Light fixture, light aperture and method of uniformly illuminating an optically diffusive viewing area

A method of uniformly illuminating a viewing area of an optically diffusive element by a light source comprising the steps of dividing the light from said light source into at least four portions, transmitting a first portion of light through a tralucent material and onto said viewing area, reflecting a second portion of light from said light source onto said tralucent material and transmitting said second portion of light through said tralucent material and onto said viewing area, reflecting a third portion of light from said light source directly onto said viewing area, permitting a fourth portion of light from said light source to shine directly on said viewing area, and arranging said second and third portions on said viewing area generally between said first and fourth portions.

A light fixture comprising an optically diffusive element having a surface including a viewing area, a reflector, a light source positioned between said reflector and said diffusive element, a tralucent substrate mounted between said light source and said diffusive element, and a plurality of reflective surfaces on said substrate facing said light source, the surface area concentration of said reflective surfaces generally decreasing away from said light source whereby said viewing area is uniformly illuminated.

A light aperture for use in generally uniformly illuminating a viewing area with a reflector and a light source mounted between the viewing area and the reflector, the aperture comprising:

• a tralucent substrate adapted to be mounted between the viewing area and the light source, a plurality of reflective surfaces on said substrate facing the light source, said reflective surfaces defining a plurality of regions on said substrate, a central one of said regions being near the light source having a relatively high surface area concentration of said reflective surfaces, and peripheral ones of said regions being on opposite sides of said central region having a relatively lower surface area concentration of said reflective surfaces.

A light aperture for use in generally uniformly illuminating a viewing area of an optically diffusive element of a light fixture, the aperture comprising:

• a sheet of tralucent material adapted to be mounted between the viewing area and a light source with one surface of said sheet facing said light source, said sheet having portions of said one surface which are reflective of light incident thereon, said sheet having other portions of said one surface which allow light incident thereon to pass through said sheet, the concentration of said reflective portions decreasing away from said light source.