Lighting device

• US 7,314,292 B2
• Filed: 09/01/2003
• Issued: 01/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/12/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Original Assignee: Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Koninklijke Philips N.V.)
• Inventors: Marra, Johannes, Van Der Heijden, Bas
• Primary Examiner(s): Sember; Thomas M.
• Application Number:
  US10/526,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20060087849A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,583 Days
• Field of Search: 362/296, 362/341, 362/307, 362/310, 362/311, 362/29, 362/235, 362/249, 362/355, 362/343, 362/361
• US Class Current: 362/307
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/28 characterised by coatings
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/00 Elongate light sources, e.g. fluorescent tubes

Abstract

A lighting device (1) comprising at least one light source (3) as well as a light reflector disposed beside the light source (3) for reflection of at least part of the light radiated from the light source (3), a special feature being the fact that the light reflector comprises at least one light-transmitting element (4) bounding a space (5) at least in part, as well as a diffusely reflective powder (6) present inside said space (5).

Claims

1. A lighting device comprising at least one light source as well as a light reflector disposed beside the light source for reflection of at least part of the light radiated from the light source, characterized in that the light reflector comprises at least one light-transmitting element bounding a space at least in part, as well as a diffusely reflective ‘

free flowing’

powder present inside said space.

2. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said powder comprises calcium halophosphate, calcium pyrophosphate, BaSO₄, MgO, YbO₃, TiO₂ or Al₂O₃ particles.

3. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein the particles have an average diameter ranging between 0.1 and 100 μ

m.

4. A lighting device according to claim 3, wherein the particles have an average diameter ranging between 5 and 20 μ

m.

5. A lighting device according to claim 2, wherein said particles are mixed with fine-grained Al₂O₃ particles having an average diameter which ranges between 10 and 50 nm.

6. A lighting device according to claim 5, wherein the amount of fine-grained Al₂O₃ particles having an average diameter ranging between 10 and 50 nm ranges between 0.1 and 5 wt. %.

7. A lighting device according to claim 6, wherein the amount of fine-grained Al₂O₃ particles having an average diameter ranging between 10 and 50 nm ranges between 0.5 and 3 wt.%.

8. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said space has a thickness greater than or equal to 0.5 mm.

9. A lighting device according to claim 8, wherein said space has a thickness greater than or equal to 1 mm.

10. A lighting device according to claim 9, wherein said space has a thickness greater than or equal to 2 mm.

11. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the light-transmitting element is a plate of glass or a synthetic material.

12. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said space is bounded, at least in part, by said light-transmitting element and by another light-transmitting element.

13. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said space is bounded, at least in part, by said light-transmitting element and by another light-transmitting element.

14. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein said powder is mixed with colour pigments.

15. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the powder is incapable of absorbing light, at least light having a wavelength in the visible range.

16. A lighting device according to claim 1, wherein a surface of the light-transmitting element facing towards the light source is optically roughened.

17. A lighting device according to claim 16, wherein a surface of the light-transmitting element facing towards the powder is likewise optically roughened.

18. A method for manufacturing a lighting device, in which at least one light source and at least one lighting fixture having a surface facing the light source are supplied and in which a light reflector is arranged beside the light source for diffuse reflection of at least part of the light radiated from the light source and for specular reflection of at least another part of the light radiated from the light source so as to increase light output of the lighting device and to restrict the angular distribution of the intensity of the emitted light bean from the lighting device, characterized in that at least one light-transmitting element bounding a space at least in part, as well as a diffusely reflective ‘

free flowing’

powder present inside said space are used as the light reflector, wherein the light-transmitting element comprises at least two substantially parallel, substantially optically smooth surfaces, a first surface facing towards the light source and a second surface facing towards the lighting fixture, and wherein the surface of the light-transmitting element that faces towards the light source extends substantially parallel to the surface of the lighting fixture facing the light source.