GB2468118A

GB2468118A - Light emitting diode lighting device employing multiple reflectors

Info

Publication number: GB2468118A
Application number: GB0902908A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Christopher Peter Devereux
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2009-02-23
Filing date: 2009-02-23
Publication date: 2010-09-01
Also published as: GB0902908D0

Abstract

An Light Emitting Diode, LED, light source multiplication device consisting of an LED light source 301 and a conical or spherical shaped primary reflector 307 which reflects light 308 onto a second reflector 306 which then reflects light 309 onto a tertiary concave reflector 302 so as to produce a wide angle distributed output light beam 310 up to an arc of at least 90 degrees. Reflectors may be faceted or semi-transparent so as both to reflect and diffract the light beams.

Description

Description:

There are three types of light bulbs mainly used in domestic housing and also, to a large extent in commercial and industrial buildings. These are incandescent light bulbs, energy efficient (fluorescent) ight bulbs and halogen light bulbs. Most of these light bulbs project light in many different angles from the source of light and are known as multi-directional light sources. These three types of light bulbs or light sources also share other characteristics. All of them generate heat when connected to an electrical power source and all of them use, relatively, significant electrical current. Incandescent and halogen lights use greater electrical power while energy efficient light sources use less (about 20% compared to the other two light sources). In terms of the life length the incandescent and halogen lights have the shortest life span.

Another light source has been developed over the last twenty or more years. This is the Light Emitting Diode or LED light. Originally and mainly developed for signal/indicator light sources, recent developments in LED light sources have enabled them to produce brighter and whiter light.

Compared to the first three types of light sources described above, LED light sources use very little electrical power. Typically an LED light source, for lighting purposes, varies from 0.25 watts to 3.00 watts compared with 25 watts to 100 watts for incandescent light bulbs and with 8 watts to 15 watts for an energy efficient light source.

LED light sources also produce less heat than incandescent, halogen or energy saving fluorescent light sources because of their low energy consumption.

Another big advantage of LED light sources is that, typically, they have a very long life span. This is typically at least 50 times the life span of the other light sources mentioned above.

On disadvantage of the LED light sources, however, is that they are mono-directional. This means that although the light source can be intense it is in one direction only. Whereas the light source from the incandescent, halogen or energy efficient light sources project their light in an arc up to typically 350 degrees, the LED light source typically only projects its light over 15 degrees. This limitation is satisfactory for spot lights but not for general illumination of a larger area.

Background of the invention:

The present invention relates to a light source multiplication device and in particular to devices which may be used in light bulbs to create either a wide dispersion and magnification of the light source or, conversely, a focusing of the light source into a narrow beam.

Existing art or intellectual property includes a number of patents. Most of these patents are significantly different from the present patent application for up to three main reasons: The light source is reflected off a single reflector; the invention assumes that the LED light source gives multi-directional rays of light whereas an LED light source is, typically and predominantly mono-directional; the invention is based on array of LED light sources.

The following patents have reflective devices of the light source: US Patent 4929866: This invention relates to a mono-directional beam being reflected off a single reflector.

US Patent 4965488: This invention includes a reflector angle facing the side of the ight source.

US Patent 5039832: This invention refers to a reflector at angle facing the side of the light source.

US Patent 5105347: This invention refers to a luminaire with both a reflector as in the invention above and a conical reflector which reflects the (mono-directional) light source sideways.

US Patent 5929788: This invention uses a conical reflector to reflect the (mono-directiona') light source (from many sources) sideways.

US Patent 6183100: This invention uses a conical reflector to reflect the (mono-directiona') light source (from many sources) sideways.

US Patent 6464373: This invention uses a conical reflector to reflect the (mono-directiona') light source (from many sources) sideways.

US Patent 6644841: This invention includes a reflector angle facing the side of the (multipfe) light source(s).

US Patent 6851835: This invention includes a reflector angle facing the side of the ight source.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION:

The present invention relates to an improved light-source multiplication device comprising of a light source, typically, of one or more ight emitting diodes which is reflected against a cone or sphere on to a secondary faceted angled reflector and back onto a tertiary concave faceted reflector so as to reflect and to distribute the light beams over, typically, 300 degrees around the light source.

The multiplicities of beams of light are created by the secondary and tertiary preferably facetted reflectors reflecting backwards and forwards.

Because the heat generated by the LED and its transformer is relatively small the reflectors, housing and protective cover of the light source can be made, typically, in transparent plastic. This same plastic can be electroplated or vacuum plated where necessary to create the reflective surfaces of the primary, secondary and tertiary reflectors. The plastic covers may also be tinted with translucent colour to give a warmer or different light compared the colder light of the LED.

The primary, secondary and tertiary reflectors can be positioned and joined through the use of plastic arms and connectors.

Although the light source will be primariy a single unit, multipe light sources in arrays can also be used and each light source in an array will typically use the primary, secondary and tertiary reflectors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS:

The present invention will be understood and appreciated more fully from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the drawing in which: FIG 1 shows an example of prior art and typically in several existing patent where a light source 100 with typically mono directional light beams 102 are directed towards a reflective cone 101 and are bounced at an angle sideways 103.

FIG 2 shows another example of prior art in which a multi-directional light source 202 emits beams of light 204 and 205 which are reflected against either faceted reflectors 203 or a smooth reflector 201.

The resultant beams 206 are typically directed downwards away from the original light source.

FIG 3A shows the basis of the present invention in which a typically and predominantly mono-directional light source 301 projects light beams 304 downwards against a conically or spherical shaped primary reflector 303 and said beams 305 are reflected against the secondary reflector and back up 306 to the tertiary reflector 302 which reflects the light beams 307 downwards.

FIG 3B shows a typical plan view of the primary reflector 309 and the secondary reflector 308, These two reflectors may be circular, oval, linear or rectangular in shape.

FIG 3C shows a typical LED light source 310 with primarily mono-directional light 312 projected downwards and very small light transmissions 311 sideways.

FIG 4 shows an embodiment of the basic invention in which the primary reflector 401 is typically conical from which light beams are projected sideways on the different surfaces of the secondary reflector 402 and 403 thereby directing the light beams away at different angles.

FIG 5 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the primary reflector is split into two or more faceted 501 and 502 so that light beams 506 and 509 can be reflected on to two or more faceted surfaces on the secondary reflector 503 and 504. The resultant light beams 507 and 510 are projected back towards the tertiary reflector or towards the outside of the device.

FIG 6 shows a further embodiment of the present invention in which light beams 605 and 609 from a typically mono-directional light source 601 are reflected from the primary reflector to the secondary reflector back upwards to faceted tertiary reflector panels 603 and 604 on the main tertiary reflector 602 and then sideways and downwards 608 and 612.

FIG 7 shows a cross section of a typical housing for the device in which the typically mono-directional light source 701 is placed at typically the centre of a concave circular tertiary reflector. The primary and secondary reflectors 703 may be supported on a pillar 704 which in turn is fixed to the outside transparent housing 705.

FIG 8A shows a similar vertical cross section diagram to FIG 7 and shows the internal surface 804 and the outside surface 805 of the protective housing.

FIG 8B shows a horizontal cross section to demonstrate the use of moulded vertical lenses 806 on the outside surface 805.

FIG 8C shows a horizontal cross section to demonstrate the use of moulded vertical lenses 807 on the inside surface 804.

FIG 9 shows a vertical cross section of a typical mono-direction light source and LED 901 in which the end tip of the light source has an attachment 902 to magnify the light source. This same attachment can be tinted with colour to change the colour of the ight source.

FIG 10 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the primary and secondary reflectors 1001 and 1002 fit into a similar female pattern 1003. Typically the female pattern is supported by a profile 1005 being part of the outside protective housing 1006.

FIG hA shows an embodiment of the invention using an array of light sources 1102. Light beams 1103 from the typically mono-directional light source are reflected from the primary reflector 1107 to the secondary reflector back to the tertiary reflector 1101.

FIG 11B shows a plan view of FIG11A FIG12A shows a further embodiment of the invention in which the typically mono-directional light sources 1202 are located at an angie to the primary reflector 1207 from which the light beams 1204 (marked on the drawing erroneously as 1104) directed to the secondary reflector and back to the tertiary reflector 1201.

FIG 12B shows a horizontally cross section of FIG12A.

FIG 13A shows a further embodiment of the invention in which two or more arrays of ight sources are reflected from the primary reflector on to the secondary reflector and then on to the tertiary reflector.

FIG 13B shows a horizontally cross section of FIG13A.

FIG 14 shows a further embodiment in which light from typically mono-directional source 1402 is reflected on typically faceted faces on a primary reflector 1406 back to a secondary reflector l4Oland then away from the device.

FIG 15 shows a further embodiment in which any of the faceted reflectors 1502 have moulded lenses 1503 to enlarge the ight beam.

FIG 16 shows an alternative configuration of the invention in which ight beams 1604 from a typically mono-directional light source 1603 are directed towards a conical or spherical shaped primary reflector 1602. The reflected light beams 1605 are then directed to a secondary typically concave reflector 1601 which are then reflected out of the device.

FIG 17 shows an embodiment of the device in which light beams 1704 from a typically mono-directional ight source 1701 are reflected from a primary typically reflective surface which is semi-translucent. n addition to the light beams being reflected 1705 and 1707, light beams 1706 are also refracted through either or both of the primary and secondary reflectors 1703. Light beams that are reflected 1707 are further reflected against a tertiary reflector 1702.

FIG 18 shows an embodiment of the invention in which the primary 1809, secondary 1810 and tertiary 1807 reflective surfaces are convex or concave curves instead of flat surfaces or faceted surfaces.

FIG 19 shows a further embodiment of the invention in which ight beams 1902 from a typically mono-directional light source 1901 are directed against a conical or spherical primary reflector 1903 so that ight beams are reflected upwards 1904 against either a secondary faceted secondary reflector 1906 to direct light beams typically sideways 1907 or, light beams 1912 are reflected against a tertiary reflector 1908 up to and against a faceted 1913 or concave reflector 1905. Further light beams 1910 are directed and reflected against a fourth reflector 1909 so that they are redirected downwards 1911 or under the primary reflector 1903.

FIG 20 shows a further embodiment of the invention as shown in FIG 19 with the addition of fifth reflective surface 2004 from which light beams 2002 are reflected downwards. In addition a sixth reflective surface 2017 reflects light beams downwards 2018.

Claims

CLAIMSclaim: 1. A light source multiplication device comprising of a typically and predominantly mono-directional light source and a conical or spherical shaped primary reflector which reflects light beams on to a secondary reflector which then reflects light beams on to a tertiary concave reflector so as to distribute light beams up to an arc of at least 90 degrees.
2. The device in Claim 1 in which the secondary reflector is faceted in different planes so as to split the light beams to reflect in different angles or to reflect light beams in different angles from the original light source.
3. The devices in Claim 1 or Claim 2 in which the tertiary reflector is faceted in different planes so as to split the light beams to reflect in different angles or to reflect light beams in different angles from the original light source or from light beams reflected from the secondary reflectors.
4. The devices in Claims 1, 2 or 3 in which there are multiple typically and predominantly mono-directional light sources.
5. The devices in Claims 1, 2, 3 or 4 in which the reflectors are covered with multiple transparent lenses so as to reflect and diffract the light beams in multiple directions.
6. The devices in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4 or 5 in which any of the reflectors are constructed of semi transparent material so as to both reflect and diffract the light beams.
7. The devices in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 in which light beams from the primary reflector are further reflected on to a fourth reflector from which the light beams are reflected downwards.
8. The devices in Claims 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 or 7 in which light beams from the fourth reflector are reflected on to a fifth reflector on the underside of the primary reflector so as to reflect light in the same direction as the light beams from the original predominantly mono-directional light source.