Solid-state luminaire

• US 8,573,823 B2
• Filed: 08/08/2011
• Issued: 11/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 08/08/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Original Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
• Inventors: Dau, Wilson, Gardner, Robert, Lerman, George, Lerman, Louis, Lowery, Chris, Ogonowsky, Brian D., Smith, George E., Speier, Ingo, Steele, Robert, Teng, Jacqueline, York, Allan Brent
• Primary Examiner(s): Shallenberger, Julie
• Application Number:
  US13/205,548
• Publication Number:
  US 20130039050A1
• Time in Patent Office: 820 Days
• Field of Search: 362/555, 362/558, 362/560, 362222-225, 362/217.04, 362/217.05, 362/311.06
• US Class Current: 362/560
• 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: F21S 8/061 with a non-rigid pendant, i.e. a cable, wire or chain
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0016 on lighting devices that also provide for direct lighting, e.g. by means of independent light sources, by splitting of the light beam, by switching between both lighting modes
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0025 Combination of two or more reflectors for a single light source array of reflectors for a cluster of light sources F21V7/0083
• CPC Class Codes: F21V 7/0033 with successive reflections from one reflector to the next or following
• 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: G02B 6/0011 the light guides being planar or of plate-like form
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0031 Reflecting element, sheet or layer
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/0045 by shaping at least a portion of the light guide

Abstract

In one embodiment, a solid-state luminaire has a strip of high power LEDs, where each LED emits light into an optical coupler. Light from the optical coupler is then coupled into a light guide. Light coupled into the light guide is mixed and guided to an exit aperture of the light guide. An optical extractor proximate the exit aperture of the light guide redirects light outward, which is optionally redirected generally downward by a secondary reflector that extends outwardly along the length of the light guide. The secondary reflector may be configured to create a variety of light-emission patterns. The luminaire may be hung from a ceiling, in track lighting, used as a pendant or pedestal fixture, or in other applications.

Claims

1. A luminaire comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operatively disposed in an elongate configuration along a first direction;

one or more optical couplers arranged along the first direction, such that the one or more optical couplers are optically coupled with the plurality of LEDs and configured to receive at least a portion of light from the plurality of LEDs, each optical coupler configured to at least partially collimate light from the plurality of LEDs;

a light guide having a first end proximate the one or more optical couplers and a second end distal the one or more optical couplers, wherein the first end and the second ends are elongated along the first direction, such that the light guide is being optically coupled with the one or more optical couplers at the first end and is configured to receive at least a portion of light from the one or more optical couplers, wherein the light guide is configured to guide at least a portion of light from the one or more optical couplers in a forward direction from the first end toward the second end of the light guide; and

an optical extractor optically coupled to the light guide proximate the second end of the light guide, wherein the optical extractor comprises first and second reflective interfaces that are elongated along the first direction, and first and second non-planar light-exiting surfaces that are elongated along the first direction,

wherein the first reflective interface is arranged and configured to redirect a first portion of light from the light guide towards the first non-planar light-exiting surface in a second direction that has a component along a direction opposite the forward direction and another component along a direction transverse the first direction, and the first non-planar light-exiting surface is configured to output from the optical extractor the first portion of light along the second direction, and

wherein the second reflective interface is configured to redirect a second portion of the light from the light guide towards the second non-planar light-exiting surface in a third direction that has a component along the direction opposite the forward direction and another component along a direction opposite the direction transverse to the first direction, and the second non-planar light-exiting surface is configured to output from the optical extractor the second portion of light along the third direction.

2. The luminaire according to claim 1 further comprising a secondary reflector operatively disposed and optically coupled with the optical extractor and configured to redirect at least a portion of light received from at least one of the first or second non-planar light-exiting surfaces of the optical extractor.

3. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein

the plurality of LEDs are disposed in groups of one or more LEDs, each group of LEDs optically coupled with one of the one or more optical couplers, and

the light guide comprises one or more of a prismatic portion, a cylindrical portion or a conical portion.

4. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the light guide is configured to guide light at least in part via total internal reflection (TIR).

5. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the light guide is hollow and has a reflective coating on its inside providing a hollow light guide that transmits light from the first end to the second end.

6. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the first and second reflective interfaces are configured and arranged at corresponding angles relative to the forward direction in a symmetric manner.

7. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein each of the first and second reflective interfaces comprises a flat portion, a curved portion or both.

8. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second reflective interfaces is configured to redirect at least a portion of the light from the light guide via total internal reflection.

9. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the light guide and the optical extractor are up to two meters long.

10. The luminaire according to claim 1 further comprising one or more wavelength-conversion materials disposed at one or more locations and configured to convert light of one or more first wavelengths into light of one or more second wavelengths, and wherein one or more of the LEDs are configured to provide one or more of blue, violet and ultraviolet light.

11. The luminaire according to claim 1 wherein one or more of the plurality of LEDs are at least partially encapsulated in one or more materials having one or more refractive indices.

12. The luminaire according to claim 1 further comprising an elongate heatsink thermally coupled with the plurality of LEDs and configured to dissipate at least a portion of heat from the plurality of LEDs.

13. The luminaire according to claim 2 wherein the secondary reflector is thermally coupled with the plurality of LEDs and configured to dissipate at least a portion of heat from the plurality of LEDs.

14. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the optical extractor is configured to output light along the second and third directions in a symmetric manner with respect to the forward direction.

15. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein two or more of the optical extractor, the light guide and the one or more optical couplers are one of integrally formed and detachably replaceable.

16. The luminaire according to claim 1 configured as a troffer luminaire.

20. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and second reflective interfaces is configured to redirect at least a portion of the light from the light guide via reflection off of a reflective coating.

21. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the first and second reflective interfaces are configured and arranged at corresponding angles relative to the forward direction in an asymmetric manner.

22. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein the optical extractor is configured to output light along the second and third directions in an asymmetric manner with respect to the forward direction.

23. The luminaire according to claim 1 configured as a pedestal luminaire.

24. The luminaire according to claim 1 configured as a table luminaire.

25. The luminaire according to claim 1 configured as a wall wash luminaire.

26. The luminaire according to claim 1 configured as a task luminaire.

27. The luminaire according to claim 1 configured as a pendant luminaire.

17. A luminaire comprising:

a plurality of light-emitting diodes (LEDs) operatively disposed in an elongate configuration;

one or more optical couplers optically coupled with the plurality of LEDs and configured to receive at least a portion of light from the plurality of LEDs, each optical coupler configured to at least partially collimate light from the plurality of LEDs;

a light guide optically coupled with the one or more optical couplers and configured to receive at least a portion of light from the one or more optical couplers, the light guide configured to guide at least a portion of light from the one or more optical couplers from a first end toward a second end of the light guide; and

an optical extractor optically coupled to the light guide proximate the second end of the light guide, wherein the optical extractor comprises one or more light-exiting surfaces and one or more reflective interfaces, the reflective interfaces being configured to redirect at least a portion of the light from the light guide towards the one or more light-exiting surfaces, and the one or more light-exiting surfaces being configured to emit from the extractor predetermined portions of light in predetermined directions,

wherein at least one of the light-exit surfaces is configured as a portion of a cylinder of radius R, and at least a portion of one of the reflective interfaces is disposed within a portion of space defined by a notional cylinder of radius R/n, wherein the notional cylinder of radius R/n and the cylinder of radius R have collinear axes of symmetry.

18. The luminaire according to claim 17, wherein the light guide is configured to guide light at least in part via total internal reflection (TIR).

19. The luminaire according to claim 17, wherein the light guide is hollow and has a reflective coating on its inside providing a hollow light guide that transmits light along its length with predetermined light-loss properties.