# US 11,079,079 B2 · Troffer light fixture

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- Number: US 11,079,079 B2
- Document ID: US11079079B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 16/937,026
- Filed: 2020-07-23
- Published: 2020-12-31
- Granted: 2021-08-03
- Earliest claimed: 2017-09-21
- Assignees: IDEAL Industries Lighting LLC
- Applicants: IDEAL Industries Lighting LLC
- Inventors: Jin Hong Lim; Mark Boomgaarden; Randall Levy Bernard; Kurt Wilcox; Curt Progl
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11079079B2

## CPC

- F21S 8/026: {intended to be recessed in a ceiling or like overhead structure, e.g. suspended ceiling}
- F21K 9/68: Details of reflectors forming part of the light source
- F21K 9/69: Details of refractors forming part of the light source
- F21V 3/00: Globes; Bowls; Cover glasses (with refracting properties F21V5/00; with reflecting properties F21V7/00; characterised by cooling arrangements F21V29/506)
- F21V 13/04: the elements being reflectors and refractors {(for vehicle rear lights F21S43/40)}
- F21V 3/0615: {the material diffusing light, e.g. translucent glass}
- F21V 3/0625: {the material diffusing light, e.g. translucent plastics}
- F21Y 2103/10: comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements
- F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED]
- F21S: NON-PORTABLE LIGHTING DEVICES; SYSTEMS THEREOF; VEHICLE LIGHTING DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLE EXTERIORS
- F21K: NON-ELECTRIC LIGHT SOURCES USING LUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING ELECTROCHEMILUMINESCENCE; LIGHT SOURCES USING CHARGES OF COMBUSTIBLE MATERIAL; LIGHT SOURCES USING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES AS LIGHT-GENERATING ELEMENTS; LIGHT SOURCES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- F21Y: INDEXING SCHEME ASSOCIATED WITH SUBCLASSES F21K, F21L, F21S and F21V, RELATING TO THE FORM OR THE KIND OF THE LIGHT SOURCES OR OF THE COLOUR OF THE LIGHT EMITTED

## Abstract

A light fixture with a troffer design. The light fixture includes a housing, LED assembly, and lens assembly. An inner lens can be positioned over the LED assembly to control the distribution of light. A reflector can be positioned over the LED assembly instead of the inner lens to control the light.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A light fixture comprising:
a housing comprising a back pan, the housing comprising a centerline that bisects the housing into first and second lateral sections;
LED elements aligned in a linear array along the back pan;
a lens assembly that extends over the LED assembly, the lens assembly comprising a first fixture lens and a second fixture lens that are connected together along the centerline; and
an inner lens that extends over the LED elements and is positioned on the centerline, the inner lens comprising a cavity that faces towards the LED elements and an outer surface that faces towards the lens assembly, the inner lens configured to direct light emitted from the LED assembly away from a center zone that is centered on the centerline and direct the light into first and second light zones positioned on each lateral side of the center zone and that extend between the center zone and the back pan.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the inner lens symmetrically divides the light equally with a first half of the light emitted into the first light zone and a second half of the light emitted into the second light zone.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the inner lens distributes the light smoothly from the outer surface without interaction.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the outer surface of the inner lens comprises a dimple that is aligned with the centerline, the outer surface further comprising a first section that extends between the dimple and a first lateral end and a second section that extends between the dimple and a second lateral end, each of the first and second sections comprising equal shapes and sizes.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The light fixture of claim 4, wherein the cavity comprises a peak that is aligned with the centerline and a shape that is symmetrical about the centerline.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the inner lens comprises a dimple on the outer surface and a peak on an inner surface of the cavity with each of the dimple and the peak positioned on the centerline, the inner lens comprising symmetrical first and second sections on opposing sides of a line that extends through the peak and the dimple.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the inner lens comprises a thickness measured between the cavity and the outer surface, the inner lens having a minimum thickness at a midpoint of a width measured between opposing lateral ends.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture comprises a lens uniformity of between about 1.5 and 2.0 in a front view.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, further comprising an enclosed interior space formed between the lens assembly and the back pan with the LED elements and the inner lens positioned in the interior space.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the lens assembly comprises a connector that connects together the first and second fixture lenses, the connector comprising a body with a first slot that receives an edge of the first fixture lens and a second slot that receives an edge of the second fixture lens, the connector aligned on the centerline.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the back pan comprises a concave shape with a center section that supports the LED assembly and a pair of wings that extends outward from the center section, the back pan having a symmetrical shape about the centerline that extends through the center section.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the light fixture comprises a lens uniformity of between about 2.0 and 4.0 in a front view.

### Claim 13

A light fixture comprising:
a direct troffer unit comprising a longitudinal axis and a centerline that divides that direct troffer unit along the longitudinal axis into first and second lateral sections, the direct troffer unit comprising:
a back pan;
LED elements aligned in a linear array along the back pan;
a lens assembly that extends over the LED assembly; and
an inner lens positioned between the LED elements and the lens assembly, the inner lens comprising:
a first surface that faces towards the LED elements and having a cavity that extends over the LED elements and comprises a peak that is positioned on the centerline;
an outer surface that faces towards the lens assembly and comprises a dimple that is positioned on the centerline.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The light fixture of claim 13, wherein the inner lens is symmetrical about a straight line that extends through both the peak and the dimple.

### Claim 15 (depends on 13)

The light fixture of claim 13, wherein the outer surface comprising a first section that extends between a first lateral end and the dimple and a second section that extends between a second lateral end and the dimple, the first and second sections comprising equal shapes and sizes.

### Claim 16 (depends on 13)

The light fixture of claim 13, wherein the cavity comprises a symmetrical shape about a straight line that extends through both the peak and the dimple.

### Claim 17 (depends on 13)

The light fixture of claim 13, wherein the inner lens is configured to distribute light rays from the LED assembly smoothly without interaction.

### Claim 18 (depends on 13)

The light fixture of claim 13, wherein the inner lens is a negative lens that diverges light from the LED assembly outward away from the centerline.

### Claim 19 (depends on 13)

The light fixture of claim 13, wherein the inner lens is configured to divert light away from a center zone that is centered along the centerline and to direct light into first and second light zones positioned on lateral sides of the center zone.

### Claim 20

A light fixture comprising:
a housing comprising a back pan, the housing comprising a centerline that bisects the housing into first and second lateral sections;
LED elements aligned in a linear array along the back pan;
a lens assembly that extends over the LED elements, the lens assembly comprising a first fixture lens and a second fixture lens that are connected together along the centerline; and
a reflector that extends between the LED elements and the lens assembly, the reflector comprising a symmetrical shape that is centered on the centerline and comprising a central specular reflection section centered on the centerline and outer diffuse reflection sections on each lateral side of the specular section.

### Claim 21 (depends on 20)

The light fixture of claim 20, wherein the reflector comprises a folded configuration with a fold line that is located along a center of the specular section and with the fold line being collinear with the centerline.

### Claim 22 (depends on 20)

The light fixture of claim 20, wherein the reflector comprises partially diffuse reflection around the boundary of the central specular reflection section and the outer diffuser reflection section.

### Claim 23

A light fixture comprising:
a housing comprising a back pan, the housing comprising a centerline that bisects the housing into first and second lateral sections;
first LED elements aligned in a first linear array along a first section of the back pan;
second LED elements aligned in a second linear array along a second section of the back pan with the second section spaced away from the first section; and
a lens that extends over the first and second LED elements and is centered along the centerline, the inner lens comprising a cavity that faces towards the first and second LED elements and an outer surface that faces towards the first and second LED elements, the lens configured to direct light emitted from the first and second LED elements away from a center zone that is centered on the centerline and direct the light into first and second light zones positioned on each lateral side of the center zone and that extend between the center zone and the back pan.

### Claim 24 (depends on 23)

The light fixture of claim 23, wherein the lens is symmetrical about the centerline and comprises a first reflector body on a first lateral side of the centerline and aligned over the first LED elements and a second reflector body on an opposing second lateral side of the centerline and aligned over the second LED elements, each of the first and second reflector bodies comprises an inner reflective surface that faces towards the centerline.