Patent Application
20150292688
This disclosure relates generally to lighting assemblies, and, more particularly, to diffusers for lighting assemblies.
Suspended or ceiling-mounted lighting fixtures are typically used in large-volume structures having high ceilings, e.g., commercial, industrial, or warehouse structures to provide lighting over a wide area. Such lighting fixtures or luminaries may include a lighting element and a lens or reflector to direct the light emitted from the lighting element to desired areas.
While conventional incandescent bulbs are often used in large-volume, high-ceiling structures, such bulbs have several drawbacks. Specifically, incandescent bulbs have relatively low energy efficiency, relatively low power input, and a relatively short useful life. Because bulbs are difficult to replace in large volume structures, and because maximizing energy efficiency is desired when large areas are illuminated, downwardly-directed light emitting diodes (LEDs) are often used in the lighting element. While the light is downwardly-directed from the LEDs, the light is often not laterally or upwardly-directed outside of the lighting element, which compromises the lighting effectiveness. In addition, individual LEDs within each lighting element are often still visible during use and create a glaring effect.
In accordance with one exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a lighting assembly comprises a base having a pair of sides and at least one light source coupled to the base. The at least one light source has a longitudinal axis, wherein the at least one light source is adapted to illuminate. A diffuser cover is removably secured to the base and has an inside surface and an outside surface, the inside surface defining a volume in which the at least one light source is disposed. A substrate is disposed along the inside surface of the diffuser cover, such that each ray of light emitted from at least one light source contacts the substrate. The substrate increases diffusion of the at least one ray of light emitted from the at least one source, creating a wider distribution of light about the outside surface of the diffuser cover and reducing glare.
In accordance with another exemplary aspect of the present disclosure, a lighting assembly comprises a base having a pair of sides and at least one light source coupled to the base. The at least one light source has a longitudinal axis and is adapted to illuminate. A diffuser cover is removably secured to the base and has an inside surface and an outside surface. A substrate is attached to the base and includes an inner surface and an outer surface. The substrate forms a first volume between the inner surface of the substrate and the base and a second volume between the outer surface of the substrate and the diffuser cover, wherein the at least one light source is disposed within the first volume. Diffusion of at least one ray of light emitted from the at least one source is first increased upon contact with the inner surface of the substrate and again increased upon contact with the diffuser cover. This creates a wider distribution of light around the outside surface of the diffuser cover and reduces glare.
According to yet another aspect of the present disclosure, a method of diffusing light from a lighting assembly comprises removably securing a diffuser cover to a base having at least one light source coupled thereto, the diffuser cover having an inside surface and an outside surface, and attaching a substrate to one or more of the base or the inside surface of the diffuser cover. The method further comprises directing at least one ray of light emitted from the at least one light source into contact with the substrate, causing light from the at least one light source to be widely distributed about the outside surface of the diffuser cover.
Referring now to
A substrate 24 (
Turning to the lighting assembly 10 in more detail, and referring now to
As depicted in
In one example, the substrate 24 (
Referring now to
As further depicted in
As further depicted in
During operation of the lighting assembly 10, the at least one light source 20 emits at least one ray of light R at an acute angle θ1 from the longitudinal axis A of the at least one light source 20 before contacting the substrate 24. More specifically, and in one example, a plurality of rays of light R are emitted from the light source 20, and each ray of light R of the plurality of rays of light R is initially emitted at an acute angle θ1. An acute angle is an angle less than 90° from the longitudinal axis A of the at least one light source 20.
Upon contact with the substrate 24, however, each of the at least one ray of light R emitted from the at least one light source 20 is disposed at another, increased angle θ2 from the longitudinal axis A of the at least one light source 20. The increased angle θ2 is an angle greater than the acute angle θ1 at which the light is emitted from the at least one light source before contacting the substrate 24. Said another way, the angle θ1 at which the at least one ray of light R is emitted from the at least one light source 20 changes from an acute angle θ1 to one of an obtuse angle θ2 or an angle θ2 greater than the previous acute angle θ1 from the longitudinal axis A of the least one light source 20 upon contact with the substrate 24. Such change in the angle at which the light is emitted increases the diffusion of light and creates a wider distribution of light about the outside surface 44 of the diffuser cover 22. In other words, the angle θ1 at which the at least one ray of light R is emitted from the at least one light source 20 increases for each at least one ray of light R upon contact with the substrate 24. This allows light to be directed downwardly, upwardly, and laterally from a center point C of the lighting assembly 10, and not just primarily downwardly, for example.
Referring now to
Referring now to
A substrate 125 (
So configured, the substrate 125 increases diffusion of the at least one ray of light R emitted from the at least one light source 120, creating a wide distribution of light about the outside surface of the diffuser cover 22 and reducing glare. More specifically, diffusion of the at least one ray of light R emitted from the at least one source is first increased upon contact with the inner surface of the substrate 125. Diffusion is then again increased upon contact with the diffuser cover 122. Thus, the substrate 125 creates an additional diffusion layer through which each of the at least one ray of light R from the at least one light source 20 travels. This creates more diffusion of light outside of the diffuser cover 122 and the lighting assembly 110 generally. Said another way, the substrate 125 spreads out more light emitted from each of the at least one light source 120, creating more diffusion of light outside of the diffusion cover 122 and reducing glare.
Turning to the lighting assembly 110 in more detail, and referring again now to
Like the lighting assembly 10, the at least one light source 120 of the lighting assembly 110 may be a light emitting diode or LED. In another example, the at least one light source 120 is a plurality of light sources, such as a plurality of LEDs arranged in an array along a length of the base 112. More specifically, the tube 111 of the lighting assembly 110 may also be a T2, T4, T5, T6, T10, T12 LED tube or any other conventional LED tube having an LED array with various numbers of LEDs and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure.
In one example, and like the substrate 24 of the lighting assembly 10, the substrate 125 is a nano-optic film or lens comprising one or more of acrylic, polycarbonate or polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA).
Referring now to
As further depicted in
As further depicted in
So configured, upon contact with the inner surface 156 of the substrate 125, each ray of light R emitted from the at least one light source 120 is disposed at an angle θ2 from the longitudinal axis AA of the at least one light source 120. This angle θ2 is greater than an acute angle θ1 at which the light is emitted initially from the at least one light source 120 before contacting the inner surface 156 of the substrate 125. Upon contact with the inside surface 142 of the diffuser cover 122, the at least one ray of light R disperses and at least one ray of light R is disposed at an angle θ3 from the longitudinal axis AA of the at least one light source 120. This angle θ3 may be greater than the angle θ2 at which the at least one ray of light R contacts the inner surface 156 of the substrate 125. Said another way, the angle at which the at least one ray of light R is emitted from the at least one light source increases for at least one ray of light upon contact with the inner surface 156 of the substrate 125 and again upon contact with the inside surface 142 of the diffuser cover 122. This allows light to be directly downwardly, upwardly, and laterally from a center point C of the lighting assembly 110.
As depicted in
While not depicted in any of the foregoing figures, one of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that another lighting assembly may include variations of the substrates 24, 125 of each of the lighting assemblies 10, 110 and still fall within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, another alternative lighting assembly may include both a substrate 24 disposed on the inside surface 42, 142 of the diffuser cover 22, 122 and attached to the base 12, 112. Such a configuration would even further increase diffusion of the rays of light emitted from the light source 20, 120. In another example, there may be one or more other substrates disposed between the substrate 125 attached to the base 112 (
In view of the foregoing, one of ordinary skill in the art will understand that both lighting assemblies 10, 110 of the present disclosure may diffuse light emitted from at least one light source 20, 120 of the lighting assembly 10, 110 by removably securing the diffuser cover 22, 122 to the base 12, 112 and attaching the substrate 24, 125 to one or more of the base 12, 112 or an inside surface 42, 142 of the diffuser cover. The lighting assemblies 10, 110 may further diffuse the light by directing the at least one ray of light R emitted from the at least one light source 20, 120 into contact with the substrate 24, 125. This causes light from the at least one light source 20, 120 to be widely distributed about the outside surface 44, 144 of the diffuser cover 22, 122.
In view of the foregoing, one of the ordinary skill in the art will further understand that both lighting systems 10, 110 of the present disclosure increase the amount of diffusion and dispersion of light about and around a larger surface area of the diffuser cover 22, 122. As a result, a greater and/or wider distribution of light surrounds the diffuser cover 22, 122 and glare is reduced. In addition, the light emitted from the at least one light source 20, 120 is directed upwardly, laterally and downwardly from a center point of the lighting assembly 10, 110, increasing the diffusion of light around the lighting assembly 10, 110.
Throughout this specification, plural instances may implement components, operations, or structures described as a single instance. Although individual operations of one or more methods are illustrated and described as separate operations, one or more of the individual operations may be performed concurrently, and nothing requires that the operations be performed in the order illustrated. Structures and functionality presented as separate components in example configurations may be implemented as a combined structure or component. Similarly, structures and functionality presented as a single component may be implemented as separate components. These and other variations, modifications, additions, and improvements fall within the scope of the subject matter herein.
As used herein any reference to “one example” or “an example” means that a particular element, feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment. The appearances of the phrase “in one example” in various places in the specification are not necessarily all referring to the same example.
Some examples may be described using the expression “coupled” and “connected” along with their derivatives. For example, some examples may be described using the term “coupled” to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. The term “coupled,” however, may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other. The examples are not limited in this context.
As used herein, the terms “comprises,” “comprising,” “includes,” “including,” “has,” “having” or any other variation thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion. For example, a process, method, article, or apparatus that comprises a list of elements is not necessarily limited to only those elements but may include other elements not expressly listed or inherent to such process, method, article, or apparatus. Further, unless expressly stated to the contrary, “or” refers to an inclusive or and not to an exclusive or. For example, a condition A or B is satisfied by any one of the following: A is true (or present) and B is false (or not present), A is false (or not present) and B is true (or present), and both A and B are true (or present).
In addition, use of the “a” or “an” are employed to describe elements and components of the embodiments herein. This is done merely for convenience and to give a general sense of the description. This description, and the claims that follow, should be read to include one or at least one and the singular also includes the plural unless it is obvious that it is meant otherwise.
This detailed description is to be construed as examples and does not describe every possible embodiment, as describing every possible embodiment would be impractical, if not impossible. One could implement numerous alternate embodiments, using either current technology or technology developed after the filing date of this application.
While various embodiments have been described above, this disclosure is not intended to be limited thereto. Variations can be made to the disclosed embodiments that are still within the scope of the appended claims.
