Patent Publication Number: US-2012033400-A1

Title: Dimmable high intensity LEDs luminaire with emergency ballast for parking areas

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to high intensity fixed or dimmable self ranging LEDs electronic luminaires for covered car parks or closed areas such as corridors or building ramps, with regulated electricity supply and hermetic shell having a dustproof and weatherproof seal element, wherein the following elements are accommodated: electrical harness, heat dissipating elements, a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs), electricity supply source, emergency batteries, emergency ballasts and dimming sensors; and a cover of illumination diffusion screen with low electricity consumption, long life and minimum maintenance. 
     2. Prior Art 
     The manufacture of some types of luminaires based on light emitting diodes or LEDs such as the ones taught in our Mexican Patent Application MX/a/2008/007268 has been growing. In said document, an electronic luminaire type based on a plurality of LEDs operating with alternating current and supplying regulated direct current with a plastic base or shell having heat dissipating elements placed on multiple bars or individual elements per LED is described. The said electronic luminaire is useful for indoor illumination patterns such as offices or closed spaces. 
     In European patent EP 1906 081 A1, a fixed luminous flux LED is described that comprises a shell forming a substantially airtight and watertight chamber, having electronic LED conductors within said chamber and a LEDs arrangement secured onto the shell and weather protected, said LEDs arrangement having at least one LEDs ordered module mounted on a LEDs heat dissipating element. In one preferred mode, the shell is a perimeter structure such that the watertight chamber substantially surrounds the LEDs arrangement. Said invention is also considered for use in offices or small spaces and its main feature is the design of its shell to accommodate the parts constituting the luminaire. 
     In US Patent Application Publication 2008/0078224 A1, a modular LEDs unit is described that is separately mounted on interconnected and preferably extruded heat dissipating elements, each heat dissipating element having preferably a shape appropriate to engage and hold a LEDs module in its place, and a plurality of fins appropriately distributed to facilitate the integration of the elements of the unit. 
     Another object of the instant invention is the design of the shell. 
     OBJECT OF THE INVENTION 
     One object of the instant invention is to develop a nearly flat semi-concave electronic LEDs-based luminaire, that can supply an illumination with higher homogeneous diffusion permitting the reduction of the effect known as cave effect, i.e., the reduction of the shade projected onto the walls and roof in the upper part of the illuminated area. 
     Another objective of the invention is to permit a more homogeneous diffusion of the illumination according to the delimited area of observation wherein the relation between maximum/minimum illumination  s  1 or about 1. 
    
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       Hereinafter, the invention will be described according to the drawings of  FIGS. 1 to 13 , wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top plan perspective view of the LEDs luminaire. 
         FIG. 2  is a bottom plan perspective view of the LEDs luminaire of  FIG. 1 . 
         FIG. 3  is a top plan exploded perspective view of the parts integrating the luminaire of  FIGS. 1 and 2 . 
         FIG. 4  is a bottom plan perspective view of the luminaire of  FIG. 3 . 
         FIG. 5  is a front end view a), bottom plan b), top plan c) and side end d) of the luminaire; 
         FIG. 6   a  is a perspective view of the plate frame; 
         FIG. 6   b  is a perspective view of LEDs card; 
         FIG. 6   c  is a perspective view of the adhesive thermal tape; 
         FIG. 6   d  is a top plan view of the upper part of the card; 
         FIG. 6   e  is a bottom plan view of a LEDs module and heat dissipating elements; 
         FIG. 7  is a front view of one of the short ends of the luminaire; 
         FIG. 8  is an electric circuit view of the luminaire; 
         FIG. 9  is a circuit diagram with a movement sensor; 
         FIG. 10  is an operation graph with 3-level progressive turning off and 10% minimum permissible level; 
         FIG. 11  is a block diagram of configuration breakers; 
         FIG. 12  is a typical curve diagram of progressive turning off; 
         FIG. 13  is a soft transition curve diagram. 
     
    
    
     The instant invention relates to LEDs electronic luminaire  10 ,  FIGS. 1 and 2 , for illuminating industrial or commercial closed areas, toll or surveillance booths and preferably, car parks or ramps and corridors of buildings or intelligent buildings, the main design characteristic of which being that it can be used with fixed or dimmable outputs, with self-regulated supply voltage. 
     According to  FIG. 3 , the luminaire  10 ,  FIG. 2 , comprises the following parts: a rigid plastic structure for self-supporting  11 , the rectangular or other shaped luminaire elements having a central inverted “U” shaped passage  12  throughout its length, with inner (not visible) strengthening rims, and projecting longitudinally to form a semi-concave fin type perimeter structure at each end  13 , wherein it disposes of a plurality of enhanced flat bases  14   FIG. 4  integrated throughout the area available of said side ends (fins) to receive modules  15 ,  FIGS. 4 and 6 , showing a plurality of LEDs on the outer part and heat dissipating elements on the inner part,  16   FIG. 3 , being said heat dissipating elements made of aluminum, zinc or mixtures thereof, the module  15  being secured by the simple PCB card or MCPCB  17  of the LEDs, comprising two, three, four or more LEDs  18 ,  FIG. 6 , depending on the capacity of the electricity supply source and the thermal dissipation capacity of the LEDs dissipating elements. In the “U” shaped passage  12 , the following electrical elements are accommodated: an energy source  19  with fixed or dimmable output; a set of emergency batteries  20  and an emergency ballast  21  containing an electricity source with voltage control regulator; battery charge controller, electricity sensing stage with converter between alternating current AC and battery; an electrical harness  22   FIG. 8 , for normal or emergency illumination interconnections, electricity supply and control element placed on the inner walls of the passage  12 , and a cover  23   FIG. 4 . As shell complement, the luminaire  10  includes a transparent or opaque plastic screen element  24  hermetically closing the shell  11  through a mechanical seal  25 . 
     Emergency System: 
     In the outer upper part of the passage  12 , the luminaire comprises a breaker (external button to test the working or non working of the emergency system)  26 ,  FIGS. 3 and 7 , connected to the emergency harness cables (not shown), a fuse and a LED indicator; it also comprises elements connecting to the general lines of electric supply as well as securing fittings  27  for placement, and compression glands  28 ,  FIG. 5 . 
     Functioning 
     Remote Turning on of the Luminaire 
     The simple turning on of the luminaire is with fixed or dimmable output while the supply voltage is self-regulated. According to the circuit diagram comprising a movement sensor,  FIG. 9 , the luminaire  10  would turn itself on at a 100% upon the activation of any of its two control inputs habilitating autonomous operation with known movement sensors or in combination with a control board having a movement sensor, with progressive turning off operation,  FIG. 10 , (3 levels and 10% minimum permissible level). The inverse turning on procedure is also possible moving one of the dip-breakers to one position or the other. 
     The luminaire will turn itself off progressively and automatically upon deactivating both inputs Sens  1  and Sens  2 ,  FIG. 9 . 
     The control lines are independent among them and from the AC supply bus. Moreover, they are electrically insulated (opto coupled), permitting the connection of several lamps to one single commercial movement sensor or control relay output,  FIG. 9  (circuit with movement sensor). 
     Remote Turning on/Turning Off 
     The luminaire can be configured to use the control input Sens  1  to activate 100% turning on, and the input Sens  2  to activate the turning off. 
     Progressive Turning Off, FIG. 10 
     During a one-hour period, the luminaire will progressively reduce its intensity until it reaches the minimum permissible level. 
     There are four progressive turning off schemes; each scheme comprising various intermediate levels of luminous intensity before reaching the minimum permissible level. 
     If an entrance signal is triggered before the progressive turning off time has elapsed, the luminaire returns to 100% of its capacity and the waiting cycle starts again.  FIG. 10  shows an operation graph with a 3-level progressive turning off and 10% minimum permissible level. 
     For the turning off levels, configuration breakers,  FIG. 11 , are available, wherein the first breaker Ctrl selects the operation mode of the two insulated sensor interfaces, the second one selects the minimum permissible intensity value, from 0% to 10%, and the third one selects the number of progressive turning off levels. 
       FIG. 12  shows a typical turning off curve wherein the transitions between intensity levels show a 5%/250 ms slope. 
     The progressive turning off time will always be the same: 1 hour, independently of the number of intermediate levels selected. 
     Soft Transitions 
     Transitions between different luminous intensity levels are soft for a better visual comfort according to  FIG. 13 . The emergency ballast is designed comprising four versions:
         a) self-ranging ballast with 60 watts luminaire and multivoltage ballast;   b) self-ranging dimmable and multivoltage ballast with 60 watts luminaire, three-level progressive breaker with sensors;   c) emergency ballast and 90 minutes backup battery with 62 watts luminaire, multivoltage and recharging regulation system and;   d) dimmable emergency ballast and Ni, Cd backup battery with 62 watts luminaire.       

     The regulated electricity supply source in its four versions shows the following features: 
     Power in watts a) 62.7 b) 62.9 c) 64.8 d) 64.9
 
Supply voltage in Volts AC multivoltage 108-305 Vac input current;
 
Input current: Amp@ 277 Vac a) 0.226 b) 0.227 c) 0.234 d) 0.234.
 
Power Factor a) 98.2 at 272 Vac b) greater than 90% c) greater than 95% d) greater than 95%.
 
Current harmonic distortion (THD) a) 9.89 at 277 Vac b) under 20% c) under 15% d) under 15%.
 
     Materials: 
     Aluminum casting heat dissipating elements shell; and ABS illumination diffusion screen flame retardant automotive grade (5VA), high impact and UV protection protecting screen made of high impact and flame retardant polycarbonate (5VA). 
     Although preferred embodiments have been described and depicted in detail herein, it will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that various modifications, additions, substitutions and the like can be made without departing from the spirit of the invention and that these are therefore considered to be within the scope of the invention as defined in the following claims and drawings.