DE20305796U1 - Lighting unit is box shaped and uses light emitting diodes as a light source - Google Patents

Abstract

The lighting unit has a rectangular open ended base [1] into which is mounted a housing of glass or other transparent material that may be engraved [3]. The lighting effect is provided by light emitting diodes, LED coupled to a circuit board having control electronics.

Description

PATENT ATTORNEYS
EUROPEAN PATENT AND TRADEMARK ATTORNEYS

Attorney file:

96 8 79/Wy/Nu

Graduate Physicist

DR. WALTERANDREJEWSKI (-1996)

Graduate engineer

DR.-ING. MANFRED HONKE

Graduate Physicist

DR. KARL GERHARD MASCH

Graduate engineer

DR.-ING. RAINER ALBRECHT

Graduate Physicist

DR. JOERG NUNNENKAMP

Graduate Chemist

DR. MICHAEL ROHMANN

Graduate Physicist

DR. ANDREAS VON DEM BORNE

D 45127 Essen, Theaterplatz 3 D 45002 Essen, P.O. Box IO 02 54

3 April 2 003

Utility model application

digi point gmbh Grabenstraße 110

45141 Essen

Lighting arrangement

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

Description:

The invention relates to a lighting arrangement with

a housing, at least one light source in which

Housing, and with a luminous body which directs and scatters the light emitted by the lamp.

A lighting arrangement of the type described above is described in DE 199 23 224 A1.

In this case, the light source is an opal or perforated light-emitting plate with an emission surface facing a room. Light-emitting diodes (LEDs) can be used as the light source. The overall aim is to improve the light image or illumination.

The current state of the art is not satisfactory in all respects. For example, the known lighting arrangement cannot be used to illuminate changing luminous elements because these luminous elements are firmly integrated into the arrangement. The invention aims to remedy this.

The invention is based on the technical problem of further developing a lighting arrangement of the design described at the outset in such a way that luminous bodies of different shapes can be selectively illuminated by the illuminant.

To solve this technical problem, a generic lighting arrangement is characterized according to the invention in that the housing has a receptacle with

Andrejewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

embedded LEDs (Light Emitting Diode) as light sources, whereby the LEDs have a predetermined grid arrangement. As a rule, the holder is designed like a trough with raised side walls and a base with the embedded LEDs.

The base may be a plate, particularly a metal plate, with the LEDs embedded as the light source. LEDs in so-called SMD technology (Surface Mounted Device) have proven to be the best choice. Generally, super-bright versions with a light intensity of several candelas are pursued, especially those with more than 5 cd light intensity. This is because such LEDs can be attached to one side of a circuit board or a similar conductor arrangement, while the other side of this circuit board carries, for example, control electronics and/or accumulators. In this way, a compact unit can be formed from the circuit board or conductor arrangement, the control electronics and the light source or the LEDs in the form of an insert module.

The control electronics may have a regulated power supply unit that converts the available AC mains voltage into a DC voltage of typically 0.12 or 24 V. In addition to this voltage converter, the actual control electronics may be implemented that provide the power supply to the individual LEDs. While the voltage converter is usually permanently installed in the housing to avoid any danger to the operator, the control electronics may be installed together with the circuit board or circuit board.

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

plate arrangement forms the compact structural unit described.

Regardless of the detailed design of the insert module, it can be easily attached underneath the plate-shaped base or onto the base, in which the LEDs mounted on the circuit board surface or circuit board are placed directly underneath the base and emit their light through openings in the base. Clamps, springs or screws are sufficient to attach the insert module to the base.

For manufacturing reasons, the housing usually has a round or rectangular, especially square, base area. This is because the housing can then be manufactured inexpensively from a suitably shaped commercially available tube or tube material by simply cutting it to the length required for the housing. In principle, however, the housing can also have practically any base area. This also applies to the light body, whose profile can be designed variably.

In order to complete the prescribed housing, it is only necessary to provide a lower cover or base plate and the plate-shaped base, with the help of which the rectangular tube in question is closed at the top and bottom. The base or base plate is immersed into the housing to a certain extent, so that its tub-like design with the

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

raised side walls. To secure the base, either an internal projection in the housing or protruding fastening bars or similar fastening means are provided.
5

To ensure that the light body held in the tub-like structure of the housing is evenly illuminated, the LEDs are evenly distributed over the base. Depending on the radiation intensity of the LEDs, a distance between them of approx. 10 mm to 30 or 40 mm, preferably 15 mm to 25 mm, has proven to be advantageous. The same distance is maintained from the edge of the base and consequently from the raised side walls.

The described grid arrangement or n-fold grid arrangement of the LEDs, in conjunction with the selection of the beam angle, ensures that the light body is fully illuminated and an overall brilliant appearance is created. Grid arrangements that arrange the LEDs similar to the eyes of a dice have proven to be effective, as described in more detail below.

The luminous body may be made of glass, 5 a transparent plastic based on acrylate, for example, or even a natural crystal. It is only important that the luminous body is more or less transparent in the wavelength range of the light emitted by the LeDs, or that it lets most of the light through and, if necessary, reflects or scatters it. In this context, the luminous body can be made of

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

an internal engraving, but this is not mandatory.

The trough-like receptacle in the housing for holding the light body makes it possible to additionally insert design bodies, films, etc. that allow light to pass through into this trough-like receptacle. Such a design is further facilitated by the fact that the plate-shaped base with the openings for the LEDs provides a flat surface that is predestined for such design bodies.

In the simplest case, the design elements may be colored plastic sheets, black and white foils with a structure, but also labeled glass plates, printed foils, punched-out metal plates, wire mesh, transparent plastic mats with a structure, etc. Overall, this makes it possible to specifically influence the light emitted by the LEDs or the light source and entering the light body before it enters the light body and is usually passed on by total reflection. Not only color influences are conceivable, but the illuminated section in the light body can also be selected and specified by means of appropriate masking. The metal punched foils or paper punched foils mentioned above are particularly suitable as design elements for this purpose.

0 In addition to a colour design using a coloured plastic plate or plastic film,

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

The invention naturally also allows variants such that individual or all of the LEDs used are colored. Combinations are of course also conceivable and are included. For example, color-emitting light-emitting diodes can be combined with colored plastic films or plates that are placed in the trough-like holder. In this way, mixed colors of almost any coloration can be created in accordance with color theory.

As a rule, however, the invention uses white light LEDs, which ensure that the light source is flooded with neutral light. This is particularly recommended if the light source is designed as a glass body or a transparent plastic body or acrylic glass body with internal engraving and/or external engraving, printing, applied foil, etc. The light emitted by the LEDs is coupled almost vertically into the glass body in question and is scattered by the optional internal engraving, which in this way stands out particularly clearly and is characterized by brilliant light scattering.

In addition, any surface treatment of the glass body or acrylic glass body contributes to a targeted light emission at this point or to a scattering. It is conceivable to change the surface of the glass body by milling, etching or sandblasting. In addition, printing with or without a mask effect can be used.

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

It is particularly advantageous if a reflective foil is glued to the surface of the glass body opposite the LEDs. This is because the luminous effect of the LEDs within the glass body can be increased because the light emitted by them is reflected back into the glass body by the reflective foil in question and does not leave it at this point.

As a result, a lighting arrangement is provided which is characterized by the use of LEDs in a predetermined grid arrangement in a holder for a light body. These LEDs can be arranged in a base of a trough-like holder in the housing. The holder or trough-like holder is mainly used to replaceably hold a light body designed as a glass body with an internal engraving. It goes without saying that this glass body or light body is adapted to the relevant trough-like holder in terms of its external dimensions.

In principle, the lighting arrangement can also be used without a light source, as a ceiling or wall light. As a rule, however, a floor or table setting is preferred in order to be able to show off the light source particularly impressively. With this approach, the even distribution of the LEDs over the base is particularly advantageous. If a housing with an essentially square floor plan is used here, an arrangement of the LEDs in the shape of a "cube 5" is chosen.

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

Either way, the light cones emanating from the LEDs with a cone angle of approx. 10° to 20°, in particular 15°, ensure that, taking into account a distance between the LEDs of approx. 10 mm to 40 mm, preferably approx. 15 mm to 25 mm, a perfect light penetration of the glass body or luminaire as a whole is achieved.

With the help of the design elements placed in the trough-like holder, the color image and the structure of the light flow can also be varied, so that very specific optical effects can be achieved. It should also be noted that the cuboid or cube-shaped character of the lighting arrangement according to the invention predestines its use as a lighting module. This means that several of the lighting arrangements described can be combined to form a lighting ensemble that illuminates individual or even just a single light element. This is where the main advantages can be seen.

In the following, the invention is explained in more detail with reference to a drawing which merely represents an exemplary embodiment; in the drawings:
25

Fig. 1 shows the lighting arrangement according to the invention in a schematic representation and

Fig. 2 is a section through Fig. 1.
30

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

The figures show a lighting arrangement which, in its basic structure, has a housing 1 and at least one light source 2 in the housing 1 and finally a light body 3. The light body 3 in the illustration is a cuboid-shaped glass body 3 with an internal engraving or internal engraving 4, which is additionally equipped with a film 5. The film 5 is a self-adhesive reflective film which covers the front surface of the glass body 3 and ensures that the light emitted by the light source or the LEDs 2 implemented at this point is reflected back into the glass body 3.

It can be seen that the luminous body or glass body 3 guides and scatters the light emitted by the light source or the LEDs 2. Scattering takes place in particular at the internal engraving 4. In addition, the light flooding through the glass body 3 emerges in a scattering manner from individual edges of the glass body 3, which may be appropriately beveled. In addition, a surface engraving (not shown) can ensure the described scattering light emission. As described, the film 5 prevents the light from emerging from the front of the glass body 3 through its reflective properties.

According to the invention, the housing 1 has a receptacle 6 with the embedded LEDs 2 as lighting means 2. As can be seen in particular from the lower illustration of Fig. 2, the LEDs 2 follow a predetermined, almost simple grid arrangement. This means that the LEDs 2 are arranged in the manner of dice eyes in an associated base 1b

· · I

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

placed, whereby in the context of the exemplary embodiment a "dice 5" has been chosen.

It can also be seen that the housing 1 is designed like a trough and, together with raised side walls la and the base 1b, forms the trough-like receptacle 6. A base plate 1c is added to the base 1b, so that the housing 1 as a whole forms a cuboid or a cube made up of the 4 side parts la, the base 1b and the bottom part 1c.

The luminous body or glass body 3 rests on the base 1b and, as mentioned, is held in the trough-like holder 6 in the exemplary embodiment. In principle, it is of course also possible to arrange the luminous body or glass body 3 on a holder 6 of any shape, which does not necessarily have to be designed like a trough. However, if such a trough-like variant is used, it is understood that the side walls 1a project over the base 1b by a dimension M, which enables the luminous body 3 to be held in the trough-like holder 6 without tipping over.

From the illustration in Fig. 2, it can be seen that the base 1b is designed as a plate, in particular a metal plate, with openings 7. According to the embodiment, each of these openings 7 is assigned its own LED 2, which protrudes into the corresponding opening 7. On the underside of this circuit board 8 there is control electronics 9 for the LEDs 2. The LEDs 2 together with the control electronics 9 and the circuit board 8 form an insert module 2, 8, 9.

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

As already mentioned at the beginning, the control electronics 9 can also be designed in two parts with a voltage converter and a control electronics. The voltage converter converts the alternating high voltage usually present on the input side into a direct low voltage, while the control electronics ensure that the individual LEDs 2 are supplied with the aid of the direct low voltage.

Overall, the insert module 2, 8, 9 is attached to the base 1b, in the context of the embodiment screwed to the base 1b. Of course, a clamped connection to the base 1b is also possible and is included in the inventive concept. The fastening points are selected so that the insert module 2, 8, 9 is automatically centered with respect to the openings 7 in the base 1b after it is connected to the base 1b, so that the LEDs 2 are automatically arranged in the relevant openings 7.

It is understood that the openings 7 follow the &eegr;-fold of the grid arrangement of the LEDs 2, thus forming a "cube-5" in the exemplary embodiment.

The housing 1 has a rectangular, in particular square, base area and can be advantageously manufactured from a rectangular tube by cutting it to length. As can be seen from the top view in Fig. 2, the LEDs 2 are regularly arranged evenly distributed over the base 1b or the metal plate created at this point and have a distance A of approx. 10 mm to 40 mm.

Andrejewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

to each other and to the edge of the respective base. Consequently, the same distance A of approximately 10 mm to 40 mm also exists to the raised side walls la of the housing 1.

The invention therefore takes into account the fact that beam cones with an opening angle of approximately 10° to 20° emanate from the individual LEDs 2, as is indicated in Fig. 2. Here, the cone angle is designated as α. As a result, the respective beam cones of the LEDs 2 overlap at a certain distance B from the base plate 1b, so that from this distance onwards the glass body 3 of the LEDs 2 is completely flooded with the light from the LEDs 2. The internal engraving 4 located above this distance B thus receives its special optical appearance, which can be attributed to the light scattering at the anisotropies in the glass caused by the internal engraving.

Design bodies G that can be translucent with the light from the LEDs 2 can be inserted into the trough-like holder 6 in the housing 1, as is indicated in Fig. 2. These design bodies G can be colored plastic sheets, printed plastic films, etc. With their help, the usually white light from the LEDs 2 can be given a desired color design. At the same time, the design body 9 is able to change the structure of the emitted light in the sense of masking, as was already described in the introduction.

0 In the context of the embodiment, the base plate Ic is larger than the cross section of the housing 1 in order to

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

to give the housing 1 additional stability. In contrast, the base or base plate 1b is adapted to the inner cross section of the housing 1 and rests on fastening legs 10 which are provided on the inner wall side of the housing 1. Instead of the fastening legs 10, a support groove or a comparable holding frame can also be implemented. It is understood that any distances between the outer contour of the glass body 3 and the raised side walls la in the trough-like holder 6 are compensated by inserted centering bodies 11 or wedge bodies 11. The trough-like holder 6 is therefore able to accommodate different lighting bodies or glass bodies 3 in an interchangeable manner.

In the enlarged section in Fig. 2, an alternative for the fastening legs 10 and the centering bodies or wedge bodies 11 is shown. In fact, the glass body 3 can also be accommodated in the trough-like receptacle 6 in such a way that the required fixing forces are applied, for example, by a rubber sealing cord inserted into a groove in the respective side wall la. In the case of a tubular housing 1, a rubber ring 12 of corresponding diameter can also be used. The base 1b can be attached in the same way, which has two spaced-apart rubber rings 12 in semicircular grooves, which interact with associated semicircular grooves in the side walls la if necessary. Of course, several housings 1 can also be connected to one another in the manner shown by one

· t

Andrej ewski, Honke & Sozien, patent attorneys in Essen

this housing 1 has a rubber sealing cord or a rubber ring 12 and the other housing is inserted into it.

Claims (8)

1. Lighting arrangement, with a housing ( 1 ), at least one lighting means ( 2 ) in the housing ( 1 ), and with a lighting body ( 3 ) which guides and scatters the light emitted by the lighting means ( 2 ), characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) has a receptacle ( 6 ) with embedded LEDs ( 2 ) as lighting means ( 2 ), the LEDs ( 2 ) having a predetermined grid arrangement. 2. Lighting arrangement according to claim 1, characterized in that the receptacle ( 6 ) is designed like a trough with raised side walls ( 1a ) and a base ( 1b ) with the embedded LEDs. 3. Lighting arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the housing ( 1 ) has a rectangular, in particular square, base area and is made of a rectangular tube. 4. Lighting arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the LEDs ( 2 ) are arranged regularly distributed over the base ( 1b ) and have a distance (A) of approximately 10 mm to 40 mm, preferably 15 mm to 25 mm, from one another and from the edge of the base ( 1b ). 5. Lighting arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that an insert module ( 2 , 8 , 9 ) is realized, which comprises a control electronics ( 9 ), a circuit board ( 8 ) and the lighting means ( 2 ). 6. Lighting arrangement according to claim 5, characterized in that the insert module ( 2 , 8 , 9 ) is attached to the base ( 1b ). 7. Lighting arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that design bodies (G), films, etc. through which light can pass are inserted into the trough-like receptacle ( 6 ) in the housing ( 1 ). 8. Lighting arrangement according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the luminous body ( 3 ) is designed as a glass body ( 3 ) with internal engraving ( 4 ) and/or external engraving, printing ( 5 ), film, etc.