7642results about "Non-electric lighting" patented technology

The present invention relates to systems and methods for generating and / or modulating illumination conditions to generate high-quality light of a desired and controllable color, for creating lighting fixtures for producing light in desirable and reproducible colors, and for modifying the color temperature or color shade of light within a prespecified range after a lighting fixture is constructed. In one embodiment, LED lighting units capable of generating light of a range of colors are used to provide light or supplement ambient light to afford lighting conditions suitable for a wide range of applications.

The present invention provides several embodiments of an elongate hollow tubular or solid rod lighting device including a plurality of LEDs therewith and appropriate electrical componentry, and serving as a direct replacement for a conventional fluorescent light tube in a conventional fluorescent lighting fixture. The present lighting device includes appropriate connector pins extending from each end thereof, enabling the device to be installed in a conventional fluorescent lighting fixture with no modification to the fixture. The light may include appropriate electrical componentry such as a step-down transformer to provide the required voltage for the LEDs, either integrally within the light, incorporated in an end cap thereof, or installed separately therefrom in the fixture, as desired. The light may be colored or tinted as desired by the use of LEDs providing the desired color output, and / or by installing a tinted sleeve over the tube or rod as desired.

An LED lamp for mounting to an existing fluorescent lamp fixture having a ballast assembly including ballast opposed electrical contacts, comprising a tubular wall generally circular in cross-section and having tubular wall ends with one or more LEDs positioned within the tubular wall between the tubular wall ends. An electrical circuit provides electrical power from the ballast assembly to the LED(s). The electrical circuit includes at least one metal substrate circuit board and means for electrically connecting the electrical circuit with the ballast assembly. The electrical circuit includes an LED electrical circuit including opposed electrical contacts. Each metal substrate circuit board supports and holds the one or more LEDs and the LED electrical circuit. Each metal substrate circuit board is positioned within the tubular wall between the tubular wall ends. At least one electrical string is positioned within the tubular wall and generally extends between the tubular wall ends. One or more LEDs are in electrical connection with at least one electrical string and are positioned to emit light through the tubular wall. Means for suppressing ballast voltage is included. The metal substrate circuit board includes opposed means for connecting the metal substrate circuit board to the tubular wall ends, which include means for mounting the means for connecting, and the one or more metal substrate circuit boards.

A light emitting diode (LED) array comprises an array of LEDs mounted to a substrate. The LEDs emit light in a direction generally perpendicular to the substrate. An optical sheet is disposed over the LEDs. At least a portion of light entering one side of the optical sheet from the LEDs is guided within the optical sheet in a direction generally parallel to the substrate. Light extraction features direct light from the optical sheet in a generally forward direction. Such an array is useful for several applications, including space lighting, direct information display and backlighting of liquid crystal displays. The light spreading effect of the optical sheet reduces the amount of black space between LED pixels.

A first lighting device comprises at least one plural cavity element and a plurality of solid state light emitters. A second lighting device comprises at least one plural cavity element, a plurality of solid state light emitters and at least one encapsulant region, at least a portion of the plural cavity element being surrounded by the encapsulant region. Each plural cavity element has at least two optical cavities. Each optical cavity comprises a concave region in the plural cavity element. At least one solid state light emitter is present in each of at least two of the optical cavities.

Various exemplary implementations of light emitting diode (LED) based illumination products and methods are disclosed including, but not limited to, glow sticks, key chains, toys, balls, various game accessories, light bulbs, night lights, wall lights, wall switches, wall sockets, wall panels, modular lights, flexible lights, automotive lights, wearable accessories, light ropes, decorative lights such as icicles and icicle strings, light tubes, insect control lights and methods, and lighted air fresheners / scent dispensers. Any of the foregoing devices may be equipped with various types of user interfaces (both “local” and “remote”) to control light generated from the device. Additionally, devices may be controlled via light control information or programs stored in device memory and / or transmitted or downloaded to the devices (e.g., devices may be controlled individually or collectively in groups via a network, glow sticks or other products may be downloaded with programming information that is stored in memory, etc.). Devices also may include sensors so that the generated light may change in response to various operating and / or environmental conditions or a user input. Various optical processing devices which may be used with any of the devices (e.g., reflectors, diffusers, etc.) also are disclosed.

Vehicle lighting methods and apparatus, in which an LED-based light source is configured to generate at least visible radiation associated with a vehicle. The light source is controlled such that the generated visible radiation has a variable color over a range of colors including at least three different perceivable colors. Examples of vehicles in which such methods and apparatus may be used include, but are not limited to, an automobile, airplane, boat, non-motorized vehicle, etc. The LED-based light source may be disposed inside the vehicle (e.g., dashboard, instrument panel) or outside the vehicle (e.g., brake lights, undercarriage lighting), and may be controlled to generate white light as one of the perceivable colors. A user interface may be employed to facilitate an adjustment of the variable color of the generated visible radiation. Additionally, information relating to at least one condition associated with the vehicle may be employed to control the LED-based light source such that the variable color of the generated visible radiation is based at least in part on the condition associated with the vehicle.

A vehicle headlight including a common light distribution unit and a variable light distribution unit and a headlight system including the headlight can form a common light distribution pattern and a variable light distribution pattern using the common and the variable light distribution units. The variable distribution unit can include a light source, a phosphor panel, a mirror reflecting / scanning light emitted from the light source onto the phosphor panel and a projector lens projecting the scanning light adjacent the common light distribution pattern. The headlight system can include a front sensor detecting a surrounding condition, and can control the common and the variable light distribution units to form an optimum light distribution pattern in accordance with surrounding conditions. Thus, the disclosed subject matter can provide a headlight system including a headlight that can form an optimum light distribution pattern in accordance with surrounding conditions and can have a simple structure.

An LED lamp adapted for lighting includes a heat sink (30), a bowl-shaped cover (20) attached to a bottom portion of the heat sink, a lamp seat (10) secured below the cover, a plurality of LEDs (54) mounted on an outside surface of the heat sink, and a plurality of heat pipes (40) contacting with interior face of the heat sink. The heat sink has a plurality of fins (34, 36) extending from sidewalls thereof. The cover has a plurality of apertures (220) defined on lateral wall thereof. The heat generated by the LEDs can be transferred to the heat sink evenly via the heat pipes, and is then dispersed to ambient air efficiently and rapidly.

Track lighting methods and apparatus. In various examples, power and data are provided to a plurality of lighting fixtures via at least one pair of essentially rigid electrically conductive tracks that are mechanically coupled to an essentially rigid linear or curvilinear-shaped housing. The plurality of lighting fixtures includes at least one LED-based lighting fixture mechanically coupled to the housing, electrically coupled to the at least one pair of electrically conductive tracks, and configured to be responsive to the data.

A LED-based replacement light for a fluorescent socket is constructed such that a tubular housing has a D-shaped cross section with a flat base with opposing longitudinal edges, opposing sides extending generally perpendicular to the flat base from the opposing longitudinal edges, and a curved surface spanning the opposing sides opposite the flat base. A circuit board structure defines a LED-mounting side with multiple LEDs mounted on the LED-mounting side at predetermined intervals along a length of the circuit board, with at least areas of a primary heat transferring side directly underlying the respective LEDs in thermally conductive relation with the tubular housing for highly electrically insulated thermal transmission of heat generated by the multiple LEDs from the circuit board to an ambient environment surrounding an exterior of the tubular housing. At least one electrical connector is at a longitudinal end of the housing in electrical communication with the circuit board.

A lighting device comprising sources of visible light comprising solid state light emitters and / or luminescent materials emitting three or four different hues. A first group of the sources, when illuminated, emit light of two hues which, if combined, would produce illumination having coordinates within an area on a 1931 CIE Chromaticity Diagram defined by points having coordinates: 0.59, 0.24; 0.40, 0.50; 0.24, 0.53; 0.17, 0.25; and 0.30, 0.12. A second group of the sources is of an additional hue. Mixing light from the first and second groups produces illumination within ten MacAdam ellipses of the blackbody locus. Also, a lighting device comprising a white light source having a CRI of 75 or less and at least one solid state light emitters and / or luminescent material. Also, methods of lighting.

Methods and apparatus for generating essentially white light. In one example, a white light generating apparatus comprises at least one first white LED characterized by a first spectrum, and at least one second white LED characterized by a second spectrum, wherein the first spectrum is substantially different than the second spectrum.

An LED-based luminaire includes a driver configured to convert line voltage into a desired power configuration. Elongate fasteners attach one or more LED-based lighting modules to a mount member and also to energized poles of the power driver. The fasteners communicate electrical energy from the power driver to the lighting module. In one embodiment, the mount member functions as a heat sink, and it includes a bumpy surface coating having a texture with sufficient feature heights to enhance heat transfer between the heat sink and the surrounding environment.

An illumination system according to the principles of the invention may include a first LED and a carrier material. The carrier material may be comprised of plastic, synthetic material, polymer, latex, rubber or other material. The carrier material may also contain a phosphor, fluorescent material, organic fluorescent material, inorganic fluorescent material, impregnated phosphor, phosphor particles, phosphor material, YAG:Ce phosphor, or other material for converting electromagnetic radiation into illumination or visible light.

A vehicular headlamp includes at least one a light source irradiating visible light and a lens allowing the visible light from the light source to pass through to forward of a vehicle. The light source and the lens are mounted in a rotating element. Alternatively, the vehicular headlamp includes at least one a light source irradiating visible light, and a mirror mounted on a rotating element and arranged to reflect the visible light from the at least one light source to forward of a vehicle. The vehicular headlamp also includes a scanning actuator for reciprocatingly rotating the rotating element so as to form a light distribution pattern forward of the vehicle and a light distribution control portion for controlling the scanning actuator such that a portion of the light distribution pattern is relatively bright.

A system for focusing light on an illumination area. The system includes a reflector having a focusing reflective surface and a focal region and an LED array having a plurality of LEDs located within the focal region. Each of the plurality of LEDs in the LED array is positioned to emit light toward the focusing reflective surface. The focusing reflective surface reflects light from each of the plurality of LEDs of the LED array toward the illumination area.

Illumination methods and apparatus, in which a first number of first light sources are adapted to generate first radiation having a first spectrum, and a second number of second light sources are adapted to generate second radiation having a second spectrum different than the first spectrum. In one example, the first number of the first light sources and the second number of the second light sources are different. In another example, a first intensity of the first radiation and a second intensity of the second radiation are independently controlled so as to controllably vary at least an overall perceivable color of generated visible radiation. In yet another example, a first control signal controls all of the first light sources substantially identically, and a second control signal controls all of the second light sources substantially identically.

An illumination system has a light source and a wavelength conversion layer within a light-recycling envelope. The light source is a light-emitting diode or a semiconductor laser. The light source will emit light of a first wavelength range that is transmitted through the wavelength conversion layer in order to convert a portion of the light of a first wavelength range into light of a second wavelength range. Light of both the first and second wavelength ranges will exit the light-recycling envelope through an aperture. The recycling of the light by the light-recycling envelope will enhance the output radiance and luminance of the light exiting the illumination system.

Track lighting methods and apparatus. In various examples, power and data are provided to a plurality of lighting fixtures via at least one pair of essentially rigid electrically conductive tracks that are mechanically coupled to an essentially rigid linear or curvilinear-shaped housing. The plurality of lighting fixtures includes at least one LED-based lighting fixture mechanically coupled to the housing, electrically coupled to the at least one pair of electrically conductive tracks, and configured to be responsive to the data.

An LED lamp may be made with a heat sink optic. The lamp has a base having a first electrical contact and a second electrical contact for receiving current. At least one LED is mounted on a thermally conductive support; that supports electrical connections for the LED and provides thermal conduction of heat from the LED to the optic. The LED support mounted in the base and electrically coupled through the first electrical contact to electrical current. The light transmissive, and heat diffusing optic has an external an internal wall defining a cavity with the LED positioned in the cavity. The optic is in thermal contact with the LED support and mechanically coupled to the base. The snap together structure enables rapid manufacture while allowing numerous variations.

An accessory mounting device is used with a traffic light assembly. The accessory mounting device fits over the top of a mounting pole for a traffic light assembly; due to an enlarged, gripping, lower portion with a mounting cylinder on the top thereof forming the accessory mounting device. The accessory mounting device of this invention supports a desired accessory on a traffic light assembly in a secure fashion, with minimal adverse effect on the traffic light assembly.

A module has a metallic mass with an upper surface having laterally spaced wiring channels and outwardly extending fins. A circuit board is mounted on the module and fabricated of an insulating bottom layer with trace patterns thereon. A plurality of electrical components, including at least one light emitting diode, are coupled to the trace patterns of the circuit board. A pair of continuous conductor wires couple the electrical components with each wire and extend through the wiring channels of the module. At least one pair of connectors extend through the circuit board with upper ends coupled with the trace patterns and lower ends extending downwardly to electrically couple with the wires.

The present invention discloses a LED light bulb, comprising: a LED light bulb shell; a core column with an exhaust tube and a bracket; at least one LED light emitting strip with LED chips therein emitting 4π light; a driver; and an electrical connector, wherein the LED light bulb shell is vacuum sealed with the core column so as to form a vacuum sealed chamber, which is filled with a gas having a low coefficient of viscosity and a high coefficient of thermal conductivity, the bracket and the LED light emitting strips fixed on the bracket are housed in the vacuum sealed chamber, the LED light emitting strip is in turn electrically connected to the driver, the electrical connector, while the electrical connector is used to be electrically connected to an external power supply, so as to light the LED light emitting strips. In addition, the present invention also provides the LED light emitting strips with LED chips emitting 4π light, as used in the LED light bulb.

The invention is a side-emitting illumination system that incorporates a light emitting diode. The side-emitting illumination system recycles a portion of the light internally generated by a light emitting diode back to the light emitting diode as externally incident light. The light emitting diode reflects the recycled light, thereby increasing the effective brightness of the light emitting diode. The light reflected by the light emitting diode is directed though the output aperture of the side-emitting illumination system, thereby increasing the output brightness and efficiency of the side-emitting illumination system. The light emitting diode reflects externally incident light with a reflectivity greater than 40 percent.