LIGHTING DEVICE WITH EFFICIENT LIGHT-SPREADING LENS SYSTEM

• US 20160153705A1
• Filed: 04/28/2015
• Published: 06/02/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Current Lighting Solutions, LLC (f/k/a GE Lighting Solutions, LLC) (American Industrial Partners)
• Original Assignee: GE Lighting Solutions LLC (Savant Systems, LLC)
• Inventors: Dubuc, Eden, Spahnie, Brian Morgan
• Granted Patent: US 11,125,412 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/001 Devices for lighting, humidifying, heating, ventilation
• CPC Class Codes: A47F 3/0404 Cases or cabinets of the closed type A47F3/0482 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 4/20 with light sources held by or within elongate supports
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 33/0044 Household appliances, e.g. washing machines or vacuum cleaners
• 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 5/046 the lens having a rotationally symmetrical shape about an axis for transmitting light in a direction mainly perpendicular to this axis, e.g. ring or annular lens with light source disposed inside the ring
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/305 for refrigerators
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2131/403 for machines
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/10 comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/028 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 23/065 Details
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 25/02 by shelves
• CPC Class Codes: F25D 27/00 Lighting arrangements in general F21

Abstract

A lighting device includes a light emitting diode (LED) that has a main axis of light emission. The lighting device also includes a lens element positioned adjacent the LED. The lens element has a geometry defined by at least partial revolution of a cross-sectional profile around an axis of revolution. The lens element is positioned relative to the LED such that the axis of revolution crosses the main axis of light emission of the LED. The lens element is operative to apply total internal reflection to at least some light rays emitted from the LED.

Claims

1. A lighting device, comprising:

a light emitting diode (LED) having a main axis of light emission; and

a lens element positioned adjacent the LED, the lens element having a geometry defined by at least partial revolution of a cross-sectional profile around an axis of revolution;

the lens element positioned relative to the LED such that said axis of revolution crosses the main axis of light emission of the LED, the lens element operative to apply total internal reflection to at least some light rays emitted from the LED.

2. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein said axis of revolution is perpendicular to the main axis of light emission of the LED.

3. The lighting device of claim 1, further comprising:

an elongate support member on which the LED and the lens element are mounted.

4. The lighting device of claim 3, wherein:

the LED is a first LED; and

the lens element is a first lens element;

the lighting device further comprising;

a plurality of lens elements mounted on the elongate support member in addition to the first lens element, all of said lens elements substantially identical to each other; and

a plurality of LEDs mounted on the elongate support member in addition to the first LED, each of said plurality of LEDs located within a footprint of a respective one of the plurality of lens elements.

5. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the lens element is formed such that its said geometry is defined by a substantially 180°

revolution of said cross-sectional profile around said axis of revolution.

6. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein the lens element is formed of plastic.

7. The lighting device of claim 6, wherein the lens element was formed using an injection-molding process.

8. The lighting device of claim 1, wherein:

when the LED is in an illuminated condition, some rays emitted by the LED are refracted by the lens element without having been reflected, and other rays emitted by the LED are refracted by the lens after having been internally reflected by the lens.

9. A lighting device, comprising:

an elongate support member;

a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) mounted along the support member, each of the LEDs having a respective main axis of light emission; and

a plurality of lens elements, each mounted on the support member at a location such that each lens element substantially surrounds a respective one of the LEDs, the lens elements substantially identical to each other, each of the lens elements having a geometry defined by at least partial revolution of a cross-sectional profile around an axis of revolution;

each of the lens elements positioned relative to the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element such that the axis of revolution that defines the geometry of said each lens element crosses the respective main axis of light emission of the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element, each of the lens elements operative to apply total internal reflection to at least some light rays emitted from the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element.

10. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein for each of said lens elements, said axis of revolution is perpendicular to the respective main axis of light emission of the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element.

11. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein each of said lens elements is formed of plastic.

12. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein:

the plurality of lens elements includes at least six lens elements; and

the plurality of LEDs includes at least six LEDs.

13. The lighting device of claim 9, wherein:

the support member has a main surface to which the LEDs and the lens elements are mounted; and

the axes of revolution that define the geometries of the lens elements are oriented (a) parallel to the main surface of the support member; and

(b) perpendicular to a length dimension of the support member.

14. The lighting device of claim 9, further comprising:

a mirror mounted on the support member (a) perpendicular to a plane of the support member;

(b) extending along at least a substantial part of a length dimension of the support member; and

(c) facing toward the LEDs mounted on the support member.

15. A refrigerator, comprising:

an enclosed, refrigerated space;

a plurality of shelves in the refrigerated space for holding items to be refrigerated;

a plurality of doors for permitting access to the shelves;

a plurality of vertically extending mullions interspersed among the doors, each mullion including an interior surface that faces inwardly relative to the enclosed refrigerated space; and

a plurality of lighting devices, each installed on the interior surface of a respective one of the mullions;

wherein each of the lighting devices includes;

an elongate support member that is vertically oriented and mounted on the respective one of the mullions; and

a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) mounted along the support member, each of the LEDs having a respective main axis of light emission, the respective main axis of light emission of each LED oriented horizontally and directly away from the respective one of the mullions; and

a plurality of lens elements, each mounted on the support member at a location such that each lens element substantially surrounds a respective one of the LEDs, the lens elements substantially identical to each other, each of the lens elements having a geometry defined by at least partial revolution of a cross-sectional profile around an axis of revolution;

each of the lens elements positioned relative to the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element such that the axis of revolution that defines the geometry of said each lens element crosses the respective main axis of light emission of the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element, each of the lens elements operative to apply total internal reflection to at least some light rays emitted from the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element.

16. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein for each of said lens elements, said axis of revolution is perpendicular to the respective main axis of light emission of the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element.

17. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein each of said lens elements is formed of plastic.

18. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein each of said lighting devices includes at least six of said lens elements.

19. The refrigerator of claim 15, wherein:

for at least one of said lighting devices, the respective support member has a main surface to which the LEDs and lens elements of the respective lighting device are mounted; and

the axes of revolution that define the geometries of the lens elements of the respective lighting device are oriented (a) parallel to the main surface of the respective support member; and

(b) perpendicular to a length dimension of the respective support member.

20. The refrigerator of claim 15, further comprising:

a corner mullion located at a front corner of the refrigerator, the corner mullion extending vertically and having an interior surface that faces a rear wall of the refrigerator; and

a corner lighting device comprising;

a respective elongate support member that is vertically oriented and is mounted on the corner mullion;

a plurality of LEDs (light emitting diodes) mounted along the support member of the corner lighting device, each of the LEDs having a respective main axis of light emission, the respective main axis of light emission of each LED oriented horizontally and directly away from the corner mullion;

a plurality of lens elements, each mounted on the support member of the corner lighting device at a location such that each lens element substantially surrounds a respective one of the LEDs, all of the lens elements substantially identical to each other, each of the lens elements having a geometry defined by at least partial revolution of a cross-sectional profile around an axis of revolution;

each of the lens elements positioned relative to the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element such that the axis of revolution that defines the geometry of said each lens element crosses the respective main axis of light emission of the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element, each of the lens elements operative to apply total internal reflection to at least some light rays emitted from the respective LED surrounded by said each lens element; and

a mirror mounted on the support member of the corner lighting device (a) perpendicular to a plane of the support member of the corner lighting device;

(b) extending along at least a substantial part of a length dimension of the support member of the corner lighting device; and

(c) facing toward the LEDs mounted on the support member of the corner lighting device.