having a face provided with a plurality of domed light-directing facets arranged in rows; and

secondary optics formed by one or more lenses of cup-shaped section between the LEDs on the circuit board and the tertiary optics and each having totally reflecting surfaces for bundling the light emitted by the LEDs and thereby totally transforming the light emitted by the LEDs into a bundle of parallel light beams directed against the tertiary optics.