Lighting apparatus having a perforated panel

Abstract

A lighting apparatus, in particular in the form of ceiling spots, with a perforated panel having at least one aperture for light to pass through, as well as a lens arranged so as to be concealed behind the perforated panel to emit a bundle of light beams that narrows on its way from the lens to the perforated panel, passes through the aperture for light to pass through, and broadens again after leaving the perforated panel. The lens is shaped in such a manner that a direct beam portion and/or direct light portion emitted without reflection from the lens and an indirect beam portion and/or indirect light portion emitted with reflection from the lens have essentially identical beam angles, and each essentially completely make up and/or fill out the overall bundle of light beams emitted by the lens.

Claims

1. A lighting apparatus with a perforated panel having at least one aperture for light to pass through and a lens arranged so as to be concealed behind the perforated panel to emit a bundle of light beams that narrows on its way from the lens to the perforated panel, passes through the aperture for light to pass through, and broadens again after leaving the perforated panel; wherein a plurality of light sources are allocated to the lens, the light from which light sources is captured by the lens and emitted in the form of the bundle of light beams, where the lens is shaped in such a manner that a direct light portion emitted without reflection from the lens and an indirect light portion emitted with reflection from the lens have substantially identical beam angles, and each substantially completely fill out the overall bundle of light beams emitted by the lens.

2. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light sources have either or both different luminous colors and different color temperatures.

3. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of light sources are embodied as one of red, green, blue, and white.

4. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plurality of light sources comprise at least two different white color temperatures selected from the group consisting of warm white, cold white, and neutral white.

5. The lighting apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a control apparatus for variably controlling the output ratio of the plurality of light sources, being one or both of the color temperature and brightness of the total bundle of light beams emitted from the lens.

6. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the beam angles of the direct and indirect light portions of the bundle of light beams are between from approximately 2?10? to 2?50?.

7. The lighting apparatus of claim 6, wherein the beam angles of the direct and indirect light portions of the bundle of light beams are approximately 2?35?.

8. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the lens has a constriction ratio of approximately 1.4 to 2.5, wherein the constriction ratio reflects the ratio of the diameter of the bundle of light beams at the light emitting surface of the lens to the minimum diameter of the bundle of light beams in the region of the aperture for light to pass through of the perforated panel.

9. The lighting apparatus of claim 1, wherein a plurality of apertures for light to pass through are provided a distance from one another, where a lens is allocated to each of the apertures for light to pass through, to each of which in turn a plurality of light sources are allocated, where the light sources at a first aperture for light to pass through are positioned in a different arrangement than the light sources at a second aperture for light to pass through.

10. The lighting apparatus of claim 9, wherein the arrays of light sources at adjacent apertures for light to pass through are turned toward one another.

11. The lighting apparatus of claim 10, wherein the rotation of the array of light sources in each case with regard to a hole axis passing through the aperture for light to pass through is provided.

12. The lighting apparatus of claim 10, wherein the arrays of light sources at each aperture for light to pass through are rotated by a predetermined angle.

13. The lighting apparatus of claim 12, wherein for an array of two light sources with two light sources per aperture for light to pass through and for an array of four light sources with four light sources per aperture for light to pass through, an angle of rotation of 90? between two adjacent apertures for light to pass through of a row or column of apertures for light to pass through and an angle of rotation of 180? between two apertures for light to pass through of a diagonal line of apertures for light to pass through is provided.

14. A lighting apparatus comprising: a perforated panel with an aperture; a lens having a light emitting side; and a light source; wherein light from the light source can pass through the aperture of the perforated panel; wherein light passing through the aperture of the perforated panel comprises an indirect light portion and a direct light portion, the indirect light portion being light from the light source reflected from the light emitting side of the lens, and the direct light portion being light from the light source without reflection from the light emitting side of the lens; wherein the lens is shaped such that the indirect light portion beam angle is substantially equal to the direct light portion beam angle; and wherein the lens is shaped such that the indirect light portion and the direct light portion substantially fill out the overall light from the lens.

15. The lighting apparatus of claim 14, wherein the lens has a constriction ratio of between approximately 1.4 to 2.5; wherein the constriction ratio is a ratio of the diameter of light beams from the light emitting side of the lens to a minimum diameter of light beams in the region of the aperture of the perforated panel.

16. The lighting apparatus of claim 14 further comprising one or more additional light sources.

17. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein each light source is of a different luminous color from another.

18. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein each light source is of a different color temperature from another.

19. The lighting apparatus of claim 16, wherein each light source is selected from the group consisting of a red, green, blue, and white light source.

20. The lighting apparatus of claim 16 further comprising a control apparatus for variably controlling the light sources.

21. The lighting apparatus of claim 20, wherein the control apparatus variably controls one or more characteristics of the light sources selected from the group consisting of the color temperature of the light sources and the brightness of the light sources.

22. A lighting apparatus comprising: a perforated panel with a plurality of apertures; a plurality of lenses, each having a light emitting side, wherein one lens is allocated to each aperture; and a plurality of light sources allocated to each lens; wherein light from the plurality of light sources can pass through the respective allocated aperture of the perforated panel; wherein light passing through each aperture of the perforated panel comprises an indirect light portion and a direct light portion, the indirect light portion being light from the plurality of light sources reflected from the light emitting side of the lens, and the direct light portion being light from the plurality of light sources without reflection from the light emitting side of the lens; wherein each lens is shaped such that the indirect light portion beam angle is substantially equal to the direct light portion beam angle; and wherein each lens is shaped such that the indirect light portion and the direct light portion substantially fill out the overall light from each lens.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Various features and advantages of the present invention may be more readily understood with reference to the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals designate like structural elements, and in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a lighting apparatus in accordance with an advantageous embodiment of the invention, where, in a partial view, only a single aperture for light to pass through the perforated panel and the lens allocated to this aperture for light to pass through are shown, where the indirect and direct beam portions and their path in the lens and in the emitted bundle of light beams are shown.

(3) FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the lens of FIG. 1, which makes clear the contour of the lens without beam paths.

(4) FIG. 3 is an exploded view in perspective of the components of the lighting apparatus of the preceding figures.

(5) FIG. 4 is a frontal view in perspective of the light emitting surface of the lens of the preceding figures, showing the faceted surfaces of the two main sections of the light emitting surface.

(6) FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a perforated panel with recesses for light to pass through arranged in matrix form, showing the arrangement of the light sources rotated relative to one another in the case of an array with two light sources.

(7) FIG. 6 is a schematic plan view of the lighting apparatus similar to FIG. 5, showing the arrangement of the light sources rotated relative to one another at various apertures for light to pass through in the case of an array with four light sources.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(8) To facilitate an understanding of the principles and features of the various embodiments of the invention, various illustrative embodiments are explained below. Although exemplary embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that other embodiments are contemplated. Accordingly, it is not intended that the invention is limited in its scope to the details of construction and arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also, in describing the exemplary embodiments, specific terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity.

(9) It must also be noted that, as used in the specification and the appended claims, the singular forms a, an and the include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. For example, reference to a component is intended also to include composition of a plurality of components. References to a composition containing a constituent is intended to include other constituents in addition to the one named.

(10) Also, in describing the exemplary embodiments, terminology will be resorted to for the sake of clarity. It is intended that each term contemplates its broadest meaning as understood by those skilled in the art and includes all technical equivalents which operate in a similar manner to accomplish a similar purpose.

(11) Ranges may be expressed herein as from about or approximately or substantially one particular value and/or to about or approximately or substantially another particular value. When such a range is expressed, other exemplary embodiments include from the one particular value and/or to the other particular value.

(12) Similarly, as used herein, substantially free of something, or substantially pure, and like characterizations, can include both being at least substantially free of something, or at least substantially pure, and being completely free of something, or completely pure.

(13) By comprising or containing or including is meant that at least the named compound, element, particle, or method step is present in the composition or article or method, but does not exclude the presence of other compounds, materials, particles, method steps, even if the other such compounds, material, particles, method steps have the same function as what is named.

(14) It is also to be understood that the mention of one or more method steps does not preclude the presence of additional method steps or intervening method steps between those steps expressly identified. Similarly, it is also to be understood that the mention of one or more components in a composition does not preclude the presence of additional components than those expressly identified.

(15) The materials described as making up the various elements of the invention are intended to be illustrative and not restrictive. Many suitable materials that would perform the same or a similar function as the materials described herein are intended to be embraced within the scope of the invention. Such other materials not described herein can include, but are not limited to, for example, materials that are developed after the time of the development of the invention.

(16) The lighting apparatus 1 depicted schematically in FIG. 1 comprises one or a plurality of groups of light sources or lighting means 2, preferably in the form of LEDs, each of whichcombined into a groupcomprises a plurality of light sources, and are preferably arranged in a regular grid pattern at a distance to one another. FIG. 1 shows only a single group of lighting means 1, the light from which is emitted entirely into a half-space oriented downward, in accordance with FIG. 1.

(17) Allocated to the light sources or lighting means 2 is a perforated panel 3, which is preferably embodied in the form of a wall and/or ceiling cladding panel, and can be installed in the manner of a superimposed wall cladding or a suspended ceiling. The perforated panel 3 may be embodied in the form of a flat panel, e.g. a wooden panel or a panel of composite construction.

(18) The perforated panel 3 has apertures for light to pass through 4, which are allocated to the groups of light sources or lighting means 2 and are arranged in a grid pattern corresponding to the arrangement of the lighting means 2. If embodied as a single light, the perforated panel 3 may alternatively also have only a single aperture for light to pass through 4, e.g. if the lighting apparatus is to be employed as a single downlight or single spot.

(19) As shown in FIG. 1, the lighting means 2 on the non-visible back side of the perforated panel 3 are located at a significant distance from the apertures for light to pass through 4. Between the group of lighting means 2 drawn in FIG. 1, which comprises two lighting means 2 in the form of two LEDs, and the perforated panel 3 or its aperture for light to pass through 4, a lens 6 is arranged in accordance with FIG. 1; this lens bundles the light emitted into the half-space by the lighting means 2 and conducts it through the aperture for light to pass through 4, which would otherwise be too small. In particular, the lens 6 essentially completely takes up the luminous flux emitted by the group of lighting means 2 and emits it again completely; in particular, the lens 6 bundles the luminous flux emitted by the lighting means 2 with the aid of a necking 5 of the bundle of light beams 7 through the aperture for light to pass through 4 of the panel 3, see FIG. 1.

(20) The lens 6 preferably has the form shown in the figures. On the light entry side, the lens 6 has a roughly blind hole or trough-shaped light entry recess, with which the lens 6 is fitted over or onto the lighting means 2, see FIG. 2. This light entry recess has, in a central, frontal area, an entry interface 8 curved convexly toward the lighting means 2 which captures the portion of light emitted upward and first directs it upward in parallel inside the lens body. The marginal surface is formed by the transition from one medium, e.g. air with an index of refraction of 1.0, to a second medium having a different index of refraction, e.g. PMMA, with an index of refraction of approximately 1.5. Laterally, the aforementioned light entry area is bordered by a conical or funnel-shaped marginal surface 9, which, viewed in cross-section, widens with sloped and/or curved flanks toward the lighting means, and refracts the light beams emitted more laterally and directs them toward the exterior 10 or mantle surface of the lens 6, see FIGS. 1 and 2.

(21) The aforementioned exterior or mantle surface 10 is preferably embodied so as to be completely reflective and/or mirrored, so that the light beams reaching the exterior surface 10 are reflected, namely to the light emitting side 11 of the lens 6.

(22) This light emitting side 11 of the lens 6 is subdivided substantially into two differently formed marginal surface sections. A first, central marginal surface 12, which forms the aforementioned first main section of the light emitting side, is curved in a convex or domelike manner. The light beams that entered the lens body through the central entry interface 8 and were radiated downward essentially in parallel in accordance with FIG. 2 reach this central interface 12. This central, slightly convex marginal surface 12 is supplemented on the light emitting side 11 by a raised, annular, convex second marginal surface 13, which refracts the light beams coming from the exterior 10 of the lens 6 and forms the second main section of the light emitting surface 11 mentioned above.

(23) The light emitting surface may, as shown in FIG. 4, be provided with a faceted surface 19, which may extend across the first and second main sections, or may be embodied in each of these sections or in only one of them. The faceted surface 19 may be comprised of a plurality of small surfacesthe facets 20where e.g. more than 100 such facets may be provided on a given light emitting surface 11, where the facets may be arranged in a plurality of rings or rows in spiral form, each of which has a plurality of facets 20.

(24) As FIG. 3 shows, the lighting means 2 and the lenses 6 may be joined with the perforated panel 3 to form a modular assembly. Alternatively, the lighting means 2 and the lenses 6 may also be mounted independently of the perforated panel 3 on the wall or ceiling or an additional support, which can then be attached to the wall or ceiling and/or joined with the perforated panel 3 to form a modular assembly.

(25) As FIGS. 5 and 6 most clearly show, the bundle of light beams 7 passing through a particular aperture for light beams to pass through 4 in a perforated panel 3 is generated no longer only by a single light source, but instead the light from a plurality of light sources 2a and 2b, which are combined into a group of light sources 2 and allocated to a common lens 6, is combined, mixed, and allowed to pass through the aperture for light to pass through 4 in the perforated panel 3. In order to achieve even mixing in the bundle of light beams and avoid patchy lighting with areas of uneven brightness or localized variations in luminous color or color temperature, the lens 6 emits unreflected direct light components 14 and reflected indirect light components 15 that essentially overlap completely, as shown in FIG. 1.

(26) A plurality of light sources 2a and 2b in the form of LEDs preferably of different colors are allocated to the common lens 6, the light from which is captured by the common lens 6 and, in the form of the aforementioned bundle of light beams 7 that narrows on its path from the lens 6 to the perforated panel 3, passes through an aperture for light to pass through 4 and broadens as it leaves the perforated panel 3. These LEDs may be arranged adjacent to one another in a common plane perpendicular to the main axis of the lens 6, or in different planes or slightly offset in an axial direction, where the LEDs may in particular be housed in the aforementioned light emitting recess of the lens 6. This lens 6 is shaped in such a manner that a direct beam portion 14 emitted without reflection from the lens 6 and an indirect beam portion 15 emitted with reflection from the lens have essentially identical beam angles 16 and 17, and each essentially completely make up and/or fill out the overall bundle of light beams emitted by the lens, see FIG. 1.

(27) In particular, the aforementioned indirect beam portion 15, the beams of which can be reflected off the lens mantle surface 10, can also make up and/or fill out or irradiate the central area of the bundle of light beams, so that the indirect beam portion 15 no longer has a central hole or cavity. Conversely, the direct beam portion 14 not reflected from the lens 6 can also be expanded to the peripheral areas of the bundle of light beams 7 so that the direct beam portion 14 is not concentrated solely in the central region of the bundle of light beams.

(28) The specified beam angles may be at least approximately 2?35?, see FIG. 1.

(29) As it is shown by FIG. 1, the lens 6 can be shaped such that the bundle of light beams 7 generated by the lens 6 has a necking degree within a range of approximately 1.4 to 2.5, where the necking degree describes the ratio of the diameter of the bundle of light beams D at the light-emitting surface 11 of the lens 6 to the minimum diameter of the bundle of light beams d occurring in the region of the aperture in the perforated panel 3. The diameter of the bundle of light beams D in the area of the light-emitting surface of the lens can essentially correspond to the maximum photometrically effective lens diameter of the lens edge areas and mounting flange, etc. not considered. The necking degree is preferably in the region of 1.9 to 2.1.

(30) As it is shown by FIGS. 5 and 6, the plurality of light sources allocated to an aperture for light to pass through are provided in arrangements which differ from one another, in particular which are rotated relative to one another, in terms of comparing adjacent or generally different apertures for light to pass through 4. This rotation may be in particular with regard to an axis of rotation perpendicular to the perforated panel 3, in particular with regard to the hole axis passing through the associated aperture for light to pass through 4. In particular, the light source arrays on adjacent apertures for light to pass through 4 of the perforated panel 3 may each be rotated with regard to each other by a particular amount.

(31) Depending on the number of light sources 2 combined in a group of light sources 2 (and allocated to a common lens 6), various rotations or angles of rotation may be desirable.

(32) As FIG. 5 shows, in the case of an array with two light sources, namely 2a and 2bin particular in the form of the abovementioned LEDsan angle of rotation of 90? between two adjacent apertures for light to pass through of a row of apertures for light to pass through 4 and/or an angle of rotation of 90? between two adjacent apertures for light to pass through of a column of apertures for light to pass through 4 may be provided for each aperture for light to pass through 4, where a single or multi-row and/or a single or multi-column matrix array may be provided. The light sources 2a and 2b of a group of light sources may be light sources of different colorse.g. cold white and warm white LEDs.

(33) As FIG. 5 makes clear, such a 90? rotation between two adjacent groups of light sources 2 may be advantageous in particular in the case of a matrix array of at least 4?4 apertures for light to pass through, as a complete rotation of 4?90? and thus a completely symmetrical or best possible overlap of the bundles of light beams 7 or a good mutual equalization of any possible remaining irregularities in the distribution of light of the bundle of light beams 7 from various apertures for light to pass through 4 is thus achieved. As FIG. 5 demonstrates, in the case of a multi-row or multi-column matrix along a diagonal, an angle of rotation of 180? may be advantageous for achieving the best possible homogenization. Unlike the depiction in FIG. 5, it may also be advantageous if such a 180? rotation is provided along both diagonals, i.e. from top left to bottom right and from bottom left to top right.

(34) In the case of an array of four light sources, with two sets of pairs of light sources 2a and 2b per aperture for light to pass through 4, see FIG. 6, an angle of rotation of 90? between two adjacent apertures for light to pass through 4 of a row of apertures for light to pass through and/or an angle of rotation of 90? between two adjacent apertures for light to pass through of a column of apertures for light to pass through 4 and/or an angle of rotation of 180? between two apertures for light to pass through 4 of a diagonal line of apertures for light to pass through 4 or preferably along both diagonals may be provided, see FIG. 6. This may be in particular in the case of a matrix array of at least 2?2 apertures for light to pass through 4, each of which is allocated the aforementioned pair group of 2?2 light sources 2a and 2b or an array of four light sources.

(35) Numerous characteristics and advantages have been set forth in the foregoing description, together with details of structure and function. While the invention has been disclosed in several forms, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that many modifications, additions, and deletions, especially in matters of shape, size, and arrangement of parts, can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and its equivalents as set forth in the following claims. Therefore, other modifications or embodiments as may be suggested by the teachings herein are particularly reserved as they fall within the breadth and scope of the claims here appended.