Bollard luminaire

Abstract
A bollard luminaire comprising a ground-mountable tubular vertical housing having a base portion and an upper portion, an annular lens member atop the housing in substantial axial alignment therewith, an upper reflector at the top of the lens member directing and reflecting light through the annular lens member, the housing and lens member being configured and the upper reflector positioned such that it receives upwardly directed light from below, and an LED module inside the base portion of the housing, the LED module being substantially centrally positioned, oriented for upward light emission, and having LED/optical-element sets themselves providing substantially vertically collimated light. In preferred embodiments, the housing is light-transmissive.
Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS


FIG. 1 is an elevation perspective view of the inventive bollard luminaire.



FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional side elevation view of the luminaire of FIG. 1 taken along a plane coincident with the central vertical axis thereof, with portions shown in dotted outline.



FIG. 3 is a representative partial ray trace of the luminaire of FIG. 1FIG. 4 is a candlepower trace in the vertical plane of the light pattern of the luminaire of FIG. 1.



FIG. 5 is a schematic of the bollard luminaire of FIG. 1, having the top portion of the bollard removed to show in a top plan view the footprint of the LED module relative to the housing.



FIG. 6 is an embodiment of the inventive bollard luminaire having a light-transmissive housing.



FIG. 7 is an preferred embodiment of the bollard luminaire of FIG. 6, where the housing is a display area having a lit image.



FIG. 8 is a schematic of a portion of the bollard luminare of FIG. 7, showing the light-transmissive sheet and image thereon.





DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS


FIGS. 1-8 illustrate preferred embodiment of the inventive bollard luminare 10 having a ground-mountable tubular vertical housing 20 having a base portion 22 and an upper portion 24, an annular lens member 26 atop housing 20 in substantial axial alignment therewith, an upper reflector 28 at the top of lens member 26 directing and reflecting light through annular lens member 26, housing 20 and lens member 26 being configured and upper reflector 28 positioned such that it receives upwardly directed light from below, and an LED module 30 inside base portion 22 of housing 20, LED module 30 being substantially centrally positioned, oriented for upward light emission, and having LED/optical-element sets 32 themselves providing substantially vertically-collimated light.


As best seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, LED/optical-element sets 32 include an LED 34 and a reflector 36. LED 34 and reflector 36 are rigidly affixed with respect thereto. In another embodiment, LED/optical element sets 32 include LED 34 and a refractor 38. LED 34 and refractor 38 are rigidly affixed thereto. In such embodiments, the LED/optical-element set further includes as least an LED and a reflector, the LED and reflector rigidly affixed with respect thereto.


In most highly preferred embodiments and as seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, LED module 30 has an adjoining heat sink 42 positioned below LED module 30 to dissipate heat away from LED module 30.



FIG. 5 illustrates that LED module 30 has a footprint 40 that is substantially concentric with housing 20. In certain embodiments, footprint 40 is substantially circular. LED module 30 is preferably configured of a diameter equal to at least half the diameter of housing 20. In more preferred embodiments, LED module 30 has a diameter of at least 70% the diameter of housing 20, whereby LED module 30 covers an area in excess of about one-half the area of housing 20.


Most preferably and as illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, housing 20 is light-transmissive. In preferred embodiments, housing 20 is of polymeric materials. The polymeric material is one of acrylic, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or copolymers thereof. In such preferred embodiments, annular lens member 26 is integrally formed with light-transmissive housing 20. FIG. 7 shows housing 20 is a display area adapted to show a lit image 40 viewable from outside of housing 20. FIG. 8 illustrates that image 40 is on a light-transmissive sheet 42 against and conformed to the inside surface 44 of light-transmissive housing 20. Light-transmissive sheet 42, when not inserted against the inside surface of the housing, is substantially planar to facilitate application of image 40 thereon. In additional to the substantially vertically collimated light, LED/optical-element sets 32 allow some off-vertical light to enhance image 40 viewable from outside of the housing.



FIG. 3 is a partial “ray trace” of the bollard luminaire. It shows further that in addition to the substantially vertically collimated light, some light is angled to enhance image 40 viewable from outside housing 20. Rays 46 from the light source strike the elliptical surface of upper reflector 28 and are reflected laterally outward from the surface of upper reflector 28. The reflected light identified as 46a and laterally directed through lens element 26 is greatest at an angle about 70° from vertical, thereby providing illumination over a broad 360° area.



FIG. 4 is known as a candlepower trace 48 in the vertical plane. That is, it is a view normal to a vertical plane which includes the central longitudinal axis 50 of bollard luminaire 10. Such trace 48 shows the pattern of light emitted by luminaire 10. It will be noted there is a lobe 52 at about 70° from vertical and such lobe 52 results from the rays emitted near the annular edge. It is also noted there is a small upwardly-directed lobe 54 which results from rays emitted near the annular edge. It is to be appreciated that, in actuality, lobe 52 is symmetrical about axis 50 and somewhat umbrella-shaped. Lobe 54 is likewise symmetrical about such axis 39 and shaped somewhat like an upstanding, wide-mouthed cup.


While the principles of the invention have been shown and described in connection with specific embodiments, it is to be understood that such embodiments are by way of example and are not limiting.

Claims
  • 1. A bollard luminaire comprising a ground-mountable tubular vertical light-transmissive housing having a base portion and an upper portion, an annular lens member atop the housing in substantial axial alignment therewith, an upper reflector at the top of the lens member directing and reflecting light through the annular lens member, the housing and lens member being configured and the upper reflector positioned such that it receives upwardly directed light from below, and an above-ground LED module inside the base portion of the housing, the LED module being substantially centrally positioned, oriented for upward light emission, and having LED/optical-element sets themselves providing substantially vertically-collimated light.
  • 2. The bollard luminaire of claim 1 wherein an LED/optical-element set includes at least an LED and a reflector, said LED and reflector rigidly affixed with respect thereto.
  • 3. The bollard luminaire of claim 1 wherein an LED/optical-element set includes at least an LED and a refractor, said LED and refractor rigidly affixed with respect thereto.
  • 4. The bollard luminaire of claim 3 wherein an LED/optical-element set further includes at least an LED and a reflector, said LED and reflector rigidly affixed with respect thereto.
  • 5. The bollard luminaire of claim 1 wherein the LED module has an adjoining heat sink positioned below the LED module to dissipate heat away from the LED module.
  • 6. The bollard luminaire of claim 1 wherein the LED module has a footprint that is substantially concentric with the housing.
  • 7. The bollard luminaire of claim 6 wherein the footprint is substantially circular.
  • 8. The bollard luminaire of claim 7 wherein the LED module is configured of a diameter equal to at least half the diameter of the housing.
  • 9. The bollard luminaire of claim 8 wherein the LED module has a diameter of at least about 70% the diameter of the housing, whereby the LED module covers an area in excess of about one-half the area of the housing.
  • 10. (canceled)
  • 11. The bollard luminaire of claim 1 wherein the housing is of a polymeric material.
  • 12. The bollard luminaire of claim 11 wherein the polymeric material is one of acrylic, polycarbonate, polystyrene, or copolymers thereof.
  • 13. The bollard of claim 11 wherein the annular lens member is integrally formed with the light-transmissive housing.
  • 14. The bollard luminaire of claim 13 wherein the housing is a display area adapted to show a lit image viewable from outside of said housing.
  • 15. The bollard luminaire of claim 14 wherein the image is on a light-transmissive sheet against and conformed to the inside surface of the light-transmissive housing.
  • 16. The bollard luminaire of claim 15 wherein the light-transmissive sheet, when not inserted against the inside surface of the housing, is substantially planar to facilitate application of the image thereon.
  • 17. The bollard luminaire of claim 14 wherein, in addition to the substantially vertically collimated light, the LED/optical-element sets allow some off-vertical light to enhance the image viewable from outside of the housing.
  • 18. A bollard luminaire comprising a ground-mountable tubular vertical light-transmissive housing adapted to show a lit image viewable from outside of the housing and having a base portion and an upper portion, an annular lens member atop the housing in substantial axial alignment therewith, an upper reflector at the top of the lens member directing and reflecting light through the annular lens member, the housing and lens member being configured and the upper reflector positioned such that it receives upwardly directed light from below, and an above-ground LED module inside the base portion of the housing, the LED module being substantially centrally positioned, oriented for upward light emission, and having LED/optical-element sets themselves providing substantially vertically-collimated light.
  • 19. The bollard luminaire of claim 18 wherein, in addition to the substantially vertically collimated light, the LED/optical-element sets allow some off-vertical light to enhance the image viewable from outside of the housing.
  • 20. The bollard luminaire of claim 18 wherein an LED/optical-element set includes at least an LED and a reflector, said LED and reflector rigidly affixed with respect thereto.