US 8,764,266 B2Granted

Edge-lit flat panel repetitive lighting fixture

AssigneeGE Lighting Solutions, LLC

InventorsLucas Urtiga, Michel Doss, Steve Germain

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Abstract

A repetitive lighting fixture will alternate between at least two different illuminated images projected in a desired direction. The fixture includes edge-lit flat panels that are configured and/or overlayed to reproduce one or more desired images. Each panel is made of light-transmissive material, which optionally may contain colorant. Each edge-lit flat panel contains optics coupled with a second planar surface of the panel. The optics are arranged to define a desired shape of an image and are configured so as to cause light distributed within the panel to exit a first planar surface of the panel. Each panel has its own light source that projects light into a light transmitting edge of the panel. The panel's light source can include light emitting diodes (LED) that only or selectively illuminate the specific optics of that panel.

A lighting fixture, comprising:

a first edge-lit flat panel, a second edge-lit flat panel overlaid the first edge-lit flat panel, and a third edge-lit flat panel disposed in viewing alignment with the first edge-lit flat panel,
each edge-lit flat panel formed of a light-transmissive material and including a first planar surface, a second planar surface opposite and separated from the first planar surface, and optics coupled with the second planar surface;
wherein the optics of the first edge-lit flat panel are arranged to form a desired shape of an image of the first edge-lit flat panel and configured to reflect light distributed within the first edge-lit flat panel through its first planar surface, and
wherein the optics of the second edge-lit flat panel are arranged to form a desired shape of an image of the second edge-lit flat panel and configured to reflect light distributed within the second edge-lit flat panel through its first planar surface, and
wherein the optics of the third edge-lit flat panel are arranged to form a desired shape of an image of the third edge-lit flat panel and configured to reflect light distributed within the third edge-lit flat panel through its first planar surface;
wherein:
the optics of the first edge-lit flat panel defines less than a complete first image;
the optics of the third edge-lit flat panel defines less than a complete first image;
and the image formed by the optics of the first edge-lit flat panel when combined with the image formed by the optics of the third edge-lit flat panel defines a complete first image;
and wherein:
the optics of the first edge-lit flat panel define less than a complete second image;
the optics of the second edge-lit flat panel define less than a complete second image;
and the image formed by the optics of the first edge-lit fiat panel when combined with the image formed by the optics of the second edge-lit flat panel defines a complete second image;
the complete first image and the complete second image being different.

11 more elements

Abstract

Claims5