Dimming cover and lighting device

Abstract

The invention discloses a dimming cover and a lighting device, the dimming cover is suitable for being mounted on a lamp to form the lighting device, and the dimming cover comprises a dimming film, a mounting element, a driving module and a dimming switch, wherein the dimming switch is operated to enable the dimming film to be switched between a matte mode and a transparent mode, so that the lighting device can provide different illumination light types. The dimming film may be in a transparent mode to allow more reflected light to reach a human eye when the surface of the irradiated target is a low gloss surface, and may be in a matte mode to allow less reflected light to reach a human eye when the surface of the irradiated target is a high gloss surface. Therefore, the illumination conditions of the surfaces of irradiated objects with different glossiness can be handled.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of lighting technology, and more particularly to a dimming cover and lighting device with dimming function. Background Technology

[0002] During use, the installation position and the angle of illumination of a regular lamp will vary depending on the application scenario. Furthermore, if the lamp cannot be adjusted to adapt to the gloss level of the object being illuminated, it will result in insufficient reflected light when illuminating a low-gloss surface, or glare when illuminating a high-gloss surface.

[0003] To enable light to be focused and diffused to provide different illumination intensities and beam patterns, CN102338285B discloses a flashlight comprising a housing, a light source, a flashlight head, and a front optical device supported within the flashlight head, wherein the light source is fixed on a disc-shaped holder. To enable the flashlight beam to be focused, the front optical device is movably supported relative to the light source; that is, by allowing the light-focusing front optical device to move relative to the light source, the distance between the front optical device and the light source can be adjusted, allowing the light emitted by the flashlight to be focused or diffused.

[0004] CN100549505C discloses an LED lighting module comprising an LED and a rotationally symmetric, one-piece, light-transmitting auxiliary optical system. The auxiliary optical system has an inner condenser lens portion and an outer reflector portion. The auxiliary optical system has a blind-aperture shaped opening on its back side, within which the LED can move axially along an optical axis. This movement allows for a change in the light cone's angle, from ≤12° to ≥20°. In other words, the shape of the light cone can be adjusted by moving the light source to change the distance between the light source and the condenser lens portion.

[0005] Therefore, traditional lighting fixtures typically switch between converging and diffused light patterns by moving the light source and the condenser lens relative to each other. However, this method of adjusting the light pattern through mechanical structures is prone to wear and tear on the mechanical parts, which can easily damage the entire fixture and render it unusable. Furthermore, these mechanical structures generally only provide two different light patterns. That is, to provide a stable light pattern, the light source and the condenser lens need to be fixed at the focusing and diffused positions after relative movement. This results in a relatively limited range of light patterns provided by the fixture and prevents stepless adjustment. Summary of the Invention

[0006] One advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming cover and a lighting device, wherein the dimming cover can be installed on a lamp, so that the lighting device having the lamp and the dimming cover can have an adjustable lighting effect without changing the structure of the original lamp.

[0007] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming cover and an illumination device, wherein the dimming cover includes a dimming film to achieve switching between different light patterns through electrical control of the dimming film, thereby making operation easy and eliminating the need for complex and vulnerable mechanical structures.

[0008] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming mask and an illumination device, wherein when the surface of the irradiated object is a low-gloss surface, the dimming film can be in a transparent mode to allow more reflected light to reach the human eye, and when the surface of the irradiated object is a high-gloss surface, the dimming film can be in a matte mode to allow less reflected light to reach the human eye, thereby addressing the illumination conditions of irradiated object surfaces with different gloss levels.

[0009] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming cover and lighting device, wherein by controlling the current of the dimming film, the lighting effect can be continuously adjusted, thereby meeting the lighting needs of different application scenarios.

[0010] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming diaphragm and lighting device, wherein because there is no need to drive the components to produce displacement, the user can operate the dimming diaphragm control switch without much force, thereby facilitating the adjustment of the illumination pattern of the lamp body.

[0011] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming cover and lighting device, wherein by adding a dimming film control, the dimming cover can be switched instantly from a frosted surface to a transparent surface to cope with the lighting conditions of objects with different gloss levels, and provide a more flexible solution for the lamp body in actual use such as scene lighting, inspection lighting, maintenance lighting, and temporary lighting.

[0012] Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides a dimming cover and a lighting device, wherein the dimming cover is separately configured with a driving circuit and a power supply, so that it can be easily matched with the lamp to form a lighting device capable of adjusting the lighting effect.

[0013] According to one aspect of the invention, a dimming cover is provided, which is adapted to be mounted on a luminaire to form a lighting device, wherein the dimming cover comprises:

[0014] A dimming film;

[0015] A mounting element adapted for mounting the luminaire;

[0016] A driving module electrically connected to the dimming film; and

[0017] A dimming switch electrically connected to the drive module, wherein the dimming switch is operated to switch the dimming film between a frosted mode and a transparent mode so that the lighting device can provide different illumination patterns.

[0018] According to some embodiments, the mounting element of the dimming cover is mounted on the outside of the luminaire via a detachable structure.

[0019] According to some embodiments, the dimming cover is detachably mounted to the luminaire via a threaded structure, a flexible mounting ring, or a magnetic adsorption component.

[0020] According to some embodiments, the dimming cover is adapted to be installed inside one of the lampshades of the luminaire.

[0021] According to some embodiments, the dimming film includes two layers of indium tin oxide film and a liquid crystal layer located between the two layers of indium tin oxide film.

[0022] According to some embodiments, the dimming film includes two layers of indium tin oxide film and a liquid crystal layer located in a local area between the two layers of indium tin oxide film.

[0023] According to some embodiments, the liquid crystal layer is located in the middle region of the dimming film so that the middle region of the dimming film can switch between the matte mode and the transparent mode, and the annular region surrounding the middle region of the dimming film is transparent.

[0024] According to some embodiments, the dimming cover further includes a power supply module for providing power to the drive module and the dimming film.

[0025] According to some embodiments, the dimming switch is a button or a knob, the knob being used to adjust the magnitude of the current flowing through the dimming film to control the transparency of the dimming film.

[0026] According to some embodiments, the dimming cover further includes a condenser lens, wherein the dimming film is disposed on the condenser lens.

[0027] According to some embodiments, the dimming film includes multiple dimming areas that can be energized simultaneously or in a predetermined order.

[0028] According to another aspect of the present invention, the present invention provides a lighting device comprising:

[0029] A luminaire includes a light source and a controller, wherein the light source is electrically connected to the controller and assembled in the housing, and the light source includes one or more light-emitting elements; and

[0030] A dimming mask, comprising:

[0031] A dimming film;

[0032] A mounting element for mounting the luminaire;

[0033] A driving module electrically connected to the dimming film; and

[0034] A dimming switch electrically connected to the drive module, wherein the dimming switch is operated to switch the dimming film between a matte mode and a transparent mode to provide dimming for the light emitted by the light-emitting element.

[0035] According to some embodiments, the luminaire includes a housing, and the dimming cover is detachably mounted to the housing of the luminaire by means of a threaded structure, a flexible mounting ring, or a magnetic adsorption element, so as to be located in the luminaire.

[0036] According to some embodiments, the dimming mask is disposed around the light-emitting element.

[0037] According to some embodiments, the luminaire further includes a reflector for reflecting light from the light-emitting element, wherein the dimming cover is disposed outside the reflector so that the light reflected by the reflector reaches the dimming film and is adjusted.

[0038] According to some embodiments, the luminaire further includes a focusing lens, the housing includes a lampshade, the focusing lens is mounted at one outlet end of the reflector, and the dimming shroud is disposed between the reflector and the lampshade to adjust the light reflected by the reflector and the light refracted by the focusing lens to reach the dimming film.

[0039] According to some embodiments, the luminaire further includes a condenser lens and a lampshade, the condenser lens being mounted on the lampshade, wherein the dimming lampshade is adapted to be disposed between the reflector and the condenser lens, so that the light emitted by the light-emitting element first reaches the reflector and the dimming film before passing through the condenser lens to exit the luminaire. Attached Figure Description

[0040] Figure 1 This is a perspective view of a lighting device according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0041] Figure 2 This is an exploded view of a lighting device according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating its luminaire and dimmer cover.

[0042] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram illustrating the assembly of the light source and the dimming cover of the lighting device according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0043] Figure 4 This is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0044] Figure 5 This is an enlarged schematic diagram of the dimming cover according to the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0045] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of a lighting device according to a first modified embodiment of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0046] Figure 7 This is an exploded view of a lighting device according to a second modified embodiment of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0047] Figure 8 This is an exploded view of a lighting device according to a third modified embodiment of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0048] Figure 9 This is an exploded view of a lighting device according to a fourth modified embodiment of the first preferred embodiment described above.

[0049] Figure 10 This is a perspective view of a lighting device and its dimming cover according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0050] Figure 11 This is a cross-sectional view of a lighting device according to the second preferred embodiment of the present invention, illustrating the structure of the luminaire and the dimmer being assembled together.

[0051] Figure 12 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a dimming cover and a lamp according to the first modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0052] Figure 13 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of a dimming cover and a lamp according to a second modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0053] Figure 14 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the dimming cover and the lamp according to the third modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention.

[0054] Figure 15 This is a schematic diagram of the assembly of the dimming cover and the lamp according to the fourth modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention. Detailed Implementation

[0055] The following description is intended to disclose the present invention and enable those skilled in the art to implement it. The preferred embodiments described below are merely examples, and other obvious variations will occur to those skilled in the art. The basic principles of the invention defined in the following description can be applied to other embodiments, modifications, improvements, equivalents, and other technical solutions that do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention.

[0056] Those skilled in the art should understand that, in the disclosure of this invention, the terms "longitudinal," "lateral," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," "right," "vertical," "horizontal," "top," "bottom," "inner," and "outer," etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, the above terms should not be construed as limiting this invention.

[0057] It is understood that the term "a" should be understood as "at least one" or "one or more", that is, in one embodiment, the number of an element can be one, while in another embodiment, the number of the element can be multiple, and the term "a" should not be understood as a limitation on the number.

[0058] like Figures 1 to 5 The diagram shows a dimming cover 30 and an illumination device 100 according to a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The dimming cover 30 is adapted to be mounted on a luminaire 40, such that the dimming cover 30 and the luminaire 40 form the illumination device 100. In this embodiment, the luminaire is a lamp body, implemented as a flashlight. The dimming cover 30 includes a dimming film 31 and a mounting element 32. The mounting element 32 is used to mount the dimming cover 30 to the luminaire 40. The dimming film 31 is connected to the mounting element 32 to form a cover, and the dimming film 31 switches between a frosted mode and a transparent mode by electrical control, thereby enabling the illumination device to provide different illumination patterns.

[0059] More specifically, the lamp 40 includes a light source 41, a housing 42, and a condenser lens 43. The light source 41 and the condenser lens 43 are assembled in the housing 42. The light emitted by the light source 41 is focused by the condenser lens 43 and then projected out to provide illumination. In this embodiment, the lamp 40 also includes a reflector 44, which is bowl-shaped and may have a conical cross-section. The reflector 44 has a reflective cavity 441, a mounting end 442, and an exit end 443. The mounting end 442 of the reflector 44 is assembled with the light source 41, and the condenser lens 43 is assembled in the exit end 443 of the reflector 44. Thus, part of the light generated by the light source 41 is projected onto the condenser lens 43 and focused, while another part of the light reaches the reflector 44, is reflected, and then projected onto the condenser lens 43 and focused out of the lamp.

[0060] The light source 41 includes one or more light-emitting elements 411 and a controller 412, with the light-emitting elements 411 electrically connected to the controller 412. The mounting end 442 of the reflector 44 is assembled to the controller 412, such that the light-emitting elements 411 of the light source 41 are located in the reflective cavity 441. The inner surface 444 of the reflector 44 forms the reflective cavity 441 and a reflective surface for reflecting light from the light-emitting elements 411. The condensing lens 43 can be a lens capable of converging the light emitted by the light-emitting elements 411, such as a convex lens. In a specific example, the condensing lens 43 can be a Fresnel lens. The light-emitting element 411 can be implemented as various light-emitting devices such as fluorescent lamps, LED chips, OLED chips, etc.

[0061] The housing 42 includes a lamp housing 421 and a power supply housing 422. The lamp housing 421 is used to assemble the light source 41, the condenser lens 43, and the reflector 44. The power supply housing 422 is used to assemble the power module. Accordingly, the battery housing 422 has a power cavity 4221 for accommodating the power module, which can be a rechargeable battery or an AC / DC converter module to convert AC power into DC power usable by the lamp.

[0062] The housing 42 can be a single, integral housing, or it can be like... Figure 2 As shown, the lamp housing 421 and the power supply housing 422 are two separate housing parts, and they can be detachably assembled together. For example, the lamp housing 421 and the power supply housing 422 can be assembled by mutually compatible internal threads 1210 and external threads 1220.

[0063] In other words, the lamp of the present invention may include two units: a light-emitting unit and a power supply unit. The light-emitting unit includes the lamp housing 421 and the light source 41, the condenser lens 43, and the reflector 44 assembled in the lamp housing 421. The power supply unit includes the power supply housing 422 and a rechargeable battery assembled in the power supply cavity 4221 of the power supply housing 422. The two units can be assembled independently and then assembled together. This allows one light-emitting unit to be paired with different power supply units, and one power supply unit to be adapted to different light-emitting units, thus making the assembly of the lamp relatively convenient.

[0064] In this embodiment of the invention, the dimming cover 30 can be matched with the lamp 40, and the mounting element 32 is mounted on the light source 41 so that the dimming film 31 is located in front of the light-emitting element 411 of the light source 41 and between the light-emitting element 411 and the condenser lens 43, thereby adjusting the light pattern formed by the light emitted by the light source 41.

[0065] Accordingly, in this embodiment of the invention, the condensing lens 43 and the dimming cover 30 form a dimming mechanism 300, which cooperate to converge and diffuse the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411. More specifically, the condensing lens 43 converges the light, and the dimming film 31 is an electrically controllable component that can switch between a transparent mode and a frosted mode when switched between a powered-on state and a powered-off state. When the dimming film 31 is in the transparent mode, the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 passes through the transparent dimming film 31 and is converged by the condensing lens 43, thus enabling the lighting device 1000 to be in a focused mode to provide a focused illumination spot. When the dimming film 31 is in the frosted mode, the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is scattered after passing through the frosted dimming film 31 and then passes through the condensing lens 43, thus enabling the lighting device 1000 to be in a scattered mode to provide scattered illumination light.

[0066] Accordingly, the lighting device 1000 of the present invention can provide different lighting effects according to the needs of the application scenario. For example, when the surface of the irradiated object is a low-gloss surface, the dimming film 31 can be energized and put into a transparent mode so that the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is focused by the condenser lens 43, thereby allowing more reflected light to reach the human eye. When the surface of the irradiated object is a high-gloss surface, the dimming film 31 can be de-energized and put into a frosted mode, so that the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411, after being scattered by the dimming film 31 and refracted by the condenser lens 43, can only allow less reflected light to reach the human eye, thus enabling the lamp to cope with the lighting conditions of surfaces with different gloss levels.

[0067] refer to Figure 5 As shown, the dimming film 31 comprises two transparent ITO (Indium Tin Oxide) films 311 and a liquid crystal layer 312 located between these two ITO films. When a voltage is applied to the two ITO films 311, i.e., when the dimming film 31 is energized, the polymer liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer 312 is arranged in an orderly manner, thus making the liquid crystal layer 312 transparent. This allows the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 to pass through the dimming film 31 without changing its projection direction. When the two ITO films 311 are de-energized, the polymer liquid crystal material of the liquid crystal layer 312 is disordered, thus the liquid crystal layer 312 is no longer transparent. The light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is then scattered after entering the dimming film 31. It is understood that other protective films may be applied to the outside of the two transparent ITO films 311, and the dimming film 31 may be further bonded to a layer of transparent glass or plastic to enhance its strength.

[0068] The lamp housing 421 further includes a lampshade 4211 and a receiving housing 4212, which are detachably connected, such as by a threaded connection. In this embodiment, the condensing lens 43 is assembled to the barrel-shaped lampshade 4211. More specifically, the lampshade 4211 has a stepped surface 42111 on its inner side, and the condensing lens 43 has an outer periphery 430 that abuts against the stepped surface 42111 on the inner side of the lampshade 4211, thereby assembling the condensing lens 43 to the lampshade 4211. It is understood that an adhesive layer may be applied between the condensing lens 43 and the stepped surface 42111 on the inner side of the lampshade 4211 to bond the condensing lens 43 to the stepped surface 42111 of the lampshade 4211.

[0069] The controller 412 includes a circuit board 4121 and a power switch 4125. The light-emitting element 411 is electrically connected to and supported on the circuit board 4121. In this embodiment, the dimming cover 30 also includes a driving module 33 and a dimming switch 34. The driving module 33 is electrically connected to the ITO film of the dimming film 311 of the dimming cover 30 via wires to provide power to the dimming film 311. The dimming switch 34 is electrically connected to the driving module 33 via wires to start or stop the operation of the driving module 33. The controller 412 further includes a power switch 4125, which is electrically connected to the rechargeable battery to control the operating state of the rechargeable battery, thereby controlling the on and off of the light-emitting element 411. In the example shown in the figure, the power switch 4125 is located at the end of the power housing 422 and is implemented as a button.

[0070] The drive module 33 may be further adapted to be electrically connected to the rechargeable battery in the power cavity 4221 of the power supply housing 422 or the circuit board 4121 or the power supply housing 422 by means of wires or electrical connection contacts, so that the drive module 33 can be powered by the rechargeable battery in the power cavity 4221 of the power supply housing 422.

[0071] The mounting element 32 of the dimming cover 30 is adapted to be assembled onto the circuit board 4121, such as by adhesive bonding. It is understood that the mounting element 32 is made of a transparent material so as not to block the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411. The mounting element 32 is integrally formed with the dimming film 31, or the mounting element 32 is assembled with the dimming film 31 as if the dimming film 31 were adhesively bonded to the mounting element 32.

[0072] In this embodiment, the mounting element 32 is implemented in a cylindrical shape and is adapted to surround the light-emitting element 411, such that most of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 first passes through the dimming film 31 and is then projected onto the inner surface of the reflector 414 and the focusing lens.

[0073] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the driving module 33 is located on the top side of the circuit board 4121 and beside the light-emitting element 411, thus not blocking the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411. It is understood that in this embodiment, the dimming switch 34 of the dimming film 31 is adapted to pass through the reflector 414 and the housing 42 of the lamp 40, and can be implemented as a button, thereby allowing the user to operate the dimming film 31 to switch between energized and de-energized states, in conjunction with the focusing lens 43 to provide different illumination patterns of converging and scattering light.

[0074] More specifically, when the user presses the power switch 4125 to activate the light-emitting element 411, emitting light, for low-gloss target surfaces, the user can operate the dimming switch 34 to energize the dimming film 31. In this state, the dimming film 31 is in transparent mode, and the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is focused by the condenser lens 43 to provide a focused illumination effect. For high-gloss target surfaces, the user can operate the dimming switch 34 to de-energize the dimming film 31. In this state, the dimming film 31 is in matte mode, and the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is scattered by the non-uniform medium of the dimming film 31 before entering the condenser lens 43, thereby reducing the amount of light reaching the user's eyes.

[0075] It is worth mentioning that in this invention, the dimming cover 30 is equipped with the driving module 33, and under the control of the dimming switch 34, it controls the conduction and disconnection of the current of the dimming film 31, so that it can work independently without being controlled by the lamp 40.

[0076] like Figure 6 As shown in the diagram, according to a first variation of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dimming cover 30 is implemented as a lampshade, comprising a dimming film 31, a mounting element 32, a driving module 33, and a dimming switch 34. The driving module 33 is electrically connected to the dimming film 31 and the dimming switch 34. In this embodiment, the mounting element 32 is implemented as an outer cover, and the dimming film 31 is assembled to the open end of the mounting element 32. The dimming switch 34 may be disposed on the mounting element 32 and protrude from the outer surface of the mounting element 32.

[0077] Similarly, the luminaire 40 includes a light source 41, a housing 42, a condenser lens 43, and a reflector 44. The light source 41 includes one or more light-emitting elements 411, the condenser lens 43 is used to converge the light from the light-emitting elements 411, and the reflector 44 is used to reflect the light from the light-emitting elements 411 toward the condenser lens 43. The condenser lens 43 is assembled to the outlet end 443 of the reflector 44.

[0078] In this embodiment, the dimming cover 30 is disposed outside the reflector 44 and the condenser lens 43, and the drive module 33 is located between the mounting element 32 and the reflector 44, so that there is no obstruction in the reflective cavity 441 of the reflector 44 that would block the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411.

[0079] In this embodiment, the condenser lens 43 is located between the light-emitting element 411 of the light source 41 and the dimming film 31 of the dimming cover 30. In this way, the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is reflected by the reflector 44 and refracted by the condenser lens 43 before reaching the dimming film 31 and being dimmed by the dimming film 31.

[0080] like Figure 7 As shown, in a second modified embodiment of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dimming switch 34 controlling the dimming film 31 is implemented as a knob. When the knob is rotated, the voltage applied to the ITO film can gradually increase from zero to a maximum, and correspondingly, the current through the dimming film 31 can gradually increase from zero to a maximum. When the current through the dimming film 31 is zero, that is, the dimming film 31 is in a de-energized state, and at this time, the dimming film 31 is in a matte mode with minimal transparency. When the current flowing through the dimming film 31 increases to its maximum value, that is, the dimming film 31 is in a energized state and the dimming film 31 is in a transparent mode. Furthermore, as the current flowing through the dimming film 31 gradually increases from zero, the transparency of the dimming film 31 gradually increases, thereby allowing the transparency of the dimming film 31 to be steplessly adjusted. In other words, in this embodiment, the dimming effect of the dimming film 31 can be continuously adjusted by rotating the dimming switch 34, thus meeting the lighting requirements in different application scenarios.

[0081] Traditional mechanical structures require fixing at the focusing and diffusing positions, so they can generally only provide two different light patterns. However, the dimming film 31 of the present invention is electrically controlled, thereby allowing the lighting device 1000 to provide a variety of different light patterns.

[0082] like Figure 8 As shown, in a third variation of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the luminaire 40 includes a light source 41, a housing 42, a condenser lens 43, and a reflector 44. The light source 41 includes one or more light-emitting elements 411, the condenser lens 43 is used to converge light from the light-emitting elements 411, and the reflector 44 is used to reflect light from the light-emitting elements 411 toward the condenser lens 43. The condenser lens 43 is assembled at the outlet end 443 of the reflector 44.

[0083] The housing 42 includes a lampshade 4211, and the reflector 44 is disposed inside the lampshade 4211. In this embodiment, the dimming cover 30 covers the outside of the reflector 44 and is located inside the lampshade 4211, and the drive module 33 is located between the mounting element 32 and the reflector 44 or between the mounting element and the lampshade 4211, so that there is no obstruction in the reflective cavity 441 of the reflector 44 that would block the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411.

[0084] In this embodiment, the dimming film 31 is located between the condenser lens 43 and the reflector 44, so that part of the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 is directly projected onto the dimming film 31, and part of the light reaches the dimming film 31 after being reflected by the reflector 44, so that the dimming film 31 performs dimming function before reaching the condenser lens 43 and being focused.

[0085] It is understood that the mounting element 312 is mounted on the circuit board 4121 of the light source 41. If the mounting element 312 is bonded to the circuit board 4121 of the light source 41, the mounting element 312 can be implemented as a bracket.

[0086] like Figure 9 As shown, in a fourth variation of the first preferred embodiment of the present invention, the dimming film 31 includes two ITO films 311 and a liquid crystal layer 312 sandwiched between the ITO films 311, wherein the liquid crystal layer 312 is located only in the middle region 313 of the dimming film 31, and the annular region 314 surrounding the liquid crystal layer 312 is transparent without the liquid crystal layer 312.

[0087] In other words, in this embodiment of the invention, a local area of ​​the dimming film 31 has a dimming effect. More specifically, for example, the circular area in the middle of the dimming film 31 can switch between a transparent mode and a matte mode, so that when the dimming film 31 is powered on, the light emitted by the light-emitting element 411 can penetrate the dimming film 31 and the condenser lens 43, thereby providing converged light. When the dimming film 31 is powered off, a portion of the light emitted from the light-emitting element 411 passes directly through the condenser lens 43 to form a brighter annular light spot, and at least a portion of the light reaches the area in the middle of the dimming film 31 containing the liquid crystal layer 312 and is scattered, so that the lighting device 1000 provides less light at the position corresponding to the middle area of ​​the dimming film 31.

[0088] like Figure 10 and Figure 11As shown, the dimmer cover 30 according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a luminaire 40 to form a lighting device 1000. In this embodiment, the dimmer cover 30 is implemented as a lampshade, which includes a dimming film 31, a mounting element 32, a driving module 33, a dimming switch 34, and a power supply module 35. The dimmer cover 30 can be used as an independent component, adapted to the luminaire 40 without altering the original structure of the luminaire 40 as much as possible.

[0089] In this embodiment, the dimming film 31, the driving module 33, and the dimming switch 34 are electrically connected to each other, and all three are powered by the power supply module 35. The power supply module 35 is housed in the cavity formed by the mounting element 32, and it can be a rechargeable battery or an AC / DC conversion module to convert AC power into DC power that can be used by the dimming film 31.

[0090] In other words, the dimming cover 30 can be operated and used independently and is powered by a separate power supply module 35, so that it can be easily matched with the lamp 40 without designing an electrical connection between the lamp 40 and the dimming cover 30 for power supply.

[0091] It is understood that the lamp 40 can be a portable lamp or a fixed lamp, and accordingly, the aforementioned condensing lens 43 can be provided, which also serves as a lens for focusing light. Other focusing structures such as the aforementioned reflector 44 may also be included. The lamp 40 is an independent light-emitting device, which is also equipped with a light source 41 and a housing 42. The housing 42 can store a power module such as a rechargeable battery or a voltage conversion module for supplying power to the lamp 40.

[0092] It is understood that the housing 42 includes a lampshade 4211, and the dimming cover 30 can be assembled to the lampshade 4211 via the mounting element 32, thereby enabling the luminaire 40 to be equipped with the dimming cover 30 having a dimming function, thus giving the lighting device 1000 composed of the dimming cover 30 and the luminaire 40 an adjustable lighting effect. For example, the mounting element 32 of the dimming cover 30 can be assembled to the lampshade 4211 via a matching threaded structure 321.

[0093] In other words, the dimming cover 30 is superimposed on the lamp 40 so that the light generated by the lamp 40 can be controlled electrically by the dimming film 31 of the dimming cover 30. Specifically, when the dimming film 31 is in the energized transparent mode, the light generated by the lamp 40 is allowed to pass through the dimming film 31, thereby providing high-intensity illumination, so that more of the reflected light that hits the surface of the target object can reach the human eye. When the dimming film 31 is in the de-energized frosted mode, the light generated by the lamp 40 is scattered by the dimming film 31, so that less reflected light reaches the human eye.

[0094] like Figure 12 As shown, a dimmer 30 according to a modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a luminaire 40 to form an illumination device 1000. In this embodiment, the mounting element 32 includes a resilient mounting ring 322 for mounting onto the lamp housing of the luminaire 40.

[0095] like Figure 13 As shown, a dimming cover 30 according to another variation of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a lamp 40 to form a lighting device 1000. In this embodiment, the mounting element 32 includes one or more magnetic adsorption elements 323, and when a magnetic adsorption material is provided on the housing 42 of the lamp 40, the dimming cover 30 is adsorbed onto the housing 42 of the lamp 40 by the magnetic adsorption elements 323.

[0096] like Figure 14 As shown, a dimming cover 30 according to another modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a luminaire 40 to form an illumination device 1000. In this embodiment, the dimming cover 30 is configured with the aforementioned condenser lens 43, that is, the dimming cover 30 is an independent optical component capable of providing two dimming effects. It can provide a focusing effect through the condenser lens 43 and a diffusing effect through the dimming film 31. Thus, the condenser lens 43 and the dimming film 31 together can provide the illumination device 1000 with both a focused light pattern and a diffused light pattern. By using such an independent dimming cover 30, the switching between the focused light pattern and the diffused light pattern of the illumination device 1000 can be satisfied, thereby reducing the structural requirements of the original luminaire 40 and facilitating assembly.

[0097] like Figure 15As shown, a dimming cover 30 according to another modified embodiment of the second preferred embodiment of the present invention is applied to a lamp 40 to form an illumination device 1000. In this embodiment, the dimming film 31 of the dimming cover 30 is partitioned by the liquid crystal layer 312, thereby giving the dimming film 31 a plurality of dimming areas 310, wherein these dimming areas 310 are controlled by the driving module 33 to be simultaneously energized or de-energized, or individually energized or de-energized. In addition, these dimming areas 310 can also be alternately energized or energized in a predetermined order to cooperate with the lamp to achieve different light patterns in different areas or to provide varying illumination patterns by partitioning the different light-emitting elements of the lamp.

[0098] It should be noted that in the apparatus and method of this application, the components or steps in different embodiments can be disassembled and / or recombined without departing from the principle of the present invention. These disassemblies and / or recombinations should be considered as included within the inventive concept of this application.

[0099] Those skilled in the art should understand that the embodiments of the present invention described above and shown in the accompanying drawings are merely examples and do not limit the present invention. The objectives of the present invention have been fully and effectively achieved. The functions and structural principles of the present invention have been shown and explained in the embodiments, and any modifications or variations of the embodiments of the present invention may be made without departing from the stated principles.

Claims

1. A dimming cover, characterized in that, It is suitable for mounting in a luminaire to form a lighting device, wherein the dimming cover includes: A dimming film; A mounting element adapted for mounting the luminaire; A driving module electrically connected to the dimming film; and A dimming switch electrically connected to the drive module, wherein the dimming switch is operated to switch the dimming film between a frosted mode and a transparent mode so that the lighting device can provide different illumination patterns.

2. The dimming cover according to claim 1, wherein the mounting element of the dimming cover is mounted on the outside of the luminaire via a detachable structure.

3. The dimming cover according to claim 2, wherein the dimming cover is detachably mounted to the lamp via a threaded structure, an elastic mounting ring, or a magnetic adsorption component.

4. The dimming cover according to claim 1, wherein the dimming cover is adapted to be installed inside one of the lampshades of the luminaire.

5. The dimming mask according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dimming film comprises two layers of indium tin oxide film and a liquid crystal layer located between the two layers of indium tin oxide film.

6. The dimming mask according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dimming film comprises two layers of indium tin oxide film and a liquid crystal layer located in a local region between the two layers of indium tin oxide film.

7. The dimming mask according to claim 6, wherein the liquid crystal layer is located in the middle region of the dimming film so that the middle region of the dimming film can switch between the matte mode and the transparent mode, and the annular region surrounding the middle region of the dimming film is transparent.

8. The dimming cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dimming cover further comprises a power supply module for providing power to the drive module and the dimming film.

9. The dimming cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dimming switch is a button or a knob, the knob being used to adjust the magnitude of the current flowing through the dimming film to control the transparency of the dimming film.

10. The dimming cover according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a condenser lens, wherein the dimming film is disposed on the condenser lens.

11. The dimming mask according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the dimming film includes a plurality of dimming regions that can be energized simultaneously or in a predetermined order.

12. A lighting device, characterized in that, include; A luminaire includes a light source, a housing, and a controller, wherein the light source is electrically connected to the controller and assembled in the housing, and the light source includes one or more light-emitting elements; as well as A dimming mask, comprising: A dimming film; A mounting element for mounting the luminaire; A driving module electrically connected to the dimming film; and A dimming switch electrically connected to the drive module, wherein the dimming switch is operated to switch the dimming film between a matte mode and a transparent mode to provide dimming for the light emitted by the light-emitting element.

13. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the dimming cover is detachably mounted to the housing of the luminaire by means of a threaded structure, a resilient mounting ring or a magnetic adsorption element, so as to be located in the luminaire.

14. The lighting device according to claim 12, wherein the dimming cover is disposed around the light-emitting element.

15. The lighting device of claim 12, wherein the luminaire further comprises a reflector for reflecting light from the light-emitting element, wherein the dimming cover is disposed outside the reflector so that the light reflected by the reflector reaches the dimming film and is adjusted.

16. The lighting device of claim 15, wherein the luminaire further comprises a condenser lens, the housing comprises a lampshade, the condenser lens is mounted at an outlet end of the reflector, and wherein the dimming shroud is disposed between the reflector and the lampshade to adjust the light reflected by the reflector and the light refracted by the condenser lens to reach the dimming film.

17. The lighting device according to claim 15, wherein the luminaire further comprises a condenser lens and a lampshade, the condenser lens being mounted on the lampshade, wherein the dimming shade is adapted to be disposed between the reflector and the condenser lens such that light emitted by the light-emitting element first reaches the reflector and the dimming film before passing through the condenser lens to exit the luminaire.

18. The lighting device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the dimming film comprises two layers of indium tin oxide film and a liquid crystal layer located between the two layers of indium tin oxide film.

19. The lighting device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the dimming film comprises two indium tin oxide films and a liquid crystal layer located in a local region between the two indium tin oxide films.

20. The lighting device according to claim 19, wherein the liquid crystal layer is located in the middle region of the dimming film so that the middle region of the dimming film can switch between the matte mode and the transparent mode, and the annular region surrounding the middle region of the dimming film is transparent.

21. The lighting device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the dimming cover further comprises a power supply module for providing power to the drive module and the dimming film.

22. The lighting device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the dimming switch is a button or a knob, the knob being used to adjust the magnitude of the current flowing through the dimming film to control the transparency of the dimming film.

23. The lighting device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the dimming cover further comprises a condenser lens, wherein the dimming film is disposed on the condenser lens.

24. The lighting device according to any one of claims 12 to 17, wherein the dimming film comprises a plurality of dimming zones that can be energized simultaneously or in a predetermined order.

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