Light source using light emitting diodes and an improved method of collecting the energy radiating from them

• US 20050073849A1
• Filed: 07/21/2004
• Published: 04/07/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Illumination Management Solutions Incorporated (Eaton Corporation PLC.)
• Inventors: Rhoads, Greg, Holder, Ronald Garrison
• Granted Patent: US 6,986,593 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/296.100
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/143 the main emission direction of the LED being parallel to the optical axis of the illuminating device
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 41/255 Lenses with a front view of circular or truncated circular outline
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 9/022 Emergency lighting devices
• 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 14/06 by movement of refractors in vehicle head lamps F21S41/635
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 19/02 with provision for adjustment, e.g. for focusing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0066 specially adapted to cooperate with point like light sources; specially adapted to cooperate with light sources the shape of which is unspecified F21V7/16 - F21V7/30 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/00 Use or application of lighting devices or systems for signalling, marking or indicating, not provided for in codes F21W2102/00 – F21W2107/00
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

An LED or incandescent light source is positioned in a reflector arranged to reflect light from the LED or incandescent light source which is radiated from the LED or incandescent light source in a peripheral forward solid angle as defined by the reflector. A lens is disposed longitudinally forward of the LED or incandescent light source for focusing light into a predetermined pattern which is radiated from the LED or incandescent light source in a central forward solid angle as defined by the lens. The apparatus comprised of the combination projects a beam of light comprised of the light radiated in the central forward solid angle and peripheral forward solid angles.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a light source;

a reflector positioned to reflect light from the light source which is radiated from the light source in a peripheral forward solid angle as defined by the reflector defined about an optical axis; and

a first lens disposed longitudinally forward of the light source for focusing light into a predetermined pattern which is radiated from the light source in a central forward solid angle as defined by the lens,

so that the apparatus projects a composite beam of light comprised of the light radiated in the central forward solid angle and peripheral forward solid angle.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 where the light source has an optical axis and where the central forward solid angle and the peripheral forward solid angle are demarcated from each other at approximately a π

steradian solid angle centered on the optical axis.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 where the light source comprises an LED emitter and a package in which the LED emitter is disposed, the package comprising a second lens for minimizing the net degree of the refraction of light radiated from the LED emitter by the package and second lens in combination.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 where first lens is disposed longitudinally forward of the second lens.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 where first lens is suspended in front of the second lens.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 where the first lens is suspended by a spider.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 where the first lens approximately collimates light radiated by the light source into the central forward solid angle.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 where the reflector approximately collimates light radiated by the light source into the peripheral forward solid angle.

9. The apparatus of claim 7 where the reflector approximately collimates light radiated by the light source into the peripheral forward solid angle.

10. The apparatus of claim 3 where the first lens is disposed on the second lens.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 where the first lens is comprised of a peripheral annular portion having a first radius, r₁, of curvature and a central portion having a second radius of curvature, r₂, in which r₁>

r₂.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 where the peripheral annular portion minimally refracts light radiated from the light source, if at all, and where the central portion refracts light radiated from the light source to form a predetermined pattern of light.

13. The apparatus of claim 1 where the reflector has a focus and where the focus of the reflector is centered on the light source.

14. The apparatus of claim 1 where the light source has an optical axis and where the first lens is arranged and configured relative to the light source so that the central forward solid angle extends to a solid angle of approximately π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

15. The apparatus of claim 1 where the light source has an optical axis and where the reflector is arranged and configured relative to the light source so that the peripheral forward solid angle extends to a solid angle of approximately 2π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 where the reflector is arranged and configured relative to the light source so that the peripheral forward solid angle extends from a solid angle of approximately π

steradians centered on the optical axis to a solid angle of approximately 2π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

17. The apparatus of claim 1 where the light source has an optical axis and where the first lens is arranged and configured relative to the light source so that the central forward solid angle extends to a solid angle of more than π

steradians centered on the optical axis and where the reflector is arranged and configured relative to the light source so that the peripheral forward solid angle extends from central forward solid angle to a solid angle of more than 2π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

18. The apparatus of claim 1 where at least one of the reflector, first lens and light source are movable along the optical axis to provide zoom focusing.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 further comprising motorized means and where at least one of the reflector, first lens and light source are movable by the motorized means.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 where the reflector, first lens and light source are each independently movable from each other.

21. The apparatus of claim 1 where the first lens comprises a plurality of lenses forming a lens assembly.

22. The apparatus of claim 1 where the light source comprises an array of separate light sources.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 where the array of separate light sources comprises light sources, each with an optical axis and each having its optical axis oriented in an individually determined direction.

24. The apparatus of claim 22 where the array of separate light sources comprises light sources, each with an individually determined focus.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 where the array of separate light sources comprises light sources, each with an individually determined beam pattern.

26. The apparatus of claim 1 in further combination with a flashlight, head torch, bike light, tactical flashlight, medical and dental head light, vehicular headlight, aircraft light or motorcycle light.

27. A method comprising:

radiating light from a light source;

reflecting light into a first predetermined beam portion, which light is radiated from the light source in a peripheral forward solid angle; and

focusing light into a second predetermined beam portion, which light is radiated from the light source in a central forward solid angle.

28. The method of claim 27 where the light source has an optical axis and where the central forward solid angle and the peripheral forward solid angle are demarcated from each other at an approximately π

steradian solid angle centered on the optical axis.

29. The method of claim 27 where the light source comprises an LED emitter and a package in which the LED emitter is disposed, further comprising minimizing refraction of light radiated from the LED emitter through the package in the peripheral forward solid angle.

30. The method of claim 27 where focusing light into the second predetermined beam portion comprises approximately collimating the light radiated by the light source into the central forward solid angle.

31. The method of claim 27 where reflecting light into a first predetermined beam portion comprises approximately collimating light radiated by the light source into the peripheral forward solid angle.

32. The method of claim 30 where reflecting light into a first predetermined beam portion comprises approximately collimating light radiated by the light source into the peripheral forward solid angle.

33. The method of claim 27 where focusing light into a second predetermined beam portion comprises disposing a lens disposed on the light source, transmitting the light radiated from the light source through a peripheral annular portion of the lens having a first radius, r₁, of curvature into the peripheral forward solid angle, and transmitting the light radiated from the light source through a central portion of the lens having a second radius of curvature, r₂, into the central forward solid angle in which r₁>

r₂.

34. The method of claim 33 where transmitting the light radiated from the light source through a peripheral annular portion of the lens minimally refracts light radiated from the light source, if at all, and where transmitting the light radiated from the light source through a central portion of the lens refracts light radiated from the light source to form a predetermined pattern of light.

35. The method of claim 27 where the reflector is has a focus and where reflecting light into a first predetermined beam portion comprises centering the focus of the reflector on the light source.

36. The method of claim 27 where the light source has an optical axis and where focusing light into a second predetermined beam portion comprises generating the central forward solid angle to extend to a solid angle of approximately π

steradians centered on the optical axis of the light source.

37. The method of claim 27 where the light source has an optical axis and where reflecting light into a first predetermined beam portion comprises generating reflected light into the peripheral forward solid angle extending to a solid angle of approximately 2π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

38. The method of claim 37 where generating reflected light into the peripheral forward solid angle comprises reflecting the light from the light source into the peripheral forward solid angle extending from a solid angle of approximately π

steradians centered on the optical axis to a solid angle of approximately 2π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

39. The method of claim 27 where the light source has an optical axis and where focusing light into a second predetermined beam portion comprises generating a focused beam portion into the central forward solid angle extending to a solid angle of more than π

steradians centered on the optical axis and where reflecting light into a first predetermined beam portion comprises generating a reflected beam portion into the peripheral forward solid angle extending from central forward solid angle to a solid angle of more than 2π

steradians centered on the optical axis.

40. The method of claim 27 further comprising moving at least one of the reflector, first lens or light source on the optical axis to provide zoom focusing.

41. The method of claim 40 where moving at least one of the reflector, first lens or light source comprising moving the at least one of the reflector, first lens and light source by a motorized means.

42. The method of claim 40 where moving at least one of the reflector, first lens or light source comprises moving the reflector, first lens or light source independently from each other.

43. The method of claim 27 where radiating light from a light source comprises orienting an array of separate light sources, each in an individually determined direction, and radiating light from the array.

44. The method of claim 27 where radiating light from a light source comprises focusing an array of separate light sources, each with an individually determined focus, and radiating light from the array.

45. The method of claim 27 where radiating light from a light source comprises forming a collective beam pattern from an array of separate light sources, each with an individually determined beam pattern, and radiating light from the array.

46. The method of claim 27 further comprising combining the apparatus in a combination with a flashlight, head torch, bike light, tactical flashlight, medical and dental head light, vehicular headlight, aircraft light or motorcycle light.

50. The method of claim 40 further comprising shifting energy from a reflected collimated portion of a narrow beam to a refracted diverging portion of a wide beam when zoom focusing from the narrow beam to the wide beam.

47. An improvement in a flashlight having a body, a power source, a light source electrically connected to the power source, and a reflector with reflective surfaces for reflecting light from the light source, the improvement comprising:

a configuration of the reflector to reflect the light in a peripheral forward solid angle; and

a lens disposed longitudinally forward of the light source for focusing light into a predetermined pattern which is radiated from the light source in a central forward solid angle as defined by the lens

so that a composite beam of light is projected which beam is comprised of the light radiated in the central forward solid angle and peripheral forward solid angle.

48. The improvement of claim 47 further comprising means for adjusting the relative positions of the lens, reflector and/or light source for focus or defocus of the composite beam.

49. The improvement of claim 47 where the light source comprises an array of light sources, each with individually oriented directions, individually adjusted focus, and/or individually shaped beam patterns.