Highly efficient luminaire having optical transformer providing precalculated angular intensity distribution and method therefore

• US 8,419,214 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2012
• Issued: 04/16/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/08/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Light Transformation Technologies LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Farlight, LLC
• Inventors: Rizkin, Alexander, Tudhope, Robert H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ton, Anabel
• Application Number:
  US13/470,006
• Publication Number:
  US 20120250316A1
• Time in Patent Office: 340 Days
• Field of Search: 362/245, 362/247, 362/235, 362/249.02, 362/249.11, 362/311.01, 362/311.02, 362/311.06, 362/296.05
• US Class Current: 362/235
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 2203/00 Aircraft or airfield lights using LEDs
• CPC Class Codes: B64F 1/205 arranged underground, e.g. underground runway lighting units
• CPC Class Codes: E01F 9/559 illuminated
• CPC Class Codes: F21S 10/06 flashing, e.g. with rotating reflector or light source signalling lighting devices mounted on vehicles B60Q1/26
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 13/04 the elements being reflectors and refractors for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 21/0824 Ground spikes
• 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 7/0008 providing for indirect lighting
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0091 using total internal reflection
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/04 Optical design
• CPC Class Codes: F21W 2111/06 for aircraft runways or the like
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2103/33 annular
• CPC Class Codes: F21Y 2115/10 Light-emitting diodes [LED]
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 362/80 Light emitting diode

Abstract

A highly efficient luminaire. The luminaire includes a light source that emits light. The emitted light is redirected by a light transformer having a curved circular reflective interior surface, the reflective interior surface reflecting the light in a predetermined pattern. A substantial amount of light being may be reflected close to an axis coincident with a radial line defining a radius of the circular reflective interior surface. Additionally, a substantial amount of light may be reflected in a pattern with low divergency or parallel with an axis of the light transformer. The light is transmitted to the exterior of the luminaire by an optical window.

Claims

1. A light transformer comprising:

a first end that receives light from the light source;

a second end that outputs the received light, the second end located on an opposite end of the transformer from the first end;

a first member located on a third end of the transformer between the first end and the second end, wherein the first member has an outer wall comprising a total internal reflection surface that redirects and redistributes the received light in a direction of the second end;

a first optical window located at an end of the first member;

a second member located on a fourth end of device, the fourth end located on an opposite end of the transformer from the third end, between the first end and the second end, the second member having an outer wall comprising a total internal reflection surface which redirects and redistributes the received light in a direction of the second end;

a second optical window located at an end of the second member, the second optical window further being symmetrical across the axis of light direction with the first optical window; and

an aspheric lens located between the first and the second members, the aspheric lens having an input side on the first end of device and an output side on the second end of device, the output side of aspheric lens located between the first and the second optical windows.

2. The light transformer of claim 1, wherein the transformer has a toroidal shape circling and being substantially concentric.

3. The light transformer of claim 1, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light from the light source in a predetermined pattern with low divergence or substantially parallel with an axis of light direction.

4. The light transformer of claim 1, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light from the light source in a predetermined pattern where some light rays merge or cross paths with other light rays.

5. The light transformer of claim 1, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light with an efficiency of equal or greater than 70%.

6. The light transformer of claim 1, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light with an efficiency of equal or greater than 60%.

7. The light transformer of claim 1, wherein the outer wall on the first member and the outer wall of the second member are non-parabolic.

8. A light transformer comprising:

a first end;

a second end located on an opposite end of the transformer from the first end;

a first member located on a third end of the transformer between the first end and the second end, and having a total internal reflection surface that redirects and redistributes received light in a direction of the second end;

a first window located at an end of the first member;

a second member located on a fourth end of transformer, the fourth end located on an opposite end of the transformer from the third end, between the first end and the second end, and having a total internal reflection surface where received light is redirected and redistributed in a direction of the second end;

a second window located at an end of the second member, the second window being substantially perpendicular to the axis of light direction, the second window further being symmetrical across the axis of light direction with the first window; and

an aspheric lens located between the first and the second members, the aspheric lens having an input side on the first end of device and an output side on the second end of device, the output side of aspheric lens located between the first and the second windows.

9. The light transformer of claim 8, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light from the light source in a predetermined pattern where some light rays merge or cross paths with other light rays.

10. The light transformer of claim 8, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light with an efficiency of equal or greater than 70%.

11. The light transformer of claim 8, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light with an efficiency of equal or greater than 60%.

12. A light transformer comprising:

a first end;

a second end located on an opposite end of the transformer from the first end;

an outer wall located between the first end and the second end, comprising a total internal reflection surface that is configured to redirect and redistribute light received from the first end toward the second end; and

an aspheric lens;

the light transformer being configured to redirect and redistribute the light with an efficiency greater than or equal to 60 percent.

13. The light transformer of claim 12, wherein the light transformer directs and redistributes light from the light source in a predetermined pattern where some light rays merge or cross paths with other light rays.