Abstract:
An optical system is disclosed that uses an LED light source. The light output is coupled to an optic element formed from a material with a high refractive index. The coupling of the light to the high index material significantly reduces the cone angle of the light. The system is very efficient in that nearly all the light generated by the LED is directed to the intended subject.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims the priority benefit of U.S. provisional application No. 61/281,544, filed Nov. 18, 2010, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    This invention relates generally to the collection and control of light from a light emitting diode (LED). More specifically, the invention is directed to the control of the wide angular emission of light from an LED to create a highly controlled beam of light. 
         [0004]    2. Background Art 
         [0005]    Numerous products require efficient collection and control of light from a light source. A high degree of control is required to create a collimated beam of the type needed for searchlights used for live performances, special events, and illuminating tall structures. The searchlights use a xenon arc type lamp as a light source and a deep parabolic reflector to collect and control the light direction and beam angle. This method has been used for many years, even before the invention of the light bulb. 
         [0006]    This type of prior art searchlight generally requires a reflector that is much larger than its arc gap. A 1000-watt xenon lamp generates most of its light within a sphere 1 mm in diameter. To create a highly collimated beam, a reflector with a diameter of 20 inches is typically used. Although xenon light sources create an enormous amount of light in a small area, efficiency of these types of lamps is poor. A 1000-watt lamp may only produce 35 lumens per watt of electrical energy. Another drawback with these lamps is the length of their life, which is only a few thousand hours. Finally, xenon light sources are filled with gas at a high pressure. Persons replacing xenon lamps need to wear protective clothing and a face shield when they are servicing searchlights. 
         [0007]    Another disadvantage of the xenon light systems is the reduction in performance as a result of the collection of dirt on the optical surfaces. This collection is compounded by the fact that the lights typically require forced-air cooling. A xenon system has at least four surfaces where dirt can collect and reduce the output. The first of these surfaces is the surface of the lamp itself. The second is the surface of the reflector. The third and fourth are the inside and outside of the window. Only a small amount of dirt on any of these four surfaces significantly reduces the light output of the system 
         [0008]    The use of a deep parabolic reflector by searchlight manufacturers adds to the poor efficiency of the overall system. A lot of the light generated from the lamp exits the front of the open end of the parabolic reflector and doesn&#39;t contribute to the collimated beam created by the light that does strike the reflector. 
         [0009]    Manufacturers of searchlights would like to use LEDs as the light sources for their searchlights. LEDs don&#39;t create light with as high intensity as the xenon light sources. The low intensity of LED light leads to the requirement of a much larger reflector for the same output as a xenon system. In some cases using an LED would require a reflector ten times the size of the reflector used by a system with a xenon light source. In summary, the main disadvantages of current xenon based light systems are their short life, the dangers of servicing the systems, and their low efficiency. 
         [0010]    Optics systems to collect and control light from LEDs commonly combine a conventional reflector and refractive optics. A typical example of this type of system is shown in  FIG. 1 . Although this type of system is efficient in collecting all of the light from the LED, the ability to control the output is limited. The light that is collected by the reflector portion of the system has a generally uniform cone angle as it leaves the reflector. In this example the cone angle ranges from 3.9 degrees to 4.5 degrees. The refractive optics (i.e. the light transmitted through the lens) has a much greater cone angle, 41 degrees. Therefore, in searchlight systems, the light from the refractive optics does not contribute to the searchlight beam and creates spill light. 
         [0011]    Another drawback inherent to the prior art system of  FIG. 1  is that the output light comes from two sources, a lens and a reflector. The nature of the light from the lens is quite different from that from the reflector. It is therefore very difficult to optimize the output from both sources simultaneously. Output controlling measures that have a positive effect on the light output from the lens tend to have a negative effect on the light output from the reflector, and vice versa. 
         [0012]    Another variation of conventional reflector optics is a lamp that locates an LED at the focal point of a parabolic reflector. The output normal to the surface of the LED is directed along the axis of the parabola. Light from the LED is emitted in a semispherical direction, + and −90 degrees from normal. The parabola collects all of the emitted light and directs most of the light in the intended direction. The LED and its mounting absorb some of the light that would, if not obstructed, go in the intended direction. This absorption occurs because the LED is in the output path of the light reflected by the parabola. 
         [0013]    Electricity must be supplied to the LED to generate the light, which creates heat. To cool the LED, a heat pipe is used to conduct heat from the LED to a heat sink behind the reflector. These components also absorb some of the light, thereby reducing the efficiency of the lighting system even further. 
         [0014]    The reflector in an LED light system needs to be large to collect the semispherical, ±90 degree output from the LED. If the cone angle could be reduced to less than ±45 the reflector could be much smaller. The output beam angle of the reflector of prior art products varies greatly as a function of the distance from the center of the reflector to the rim of the reflector. The variation in beam angle requires the reflector to be larger than would be required if the variation in beam angle over the diameter of the reflector was reduced. 
         [0015]    There is therefore a need for a lighting system that is highly efficient, that is not as sensitive to dirt and dust, that provides a high degree of control of the output beam angle, and that is contained in a compact package. 
       SUMMARY OF THE CLAIMED INVENTION 
       [0016]    Various embodiments of the present invention disclose an optical system with a directed output. The system includes at least one LED that provides a light source. The system further includes an optic element that reduces the cone angle of a light output of the light source. The light reflects off a reflective surface at an acute angle. The reflected light then forms an output light beam. 
         [0017]    Other embodiments of the present invention may disclose a lighting system with a directed output including an array of optical systems. Each of the optical systems includes at least one LED that provides a light source and an optic element that reduces the cone angle of a light output of the light source. The light contacts a reflective surface, and the light is reflected from the reflective surface at an acute angle. The reflected light then forms an output light beam. The light beams of the array of optical systems are combined to form a lighting system output beam. 
         [0018]    Still other embodiments of the present invention disclose an optical system with a directed output including at least one LED that provides a light source. The light source is positioned in an output light path of the system. An optic element reduces the cone angle of a light output of the light source. A reflective surface reflects light form the light source at an acute angle. The reflected light forms an output light beam of the system. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a side sectional view of prior art. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is an isometric view of an exemplary optical system. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a side sectional view of an exemplary optical system. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is a side sectional view of an exemplary optical system showing light rays. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a side view of another exemplary optical system. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is an isometric view of an exemplary array of optical systems. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0025]    Various embodiments of the present invention disclose systems that control the direction and angle of a light output. The output of the systems reduces power consumption by directing a very high percentage of light generated by one or more LEDs specifically to the object designated to be lighted. 
         [0026]    Referring first to  FIGS. 2 and 3 , an optical system  200  includes an LED assembly  210  that is coupled to a light pipe  220 . It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the type and size of the LED assembly  210  may vary with the particular optical system to be used in a given application. The LED assembly  210  is shown with a heat sink plate  230  that conducts heat from an LED die  310  (see  FIG. 3 ). 
         [0027]    While the LED die  310  is generally depicted in the several figures of the drawing as a single element, the LED die  310  may be formed from multiple dies. When multiple dies are used to form the LED die  310 , the multiple dies may be bonded together. 
         [0028]    Light pipe  220  may be implemented at least in part as a tube lined with a reflective material, an optical fiber, a hollow light guide, a fluorescence based system, and/or another device suitable for transporting light. The light pipe  220  may be coupled to the LED die  310 , which may in turn be coupled to the heat sink plate  230 . The light pipe  220  may be optically coupled to the emitting surface of the LED die  310 . When the light pipe  220  and the emitting surface of the LED die  310  are optically coupled with either a gel or an adhesive, reflection losses from the body of the LED die  310  are reduced, as are the reflection losses at the mating surface of the light pipe  220  and the LED die  310 . If reflection losses are not deemed critical, the LED assembly  210  may be constructed so that there is a narrow air gap between the LED die  310  and a first end of the light pipe  220 . 
         [0029]    A second end of the light pipe  220  may be optically coupled to an optic element  240 . The optic element  240  may be cylindrical in cross section. The optical coupling of the light pipe  220  with the LED die  310  and the optic element  240  reduces light losses at the ends of the light pipe  220 . 
         [0030]    Light traveling within the light pipe  220  may travel within a range from approximately +42 degrees to approximately −42 degrees relative to the centerline of the light pipe  220 . The actual angle of the light travel will depend on the index of refraction of the light pipe  220  and the specific output of the LED die  310 . 
         [0031]    The light pipe  220  conducts light to the optic element  240 . The optic element  240  may be cylindrical in cross section, but other shapes may also be utilized. The optic element  240  may or may not have the same index of refraction as the light pipe  220 . The optic element  240  may have a much greater index of refraction than the index of refraction of air, which is very close to 1. The index of refraction for acrylic is approximately 1.49 and for polycarbonate it is approximately 1.58. Some plastics have a higher refractive index, and glass materials may have much higher indexes of refraction. The higher the index of refraction of the material used to form the optic element  240 , the narrower the cone angle of the light relative to a light pipe centerline  410  (see  FIG. 4 ). For an optic element formed from a polycarbonate, the cone angle would be approximately ±39 degrees. 
         [0032]    Referring now to  FIG. 4 , light from the LED assembly  210  that is directed along the light pipe centerline  410  will continue in that same direction when the light enters the optic element  240 . Within the optic element  240 , the light will eventually intersect an internal reflective surface  250 . For a collimated beam the reflective surface  250  would be parabolic. 
         [0033]    The shape of the internal reflective surface  250  may be varied according to the desired characteristics of the output beam. The output beam may be collimated, but different types of output beams may be desired. The reflective surface  250  may be ellipsoidal or aspheric to provide different effects for the output beam. 
         [0034]    The reflective surface  250  creates an internal reflection effect in the optic element  240 . Reflective surface  250  may be formed by coating the surface of the optic element  240  with a high reflectance material. The high reflectance material may be, for example, silver, aluminum, or a high performance interference coating. The selection of the specific material for the coating appropriate to the application is an engineering decision that takes into account the requirements of a particular application and the budget constraints of the project. 
         [0035]    The intersection of the light pipe centerline  410  with the reflective surface  250  may be near the midpoint of the reflective surface  250 . Constructing the system  200  so that the centerline  410  is near the midpoint of reflective surface  250  maximizes the amount of light that impinges on the reflective surface  250 . 
         [0036]    It may be noted that if the optic element used in the system is not formed from a high refractive index material, the cone angle of the light exiting the light pipe would be in the range ±90 degrees. The large cone angle would be a result of light being refracted at an output surface of the light pipe. A large cone angle would also result if the light pipe was made of acrylic and the non-high refractive index optic element was a hollow element filled with air. 
         [0037]    The geometry of the optical system  200  may be such that the light enters the optic element  240  near where light exits the optic element  240 . By locating the inlet near the outlet, the angle between an output centerline  430  and the light pipe centerline  410  may be minimal. The smaller the angle between the two centerlines  410 ,  430 , the less difference there is between the length of a positive internal ray  440 , a ray with a positive angle from the light pipe centerline  410 , and the length of a negative internal ray  450 , a ray with a negative angle from the light pipe centerline  410 . 
         [0038]    The length and geometry of the rays  440 ,  450  determine the output beam cone angle by their geometry. Reducing the angle between the light pipe centerline  410  and the output centerline  430  may reduce the size of the system  200 . The greater the angle between the light pipe centerline  410  and the output centerline  430 , the larger the system  200  may be to achieve the same output beam cone angle. 
         [0039]    In the system depicted in  FIG. 4 , the optical lengths may vary from nominal approximately ±30%. If the angle between the two centerlines  410 ,  430  were much greater, for example 60 degrees, the differences in the nominal lengths would be closer to approximately ±60%. To maintain the same output beam cone angle the reflector would need to be much larger in overall size. In summary, the higher the index of refraction of the optic element  240 , the more compact the system  200  may be. Further, the smaller the angle between the centerlines  410 ,  430 , the more compact the system  200  may be. 
         [0040]    Those skilled in the art will note that the light exiting the high refractive index optic element  240  at the output surface  420  may be refracted so that the light past the output surface  420  may have a greater cone angle than light within the optic element  240 . 
         [0041]    The output surface  420  may be flat. The output surface  420  may also have other geometries. The geometry of the output surface  420  may be selected based on the overall system requirements and the lighting effect desired. Other optic elements may be added to the system  200  downstream of the output surface  420 . 
         [0042]    If desired for a given installation, the light pipe  220  may be eliminated from the optical system  200 . In this case, the LED assembly  210  may be directly optically coupled to the optic element  240 . The optical performance of the system  200  may be maintained by reducing the size of the heat sink plate  230 , or reconfiguring the heat sink plate  230 . If the light pipe  230  is used, the length of the light pipe  220  is dependent on the size of the LED assembly  210  and its heat sink plate  230 . 
         [0043]      FIG. 5  illustrates a side view of another exemplary optical system  500 . In optical system  500 , the LED die  510  is located within an output light path. In this configuration, the centerlines of the input light path and the output light path are coincident, and the angle between them is zero. This configuration therefore may yield a system  500  of minimal size. Electricity and heat must be conducted to and from the LED  510 . If the conducting components are large, they can absorb a significant amount of light. Therefore, high power systems might generally not be configured with LEDs in the output path. 
         [0044]      FIG. 6  illustrates an isometric view of an exemplary array  600  of optical systems  200 . The array  600  may be used for systems in which a large amount of light is required, such as a high powered searchlight. By using an array of optical systems  200 , heat dissipation may be made simpler. By utilizing an array of smaller optical modules as opposed to a single large LED, the heat generated is spread over a larger area and is therefore easier to dissipate. The depth of an array  600  of optical systems  200  may be less than that required for an equivalent system using a single large LED or optic element. It will be recognized by those skilled in the art that the array  600  may be implemented in any of the configurations described herein. 
         [0045]    The above disclosure is not intended as limiting. Those skilled in the art will readily observe that numerous modifications and alterations of the device may be made while retaining the teachings of the invention. Accordingly, the above disclosure should be construed as limited only by the restrictions of the appended claims.