Luminaire comprising adjustable light modules

• US 20080068839A1
• Filed: 08/16/2007
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/17/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Signify Holding B.V. (Signify N.V.)
• Original Assignee: TIR Technology LP
• Inventors: Matheson, George
• Granted Patent: US 7,712,926 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/250
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 2/005 of modular construction
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 45/47 Passive cooling, e.g. using fins, thermal conductive elements or openings
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/033 the surface being a wall or like vertical structure, e.g. building facade
• 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 14/02 by movement of light sources in vehicle head lamps F21S41/657
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/102 using gravity or suction
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/12 by screwing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 17/164 the parts being subjected to bending, e.g. snap joints
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/30 Pivoted housings or frames
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/74 with fins or blades
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/75 with fins or blades having different shapes, thicknesses or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/763 the planes containing the fins or blades having the direction of the light emitting axis
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/80 with pins or wires
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 29/81 with pins or wires having different shapes, lengths or spacing
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 3/04 characterised by materials, surface treatments or coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]

Abstract

The invention provides a general illumination luminaire comprising one or more adjustable light modules. In particular, the luminaire generally comprises one or more light modules, each one of which comprising one or more light-emitting elements, and optionally comprising a heat sink in thermal contact therewith and output optics for managing light output from the one or more light emitting elements. In general, the light modules are adjustably coupled to the luminaire via a coupling structure that provides one or more adjustment mechanisms for adjusting the orientation of the light modules for adjusting an output directionality of the luminaire, while substantially maintaining the spatial profile of the luminaire.

Claims

1. A luminaire for providing general illumination, comprising:

a housing defining a spatial profile of the luminaire, said housing comprising an output portion; and

one or more light modules pivotally coupled within said housing, each of said one or more light modules comprising a light-emitting element, and a respective heat sink and output optics therefor;

wherein said one or more light modules are configured to pivot within said housing to thereby adjust a directionality of the light emitted therefrom through said output portion while substantially maintaining the spatial profile of the luminaire.

2. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1, the luminaire further comprising a substantially longitudinal light-module coupling portion pivotally coupled within said housing to pivot about a longitudinal axis that is substantially parallel thereto, said one or more light modules being pivotally coupled to said coupling portion to pivot about a respective transversal axis that is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis.

3. The luminaire as claimed in claim 2, the luminaire comprising two or more light modules coupled along said coupling portion to from a substantially linear array, wherein said output portion comprises a substantially longitudinal transparent portion disposed so to enable the light emitted from said linear array of light modules to be transmitted through said transparent portion.

4. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1, said respective output optics of at least some of said one or more light modules being provided by an output optics attachment comprising an output optical element and an attachment element, said output-optics attachment being configured to engage said heat sink and said light-emitting element via said attachment element to maintain a thermal coupling between said light-emitting element and said heat sink, while positioning said optical element in optical alignment with an output of said light-emitting element.

5. The luminaire as claimed in claim 4, wherein said attachment element is configured to engage a substrate of said light-emitting element and apply an attachment pressure thereon relative to said heatsink thereby enabling said thermal coupling therebetween.

6. The luminaire as claimed in claim 5, said heatsink comprising one or more attachment lips and said attachment element comprising one or more clips configured to extend beyond said substrate while engaging same and couple to respective ones of said one or more attachment lips.

7. The luminaire as claimed in claim 4, wherein said attachment element comprises one or more of a magnetic attachment element, a snap-fit attachment element, a threaded attachment element, a pressure fit attachment element, and a suction attachment element.

8. The luminaire as claimed in claim 7, wherein said attachment element comprises a snap-fit attachment element.

9. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1, wherein said one or more light-emitting elements are pivotally coupled within said housing via pivoting coupling of said respective heatsink thereof within said housing.

10. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1, comprising two or more light modules and further comprising an adjustment mechanism interconnecting said two or more light modules, said adjustment mechanism being configured to impart in unison a substantially same pivoting motion to each of said light modules relative to said housing to thereby adjust a substantially common directionality thereof.

11. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1, said output portion comprising an adjustable output portion configured to pivot with said one or more light modules to adjust said directionality.

12. The luminaire as claimed in claim 1, said output portion comprising a substantially transparent portion, said housing further comprising a substantially opaque portion surrounding said output portion to restrict an output of the luminaire.

13. A light module for use in a general illumination luminaire, the light module comprising:

a heat sink;

a light-emitting element; and

an output-optics attachment comprising an output optical element and an attachment element, said output-optics attachment being configured to engage said heat sink and said light-emitting element via said attachment element to maintain a thermal coupling between said light-emitting element and said heat sink, while positioning said optical element in optical alignment with an output of said light-emitting element.

14. The light module as claimed in claim 13, wherein said attachment element is configured to engage a substrate of said light-emitting element and apply an attachment pressure thereon relative to said heatsink thereby enabling said thermal coupling therebetween.

15. The light module as claimed in claim 14, said heatsink comprising one or more attachment lips and said attachment element comprising one or more attachment clips configured to extend beyond said substrate while engaging same and couple to respective ones of said one or more attachment lips.

16. The light module as claimed in claim 13, wherein said attachment element comprises one or more of a magnetic attachment element, a snap-fit attachment element, a threaded attachment element, a pressure fit attachment element, and a suction attachment element.

17. The light module as claimed in claim 16, wherein said attachment element comprises a snap-fit attachment element.

18. A luminaire for providing general illumination, comprising:

a coupling structure comprising a base portion and a substantially longitudinal light-module coupling portion, said light-module coupling portion being pivotally coupled to said base portion to pivot about a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to said light module coupling portion; and

a linear array of light modules each comprising a light-emitting element and each being pivotally coupled along said light-module coupling portion to pivot about a respective transversal axis that is substantially perpendicular to said longitudinal axis;

wherein pivotal movement of each of said light modules provides for adjustment of directionality of the luminaire while substantially maintaining a spatial profile thereof.

19. The luminaire as claimed in claim 18, at least some of said light modules comprising a respective heat sink and output optics, said respective output optics being provided by an output optics attachment comprising an output optical element and an attachment element, said output-optics attachment being configured to engage said heat sink and said light-emitting element via said attachment element to maintain a thermal coupling between said light-emitting element and said heat sink, while positioning said optical element in optical alignment with an output of said light-emitting element.

20. The luminaire as claimed in claim 19, wherein said attachment element is configured to engage a substrate of said light-emitting element and apply an attachment pressure thereon relative to said heatsink thereby enabling said thermal coupling therebetween.

21. The luminaire as claimed in claim 20, wherein said attachment element comprises a snap-fit attachment element.

22. The luminaire as claimed in claim 18, wherein said respective transversal axis of each of said light modules is defined by an axis of symmetry of same.

23. The luminaire as claimed in claim 18, wherein said longitudinal axis is defined by an axis of symmetry of the luminaire.

24. The luminaire as claimed in claim 18, further comprising an adjustment mechanism interconnecting said linear array of light modules, said adjustment mechanism being configured to impart in unison a substantially same pivoting motion to each of said light modules relative to said coupling structure to thereby adjust a substantially common directionality thereof.

25. The luminaire as claimed in claim 24, wherein said adjustment mechanism comprises an adjustment arm interconnecting said light modules and configured to pivot same about both said longitudinal axis and each said respective transversal axis.