Removable LED modules with regional intensity control
By designing removable LED modules and nonvolatile storage systems, the problem of difficulty in independent maintenance of the integration of LED light sources and optical systems is solved, and the effect of convenient replacement and efficient management of LED light output is achieved.
Patent Information
- Application Number
- CN202110339445.2
- Authority / Receiving Office
- CN · China
- Patent Type
- Patents(China)
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2020-04-03
- Filing Date
- 2021-03-30
- Publication Date
- 2025-08-26
- Estimated Expiration
- 2041-03-30
AI Technical Summary
In existing automatic illuminators, it is difficult to maintain and replace the LED light source and optical system integration, which makes it difficult to compare and manage the degradation of LED light output.
Removable LED modules are designed to separate from the illuminator through electrical and mechanical disconnection, independently control LED intensity, and are equipped with a non-volatile storage system to record optical output data, supporting rapid replacement and maintenance.
It realizes convenient replacement of LED light sources and recording of light output data, improving the management efficiency of LED light sources and the maintenance of the system.
Smart Images

Figure CN113498228B_ABST
Abstract
Description
Technical Field
[0001] The present disclosure relates generally to automated luminaires, and more particularly to removable light emitting diode (LED) modules for use in automated luminaires. Background Art
[0002] Luminaires with automatic and remotely controllable features (also known as automated luminaires) are well known in the entertainment and architectural lighting markets. These products are commonly used in theaters, television studios, concerts, theme parks, nightclubs, and other venues. Typical products often provide control over the pan and tilt functions of the luminaire, allowing the operator to control the direction in which the luminaire is pointed, and thus the position of the light beam on the stage or in the studio. Typically, this position control is accomplished by controlling the orientation of the luminaire in two orthogonal axes of rotation (commonly referred to as "pan" and "tilt"). Many products can control other parameters such as intensity, focus, beam size, beam shape, and beam pattern. In particular, control over the color of the output beam is often provided, which can be provided by controlling the insertion of a dichroic filter on the beam. Summary of the Invention
[0003] In a first embodiment, an LED module includes an LED circuit board having an LED array and an electrical connector configured to power the LED array. The LEDs are arranged in two or more concentric zones, each zone including a plurality of LEDs. The LEDs in the first zone are configured to be intensity-controlled independently of the LEDs in the second zone. The LED module is configured to be removed from the optical system of a luminaire by electrically disconnecting the LED circuit board and mechanically disconnecting the LED module from the luminaire, without requiring removal of other components of the luminaire's optical system.
[0004] In a second embodiment, a luminaire includes a controller and an optical system having an adjustable optical element and an LED module, the LED module having an LED circuit board electrically coupled to the controller. The LED circuit board includes an array of LEDs arranged in two or more concentric zones, each zone including a plurality of LEDs. The LEDs in a first zone are configured for intensity control independently of the LEDs in a second zone. The controller is configured to control the intensity of at least the LEDs in the first zone based on the configuration of the adjustable optical element. The LED module can be removed from the luminaire by electrically disconnecting the LED circuit board from the controller and mechanically disconnecting the LED module from the luminaire without having to remove other components of the optical system. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0005] For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following brief description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals refer to like features throughout.
[0006] Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of a multi-parameter automatic illuminator system according to the present disclosure;
[0007] Figure 2 A block diagram of a control system for a luminaire according to the present disclosure is shown;
[0008] Figure 3 shows an exploded orthogonal view of an LED optical system according to the present disclosure;
[0009] Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of an optical system according to the present disclosure;
[0010] Figure 5 shows a flow chart of a light measurement process according to the present disclosure;
[0011] Figure 6A An orthographic rear view of the luminaire is shown without the LED circuit board installed;
[0012] Figure 6B shows an orthogonal rear view of the luminaire with the LED circuit board mounted thereon;
[0013] Figure 7 Shown Figure 6A and 6B An orthogonal side view of a luminaire and an LED module according to the present disclosure;
[0014] Figure 8 Shown Figure 7 Orthogonal diagram of the LED module;
[0015] Figure 9 Shown Figure 6A 、 6B and Figure 7 Orthogonal diagram of the LED circuit board;
[0016] Figure 10 and Figure 11 illustrative diagrams of ray trajectories of a zoom optical system according to the present disclosure in a first configuration and a second configuration, respectively;
[0017] Figure 12 and Figure 13 illustrative diagrams of ray trajectories of a second zoom optical system according to the present disclosure in a first configuration and a second configuration, respectively;
[0018] Figure 14 shows a plan view of a second LED circuit board according to the present disclosure; and
[0019] Figure 15 An oblique view of a third LED circuit board according to the present disclosure is shown. DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] Preferred embodiments are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views.
[0021] Figure 1 Schematic diagram of a multi-parameter automatic luminaire system 10 according to the present disclosure is shown. The multi-parameter automatic luminaire system 10 includes a plurality of luminaires 12 according to the present disclosure. Each luminaire 12 includes an onboard light source, a color changing device, a light modulation device, a pan and / or tilt system to control the orientation of the head of the luminaire 12. The mechanical drive system for controlling the parameters of the luminaire 12 includes a motor or other suitable actuator, which is coupled to the control electronics, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 Describe in more detail.
[0022] In addition to being connected to an external power source, either directly or through a power distribution system, each luminaire 12 is also connected in series or in parallel to one or more control consoles 15 via a data link 14. Upon operator actuation, the control console 15 may send a control signal via the data link 14, where the control signal is received by one or more luminaires 12. The one or more luminaires 12 receiving the control signal may respond by changing one or more parameters of the receiving luminaire 12. The control signal may be sent by the control console 15 to the luminaire 12 using DMX-512, Art-Net, ACN (Architecture for Control Network), streaming ACN, or other suitable communication protocols.
[0023] The illuminator 12 may include a stepper motor to provide movement for the internal optical system. Examples of such optical systems may include gobo wheels, effects wheels, and color mixing systems, as well as prisms, apertures, shutters, and lens movement.
[0024] Although the multi-parameter automatic luminaire system 10 includes a moving yoke luminaire 12, the present disclosure is not limited thereto. In other embodiments, the automatic luminaire according to the present disclosure may be a moving mirror automatic luminaire or a static automatic luminaire.
[0025] In some embodiments, the illuminator 12 includes an LED-based light source and an associated optical system. Such an LED light source may include LEDs that emit a common color of light, such as white, or may include LEDs that emit light of different colors. Subsets of such different colored LEDs may be individually controllable to provide additional color mixing of the LED output.
[0026] Some automated luminaires include LED light sources that are physically integrated with an associated optical system in a manner that makes it difficult for technicians to maintain and replace the LEDs independently of the rest of the optical system. In such automated luminaires, it can be difficult to compare the degradation of the light output of the LED light sources in two or more automated luminaires. The luminaire 12 according to the present disclosure provides for easier removal of the LED modules and associated LED circuit boards, as well as for systems for measuring and non-volatile storage of the light output generated by the LED emitters of the LED modules. The LED emitters may also be simply referred to as LEDs.
[0027] Figure 2 1 shows a block diagram of a control system 200 for a luminaire 12 according to the present disclosure. The control system (or controller) 200 is suitable for use with an LED module according to the present disclosure. The control system 200 is also suitable for controlling other control functions of the automatic luminaire system 10. In some embodiments, the control system 200 is powered by an external power source ( Figure 2 (not shown) power supply.
[0028] The control system 200 includes a processor 202 electrically coupled to a memory 204. The processor 202 is implemented by hardware and software. The processor 202 can be implemented as one or more central processing unit (CPU) chips, cores (e.g., as a multi-core processor), field programmable gate arrays (FPGAs), application specific integrated circuits (ASICs), and digital signal processors (DSPs).
[0029] The processor 202 is also electrically coupled to and in communication with a communication interface 206. The communication interface 206 is coupled to at least the data link 14 and configured to communicate via the data link 14. The processor 202 is also coupled to one or more sensors, motors, actuators, controls, and / or other devices via a control interface 208. In some embodiments, these devices include a light level sensor. The processor 202 is configured to receive control signals from the data link 14 via the communication interface 206 and, in response, control the mechanisms of the luminaire 12 via the control interface 208.
[0030] In some embodiments, the processor is also coupled to a near field communication (NFC) module 210. Figure 5 The use of the NFC module 210 is further described.
[0031] The processor 202 is further electrically coupled to and in communication with the LED circuit board 230. The LED circuit board 230 may include a processor and memory as described with reference to the control system 200. In some embodiments, the LED circuit board 230 also includes an NFC module 232. In various embodiments, the processor 202 may directly control functions of the LED circuit board 230 (e.g., the brightness of individual or grouped LEDs), may request information stored in the processor's memory from the processor of the LED circuit board 230 (e.g., light measurement data), and may request that the processor in the LED circuit board 230 store information provided by the processor 202 (e.g., as a result of executing a control program with reference to FIG. 200). Figure 5 light measurement data generated by the photometric process 500).
[0032] The control system 200 is adapted to implement processes, module control, optical device control, pan and tilt motion, parameter control, LED brightness control, and other functionality disclosed herein, which may be implemented as instructions stored in the memory 204 and executed by the processor 202. The memory 204 includes one or more disks and / or solid-state drives and may be used to store instructions and data that are read and written during program execution. The memory 204 may be volatile and / or non-volatile and may be a read-only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), a ternary content addressable memory (TCAM), and / or a static random access memory (SRAM). Similarly, the LED circuit board 230 may include a processor and memory including at least a writable non-volatile memory, such as flash memory, that retains its contents when power is removed.
[0033] Figure 3 1 shows an exploded orthogonal view of an LED optical system (or light engine) 300 according to the present disclosure. An LED circuit board 301 includes a plurality of LEDs (or LED dies) 304 arranged in an array and mounted on a planar substrate 302. The LED circuit board 301 also includes an electrical connector 306 through which power can be supplied to the LEDs 304. The LED circuit board 301 further includes electronic circuitry (e.g., a circuit board 301 coupled to the electrical connector 306 for power and communication) Figure 3 not shown).
[0034] The LEDs 304 all emit white light. In other embodiments, the LEDs 304 emit light of multiple colors. In any embodiment, the LEDs 304 can be configured to be controlled in a single group, multiple groups, or individually, depending on the requirements of the luminaire. Each LED 304 is associated with a primary optic, which can include a reflector, a total internal reflection (TIR) lens, and / or other suitable optical devices for protecting the LED and controlling the distribution of the light emitted by it. Each LED 304 is also associated with a pair of corresponding collimating lenslets on a lens array (collimating optics) 308 and 312. In some embodiments, the pair of collimating lenslets associated with each LED can be part of the primary optics of the LED, that is, they can be manufactured as part of the LED die, can be manufactured separately and attached to the LED die, or can be in the form of a lens array mounted on one or more LED dies or (directly or indirectly) on the planar substrate 302. In other embodiments, such a primary optic is part of an LED module according to the present disclosure, for example with reference to Figure 7 and Figure 8 An LED module 700 is described.
[0035] In some embodiments, LED 304 is a simple LED. In other embodiments, LED 304 comprises an LED emitter coupled with a phosphor. In other embodiments, LED 304 comprises an LED laser diode with or without an associated phosphor.
[0036] exist Figure 3 In the embodiment shown, all of the LEDs 304 emit white light, but other embodiments may include LEDs 304 of different colors.
[0037] Although lens arrays 308 and 312 are constructed on two separate substrates, in other embodiments, lens arrays 308 and 312 can be fabricated on opposite sides of a single (common) substrate. In some embodiments, lens arrays 308 and 312 and their substrates are simple lens arrays molded from a material including glass or a transparent polymer. In other embodiments, lens arrays 308 and 312 can be made from a plurality of individual collimating lenslets. In other embodiments, lens arrays 308 and 312 can be replaced with a TIR collimator array, a Fresnel lens, or a single lens array made of glass or other optical material having a higher refractive index than lens arrays 308 and 312, or the single lens array includes collimating lenslets having an aspheric profile.
[0038] In some embodiments, the lens arrays 308 and 312 can be supplemented by an optical diffuser 311. In some such embodiments, the optical diffuser 311 can be added to the lens arrays 308 and 312, such as Figure 3 The optical diffuser 311 may include a single diffuser element or a plurality of diffuser elements.
[0039] In either embodiment, the optical diffuser 311 is configured to further mix the light output from the LED 304 without adding any optical aberrations. The optical diffuser 311 can include a transparent or translucent substrate having an irregular pattern, bulk features, or surface features designed to introduce Lambertian or near-Lambertian scattering into the light passing through the optical diffuser 311. Such a diffuser can be created by using a grounded substrate, a diffuse substrate, or a holographically etched substrate, among other techniques.
[0040] The collimated and substantially parallel light beams emitted by the collimating lens array 312 pass through dichroic filters 313 and 314, which include a color mixing module 315. After passing through the dichroic filters 313 and 314, the combined light beams generated by all the light beams emitted by the collimating lens array 312 pass through the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320. The fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 can be referred to as homogenizing or integrating lens arrays. Each of the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 includes a plurality of converging lenslets. The fly-eye lens array 316, the fly-eye lens array 320, and the converging lens 324 are mounted to mounting plates 318 and 322 to form an integrated module 340.
[0041] In other embodiments, the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 may be replaced by one or more optical diffusers without lenses. In such embodiments, the one or more optical diffusers and converging lens 324 may be mounted to the mounting plates 318 and 322 to form an integral integrated module 340.
[0042] In another embodiment, the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 can be removed from the path of the light beam manually or by a motor and mechanism that can be controlled by a user via the data link 14 and the controller 200. For example, the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 can be mounted on a pivoting arm coupled to the motor and mechanism so that the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 can be controllably swung into or out of the light beam path of the LED 304. When the fly-eye lens arrays 316 and 320 are removed from the path of the light beam, the combined light output from the LED will no longer be completely homogenized, but will be more intense and can also be used as a lighting effect.
[0043] Figure 4A schematic diagram of a light engine 450 according to the present disclosure is shown. The light engine 450 includes an LED circuit board 400. The LED circuit board 400 includes a plurality of LEDs 404 mounted on a substrate 402. The LED circuit board 400 also includes an electrical connector 408 that is configured to power the LEDs 404 and to send and receive data. Also mounted on the substrate 402 is an electronic circuit 406 that includes non-volatile memory and logic elements. In various embodiments, when not installed in a luminaire, the electronic circuit 406 is powered by the electrical connector 408, by other connections to the luminaire 12, or by a direct connection to an external power source. Reference Figure 2 The control system 200 described is suitable in some embodiments for use as the electronic circuit 406. In some embodiments, the LED circuit board 400 includes an NFC module 432 that is electrically coupled to the electronic circuit 406. NFC is a standard protocol for short-range, low-power wireless communication and may be supported in devices such as cellular phones.
[0044] The optical engine 450 further includes an optical device 414 configured to receive the light beam 412a emitted by the LED 404 and emit a modified light beam 412b. In some embodiments, the optical device 414 includes a collimating and homogenizing system, as well as optical systems such as gobos, prisms, apertures, color mixing systems, framing shutters, variable focus lens systems, and other optical devices suitable for use in stage illuminators. In embodiments where the optical system is a projection optical system, the modified light beam 412b passes through a projection lens system 416 before exiting the illuminator.
[0045] In some embodiments, the controller 200 can position the light sensor 418 within the modified light beam 412b (at position 418a) or outside the modified light beam 412b (at position 418b) to allow measurement of the light output from the LED 404 (when in position 418a). In other embodiments, the light sensor 418 can be positioned in the light beam 412a instead of in the light beam 412b.
[0046] In some embodiments, light sensor 418 receives light emitted by all LEDs 404. In other embodiments, light sensor 418 receives light emitted by a subset of LEDs 404 (e.g., Figure 5 In other embodiments, the light sensor 418 receives light emitted by a plurality of LEDs 404 within a concentric region (e.g., referring to FIG. Figure 14 In some embodiments, light sensor 418 is configured to measure only light level. In other embodiments, light sensor 418 is configured to measure both light level and spectral color information.
[0047] In some embodiments, light sensor 418 is mounted on a mechanism, such as an arm or wheel, that is configured to move light sensor 418 into and out of light beam 412b. In other embodiments, light sensor 418 is mounted to one of optical devices 414, such as a prism, and is configured such that when the one of optical devices 414 is inserted into light beam 412a, light sensor 418 is also moved into light beam 412a.
[0048] In some embodiments, the light sensor 418 is electrically and communicatively connected to the control system 200 of the luminaire 12. In other embodiments, the light sensor 418 is electrically and communicatively connected to the electronic circuitry 406 of the LED circuit board 400.
[0049] Figure 5 A flow chart of a light measurement process 500 according to the present disclosure is shown. The light measurement process 500 is performed when the LED circuit board 400 is installed and in use in the luminaire 12. The light measurement process 500 can be performed by the control system 200 of the luminaire 12 or by the electronic circuit 406 of the LED circuit board 400 via the control system 200. In step 502, the processor 202 receives an instruction directly or indirectly via the data link 14, wherein the instruction instructs the luminaire 12 to perform a light level reading. In step 504, the processor 202 reacts to the instruction by moving the light sensor 418 to the position 418a in the modified light beam 412b via the control interface 208, as shown in FIG. Figure 2 and Figure 4 Once light sensor 418 is in position 418a, processor 202 takes a light level measurement in step 506. Once processor 202 has received a signal from light sensor 418 regarding the intensity of modified light beam 412b, processor 202 moves light sensor 418 out of modified light beam 412b to position 418b in step 508. Finally, processor 202 stores a light level reading in non-volatile memory of electronic circuitry 406 of LED circuit board 400 in step 510, the light level reading containing data corresponding to the light level measurement received from light sensor 418. With such light level readings stored on LED circuit board 400, the most recent light level reading for each LED circuit board 400 is retained when a user moves LED circuit board 400 from one luminaire to another, or replaces one LED circuit board 400 with another.
[0050] In embodiments of LED packages containing LED dies with multiple colors, step 506 may include taking multiple measurements. In such embodiments, processor 202 sequentially powers each color LED, taking light level measurements for each color subset of the LED dies. In such embodiments, processor 202 stores the light level readings and the subset (color) identifier of the measured subset in non-volatile memory of electronic circuitry 406 of LED circuit board 400 at step 510. Different color LEDs may lose output at different rates, and such embodiments allow the user to track those different changes between colors.
[0051] Similarly, in embodiments where two or more LEDs are contained within a concentric region (e.g., referring to FIG. Figure 14 In an embodiment (discussed in more detail herein), step 506 may include taking multiple measurements. In such an embodiment, the processor 202 sequentially powers the LEDs in each zone, taking a light level measurement for each zone. In such an embodiment, the processor 202 stores the light level readings and an identifier for the measured zone in non-volatile memory of the electronic circuitry 406 of the LED circuit board 400 at step 510. The usage patterns of the LEDs in different zones may differ, causing the LEDs in one zone to lose output at a different rate than the LEDs in another zone, and such an embodiment allows a user to track those different changes between zones.
[0052] In some embodiments, the electronic circuitry 406 of the LED circuit board 400 is configured to store multiple light level readings over time, thereby creating a history of the light levels of the LEDs 404 (or a subset of LEDs of different colors). In some such embodiments, the order in which the light level readings are stored is reflected in the memory address at which each light level reading is stored; for example, later readings may be stored at higher memory addresses than earlier readings. In other such embodiments, the electronic circuitry 406 assigns an increasing sequence number to each light level reading as it is stored. In other such embodiments, the controller 200 includes a clock (or communicates with an external clock) and determines the time at which data corresponding to the light level measurement was obtained. In such embodiments, the light level reading stored in the non-volatile memory in the electronic circuitry 406 also includes data related to the determined time (e.g., a timestamp). In some such embodiments, the determined time includes a calendar date and a time of day.
[0053] Storing the current light level reading on the LED circuit board 400 has many benefits for the user. As the LEDs 404 age, their light output decreases. When the current light level reading is stored on the LED circuit board 400, the user can adjust the light level emitted by the LED circuit board 400 or its associated luminaires 12 so that luminaires 12 used together more closely match each other in brightness.
[0054] Furthermore, when light level histories are stored on the LED circuit boards 400, a user can predict future light levels (e.g., using time series regression) so that when the lighting system 12 is used in a long-running show (e.g., a Broadway production or in a theme park), the user can predict when individual LED circuit boards 400 will need to be replaced.
[0055] The stored light level readings may be read out from the non-volatile memory via the processor 202 and the data link 14, or via the NFC module 432. In embodiments where a light level history is stored, the electronic circuitry 406 of the LED circuit board 400 may be configured to selectively read out the most recently stored light level reading or the entire light level history.
[0056] In a further embodiment, the non-volatile memory of the electronic circuit 406 on the LED circuit board 400 may also be used to store data related to the LED circuit board 400, including but not limited to the serial number of the LED circuit board 400 (in any format), usage history, power level history, command history, the serial number of the luminaire 12 in which the LED circuit board 400 is installed, the date the LED circuit board 400 was installed (which may include a calendar date and time of day), the operating hours, and the last light level reading in the current luminaire 12 and / or previous luminaires 12 (identified by the luminaire serial number); the expected reduction in LED light output based on the operating hours, the intensity level at which the LEDs are operating, and the latest (or historical) light level readings, as well as other data about the LED circuit board 400 that is useful to the user.
[0057] like Figure 2 As shown, in other embodiments, the data on the LED circuit board 400 can be accessed by an external NFC transceiver 214 (e.g., a cellular phone or smartphone) via the NFC module 432 using the radio frequency link 222. This allows the user or (in the case of a rental product) the product owner to quickly retrieve historical usage and / or operational data from the LED circuit board 400 without having to make a direct electrical connection. The NFC transceiver 214 can be configured to read data from the non-volatile memory of the electronic circuit 406 when the LED circuit board 400 is removed for maintenance purposes or when the luminaire in which the LED circuit board is installed is not connected to an external power source.
[0058] In other embodiments, some or all of the stored data related to the LED circuit board 400 can be obtained by the processor 202 from the electronic circuit 406 and stored in the memory 204. Not only can the stored data related to the LED circuit board 400 currently installed in the luminaire 12 be stored in the memory 204, but data related to the LED circuit board 400 previously installed in the luminaire 12 can also be stored in the memory 204. For each such previous LED circuit board 400, such data can include a serial number and the date and / or time when the LED circuit board 400 was installed in the luminaire 12.
[0059] This data stored in memory 204 can be sent to one or more consoles 15 via communication interface 206 and data link 14, or displayed on a user-accessible display on an external surface of luminaire 12. Additionally or alternatively, external NFC transceiver 214 can obtain such data via NFC module 210 using radio frequency link 220. The use of NFC module 210 may be beneficial when wireless communication with NFC module 432 is blocked when LED circuit board 400 is installed in luminaire 12. NFC module 210 can be configured to access memory 204 when luminaire 12 is not connected to an external power source. The location of NFC module 210 within luminaire 12 can be selected to enable wireless communication when luminaire 12 is installed for operation or when it is stored for transportation.
[0060] Figure 6A and Figure 6B Orthogonal rear views of the luminaire 600 are shown without and with the LED circuit board 650 installed, respectively. The housing of the luminaire 600 contains an LED module mounting plate 604 surrounding an aperture 602. The housing also contains a cooling fan 608. When a user replaces the LED circuit board 650, the lenses and other optical systems of the luminaire optical system are mounted within the housing of the luminaire 600 and remain within the luminaire 600. Although all of the outer covers of the luminaire 600 are shown removed for clarity, in some embodiments, the user need only remove the rear cover to remove and replace the LED circuit board 650 (or as described below). Figure 7 The LED module 700).
[0061] The LED module mounting plate 604 includes mounting features to precisely align the LEDs of the LED circuit board 650 with the body and internal optics of the luminaire. Alignment pins 606 protrude from the LED module mounting plate 604 and mate with alignment holes 607 in the LED circuit board 650 to align it with the LED module mounting plate 604. The LED module mounting plate 604 has threaded holes 610 that receive screws from the LED circuit board 650 to secure the LED circuit board 650 to the LED module mounting plate 604. Figure 6B , the position of the LED circuit board 650 is shown, and the alignment pin 606 is in the alignment hole 607 of the LED circuit board 650, thereby accurately positioning the LED of the LED circuit board 650 and the optical system in the illuminator 600.
[0062] Figure 7 Shown Figure 6A and 6B FIG2 is an orthogonal side view of a luminaire 600 and an LED module 700 according to the present disclosure. The LED module 700 is shown in the process of being attached to the rear of the luminaire 600. The LED module 700 includes an LED circuit board 650 mounted to a heat sink 620. The heat sink 620 includes a heat pipe 622 configured to transfer heat from a portion of the heat sink 620 adjacent to the LED circuit board 650 to another portion of the heat sink 620. The heat sink 620 is configured to receive cooler air from a set of cooling fans 608 and remove hot air via another set of cooling fans 608.
[0063] Although the cooling fan 608 is attached to the chassis of the luminaire 600 , in other embodiments, the LED module 700 includes the cooling fan that is installed with the LED circuit board 650 and the heat sink 620 and removed from the luminaire 600 .
[0064] The LED circuit board 650 includes an electrical connector 652 configured to provide electrical connection to the power and control system of the luminaire 12, as described above. In some embodiments, the LED circuit board 650 also includes the electronic circuit 406, as described with reference to FIG. Figure 4 The LED module 700 is configured to be mechanically coupled to the frame of the luminaire 600 by screws 612, which are connected to the Figure 6A and Figure 6B Threaded hole 610 is shown. In some embodiments, screw 612 is a captive screw. In other embodiments, LED module 700 is mechanically coupled to the housing of luminaire 600 by another suitable fastener (e.g., a quarter-turn fastener) that can be engaged and disengaged.
[0065] Figure 8 Shown Figure 76 is an orthogonal view of an LED module 700. LED circuit board 650 contains LEDs 654 and is in thermal contact with heat sink 620. LEDs 654 all emit white light. In other embodiments, LEDs 654 are LED packages that have multiple colored LED dies within. In some such embodiments, LEDs 654 may include red, green, blue, and white dies. In other such embodiments, other or additional colors may be included, such as lime, amber, indigo, and other colors.
[0066] The LED module mounting plate 604 (or other portion of the housing of the luminaire 600) is formed by protruding from the LED module mounting plate 604 (or other portion of the housing of the luminaire 600) and aligning with the matching alignment holes 607 (one of which is shown in FIG. Figure 8 ) aligned with the alignment pin 606 (as shown in Figure 6A ) to provide precise alignment of the LED module 700. In some embodiments, the LED circuit board 650 contains NFC circuitry and an NFC antenna 651. The location and configuration of the NFC antenna 651 can be accessed via an NFC transceiver on the outside of the luminaire without disassembling the luminaire.
[0067] Figure 9 Shown Figure 6A 、 6B and Figure 7 6. An orthogonal view of an LED circuit board 650 is shown. LEDs 654 are mounted to the LED circuit board 650 in an array and rotated relative to each other along an axis perpendicular to the plane of the LED circuit board 650. Rotation of the LEDs 654 relative to each other improves the homogeneity of light output from the LEDs 654.
[0068] The first plurality of LEDs includes LEDs 654a, 654b, 654c, and 654d that are not rotated relative to each other. The second plurality of LEDs includes LEDs 654e, 654f, 654g, and 654h that are also not rotated relative to each other. However, the LEDs in the first plurality of LEDs are rotated relative to the LEDs in the second plurality of LEDs. Although only two pluralities of LEDs with the same degree of rotation are identified, Figure 9 As can be seen from the figure, there are multiple other LEDs on the LED circuit board 650 with the same rotation degree.
[0069] LED chips are usually square, such as Figure 9As shown, otherwise it is rectangular. By rotating the LED die of each of the plurality of LEDs relative to the other plurality of LEDs by an amount that is not an integer multiple of 90° (90 degrees), the LED circuit board 650 produces a more rounded or circular beam, thereby reducing the impact on the beam shape of the flat side of the rectangular die. By including multiple LEDs with the same rotation amount (rather than rotating each LED of the LED circuit board 650 individually relative to all other LEDs), the design process of the LED circuit board 650 is simplified, and its manufacturing process is simpler and less expensive.
[0070] To replace the LED module 700, the user first removes the back cover (or other access panel) from the housing of the luminaire to gain access to the LED module 70. In some embodiments, the access panel remains tethered to the luminaire once removed from the luminaire. Via the access hole, the user electrically disconnects the LED circuit board 650 by disconnecting the electrical connector 652 from the power and control system of the luminaire 12, removes the screws 612 to mechanically disconnect the LED module 700 from the luminaire 12, and removes the LED module 700 through the access hole. A new LED module 700 can then be installed in the luminaire 12 by reversing the steps of the removal process. In another embodiment, the cost of replacing the LED circuit board 650 in the luminaire 12 is further reduced by replacing the LED circuit board 650 on the removed LED module 700 and reinstalling the LED module 700, reusing the heat sink 620.
[0071] In some embodiments, the LED module 700 is mechanically coupled to a rear cover or access panel, and removal of the cover or panel mechanically disconnects the LED module 700 from the luminaire 12 .
[0072] Replacement of the LED module 700 requires only full disassembly of the luminaire 12 to access and physically remove the LED module 700. Since the LED module 700 only contains the LED circuit board 650 and the heat sink 620, the replacement includes reference to Figure 3 The LED optical system 300 can be replaced with some or all of the other optical components of the LED optical system 300, significantly reducing replacement costs. In some embodiments, all optical components and LED lenses remain in the luminaire 12 and are not replaced. In other embodiments, one or both of the lens arrays 308 and 312 are part of the LED module 700.
[0073] The alignment pins 606 and matching alignment holes 607 in the LED circuit board 650 provide alignment structures that ensure precise alignment of the LEDs with their associated optical devices. However, the present disclosure is not limited in this regard, and in other embodiments, other alignment methods may be used without departing from the spirit of the present disclosure. For example, in other embodiments, other numbers and shapes of alignment pins and matching alignment holes may be used, as may tabs and slots, or other mechanical alignment structures that include alignment protrusions and corresponding alignment receivers that are configured to ensure optical alignment of the LED module 700 is not required once installed. In all embodiments, the alignment protrusions may be part of the LED circuit board 650 and the alignment receivers may be part of the LED module mounting plate 604, or may be other parts of the housing of the luminaire 600.
[0074] Figure 10 and Figure 11 The ray trace diagrams of the zoom optical system 800 according to the present disclosure are shown in respective first and second configurations. The zoom optical system 800 includes an LED light engine 850 and a three-group zoom lens system including lens groups 804, 806, and 808. The LED light engine 850 can be respectively Figure 3 and Figure 4 800, or 450, described herein, or another light engine according to the present disclosure. Lens groups 804 and 806 are independently movable in a direction parallel to the optical axis 812 of zoom optical system 800, thereby enabling an operator to adjust the focus and beam angle of the light beam emitted by zoom optical system 800. Lens group 808 is the output lens group and is fixed in position relative to LED light engine 850.
[0075] Although lens groups 804, 806, and 808 are referred to herein as "groups," it should be understood that any or all of lens groups 804, 806, and 808 may include a single lens or multiple lenses. Figure 4 In some embodiments, lens groups 804, 806, and 808 are elements of projection lens system 416. In other embodiments, lens groups 804 and 806 are elements of optics 414, while output lens group 808 is an element of projection lens system 416.
[0076] Figure 10 Zoom optical system 800 is shown in a first configuration, with lens groups 804 and 806 positioned to produce a wide-angle output beam. Rays 810 represent beams emanating from the periphery of LED light engine 850 and forming the periphery of the beam emitted by zoom optical system 800. Rays 810 can be seen to fall well within the diameter of output lens group 808. Output rays 811 represent rays emitted from LED light engine 850 between peripheral rays 810 and optical axis 812.
[0077] Figure 11 Zoom optical system 800 is shown in a second configuration, with lens groups 804 and 806 positioned to produce a narrow-angle output beam. It can be seen that light rays 814 emanating from the periphery of LED light engine 850 fall outside the diameter of output lens group 808. This is known as vignetting. When zoom optical system 800 is mounted in a luminaire whose housing surrounds lens group 808, the housing blocks light rays 810 and other external light rays that bypass output lens group 808, resulting in a loss of brightness in the luminaire and increased heat in the luminaire due to the blocked light. The diameter of output lens group 808 can be increased to capture light rays 810. However, increasing the diameter of the lens makes it heavier and increases the overall size of the luminaire, which may limit the amount of increase in the lens diameter, thereby limiting the amount of light that can be emitted from the periphery of the beam.
[0078] Figure 12 and Figure 13 Ray trace diagrams of a second zoom optical system 900 according to the present disclosure are shown in respective first and second configurations. Figure 12 and Figure 13 The view in is similar to Figure 10 and Figure 11 , but provides a more complete representation of the optical system 900. The zoom optical system 900 includes an LED light engine 950 and a three-group zoom lens system including lens groups 904, 906, and 908. The LED light engine 950 can be referred to as Figure 3 and Figure 4 900. The light engine 300 or 450 described above may be another light engine according to the present disclosure. Lens groups 904 and 906 are independently movable in a direction parallel to the optical axis 912 of the zoom optical system 900, thereby enabling an operator to adjust the focus and beam angle of the light beam emitted by the zoom optical system 900. Lens group 908 is the output lens group and is fixed in position relative to the LED light engine 950.
[0079] Figure 12 Zoom optical system 900 is shown in a first configuration, with lens groups 904 and 906 positioned to produce a wide-angle output beam. Rays 910 represent beams that originate from the periphery of LED light engine 950 and form the periphery of the beam emitted by zoom optical system 900. As can be seen, rays 910 fall well within the diameter of output lens group 908. Output rays 911 represent rays emitted from LED light engine 950 between peripheral rays 910 and optical axis 912.
[0080] Figure 13FIG2 shows the zoom optical system 900 in a second configuration, wherein lens groups 904 and 906 are positioned to produce a narrow angle output beam. As can be seen, light rays 914 originating from the periphery of the LED light engine 950 fall outside the diameter of the output lens group 908. Figure 11 As described, such vignetting may result in a loss of brightness of the luminaire as well as an increase in heat in the luminaire due to the blocked light.
[0081] Figure 14 A plan view of a second LED circuit board 1050 according to the present disclosure is shown. Figure 11 and Figure 13 The described vignetting problem provides an improved solution and is suitable for use in reference Figure 11 and Figure 13 1064 and 1066. The LEDs in the LED circuit board 1050 are electrically connected so that they are controllable within concentric regions generally indicated by dashed lines 1062, 1064, and 1066. The intensity of LED 1054c and other LEDs in the plurality of LEDs within the central region 1062 is controlled together. The intensity of LED 1054b and other LEDs in the plurality of LEDs within the middle region 1064 but outside the central region 1062 is controlled together. The intensity of LED 1054a and other LEDs in the plurality of LEDs within the outer region 1066 but outside the middle region 1064 is controlled together.
[0082] Despite the following comments in Figure 10 and 11 The features of LED circuit boards are described in the context of Figure 12 and 13 The LED circuit board 1050 is used in the zoom optical system 900. When the zoom optical system 800 is moved to Figure 11 , the control system 200 responds by reducing the power applied to the LEDs in the outer region 1066 and increasing the power applied to the LEDs in the middle region 1064 and the center region 1062. By providing more brightness from the LEDs that make up the non-vignetted portion of the beam, the Figure 11 In other embodiments, the zoom optical system 800 can produce a narrower angular beam configuration, and the power applied to the LEDs in both the outer region 1066 and the middle region 1064 is reduced, and the power applied to the LEDs in the center region 1062 can be increased.
[0083] In some embodiments, higher power LEDs (i.e., LEDs capable of handling a higher drive current) are provided in the center region 1062 (and in some such embodiments also in the middle region 1064). In such embodiments, if the operator desires a brighter beam from the luminaire 12 when the optical system is zoomed to a narrow beam angle, the power to the higher power LEDs in the center region 1062 (and the middle region 1064) can be increased to produce a significantly brighter beam. If the operator desires that the beam brightness remain constant as the optical system zooms from a wider beam to a narrower beam, the power to the LEDs in the center region 1062 and the middle region 1064 can be controlled to produce the desired constant beam brightness.
[0084] In some embodiments, when the zoom optical system 800 is in Figure 11 In the narrow angle beam configuration shown in FIG, the control system 200 does not apply power to the LEDs in the outer region 1066. In some such embodiments, when the zoom optical system 800 is in Figure 10 Wide angle and Figure 11 In intermediate configurations between the narrow angles, the control system 200 applies reduced power to the LEDs in the outer region 1066.
[0085] In some embodiments, the LED circuit board 1050 includes the electronic circuit 406, as shown in FIG. Figure 4 1064 and 1066. In such an embodiment, the electronic circuit 406 is configured to receive a control signal from the control system 200 or from another device external to the LED circuit board 1050, the signal being related to the beam angle configuration of the zoom optical system 800. In response to the received signal, the electronic circuit 406 determines what change, if any, to make to the power allocated to the regions 1062, 1064 and 1066, to which region to change the power allocation, and by how much the power change should be made. In such an embodiment, the power transistors for the LEDs may be located in the LED module (e.g., with reference to FIG. 1064 ). Figure 7 and Figure 8 700 ) or in the luminaire 12 .
[0086] In some embodiments, the total power supplied to the LEDs is kept constant, but the power ratio of each zone is changed according to the desired zoom angle. Figure 15As described in more detail, in some embodiments, more or fewer than three LED zones may be provided. With respect to concentric zones 1062, 1064, and 1066, the LEDs considered to be within a zone (and therefore, whose intensities are collectively controlled) may be located entirely or partially within the dashed lines. By dimming or turning off the vignetted LED zones, the overall power consumption can be reduced without reducing light output. This also reduces the heat generated within luminaire 12, thereby reducing the thermal load on the electronics and plastic components within luminaire 12.
[0087] Although the LED circuit board 1050 has been described as being used with the zoom optical system 800, in other embodiments, the LED circuit board 1050 can be used with other adjustable optical elements. For example, in some embodiments, the power provided to a zone can be based on the aperture size of an aperture of a beam size, adjustment of a framing shutter, a selected gobo, or other configuration of one or more adjustable optical elements.
[0088] In some embodiments, the power provided to each zone may be based on a control signal received at the controller 200 from the console 15 or other external source. In some such embodiments, the power provided to the zones may be based on the configuration of the adjustable optical element, unless it is overridden by a control signal received at the controller 200 from an external source.
[0089] The adjustable area of LED circuit board 1050 offers other benefits. When zoom optical system 800 produces a narrow beam without increasing overall power, it can provide improved output brightness, or provide the same output brightness at lower overall power. The reduced heat load increases the service life of luminaire components, electronics, and LEDs, resulting in greater reliability for luminaire 12. This result is particularly advantageous in sealed luminaires. In some embodiments, higher current LEDs can be used for the center area, further differentiating our solution from standard solutions.
[0090] Figure 15 A perspective view of a third LED circuit board 1150 according to the present disclosure is shown. LED circuit board 1150 has five concentric zones 1162, 1164, 1166, 1168, and 1170. The LEDs within each zone are indicated by five different cross-hatching patterns. Central zone 1162 is surrounded by successively larger concentric zones 1164, 1166, and 1168, all of which are surrounded by outer zone 1170. As with LED circuit board 1050, the intensity of the LEDs in each zone of LED circuit board 1150 can be controlled together, and each zone can be controlled independently of the other zones.
[0091] Although LED circuit boards 301, 400, 650, and 850 have been described herein as being used with different optical systems and illuminators, it should be understood that each circuit board may be used in conjunction with other described optical systems and other non-described optical systems.
[0092] Although the present disclosure has been described with respect to a limited number of embodiments, those skilled in the art, having benefit of this disclosure, will recognize that other embodiments can be devised which do not depart from the scope of the disclosure herein. Although the present disclosure has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made thereto without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure.
Claims
1. A lighting device comprising: Controller; as well as Optical system, including: Adjustable optical elements; and An LED module, wherein the LED module includes an LED circuit board, and the LED circuit board includes: an array of LEDs, the LEDs being arranged in two or more concentric zones, each zone comprising a plurality of LEDs, the plurality of LEDs in a first zone of the two or more concentric zones being configured to be intensity controlled independently of the plurality of LEDs in a second zone of the two or more concentric zones; and an electrical connector configured to power the LED array, the LEDs of the first area of the two or more concentric areas being electrically connected together and powered together, and the LEDs of the second area of the two or more concentric areas being electrically connected together and powered together, The LED module is configured to be removed from the optical system of the luminaire by electrically disconnecting the LED circuit board from the luminaire and mechanically disconnecting the LED module from the luminaire, without removing other elements of the optical system from the luminaire, The LED circuit board is electrically connected to the controller, Wherein, the adjustable optical element includes a zoom optical system, The controller is configured to reduce power applied to the LEDs in a region when the zoom optical system is in a configuration where light originating from the region falls outside a diameter of an output lens of the zoom optical system.
2. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein The LED circuit board also includes electronic circuitry, and the controller is configured to obtain measurements related to light output produced by the LEDs and cause the electronic circuitry to store data related to the measurements as part of a light level reading.
3. The luminaire according to claim 2, wherein The controller is further configured to apply power to only the plurality of LEDs in a selected one of the first and second zones when obtaining a measurement related to light output, and to store data identifying the selected zone as part of the light level reading.
4. The luminaire according to claim 3, wherein The controller is further configured to position a light sensor in the light beam generated by the LED array to obtain the measurement result.
5. The luminaire according to claim 1, wherein The LED module also includes a heat sink mechanically and thermally coupled to the LED circuit board. The luminaire according to claim 1 , wherein: The LED circuit board further includes an electronic circuit coupled to the electrical connector and the LED array, the electronic circuit being configured to: receiving a control signal from a device external to the LED circuit board; and The intensity of the plurality of LEDs of at least the first region is controlled based on the control signal.
7. The luminaire according to claim 6, wherein The electronic circuit is further configured to: controlling the intensity of the plurality of LEDs in the second region based on the control signal; By increasing the power provided to the plurality of LEDs in the first region while decreasing the power provided to the plurality of LEDs in the second region, a constant overall total power provided to the LED array is maintained.
Citation Information
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