ASYMMETRICAL LINEAR LENS AND ASSOCIATED LINEAR LUMINAIRE

Abstract

An asymmetrical linear lens directing light at a limited solid angle includes a first solid profile section being a right trapezoid having a short and longer base side and two side legs. A second solid profile section is a non-right trapezoid having a short and longer base side and two side legs. The longer base side of the first solid profile section and the shorter base side of the second solid profile section coincide. One of the two side legs of the first solid profile section and one of the two side legs of the second solid profile section lie on a straight line enclosing a first angle with the longer base side of the second solid profile section. The other side leg of the second solid profile section is angled outward in relation to the other side leg of the first solid profile section by a second angle.

Claims

1. An asymmetrical linear lens in the form of an integral transparent plastic solid profile for directing light at a limited solid angle, comprising: a first solid profile section in the form of a right trapezoid having a short and a longer base side and having two side legs; and a second solid profile section in the form of a non-right trapezoid having a short and a longer base side and having two side legs; wherein the longer base side of the first solid profile section and the shorter base side of the second solid profile section coincide with one another; wherein one of the two side legs of the first solid profile section and one of the two side legs of the second solid profile section lie on a straight line which encloses a first angle (α) in the range between 40° and 50° with the longer base side of the second solid profile section; and wherein the other side leg of the second solid profile section is angled outward in relation to the other side leg of the first solid profile section by a second angle (β) in the range between 25° and 35°.

2. The asymmetrical linear lens as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first angle (α) is in the range between 43° and 47° and is in particular 45°.

3. The asymmetrical linear lens as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second angle (β) is in the range between 28° and 32° and is in particular 30°.

4. The asymmetrical linear lens as claimed in claim 1, wherein a profile detent web protrudes from each of the two side legs of the second solid profile section in the direction perpendicular to the longer base side of the second solid profile section away from this base side.

5. The asymmetrical linear lens as claimed in claim 1, wherein the second solid profile section has lateral attachments in the two corner regions of the longer base side and the two side legs.

6. A linear luminaire, comprising: a U-shaped profile; a luminous band arranged off-center on the inside on the profile bottom of the U-shaped profile; and the asymmetrical linear lens arranged in front of the luminous band as claimed in claim 1, which has a coupling surface for coupling in the light emitted by the luminous band and a decoupling surface for decoupling the coupled-in light; wherein the coupling and decoupling surfaces extend in parallel to one another and the profile width of the linear lens is greater at the decoupling surface than at the coupling surface.

7. The linear luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the linear lens closes the open side of the U-shaped profile.

8. The linear luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the linear lens is inserted into the open side of the U-shaped profile and locked with the U-shaped profile.

9. The linear luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the profile bottom has a bottom groove on the inside, wherein the luminous band is inserted and fastened thereon.

10. The linear luminaire as claimed in claim 9, wherein the bottom groove is wider than the luminous band and the groove flanks of the bottom groove form either a left or right stop for the inserted luminous band.

11. The linear luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the light exits on one profile side at a lateral exit angle of up to approximately 35° and on the other profile side at a lateral exit angle of up to approximately 80° to 85° from the decoupling surface.

12. The linear luminaire as claimed in claim 6, wherein the luminous band is an LED band.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] In the drawings:

[0014] FIG. 1 shows the profile cross section of a linear lens according to the invention;

[0015] FIG. 2 shows a linear luminaire having the linear lens according to the invention and schematically shows the associated beam path through the linear lens; and

[0016] FIG. 3 shows a cabinet having two linear luminaires for interior lighting and a kitchen wall unit having a linear luminaire for work surface lighting.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The asymmetrical linear lens 1 shown in FIG. 1 is used to direct light at a limited solid angle and is formed as an integral plastic solid profile transparent to visible light.

[0018] The linear lens 1 comprises a first solid profile section 2 in the form of a right trapezoid having a short and a (virtual) longer base side 2a, 2b and having two side legs 2c, 2d and comprising a second solid profile section 3 in the form of a non-right trapezoid having a (virtual) short and a longer base side 3a, 3b and having two side legs 3c, 3d. The longer base side 2b of the first solid profile section 2 and the shorter base side 3a of the second solid profile section 3 coincide, i.e., the longer base side 2b of the first solid profile section 2 and the shorter base side 3a of the second solid profile section 3 are formed by the same virtual line. The shorter base side 2a of the first solid profile section 2 and the longer base side 3b of the second solid profile section 3 extend in parallel to one another. The thickness d1 of the first solid profile section 2 is preferably approximately 1.25 times greater than the thickness d2 of the first solid profile section 3. In one preferred exemplary embodiment, d1 is 4.4 mm and d2 is 5.6 mm, thus the total thickness D is 10 mm, and the width of the shorter base side 2a is 19 mm.

[0019] The side leg 2c of the first solid profile section 2 and the side leg 3c of the second solid profile section 3 lie on a straight line, which encloses a first angle α of preferably approximately 45° with the longer base side 3b of the second solid profile section 2. The other side leg 3d of the second solid profile section 3 is angled outward by a second angle β of approximately 30° in relation to the other side leg 2d of the first solid profile section 2. The second solid profile section 3 is provided in the two corner regions, which are formed by the longer base side 3b and the respective side legs 3c, 3d, with lateral, plate-shaped attachments 4, from each of which a profile detent web 5 protrudes at an angle perpendicular to the longer base side 3b of the second solid profile section 3 in the direction away from this longer base side 3b.

[0020] The linear luminaire 10 shown in FIG. 2 comprises a U-shaped profile 11 made of, for example, metal (preferably aluminum), a luminous band arranged off-center on the inside on the profile bottom 11a of the U-shaped profile 11 in the form of an LED band 12 (for example, 5 mm or 8 mm wide) having multiple LEDs 13 spaced apart in the band longitudinal direction, and a linear lens 1 arranged in front of the LED band 12. The profile bottom 11 has a bottom groove 14 on the inside, in which the LED band 12 is inserted and adhesively bonded. If, as shown, the bottom groove 14 is wider than the LED band 12, the two groove flanks of the bottom groove 14 are used as the left or right stop for the inserted LED band 12.

[0021] The linear lens 1 is inserted with its two-sided profile detent webs 5 in the open side of the U-shaped profile 11 and locked with the two profile legs 11b of the U-shaped profile 11, by which the open side of the U-shaped profile 11 is closed.

[0022] The shorter base side 2a of the first solid profile section 2 forms a coupling surface for coupling in the light 15 emitted by the LED band 12, and the longer base side 3b of the second solid profile section 3 forms a decoupling surface for decoupling the coupled-in light 15, wherein the coupling and decoupling surfaces 2a, 3b extend in parallel to one another. The coupled-in light 15 either exits from the decoupling surface 3b, without having been reflected on the side legs 2c, 2d, 3c, 3d of the two solid profile sections 2, 3, or after total reflection on the side legs 2c, 2d, 3c, 3d. On the left profile side in FIG. 2, the light 15 exits at a lateral exit angle of up to approximately 35° and on the right profile side in FIG. 2, it exits at a lateral exit angle of up to approximately 80° to 85°, so that in total emission takes place in an overall emission angle of 115° to 120°. The transmittance of the linear lens 1 for the emitted visible light is ideally at least approximately 90%.

[0023] FIG. 3 shows a cabinet 30 comprising two linear luminaires 10 each fastened on the underside on an upper panel or intermediate panel 31 for cabinet interior lighting and a wall unit 32 having a linear luminaire 10 fastened on the underside for lighting a work surface 33 arranged under the wall unit 32. The linear luminaires 10 are each arranged on the front side on the upper panel or intermediate panel 31 or on the wall unit 32, preferably attached on the underside thereon or installed surface-flush therein, and radiate at an exit angle of up to approximately 35° to the front and at an exit angle of up to approximately 80° to 85° to the rear. In comparison to an LED band 12 without linear lens arranged in front of it, the illuminance (in lx) is increased by 100% in the desired functional range and the dazzling is reduced by 85% in the undesired range.