The invention provides a 3D printed object (210) and a method of manufacturing such an object (210) by means of fused deposition modelling. The method successively comprises the steps of (i) 3D printing a printable material (120) to create a layer stack (230) of printed material (210), wherein the layer stack (210) bounds a space (240), wherein the layer stack (210) has an inner stack surface (231) and an outer stack surface (232), the inner stack surface (231) facing towards the space (240) and the outer stack surface (232) facing away from the space (240), (ii) providing a heat shrink (250) onto the layer stack (230), wherein the heat shrink (250) has an inner heat shrink surface (251) and an outer heat shrink surface (252), the inner heat shrink surface (251) facing towards the outer stack surface (232) and the outer heat shrink surface (252) facing away from the outer stack surface (232), and (iii) applying heat to shrink (250) the heat shrink so that the inner heat shrink surface (251) is in physical contact with the outer stack surface (232) and the heat shrink (250) is conformal to the layer stack (230). The layer stack (230) is light transmissive, and the heat shrink (250) is arranged to provide an optical effect chosen from the group consisting of refraction, diffraction, reflection, diffusion and conversion. The 3D printed object (210) may be used as a component of a lighting device (600), such as a lampshade.

A method for 3D printing an object with at least one wall (2) having a first surface and a second, opposite surface, wherein the first surface is intended to serve as an optical functional surface, wherein the wall is formed by printing one track (16) on top of another track (17). An orientation of the object during printing is selected such that the wall has a tangent (or tangent surface) non-parallel to the z-axis, such that the first surface faces away from the x-y plane and the second surface faces the x-y plane. According to the invention, the 3D object is thus oriented during printing such that the first surface, intended to be used as an optical functional surface, faces away from the x-y plane, i.e. typically away from the support or platform on which the 3D object is printed upon. By ensuring this orientation during printing, the first surface becomes smoother than the second, opposite surface of the wall.

A method for 3D printing a 3D item (10), the method comprising (i) providing 3D printable material (201) comprising particles (410) embedded in the 3D printable material (201), wherein the particles (410) have a longest dimension length (L1), a shortest dimension length (L2), and an aspect ratio AR defined as the ratio of the longest dimension length (L1) and the shortest dimension length (L2), and (ii) depositing during a printing stage 3D printable material (201) to provide the 3D item (10) to provide layers (230) of the 3D printed material (202) with a layer height (H), wherein: (i) 1<AR<4 and 1<H/L2<100.

The invention provides a method for 3D printing a 3D item (1), the method comprising (i) providing 3D printable material (201) comprising particles (410) embedded in the 3D printable material (201), wherein the particles (410) are reflective for at least part of the visible light, wherein the particles (410) have a particle length (L1), a particle height (L2), and an aspect ratio AR defined as the ratio of the particle length (L1) and the particle height (L2), wherein AR>5, and (ii) layer-wise depositing the 3D printable material (201) to provide the 3D item (10) with layers (322) of the 3D printed material (202) with a layer height (H) and a layer width (W), and wherein the 3D printable material (201) has a particle concentration C selected from the range of 0.001-30 vol. % of the particles (410) relative to the total volume of the 3D printable material (201).

A body (10) is disclosed for obscuring a light source arrangement (3). The body comprises a surface (20) including a plurality of optically reflective relief structures (30, 30, 30), each relief structure comprising a first portion (31) and a second portion (33) adjacent to said first portion extending from said surface, wherein the first portion has a different optical reflectivity to the second portion and neighboring optically reflective relief structures are separated by an optically transparent medium contacting said neighboring optically reflective relief structures. Also disclosed is a luminaire comprising such a body and a method of manufacturing such a body.

Various processes and compositions for producing wax or wax-like shells for electric candles and other lighting devices are described. Preferred processes utilize injection molding to produce the shells from a mixture of materials. The materials may be compounded before being heated and injected.

Novel tools and techniques are provided for implementing improved lighting components for a lighting element. A lighting element might include a cover. The cover might include a wall having an outer surface and an inner surface. The cover might further include one or more voids located between the outer surface and the inner surface of the wall. The cover and voids may be formed via one or more three-dimensional (3D) printing processes.

The present application relates to a method for manufacturing a lampshade, which manufactures a lampshade by adding a lubricant, a dispersant and phosphors to a PC material, and then performing high temperature thermal injection molding for one time. This application further relates to a lampshade. The lampshade can be put into mass practical production, and a lamp produced using this lampshade has superior luminous efficiency, reliability and stability over a conventional non-remote technique lamp in a high temperature environment.

A method for 3D printing an object with at least one wall (2) having a first surface and a second, opposite surface, wherein the first surface is intended to serve as an optical functional surface, wherein the wall is formed by printing one track (16) on top of another track (17). An orientation of the object during printing is selected such that the wall has a tangent (or tangent surface) non-parallel to the z-axis, such that the first surface faces away from the x-y plane and the second surface faces the x-y plane. According to the invention, the 3D object is thus oriented during printing such that the first surface, intended to be used as an optical functional surface, faces away from the x-y plane, i.e. typically away from the support or platform on which the 3D object is printed upon. By ensuring this orientation during printing, the first surface becomes smoother than the second, opposite surface of the wall.

Light fixtures (100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 700) are provided, including a lighting element (10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70), an oriented crosslinked semi-crystalline polymer (12, 22, 42, 52, 62, 72) disposed adjacent to or connected to the lighting element, and a control mechanism (14, 24, 44, 64, 74). The control mechanism is in electrical communication with the lighting element (10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70) and controls an energy output of the lighting element and a temperature of the oriented crosslinked semi-crystalline polymer (12, 22, 42, 52, 62, 72). Typically, when the control mechanism changes the temperature of the oriented crosslinked semi-crystalline polymer, the shape of the polymer changes. A method of making a light fixture (100, 200, 400, 500, 600, 700) is also provided. The method includes providing a lighting element (10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70), forming a crosslinked semi-crystalline polymer (12, 22, 42, 52, 62, 72), and disposing the crosslinked semi-crystalline polymer adjacent to the lighting element (10, 20, 40, 50, 60, 70) or connecting the crosslinked semi-crystalline polymer to the lighting element. The method further includes electrically connecting a control mechanism (14, 24, 44, 64, 74) with the lighting element.