Patent Application
20220030681
The present disclosure relates to devices and systems which are configured to provide visible lighting with enhanced and/or decreased melanopic flux and/or enhanced and/or decreased melanopic lux to photopic lux ratio.
Research relating to circadian rhythm, e.g., processes regulating the sleep-wake cycle, suggests that the spectral composition of the light received by humans (and other living beings) plays a significant role in circadian entrainment. Given the amount of time humans spend working under artificial lights, ailments attributed to disruption of circadian rhythm have become increasingly common. Thus, efforts are underway to design indoor lighting systems that can generate light having a spectrum tailored to induce desired melanopic response.
For example, lighting systems can take advantage of this melanopic response to provide light with high melanopic content to stimulate alertness. In contrast, lighting in which the melanopic flux has been significantly reduced can be used to encourage restfulness and sleep. While much literature refers to the inhibitory effect of blue light, especially as regards the use of LED lighting, it is important to recognize that the important regulatory response is associated with incident light in the wavelength range from 460 nm to 520 nm and peaks at wavelength range from 480 nm to 490 nm, and not just “blue light”.
The production of light enriched in melanopic flux has been limited in common white light systems by the use of cerium-doped YAG phosphors to convert blue LED source light to longer wavelengths. As a result, many lamps today exhibit a minimum in the spectral energy distribution near 480 nm. Attempts have been made to fill the spectral gap by designing emitters to produce light in the 480-500 nm band. This “semiconductor” approach will be expensive due to the extensive R&D required and the low manufacturing volumes due to the specialized nature of this application. Likewise, the use of blue-emitting chips whose peak emission is in the range of 450-470 nm in conventional white light systems introduces undesirable melanopic flux when such systems are a primary source of illumination prior to sleep. There is a need for lighting systems that can control and optimize the melanopic flux of lux for lighting environments.
Previous publications have described the use of energy conversion technology to produce useful, sustainable white light emission from blue emission sources (e.g., U.S. Pat. No. 8,415,642, incorporated herein by reference). This approach to the production of white light with high CRI has proven successful over a broad range of color temperatures. Careful choice of energy conversion components can be used to broadly tune the emission spectrum to achieve advantageous effects, including providing light in the melanopic range.
In some embodiments, a lighting device that provides high melanopic flux with good CRI and luminous efficacy is described. A light source is disposed inside a frame in communication with at least a portion of an edge of a light guide panel positioned in the frame. The light guide panel directs the light emitted by the light source when powered to a viewing hemisphere. An energy conversion component is disposed between the light source and the corresponding portion of the edge of the light guide panel. The energy conversion component converts at least a portion of light incident on the energy conversion component from the light source to a light having a longer wavelength.
In another embodiment, a light source is disposed in a frame in communication with at least a portion of an edge of a light guide panel positioned in the frame. The light guide panel which directs the light emitted by the light source when powered to a viewing hemisphere. An energy conversion component is disposed over a surface of the light guide panel facing the viewing hemisphere. The energy conversion component converts at least a portion of light incident on the energy conversion component from the light guide panel to a light having a longer wavelength.
In some embodiments, the light source is disposed inside a U-shaped bracket or channel, which is disposed inside the frame. In such embodiments, the relative position of the light source and the other optical components including the light guide panel, the energy conversion film, the diffuser, the reflector, etc. as shown in
In yet another embodiment, a first light source is disposed inside a frame in communication with a first portion of an edge of a light guide panel positioned in the frame, and a second light source is disposed inside a second portion of the edge of the frame in communication with a second portion of the edge of the light guide panel. In some embodiments, the first and second light sources have independent electrical control system. In some embodiments, the first and second light sources are coupled to a same electrical control system. The light guide panel which directs the light emitted by the first and second light sources to a viewing hemisphere. A first energy conversion component is disposed between the first light source and the first portion of the edge of the light guide panel, and a second energy conversion component is disposed between the second light source and the second portion of the edge of the light guide panel. The first and second energy conversion components are configured to convert at least a portion of light incident on the respective energy conversion component from the corresponding light source to a light having a longer wavelength and the light converted by the first energy conversion component has a different spectral composition than that of the light converted by the second energy conversion component.
In some embodiments, the light source(s) include an LED emitter near the high energy region of the melanopic spectral sensitivity or response function and energy conversion components are configured to provide significant light in the region of 480-500 nm in order to obtain high melanopic flux. In some embodiments, a lighting device according to the present disclosure provides high melanopic flux by configuring the light source(s) and energy conversion components to achieve a melanopic lux to photopic lux (M/P ratio) that is at least 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, or 1.2. An M/P ratio of about 0.9 to about 1.3 (e.g., 1.0-1.2) may be preferred in some embodiments, since this assures high melanopic efficacy. In some embodiments, the remainder of the spectral energy is distributed so as to obtain a CRI of, for example, at least 75 and luminous efficacy of at least 70 lm/watt.
In further embodiments, a lighting device that provides a low melanopic flux with a good CRI and luminous efficacy is described. A blue component to white light is provided in some embodiments by an LED emitter with a peak emission wavelength in the range 400-460 nm. An M/P ratio of about 0.09 to about 0.40 (e.g., 0.10-0.35) may be achieved in some embodiments when low melanopic flux is desired. In some embodiments, a lighting device according to the present disclosure has an M/P ratio that is no greater than 0.50, 0.40, 0.30, 0.20, or 0.10. In some embodiments, a white light spectrum is produced with high efficacy by converting a significant amount of blue light to longer wavelengths so as to obtain, for example, a CRI of at least 70 and a luminous efficacy of at least 60 lm/watt.
In the present disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings, which form a part hereof. In the drawings, similar symbols typically identify similar components, unless context dictates otherwise. The illustrative embodiments described in the detailed description, drawings, and claims are not meant to be limiting. Some embodiments may be used, and other changes may be made, without departing from the spirit or scope of the subject matter presented herein. It will be readily understood that the aspects of the present disclosure, as generally described herein, and illustrated in the Figures, can be arranged, substituted, combined, separated, and designed in a wide variety of different configurations, all of which are explicitly contemplated herein.
Melanopic lux: flux density, in melanopic lumens per m2, weighted for the response of the melanopsin, i.e., weighted by a luminous efficiency function based on the action spectrum of melanopsin (or melanopic sensitivity function), which peaks at 480-490 nm but ranges beyond 460-520 nm.
Photopic lux: flux density, in lumens per m2, delivered or received in the wavelength band 380-760 nm when weighted for the response of the human visual receptors.
Color rendering Index (CRI): a specification of the ability of a light to accurately render all colors as compared to a similar rendering by light from a blackbody emitter that has been heated to the equivalent color temperature. When not otherwise specified, CRI refers to the average color rendering index, Ra.
Correlated Color Temperature (CCT): a specification of color appearance of light that relates the color to that of a blackbody emitter that has been heated to a specified temperature, measured in degrees Kelvin (K).
Duv: the value of the Euclidean distance of a light color point from the blackbody curve on the 1975 CIE L*, u*, v* color space.
M/P ratio: ratio of melanopic lux to photopic lux.
Recent interest in the biological effects of artificial light has led to further description of light for circadian performance. Whereas the photopic spectral sensitivity function peaks near 555 nm, the circadian spectral sensitivity function peaks at about 464 nm. The circadian function describes a biological suppression of the production of melatonin. The spectral response of the melanopsin receptors, the primary non-visual receptors responsible for signaling the suprachiasmatic nuclei in the brain, peaks at a wavelength in a range from 480 nm to 490 nm. The flux of light that is weighted for the melanopsin spectral sensitivity function has been called melanopic flux. Likewise, the flux associated with the circadian action spectrum, as determined by the production of melatonin, is referred to as circadian lumens (cirlm) or biolumens (blm). The illuminance associated with melanopic flux is referred to as equivalent melanopic lux (EML).
In addition to a metric of melanopic flux or melanopic lux, the characteristic of the relative quantity of melanopic light compared to photopic light is described by the melanopic ratio M/P, where M represents the melanopic lux and P represents photopic lux. A light with a high melanopic ratio will generally suppress the production of melatonin.
Insofar as artificial light is expected to be white to be psychologically pleasing, light sources with high melanopic flux or melanopic lux are expected have a relatively low Duv, requiring that a light spectrum that would be ideal for melanopic flux, and would otherwise appear blue-green, must be augmented with additional wavelengths to provide a pleasing white color. Since sources designed to provide white light with high melanopic content must sacrifice spectral characteristics that would provide higher photopic response, it can be expected that such high melanopic content light will be expected to provide lower luminous efficacy in order to achieve higher melanopic efficacy. Similarly, additional emission wavelengths are required to achieve good color rendering, so that both the luminous efficacy and the melanopic efficacy may be reduced by the production of an emission spectrum capable of high CRI.
Light quantity and quality have been described in the past in either radiometric terms, where the spectral contributions are considered equivalently through the full energy of the light, or in photometric terms, where the spectral contributions are appropriately weighted for the average human ocular response. For example, radiometric flux is typically given in watts (W), while the photometric flux is described in lumens (lm). As a result of the photometric weighting, light that is rich in blue or red components may have a reduced lumen content when compared with a radiometrically equivalent light that spectrally peaks near the wavelength of maximum photopic response.
Light visual quality is usually described by color, as characterized by the position of the light in the 1975 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, and by the ability to render visual colors, as characterized by the average Color Rendering Index (CRI), Ra. The color of light is particularly important when describing white light. The color coordinates of white light are given relative to the coordinates of a blackbody emission associated with a particular blackbody temperature as described by the Planckian locus. The corresponding correlated color temperature derives from that point on the Planckian locus with the smallest geometric distance to the coordinates of the light of interest. That distance, Duv, is an important metric of white light, since too large a distance indicates that the light will not be perceived as white.
The present disclosure provides a lighting device that provides light with a desired spectral composition such as, for example, light having high melanopic flux and which may be configured to stimulate alertness (e.g., for daytime use), or a low melanopic flux (i.e., for nighttime use).
In one aspect of the present disclosure, the lighting device includes an edge-lit luminaire.
Examples of incandescent sources include, without limitation, incandescent light bulbs, halogen lamps, various flash lamps, etc. Examples of electric discharge sources include, but are not limited to, arc lamps, flashtubes, mercury vapor lamps, sodium vapor lamps, metal-halide lamps, neon lamps, etc. Electroluminescent sources include, for example, light emitting diodes (LEDs), organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), various types of LASERs, etc. In various embodiments of the present disclosure, LEDs are used as light sources. It will, however, be understood that the lighting systems described herein can be suitably modified for use with other types of light sources.
In some embodiments, the one or more LEDs 1 can be a blue LED that emits light having a wavelength substantially in the range of 445-475 nm. In some embodiments, at least one LED 1 is mounted to a carrier such as a rigid, flexible, or semi-flexible printed circuit board to form an LED strip that can be mounted to an interior edge of fixture frame surrounding the light guide 2. For example, in an embodiment, LED strip 1 may include seven LEDs arranged in a single row with a fixed distance between each LED 1. It should be appreciated that any number and/or color of LEDs, arranged on a variety of carriers in a variety of circuit configurations (e.g., series-connected LEDs, parallel-connected LEDs) can be used without departing from the scope of the technology.
In some embodiments, each of the one or more LEDs 1 comprises a lens, such as a domed lens or a flat lens. In the structure shown in
In an embodiment, light guide 2 is a rectangular panel formed of a transparent or translucent material such as acrylic, glass or quartz, configured to distribute and emit light emitted by LEDs 1. For example, light guide 2 is positioned in fixture frame such that edges of the frame are substantially adjacent to the light emitted by LEDs 1. Light emitted from LEDs 1 enters edges of the light guide 2 and is distributed throughout light guide 2. The light guide 2 typically incorporates a pattern of features designed to scatter guided optical modes of light transmission such that they are emitted from a front face of light guide 2 (i.e., the face of the light guide 2 adjacent the energy conversion film 4 to provide illumination. In some embodiments, a pattern of features is provided by surface deformation, such as etching. In other embodiments, a pattern of features is provided by embossing, molding, or otherwise including discrete prismatic structures within the light guide 2. In still other embodiments, a pattern of features is provided by printing a thin layer of coating material onto the desired areas of the light guide 2. The coating material may have substantially the same refractive index as the light guide panel 2 and one or more light scattering materials substantially dispersed therein. In some embodiments the preferred distance between the LED and the edge of the light guide is about 10 mm or less, about 5 mm or less, about 2 mm or less, about 1 mm or less, about 0.75 mm or less, about 0.5 mm or less, about 0.25 mm or less: about 0.1 mm or less, or about 0.05 mm or less. In some embodiments the preferred distance between the LED and the edge of the light guide is about 0.1 mm to about 5 mm, about 0.1 mm to about 2 mm, about 0.1 mm to about 1 mm, about 0.01 mm to about 1 mm, about 0.01 mm to about 0.05 mm, or about 0.01 mm to about 0.1 mm.
Opaque reflector 3 is formed of a reflective film or foil, and redirects any light emitted from a rear face of light guide 2 toward the front face. An intimate contact between the opaque reflector 3 and the back surface of light guide 2 (side farther from viewer) is preferred. The opaque reflector 3 can be attached to the back surface of the light guide 2 by applying a thin and/or fine line of non-absorbing adhesive running along the circumference of the back surface of the light guide 2. The adhesive should be selected to not interfere with light guide panel extraction patterns.
In an implementation a lighting device (e.g., luminaire) delivers a light with a melanopic ratio of at least 0.70 and a CRI Ra of at least 70 and a CCT of 4000-14000 K. In a preferred embodiment, the luminaire comprises LEDs with a peak emission at 460-475 nm and at least one energy conversion component that produces light in the range 475-780 nm.
In another implementation, a luminaire delivers light with an M/P ratio of no greater than 0.40, a CRI Ra of at least 70 and a CCT of 2200-4000 K. In a preferred embodiment, the luminaire comprises LEDs with a peak emission of 400-460 nm and at least one energy conversion component that produces light in the range 460-780 nm. In this case, the energy conversion component is designed to absorb a significant portion of the incident LED light and emit efficient emission at visible wavelengths greater than 500 nm, generally in the range 500-730 nm, with minimal light produced in the range 460-500 nm. As a result, LEDs with an emission of 400-460 nm are preferred, and the combination of dyes to achieve the desired converted spectrum must be significantly altered from that designed to produce light with a low M/P ratio.
In some embodiments, a lighting device according to the present disclosure has an energy conversion film that converts at least a portion of a first spectrum emitted by the LEDs into a second spectrum with an M/P ratio of no more than 0.40 (e.g., no more than 0.20), a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 2500-3000 K. The luminaire may also comprise a diffuser to disperse the light to be emitted by the luminaire.
A high melanopic flux lighting device according to certain embodiments of the present disclosure may be configured to stimulate the ipRGC of a user. In some embodiments, the present disclosure includes a lighting device that provides visible illumination with enhanced emission in the range 460-520 nm with an M/P ratio of X1. In some embodiments, X1 is at least 0.7. In some embodiments, X1 is selected from any value from 0.9-1.3, for example, X1 may be from 1.0 to 1.2. For example, in various embodiments, X1 may be 0.7, 0.75, 0.8, 0.85, 0.9, 0.95, 1.0, 1.05, 1.1, 1.15, 1.2, 1.25, 1.3, or any value between any two of these values. The light produced by the lighting device is preferably perceived as white light by a human user. In some embodiments, the lighting device provides a CRI of at least 70, a |Duv| of less than 0.01, and a CCT in the range of 4000-14000 K. For example, in an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 70, a |Duv| of 0.009 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 75, a |Duv| of 0.009 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 70, a |Duv| of 0.009 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 80, a |Duv| of 0.009 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 70, a |Duv| of 0.008 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 75, a |Duv| of 0.008 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 80, a |Duv| of 0.008 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-14000 K. In an embodiment, the lighting device may provide a CRI of 80, a |Duv| of 0.01 and a CCT in the range of 4000 K-6200 K.
A low melanopic flux lighting device according to some embodiments of the present disclosure may be configured to reduce stimulation of the ipRGC of a user. In some embodiments, a lighting device provides visible illumination with reduced emission in the range 460-520 nm with an M/P ratio of X2, where X2 is less than X1. In some embodiments, X2 is less than 0.40, less than 0.30, or less than 0.20. In some embodiments, X2 may be any value from 0.10-0.40, for example, X2 may be from 0.15 to 0.35. Thus, in various embodiments, X2 may be 0.1, 0.15, 0.2, 0.25, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, or any value between any two of these values. The light produced by the lighting device is preferably perceived as white light by a human user. In some embodiments, the lighting device provides a CRI of 70, a |Duv| of less than 0.01, and a CCT in the range 2200-4000 K. In some embodiments, the lighting device provides a CRI of 85, a |Duv| of 0.009 and a CCT in the range of 2200 K-2700 K.
In some embodiments, a lighting device according to the present disclosure provides visible illumination with enhanced emission in the range 460-520 nm with a M/P ratio of X1 wherein the illumination is produced by a system that comprises one or more LEDs, and at least one energy conversion film which is arranged and configured to convert light received from the one or more LEDs. The LEDs in some embodiments are chosen to emit in the range 450-475 nm so that any unconverted light will also contribute to the melanopic flux. Additional spectral components are produced by energy conversion using the energy conversion component. In some embodiments, the energy conversion component comprises fluorescent components that can absorb a portion of the LED light and produce additional luminance at longer wavelengths, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,415,642.
The energy conversion component may be a solid optical component, such as a plate, a prism, or a lens, or may be a film. The energy conversion component may be prepared by injection molding, extrusion, compression, or coating, or any combination of such processes.
The energy conversion component may contain one or more dyes, phosphors, or pigments, the combination of which may be tailored to produce light of the desired characteristics. Fluorescent materials are preferred over other types of luminescent pigments. The use of fluorescent materials to alter the spectrum of an emission source has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,163,201 and in U.S. Pat. No. 8,415,645, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. A first fluorescent material must absorb at least a portion of the incident light provided by the LEDs, and then must efficiently emit a substantial amount of the absorbed energy at longer wavelengths. The light so converted can be subsequently absorbed by a second fluorescent material that can then emit the absorbed light at still longer wavelengths. Additional dyes and pigments can be used in such a fashion to obtain a desired emission spectrum from the luminaire. For some embodiments, design of the energy conversion component must deliver as much light as possible in the wavelength range 470-500 nm while still providing enough light at longer wavelengths to achieve a perceptually white color and adequate color rendering. In particular, diisobutyl 4,10-dicyanoperylene-3,9-dicarboxylate (LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083) is an effective dye to provide significant and efficient emission in the range 470-500 nm.
The energy conversion components may also comprise a carrier medium. The carrier medium may be rigid glass, such as a borosilicate or quartz glass, or may be a polymeric carrier such as an acrylic resin, a polyvinyl chloride, a polycarbonate, a styrene, a polyurethane, a polyester, or other similar polymer. Depending on the nature of the preparation of the energy conversion component, the carrier may include other components such as antioxidants, surfactants, scatterers, hindered amine light stabilizers (HALS), and other similar additives.
In some embodiments, the energy conversion components are polymeric films including one or more dyes, phosphors, or pigments. The one or more dyes, phosphors, pigments, etc. are generally homogeneously distributed within the body of the films. Such energy conversion components are referred to herein as energy conversion films (ECFs).
In some example embodiments, an ECF which contains diisobutyl 4,10-dicyanoperylene-3,9-dicarboxylate (e.g., available as LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083). In some embodiments, use of diisobutyl 4,10-dicyanoperylene-3,9-dicarboxylate provides maximum amount of light in the range 470-500 nm. In some embodiments, the ECF may further include other fluorescent dyes, for example, 3,4,9,10-perylene tetracarboxylic acid bis(2,6-diisopropyl) anilide (e.g., available as LUMOGEN® F Orange 240) and 1,6,7,12-tetraphenoxy-N,N′-di(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-3,4:9,10-perylenediimide (e.g., available as LUMOGEN® F Red 305). In some embodiments, these other fluorescent dyes may provide yellow-red emission. In further embodiments, the ECF does not include 3-cyanoperylene-9,10-dicarboxylic acid 2′,6′-diiosopropylanilide (e.g., available as LUMOGEN® F Yellow 170) since this dye may absorb significant emission in the desired wavelength range.
In some embodiments, a lighting device according to the present disclosure provides visible illumination with reduced emission in the range 460-520 nm with a M/P ratio of X2 wherein the illumination is produced by a system that comprises one or more LEDs, and at least one energy conversion film which is arranged and configured to convert light received from the one or more LEDs. The LEDs in some embodiments are chosen to emit in the range 400-460. In some embodiments, the EFC contains 3-cyanoperylene-9,10-dicarboxylic acid 2′,6′-diiosopropylanilide (e.g., LUMOGEN® F Yellow 170).
The matrix into which the fluorescent components of the ECF are dispersed can comprise of polymers or glasses. Polymers are particularly useful due to the greater range of available materials from which to sub-select so as to form a homogeneous mixture of the energy conversion element and the polymer. Acceptable polymers include acrylates, polyurethanes, polycarbonates, polyvinyl chlorides, polystyrene, silicone resins, and other common polymers. Materials with glass transition temperatures above the normal operating temperature of the material are particularly useful. The polymer matrix must be capable of preventing aggregation of the fluorescent components, i.e., creating a homogeneous mixture of the dye and the polymer, or a solid-state solution of the dye and polymer. Fluorescent component aggregation is one of the possible causes of loss of fluorescence efficiency and in certain cases can also contribute to photolytic degradation. If the molecules of the fluorescent components are allowed to form aggregates and microcrystalline forms, instead of a solid-state solution, the dye molecules excited by electromagnetic radiation can undergo static self-quenching, effectively lowering the yield of fluorescence, and therefore lowering the efficiency of energy conversion. In some fluorescent components, high concentrations can lead to enhanced photo-degradation, through efficient energy migration to chemically active traps or through self-sensitized photo-oxidation stimulated by triplet states accessed primarily from excimers.
Additional components may be added to the formulation to facilitate the dissolution and coating of the energy conversion photoluminescent material and the polymer, such as dispersants, wetting agents, defoamers, rheology modifiers, and leveling agents. Dispersants, wetting agents, defoamers, and leveling agents may each be oligomeric, polymeric, or copolymeric materials or blends containing surface-active (surfactant) characteristic blocks, such as, for example, polyethers, polyols, or polyacids. Examples of dispersants include acrylic acid-acrylamide polymers, or salts of amine functional compound and acid, hydroxyfunctional carboxylic acid esters with pigment affinity groups, and combinations thereof, for example DISPERBYK®-180, DISPERBYK®-181, DISPERBYK®-108, all from BYK-Chemie, and TEGO® Dispers 710 from Degussa GmbH. Wetting agents are surfactant materials, and may be selected from among polyether siloxane copolymers, for example, TEGO® Wet 270, non-ionic organic surfactants, for example TEGO® Wet 500, and combinations thereof. Suitable rheology modifiers include polymeric urea urethanes and modified ureas, for example, BYK® 410 and BYK® 411 from BYK-Chemie®, and fumed silicas, such as CAB-O-SIL® M-5 and CAB-O-SIL® EH-5. Deaerators and defoamers may be organic modified polysiloxanes, for example, TEGO® Airex 900. Leveling agents may include polyacrylates, polysiloxanes, and polyether siloxanes. Quenchers of singlet molecular oxygen can also be added, such as 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-4-piperidone and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane. Each such material must be tested to assure that it does not cause aggregation of the energy conversion photoluminescent materials, does not quench the fluorescence of the energy conversion photoluminescent materials, and that the material does not react, either thermally or photochemically, with the energy conversion photoluminescent materials.
In an embodiment, the energy conversion component, includes from about 25%-45% of binder resin, about 50%-70% of liquid carrier, 0%-2% dispersing agent, 0%-2% rheology modifying agent, 0%-2% photostabilizer, 0%-2% de-aerating agent, 0%-2% wetting agent, and 0.01%-0.2% photoluminescent fluorescent material.
The luminaire may also comprise additional optical components to efficiently direct and disperse the light generated into a useful spatial pattern. In particular, at least one reflector may be used to direct light to a preferred viewing hemisphere. Additionally, light emitted from the front face of the luminaire can be dispersed using one or more diffusers, lenses, prisms, or other more complex optical components.
In another aspect of the present disclosure, the lighting device includes back-lit luminaire.
In another implementation, the principal elements of the luminaire providing a high melanopic flux and a luminaire providing a low melanopic flux are combined. In one example a luminaire can be constructed with two separate emitting surfaces, so that one half or portion of the luminaire emits light with high melanopic flux, while another half or portion emits light with low melanopic flux. In some such embodiments, the luminaire may be treated as two devices that have been joined and are connected by a power source and controls that allow switching between the two emissive states.
Providing both lights in the same device so as to use a common emission surface requires an ability to separate the sources of the spectra of light from the light distribution system. The use of a light guide distribution provides a means to uniform, low glare light provisioning. While previous constructions have shown the value of using energy conversion films at the exit face of the luminaire, the desire to provide two different light emission characteristics from one emissive surface prevents this positioning of the energy conversion component for the inventive design. In particular, the production of high melanopic flux in one state and low melanopic flux in a second state cannot be accomplished with a single energy conversion component or film containing dyes due to crosstalk between the emission systems required to produce each state of light. Likewise, separate but adjacent films suffer from the same problem.
For example, a luminaire design with a first film producing light with a high melanopic flux and a second film that produces light with a low melanopic flux would only produce low melanopic flux light, since the film designed to convert light in the range 450-500 nm to longer wavelengths would perform that function on any incident light, including that with high melanopic flux produced by the first film. Likewise, if the order of the films were reversed such that the first film produced light with low melanopic flux and the second film produced high melanopic flux, then either the second film would never see enough deeper blue light to produce high melanopic flux light so that only light with low melanopic flux could be produced, or the second film would produce high melanopic flux light even in cases when only low melanopic flux would be desired.
As a result, it may be preferable to produce the desired light characteristics by the respective sources before injection of the light into a light guide. In an embodiment of this implementation, a square luminaire comprises a square light guide wherein two opposing sides of the luminaire light guide can used to provide one characteristic of light and the remaining two opposed sides can be used to provide the second characteristic of light. In some embodiments, the need for uniform distribution of light from each of the lighting systems can be provided by a luminaire with four-fold symmetry provided by a square luminaire design.
One way of separately providing two types of light into the luminaire is to provide the appropriate energy conversion component with an appropriate LED source at the entrance face of the light into the edge of the light guide. Each of these energy conversion components comprises one or more fluorescent components uniformly incorporated into a block or slab of polymer or glass in concentrations useful to generate the desired converted spectrum when illuminated by the appropriate source light. The block or slab may additionally be covered on at least two sides with a reflective element or coating to direct the light toward the injection face of the light guide. The block or slab may also be covered on at least two sides with a protective film or coating to inhibit the penetration of oxygen into the energy conversion component. Additionally, the block or slab may be covered with a directional reflective film or coating on the side immediately adjacent to the edge of the light guide, to prevent the excitation of dyes by the “wrong” set of LEDs. For example, it would be undesirable for the daytime LED source to activate the nighttime energy conversion component, and vice versa (i.e., LEDs 201b activating 204a in
In some embodiments, LED strips 201a and LED strips 201b are configured to emit different wavelengths of light. For example, in some embodiments, LED strips 201a include LEDs which emit light with a peak emission at 445-475 nm, while LED strips 201b include LEDs which emit light with a peak emission at 420-440 nm. In some embodiments, the two LED strips 201a and 201b both include LEDs configured to emit same wavelengths of light, e.g., with a same peak emission at 400-460 nm.
In some embodiments, at least one energy conversion film (ECF) is positioned between each of LED strips 201a, 201b and the edges of light guide panel 202. In some embodiments, the at least one energy conversion film includes first ECF strips 204a positioned between each of the LED strips 201a and a corresponding edge of the light guide panel 202, and second ECF strips 204b positioned between each of the LED strips 201b and a corresponding edge of the light guide panel 202. In some embodiments, first ECF strips 204a are configured to convert at least a portion of a spectrum emitted by LED strips 201a into a first converted spectrum with, for example, an M/P ratio of at least 0.70 (e.g., 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, etc.) , a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 4000-14000 K. In some embodiments, second EFC strips 204b are configured to convert at least a portion of a spectrum emitted by LED strips 201b into a second converted spectrum with, for example, an M/P ratio of no more than 0.40 (e.g., no more than 0.20), a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 2200-4000 K. In some embodiments, EFC strips 204a contains a different fluorescent dye composition and/or amount than EFC strips 204b in order to achieve the different M/P ratios.
In further embodiments, lighting device 200 may further include a reflecting layer 203 configured to be positioned to face a back surface of light guide 202 that is opposite light emitting surface 202a. Reflecting layer 203 in some embodiments is configured to reflect at least a portion of light towards light emitting surface 202a. Lighting device 200 may also include a diffusion layer 205 configured to be positioned on light emitting surface 202a and configured to scatter light emitted from light emitting surface 202a. Light guide panel 202 may therefore be positioned between reflecting layer 203 and diffusion layer 205. In still further embodiments, lighting device 200 may include a backing layer 206 positioned behind reflecting layer 203 such that reflecting layer 203 is positioned between backing layer 206 and light guide panel 202. In some embodiments, frame 207 may be provided to house components of lighting device 200, including light guide panel 202, LED strips 201a, 202b, and ECF strips 204a, 204b. In some embodiments, LED strips 201a, 201b may be mounted along the internal edges of frame 207. In further embodiments, frame 207 may be made of metal (e.g., aluminum, copper, etc.), for example, and be configured to help dissipate heat from LED strips 201a, 202b.
The dimensions of the lighting device 200 are not particularly limited and are determined by factors such as, for example, design constraints based on the space in which the lighting device is to be used, materials being used to construct various components of the lighting device, commercial availability or manufacturability of some or all of the components of the lighting device, etc. Common dimensions of such devices may include, without limiting the scope of this disclosure, 1′×1′, 2′×2′, 3′×3′, 1′×4′, and 2′×4′.
It will be appreciated that while examples with a square shaped edge-lit luminaire are discussed herein, other regular polygonal shapes such as, for example, hexagon, octagon, etc. can be implemented with modifications based on an understanding of the concepts disclosed herein. Similarly, a circular luminaire may also be implemented. Examples of a hexagonal edge-lit luminaire and a circular edge-lit luminaire are shown in
Some of the geometries such as the hexagonal or circular shapes allow more than 2 types of spectra, e.g., using more than 2 types ECF configured to provide different output spectra. Lighting devices with geometries that provide different (e.g., more than two) output spectra may be used for applications such as, for example, providing yellow light in a semiconductor fabrication clean room; providing a red-light for photography development room; providing different colored lights for entertainment purposes; providing light with spectrum matching ambient light in airplanes; etc. In such applications, the lighting devices may include more than two types of ECFs configured to provide more than two types of output spectra and the LED strips corresponding to each type of ECF may be selectively turned on at a desired time to provide the desired output spectrum.
In some embodiments, LED strips 301a and LED strips 301b are configured to emit different wavelengths of light. For example, in some embodiments, LED strips 301a include LEDs which emit light with a peak emission at 445-475 nm, while LED strips 301b include LEDs which emit light with a peak emission at 420-440 nm. In some embodiments, the two LED strips 301a and 301b both include LEDs configured to emit same wavelengths of light, e.g., with a same peak emission at 400-460 nm.
In some embodiments, at least one energy conversion film (ECF) is positioned between each of LED strips 301a, 301b and the back surface of the diffuser 305. In some embodiments, the at least one energy conversion film includes first ECF strips 304a positioned between each of the LED strips 301a and the back surface of the diffuser 305, and second ECF strips 304b positioned between each of the LED strips 301b and the back surface of the diffuser 305. In some embodiments, first ECF strips 304a are configured to convert at least a portion of a spectrum emitted by LED strips 301a into a first converted spectrum with, for example, an M/P ratio of at least 0.70 (e.g., 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, etc.) , a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 4000-14000 K. In some embodiments, second EFC strips 304b are configured to convert at least a portion of a spectrum emitted by LED strips 301b into a second converted spectrum with, for example, an M/P ratio of no more than 0.40 (e.g., no more than 0.20), a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 2200-4000 K. In some embodiments, EFC strips 304a contains a different fluorescent dye composition and/or amount than EFC strips 304b in order to achieve the different M/P ratios.
The reflecting layer 303 in some embodiments is configured to reflect at least a portion of light towards the viewing hemisphere through the diffuser 305. In some embodiments, lighting device 300 may include a backing layer (not shown) positioned behind reflecting layer 303 such that reflecting layer 303 is positioned between backing layer 306 and the diffuser 305. In some embodiments, a frame or a metal housing 310 may be provided to house components of lighting device 300, including LED strips 301a, 302b, and ECF strips 304a, 304b and the diffuser 305.
The dimensions of the lighting device 300 are not particularly limited and are determined by factors such as, for example, design constraints based on the space in which the lighting device is to be used, materials being used to construct various components of the lighting device, commercial availability or manufacturability of some or all of the components of the lighting device, etc. Common dimensions of such devices may include, without limiting the scope of this disclosure, 1′×1′, 2′×2′, 3′×3′, 1′×4′, and 2′×4′.
Advantageously, the back-lit structure allows for more than 2 types of spectra, e.g., using more than 2 types ECF configured to provide different output spectra irrespective of the geometry of the device. Lighting devices that provide different (e.g., more than two) output spectra may be used for applications such as, for example, providing yellow light in a semiconductor fabrication clean room; providing a red-light for photography development room; providing different colored lights for entertainment purposes; providing light with spectrum matching ambient light in airplanes; etc. In such applications, the lighting devices may include more than two types of ECFs configured to provide more than two types of output spectra and the LED strips corresponding to each type of ECF may be selectively turned on at a desired time to provide the desired output spectrum. One advantage of using ECF to generate specific spectrum of light over using a filter is that while a filter absorbs and dissipates unwanted wavelengths, ECF converts all light into desired wavelengths. Thus, ECF may provide improved efficiency.
An example of a back-lit lighting device that can produce light with several different output spectra is shown in
It will be appreciated that while the figures show generally square shaped back-lit luminaires, other shapes such as, rectangular, circular, ellipsoidal, hexagonal, etc., can be implemented with modifications based on an understanding of the concepts disclosed herein. Moreover, the placement of the LED strips within the shape of the lighting device is not particularly limited so long as the light emitted from the diffuser 305 into the viewing hemisphere is generally uniform.
Hybrid/Tunable Lighting Devices
Referring back to
In some embodiments, lighting device 200 may be configured to gradually transition from the first state to the second state and vice versa. In some embodiments, lighting device 200 may be programmable such that lighting device 200 transitions between the two states at predetermined times which may be set by a user. For example, in an embodiment, the programing of lighting device 200 is achieved using a microcontroller. The microcontroller, in an embodiment, may use pulse-width modulation (PWN) to output an analog voltage. The PWM signal is run through a low pass filter that is set up for a frequency that is substantially lower than that of the PWM, resulting in the square wave of the PWM to be converted to a constant voltage that is the average of the voltage from the PWM. From the low pass filter, the signal is sent through an operational amplifier to amplify the voltage. The output of the operational amplifier is then connected to the input of LED strips 201a, 201b. The microcontroller can then be used to change the voltage provided to LED strips 201a, 201b to obtain a smooth shift from high melanopic flux state to a low melanopic flux state (or vice versa) over a set period at a set time.
In an embodiment, the microcontroller is connected to a network, e.g., the Internet. In such embodiments, the microcontroller can be controlled and/or programmed remotely to change the set period and the set time at which the transition between high melanopic flux state and a low melanopic flux state is to occur, e.g., based on syncing the clock of the microcontroller with a central server, or changing the set time based on local sunrise/sunset times. In an embodiment, the set time can also be changed based on, e.g., local weather conditions to allow more or less melanopic flux for longer or shorter period of time depending on the local weather.
Similarly, referring back to
In some embodiments, lighting device 300 may be configured to gradually transition from the first state to the second state and vice versa. In some embodiments, lighting device 300 may be programmable such that lighting device 300 transitions between the two states at predetermined times which may be set by a user. For example, in an embodiment, the programing of the lighting device 300 is achieved using a microcontroller. The microcontroller, in an embodiment, may use pulse-width modulation (PWN) to output an analog voltage. The PWM signal is run through a low pass filter that is set up for a frequency that is substantially lower than that of the PWM, resulting in the square wave of the PWM to be converted to a constant voltage that is the average of the voltage from the PWM. From the low pass filter, the signal is sent through an operational amplifier to amplify the voltage. The output of the operational amplifier is then connected to the input of the LED strips 301a, 301b. The microcontroller can then be used to change the voltage provided to the LED strips 301a, 301b to obtain a smooth shift from high melanopic flux state to a low melanopic flux state (or vice versa) over a set period at a set time.
In embodiments where the lighting device provides light with more than two different output spectra (e.g., similar to the device shown in
Swappable Energy Conversion Component
In the tunable devices discussed herein, the net intensity of light provided by the luminaire may be decreased because only half (or in some implementations even less) of the possible LEDs are utilized at a given time. Thus, in applications where high net intensity is desirable, it may be preferable to keep all LEDs in an ON state to obtain a high intensity. For such applications, the structure of luminaire discussed with respect to
The energy conversion component 4, in some embodiments, can be changed manually or using a motorized mechanism which can be automated and programmed based on conditions such as, for example, the time of the day, lighting environments, or personal preference. Both the electrical control system for the light source(s) and the control system for the motor can be connected to a network (e.g., the Internet), and programmed to optimize the intensity of light, duration, timing, and pattern based on synchronizing the internal clock of the lighting system with a central server, or local sunrise/sunset times and/or weather conditions.
In some embodiments, the roller 18a and counter-roller 18b may be provided with a rotating crank (not shown) to rotate the corresponding rollers manually so as to change the portion of ECF 4 being exposed to the light guide panel 2. In other embodiments, the roller 18a and counter-roller 18b may be motorized, and the motor (not shown) may be powered through a switch allowing a user to rotate the roller 18a and the counter-roller 18b when desired. In yet other embodiments, the roller 18a and the counter-roller 18b may be motorized, and the motor is controlled using a controller which automatically initiates the rotation of the roller 18a and the counter-roller 18b based on a programmed scheduled to expose different portions of the ECF 4 to the light guide panel as desired. In some embodiments, movement of the ECF is created by friction between the ECF and the drive roller. In some embodiments, the movement of the ECF is created by a cog or similar spoked wheeled engaging holes, slots or other such physical characteristics on the ECF structure.
In some embodiments, the roller 48a and counter-roller 48b may be provided with a rotating crank (not shown) to rotate the corresponding rollers manually so as to change the portion of ECF 34 being exposed to the light guide panel 32. In other embodiments, the roller 8a and counter-roller 48b may be motorized, and the motor (not shown) may be powered through a switch allowing a user to rotate the roller 48a and the counter-roller 48b when desired by turning the switch ON or OFF. In yet other embodiments, the roller 48a and the counter-roller 48b may be motorized, and the motor is controlled using a controller which automatically initiates the rotation of the roller 48a and the counter-roller 48b based on a programmed scheduled to expose different portions of the ECF 34 to the exit surface as desired. In some embodiments, the movement of the ECF is created by friction between the ECF and the drive roller. In some embodiments, the movement of the ECF is created by a cog or similar spoked wheel engaging holes, slots, or other such physical characteristics on the ECF structure.
In the implementations where different portions of the ECF are exposed to the light guide panel as desired, the ECF may be formed as a continuous film with different portions having different compositions allowing each portion to output a different spectrum. For example, in an embodiment, the ECF may include a first portion configured to provide light with high melanopic flux and a second portion configured to provide light with a low melanopic flux. The ECF may be formed as continuous film with the first portion and the second portion alternately placed immediately adjacent to each other. In some embodiments, the first portion and the second portion are separated by a third portion without any energy conversion elements (e.g., dyes, fluorophores, phosphors, etc.). Additional portions with several (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, etc.) different ECF configurations are contemplated.
In embodiments where the mechanism for changing the portion of ECF being exposed to the light guide panel is controlled using a controller, the controller may be programmed in a similar manner disclosed elsewhere herein, e.g., to provide different light spectra at different times of the day. For example, instead of providing power to different sets of LEDs provided with different ECFs at different times, the roller 8a and 8b (or 8a′) or 48a and 48b (or 48a′) may be rotated to expose different portions of ECFs to the light guide panel at different times.
Advantageously, embodiments with swappable or movable ECFs allow for easy exchange of ECFs in case the ECF is worn or no longer efficient in converting the light.
Manually Switchable Lighting
In a second implementation, a lighting device delivers light with an M/P ratio of no greater than 0.40, a CRI Ra of at least 70 and a CCT of 2200-4000 K. In a preferred embodiment, the lighting device comprises a light source 51 and at least one energy conversion component 54 that produces light in the range 460-780 nm. The energy conversion film 54 is disposed over the exit surface of the light source 51 such that the light emitted by the light source 51 passes through the energy conversion film before exiting to the viewing hemisphere to reach a user. In this case, the energy conversion component is designed to absorb a significant portion of the incident light and emit efficient emission at visible wavelengths greater than 500 nm, generally in the range 500-730 nm, with minimal light produced in the range 460-500 nm.
The lighting device may also comprise a diffuser 55 to disperse the light to be emitted by the lighting device. An example illumination system comprising one or more energy conversion films has been described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,664,624, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
In some embodiments, the light source includes a white light source 51 such as, for example, fluorescent lamps, LED-based white lights, halogen lamps, incandescent light bulbs, flash lamps, etc. In some embodiments, the white light source 51 is commercially available. In some embodiments, the light source is preinstalled in a fixture such as, in a residential or in a commercial building. In some embodiments, the light source may include more than one white light source In some embodiments, the emission characteristics of the light source include: CCT in the range of 2700-6000 K, CRI greater than 85 and luminosity of about 2500-4000 lumens for about 4 sq.ft, to about 5000-6000 at about 8 sq.ft.
In some embodiments, the light source may include a housing (not shown) in which the white light source is positioned. The housing may have a frame 62 outlining the exit surface of the light source. The light source may further include a reflector (not shown) and a diffuser (not shown) in some embodiments. In some embodiments, the frame 62 is quadrangular or circular in shape, but other shapes are contemplated.
The energy conversion component 54 may be a solid optical component, such as a plate, a prism, or a lens, or may be a film. The energy conversion component may be prepared by injection molding, extrusion, compression, or coating, or any combination of such processes.
In some embodiments, an energy conversion film (ECF) is positioned over (or inside an exit surface of) the frame 52. In some embodiments, the energy conversion film 54 includes a first ECF configured to convert at least a portion of a spectrum emitted by the white light source 51 into a first converted spectrum with, for example, an M/P ratio of at least 0.70 (e.g., 0.7, 0.8, 0.9, 1.0, 1.1, 1.2, etc.), a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 4000-14000 K. In some embodiments, the energy conversion film 54 includes a second EFC configured to convert at least a portion of a spectrum emitted the white light source 51 into a second converted spectrum with, for example, an M/P ratio of no more than 0.40 (e.g., no more than 0.20), a CRI Ra of at least 70, and a CCT of 2200-4000 K.
As shown in
For example, in residential buildings, the energy conversion film may be selected to have a composition that results in a low melanopic flux or lux. In such embodiments, the strips 58 can be pivoted from the perpendicular position shown in
In an embodiment, as shown in
In the implementations where different portions of the ECF are exposed to the light guide panel as desired, the ECF may be formed as a continuous film with different portions having different compositions allowing each portion to output a different spectrum. For example, in an embodiment, the ECF may include a first portion configured to provide light with high melanopic flux and a second portion configured to provide light with a low melanopic flux. The ECF may be formed as continuous film with the first portion and the second portion alternately placed immediately adjacent to each other. In some embodiments, the first portion and the second portion are separated by a third portion without any energy conversion elements (e.g., dyes, fluorophores, phosphors, etc.). Additional portions with different ECF configurations are contemplated.
It will be understood that while the embodiments described herein include the ECF between the LED strips and the diffuser, it is also possible to rearrange the diffuser to be between the ECF and the LED strips. In such embodiments, it may be preferable to provide a protective layer, e.g., a sheet of glass or other transparent material, above the ECF such that the ECF is between the protective layer and the diffuser, and the protective layer forms the outermost surface of the lighting device exposed to the viewing hemisphere. The protective layer may be advantageous in preventing wear and tear of the ECF.
In one example, a 195 mm×195 mm 6-watt edge-lit LED panel was fitted with an energy conversion film to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 30 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 460 nm located along 2 opposing edges of a light guide that served as the emissive surface of the LED panel. The energy conversion film was prepared by coating a 12″×12″ section of 0.010″ thick mylar substrate using a 12″ wide Bird Film Applicator with a 0.010″ clearance. The coating fluid comprised a polymer binder (ELVACITE® 2014 acrylic resin), 2 fluorescent dyes (LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083 and LUMOGEN® F Red 305), additives (PLASTHALL® 670, Titanium dioxide (TiO2), FOAMEX® N, TEGO® Wet 270), and solvents (toluene and dioxolane). The total solid content of the coating fluid is 40% by weight, and the fluorescent dye concentrations in the dry film are 0.084% (w/w) of LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083 and 0.023% of LUMOGEN® F Red 305, respectively. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is included at a concentration of 1% to create desirable light scattering in the film to eliminate total internal reflection (TIR) and increase light conversion efficiency. The coated wet film is first dried in an oven at 40° C. for 4 hours and then moved to an oven at 80° C. for at least 4 hours. The dry film is trimmed and placed between the light guide panel and a diffuser sheet inside the 195 mm×195 mm LED panel to produce a lighting device with high melanopic content. The spectrum of the panel is measured using a Konica Minolta CS2000 spectroradiometer focused on the front surface of the diffuser of the light panel at normal incidence. The measured spectrum and the associated Correlated Color Temperature (CU), Duv, CRI Ra, R9, and M/P ratio are shown in
Example #2 is similar to Example #1, except that the concentration of LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083 in the dry film is reduced to 0.067%, producing a lighting device with high melanopic content. The measured spectrum and the associated CCT, Duv, CRI Ra, R9, and M/P ratio are shown in
In another example, a 195 mm×195 mm 6-watt edge-lit LED panel was fitted with energy conversion films to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 30 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 420 nm located along 2 opposing edges of a light guide that served as the emissive surface of the LED panel. The energy conversion film was coated on a 6″×12″ section of 0.010″ thick mylar substrate using a ½″×16″ Wire Wound Mayer Rod with a #60 wire. The coating fluid is composed of a polymer binder (NEOCRYL® B735), 3 fluorescent dyes (LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083, LUMOGEN® F Orange 240, and LUMOGEN® F Red 305), additives (TiO2, BYK® 310, BYK® 356), and solvents (toluene and dioxolane). The total solid content is 30%, and the fluorescent dye concentrations in the dry film are 0.263% (ww) of LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083, 0.0260% of LUMOGEN® F Orange 240, and 0.0270% of LUMOGEN® F 305 Red. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is included at a concentration of 2.103% to create desirable light scattering in the film to eliminate TIR and increase light conversion efficiency. The coated wet film is first dried in an oven at 40° C. for 4 hours and then moved to an oven at 80° C. for at least 4 hours. The dry film is trimmed and placed between the light guide panel and LED strips along the opposing edges of the light guide panel to produce a lighting device with low melanopic content. The spectrum of the panel is measured using a Konica Minolta CS2000 spectroradiometer focused on the front surface of the diffuser of the light panel at normal incidence. The measured spectrum and associated CCT, Duv, CRI Ra, R9, and M/P ratio are shown in
In another example, a 195 mm×195 mm 6-watt edge-lit LED panel was fitted with energy conversion films to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 60 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 460 nm located along all 4 edges of a light guide that served as the emissive surface of the LED panel. A first energy conversion film was extruded at 5 mil thickness using an SXT pilot extruder. 3 types of dyes and a scatter agent were first compounded into master batches in pellets form with concentrations of 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.2%, 2% for Yellow 083, Yellow 170, Red 305, and TiO2, respectively. The master batches were then blended with polyester pellets at a ratio of 12.45%:8.33%:5.43%:8%:65.79% (Yellow 083:Yellow 170:Red 305:TiO2:Polyester) for extrusion. The extrusion was performed at temperature of 525 F. All materials are pre-dried at 180 F before extrusion. The extruded film is trimmed and placed between the light guide panel and LED strips placed along first two opposing edges of the light guide panel.
A second energy conversion film was prepared by coating a 12″×12″ section of 0.010″ thick mylar substrate using a 12″ wide Bird Film Applicator with a 0.010″ clearance. The coating fluid comprised a polymer binder (ELVACITE® 2014 acrylic resin), 2 fluorescent dyes (LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083 and LUMOGEN® F Red 305), additives (PLASTHALL® 670, Titanium dioxide (TiO2), FOAMEX® N, TEGO® Wet 270), and solvents (toluene and dioxolane). The total solid content of the coating fluid is 40% by weight, and the fluorescent dye concentrations in the dry film are 0.084% (w/w) of LUMOGEN® F Yellow 083 and 0.023% of LUMOGEN® F Red 305, respectively. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is included at a concentration of 1% to create desirable light scattering in the film to eliminate total internal reflection (TIR) and increase light conversion efficiency. The coated wet film is first dried in an oven at 40° C. for 4 hours and then moved to an oven at 80° C. for at least 4 hours. The dried film is trimmed and placed between light guide panel and LED strips placed along second two opposing edges of the light guide panel.
When the LED strips placed along the first two opposing edges were powered, the lighting device produced light with low melanopic content, with the measured spectrum and associated CCT, Duv, CRI Ra, R9, and M/P ratio shown in
In one example, a commercial 2 ft×4 ft 34-watt back-lit 4000K white LED troffer was fitted with equal numbers of 450 nm blue LEDs, and then fitted with energy conversion films to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 48 to 72 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 450 nm in one strip positioned length-wise symmetrically about a central axis of the emissive surface of the LED panel. A first energy conversion film was extruded at 5 mil thickness using an SXT pilot extruder. 3 types of dyes and a scatter agent were first compounded into master batches in pellets form with concentrations of 0.6%, 0.6%, 0.2%, 2% for Yellow 083, Yellow 170, Red 305, and TiO2, respectively. The master batches were then blended with polyester pellets at a ratio of 12.45%:8.33%:5.43%:8%:65.79% (Yellow 083:Yellow 170:Red 305:TiO2:Polyester) for extrusion. The extrusion was performed at temperature of 525 F. All materials were pre-dried at 180 F before extrusion. The extruded film is trimmed and placed along the interior curved surface of the diffuser to cover the entire emission area.
In another example, 1′×4′ 28-watt edge-lit LED panels were retrofit with energy conversion films to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 192-384 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 450-455 nm located along 2 opposing edges of a light guide that served as the emissive surface of the LED panel. The energy conversion film was extruded at 20-25 mil thickness using an extruder. Two types of dyes and a scatter agent were first compounded into a masterbatch with clear polycarbonate in pellets form with concentrations of 0.1050%, 0.0450%, 1.9525% for Yellow 083, Red 305, and TiO2, respectively. The masterbatch was then blended with clear polycarbonate pellets at a ratio of 4.2:95.8% (masterbatch:Polyester) for extrusion. The extruded film is trimmed and placed between the light guide panel and a diffuser sheet inside the LED panel to produce a lighting device with low melanopic content. The spectrum of the retrofit panel is measured using a Stellarnet bluewave spectrometer with a CR2 cosine receptor at a distance of 1″ above the light panel surface pointing to the center of the illuminating surface at normal incidence. The measured spectrum and associated CCT, Duv, CRI, and M/P ratio are listed in Table 1.
In another example, 1′×4′ 28-watt edge-lit LED panels were retrofit with energy conversion films to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 192-384 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 450-455 nm located along 2 opposing edges of a light guide that served as the emissive surface of the LED panel. The energy conversion film was extruded at 20-25 mil thickness using an extruder. Three types of dyes and a scatter agent were first compounded into a masterbatch with clear polycarbonate in pellets form with concentrations of 0.3375%, 0.2950%, 0.0650%, 0.7250% for Yellow 083, Yellow 170, Red 305, and TiO2, respectively. The masterbatch was then blended with clear polycarbonate pellets at a ratio of 4.2:95.8% (masterbatch:Polyester) for extrusion. The extruded film is trimmed and placed between the light guide panel and a diffuser sheet inside the LED panel to produce a lighting device with low melanopic content. The spectrum of the retrofit panel is measured using a Stellarnet bluewave spectrometer with a CR2 cosine receptor at a distance of 1″ above the light panel surface pointing to the center of the illuminating surface at normal incidence. The measured spectrum and associated CCT, Duv, CRI, and M/P ratio are listed in Table 1.
In another example, a press out (4″ in diameter 22 mil in thickness) was created from a 2″×2″ 4-step injection molded color chip using hot press. The press-out was then placed inside a 1′×4′ 28-watt edge-lit LED panels to generate bio-friendly light. The panel comprised 192-384 blue LEDs with a peak wavelength of 450-455 nm located along 2 opposing edges of a light guide that served as the emissive surface of the LED panel. Three types of dyes and a scatter agent were used in the injection molded process with concentrations of 0.0026%, 0.0017%, 0.0013%, 0.0801% for Yellow 083, Yellow 170, Red 305, and TiO2, respectively. The spectrum of the retrofit panel is measured using a Stellarnet bluewave spectrometer with a CR2 cosine receptor at a distance of 1″ above the light panel surface pointing to the center of the illuminating surface at normal incidence. The measured spectrum and associated CCT, Duv, CRI, and M/P ratio are listed in Table 1.
The present application claims the benefit of priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119(e) to U.S. Provisional Application No. 62/758,444, filed on Nov. 9, 2018, and 62/850,341, 62/850,477, 62/850,480, 62/850,483, 62/850,346, 62/850,350, 62/850,360, 62/850,487, 62/850,353, and 62/851,332, filed on May 20, 2019, all which are incorporated by reference herein by their entireties.
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/US19/60666 | 11/10/2019 | WO | 00 |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62758444 | Nov 2018 | US | |
| 62850477 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850341 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850360 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850487 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850353 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850483 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850346 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850480 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62850350 | May 2019 | US | |
| 62851332 | May 2019 | US |
