LIGHTING FIXTURE WITH DIRECT AND INDIRECT LIGHTING
20220178513 ยท 2022-06-09
Inventors
Cpc classification
F21Y2103/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/026
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/063
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V3/049
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2107/30
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2115/10
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/03
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2105/18
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2103/33
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21V7/0016
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2113/20
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21Y2105/16
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
International classification
F21V3/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/02
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/04
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
F21S8/06
MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
Abstract
A lighting fixture and method of providing lighting is provided herein that utilizes both direct and indirect light sources. The direct and indirect light sources can be provided in arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs) oriented along desired axes. In some versions, the light fixtures described herein include a direct lighting array having one or more LEDs oriented to project light downwardly and an indirect lighting array having a plurality of LEDs oriented to project light in a transverse direction. Further, the light fixtures can include an indirect lighting member configured to be illuminated by the plurality of LEDs of the indirect lighting array. Additionally, or alternatively, the light fixtures described herein can include one or more controllers that are configured to independently operate the direct and indirect lighting arrays. Moreover, the indirect lighting array can be configured to emit light in a plurality of colors to visually convey information.
Claims
1. A light fixture comprising: a housing having an upper member and a lower member; a direct lighting array coupled to the housing and comprising one or more light emitting diodes oriented to project light along a downward axis; an indirect lighting array coupled to the housing and comprising a plurality of light emitting diodes oriented to project light along axes extending transverse to the downward axis; an indirect lighting member at least partially captured between the upper and lower members to extend laterally outwardly from the housing and within a path of illumination of the indirect lighting array, such that energizing the plurality of light emitting diodes of the indirect lighting array illuminates at least a portion of the indirect lighting member.
2. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the indirect lighting member comprises an outer wall and a bottom wall.
3. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the outer wall includes a top portion engaging the upper member of the housing and a skirt portion extending downwardly and outwardly from the top portion.
4. The light fixture of claim 3, wherein the skirt portion is linear in a vertical cross-section, extending downwardly and outwardly from the top portion at an angle.
5. The light fixture of claim 4, wherein an outer surface of the skirt portion is aligned with an outer surface of the upper member of the housing giving the light fixture a frustoconical shape.
6. The light fixture of claim 3, wherein the indirect lighting member further comprises a coupling wall extending upwardly from the top portion of the outer wall; and the upper member of the housing defines a channel sized to receive the coupling wall therein to couple the outer wall to the upper member of the housing.
7. The light fixture of claim 3, wherein the indirect lighting array is aligned with an inner edge of the bottom wall.
8. The light fixture of claim 3, wherein an outer edge of the bottom wall is coupled to a distal end of the outer wall.
9. The light fixture of claim 8, wherein the distal end of the outer wall is disposed within a path of illumination of the light emitting diodes of the indirect lighting array.
10. The light fixture of claim 8, wherein the bottom wall and outer wall are separate components.
11. The light fixture of claim 8, wherein the distal end of the outer wall comprises an interior lip configured to abut a top surface of the bottom wall.
12. The light fixture of claim 8, wherein the distal end of the outer wall has an outwardly pointed configuration with an upper surface and a lower surface angled relative to one another.
13. The light fixture of claim 2, wherein the indirect lighting member further comprises an inner wall depending downwardly from an edge of the outer wall.
14. The light fixture of claim 13, wherein a distal end of the inner wall engages an upper surface of the bottom wall.
15. The light fixture of claim 14, wherein the lower member of the housing engages a lower surface of the bottom wall opposite the inner wall of the indirect lighting member to capture the bottom wall therebetween.
16. The light fixture of claim 15, wherein the lower member of the housing comprises a pair of spaced, upstanding walls configured to engage the lower surface of the bottom wall.
17. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the indirect lighting member has an annular configuration.
18. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the indirect lighting member is transparent or translucent to allow light to at least partially pass therethrough.
19. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the indirect lighting member comprises a diffuser.
20. The light fixture of claim 1, wherein the upper member of the housing comprises a top wall configured to be hung from or mounted to a substrate of a structure.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0025]
[0026]
[0027]
[0028]
[0029]
[0030]
[0031]
[0032]
[0033]
[0034]
[0035]
[0036]
[0037]
[0038]
[0039]
[0040]
[0041]
[0042]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0043] A lighting fixture and method of providing lighting is provided herein that utilizes both direct and indirect light sources. The direct and indirect light sources can be provided in arrays of light emitting diodes (LEDs) oriented along desired axes. In some versions, the light fixtures described herein include a direct lighting array that includes a plurality of LEDs oriented to project light downwardly and an indirect lighting array that includes a plurality of LEDs oriented to project light in a transverse direction. Further, the light fixtures can include an indirect lighting member configured to be illuminated by the plurality of LEDs of the indirect lighting array. Additionally, or alternatively, the light fixtures described herein can include one or more controllers that are configured to independently operate the direct and indirect lighting arrays. Moreover, the indirect lighting array can be configured to emit light in a plurality of colors to visually convey information.
[0044] Details of example lighting fixtures 100 are shown in
[0045] Example direct lighting 102 is shown in
[0046] As shown, the LEDs 104 are mounted to a circuit board 110, which can have a shape complementary to the array 102 as shown. Further, the direct lighting 102 can have a lens 112 extending in front of the LEDs 104 and across the downward axis D to thereby alter light emitted by the LEDs 104 in a desired manner, e.g., concentrating, dispersing, etc. The lens 112 can be mounted to the circuit board 110 and can be a single piece member incorporating portions for each of the LEDs 104 as shown, or can be individual lenses for each of the LEDs 104. In the illustrated form, the lens 112 includes domed portions 112a extending over each of the LEDs 104.
[0047] Example indirect lighting 106 is shown in
[0048] The light fixture 100 further includes a housing 120 having an interior 122 sized to receive components therein. In some versions, as shown in
[0049] In some versions, the housing 120 can have a multi-part configuration to hold and orient the direct and indirect lighting 102, 106. Pursuant to this, as shown in
[0050] As shown, the inner canopy 132 engages the flange member 138, which is captured between the outer housing portion 126 and the indirect lighting housing portion 140. The indirect lighting housing portion 140 includes upper and lower members 142, 144 that define an interior 146 sized to receive the indirect lighting array 106, including the LEDs 108, the circuit board 114, and frame 116. Advantageously, interior edges 148 of the upper and lower members 142, 144 can be used to capture a transparent cover 150 therebetween. The transparent cover 150 closes off the bottom of the housing 120 while allowing light emitted from the direct lighting 102 to pass therethrough.
[0051] In the forms shown in
[0052] In some versions, the panel 154 may have portions of the exterior edge 158 where the LEDs 108 are not directly oriented. In order to illuminate these portions, the interior edge 156 of the panel 154 can include deflectors 160 in the form of recesses therein. The deflector recesses 160 can then be configured to deflect light emitted by the LEDs 108 adjacent thereto so that the entire exterior edge 158 is illuminated. For example, with the square panel as shown, the deflector recesses 160 can be disposed around the corners of the interior edge 156, with increasing degrees of deflection closer to the corner. Of course, deflectors can be incorporated into the individual LEDs 108 or be separate members disposed forwardly of the LEDs 108.
[0053] Another example light fixture 200 is shown in
[0054] Rather than a housing 120 as described above that is configured to mount to a dropped ceiling 10, the housing 220 of this form includes an upper housing portion 262 and a lower housing portion 264 that are releasably coupled together. The upper housing portion 262 is sized to receive the direct lighting array 202 and the lower housing portion 264 sized to receive the indirect lighting array 206, such that the direct lighting array 202 is recessed with respect to the direct lighting array 206. The light fixture 200 of this form can further include an indirect lighting member 266 that extends around the fixture 200 to be illuminated by the indirect lighting array 206. In the illustrated form, the indirect lighting member 266 is a shroud having an annular configuration with a concave outer surface 268 that opens to the lower housing portion 264. If desired, the shroud 266 can be coupled to the lower housing portion 264 or form a part thereof. Further, the shroud 266 can be made from a darkened or translucent material or have an etched, frosted, or sandblasted layer, coating, or surface in order to provide softened lighting from the indirect lighting array 206. Additionally, the light fixture 200 can include a transparent or translucent cover 250 coupled to the housing 220 across an open bottom thereof.
[0055] It will be understood that the light fixtures 100, 200 described herein include components to operate and control operation of the direct and indirect lighting arrays 102, 202, 106, 206. Pursuant to this, as shown in
[0056] Advantageously, as shown in
[0057] To operate the light fixture 100, 200, two dimmer switches can be electrically coupled thereto to independently set a light level for the lighting arrays 102, 202, 106, 206. Alternatively, if desired, the light fixture 100, 200 can include a predetermined number of settings for the lighting arrays 102, 106. For example, the predetermined settings can include a full light setting with both the lighting arrays 102, 202, 106, 206 at full power, a normal setting with a reduced power for the direct lighting array 102, 202 and full power for the indirect lighting array 106, 206, a low setting with reduced power for both the lighting arrays 102, 202, 106, 206, and an off setting. For other situations, the lighting arrays 102, 202, 106, 206 do not need to have a dimming functionality, such that the light fixtures 100, 200 can be switched between on and off states.
[0058] In some forms, the LEDs 108, 208 of the indirect lighting array 106, 206 can be configured to emit multiple colors and/or individual ones of the LEDs 108, 208 can have differing colors. With this configuration, selection of a particular color from a plurality of colors can be used to visually convey information. For example, in a parking garage setting, the light fixture 100, 200 can be aligned with a particular parking spot. Thereafter, the indirect lighting array 106, 206 can be illuminated in a green color to indicate an open parking spot and illuminated in a red color to indicate a taken parking spot.
[0059] Other example light fixtures 300, 400 are shown in
[0060] The light fixture 300, 400 of these forms can further include an indirect lighting member 366, 466 that extends around the fixture 300, 400 to be illuminated by the indirect lighting array 306, 406. As shown, the indirect lighting member 366, 466 can be mounted to the housing 320, 420 so that at least a portion thereof is laterally outwardly from and within a path of illumination of the LEDs of the indirect lighting array 306, 406. With this configuration, energizing the LEDs of the indirect lighting array 306, 406 at least partially illuminates the indirect lighting member 366, 466.
[0061] The indirect lighting member 366, 466 includes a shroud 367, 467 mounted to the housing 320, 420 to be disposed above the indirect lighting array 306, 406 relative to the downward axis. As shown, the shroud 367, 467 can also be laterally offset from the indirect lighting array 306, 406, e.g., radially outward therefrom. The shroud 367, 467 includes an outer wall 368, 468 that extends outwardly away from the housing 320, 420 and extends downwardly such that a distal end 369, 469 of the outer wall 368, 468 intersects the path of illumination of the LEDs of the indirect lighting array 306, 406. The outer wall 368, 468 can have a variety of suitable configurations, with portions thereof being convex, concave, or linear in a vertical cross-section, e.g., angled or frusto-conical for various shapes, as shown in
[0062] As shown, the shroud 367, 467 can further include an upstanding inner wall 370, 470 with the outer wall 368, 468 extending from a top of the inner wall 370, 470. So configured, the inner wall 370, 470 and the outer wall 368, 468 define a downwardly opening cavity 371, 471 extending around the housing 320, 420. In the illustrated form, the inner wall 370, 470 is an upstanding wall with a vertical configuration. With a circular housing 320, 420 as shown in the figures, the shroud 367, 467, including the inner and outer walls 370, 470, 368, 468 thereof, has an annular configuration. In other forms, the housing 320, 420 and shroud 367, 467 can have a rectangular configuration or other polygonal shape, such that the inner and outer walls 370, 470, 368, 468 can have a corresponding number of sides having planar configurations.
[0063] The shroud 367, 467 or portions thereof, such as one of the inner and outer walls 370, 470, 368, 468 thereof, can be configured as a diffuser with a textured configuration, e.g., an etched, frosted, or sandblasted layer, coating, or surface, in order to diffuse lighting from the indirect lighting array 306, 406 and/or transient light. In other forms, the shroud 367, 467 or portions thereof can be made from a darkened or translucent material.
[0064] The shroud 367, 467 can be coupled or mounted to the housing 320, 420 by any suitable configuration or mechanism. In one form, the shroud 367, 467 can include a coupling wall 372, 472 extending upwardly from a top portion 373, 473 of the outer wall 368, 468 and the housing 320, 420 can include a corresponding channel or notch 374, 474 to receive the coupling wall 372, 472 therein. In the illustrated form, the top portion 373, 473 can have a flat, horizontal configuration for the housing 320, 420 to rest thereon and engage as discussed below.
[0065] In these forms, the indirect lighting member 366, 466 can further include a bottom panel 375, 475 mounted to the housing 320, 420 and configured similarly to the panel 152 discussed above with respect to prior embodiments disclosed herein. The panel 375, 475 can have an open shape, such as square/rectangular or annular (e.g., donut) as shown, with an interior edge 376, 476 and an exterior edge 377, 477. An interior portion 378, 478 of the panel 375, 475 is mounted to the housing 320, 420 to dispose the interior edge 376, 476 adjacent to, and laterally outward from, the LEDs of the indirect lighting array 306, 406, such that energizing the LEDs causes light to be emitted into the panel 375, 475. So configured, at least some of the light emitted from the indirect lighting array 306, 406 can pass through the panel 375, 475 and into the shroud 367, 467 to at least partially illuminate the shroud 367, 467. In some forms, the panel 375, 475 can be transparent or translucent so that light emitted from the indirect lighting array 306, 406 and transient light can pass therethrough to illuminate the shroud 367, 467. In the illustrated form, the panel 375, 475 has a planar configuration.
[0066] As shown, the outer wall 368, 468 of the shroud 367, 467 extends over at least a portion of the panel 376, 476, such that light passing therethrough can illuminate the outer wall 368, 468. In the Illustrated form, the outer wall 368, 468 extends downwardly such that the distal end 369, 469 thereof is disposed adjacent to the exterior edge 377, 477 of the panel 375, 475 to intersect the path of illumination of the LEDs of the indirect lighting array 306, 406. For example, the distal end 369, 469 can engage the exterior edge 377, 477 and, if desired, can include a lip 379, 479 to abut a top surface 380, 480 of the panel 375, 475.
[0067] Further, in some forms, the indirect lighting member 366, 466 can be arranged so that a bottom surface 381, 481 of the inner wall 370, 470 abuts the top surface 380, 480 of the panel 375, 475. With this configuration, the shroud 367, 467 and the panel 375, 475 can be coupled together and mounted to the housing 320, 420. For example, as shown in
[0068] In some forms, shown in
[0069] In another form, shown in
[0070] Rather than a housing 120 as described above that is configured to mount to a dropped ceiling 10, the housings 320, 420 of these forms are configured to be mounted to a substrate 392, 492, e.g., ceiling, wall, floor, etc., of a structure. In a first form shown in
[0071] It will be appreciated that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and clarity and have not necessarily been drawn to scale. For example, the dimensions and/or relative positioning of some of the elements in the figures may be exaggerated relative to other elements to help to improve understanding of various embodiments of the present invention. Also, common but well-understood elements that are useful or necessary in a commercially feasible embodiment are often not depicted in order to facilitate a less obstructed view of these various embodiments. The same reference numbers may be used to describe like or similar parts. Further, while several examples have been disclosed herein, any features from any examples may be combined with or replaced by other features from other examples. Moreover, while several examples have been disclosed herein, changes may be made to the disclosed examples within departing from the scope of the claims.
[0072] Those skilled in the art will recognize that a wide variety of modifications, alterations, and combinations can be made with respect to the above described embodiments without departing from the scope of the invention, and that such modifications, alterations, and combinations are to be viewed as being within the ambit of the inventive concept.