Lighting module and luminaire for generating light with adjustable light distribution

Abstract

A lighting module (1) for generating light with adjustable light distribution, wherein the lighting module (1) comprises a number of selectively activatable light sources (14) configured to illuminate a specific solid angle of the light distribution, so that selected areas in the vicinity of the lighting module (1) can be selectively illuminated by selectively activating and / or deactivating the light sources (14) of the lighting module (1).

Description

Technical field The technical field of the present disclosure relates generally to luminaires. In particular, the present disclosure relates to a lighting module for generating light with adjustable light distribution and to a luminaire comprising the lighting module. Technical background Luminaires for various lighting applications, especially outdoor luminaires for different lighting scenarios, are widely available. Examples include tall pole lights for streets, medium-height bollard lights for paths and gardens, low lawn lights for narrow walkways, and boundary lights. The vast selection of different luminaires makes choosing the right combination a challenging task, leading to increased acquisition and maintenance costs. Furthermore, combining different luminaire types makes it difficult to maintain a consistent appearance across all luminaires in a typical lighting project. In outdoor lighting, for example, using too many modules to illuminate multiple directions from a single pole leads to several problems. Stacking the modules can make the overall height excessive, complicating installation and maintenance. Furthermore, the high number of modules significantly increases the cost of the lighting unit. Additionally, using many modules limits the flexibility of the pole height, as adding more lighting directions results in a greater overall height. Some lighting modules use a mechanical method to adjust the beam direction; however, mechanical components exposed to the outdoor environment are more prone to failure. Mechanical adjustment systems are also inherently more expensive to manufacture, contributing to a larger carbon footprint. Summary of the invention The aim of this disclosure is to provide a versatile and easy-to-manufacture luminaire suitable for various application scenarios. To solve the aforementioned problem, a lighting module is provided, according to a first aspect, to generate light with adjustable light distribution. The lighting module comprises a number of selectively activatable light sources. In particular, the lighting module can include at least two or more light sources that can be selectively activated depending on the intended application. The lighting module can be configured as part of a luminaire or for installation in a luminaire, especially an outdoor luminaire. The light sources, in particular each individual light source, are configured to illuminate a specific solid angle of the light distribution. By selectively activating and / or deactivating the light sources of the lighting module, selected areas in the vicinity of the lighting module can be specifically illuminated. Depending on the specific application, the light distribution of the lighting module can be adjusted so that only desired or selected areas in the vicinity of the module are illuminated. By selectively illuminating specific areas, light pollution and the overall energy costs of outdoor lighting can be significantly reduced. The lighting module can be configured for mounting in a vertical orientation, with at least some of the light sources tilted relative to the vertical direction. Due to the tilt of the light sources, the orientation of the solid angle of the light distribution from the light sources relative to the vertical axis can be adjusted. At least one of the light sources can be tilted downwards and / or upwards in the vertical direction. Downward-tilting light sources can be used to illuminate paths or objects on the ground, while upward-tilting light sources can be used to illuminate tall objects such as treetops or traffic signs. In some embodiments, the lighting module comprises a substantially axially symmetrical housing with a substantially transparent or clear cylindrical side wall, allowing the light generated by the light sources to exit the housing laterally. In particular, when assembled, an axis of symmetry of the housing may coincide substantially with the vertical direction. The light sources may be arranged all around behind the side wall, allowing areas to be selected for illumination from the entire 360° environment. The enclosure may include a substantially opaque top cover and / or a substantially opaque bottom cover. The opaque covers of the enclosure help to prevent unwanted light pollution of the surrounding area. In some embodiments, the lighting module comprises at least one mounting surface and a number of LEDs mounted on the at least one mounting surface, the mounting surface being shaped to define the radiation characteristics of the lighting module. In particular, the mounting surface may include areas inclined with respect to the vertical direction, defining the principal radiation direction of the light emitted by that area. The at least one mounting surface can comprise a number of essentially flat facets. In particular, a number of LEDs (light-emitting diodes) can be arranged on each of the essentially flat facets, such that the orientation of a facet defines the main direction of radiation of the light emitted by the LEDs mounted on the facet. In some embodiments, the mounting surface has a substantially symmetrical, at least partially concave toroidal shape. Due to the concave toroidal shape, the direction of radiation from the mounting surface can vary continuously along the axis of symmetry and cover an angular range relative to the axis of symmetry. According to a second aspect, a luminaire is provided to generate light with adjustable light distribution. The luminaire includes at least one lighting module according to the first aspect, so that selected areas in the vicinity of the luminaire can be selectively illuminated by activating and / or deactivating the light sources of the lighting module. The advantages, effects, and further developments of the luminaire result from the advantages, effects, and further developments of the lighting module described above. To avoid repetition, reference is made to the preceding description. In some embodiments, the luminaire includes a mounting mast for external installation, with the lighting module attached to the mounting mast, particularly at its top. The mounting mast allows the luminaire to be used as an outdoor luminaire for targeted illumination of specific outdoor areas. The following description provides details for the embodiments of this specification. However, it is apparent to a person skilled in the art that the embodiments can also be realized without these details. Some parts of the embodiments have similar components. Similar components may have the same names or similar part numbers. The description of one component may also apply to another similar component, thereby reducing repetition in the text without limiting the disclosure. Description of the attached figures. Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a lighting module according to one embodiment, Fig. 2 shows a schematic top view of the lighting module according to the embodiment of Fig. 1, Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of the lighting module according to one embodiment in a first operating mode, Fig. 4 shows a schematic top view of the lighting module from Fig. 3 in the first operating mode, Fig. 5 shows a lighting module according to a further embodiment, Fig. 6 shows a lighting module according to a further embodiment, Fig. 7 illustrates an application scenario of a luminaire according to one embodiment, Fig. 8 shows a luminaire according to one embodiment in various views, and Fig. 9 shows the luminaire from Fig. 8 in further views. Detailed description Fig. 1 shows a schematic side view of a lighting module according to one embodiment. In the embodiment shown, the lighting module 1 has a substantially symmetrical shape. The orientation of the lighting module 1, as shown in Fig. 1, corresponds to the mounting orientation of the lighting module 1, with the axis of symmetry running parallel to the vertical direction. In the embodiment shown, the lighting module 1 comprises a housing with a substantially opaque upper cover 2, a substantially opaque lower cover 3, and a transparent side wall 4. The lighting module 1 further comprises a number of selectively activatable light sources within the housing, which are not shown in Fig. 1. The light generated by the light sources can pass through the transparent side wall 4 or side cover to illuminate the surroundings of the lighting module 1. The number of light sources includes a number of upwardly directed light sources or an upwardly shining group of light sources and a number of downwardly directed light sources or a downwardly shining group of light sources. The broad arrows pointing diagonally upwards illustrate the light produced by the group of light sources shining upwards. The broad arrows pointing diagonally downwards illustrate the light produced by the group of light sources shining downwards. To better understand the function of the lighting module 1, a horizon line 5 and dimming lines 6 are also shown, which correspond to the dimming angle of the light distribution. The aperture lines 6 symbolize the boundary of the upper dark zone 7 above the upper cover 2 and the lower dark zone 8 below the lower cover 3. Fig. 2 shows a schematic top view of the lighting module according to the embodiment of Fig. 1. The broad arrows symbolize the light emitted by the light sources inside the housing of the lighting module 1. In the embodiment shown, the light sources (not shown) are arranged in separately controllable segments, resulting in a segmented light distribution with individually controllable segments. The segmented light distribution is represented by diagonal straight lines that symbolize the boundaries between the individual segments. Fig. 3 shows a schematic side view of the lighting module according to one embodiment in a first operating mode. Fig. 3 also shows a segmented mounting surface 9 on which a number of LEDs are mounted. For simplicity, the LEDs mounted on the mounting surface 9 are not shown. The mounting surface 9 has a substantially hexagonal cross-section in a horizontal section plane. Each segment of the mounting surface 9 is inclined relative to the vertical axis, with the normal of each segment defining the principal direction of radiation of the light emitted by that segment. The segments of mounting surface 9 are arranged in two rows, namely an upper row and a lower row. The LEDs mounted on the segments of the upper row are angled downwards, and the LEDs mounted on the segments of the lower row are angled upwards. Thus, the segments of the upper row with the LEDs mounted on them form the downward-shining group, and the segments of the lower row with the LEDs mounted on them form the upward-shining group. In the operating mode shown in Fig. 3, only LEDs on specific segments are activated. Specifically, only certain segments of the downward-facing group and the upward-facing group are activated, as indicated by the diagonal arrows in Fig. 3. Fig. 4 shows a schematic top view of the lighting module from Fig. 3 in the first operating mode. As can be seen from Fig. 4 in conjunction with Fig. 3, two downward-facing segments and one upward-facing segment are activated. Thus, an area or object in a high position on the right, e.g. the crown of a tall tree, and an area or object in a low position on the left, e.g. a section of a path, can be illuminated simultaneously. Figures 3 and 4 show only one example to illustrate the flexibility of the lighting module for implementing different lighting scenarios. Fig. 5 shows a lighting module according to a further embodiment. In particular, Fig. 5 shows a schematic top view in the upper part of Fig. 5 and a schematic side view in the lower part of Fig. 5. The embodiment of Fig. 5 corresponds essentially to the embodiment of Fig. 3, with some differences regarding the segmentation of the mounting surface 9. In particular, mounting surface 9 has an octagonal cross-section in a horizontal section plane and comprises three rows of segments, forming three different lighting groups. In addition to the downward-illuminated group and the upward-illuminated group, mounting surface 9 includes a central row of segments. The segments of the middle row are arranged in an octagonal ring shape with a substantially vertical mounting surface, so that the light produced by the LEDs of the middle segment is essentially radially diffused. Thus, the middle row of segments forms a radial lighting group for lateral illumination. In some embodiments, the lighting module 1 can include even more segments with a finely faceted mounting surface, enabling adjustable lighting with high spatial resolution. Fig. 6 shows a lighting module according to a further embodiment. The embodiment of Fig. 6 corresponds essentially to the embodiment of Fig. 5, wherein the mounting surface has a concave toroidal shape. This shape of the mounting surface corresponds to the segmented mounting surface of Fig. 5 with infinitesimally small segments, resulting in a smooth transition between the segments. Depending on the population density of the LEDs on the mounting surface 9, a fine gradation between the groups with different radiation directions can be achieved. Fig. 7 shows an application scenario with a luminaire according to one embodiment. In this scenario, the luminaire 10 is configured as an outdoor luminaire comprising a mounting mast 11 and a lighting module 1 according to the first aspect mentioned above. The light 10 is located at the edge of a path 12 near a tree 13 which is slightly higher than the mounting mast 11. In this application scenario, the goal is to illuminate path 12 for the safety of pedestrians and tree 13 to make it visible in the dark. To achieve this goal, in lighting module 1, two segments of the downward-shining group on the left and two segments of the upward-shining group on the right are activated. This ensures that both path 12 and tree 13 are illuminated in a targeted manner, without wasting light and energy unnecessarily. Fig. 8 shows a luminaire according to one embodiment in various views. In particular, Fig. 8 shows a perspective view (left), a perspective cross-section (center), and a detail view (right) of the luminaire 10. Similar to the luminaire shown in Fig. 7, the luminaire 10 comprises a mounting mast 11 or base mast and a lighting module 1 according to the first aspect, which is mounted on top of the mounting mast 11. Both the mounting mast 11 and the lighting module 1 have essentially a cylindrical shape, so that the lighting module 1 mounted on the mounting mast 1 does not substantially change the outline of the mounting mast 11. The cross-section of the luminaire 10 (in the middle) and the detailed cross-section of the lighting module (right) show the internal structure of the lighting module 1 in more detail. As can be seen from the detailed view in Fig. 8, the lighting module 1 essentially corresponds to the embodiment in Fig. 3. In particular, the lighting module 1 comprises a flat top cover 2, a flat bottom cover 3, a cylindrical side wall 3, and a mounting surface 9. The mounting surface 9 is configured as a segmented printed circuit board (PCB) with LEDs 14 mounted on the outer surface of the PCB. Specifically, the PCB comprises a number of upper PCBs 9a and a number of lower PCBs 9b. The upper PCBs 9a are inclined relative to the vertical axis so that the light emitted by the LEDs 14 mounted on the upper PCBs 9a can shine downwards, for example, to illuminate objects on the ground. The lower PCBs 9b are inclined relative to the vertical axis so that the light emitted by the LEDs 14 mounted on the lower PCBs 9b can shine upwards, for example, to illuminate a treetop or other object high above the ground. The lighting module 1 also includes an inner structural housing 15 and an LED driver and control module 16, which is housed in the inner structural housing 15. The driver and control module 16 includes a current input (not shown) for connection to a power supply and a number of current outputs for controlling the LEDs 14. The driver and control module 16 may also include a control interface (not shown) for receiving control commands for selectively controlling the LEDs 14. Fig. 9 shows the luminaire from Fig. 8 in further views. In particular, Fig. 9 shows an exploded view of the lighting module (left) and a perspective cross-section (right) of the lighting module 1 to better illustrate the internal structure of the lighting module 1. As can be seen from the exploded view on the left side of Fig. 9, the lighting module 1 can be easily assembled. In particular, the base cover 3 of the housing can be provided in a first step. In a further step, the inner structural housing 15 and the mounting surface 9 can be provided and mounted on the base cover 3 of the lighting module 1. Furthermore, the driver and control module 16 can be provided and mounted within the inner structural housing 15, and the outputs of the driver and control module 16 can each be connected to the parent circuit boards 9a and the child circuit boards 9b. In a further step, the transparent side panel 4 and the opaque top cover 2 can be provided and mounted to complete the housing of the lighting module 1. The light fixture 10 is also easy to assemble. In particular, the mounting mast 11 can be provided and the lighting module 1 attached to the mounting mast 11. In some embodiments, the driver and control module 16 is configured to selectively activate LEDs 14 mounted on different segments of the mounting surface 9, so that the LEDs 14 on some segments are activated and the LEDs 14 on others are deactivated. In this way, the light distribution of the lighting module 1 and the luminaire 10 can be adjusted to selectively illuminate specific areas of the environment, as shown, for example, in Fig. 7. It is also conceivable that the driver and control module 16 and the circuit boards 9a, 9b are configured such that the LEDs are color-controllable and / or each LED 14 is individually controllable, resulting in more flexible application of the lighting module. This provides a versatile, easy-to-install, and cost-effective lighting module with multiple beams. By changing the operating mode of an individual lighting module (or luminaire), different lighting patterns can be created depending on the application scenario. One of the fundamental principles of the present invention is to illuminate multiple objects at different locations with only one light module within a specific space and its illumination range. For this purpose, the lighting module offers different light distributions in a three-dimensional space. One or more emission directions can be selected without changing the orientation or position of the module. This can minimize the number of luminaires used and simplify maintenance, as only one type of luminaire needs to be serviced. Furthermore, a complex lighting system can even be implemented with such modules of the same type, which simplifies installation and makes maintenance more cost-effective. High reliability can be achieved by using lighting modules of the same type, a simple design structure, and reliable performance of the lighting module and the luminaire. It should also be noted that the module's design is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and the mounting surface configuration is not restricted to the embodiments mentioned above. In particular, neither the internal lighting component nor the mounting surface is limited to a six-sided, eight-sided, or any specific multi-surface configuration. Furthermore, the types of internal lighting components are not restricted in terms of size, shape, number, or orientation. Although at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be noted that there are numerous variations. It should also be noted that the exemplary embodiment or embodiments are merely examples and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the disclosure in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description provides the person skilled in the art with a practical roadmap for implementing the exemplary embodiment or embodiments. Reference symbol list 1 Lighting module 2 Top cover 3 Bottom cover 4 Side panel 5 Horizontal line 6 Dimming line 7 Upper dark zone 8 Lower dark zone 9 Mounting surface 9a Upper circuit board 9b Lower circuit board 10 Luminaire 11 Mounting pole 12 Path 13 Tree 14 LED 15 Inner housing 16 Driver and control module

Claims

A lighting module (1) for generating light with adjustable light distribution, wherein the lighting module (1) comprises a number of selectively activatable light sources (14) configured to illuminate a specific solid angle of the light distribution, so that selected areas in the vicinity of the lighting module (1) can be selectively illuminated by selectively activating and / or deactivating the light sources (14) of the lighting module (1). The lighting module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lighting module (1) is configured to be mounted in alignment with a vertical direction, wherein at least some of the light sources (14) are inclined with respect to the vertical direction. The lighting module (1) according to claim 2, wherein at least one of the light sources (14) is inclined downwards and / or upwards with respect to the vertical direction. The lighting module (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lighting module (1) comprises a substantially axially symmetrical housing with a substantially transparent cylindrical side wall (4) so ​​that the light generated by the light sources (14) can exit laterally from the housing. The lighting module (1) according to claim 4, wherein the housing comprises a substantially opaque upper cover (2) and / or a substantially opaque lower cover (3). The lighting module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the lighting module (1) comprises at least one mounting surface (9) and a number of LEDs (14) mounted on the at least one mounting surface (9), and wherein the mounting surface (9) is shaped to form the radiation properties of the lighting module (1). The lighting module (1) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one mounting surface (9) comprises a number of substantially flat facets. The lighting module (1) according to claim 6, wherein the at least one mounting surface (9) has a substantially symmetrical, at least partially concave torus shape. A luminaire (10) for generating light with adjustable light distribution, comprising at least one lighting module (1) according to one of the preceding claims, such that selected areas in the vicinity of the luminaire (10) can be selectively illuminated by selectively activating and / or deactivating the light sources (14) of the lighting module. The luminaire (10) according to claim 9, wherein the luminaire (10) comprises a mounting mast (11) for external mounting of the luminaire (10) and wherein the lighting module (1) is attached to the mounting mast (11).

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