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US 6,273,592 B1Granted
Luminaire having baffles with observable visual accent
AssigneeNSI Enterprises, Inc.
InventorsDouglas J. Herst, Peter Y. Y. Ngai, Hue Ly
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A luminaire 11 has baffle elements 31 in the down light opening of the luminaire's housing 15 for shielding the luminaire's light source 27 from direct view at normal viewing angles S. The bottom edges 51 of the baffle elements are provided with visual accent areas 55 which, at shielded viewing angles, exhibit relatively high observable brightness as compared to the relatively low observable brightness of the baffle elements' reflective surfaces 53. The visual accent area of the baffle elements is relatively small as compared to the baffles' reflective surfaces so as to produce a visual accent without visual discomfort associated with direct and reflected glare.
Claims38
A luminaire comprising
- a housing for a light source, said housing having a down light opening extending in a defined plane below the light source,
- at least one light baffle element disposed in said down light opening for shielding the light source in said housing within a range of shielded viewing angles below the plane of said down light opening, said baffle element having a bottom edge and at least one observable surface extending upward from said bottom edge, said observable surface exhibiting relatively low observable brightness when viewed at at least some shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- a visual accent area on said luminaire which is observable at shielded viewing angles where the observable outer surface of said baffle element exhibits relatively low brightness, said visual accent area being provided on an outer surface of said luminaire in close proximity to the observable outer surface of said baffle element and exhibiting relatively high observable brightness at such shielded viewing angles as compared to the brightness exhibited by the observable surface of said baffle element at such viewing angles.
A luminaire comprising
- a housing for a light source, said housing having a down light opening extending in a defined plane below the light source,
- at least one light baffle element disposed in said down light opening for shielding the light source in said housing within a range of shielded viewing angles below the plane of said down light opening, said baffle element having a bottom edge and at least one observable outer surface extending upward from said bottom edge, said observable outer surface exhibiting relatively low observable brightness when viewed at at least some shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- a visual accent area on said luminaire which is observable at shielded viewing angles where the observable outer surface of said baffle element exhibits relatively low brightness, said visual accent area being provided on an outer surface of said luminaire in close proximity to the observable outer surface of said baffle element and exhibiting relatively high observable brightness at such shielded viewing angles as compared to the brightness exhibited by the observable surface of said baffle element at such viewing angles, the brightness of the visual accent area at at least some shielded viewing angles being in a range of approximately 250-500 footlamberts.
A luminaire comprising
- a housing for a light source, said housing having a down light opening extending in a defined plane below the light source,
- a plurality of light baffle elements disposed in spaced relation in said down light opening for shielding the light source in said housing within a range of shielded viewing angles below the plane of said down light opening, each of said baffle elements having a bottom edge and oppositely facing outer reflective surfaces extending upward from said bottom edge, the outer reflective surfaces of each of said baffle elements having specular reflective characteristics and being formed to exhibit relatively low observable brightness when viewed at at least some shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- a visual accent area on at least one of said light baffle elements in proximity to the bottom edge thereof and observable at shielded viewing angles where the reflective surfaces of said baffle elements exhibit relatively low brightness, said visual accent area having an outer surface area that is relatively small compared to the outer surface area of the reflecting surfaces of said baffle element and having diffuse reflective characteristics so as to exhibit relatively high observable brightness as compared to the brightness exhibited by the reflective surfaces of said baffle elements when viewed at at least some shielded viewing angles.
A luminaire comprising
- an elongated housing for a light source, said housing having an elongated down light opening extending in a defined plane below the light source,
- a plurality of light baffle elements disposed in spaced relation in said down light opening for shielding the light source in said housing within a range of shielded viewing angles below the horizontal plane of said down light opening, each of said baffle elements having a bottom edge and oppositely facing outer reflective surfaces extending upward from said bottom edge, the reflective surfaces of each of said baffle elements having specular reflective characteristics and being formed to exhibit relatively low observable brightness when viewed at shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- a visual accent area on an outer surface of at least one of said light baffle elements which is observable at shielded viewing angles where the reflective surfaces of said baffle elements exhibit relatively low brightness, said visual accent area having a surface area that is relatively small compared to the surface area of the outer reflecting surfaces of said baffle element and having diffuse reflective characteristics that exhibit relatively high observable brightness as compared to the brightness exhibited by the reflective surfaces of said baffle elements when viewed at at some shielded viewing angles.
A luminaire comprising
- an elongated housing having an elongated down light opening extending in a defined plane,
- a light source disposed in said housing over said down light opening,
- a plurality of light baffle element disposed in said down light opening for shielding said light source within a range of shielded viewing angles below the plane of said down light opening, each of said baffle elements having a bottom edge and oppositely facing reflective surfaces extending upward from said bottom edge, said reflective surfaces being formed to exhibit low observable brightness when viewed at at least some shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- a visual accent area provided along the bottom edge of said light baffle elements, said visual accent area having a surface area that is relatively small compared to the surface area of the reflecting surfaces of said baffle element and exhibiting relatively high observable brightness as compared to the brightness exhibited by the outer reflective surfaces of said baffle elements when viewed at shielded viewing angles where said reflective surfaces exhibit relatively low brightness.
1 more element
A method of shielding the down light opening of a luminaire for direct lighting while providing visual interest in said down light opening and wherein the down light opening extends in a defined plane, said method comprising
- inserting light baffle elements in said down light opening for shielding the light source of the luminaire from direct view through said down light opening within a range of shielded viewing angles below the plane of the down light opening,
- providing a relatively small visual accent area of relatively high brightness on an outer surface of said light baffle elements which is observable at shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- otherwise avoiding relatively high brightness surfaces on said light baffle elements at at least some shielded viewing angles.
A method of illuminating spaces comprising
- providing a plurality of overhead luminaires for direct lighting in spaces wherein each of said luminaires has a down light opening which extends in a defined plane,
- providing baffle elements in the down light opening of said plurality of luminaires for shielding the light sources thereof from direct view within a range of shielded viewing angles below the plane of the down light opening,
- providing a relatively small visual accent area of relatively high brightness on an outer surface of the light baffle elements of said luminaires which are observable at at least some shielded viewing angles within said range of shielded viewing angles, and
- otherwise avoiding relatively high brightness surfaces on the light baffle elements of said luminaires at said shielded viewing angles.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.