Abstract:
A lumenaire for mixing and emitting light from multiple light sources which has at least one first light source of a particular type and at least one second light source of a differing type. There is an optical system which includes at least one individual light collecting optical element at least partially surrounding each light source. There is a substantially planar light guide that receives and transports the light from each of the individual optical elements and optically mixes and emanates the light from both types of light sources simultaneously, through a common surface of the planar light guide. The planar light guide is segmented and the segmented sections are angularly disposed, in section in relationship to each other and the individual optical elements project light into at least one of the segments.

Description:
REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     The present application is a continuation of application Ser. No. 11/387,327 filed Mar. 23, 2006 and the substance of that application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
     The present application is based on and claims the priority of provisional application Ser. No. 60/664,412 filed Mar. 23, 2005. The substance of that application is hereby incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     The present invention relates generally to the lighting field, and, more particularly to unitary illuminating devices. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     The present invention provides an optical device wherein all optical elements are arranged in a unified body (hereinafter referred to as “unitary device”) that provides a predetermined pattern of illumination from multiple quasi-point sources, such as LEDs. 
     The present invention also provides unitary illuminating devices that can mix color from various light sources into predetermined and or homogenized color patterns. This invention provides for the mixing of the light from various types of quasi point sources such as LEDs, halogen, and or HID into predetermined and or homogenized light patterns. It also mixes the light from quasi point sources such as LEDs, halogen, and or HID, and linear sources such as fluorescent (and compact fluorescent) and cold cathode. 
     The present invention also is for unitary optical devices that can be configured in multiple assemblies as per the illumination requirement, and also is one that can be mass produced in extruded or injection molded process. It provides for unitary optical devices that can be configured in multiple assemblies as per the illumination requirement, and also a “window” (containing its own light source) from another source to pass through. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       These and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description of preferred embodiments taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an isometric view 
         FIG. 1A  is a sectional view of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 1B  is a sectional view of two COS units. 
         FIG. 1C  is a view showing two COS units inverted. 
         FIG. 1D  is a partial section view taken along AX of  FIG. 1C . 
         FIG. 1E  is a partial sectional view of  FIG. 1C  similar to that of  FIG. 1D . 
         FIG. 1F  is an isometric and sectional view of a light projecting element. 
         FIG. 1G  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 1F . 
         FIG. 1H  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 1F   
         FIG. 2  is an isometric view of a composite light guide similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 2A  is a sectional view of COS of  FIG. 2 . 
         FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway view of a construction of a multiple composite light guide as shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway view of a multiple cutaway light guide as shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view of  FIG. 4 . 
         FIG. 6  is a cutaway partial view of a device similar to that shown in  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 7  is an isometric view of a device have three primary components. 
         FIG. 8  is an isometric and sectional view of a device similar to that shown in  FIG. 7 . 
         FIG. 9  is a view showing an alternative construction to that shown in  FIG. 8 . 
         FIG. 9A  is a partial sectional view of  FIG. 9 . 
         FIG. 10  is a view of a device using two types of light sources. 
         FIG. 10B  is an isometric view of a device similar to that shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 11  is an isometric view of a device similar to that shown in  FIG. 10 . 
         FIG. 11A  is an isometric view showing a detail of  FIG. 11 . 
         FIG. 11B  is an isometric diagram of a row of illumination modules. 
         FIG. 12  is a cross sectional view of a hollow light guide. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       FIG. 1  is a three dimensional view of a section of a substantially planar composite light guide COS (composed of a clear transparent material such as acrylic, or polycarbonate plastic, or glass) having the following optical elements molded or machined into the edges of the guides, TLG, and or adjacent surfaces. A conical depression PR, the face PES of which can be parabolic, ellipsoidal or flat in section and is rotated at least partially about the cone axis AX which is also the light axis of a quasi point source QP such as an LED which is located substantially at the focal point of the conical faces. Also formed about AX is a hollow having the following surfaces RCSA, which is spherical or aspherical in section and rotated around AX and surface ES which is flat, domed, or conical in section, the center of with lies on AX. 
     Light radiating from QP as rays RL enters rotated face RCSA and is collected and projected by the spherical or aspherical surface of RCSA as radial rays FR outwardly and through COS. Also, RL passes through surface ES, and is internally reflected by PES in a radial direction as rays RR, substantially parallel to rays FR. 
       FIG. 1A  is a section view of  FIG. 1  illustrating the function of COS in  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 1B  is a section view of two COS units COS 1  and COS 2  butted together having surfaces PES, ES, and RCSA, aligned, each forming a 360° rotation about AX. LED/QP lies on the shared axis AX of COS 1  and COS 2 . The combined COS 1  and COS 2  capture substantially the entire radiant flux of QP/LED. 
       FIG. 1C  illustrates two COS units COSL and COSU inverted to form a mirror image to COSL. Both COSU and COSL have substantially the same function. Line HL indicates the plane at which COSL and COSU are joined. 
       FIG. 1D  is a partial sectional view taken at AX of  FIG. 1C , illustrating that both the function of COSL and COSU have a similar function to that of COS FIG.  1  and the combined COSL and COSU capture and utilize substantially the entire radiant flux of QP/LED, which is facing inward toward combined COSL and COSU. 
       FIG. 1E  is a partial sectional view of  FIG. 1C  similar to that of  FIG. 1D , differing in that COSL and COSU are fused into a single unit, not divided along plane HL. 
       FIG. 1F  is a three dimensional and cross-sectional diagram of a light projecting element COSM that is similar in section to that of CCOS in  FIG. 6  with the addition of curved exit face ES (which addition, although in  FIG. 1F  is shown substantially circular and concentric to RCSA, can be elliptical or aspherical as well.) 
       FIG. 1G  is a cross-sectional diagram of  FIG. 1F  and CCOS of  FIG. 16  illustrating that ES of  FIG. 1F  can be canted as exit faces CESL and CESU causing radially collimated rays CESL to exit as canted radial beams CRL and CRU respectively. 
       FIG. 1H  is a cross-sectional diagram of  FIG. 1F  and CCOS of  FIG. 6  illustrating that ES of  FIG. 1F  and CCOS of  FIG. 6  illustrating that ES of  FIG. 1F  can be concave ECV or convex ECX, causing RR to converge (in section) as rays CR or diverge in section DR respectively. 
       FIG. 2  is a three dimensional diagram of a composite light guide similar to that shown in  FIG. 1 , with the addition of internally reflective surfaces PS. The function of surfaces PS are further explained in  FIG. 2A . PS can be flat or curved; if curved, a circular parabola PE or ellipse PEE shape contoured parallel to HL can be formed. PS may be contoured in a compound curve, being a section of a sphere, parabola, or ellipse. 
       FIG. 2A  is a sectional view of COS of  FIG. 2  at a plane substantially parallel to HL of  FIG. 1C  through RCSA, looking towards PES, a portion of the rays RL that are radially collimated by surface RCSA and PES as rays RF and RR respectively are internally reflected by PES as rays FRR and RRR respectively. Further, ellipse PEE reflects rays RR and FR as rays FRE towards and through focal point FP. Internally reflecting optical elements in  FIGS. 1 through 2A , including PES and PS, could be replaced by reflectors of similar shape molded into the clear transparent material in substantially similar positions. 
       FIG. 3  is a partially cutaway view of a construction of a multiple composite light guide as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , illustrating how light from lines of quasi-point sources LED and LED 2  are projected through COS, reflected by surfaces TRS though refracting surface FS. The surface quality of TRS can be polished to reflect by internal reflecting and or can be diffused and deposited with a reflective surface. The surface quality of FS can be at least partially diffused and or be partially prismatic, having a pattern of prismatic grooves, pyramids, negative or positive pillow lenses or other prismatic shapes. A reflective surface ER can be integrated into edge surface of COS. 
       FIG. 4  is a partially cutaway view of a construction of multiple cutaway light guide as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , differing in that alternate rows of LEDs have been substituted by linear light sources LS 1 , LS 2 , and LS 3 . Each linear light source is surrounded by a linear collection system LCS having substantially the same sectional design and function as the radial collection system described in  FIG. 1 . As described in  FIG. 1 , the mixing and distribution of light between LS and LED is similar to that described between the rows of LEDs. 
       FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of  FIG. 4  with the addition of linear reflector PRS which gathers light DLL that is directly emanating from LS, and reflects it through both surfaces of COS as rays LRR that mix with rays LER from LED. 
       FIG. 6  is a cutaway partial view of a composite illuminating device similar to that illustrated in  FIG. 3  with the addition of a detailed example of how collected light CRL from the quasi point source LED (or the collimated light from a linear light source LS of  FIG. 4 ) is refracted by FS (away from the device) whether FS receives rays CRL directly or as rays reflected by TRS. Also optical guide COS is shown to be constructed in two alternate ways. On the left side of  FIG. 6  the light collection portion of COS, CCOS is abutting the light projecting LPS, which has an entry face allowing rays CRL to enter into LPPS that have exited face XF of CCOS 
       FIG. 7  is a three dimensional diagram of an illuminating device having three primary components CCOS, CB, and CC. CCDS collects rays CRL which are reflected by surface IRS, through exit face COX of CCOS, into and through CB by entering entry face CBES and out exit face CEBX; and further entering CC through entry face CC 5 , further being reflected by IRS 2  into and through CC as rays RRR. Rays RRR are caused to exit from CC through the interrelationship of TRS and FS as explained in  FIG. 6 . The device illustrated in  FIG. 7  can be constructed of components CCS and CB only when CB is comprised of surface FS and TR 5  and emits light as described in  FIG. 6 . Although components CCOS, CB HHH CC are shown (for graphic purposes) having divisions DIV  1  and DIV  2  that can be abutted or can be molded as a unified element, eliminating COX, CBES, CBEX, and CCES. 
       FIG. 8  is a three dimensional and sectional view of an illuminating device COSLM similar in function to the illuminating device described in  FIG. 7 , comprised of CO 5  the function of which is described in  FIGS. 1C ,  1 D,  1 E,  2 , and  2 A. COSLM is a duplicate multiple of COSL. 
     Rays FR/RR (as described in  FIG. 1D ) are reflected by surfaces IRS into substantially planar light guide PLG. PLG is comprised of surfaces TRS and FS, the function of which is described in  FIG. 6 . 
       FIG. 9  illustrates an alternative construction of an illuminating device to the illuminating device illustrated in  FIG. 8 , differing in that the light collection components CM (a combined parabolic or ellipsoidal, internally reflecting segment PR and a spherical or aspherical segment) CL and CS an internally reflecting cone replaces the optical surfaces described in  FIGS. 1 through 2A . 
       FIG. 9A  is a partial cross-sectional view of  FIG. 9  illustrating the function of COSX. Light rays emanating from LED are collected by internally reflecting surface PR and lens surface CL as rays CR which are internally reflected by conical surface CS in a radial pattern through and away from COSX by TRS and RF. 
       FIG. 10  illustrates an illuminating device LD that emits and mixes light simultaneously from two types of light sources. The first light source LS is linear, such as fluorescent or neon. The second type of light source is a quasi point light source LED, such as an LED, HID, or filament source. Both LS and LED have an optical component(s) to control and direct light from the light source outwardly. In the case of LS the optical component, illustrated as LR, it is a linear reflector. In the case of LED, the optical component is a radially collimating device LED as described in my U.S. Pat. No. 5,897,201. This is further illustrated in  FIG. 1A  showing rays LDR projected radially from LEDM. Both the light from LS and LED leave LD from the same surface RS. This is accomplished as follows: Direct rays DRL 1  emanating from LS are reflected by LR as rays RLR through surfaced IRS 3  and out through RS as CRD. Rays LDR emanating from LEDM enter face E 5  and are internally reflected by surface IRSI, which are further internally reflected by surface IRS 2  as ray IR 2 , which; are further internally reflected by face IRS 3  as rays IR 3  through RS as ray DE. 
       FIG. 10B  is a three dimensional illustration of an illuminating device similar to the illumination device of  FIG. 10  showing an entry surface RES which is not immediately surrounding LEDM as the entry face ES in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 11  is a three dimensional illustration of an illuminating device similar to the illumination device illustrated in  FIG. 10  differing in that LEDM modules are inserted in holes H located in the lens L of the device. 
       FIG. 11A  is a three dimensional detail of  FIG. 11  illustrating a section of radially collimated rays RCA projected by LEDM onto reflecting surfaces IRS, IRS redirecting RCA onto surfaces TRS and RF. 
       FIG. 11B  is a three dimensional diagram of a row of LD illumination modules MLD. 
       FIG. 12  is a cross-sectional diagram of a hollow light guide HLG comprised of substantially parallel panels P 1  and P 2 , P 1  having surface FS that provides primarily a reflective function, and P 2  having surface FS that provides primarily a refractive function. A linear light projecting element CCOS, similar to that of CCOS in  FIG. 6  and a linear light projecting element COS 2  in  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2A . 
     It is to be understood that the above-described embodiments are simply illustrative of the principles of the invention. Various and other modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof.