JP2009032484A - Illuminating device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To restrain degradation of color identification capacity on an object for viewing, and yet not to restrain secretion of melatonin to a human body, in an illuminating device adjusting light colors of illumination light by a filter. <P>SOLUTION: The illuminating device 1 is provided with a light source 2, a frame part 3 holding the light source 2 and fixed to a ceiling face C, a transmitting member 30 fitted to the frame part 3 for transmitting light from the light source 2, and a filter part 4 set so as to face an outer shell of the light source 2 and nearly cross the frame part 3. The filter part 4 is so structured to alleviate transmission of light of wavelength components having an action of restraining secretion of melatonin to a human body out of the light from the light source 2. Light from the light source 2 is directly irradiated in a direction right under the illuminating device 1, a color identification property of an object for viewing is not deteriorated. Further, in directions expanding at a constant angle or more from a direction directly below the illuminating device 1 in a direction nearly in parallel with the ceiling face C, light with alleviated wavelength components having secretion-restraining action of melatonin is irradiated. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an illuminating device that reduces the melatonin secretion inhibitory effect of illumination light.

  Conventionally, it is known that the color of illumination light affects a human biological rhythm. For example, when the light color of the illumination light is set to a reddish color such as a light bulb before sleeping, the stimulation to the brain is reduced compared to white light or daylight color light, and the human smooth Can promote sleep falling asleep. On the other hand, when the light color of the illumination light is a pale color such as a mercury lamp, the stimulation to the brain is strengthened and the human consciousness can be awakened. It is thought that melatonin secreted from the pineal gland of the brain is deeply involved in the effects of these light colors on human sleep.

  Melatonin has individual differences due to differences in life rhythm, etc., but generally it is secreted in a large amount from before sleep to early sleep, and it is thought that it promotes a decrease in body temperature and smooth sleep. Moreover, it is known that the secretion of melatonin is suppressed by light reception at night, and it has been reported that the sensitivity of suppressing melatonin secretion increases when the wavelength of light is around 464 nm (for example, non-patent literature). 1). Therefore, by cutting the wavelength component in the vicinity of this wavelength, it is possible to reduce the suppression of melatonin secretion due to illumination light, and to enable a person to fall asleep smoothly at bedtime.

However, the light whose wavelength component near 464 nm is cut loses the blue wavelength component, and thus has an unnatural light color as illumination light. Therefore, an illumination device that can maintain illumination light in a relatively natural color while preventing suppression of melatonin secretion by providing an optical filter that limits the average light transmittance at a wavelength of 480 to 505 nm to approximately 30% or less. It is known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
G. C. Brainard et al. (2001): “Action Spectrum for Melatonin Regulation in Humans: Evidence for a Novel Circadian Photoreceptor”, The Journal of Neuroscience, August 15, 2001, 21 (16), pp6405–6412. JP 2006-259079 A

  However, in the illuminating device shown in Patent Document 1, since the entire irradiation surface is covered with a globe (filter) that restricts transmission of the blue wavelength component, the irradiation light is compared with the direct light from the light source. The color rendering property is low, and the color discrimination ability of the person with respect to the visual target is reduced. In addition, when only the vicinity of the outer edge of the globe is configured as the above-described filter, the light from the light source is reflected multiple times within the globe and then diffused and radiated to the outside of the globe. Light that has not been mixed is mixed, and as a result, illumination light that is low in color discrimination with respect to the visual target and cannot sufficiently reduce the secretion of melatonin is irradiated.

  The present invention solves the above-described problems, and suppresses a decrease in human color discrimination ability with respect to a visual object, and enables a person to fall asleep smoothly without suppressing the secretion of melatonin to the human body. The purpose is to provide.

  In order to solve the above problems, the invention of claim 1 is directed to a light source, a frame portion that holds the light source and is fixed to a ceiling surface, and a transmission member that is attached to the frame portion and transmits light from the light source. And a filter unit provided so as to face the outer periphery of the light source and to be substantially orthogonal to the frame unit, the filter unit being a human body out of the light from the light source In contrast, it is configured to reduce the transmission of light of a wavelength component having an action of suppressing the secretion of melatonin.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the illumination device according to the first aspect, the filter unit is provided such that a relative position with the light source is movable.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the illumination device according to the first or second aspect, the filter portion is a liquid crystal filter.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, no filter is provided in the direction directly below the illumination device, and the light from the light source is directly irradiated. Therefore, the color rendering of the light from the light source is directly below the illumination device. Therefore, the color discrimination of the visual target is not deteriorated. In addition, in the direction that spreads more than a certain angle from the direction directly below the lighting device to the direction substantially parallel to the ceiling surface, the filter part is irradiated with light with reduced wavelength components having an action of suppressing the secretion of melatonin. It does not inhibit the secretion of melatonin, and does not interfere with smooth sleep.

  According to the invention of claim 2, by appropriately moving the filter part to reduce or not reduce the transmission of light of a wavelength component having an action of suppressing the secretion of melatonin contained in the illumination light, Illumination light suitable for circadian rhythm can be supplied.

  According to the invention of claim 3, by operating the liquid crystal filter, it is possible to appropriately adjust the transmittance of light having a wavelength component having a high melatonin suppressing effect contained in the light transmitted through the liquid crystal filter.

  Hereinafter, an illumination device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. The illuminating device 1 according to the present embodiment includes a light source 2, a frame unit 3 that holds the light source 2 and is fixed to the ceiling surface C, and a transmission member 30 that is attached to the frame unit 3 and transmits light from the light source 2. . The illumination device 1 also has a filter unit 4 that faces the outline of the light source 2 and is provided so as to be substantially orthogonal to the frame unit 3. The filter unit 4 is configured to reduce transmission of light having a wavelength component that has an action of suppressing secretion of melatonin to the human body among light from the light source 2. Usually, the illumination device 1 is applied to a ceiling-mounted ceiling light. A solid line arrow in the figure indicates the light L1 emitted from the light source 2 and is not subjected to wavelength limitation, and a dotted line arrow indicates the light L2 that has passed through the filter unit 4.

  The illuminating device 1 is connected to an input unit 5 for inputting a dimming operation signal by a user operation such as power on / off, and a commercial power source (not shown), and adjusts the light source 2 based on a signal from the input unit 5. And a control unit 6 that performs optical control. Further, a lighting circuit (not shown) for lighting the light source 2 is provided between the control unit 6 and the light source 2. The input unit 5 and the control unit 6 are fixed to the frame unit 3.

  As the light source 2, a general-purpose light source is used. For example, a straight tube fluorescent lamp, an LED, or the like is used in addition to the ring fluorescent lamp as shown in FIG. 2. Further, the light source 2 may be configured to be capable of emitting light of any color by arranging a plurality of LEDs (RGB) and appropriately controlling the dimming of each LED. The frame portion 3 is formed so as to correspond to the shape of the light source 2, and the shape may be circular or square. The transmissive member 30 is used in accordance with the shape of the light source 2 and the frame portion 3 and may cover the entire light source 2 as shown in FIG. Further, the edge portion of the transmission member 30 through which the light L2 transmitted through the filter unit 4 is transmitted may be appropriately diffusive. However, the direct light L1 and the filter transmitted light L2 are provided directly below the light source 2. In order to prevent mixed light, it is preferably formed so as not to have diffusibility or to be a gap.

  The filter unit 4 is configured to reduce transmission of a wavelength component in the vicinity of a wavelength of 460 nm, which is a wavelength component having an action of suppressing secretion of melatonin to the human body, out of light emitted from the light source 2, preferably The average transmittance of wavelength components from wavelengths 480 nm to 505 nm with relatively high melatonin suppression efficiency and little influence on the light color is set to about 30% or less.

  The translucent resin that is a main constituent material of the filter unit 4 is not particularly limited as long as it is a translucent resin, and a known material is appropriately used. Examples thereof include acrylic resins, polystyrene resins, vinyl chloride resins, polylactic acid resins, silicon resins, unsaturated polyester resins, and the like, and these may be used alone or in combination of two or more. Preferably, an acrylic resin that is excellent in translucency and weather resistance and applicable to a wide range of uses is used. In addition, as the orange fluorescent coloring material, a fluorescent dye having an absorption maximum wavelength of about 515 to 560 nm is used, and examples thereof include perylene compounds. The orange fluorescent dye may have absorption characteristics in a wavelength range of about 470 to 510 nm and a wavelength range of about 440 to 470 nm, and these may be used alone or in combination of two or more. The blending ratio of the translucent resin and the orange fluorescent coloring material is such that, for example, approximately 0.005 to 0.2 parts by weight of the orange fluorescent coloring material is added to 100 parts by weight of the translucent resin. 4 is adjusted appropriately so that the average transmittance of the light component having a wavelength of about 480 to 505 nm is about 30%. The specific composition of the filter unit 4 may be as described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-259079 filed and published by the present applicant.

  The input unit 5 includes a receiving unit that receives an operation signal transmitted from a dimming remote control (not shown), an input circuit that generates a trigger signal based on the operation signal, and the like. The control unit 6 includes a general-purpose microcomputer equipped with a CPU and a memory. In addition, as the lighting circuit, an appropriate lighting circuit corresponding to the type of the light source 2 is used, a switching element for turning on / off the power supply to the light source 2, a lighting control microcomputer for outputting a lighting control signal to the switching element, A board on which each electronic component or the like is mounted, a ballast that stabilizes the current / voltage of the commercial power supply according to the type of the light source 2, and a circuit housing that houses these components are provided.

  Hereinafter, an effect | action of the illuminating device 1 of this embodiment is demonstrated. As described above, the illuminating device 1 includes the filter unit 4 configured to reduce transmission of light having a wavelength component that has an action of suppressing secretion of melatonin to the human body out of light from the light source 2. The filter unit 4 is not provided in the direction directly below the illumination device 1 and is provided so as to face the outline of the light source 2 and substantially orthogonal to the frame unit 3. With this configuration, the light L <b> 1 is directly irradiated from the light source 2 to the position A <b> 1 directly below the lighting device 1. Since the light L1 does not pass through the filter unit 4, the color rendering property of the light from the light source 2 is maintained without being subjected to wavelength limitation. Therefore, for example, when the user U performs a visual task such as reading the book B at the position A1 directly below the lighting device 1, the color discrimination is not deteriorated.

  In addition, light L2 that has passed through the filter unit 4 is emitted in a direction that extends more than a certain angle from a direction directly below the lighting device 1 to a direction substantially parallel to the ceiling surface C, and the light L2 is emitted from the light source 2 other than the position A1 directly below. Is irradiated to a range A2 in which the light reaches. This light L2 may be directly incident on the eyes of the user U. However, since the action of suppressing the secretion of melatonin is reduced, the smooth sleep of the user U is not hindered. In addition, the light that is reflected from the visual target such as the book B placed at the position A1 directly below the lighting device 1 and incident on the eyes has a light intensity lower than that of the direct light from the light source 2, so Suppressing secretion is small. In addition, since the direct light L1 from the light source 2 is irradiated only to the position A1 directly below the illumination device 1, when the user U is in a place other than the position A1 directly below, the light L1 directly enters the eyes of the user U. There is no. Therefore, the user U's smooth falling asleep is not hindered by the irradiation light from the lighting device 1.

  Next, an illumination device according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b), FIG. 5 and FIGS. 6 (a) and 6 (b). In the illumination device 1 according to the present embodiment, the filter unit 4 in the first embodiment is provided so that the relative position with the light source 2 is movable. Moreover, the illuminating device 1 of this embodiment is provided with the drive part 9 which moves the filter part 4 based on the control signal from the control part 6, Preferably the timer 7 and the sensor 8 which interlock | cooperate with the control part 6 are further provided.

  The filter unit 4 may be configured to be movable in the vertical direction with respect to the light source 2 as shown in FIG. 4A, or the light source 2 as shown in FIG. It may be configured such that the angle with respect to the emitted light from can be changed. 4A and 4B, the arrangement of the filter unit 4 when the filter is activated is indicated by a solid line, and the arrangement of the filter unit 4 when the filter is not activated is indicated by a broken line. The configuration shown in FIG. 4B is preferably applied to a square-shaped lighting fixture.

  The drive unit 9 includes a general-purpose motor that is driven based on a control signal from the control unit 6. The timer 7 is a general-purpose timer, and may be incorporated in the control unit 6 regardless of whether it is digital or analog, or may be configured integrally with the input unit 5. The sensor 8 is a general-purpose human sensor, for example, an infrared sensor that detects the presence or absence of a person by detecting a heat ray radiated from a human body in a predetermined detection area.

  When the filter is not activated, the light L1 as it is from the light source 2 that is not wavelength-limited is irradiated not only on the position A1 directly below the illumination device 1 but also on the entire range where the light from the illumination device 1 reaches (FIG. 6A )reference). In addition, when the filter is activated, the light L1 of the light source 2 that is not wavelength-limited is irradiated only at the position A1 directly below the illuminating device 1, and extends from the direction directly below the illuminating device 1 to a direction substantially parallel to the ceiling surface C in a direction that spreads over a certain angle. The light L2 having a reduced wavelength component having an action of suppressing the secretion of melatonin to the human body by the filter unit 4 is emitted, and this light L2 is a range in which light from the illumination device 1 other than the direct position A1 reaches. A2 is irradiated (see FIG. 6B). The operation or non-operation of the filter unit 4 can be arbitrarily set by the user U. Preferably, a filter operation signal is input to the input unit 5 from a dimming remote controller or the like, and the control unit 6 receives the filter operation signal. Based on this, the drive unit 9 is driven to place the filter unit 4 in an activated state or inactive state.

  Next, an operation example when the above-described timer 7 and sensor 8 are used will be described. The timer 7 is operated according to a predetermined reference when the user operates the input unit 5 to input the wake-up time or the bedtime, or when the sensor 8 detects the user wake-up time and transmits a detection signal to the timer 7. Set the time. Subsequently, the timer 7 automatically obtains a timing for operating the filter unit 4 and transmits a filter control signal to the control unit 6. The control unit 6 drives the drive unit 9 based on this filter control signal.

  In general, the secretion of melatonin is supposed to start about 14 hours after getting up or about 2 hours before going to bed. Therefore, the control unit 6 filters the filter so that the wavelength component having a high melatonin suppressing effect on the human body is not reduced as shown in FIG. 6A until 14 hours elapse after the user wakes up. The unit 4 is brought into a non-operating state, that is, the filter unit 4 is not exposed to the light emitted from the light source 2. Then, after 14 hours, the drive unit 9 is driven to move the filter unit 4, and as shown in FIG. 6 (b), it is constant from the direction directly below the lighting device 1 to the direction substantially parallel to the ceiling surface C. The wavelength component having a high melatonin inhibitory effect is reduced in the direction extending more than the angle. As described above, the illumination device 1 of the present embodiment moves the filter unit 4 appropriately according to time, and controls the time during which the wavelength component having a high melatonin suppression effect is applied, so that the circadian rhythm of the user U is obtained. The illumination light suitable for can be supplied.

  Next, an illumination device according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. 7 in addition to the above-described FIGS. In the illumination device 1 of the present embodiment, the liquid crystal filter 40 is used as the filter unit 4 in the first or second embodiment. The liquid crystal filter 40 is obtained by sandwiching a liquid crystal material containing a dichroic dye between transparent substrates with transparent electrodes. Further, similarly to the second embodiment, a timer 7 and a sensor 8 that are preferably linked to the control unit 6 are further provided. For example, when a voltage is applied based on a control signal from the control unit 6, the liquid crystal filter 40 transmits the light L1 emitted from the light source 2 as it is (see FIG. 6A), and the voltage is applied. If not, it absorbs light of a wavelength component that has an action of suppressing the secretion of melatonin to the human body, and emits light L2 with the wavelength component reduced (see FIG. 6B).

  According to this configuration, as in the second embodiment described above, not only can the time during which the wavelength component having a high melatonin suppression effect is irradiated be arbitrarily controlled, but also the voltage applied to the liquid crystal filter 40 is appropriately controlled. Therefore, it is possible to arbitrarily adjust the transmittance of light having a wavelength component having a high melatonin suppression effect. For example, dimming control that gradually decreases the transmission of light having a wavelength component having a high melatonin suppression effect over time. It becomes possible.

  Note that the present invention can be variously modified, and by providing a filter portion so as to face the outer surface of the light source, light from a light source that is not wavelength-limited in the direction directly below the illuminating device is irradiated, and its surroundings are irradiated. If it is an illuminating device with which filtered light is irradiated, it will not be restricted to the structure shown by the above-mentioned embodiment.

The figure which shows the structure and operation example of the illuminating device which concern on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. The sectional side view of the illuminating device. The block block diagram of the illumination device. (A) is a sectional side view of the illuminating device according to the second embodiment of the present invention, and shows a configuration example in which the filter section is movable up and down with respect to the light source, (b) The figure which shows the structural example which enabled the angle with respect to the emitted light from a light source to change freely. The block block diagram of the illumination device. (A) is a figure which shows the operation example when not operating the liquid crystal filter in the same illuminating device, (b) is a figure which shows the operation example when operating the liquid crystal filter. The block block diagram of the illuminating device which concerns on the 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Illuminating device 2 Light source 3 Frame part 30 Transmission member 4 Filter 40 Liquid crystal filter C Ceiling surface

Claims (3)

A lighting device comprising: a light source; a frame portion that holds the light source and is fixed to a ceiling surface; and a transmission member that is attached to the frame portion and transmits light from the light source,
Having a filter part facing the outer periphery of the light source and provided substantially orthogonal to the frame part,
The illumination device, wherein the filter unit is configured to reduce transmission of light having a wavelength component having an action of suppressing secretion of melatonin to a human body among light from the light source.   The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit is provided such that a relative position with the light source is movable.   The lighting device according to claim 1, wherein the filter unit is a liquid crystal filter.

Images