SECTOR LIGHT AND LENS

Abstract

The present invention discloses a sector light, said sector light having at least one tier including a light source assembly comprising opaque dividing elements, two or more light sources, and two or more optical lenses; wherein the light source assembly is divided into circumferential sections, each circumferential section being separated by the opaque dividing elements, and each circumferential section containing a light source and an optical lens arranged such that the optical lens collects and outwardly projects the light emitted by the light source.

Claims

1. A sector light having at least one tier which includes a light source assembly comprising: at least one opaque dividing element, at least two light sources, and at least two optical lenses, wherein the light source assembly is divided into at least two circumferential sections, each of the at least two circumferential sections being separated by the at least one opaque dividing element and each of the at least two circumferential sections contains a light source and an optical lens arranged such that the optical lens collects and outwardly projects light emitted by at least one of the two light sources into a sector, whereby a projected light when viewed from a position indicates whether the position is in a safe sector.

2. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein the at least one opaque dividing element radially protrudes from a central hub.

3. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein at least three opaque dividing elements are present to form the at least two circumferential sections arranged side by side.

4. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein the two or more optical lenses are of at least one substantially convex, comprising a front optical face and a rear optical face with focal planes there between, the rear optical face being a first point of collection of light emitted by the light source, and a front face being that from which light is projected, and sides and ends with non-reflective properties; and include an angle of curvature between approximately 30 and approximately 60 degrees.

5. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein each optical lens projects light in the vertical planes with a narrow angle of divergence of approximately 0.5 to 5 degrees.

6. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein the light source is an LED.

7. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein in use the two or more light sources each independently project a different color of light from the sector light.

8. The sector light according claim 1, having a signal housing element for facilitating remote connections.

9. The sector light according to claim 1, wherein the sector light includes an opaque casing including a wrap-around cover having transparent portions through which the light source may project outwardly, and a casing is sealed to protect an interior cavity from exposure to external elements.

10. A light source assembly comprising: at least two light sources, and at least two optical lenses, wherein the at least two optical lenses are substantially convex with sides and ends having non-reflective properties, wherein the light source assembly is divided into at least two circumferential sections, each of the at least two circumferential sections being enclosed by at least one opaque dividing element and wherein each of the at least two circumferential sections contain a light source and an optical lens such that the optical lens collects and outwardly projects light emitted by the light source.

11. The light source assembly according to claim 10, wherein the at least one opaque dividing element radially protrudes from a central hub.

12. The light source assembly according claim 10, wherein the two or more optical lenses are at least one of substantially convex, comprising a front optical face and a rear optical face with focal planes there between, the rear optical face being a first point of collection of light emitted by the light source, and a front face being that from which light is projected, and wherein a side of the front face has non reflective properties; and include an angle of curvature between approximately 30 and approximately 60 degrees.

13. The light source assembly according to claim 10, wherein each optical lens projects light in the vertical planes with a narrow angle of divergence of approximately 0.5 to 5 degrees.

14. The light source assembly according to claim 10, wherein the light source is an LED.

15. The light source assembly according to claim 10, wherein in use the two or more light sources each independently project a different color of light from the light source assembly.

16. The light source assembly according to claim 10, wherein the light source assembly is enclosed in an opaque casing including a wrap-around cover having transparent portions through which the light source may project outwardly, and a casing is sealed to protect an interior cavity from exposure to external elements.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0041] In the Figures:

[0042] FIG. 1 shows one embodiment of a sector light according to the present invention: A) front view; B) front cross-section; C) top view

[0043] FIG. 2 shows one embodiment of the sector light optical lens: A) front view; B) top view cross-section; C) isometric view.

[0044] FIG. 3 shows one embodiment of a light source assembly for insertion into the cavity of one tier of the sector light: A) top view; B) front view.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE EMBODIMENTS

[0045] FIG. 1 illustrates in one embodiment a sector light of the present invention. With reference to FIG. 1A, the sector light includes a cylindrical casing 10 including a wrap-around cover in the form of a blinker 12. The blinker includes transparent portions (not shown) through which light may be projected into sectors, but is otherwise generally opaque. The sector light also includes a top-mounted centrally-disposed dome 14 to house electronic componentry. A mounting platform 16 is included for mounting the sector light to a suitable structure, and also a number of upstanding pins 18 to prevent birds from perching and fouling the sector light.

[0046] With reference to cross-sectional FIG. 1B, two tiers of the sector light are shown within the casing 10 separated by an opaque casing wall 20 which is generally horizontal in use. Within each tier 21 is a light source assembly 22 including opaque dividing elements 24. Abutting the end faces of opaque dividing elements are optical lenses 26. The light source assembly in the top tier 21a is shown the light source, in this embodiment the light source 28 is an LED.

[0047] In this embodiment the light source assembly in the top tier includes a white light source for projecting into a safe sector, while the light source assembly in the bottom tier includes, in side-by-side sections, both a red and a green light source for projecting into unsafe sectors. This is better depicted in FIG. 10 which is a view towards the top of the sector light. The cylindrical casing 10, dome 14 and pins 18 are indicated for perspective. The white light 30 is indicated projecting from the top tier of the sector light into a safe sector. On either side a red 32 and green 34 light is indicated projecting from the bottom tier of the sector light into unsafe sectors. This is an arrangement that would be suitable, for example to guide a marine vessel through a narrow channel, though it is not limiting. The light source assembly and/or lights within the light source assembly may be arranged to project light in any of the 360 degrees of the horizontal plane.

[0048] FIGS. 2A to 2C show various views of one embodiment of the sector light optical lens 26. The front view as shown in FIG. 2A reveals the front optical face 36. It is flanked by non-reflective (e.g. matt finish) ends 38 which engage with opaque casing walls (e.g. 20) when installed in the light source assembly in the sector light. FIG. 2B illustrates a top view cross-section of the optical lens with front 36 and rear 37 optical faces, which highlights its convex shape and 45 degree curvature. A non-reflective (e.g. matt finish) side 40 is indicated in FIG. 2C, which abuts with opaque dividing elements when installed in the light source assembly.

[0049] FIG. 3 in top view 3A and front view 3B illustrates one embodiment of the light source assembly 42 housed within each tier of the sector light. The light source assembly includes an opaque central hub 44 from which 8 opaque dividing elements 45 radially protrude at 45 degrees to each other (based on the centerlines) separating the assembly into 8 circumferential sections 43. The 8 LED light sources 28 are included, one in each circumferential section 43. The LED light sources 28 are attached to the central hub and arranged centrally between opaque dividing elements 45 from where they protrude from the central hub. Accordingly, 8 optical lenses 26 are included abutting the end faces of the opaque dividing elements 45 and each other, at a distance in front of, and centrally-disposed to, the light source 28, arranged to define the periphery of the light source assembly 42.

[0050] This arrangement is not intended to be limiting. The 45 degree angle of protrusion of the opaque dividing elements 45 simply matches the 45 degree curvature of the optical lens illustrated in FIG. 2. In alternative embodiments, two or more opaque dividing elements may protrude in any direction with any angles. Nor are all 8 light sources and optical lenses required in all embodiments. In at least one tier of the sector light, preferably the light source assembly includes two light sources each with an optical lens. In other tiers, the light source assembly may include a single light source with an optical lens and where only two opaque dividing elements radially protrude from the central hub.