LED illumination source with improved visual characteristics
First Claim
1. An illumination source, comprising:
- an at least generally conical body extending outward along an axis of illumination for the source,a socket supported with respect to the body, having a pair of connector surfaces for receiving power, and having an axis of insertion at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination,one or more LED illumination elements supported with respect to the body such that at least a portion of their illumination axes are at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination of the source,a power supply having electrical inputs operatively connected to the socket and electrical outputs operatively connected to the LED illumination elements,a front face positioned opposite the socket along the illumination axis, andan optical light-directing element separate from any optical process or packaging surfaces built onto the LEDs, being disposed between the LED illumination elements and the front face, and having medial and distal ends, with the distal end being spaced away from the front face, wherein the optical light-directing element includes a collimating element.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An illumination source is disclosed that features, in one embodiment, an at least generally conical body extending outward along an axis of illumination, a socket supported with respect to the body having a pair of connector surfaces for receiving power and having an axis of insertion at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination, and one or more LED illumination elements supported with respect to the body such that at least a portion of their illumination axes are at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination of the source. A power supply has electrical inputs operatively connected to the socket and electrical outputs operatively connected to the LED illumination elements, and a front face is positioned opposite the socket along the illumination axis. An optical light-directing element is provided separate from any optical process or packaging surfaces built onto the LEDs, is disposed between the LED illumination elements and the front face, and has medial and distal ends, with the distal end being spaced away from the front face.
76 Citations
29 Claims
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1. An illumination source, comprising:
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an at least generally conical body extending outward along an axis of illumination for the source, a socket supported with respect to the body, having a pair of connector surfaces for receiving power, and having an axis of insertion at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination, one or more LED illumination elements supported with respect to the body such that at least a portion of their illumination axes are at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination of the source, a power supply having electrical inputs operatively connected to the socket and electrical outputs operatively connected to the LED illumination elements, a front face positioned opposite the socket along the illumination axis, and an optical light-directing element separate from any optical process or packaging surfaces built onto the LEDs, being disposed between the LED illumination elements and the front face, and having medial and distal ends, with the distal end being spaced away from the front face, wherein the optical light-directing element includes a collimating element. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21)
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22. An illumination source, comprising:
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an at least generally conical body extending outward along an axis of illumination of the source, a socket supported with respect to the body, having a pair of connector surfaces for receiving power, and having an axis of insertion at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination, one or more LED illumination elements supported with respect to the body such that at least a portion of their illumination axes are at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination of the source, a power supply having electrical input operatively connected to the socket and electrical outputs operatively connected to the LED illumination elements, a front face positioned opposite the socket along the illumination axis, and an optical light-directing element separate from any optical process or packaging surfaces built onto the LEDs, being disposed between the LED illumination elements and the front face, and having medial and distal ends, with the distal end being spaced away from the front face, wherein the optical light-directing element includes a TIR.
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23. An illumination source, comprising:
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an at least generally conical body extending outward along an axis of illumination for the source, a socket supported with respect to the body, having a pair of connector surfaces for receiving power, and having an axis of insertion at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination, one or more LED illumination elements supported with respect to the body such that at least a portion of their illumination axes are at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination of the source, a power supply having electrical inputs operatively connected to the socket and electrical outputs operatively connected to the LED illumination elements, a front face positioned opposite the socket along the illumination axis, and an optical light-directing element separate from any optical process or packaging surfaces built onto the LEDs, being disposed between the LED illumination elements and the front face, and having medial and distal ends, with the distal end being spaced away from the front face, wherein the optical light directing element includes at least one opaque surface mounted on the source that is positioned to block light between at least one of the LED illumination elements and positions outside of the circumference of the front face aperture and opposite the base with respect to the front face aperture.
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24. An illumination source, comprising:
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an at least generally conical body extending outward along an axis of illumination for the source, a socket supported with respect to the body, having a pair of connector surfaces for receiving power, and having an axis of insertion at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination, one or more LED illumination elements supported with respect to the body such that at least a portion of their illumination axes are at least generally parallel to the axis of illumination of the source, a power supply having electrical inputs operatively connected to the socket and electrical outputs operatively connected to the LED illumination elements, a front face positioned opposite the socket along the illumination axis, and an optical light-directing element separate from any optical process or packaging surfaces built onto the LEDs, being disposed between the LED illumination elements and the front face, and having medial and distal ends, with the distal end being spaced away from the front face, wherein the optical light-directing element is separated from the front face by at least 0.5 inches. - View Dependent Claims (25, 26)
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27. An illumination method, comprising:
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receiving power at a socket, converting the received power and sending it to one or more LED elements, redirecting light from the LED powered elements by a lens element, shining the redirected light through an optically neutral area, and shining the redirected light through a front face after it has shined through for optically neutral area. - View Dependent Claims (28)
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29. An illumination source, comprising:
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means for receiving power, means converting received power and sending it to one or more LED elements, means for colimating at least some of the light from the LED powered elements, optically neutral means for passing the redirected light, and front face means for passing the redirected light after it has passed through the optically neutral area.
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Specification