# US 9,039,251 B2 · Light fixtures and multi-plane light modifying elements > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,039,251 B2 - Document ID: US9039251B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/490,188 - Filed: 2014-09-18 - Published: 2015-01-15 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2012-07-23 - Assignees: Southpac Trust International, Inc. - Applicants: Leslie David Howe - Inventors: Leslie David Howe - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039251B2 ## CPC - F21V 5/004: {using microlenses} - F21K 9/20: Light sources comprising attachment means - F21K 9/27: Retrofit light sources for lighting devices with two fittings for each light source, e.g. for substitution of fluorescent tubes - F21K 9/60: Optical arrangements integrated in the light source, e.g. for improving the colour rendering index or the light extraction - F21V 3/0625: {the material diffusing light, e.g. translucent plastics} - F21V 5/005: {using microprisms} - F21V 7/0008: {providing for indirect lighting} - F21V 7/16: with provision for adjusting the curvature - F21V 13/02: Combinations of only two kinds of elements - F21V 15/01: Housings, e.g. material or assembling of housing parts (F21V15/02 takes precedence {housings forming signs or letters G09F13/04}) - F21V 17/101: {permanently, e.g. welding, gluing or riveting} - F21V 17/107: {using hinge joints} - F21V 17/108: {using hook and loop-type fasteners} - F21V 21/00: Supporting, suspending, or attaching arrangements for lighting devices (F21V17/00, F21V19/00 take precedence; arrangement of signalling or lighting devices, the mounting or supporting thereof or circuits therefor, for vehicles in general B60Q, stands for supporting apparatus or articles in general F16M11/00); Hand grips - F21V 21/048: {Mounting arrangements for fastening lighting devices to false ceiling frameworks} - F21V 29/505: of reflectors - F21Y 2103/10: comprising a linear array of point-like light-generating elements - F21Y 2115/10: Light-emitting diodes [LED] - F21V: FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OR DETAILS OF LIGHTING DEVICES OR SYSTEMS THEREOF; STRUCTURAL COMBINATIONS OF LIGHTING DEVICES WITH OTHER ARTICLES, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR - 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 - 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 Certain example implementations of the disclosed technology include a light emitting device. The light emitting device may include an enclosure with four sides and a top edge surface associated with each of the four sides. The enclosure may be capable of mounting on a grid frame of a suspended ceiling such that a portion of the top edge surfaces contacts a portion of the grid frame. The light emitting device may further include a light modifying element characterized by a substrate with four or more edges, a back surface disposed on the top edge surface of each of the four sides of the enclosure, and a front surface. In certain example embodiments the substrate may further comprise two or more edge trusses. A periphery of the light-emitting front surface may be capable of contacting the grid frame after the light emitting device is mounted to the grid frame. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light emitting device comprising: an enclosure comprising: a back surface; four sides; a top edge surface associated with each of the four sides; and an opening defined by the four sides, wherein the top edge surfaces are disposed adjacent to the opening, and wherein the enclosure is capable of mounting on a grid frame of a suspended ceiling such that a portion of the top edge surface of at least two of the four sides contacts a portion of the grid frame; and a light modifying element capable of modifying light from a light source, the light modifying element characterized by: a substrate with four or more edges; a light-receiving back surface mounted on the entirety of, or a portion of the top edge surface of each of the four sides of the enclosure; and a light-emitting front surface, wherein all or a portion of a periphery of the light-emitting front surface is configured for contacting the grid frame after the light emitting device is mounted to the grid frame. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the light modifying element is further characterized by at least one film piece with at least one supporting edge truss on at least two opposing edges of the at least one film piece, wherein each supporting edge truss is configured from a corresponding fold in the at least one film piece, wherein the supporting edge trusses are angled towards the light-receiving back surface, and wherein the supporting edge trusses on the at least two opposing sides of the light modifying element are disposed outside the area defined by an outer perimeter of the top edge surfaces of the enclosure sides. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The light emitting device of claim 1, further defined by: an outer perimeter edge of each of a first two opposing top edge surfaces of the enclosure sides defining a width W of the enclosure equal to a distance X; and the light modifying element is further defined by: at least one film piece with at least one supporting edge truss on at least two opposing edges of the at least one film piece, wherein each edge truss is configured from a corresponding fold in the at least one film piece, wherein each supporting edge truss is angled towards the light-receiving back surface, and wherein the distance between the at least two opposing edge truss folds is less than the distance X, therein causing the at least two opposing edge trusses to be forced laterally apart and therein creating tension across the light modifying element. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the light modifying element is further characterized by a rigid or semi-rigid clear or translucent substrate. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the light modifying element is attached to the top edge surface of one or more sides of the enclosure with an adhesive or fasteners. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The light emitting device of claim 1, wherein the enclosure comprises at least a portion of a troffer light fixture. ### Claim 7 A substrate attachment system comprising: a substrate having a first surface configured with at least one supporting edge truss configured from a corresponding fold in the substrate, the fold adjacent to a least one edge of the substrate, wherein the at least one supporting edge truss is configured at an angle relative to the first surface, and wherein the at least one supporting edge truss includes an outer perimeter edge; and at least one elongated frame member with a cross section comprising at least two segments, wherein the at least two segments define at least a first surface and an adjacent second surface, and wherein the adjacent second surface further comprises an edge truss retention feature; wherein the substrate is capable of being attached to the at least one elongated frame member such that the first surface of the substrate is disposed directly on the first surface of the at least two frame segments, and the outer perimeter edge of the edge truss is engaged by the edge truss retention feature on the adjacent second surface of the at least two frame segments. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The substrate attachment system of claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises an optical film. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The substrate attachment system of claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises sheet metal. ### Claim 10 (depends on 7) The substrate attachment system of claim 7, wherein the substrate comprises a reflective substrate. ### Claim 11 A film tensioning system comprising: at least one film piece defining a film plane, and characterized by at least one supporting edge truss on two or more opposing edges of the at least one film piece, wherein each supporting edge truss is configured from a corresponding fold in the at least one film piece, and wherein each supporting edge truss is further configured to assist in the support of the at least one film piece in a substantially planar configuration; and a frame comprising at least one film attachment surface on each of two opposing sides of the frame, the film attachment surface oriented at an angle relative to the film plane; and at least one film tensioning device engaging both a supporting edge truss of the at least one film piece and the at least one film attachment surface of one side of the frame, and another at least one film tensioning device engaging both the opposing supporting edge truss of the at least one film piece and the at least one film attachment surface of the opposing side of the frame; wherein each film tensioning device is configured to pull a corresponding supporting edge truss and a film attachment surface closer together to impart tension within the at least one film piece. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The film tensioning system of claim 11, wherein each film tensioning device comprises one or more of clips, spring clips, extrusions, screws, washers, nuts, bolts, rivets, plastic fasteners, magnets, or one or more elongated strips or extrusions of rigid or semi-rigid material. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The film tensioning system of claim 11, wherein the frame comprises a light fixture doorframe. ### Claim 14 (depends on 11) The film tensioning system of claim 11, wherein the at least one film piece is characterized by an optical film configured to modify light. ### Claim 15 (depends on 11) The film tensioning system of claim 11, further comprising two film-tensioning devices attached to the corresponding supporting edge trusses and film attachment surfaces on each of two opposing sides of the frame. ### Claim 16 A lens assembly comprising: an elongated structure comprising at least two opposing attachment features, wherein each of the at least two opposing attachment features comprise at least a first surface and an adjacent second surface, and wherein the adjacent second surface further comprises an edge truss retention feature; and at least one optical film piece defining an aperture plane and having a first surface configured with at least one supporting edge truss on at least two opposing edges of the optical film piece, the at least one supporting edge truss configured from a corresponding fold in the at least one optical film piece, the fold adjacent to at least one edge of the at least one optical film piece, wherein the at least one supporting edge truss is configured at an angle relative to the aperture plane, and wherein each supporting edge truss includes an outer perimeter edge; wherein the at least one optical film piece is capable of attachment to the elongated frame member such that a portion of the first surface of the optical film piece is disposed on the first surfaces of the at least two opposing attachment features, and the outer perimeter edge of each opposing supporting edge truss is capable of engaging with the corresponding edge truss retention feature wherein the aperture plane forms a curve. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The lens assembly of claim 16, further comprising one or more linear LED arrays. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The lens assembly of claim 16, wherein the elongated structure and the at least one optical film piece are further configured for use with a light emitting device. ### Claim 19 (depends on 16) The lens assembly of claim 16, further comprising one or more linear LED arrays, and wherein the lens assembly is a retrofit LED lighting module configured to retrofit in a light fixture. ### Claim 20 (depends on 16) The lens assembly of claim 16, wherein the elongated structure is capable of dissipating heat from one or more linear LED arrays.