Modular indirect troffer

• US 9,494,294 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2012
• Issued: 11/15/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IDEAL Industries Lighting, LLC (Ideal Industries Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: CREE Incorporated (Wolfspeed, Inc.)
• Inventors: Edmond, Mark D., Pickard, Paul Kenneth, Scearce, Larry T. Jr., Lay, James Michael, Athalye, Praneet
• Primary Examiner(s): Hanley, Britt D
• Application Number:
  US13/429,080
• Publication Number:
  US 20130250567A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,698 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/026 intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/717 using split or remote units thermally interconnected, e.g. by thermally conductive bars or heat pipes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2107/40 on the sides of polyhedrons, e.g. cubes or pyramids
• 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 modular troffer-style lighting fixture. The fixture is particularly well-suited for use with solid state light sources, such as LEDs. Embodiments comprise a pan structure designed to house one or more modular light engine units within a central opening. Each light engine unit includes a reflective cup that can house several light sources on an interior mount surface. The cup is positioned proximate to a back reflector such that its open end faces a portion of the back reflector. The back reflector is shaped to define an interior chamber where light can be mixed and redirected. At least one elongated leg extends away from the reflective cup toward an edge of said back reflector. The leg(s) are used to mount the reflective cup relative to the back reflector and may also be used as a heat sink and/or an additional mount surface for light sources.

Claims

1. A light engine unit, comprising:

a reflective cup comprising an interior mount surface;

a back reflector proximate to said reflective cup, at least a portion of said back reflector facing said mount surface, said back reflector shaped to define an interior chamber;

at least two elongated legs extending away from said reflective cup toward an edge of said back reflector; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the perimeter of said interior mount surface.

2. The light engine unit of claim 1, wherein said reflective cup and said at least two legs provide a thermal path from said interior mount surface to the ambient environment.

3. The light engine unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one light source on said reflective cup mount surface, said light source aimed to emit toward said back reflector.

4. The light engine unit of claim 1, further comprising a lens plate that surrounds said reflective cup and encloses said chamber.

5. The light engine unit of claim 4, wherein said lens plate is diffusive.

6. The light engine unit of claim 1, further comprising at least one cluster of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on said reflective cup mount surface, said light source aimed to emit toward said back reflector.

7. The light engine unit of claim 6, wherein said LEDs are chip-on-board structures.

8. The light engine unit of claim 6, where said at least one cluster comprises high voltage LEDs.

9. The light engine unit of claim 1, further comprising a flame barrier over said reflective cup.

10. The light engine unit of claim 6, said at least one cluster of LEDs comprising red LEDs and blue-shifted yellow LEDs.

11. The light engine unit of claim 1, said reflective cup comprising a thermally conductive material.

12. The light engine unit of claim 1, said at least two legs comprising a thermally conductive material.

13. The light engine unit of claim 1, said at least two legs comprising a reflective back surface facing said back reflector.

14. The light engine unit of claim 1, said at least two legs comprising a back side mount surface facing said back reflector.

17. The light engine unit of claim 1, said at least two legs housing conductive structures that provide a conductive path from an outside source to said reflective cup.

18. The light engine unit of claim 1, said at least two legs comprising a heat pipe.

19. The light engine unit of claim 1, said reflective cup comprising the shape of a truncated pyramid.

20. The light engine unit of claim 1, wherein said light engine unit comprises a square footprint.

21. The light engine unit of claim 1, further comprising a driver circuit on said interior mount surface of said reflective cup.

15. A light engine unit, comprising:

a reflective cup comprising an interior mount surface;

a back reflector proximate to said reflective cup, at least a portion of said back reflector facing said mount surface, said back reflector shaped to define an interior chamber; and

at least one elongated leg extending away from said reflective cup toward an edge of said back reflector, said at least one leg comprising a back side mount surface facing said back reflector; and

at least one light source on said back side mount surface of said at least one leg.

16. A light engine unit, comprising:

a reflective cup comprising an interior mount surface;

a back reflector proximate to said reflective cup, at least a portion of said back reflector facing said mount surface, said back reflector shaped to define an interior chamber; and

at least one elongated leg extending away from said reflective cup toward an edge of said back reflector, said at least one leg comprising a back side mount surface facing said back reflector wherein said at least one leg further comprising a diffusive cover over said back side mount surface.

22. A light fixture, comprising:

a pan structure defining a central opening;

a light engine unit sized to fit within said central opening, said light engine comprising;

a reflective cup comprising an interior mount surface;

a back reflector proximate to said reflective cup, at least a portion of said back reflector facing said mount surface, said back reflector shaped to define an interior chamber;

a plurality of elongated legs extending away from said reflective cup toward said pan; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the perimeter of said interior mount surface, said LEDs aimed to emit toward said back reflector; and

a control circuit for controlling said LEDs, said control circuit on said interior mount surface.

23. The light fixture of claim 22, wherein said reflective cup and said at least one leg provide a thermal path from said interior mount surface to the ambient environment.

24. The light fixture of claim 22, further comprising at least one light source on said reflective cup mount surface, said light source aimed to emit toward said back reflector.

25. The light fixture of claim 22, further comprising a lens plate that surrounds said reflective cup and encloses said chamber.

26. The light fixture of claim 25, wherein said lens plate is diffusive.

27. The light fixture of claim 22, wherein said LEDs are chip-on-board structures.

28. The light fixture of claim 22, where said LEDs comprise high voltage LEDs.

29. The light fixture of claim 22, further comprising a flame barrier over said reflective cup.

30. The light fixture of claim 22, said LEDs comprising red LEDs and blue-shifted yellow LEDs.

31. The light fixture of claim 22, said reflective cup comprising a thermally conductive material.

32. The light fixture of claim 22, said legs comprising a thermally conductive material.

33. The light fixture of claim 22, said legs comprising a reflective back surface facing said back reflector.

34. The light fixture of claim 22, said legs comprising a back side mount surface facing said back reflector.

35. The light fixture of claim 34, further comprising a plurality of LEDs on said back side mount surface of said legs.

36. The light fixture of claim 34, each of said legs comprising a diffusive cover over said back side mount surface.

37. The light fixture of claim 22, said legs housing conductive structures that provide a conductive path from an outside source to said reflective cup.

38. The light fixture of claim 22, said legs comprising a heat pipe.

39. The light fixture of claim 22, said reflective cup comprising the shape of a truncated pyramid.

40. The light fixture of claim 22, wherein said light engine unit comprises a square footprint.

41. The light fixture of claim 22, further comprising a control circuit on said interior surface of said reflective cup.

42. A modular light fixture, comprising:

a pan structure defining a central opening; and

a plurality of light engine units sized to removably mount within said central opening, each of said light engines comprising;

a reflective cup comprising an interior mount surface;

a back reflector proximate to said reflective cup, at least a portion of said back reflector facing said mount surface, said back reflector shaped to define an interior chamber;

at least two elongated legs extending away from said reflective cup toward an edge of said back reflector; and

a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) on the perimeter of said interior mount surface.