Patent Abstract:
A device with a housing with a compartment formed with a first channel abutting one side of said compartment and a second channel, disposed opposite said first channel and abutting said compartment. A first light control is disposed in the first channel and has a portion extending from the first channel over the compartment and a second light control with a portion extending from said second channel over said compartment. A light source is disposed in the compartment and shines light through said first and second light control. The light source may be either a light emitting diode or a fluorescent lamp. The second light control may include a pattern disposed on said second light control which operates to disperse the light.

Full Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims the benefit of co-pending provisional patent application 61/813,289 filed Apr. 18, 2013 entitled “A System To Disperse Luminance” by the same inventor which is incorporated by reference as if fully set forth herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    The present invention relates generally to a luminaire and with more particularly to a modular lighting system, comprising a plurality of lighting system components, which can be designed in a variety of different ways. With even more particularity, the invention appertains to a system to distribute light. 
         [0003]    Lighting fixtures are one of the basic lighting devices used in homes, offices and a variety of industrial settings. A typical lighting fixture may be mounted on a wall, at a position above a desk, in a corridor, a door entrance, or a garage door such that the lighting fixture can illuminate the area. There are many factors that control the market for luminaires and lighting systems. A few important factors are the ability to create a well-lit hospitable environment, cost efficiency such as operating cost and other associated costs, code compliance, and more particularly the distribution of light and shadows. Traditional luminaires create shadows, specifically hard shadows. Hard shadows are crisply defined and have sharp edges, which can produce a harsh or inhospitable environment. Theses shadows have an umbra, a completely dark shadow cast by an object. Hard shadows lack a penumbra, which is a partial shadow between the complete shadow and complete luminance, where part of the light source is visible. Hard shadows have a sharp transition between complete luminance and umbra, which creates distinct lines. This issue is magnified when luminance is needed for highlighting an article or specific area, such as a display on a table. In this instance, the hard shadows may cast lines onto the article thus masking features, changing the appearance of the article and altering the intended viewed composition. Additionally lighting designers have the task of positioning luminaires to distribute the light to a specific location. To make the environment&#39;s luminance more comfortable and make articles in the surrounding area look more natural, a reduction of bold shadows and control of luminance placement is needed. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    Disclosed herein is a device comprising: a housing with a compartment formed with a first channel abutting one side of said compartment and a second channel, disposed opposite said first channel and abutting said compartment. A first light control is disposed in the first channel and has a portion extending from the first channel over the compartment and a second light control with a portion extending from said second channel over said compartment. A light source is disposed in the compartment and shines light through said first and second light control. The light source may be either a light emitting diode or a fluorescent lamp. The second light control may include a pattern disposed on said second light control which operates to disperse the light. 
         [0005]    The construction and method of operation of the invention, however, together with additional objectives and advantages thereof will be best understood from the following description of specific embodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0006]      FIG. 1  depicts certain aspects in an exploded view of one embodiment of a system to distribute luminance. 
           [0007]      FIG. 2A  and  FIG. 2B  show two alternate embodiments of a system to distribute luminance without secondary light controls. 
           [0008]      FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a system to distribute luminance according to aspects of the current disclosure. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0009]    Specific examples of components and arrangements are described below to simplify the present disclosure. These are, of course, merely examples and are not intended to be limiting. In addition, the present disclosure may repeat reference numerals and/or letters in the various examples. This repetition is for the purpose of simplicity and clarity and does not in itself dictate a relationship between the various embodiments and/or configurations discussed. 
         [0010]    Read this application with the following terms and phrases in their most general form. The general meaning of each of these terms or phrases is illustrative, not in any way limiting. 
         [0011]    Lexicography 
         [0012]    The term light source generally includes conventional light sources such as incandescent bulbs, fluorescent lamps, light emitting diodes (LEDs), halogen lamps and the like. 
         [0013]    The term “luminaire” generally refers to a lighting unit consisting of a light source such as a lamp or light emitting diode (LED) together with the parts designed to distribute the light, to position and protect the light sources, and to connect the light sources to a power supply. In some instances a luminaire may not include a light source, but may be operable to 
         [0014]    The term “luminance” generally refers to the brightness of a light source or an object that has been illuminated by a source. 
         [0015]    The term “translucent” generally refers to permitting light to pass through an object while diffusing the light. 
         [0016]    Detailed Description 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  depicts certain aspects in an exploded view of one embodiment of a system to distribute luminance  100 . The system to distribute luminance  100  has a housing  110 . The housing  110  is formed having a pair of channels  112  running along the walls of the housing  110 . In between the channels  112  is a compartment for housing lighting components, such as a lamp or LED (not shown). The inventor contemplates using extruded plastic or metal to form the housing  110 . However, one skilled in the art would recognize the use of other suitable materials that can provide the material strength required for supporting a luminaire. This embodiment of a system to distribute luminance  100  allows for use of a single extruded housing  110 , in place of multiple extrusions. 
         [0018]    Primary Light Control 
         [0019]    The housing  110  is coupled to a primary light control  114 . The primary light control  114  is formed having a complimentary shape to that of the channels  112  to effectuate coupling of the primary lighting control  114  to the housing  110 . Adjoining the complimentary shape of the primary lighting control  114  is an overhang. The overhang, when coupled to the housing  110 , covers a portion of the housing&#39;s  110  compartment. As such, the primary lighting control  114  acts to shield light emitted from a light source. Depending on the type of shielding necessary, the primary lighting control  114  can be modified. One possible embodiment of a modification is shown as  116 . The primary lighting control  116  couples to the housing  110  via the channels  112 , in the same manner that the primary lighting control  114  would be coupled. 
         [0020]    Certain embodiments include a light source (not shown) placed on the housing  110  such that the light source is placed between the channels. The light source may be one of more LEDs mounted on a circuit board or a lamp affixed to the housing  110 . The primary light control is shaped to have part of the light control extending over the space where the light source is positioned. In some embodiments the light control may extend all the way over a light source. As shown in  FIG. 1  the lighting controls  114  and  116  may be asymmetrical having the effect that light will be directed out of the compartment at differing angles in response to the shape of the lighting controls  114  and  116 . Moreover a lighting designer may employ different shapes to create a desired lighting pattern by modifying the lighting controls  114  and  116 . For example and without limitation, lighting controls may be employed to compensate for bright regions (hot spots) emanating from light sources such as LEDs to create the impression of uniform lighting. 
         [0021]    Secondary Light Control 
         [0022]    A secondary lighting control  118  is also coupled to the housing  110 . The secondary lighting control  118  is formed having a size and shape complimentary to that of the coupling side of the housing  110 . When coupled to the housing  110 , the secondary lighting control  118  provides for bending or diffusing of the light, which affects the pattern of luminance and shadow pattern in the surrounding area. The inventor contemplates using a transparent material but one having skill in the art will appreciate that results of the secondary lighting control  118  may be effectuated using other materials. The secondary lighting control  118  may have a pattern  120 , also used to bend or diffuse the light. 
         [0023]    References in the specification to “one embodiment”, “an embodiment”, “an example embodiment”, etc., indicate that the embodiment described may include a particular feature, structure or characteristic, but every embodiment may not necessarily include the particular feature, structure or characteristic. Moreover, such phrases are not necessarily referring to the same embodiment. Further, when a particular feature, structure or characteristic is described in connection with an embodiment, it is submitted that it is within the knowledge of one of ordinary skill in the art to effect such feature, structure or characteristic in connection with other embodiments whether or not explicitly described. Parts of the description are presented using terminology commonly employed by those of ordinary skill in the art to convey the substance of their work to others of ordinary skill in the art. 
         [0024]      FIG. 2  shows two alternate embodiments of a system to distribute luminance  200  without secondary light controls. The system to distribute luminance  200  is shown in  FIG. 2A  to have a housing  210  coupled to a primary light control  212 . When coupled, the primary light control  212  fits snugly within the channels of the housing  210 . In operation, the primary light control  212  blocks part of the housing&#39;s  212  open compartment. The placement of primary light control  212  shields light emitted from the lamp (not shown). When the light is shielded, an altered path for a beam of light  214  is created.  FIG. 2B  shows a different angle and path of a beam of light  214 . The cut-off angle is changed when the primary light controls  212  are modified. The primary light controls  212  may be formed using a metal or plastic but one having skill in the art will appreciate that other materials may be used to mask light. In some embodiments the primary light control  212  may employ surfaces with different reflectivity to achieve desired lighting affects. 
         [0025]      FIG. 3  illustrates one embodiment of a system to distribute luminance  300  according to aspects of the current disclosure. The system to distribute luminance  300  is shown having a housing  310  coupled to a primary light control  312  and additionally coupled to a secondary light control  314 . The secondary light control  314 , when coupled to the housing  310 , is positioned over the primary light control  312  to further control the dispersion of light from the light source (not shown). The altered path for a beam of light  316  resulting from the secondary light control  314  is shown. The secondary light control  314  may have a pattern to help diffuse the light. The inventor contemplates utilizing silkscreen printing or ink jet printing to apply the pattern. However one having skill in the art will appreciate that other methods to apply patterns may be used to mask light. 
         [0026]    Depicted in  FIG. 3  is one embodiment of a pattern, a soft-shadow pattern. This soft-shadow pattern shown in the figure has a gradient of a highly dense layer of marks to a sparse layer of marks. When placed in front of a lamp, the soft-shadow pattern affects the pattern of luminance and shadow pattern in the surrounding area. As light from the lamp passes through the pattern, the percentage of visible portions of the lamp and the light distributed as it shines through the sparse layer of marks is larger than when passing through the highly dense layer of marks, which allows no light to pass. The soft-shadow pattern diffuses the light from the lamp. The intensity of the light passing through the soft-shadow pattern smoothly varies from no shadow to a complete shadow. This shadow pattern created from the soft-shadow pattern generates regions of umbra and penumbra. As suggested above, the penumbra of the shadow allows for more visible luminance than the umbra of the shadow. This type of light pattern is diffuse and creates no visible hard lines. Thus employing the soft-shadow pattern in a luminaire casts a soft shadow. This type of luminance is optimal to eliminate lines and edges caused from light and shadows and alleviate glare issues. The soft-shadow pattern may be translucent, have different colors, or have a regular or randomized pattern, and is not limited to the features show in the figure. 
         [0027]    In operation the embodiments shown and described herein act to direct light from any light sources attached to a housing through the first and second light control to create a desired lighting effect. In some embodiments multiple LED light sources may be employed. Light controls may be constructed using the elements described herein to provide more uniformity to the radiated light pattern or to direct tha light pattern to a certain area or direction. Diffusion patterns may be printed on the second light control to give the appearance of a uniform light source. Moreover, lamps often have hot-spots of intense lighting which may be mitigated using one of more of the light controls described herein. 
         [0028]    The above illustration provides many different embodiments or embodiments for implementing different features of the invention. Specific embodiments of components and processes are described to help clarify the invention. These are, of course, merely embodiments and are not intended to limit the invention from that described in the claims. 
         [0029]    Although the invention is illustrated and described herein as embodied in one or more specific examples, it is nevertheless not intended to be limited to the details shown, since various modifications and structural changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and within the scope and range of equivalents of the claims. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention, as set forth in the following claims.

Technology Classification (CPC): 5