Light filtering directional control element and light fixture incorporating the same
AssigneeFusion Optix, Inc.
InventorZane Coleman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In one embodiment of this invention, a light filtering directional control element provides increased spatial color or luminance uniformity and desired angular color uniformity and customizable light re-direction properties. In one embodiment of this invention, a light filtering directional control element directs light off-axis and focuses light in the far field. In a further embodiment of this invention a light fixture comprising the light filtering collimation element has a spatial luminance uniformity greater than 80%, a color uniformity Δu′v′ of less than 0.04 and a short mixing distance. In a further embodiment, the light fixture incorporating the element has electronically or manually configurable light output profile.
Claims18
An optical element comprising:
- a) an input surface;
- b) an output surface;
- c) A light transmitting layer having disposed within a pattern of first light transmitting regions and first light blocking regions;
- wherein the light blocking region is a light reflecting region and the diffuse reflectance of the light reflecting region, DR, is greater than 70% as calculated by
- D
-
-
- R
- =
- D
-
-
- R
-
-
- T
- (
- 1
- -
- A
-
-
- R
-
-
- T
- )
- where DRT is the total diffuse reflectance of the light transmitting layer measured in the d/8 geometry with the specular component included and ART is the percentage area ratio of the total of the first light blocking regions and first light transmitting regions that is occupied by the first light transmitting region;
- d) a light redirecting layer containing a first group of lenticular elements formed in a light transmitting material with lenticular apexes and first optical axes;
- e) a first angle gamma, defined as the angle between two vectors extending from an apex of the first group of lenticular elements;
- i) the first vector being parallel to the optical axis;
- ii) the second vector extending toward the center of the nearest first light transmitting region within the first light transmitting layer;
- f) wherein the optical path of light transmitted through the output surface proceeds in sequence from the input surface through the first light transmissive layer through the light redirecting layer and;
- the first group of light blocking regions are disposed to intersect the optical axes of the first group of lenticular elements and gamma is greater than 5 degrees.
An optical element comprising:
- a) an input surface;
- b) an output surface;
- c) A light transmitting layer having disposed within a pattern of first light transmitting regions and first light blocking regions;
- wherein the light blocking region is a light reflecting region and the diffuse reflectance of the light reflecting region, DR, is greater than 70% as calculated by
- D
-
-
- R
- =
- D
-
-
- R
-
-
- T
- (
- 1
- -
- A
-
-
- R
-
-
- T
- )
- where DRT is the total diffuse reflectance of the light transmitting layer measured in the d/8 geometry with the specular component included and ART is the percentage area ratio of the total of the first light blocking regions and first light transmitting regions that is occupied by the first light transmitting region;
- d) a light redirecting layer containing a first group of lenticular elements formed in a light transmitting material with lenticular apexes and first optical axes;
- e) a first angle gamma, defined as the angle between two vectors extending from an apex of the first group of lenticular elements;
- i) the first vector being parallel to the optical axis;
- ii) the second vector extending toward the center of the nearest first light transmitting region within the first light transmitting layer;
- f) a waveguide comprising light extraction features disposed to receive light from the input surface and transmit light to the first light transmitting layer;
- g) wherein the optical path of light transmitted through the output surface proceeds in sequence from the input surface through the first light transmissive layer through the light redirecting layer and;
- the first group of light blocking regions are disposed to intersect the optical axes of the first group of lenticular elements and gamma is greater than 5 degrees.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.