LIGHT FIXTURE AND REFLECTOR ASSEMBLY FOR SAME

• US 20090201676A1
• Filed: 02/07/2008
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: LSI Industries Incorporated
• Original Assignee: LSI Industries Incorporated
• Inventors: EYNDEN, James G. VANDEN
• Granted Patent: US 7,883,236 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 362/225
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 8/06 by suspension
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/005 with an elongated shape to cooperate with linear light sources
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2113/00 Combination of light sources

Abstract

A light fixture useful in the lighting of parking garages, including a base, a reflector element and at least one light-emitting lamp. The reflector element includes a reflector portion that extends vertical from the base to a distal edge that extends beyond the lamp. The extending reflector portions include a plurality of planer panels positioned in a plane at an angle that faces toward the lamp. A portion of the emitted light is reflected by the extending reflector portion in the opposed horizontal direction away from the fixture at a reflected angle from nadir that is greater than the emitted angle. The light fixture provides a uniform lighting pattern that allows for using fewer of the light fixtures, by projecting or reflecting emitted light horizontally at very high angles from nadir, and delivering more light to areas laterally remote from the fixture, and potentially using less energy.

Claims

1. A light fixture including:

a housing,

a reflector element and

a lamp that emits light having a longitudinal axis in a horizontal plane,

wherein the reflector element is configured to receive a portion of the light that is emitted in a first horizontal direction at an emitted angle from a vertical direction, and to reflect the portion of light in an opposite second horizontal direction, away from the light fixture, and at a reflected angle from vertical that is greater than the emitted angle, and toward an area more remote from the light fixture.

2. The light fixture according to claim 1 wherein the light fixture further includes a support means affixed to the housing on which the reflector element is disposed, wherein the reflector element is further configured to receive a portion of the light that is emitted at the housing at an emitted angle from vertical, and to reflect the portion of light in a horizontal direction at a reflected angle from vertical that is greater than the emitted angle, toward an area laterally remote from the fixture.

3. The light fixture according to claim 1 further comprising a second reflector and a second lamp, wherein the first and second reflector elements are associated to form a reflector assembly, and wherein the reflector assembly is disposed between the two lamps.

4. A light fixture including:

a housing having an elongated axis in a horizontal plane, the housing including an elongated support means having at least one side edge;

an elongated reflector element having a proximal end affixed to the support means, an extending reflector portion extending from the proximal end in a first vertical direction normal to the horizontal plane to a distal edge, the extending reflector portion having at least one specular reflective surface; and

an elongated lamp disposed proximate the support means between the extending reflector portion and the at least one side edge, the lamp connectable to a socket means in electrical connection with an electrical power source;

wherein the distal edge of the extending reflector portion extends vertically beyond the lamp, whereby a portion of the light emitted by the lamp in a first horizontal direction toward the at least one specular reflective surface is reflected in an opposite second horizontal direction.

5. The light fixture according to claim 4 wherein the extending reflector portion includes a plurality of adjoining, elongated panels, joined along one or more fold lines, wherein each of the plurality of adjoining panels is positioned in a plane at an angle relative to vertical.

6. The light fixture according to claim 4 wherein the plurality of adjoining panels includes at least one near planar panel having a proximal edge and a distal edge, and being in a plane at a positive angle relative to the first vertical direction, angled away from the respective lamp;

at least one intermediate planar panel having a proximal edge at which the intermediate second planar panel extends from the first planar panel, and a distal edge; and

at least one distant planar panel having a proximal edge at which the distant planar panel extends from the distal edge of the intermediate second planar panel, and a distal edge, and being in a plane at a negative angle relative to the first vertical direction, angled toward the respective lamp.

7. A light fixture including:

a housing having an elongated axis in a horizontal plane, and including an elongated support means, the housing having first side edge and an opposed second side edge;

an elongated reflector assembly, the reflector assembly comprising a proximal end affixed to the support means, a first extending reflector portion extending from the proximal end substantially in a first vertical direction perpendicular to the horizontal plane to a distal edge, the first extending reflector portion having a specular reflective surface that faces in a first horizontal direction, a second extending reflector portion extending from the proximal end in the first vertical direction to the distal edge, the second extending reflector portion having a specular reflective surface that faces in a second horizontal direction opposite the first horizontal direction; and

first and second elongated lamps disposed proximate the support means, the first lamp disposed between the first extending reflector portion and the first side edge and the second lamp disposed between the second extending reflector portion and the second side edge, each lamp having electrically connectable to a socket means in electrical connection with an electrical power source;

wherein the distal edge of the first and second extending reflector portions extend in the first vertical direction beyond the first and second lamps, whereby a portion of the light emitted by the first lamp in a second horizontal direction toward the first extending reflector portion is reflected in the first horizontal direction, and a portion of the light emitted by the second lamp in the first horizontal direction toward the second extending reflector portion is reflected in the second horizontal direction.

8. The light fixture according to claim 7 wherein the elongated reflector assembly includes separate first and second elongated reflector elements, the first reflector element comprising a first proximal end affixed to the base and the first extending reflector portion extending from the first proximal end, and the second reflector element comprising a second proximal end affixed to the base and the second extending reflector portion extending from the second proximal end.

9. The light fixture according to claim 7 wherein the first and second end faces and first and second side edges form a perimeter sidewall that extends in the first vertical direction to a rim edge, and wherein at least a portion of each of the lamps extends in the first vertical direction beyond the rim edge.

10. The light fixture according to claim 7 wherein all light emitted from each lamp at an angle of at least about 45 degrees from the first vertical direction toward the respective extending reflector portions is reflected by the extending reflector portion.

11. The light fixture according to claim 7 wherein the extending reflector portion includes a plurality of adjoining panels, wherein each of the plurality of adjoining panels is positioned in a plane at an angle relative to the first vertical direction.

12. The light fixture according to claim 7 wherein the light fixture further includes a domed lens positioned over and containing the extending reflector portions and the elongated lamps.