Source: http://www.google.ca/patents/US8038317
Timestamp: 2017-07-26 12:51:58
Document Index: 730675444

Matched Legal Cases: ['Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 61', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60', 'Application No. 60']

Patent US8038317 - Lighting device and lighting method - Google PatentsSearch Images Maps Play YouTube News Gmail Drive More »Sign inPatentsA lighting device comprising one or more solid state light emitters which emit ultraviolet light, one or more other emitters which emit light in the range of 430 nm to 480 nm and one or more other emitters which emit light in the range of 555 nm to 585 nm, to make a mixture which in the absence of any...http://www.google.ca/patents/US8038317?utm_source=gb-gplus-sharePatent US8038317 - Lighting device and lighting methodAdvanced Patent SearchTry the new Google Patents, with machine-classified Google Scholar results, and Japanese and South Korean patents.Publication numberUS8038317 B2Publication typeGrantApplication numberUS 12/117,122Publication date18 Oct 2011Filing date8 May 2008Priority date8 May 2007Fee statusPaidAlso published asCN101688644A, CN101688644B, EP2156090A1, EP2156090B1, US20080304260, WO2008137974A1Publication number117122, 12117122, US 8038317 B2, US 8038317B2, US-B2-8038317, US8038317 B2, US8038317B2InventorsAntony Paul Van de Ven, Gerald H. NegleyOriginal AssigneeCree, Inc.Export CitationBiBTeX, EndNote, RefManPatent Citations (231), Non-Patent Citations (78), Referenced by (17), Classifications (13), Legal Events (4) External Links: USPTO, USPTO Assignment, EspacenetLighting device and lighting method
US 8038317 B2Abstract
A lighting device comprising one or more solid state light emitters which emit ultraviolet light, one or more other emitters which emit light in the range of 430 nm to 480 nm and one or more other emitters which emit light in the range of 555 nm to 585 nm, to make a mixture which in the absence of any other light would be within an area defined by coordinates (0.32, 0.40), (0.36, 0.48), (0.43, 0.45), (0.42, 0.42), and (0.36, 0.38). One or more of the other emitters is a lumiphor. One or more of the other emitters can be a solid state light emitter. The lighting device may further comprise one or more 600 nm to 630 nm light emitters, and the lighting device may emit light within ten MacAdam ellipses of the blackbody locus. Also, packaged solid state light emitters and methods of lighting.
each of said first group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range;
each of said first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm;
each of said second group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm;
if each of said first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
6. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of said second group of lumiphors.
7. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of said first group of lumiphors, and at least one of said second group of lumiphors.
8. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device further comprises at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
9. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein if each of said first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
10. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
11. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of said first group of lumiphors, and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
12. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of said second group of lumiphors, and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
13. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of said first group of lumiphors, at least one of said second group of lumiphors, and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
14. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first packaged solid state light emitter, a second packaged solid state light emitter and a third packaged solid state light emitter,
said second packaged solid state light emitter comprising a second of said first group of solid state light emitters and a first of said second group of lumiphors;
said third packaged solid state light emitter comprising a third of said first group of solid state light emitters and a first of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
15. A lighting device as recited in claim 8, wherein said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm is at least one solid state light emitter.
16. A lighting device as recited in claim 15, wherein at least one of said light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm is at least one comprises a light emitting diode.
17. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device further comprises at least one lumiphor which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
18. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first packaged solid state light emitter and a second packaged solid state light emitter,
said second packaged solid state light emitter comprising a second of said first group of solid state light emitters and a first of said second group of lumiphors.
19. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device further comprises an encapsulant and is in the form of a packaged solid state light emitter.
20. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein said lighting device is in the form of a packaged solid state light emitter.
21. A lighting device as recited in claim 20, wherein said first group of lumiphors consists of a single first group lumiphor and said second group of lumiphors consists of a single second group lumiphor.
22. A lighting device as recited in claim 20, wherein said first group of lumiphors and said second group of lumiphors together consist of a single first group-second group lumiphor.
23. A lighting device as recited in claim 20, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first mixed lumiphor, said first mixed lumiphor comprising at least one of said first group of lumiphors and at least one of said second group of lumiphors.
24. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein:
if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45m, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
25. A lighting device as recited in claim 24, wherein:
said lighting device further comprises a third group of lumiphors,
said third group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm; and
if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said third group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
26. A lighting device as recited in claim 24, wherein:
said lighting device further comprises a second group of solid state light emitters,
said second group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm, and
if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
27. A lighting device as recited in claim 24, wherein if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of all light emitted from said lighting device from solid state light emitters and lumiphors which emit light having a dominant wavelength which is outside the range of between 600 nm and 700 nm would have x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
28. A lighting device comprising:
if each of said first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated and each of said second group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
29. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein said first group of solid state light emitters consists of a single solid state light emitter.
30. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein said first group of solid state light emitters comprises a plurality of solid state light emitters.
31. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
32. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein at least one of said second group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
33. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of said first group of lumiphors.
34. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said second group of solid state light emitters and at least one of said first group of lumiphors.
35. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein said lighting device further comprises at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
36. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein if each of said first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, and each of said second group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
37. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of said first group of lumiphors and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
38. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
39. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said second group of solid state light emitters and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
40. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein said lighting device comprises at least a first package, said first package comprising at least one of said second group of solid state light emitters, at least one of said first group of lumiphors and at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
41. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm is at least one solid state light emitter.
42. A lighting device as recited in claim 41, wherein at least one of said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm is a light emitting diode.
43. A lighting device as recited in claim 35, wherein said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm is at least one lumiphor.
44. A lighting device as recited in claim 28, wherein:
if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
45. A lighting device as recited in claim 44, wherein:
said lighting device further comprises at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm, and
if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
46. A lighting device as recited in claim 44, wherein:
if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said at least one light emitter which emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
47. A lighting device as recited in claim 44, wherein if energy is supplied to said first power line, a mixture of all light emitted from said lighting device from solid state light emitters and lumiphors which emit light having a dominant wavelength which is outside the range of between 600 nm and 700 nm would have x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
48. A lighting device as recited in claim 1, wherein if each of said first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, said mixture would have a CRI Ra of at least 85.
49. A method of lighting, comprising:
illuminating a first group of solid state light emitters, such that each of said first group of solid state light emitters emits light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range;
exciting a first group of lumiphors, such that each of said first group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; and
exciting a second group of lumiphors, such that each of said second group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm;
a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
50. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
51. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein light emitted from said first group of solid state light emitters excites said first group of lumiphors.
52. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein light emitted from said first group of solid state light emitters excites said second group of lumiphors.
53. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein light emitted from said first group of solid state light emitters excites said first group of lumiphors and said second group of lumiphors.
54. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein said method further comprises exciting a third group of lumiphors, such that each of said third group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
55. A method as recited in claim 54, wherein a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said third group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
56. A method as recited in claim 49, wherein said method further comprises illuminating a second group of solid state light emitters, such that each of said second group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
57. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
58. A method as recited in claim 56, wherein at least one of said second group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
59. A method of lighting, comprising:
illuminating a second group of solid state light emitters, such that each of said second group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; and
exciting a first group of lumiphors, such that each of said first group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm;
a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, said first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, said second line segment connecting said second point to a third point, said third line segment connecting said third point to a fourth point, said fourth line segment connecting said fourth point to a fifth point, and said fifth line segment connecting said fifth point to said first point, said first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, said second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, said third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, said fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and said fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
60. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein at least one of said first group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
61. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein at least one of said second group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
62. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein light emitted from said first group of solid state light emitters excites said first group of lumiphors.
63. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein light emitted from said second group of solid state light emitters excites said first group of lumiphors.
64. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein light emitted from said first group of solid state light emitters excites at least some of said first group of lumiphors, and light emitted from said second group of solid state light emitters excites at least some of said second group of lumiphors.
65. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein said method further comprises exciting a second group of lumiphors, such that each of said second group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
66. A method as recited in claim 65, wherein a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
67. A method as recited in claim 59, wherein said method further comprises illuminating a third group of solid state light emitters, such that each of said third group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
68. A method as recited in claim 67, wherein a mixture of (1) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said second group of solid state light emitters, and (3) light emitted from said lighting device which was emitted by said third group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
69. A method as recited in claim 67, wherein at least one of said third group of solid state light emitters comprises a light emitting diode.
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/916,596, filed May 8, 2007, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
A large proportion (some estimates are as high as twenty-five percent) of the electricity generated in the United States each year goes to lighting. Accordingly, there is an ongoing need to provide lighting which is more energy-efficient. It is well-known that incandescent light bulbs are very energy-inefficient light sources—about ninety percent of the electricity they consume is released as heat rather than light. Fluorescent light bulbs are more efficient than incandescent light bulbs (by a factor of about ten) but are still less efficient than solid state light emitters, such as light emitting diodes.
Because light that is perceived as white is necessarily a blend of light of two or more colors (or wavelengths), no single light emitting diode junction has been developed that can produce white light efficiently. “White” light emitting diode lamps have been produced which have a light emitting diode pixel/cluster formed of respective red, green and blue light emitting diodes. Other “white” light emitting diode lamps have been produced which include (1) a light emitting diode which generates blue light and (2) a luminescent material (e.g., a phosphor) that emits yellow light in response to excitation by light emitted by the light emitting diode, whereby the blue light and the yellow light, when mixed, produce light that is perceived as white light.
As noted above, “white LED lamps” (i.e., lamps which are perceived as being white or near-white) have been investigated as potential replacements for white incandescent lamps. A representative example of a white LED lamp includes a package of a blue light emitting diode chip, made of indium gallium nitride (InGaN) or gallium nitride (GaN), coated with a phosphor such as YAG. In such an LED lamp, the blue light emitting diode chip produces a blue emission and the phosphor produces yellow fluorescence on receiving that emission. For instance, in some designs, white light emitting diode lamps are fabricated by forming a ceramic phosphor layer on the output surface of a blue light-emitting semiconductor light emitting diode. Part of the blue ray emitted from the light emitting diode chip passes through the phosphor, while part of the blue ray emitted from the light emitting diode chip is absorbed by the phosphor, which becomes excited and emits a yellow ray. The part of the blue light emitted by the light emitting diode which is transmitted through the phosphor is mixed with the yellow light emitted by the phosphor. The viewer perceives the mixture of blue and yellow light as white light. Another type uses a blue or violet light emitting diode chip which is combined with phosphor materials that produce red or orange and green or yellowish-green light rays. In such a lamp, part of the blue or violet light emitted by the light emitting diode chip excites the phosphors, causing the phosphors to emit red or orange and yellow or green light rays. These rays, combined with the blue or violet rays, can produce the perception of white light.
There exist “white” LED light sources which are relatively efficient but which have poor color rendering, typically having CRI Ra values of less than 75, and which are particularity deficient in the rendering of red colors and also to a significant extent deficient in green. This means that many things, including the typical human complexion, food items, labeling, painting, posters, signs, apparel, home decoration, plants, flowers, automobiles, etc. exhibit odd or wrong color as compared to being illuminated with an incandescent light or natural daylight. Typically, such white LED lamps have a color temperature of approximately 5000 K, which is generally not visually comfortable for general illumination, which may, however, be desirable for the illumination of commercial produce or advertising and printed materials.
Some so-called “warm white” LED lamps have a more acceptable color temperature (typically 2700 to 3500 K) for indoor use, and in some special cases, good CRI Ra (in the case of a yellow and red phosphor mix, as high as Ra=95), but their efficiency is generally significantly less than that of the standard “cool white” LED lamps.
In accordance with the present inventive subject matter, in an effort to obtain high CRI Ra while obtaining high efficacy, in accordance with the present inventive subject matter, there are provided methods which comprise:
illuminating a first group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the first group of solid state light emitters emits ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; exciting a first group of lumiphors and a second group of lumiphors with the ultraviolet light, such that each of the first group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm, and each of the second group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; wherein:
a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38, and
In addition, in an effort to obtain high CRI Ra while obtaining surprisingly high efficacy, there are provided methods which comprise:
illuminating a first group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the first group of solid state light emitters emits ultraviolet light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; illuminating a second group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the second group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; and exciting a first group of lumiphors with the ultraviolet light, such that each of the first group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; wherein:
a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38, and
The expression “dominant wavelength”, is used herein according to its well-known and accepted meaning to refer to the perceived color of a spectrum, i.e., the single wavelength of light which produces a color sensation most similar to the color sensation perceived from viewing light emitted by the light source (i.e., it is roughly akin to “hue”), as opposed to “peak wavelength”, which is well-known to refer to the spectral line with the greatest power in the spectral power distribution of the light source. Because the human eye does not perceive all wavelengths equally (it perceives yellow and green better than red and blue), and because the light emitted by many solid state light emitter (e.g., LEDs) is actually a range of wavelengths, the color perceived (i.e., the dominant wavelength) is not necessarily equal to (and often differs from) the wavelength with the highest power (peak wavelength). A truly monochromatic light such as a laser has the same dominant and peak wavelengths. Ultraviolet (UV) is by definition non-visible and therefore unable to be defined in terms of a dominant wavelength. UV is defined by bands or peak wavelength or wavelength range. UV is defined as having a wavelength between 100 nm and 400 nm. There is crossover between the wavelengths of some visible colors such as deep purple or violet and UV. This crossover range is from 360 nm to 400 nm. Light in this range can be defined in terms of both dominant or peak wavelength. For clarification, any wavelength used to characterize illumination or excitation by UV light will refer to its peak wavelength.
Accordingly, in a first aspect of the present inventive subject matter, there is provided a lighting device comprising:
each of the first group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; each of the second group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; if each of the first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a third group of lumiphors which, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if each of the first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the third group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a second group of solid state light emitters which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if each of the first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, and each of the second group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In a second aspect of the present inventive subject matter, there is provided a lighting device comprising:
each of the first group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; each of the second group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; if each of the first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated and each of the second group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a second group of lumiphors which, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if each of the first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, and each of the second group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a third group of solid state light emitters which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if each of the first group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, each of the second group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, and each of the third group of solid state light emitters is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the third group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In a third aspect of the present inventive subject matter, there is provided a lighting device comprising:
each of the first group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; each of the second group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; if energy is supplied to the first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a third group of lumiphors which, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if energy is supplied to the first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the third group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a second group of solid state light emitters which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if energy is supplied to the first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In a fourth aspect of the present inventive subject matter, there is provided a lighting device comprising:
each of the first group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; each of the second group of solid state light emitters, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; if energy is supplied to the first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a second group of lumiphors which, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some such embodiments, if energy is supplied to the first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the lighting device further comprises a third group of solid state light emitters which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some such embodiments, if energy is supplied to the first power line, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the third group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In a fifth aspect of the present inventive subject matter, there is provided a packaged solid state light emitter, comprising:
the first solid state light emitter, if illuminated, would emit light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range; each of the first group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; each of the second group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm; if the first solid state light emitter is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the packaged solid state light emitter which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the packaged solid state light emitter which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the packaged solid state light emitter further comprises a third group of lumiphors, and each of the third group of lumiphors, if excited, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, if the first solid state light emitter is illuminated, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the packaged solid state light emitter which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the packaged solid state light emitter which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the packaged solid state light emitter which was emitted by the third group of lumiphors would produce a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
illuminating a first group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the first group of solid state light emitters emits light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range;
exciting a first group of lumiphors, such that each of the first group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; and
exciting a second group of lumiphors, such that each of the second group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm;
a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the first group of solid state light emitters excites the first group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the first group of solid state light emitters excites the second group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the first group of solid state light emitters excites the first group of lumiphors and the second group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the first group of lumiphors excites at least some of the second group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the method further comprises exciting a third group of lumiphors, such that each of the third group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the third group of lumiphors would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the method further comprises illuminating a second group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the second group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, a mixture of light emitted from the lighting device has a CRI Ra of at least 85, in some embodiments at least 90, in some embodiments at least 92, and in some embodiments at least 95.
illuminating a second group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the second group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm; and
exciting a first group of lumiphors, such that each of the first group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm;
a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors and (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a first group-second group mixed illumination having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38. In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the first group of solid state light emitters excites the first group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the second group of solid state light emitters excites at least some of the first group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, light emitted from the first group of solid state light emitters excites some of the first group of lumiphors, and light emitted from the second group of solid state light emitters excites some of the second group of lumiphors.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the method further comprises exciting a second group of lumiphors, such that each of the second group of lumiphors emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of lumiphors, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to this aspect of the present inventive subject matter, the method further comprises illuminating a third group of solid state light emitters, such that each of the third group of solid state light emitters emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm. In some of such embodiments, a mixture of (1) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the first group of lumiphors, (2) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the second group of solid state light emitters, and (3) light emitted from the lighting device which was emitted by the third group of solid state light emitters would, in the absence of any additional light, have a combined illumination having x, y coordinates on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which define a point which is within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments according to the present inventive subject matter, the first group-second group mixed illumination has x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within a first sub-group area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which is enclosed by first, second, third and fourth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, and the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.41, 0.455, and the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48 (or, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.376, 0.487, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.407, 0.470, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.359, 0.384, and the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.326, 0.391, or the first group-second group mixed illumination is within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.373 to about 0.383 and y is in the range of from about 0.441 to about 0.451, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.454 to about 0.464 and y is in the range of from about 0.407 to about 0.417, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.367 to about 0.377 and y is in the range of from about 0.431 to about 0.441, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.443 to about 0.453 and y is in the range of from about 0.402 to about 0.412, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.363 to about 0.373 and y is in the range of from about 0.423 to about 0.433, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.435 to about 0.445 and y is in the range of from about 0.398 to about 0.408, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.352 to about 0.362 and y is in the range of from about 0.403 to about 0.413, or within a sub-area in which x is in the range of from about 0.406 to about 0.416 and y is in the range of from about 0.388 to about 0.398.
Aspects related to the present inventive subject matter can be represented on either the 1931 CIE (Commission International de I'Eclairage) Chromaticity Diagram or the 1976 CIE Chromaticity Diagram. FIG. 1 shows the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram. FIG. 2 shows the 1976 Chromaticity Diagram. FIG. 3 shows a portion of the 1976 Chromaticity Diagram, including the blackbody locus. Persons of skill in the art are familiar with these diagrams, and these diagrams are readily available (e.g., by searching “CIE Chromaticity Diagram” on the internet).
FIG. 7 is a sectional view of the packaged LED 19 a in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 6.
FIG. 9 depicts a fourth embodiment of a lighting device in accordance with the present inventive subject matter.
FIG. 10 depicts a fifth embodiment of a lighting device in accordance with the present inventive subject matter.
FIG. 11 is a sectional view of a portion of the packaged LED 45 in the embodiment depicted in FIG. 10.
FIG. 12 is a schematic electrical diagram of a portion of the circuitry in the device depicted in FIG. 8.
FIG. 13 depicts an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments as described herein.
The expression “430 nm to 480 nm solid state light emitter” means any solid state light emitter which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm.
The expression “600 nm to 630 nm solid state light emitter” means any solid state light emitter which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
The expression “555 nm to 585 nm solid state light emitter” means any solid state light emitter which, if illuminated, would emit light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm.
The term “current”, as used in the expression “if current is supplied to the first power line” means electrical current which is sufficient to cause the solid state light emitter(s) to emit light having a dominant wavelength or peak wavelength in the corresponding range described herein.
A statement herein that one or more solid state light emitters are “electrically connected” to a power line means that current can be supplied to the solid state light emitter(s) by supplying current to the power line.
A statement herein that two components in a device are “switchably electrically connected” means that there is a switch located between the two components, the switch being selectively closed or opened, wherein if the switch is closed, the two components are electrically connected, and if the switch is open (i.e., during any time period that the switch is open), the two components are not electrically connected.
The expression “illumination” (or “illuminated”), as used herein when referring to a solid state light emitter, means that at least some current is being supplied to the solid state light emitter to cause the solid state light emitter to emit at least some electromagnetic radiation with at least a portion of the emitted radiation having a wavelength between 100 nm and 1000 nm. The expression “illuminated” also encompasses situations where the solid state light emitter emits light continuously or intermittently at a rate such that if it is or was visible light, a human eye would perceive it as emitting light continuously, or where a plurality of solid state light emitters of the same color or different colors are emitting light intermittently and/or alternatingly (with or without overlap in “on” times) in such a way that if they were or are visible light, a human eye would perceive them as emitting light continuously (and, in cases where different colors are emitted, as a mixture of those colors).
In any of the lighting devices described herein, where reference is made to a “group” of solid state light emitters (e.g., a “first group of solid state light emitters”), the group can consist of a single solid state light emitter or a plurality of solid state light emitters. Similarly, where reference is made to a “group” of lumiphors (e.g., a “first group of lumiphors”), the group can consist of a single lumiphor or a plurality of lumiphors.
In any of the lighting devices described herein, any combination of the elements included in the lighting device can be packaged together (e.g., as a light emitting diode package). For example, some embodiments of lighting devices according to the first or third aspects of the present inventive subject matter comprise a package which comprises one or more of any of the first group of solid state light emitters, the first group of lumiphors, the second group of lumiphors and the third group of lumiphors (if present), e.g., (1) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of the first group of lumiphors, (2) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of the second group of lumiphors, or (3) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of the first group of lumiphors, and at least one of the second group of lumiphors. Some embodiments according to the first or third aspects of the present inventive subject matter which comprise a third group of lumiphors can comprise a package which comprises (1) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters and at least one of the third group of lumiphors, (2) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of the first group of lumiphors and at least one of the third group of lumiphors, (3) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of the second group of lumiphors and at least one of the third group of lumiphors, or (4) at least one of the first group of solid state light emitters, at least one of the first group of lumiphors, at least one of the second group of lumiphors and at least one of the third group of lumiphors. Similarly, some embodiments of the second or fourth aspects of the present inventive subject matter can comprise a package which comprises one or more of any of the first group of solid state light emitters, the second group of solid state light emitters, the first group of lumiphors and (when present) the second group of lumiphors.
The lumiphors contained in each lighting device according to the present inventive subject matter can be excited by any of the light emitted by any solid state light emitter contained in the device and/or by any of the light emitted by any other lumiphor contained in the device. A wide variety of schemes can readily be envisioned, and all of these schemes are included in the present inventive subject matter. For instance, in a device which includes a single solid state light emitter, a first lumiphor, a second lumiphor and a third lumiphor, the lumiphors can be positioned (e.g., “stacked”) so that some of the light emitted by the solid state light emitter passes through the first and second lumiphors and excites the third lumiphor. Alternatively, all of the light emitted by the solid state light emitter can be absorbed in the first lumiphor or the second lumiphor (thereby exciting the first and second lumiphors, and causing the first and second lumiphors to emit light), or all of the light emitted by the solid state light emitter can be absorbed in the first lumiphor (thereby exciting the first lumiphor and causing the first lumiphor to emit light). Similarly, some or all of the light emitted by the first lumiphor (upon being excited as a result of absorbing some or all of the light emitted by the solid state light emitter) can be absorbed by the second lumiphor or pass through the second lumiphor, and some or all of the light emitted by the first lumiphor which passes through the second lumiphor can be absorbed by the third lumiphor. Likewise, some or all of the light emitted by the second lumiphor (as a result of absorbing light emitted by the solid state light emitter and/or light emitted by the first lumiphor) can be absorbed by the third lumiphor or pass through the third lumiphor. Alternatively, the lumiphors can be arranged such that light emitted by the solid state light emitter first contacts the second lumiphor or the third lumiphor (and then either of the other two lumiphors), or contacts any combination of two of the lumiphors without previously passing through any other of the lumiphors, or contacts each of the lumiphors without previously passing through any other of the lumiphors. Moreover, there can be more than one solid state light emitter, and/or more than one of the first, second and/or third lumiphors arranged in any desired way such that any portion or all of the light emitted from each comes into contact with any desired component, or exits from the lighting device without contacting any other component.
As representative examples, in some embodiments of the first and third aspects of the present inventive subject matter:
the lighting device comprises at least a first packaged solid state light emitter and a second packaged solid state light emitter,
the first packaged solid state light emitter comprises a first of the first group of solid state light emitters and a first of the first group of lumiphors; and
the second packaged solid state light emitter comprises a second of the first group of solid state light emitters and a first of the second group of lumiphors.
As further representative examples, in some embodiments of the first and third aspects of the present inventive subject matter:
the lighting device comprises at least a first packaged solid state light emitter, a second packaged solid state light emitter and a third packaged solid state light emitter,
the first packaged solid state light emitter comprises a first of the first group of solid state light emitters and a first of the first group of lumiphors;
the second packaged solid state light emitter comprises a second of the first group of solid state light emitters and a first of the second group of lumiphors;
the third packaged solid state light emitter comprises a third of the first group of solid state light emitters and a first of the third group of lumiphors.
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/916,608, filed on May 8, 2007, entitled “LIGHTING DEVICE AND LIGHTING METHOD” (inventors: Antony Paul van de Ven and Gerald H. Negley), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference; and
The one or more luminescent materials can be provided in any desired form. For example, the luminescent material(s) can be embedded in a resin (i.e., a polymeric matrix), such as a silicone material, an epoxy, a substantially transparent glass or a metal oxide material.
Some embodiments according to the present inventive subject matter comprise a single lumiphor, while other embodiments comprise more than one lumiphor. Where more than one lumiphor is present, the lumiphors can be separate and/or can be provided in any desired arrangement. For instance, the first group of lumiphors can consist of a single first group lumiphor and the second group of lumiphors can consist of a single second group lumiphor. Alternatively, the first group of lumiphors and the second group of lumiphors can together consist of a single lumiphor (i.e., a “first group-second group lumiphor”). In other embodiments, the lighting device can comprise at least a first mixed lumiphor, the first mixed lumiphor comprising at least one of the first group of lumiphors and at least one of the second group of lumiphors. For example, two or more types of luminescent powders which, upon excitation, emit light within different ranges as specified herein can be mixed together and embedded in a single encapsulant structure and/or occupy different regions within a single encapsulant structure. Similarly, two or more luminescent elements, each of which contains respective luminescent powders which, upon excitation, emit light within different ranges as specified herein, can occupy different regions of a single lumiphor.
In some embodiments according to the present inventive subject matter, one or more of the light emitting diode chips can be included in a package together with one or more of the lumiphors, and the one or more lumiphor in the package can be spaced from the one or more light emitting diode chip in the package to achieve improved light extraction efficiency, as described in U.S. Patent Application No. 60/753,138, filed on Dec. 22, 2005, entitled “LIGHTING DEVICE” (inventor: Gerald H. Negley) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/614,180, filed Dec. 21, 2006 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0236911), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
In some embodiments of the present inventive subject matter, a set of parallel solid state light emitter strings (i.e., two or more strings of solid state light emitters arranged in parallel with each other) is arranged in series with a power line, such that current is supplied through the power line to each of the respective strings of solid state light emitter. The expression “string”, as used herein, means that at least two solid state light emitters are electrically connected in series. In some such embodiments, the relative quantities of solid state light emitters in the respective strings differ from one string to the next, e.g., a first string contains a first percentage of 430 nm to 480 nm solid state light emitters and a second string contains a second percentage (different from the first percentage) of 430 nm to 480 nm solid state light emitters. As a representative example, first and second strings each contain solely (i.e., 100%) 430 nm to 480 nm solid state light emitters, and a third string contains 50% 430 nm to 480 nm solid state light emitters and 50% ultraviolet (and/or 600 nm to 630 nm) solid state light emitters (each of the three strings being electrically connected to a common power line). By doing so, it is possible to easily adjust the relative intensities of the light of the respective wavelengths, and thereby effectively navigate within the CIE Diagram and/or compensate for other changes. For example, the intensity of red light can be increased, when necessary, in order to compensate for any reduction of the intensity of the light generated by 600 nm to 630 nm solid state light emitters.
In some embodiments of the present inventive subject matter, there are further provided one or more current adjusters directly or switchably electrically connected to one or more of respective strings of solid state light emitters, whereby the current adjuster can be adjusted to adjust the current supplied to one or more of the respective strings of solid state light emitters. In some of such embodiments, the current adjuster is automatically adjusted to maintain the mixture of light within forty MacAdam ellipses (or twenty MacAdam ellipses, or ten MacAdam ellipses, or five MacAdam ellipses, or three MacAdam ellipses) of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
In some embodiments of the present inventive subject matter, there are further provided one or more thermistors which detect temperature and, as temperature changes, cause one or more current adjusters and/or one or more switches to automatically interrupt and/or adjust current passing through one or more respective strings in order to compensate for such temperature change. In general, 600 nm to 630 nm light emitting diodes get dimmer as their temperature increases—in such embodiments, fluctuations in intensity caused by such temperature variation can be compensated for.
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/809,959, filed on Jun. 1, 2006, entitled “LIGHTING DEVICE WITH COOLING” (inventors: Thomas G. Coleman, Gerald H. Negley and Antony Paul van de Ven) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/626,483, filed Jan. 24, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0171145), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/809,595, filed on May 31, 2006, entitled “LIGHTING DEVICE AND METHOD OF LIGHTING” (inventor: Gerald H. Negley) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/755,162, filed May 30, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2007/0279440), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/844,325, filed on Sep. 13, 2006, entitled “BOOST/FLYBACK POWER SUPPLY TOPOLOGY WITH LOW SIDE MOSFET CURRENT CONTROL” (inventor: Peter Jay Myers), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/854,744, filed Sep. 13, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0088248), entitled “CIRCUITRY FOR SUPPLYING ELECTRICAL POWER TO LOADS”, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/943,910, filed on Jun. 14, 2007, entitled “DEVICES AND METHODS FOR POWER CONVERSION FOR LIGHTING DEVICES WHICH INCLUDE SOLID STATE LIGHT EMITTERS” (inventor: Peter Jay Myers);
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/990,724, filed on Nov. 28, 2007, entitled “SOLID STATE LIGHTING DEVICES AND METHODS OF MANUFACTURING THE SAME” (inventors: Gerald H. Negley, Antony Paul van de Ven, Kenneth R. Byrd and Peter Jay Myers) and U.S. Patent Application No. 61/041,404, filed on Apr. 1, 2008, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference; and
U.S. Patent Application No. 61/022,886, filed on Jan. 23, 2008, entitled “FREQUENCY CONVERTED DIMMING SIGNAL GENERATION” (inventors: Peter Jay Myers, Michael Harris and Terry Given) and U.S. Patent Application No. 61/039,926, filed Mar. 27, 2008, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/846,222, filed on Sep. 21, 2006, entitled “LIGHTING ASSEMBLIES, METHODS OF INSTALLING SAME, AND METHODS OF REPLACING LIGHTS” (inventors: Antony Paul van de Ven and Gerald H. Negley), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/859,048, filed Sep. 21, 2007, (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0084701), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/859,013, filed on Nov. 14, 2006, entitled “LIGHTING ASSEMBLIES AND COMPONENTS FOR LIGHTING ASSEMBLIES” (inventors: Gary David Trott and Paul Kenneth Pickard) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/939,059, filed Apr. 18, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0112170), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/853,589, filed on Oct. 23, 2006, entitled “LIGHTING DEVICES AND METHODS OF INSTALLING LIGHT ENGINE HOUSINGS AND/OR TRIM ELEMENTS IN LIGHTING DEVICE HOUSINGS” (inventors: Gary David Trott and Paul Kenneth Pickard) and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/877,038, filed Oct. 23, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0106907), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/916,384, filed on May 7, 2007, entitled “LIGHT FIXTURES, LIGHTING DEVICES, AND COMPONENTS FOR THE SAME” (inventors: Paul Kenneth Pickard, Gary David Trott and Ed Adams), and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 11/948,041, filed Nov. 30, 2007 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0137347) (inventors: Gary David Trott, Paul Kenneth Pickard and Ed Adams), the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/916,030, filed on May 4, 2007, entitled “LIGHTING FIXTURE” (inventors: “Paul Kenneth Pickard, James Michael LAY and Gary David Trott), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. Patent Application No. 60/916,407, filed on May 7, 2007, entitled “LIGHT FIXTURES AND LIGHTING DEVICES” (inventors: Gary David Trott and Paul Kenneth Pickard), the entirety of which is hereby incorporated by reference; and
U.S. Patent Application No. 61/029,068, filed on Feb. 15, 2008, entitled “LIGHT FIXTURES AND LIGHTING DEVICES” (inventors: Paul Kenneth Pickard and Gary David Trott), and U.S. Patent Application No. 61/037,366, filed on Mar. 18, 2008 the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/017,558, filed on Jan. 22, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0179602), entitled “FAULT TOLERANT LIGHT EMITTERS, SYSTEMS INCORPORATING FAULT TOLERANT LIGHT EMITTERS AND METHODS OF FABRICATING FAULT TOLERANT LIGHT EMITTERS” (inventors: Gerald H. Negley and Antony Paul van de Ven), U.S. Patent Application No. 60/885,937, filed on Jan. 22, 2007, entitled “HIGH VOLTAGE SOLID STATE LIGHT EMITTER” (inventor: Gerald H. Negley), U.S. Patent Application No. 60/982,892, filed on Oct. 26, 2007, entitled “FAULT TOLERANT LIGHT EMITTERS, SYSTEMS INCORPORATING FAULT TOLERANT LIGHT EMITTERS AND METHODS OF FABRICATING FAULT TOLERANT LIGHT EMITTERS” (inventors: Gerald H. Negley and Antony Paul van de Ven), and U.S. Patent Application No. 60/986,662, filed on Nov. 9, 2007, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference;
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/017,600, filed on Jan. 22, 2008 (now U.S. Patent Publication No. 2008/0211416), entitled “ILLUMINATION DEVICES USING EXTERNALLY INTERCONNECTED ARRAYS OF LIGHT EMITTING DEVICES, AND METHODS OF FABRICATING SAME” (inventors: Gerald H. Negley and Antony Paul van de Ven), U.S. Patent Application No. 60/982,909, filed on Oct. 26, 2007 (inventors: Gerald H. Negley and Antony Paul van de Ven) and U.S. Patent Application No. 60/986,795, filed Nov. 9, 2007, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated by reference; and
The devices according to the present inventive subject matter can further comprise one or more long-life cooling device (e.g., a fan with an extremely high lifetime). Such long-life cooling device(s) can comprise piezoelectric or magnetorestrictive materials (e.g., MR, GMR, and/or HMR materials) that move air as a “Chinese fan”. In cooling the devices according to the present inventive subject matter, typically only enough air to break the boundary layer is required to induce temperature drops of 10 to 15 degrees C. Hence, in such cases, strong “breezes” or a large fluid flow rate (large CFM) are typically not required (thereby avoiding the need for conventional fans).
Referring to FIG. 4, there is shown a lighting device 10 which includes a heat spreading element 11 (formed of aluminum), insulating regions 12 (comprising any desired material which is thermally conductive and not electrically conductive, a wide variety of which are well-known to those skilled in the art, e.g., ceramic, epoxy or silicone optionally filled with silicon carbide, diamond, cubic boron nitride, alumina, etc), a highly reflective surface 13 (formed in situ by polishing the surface of the aluminum heat spreading element, or made of MCPET® (marketed by Furukawa, a Japanese corporation)), conductive traces 14 formed of copper, lead frames 15 formed of silver-plated copper (or silver-plated mild steel), first, second and third packaged LEDs 16 a, 16 b and 16 c (described in more detail below), a reflective cone 17 (made of MCPET®) with a diffuse light scattering surface and a diffusing element 18 (the diffusing element 18 performs a light scattering function). The diffusing element 18 is made of glass or plastic with surface features. The device depicted in FIG. 4 further includes a printed circuit board (PCB) 28 with the conductive traces 14.
The first packaged LED 16 a is depicted in FIG. 5, and comprises an LED chip 31 which, when illuminated, emits light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range and a lumiphor 35 a which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm.
The second packaged LED 16 b is similar to the packaged LED depicted in FIG. 5, except that in place of the lumiphor 35 a, it includes a lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm.
The third packaged LED 16 c is similar to the packaged LED depicted in FIG. 5, except that in place of the lumiphor 35 a, it includes a lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
A combination of the light exiting the lighting device 10 which was emitted by the lumiphor in the first packaged LED 16 a (i.e., the lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm) and the light exiting the lighting device 10 which was emitted by the lumiphor in the second packaged LED 16 b (i.e., the lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm) corresponds to a point on the 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram having x, y color coordinates which define a point which is within the first area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram, i.e., an area enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38, specific examples including a point having x, y color coordinates of 0.3706, 0.4370 for 2850 K light, and 0.3550, 0.4089 for 3400 K light.
A combination of the light exiting the lighting device 10 which was emitted by the lumiphor in the first packaged LED 16 a (i.e., the lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm), the light exiting the lighting device 10 which was emitted by the lumiphor in the second packaged LED 16 b (i.e., the lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm) and the light exiting the lighting device 10 which was emitted by the lumiphor in the third packaged LED 16 c (i.e., the lumiphor which, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm) corresponds to a point on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which is within ten MacAdam ellipses of at least one point on the blackbody locus on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram.
FIG. 6 depicts a second embodiment of a lighting device in accordance with the present inventive subject matter. The second embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except that in place of the first packaged LED 16 a, the second embodiment instead comprises an LED 19 a which, when illuminated, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm (and the LED 19 a does not comprise any lumiphor).
The LED 19 a is depicted in FIG. 7, and comprises an LED chip 21 which, when illuminated emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm.
FIG. 8 depicts a third embodiment of a lighting device in accordance with the present inventive subject matter. The third embodiment is similar to the second embodiment, except that in place of the third packaged LED 16 c, the third embodiment instead comprises an LED 19 c which, when illuminated, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm (and the LED 19 c does not comprise any lumiphor). In this embodiment, the LED 19 c is similar to the LED 19 a depicted in FIG. 7, except that in the case of the LED 19 c, the LED chip 21, when illuminated, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
Referring to FIG. 12, which is a schematic electrical diagram of a portion of the circuitry in the device depicted in FIG. 8, the lighting device includes a first string 41 of LEDs 19 a, a second string 42 of LEDs 16 b and a third string 43 of LEDs 19 c arranged in parallel with one another and being electrically connected to a common power line 44. Each string includes a respective current regulator 45, 46, 47.
FIG. 9 depicts a fourth embodiment of a lighting device in accordance with the present inventive subject matter. The fourth embodiment is similar to the second embodiment, except that in place of the second and third packaged LEDs 16 b and 16 c, the fourth embodiment instead comprises a packaged LED 16 d which contains a mixture of a first luminescent material and a second luminescent material, in which the first luminescent material, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm, and in which the second luminescent material, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
FIG. 10 depicts a fifth embodiment of a lighting device in accordance with the present inventive subject matter. The fifth embodiment is similar to the first embodiment, except that in place of the first, second and third packaged LEDs 16 a, 16 b and 16 c, the fifth embodiment instead comprises a packaged LED 45 which comprises an LED chip 46, a first lumiphor 53, a second lumiphor 51 and a third lumiphor 52 (a portion of the packaged LED 45 is depicted in FIG. 11). The LED chip 46, when illuminated, emits light having a peak wavelength in the ultraviolet range. The first lumiphor 53, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 430 nm to about 480 nm. The second lumiphor 51, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 555 nm to about 585 nm. The third lumiphor 52, when excited, emits light having a dominant wavelength in the range of from about 600 nm to about 630 nm.
FIG. 13 depicts an area 50 on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram which is enclosed by first, second, third, fourth and fifth line segments, the first line segment connecting a first point to a second point, the second line segment connecting the second point to a third point, the third line segment connecting the third point to a fourth point, the fourth line segment connecting the fourth point to a fifth point, and the fifth line segment connecting the fifth point to the first point, the first point having x, y coordinates of 0.32, 0.40, the second point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.48, the third point having x, y coordinates of 0.43, 0.45, the fourth point having x, y coordinates of 0.42, 0.42, and the fifth point having x, y coordinates of 0.36, 0.38.
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