Apparatus, method and system for retrofitting a lighting system with uplighting

Abstract

A self-contained luminaire, drive, and fixture unit (100) includes at least a first luminaire (200), a mounting beam (102) defining a cavity for receiving the drive (104), and a drive unit (106) configured to fit within the cavity for receiving the drive (104). The first luminaire (200) includes a single row of light-emitting diodes (202) and at least a first set of optics configured to provide horizontal and vertical dispersion of at least a portion of the light emitted by the single row of light-emitting diodes (202). The vertical dispersion of the light is reflected by a reflective baffle.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application is a national phase application claiming priority to and the benefit of International Patent Application No. PCT / US2024 / 0338011, filed on July 15, 2024, which relates to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 578,481, filed on August 24, 2023, the contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference in their entirety. TECHNICAL FIELD

[0002] The present disclosure relates generally to improvements in luminaire design relating to beam cutoff. More specifically, the present invention relates to providing an LED luminaire for baseball uplighting ("front light"; and for, for example, other large area applications, rail yards and shipyards, parking lots, and building lighting), the luminaire having a sharp cutoff of light at the bottom of the composite beam it projects, which reduces the angle over which the light projected by the luminaire transitions from "full light" to "no light." This enables a relatively high level of illumination in the vertical space above a playing field with a sharp cutoff immediately above, but relatively close to, the players on the field.This disclosure also relates to a luminaire that requires fewer light sources, which can generate less heat and thereby reduce costs. BACKGROUND

[0003] Baseball field lighting requires both illumination of the playing surface and uplighting (i.e., light for the airspace above and / or near the field). Field lighting is typically performed according to a recognized minimum standard, such as RP-6-15 of the Illuminating Engineering Society (IES). U.S. Pat. No. 10,267,491 discusses the need to consider airborne illuminance.

[0004] It is also well known in the lighting industry that otherwise satisfactory lighting that meets field lighting standards can nevertheless present problems when uplighting is considered. As described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,976,198, light sources can cause glare and impair play for some players due to the mounting locations and orientation angles of the light sources. For example, a light that shines upward but causes reflections on surfaces near the light or internal glow of the light can cause unwanted glare in the eyes of the batter or other players. This glare can obscure the ball and impair the player's ability to visually track it. In U.S. Pat. No.7,976,198 and 9,402,292 discuss some of the considerations necessary to determine when uplighting is required, when glare may be perceived, how a lighting system can be appropriately designed to provide uplighting while reducing glare, and the like.

[0005] Furthermore, it is well known in the art of lighting design that improving illumination and reducing cost are key factors and can lead to many excellent designs optimized for a particular primary function, but sometimes at the expense of a secondary function. For example, older designs with fewer controls typically provided adequate illumination of an airspace (although usually with less control over perceived glare) because apertures, etc., were not as precise—especially with HID lighting. In contrast, newer designs, such as newer LED fixtures, have improved beam control and, while well-suited to target areas, no longer have sufficient uncontrolled light that could be used for airspace illumination.In addition, there are still significant areas (older or newer technologies) where there is a lack of adequate progress. For example, there is little progress in reducing the number of poles or locations for mounting luminaires for large-area lighting applications—an advance that could lead to lower costs.

[0006] Therefore, a one-for-one replacement in the residential lighting retrofit market, where an old light source is removed and a new one is inserted without any further modifications, is not practical for the specialty lighting retrofit market.

[0007] Some luminaires are also not suitable for uplighting from a low or medium position because the many rows of LEDs cause problems, making it very difficult to create a sharp light border near the edge of the composite beam.

[0008] It is therefore desirable to provide an apparatus, method, and system for retrofitting existing lighting systems to provide upward light with desired properties such as glare control at a lower cost. SUMMARY

[0009] A self-contained luminaire, driver, and fixture assembly according to an embodiment of the present disclosure may include at least a first luminaire, a mounting beam defining a cavity for receiving the driver, and a driver assembly configured to fit within the cavity for receiving the driver. The first luminaire may include a single row of light-emitting diodes and at least a first set of optics configured to provide horizontal dispersion and vertical dispersion of at least a portion of the light emitted by the single row of light-emitting diodes.

[0010] An LED lamp according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a rear mounting plate having a heat sink connected to the rear mounting plate, an LED board configured to be connected to the rear mounting plate, at least one first optics mount, at least one first optical element configured to be held by the first optics mount adjacent to the LED board, a window, and a front frame configured to enclose the window, the first optical element, the first optics mount, and the LED board adjacent to the rear mounting plate.The LED board may include a single row of LEDs, and the heat sink may include a predetermined number of heat sink fins. The LED board may include a predetermined number of LEDs, and a ratio of the predetermined number of LEDs to the predetermined number of heat sink fins is in the range of 2.0 to 3.0. In certain embodiments, this ratio may be in the range of 2.4 to 2.6 (e.g., about 2.5).

[0011] An optical element according to another embodiment of the present disclosure may include a central plate portion, a front lens portion defining an upper undulating boundary and a lower undulating boundary, and a rear LED receiving portion having a plurality of cones each defining an elongated cavity. The front lens portions may be angled from the central plate portion to redirect the light upward relative to the plurality of cones.

[0012] The details of one or more examples of the disclosure are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the disclosure will become apparent from the description and drawings, as well as from the claims. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The following drawings illustrate particular examples of the present disclosure and therefore do not limit the scope of the disclosure. The drawings are not necessarily to scale, although the examples may include the scale shown, and are intended for use in conjunction with the discussion in the following detailed description, in which like reference numerals designate like elements. Examples of the present disclosure are described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. Fig. Figure 1 shows a prior art outdoor lighting system including poles with attached LED (light-emitting diode) lights for illuminating a sports field and the area above the field. As shown, a baseball diamond or other sports field can be illuminated by the prior art system. It is conceivable that some prior art systems may use high intensity discharge (HID) lamps in other applications. Fig. Figure 2 shows a prior art uplight luminaire mounted on one or more of the posts of Fig. 1 can be attached. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a quadruple optical element used in the luminaire of Fig. 2 is used and is shown in isolation. Fig. 4 is a front perspective view of a single and a double uplight and a cross arm assembly that may be mounted to a post in accordance with various embodiments of the present disclosure. Fig. 5 is a perspective rear view of the units of Fig. 4, in which the vertical emission elements are removed and in which the LED drive units are visible, which are mounted inside the vertical emission elements to power the uplight luminaires. Fig. 6 is an enlarged front perspective view of the single uplight and cross arm assembly of Fig. 5, with the window removed to reveal five sets of optics and optics mounts covering the LEDs mounted on an LED board. Fig. 7 shows the single light of Fig. 6, where the optics have been removed and the openings for accommodating the rear part of the optics and the LEDs themselves are visible. Fig. 8 shows the individual uplights from Fig. 7 with the optics mounts removed. The LED board is clearly visible. Fig. 9 is a front perspective view of the LED board, a single instance of an optics mount, and a single instance of an optical element isolated from the single uplight of Fig. 6 will be shown. Fig. 10 is an enlarged front view showing the optical element and the optics mount of Fig. 9 shows more clearly. Fig. 11 is a sectional view of Fig. 10 from the top. Fig. 12 is a front perspective view of the optical element of Fig. 10, which is shown as such. Fig. 13 is a front view of the optical element of Fig. 12. Fig. 14 is a rear perspective view of the optical element of Fig. 12. Fig. 15 is a rear view of the optical element of Fig. 14. Fig. 16 is a right side view of the optical element of Fig. 12. Fig. 17 is a plan view of the optical element of Fig. 14. Fig. Figure 18 is an enlarged view of the central lens portion of the optical element of Fig. 17. Fig. 19 is a front perspective view of the isolated optics mount of Fig. 10. Fig. 20 is a rear perspective view of the optics mount of Fig. 19. Fig. Figure 21 is a schematic side view showing an optical model of the new optical element and illustrating how it refracts the light downward toward the reflective aperture, which reflects the light upward. Fig. Figure 22 is a side view showing more generally how the new optical element bounces light back from the reflective aperture to create uplight. Fig. Figure 23 shows various baseball trajectories, indicating that the maximum angle required for uplighting from an uplight fixture 25 feet above the ground is approximately 45.0 degrees from the horizontal plane. Fig. Figure 24 shows the vertical and horizontal beam distribution that can be achieved with the new optical element. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0014] The following detailed description is exemplary and is not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the techniques or systems described herein. Rather, the following description provides some practical illustrations for implementing examples of the techniques or systems described herein. Those skilled in the art will recognize that there are numerous suitable alternatives for many of the examples mentioned.

[0015] To promote understanding of the present disclosure, specific exemplary embodiments according to the present disclosure are described in detail. Throughout this description, reference is frequently made to the drawings. Reference numerals are used to identify specific parts in the drawings. Unless otherwise noted, the same parts are referred to by the same numbers throughout the drawings. In addition, similar reference numerals (e.g., 702, 802, 902, 1002, 1102) are used to identify similar parts or functions in different embodiments. Reference numerals followed by letters (e.g., 100, 100a) may indicate the same or similar features, which may be symmetrical to one another, etc.

[0016] With regard to terminology, terms such as "means," "devices," "elements," "parts," "portions," "structure," "components," and "members" may be used interchangeably in the singular or plural for convenience herein without departing from or limiting aspects of the present disclosure unless expressly stated otherwise.

[0017] Also, terms such as "including," "including," etc., or forms thereof, are to be interpreted as open-ended and do not limit the parts of a structure that may be added to that structure. The term "generally linear," "linear array," or forms thereof are to be construed to include arrays of elements, such as LEDs, that follow an at least partially straight or slightly curved path such that a tangent at one end of the array forms an angle with a tangent at another end of the array that is less than 40 degrees.

[0018] In addition, several terms have been used for convenience or explanation that should not be considered limiting unless they appear in this document. For example, the terms "luminaire(s)" and "fixture(s)" are used interchangeably here, as is often the case in the lighting industry. Neither term is intended to exceed the limitations described here.

[0019] As another example, references to "ballast(s)" and "driver(s)" are used herein; both are means for power regulation in lighting technology, the former being used herein with reference to HID light sources and the latter with reference to LED light sources. However, it should be noted that where aspects of the disclosure are applied to other types of light sources (e.g., laser diodes), the corresponding terminology for the power regulation means may vary. It should be generally understood that various embodiments of the present disclosure relate to retrofitting lighting systems, so any specific reference to a type of light source or power regulation means should be construed as broadly as possible.

[0020] For example, a ballast could include magnetic ballasts, electronic ballasts, and generally any AC conditioning means, while a drive could include general purpose drives (i.e., simple DC conditioning means), so-called smart drives (i.e., complex DC conditioning means that may include programmable functions, self-healing components, active feedback loops, etc.), or something in between. All of the foregoing possibilities fall within the scope of the present disclosure.

[0021] Finally, regarding terminology, terms such as "beam(s)," "beam pattern(s), "beam shape(s)," "composite beam(s)," "beam design(s)," or similar may be used herein. All of these terms refer to the light projected by a lighting device. It goes without saying that the nature of light is complex, and the terms used herein generally describe the shape of the light as it is projected by a lighting device onto a target area, or the intensity in an airspace above a target area, or the general direction of the light as it exits a luminaire, or similar.While specific descriptions and illustrations are provided here, it should be understood that none of these terms, descriptions, or illustrations should be considered all-inclusive of lighting concerns that may be encountered during a retrofit situation; however, it should also be noted that all terms are commonly known and well understood in the lighting industry. OVERVIEW

[0022] As already mentioned, the present disclosure relates to retrofitting lighting systems. More specifically, retrofits for specific lighting systems are disclosed.

[0023] Such a special lighting system is in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. Here, a sports lighting system 50 is shown, which is intended to illuminate a sports field 52 and a portion of the airspace above the field. As in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 1, the downlight is provided by 54 LED luminaires. It is conceivable that other systems use HID (High Intensity Discharge) lamps for the downlight. In any case, it may be that no uplight was originally intended, and it may be desirable to provide uplight at a reasonable cost. In some lighting systems, as shown in Fig. 1, one or more LED uplights 60 may already be present (they may be attached to the posts 56).

[0024] Such an LED uplight 60 is in Fig. 2 itself. The lamp 60 is mounted on a crossbar (in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 not clearly shown) extending from a post 56 via an adjustable fitting 62 (e.g., a hinge) attached to a heat sink 64 having a high density of heat sink fins 66 (e.g., 50 heat sink fins) for dissipating the heat generated by powering the LEDs. The heat sink 64 is, in turn, attached to a rear mounting plate 68. The LEDs 70 (80 Model XP-L2 LEDs from Cree, Inc. of Durham, NC, arranged in compact arrays may be used) are covered by a transparent window 72 secured to the rear mounting plate 68 by a fastener or the like. Fins 74 or blackened sections help reduce internal glow, perceived glare, and / or backlighting. A reflective surface 76 on the aperture provides incident light, while the front edge 78 of the aperture provides light shielding.The side visors 80 help to limit glare.

[0025] Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 are to be understood that the wiring is routed internally through the post 56, into a cross arm, through the adjustable fixture 62, and to each light fixture 54, 60, which may be arranged in a row. Alternatively, the wiring may be routed externally to the beams, posts, cross arms, etc., e.g., by a conduit from the power source to the light fixtures, including uplights, etc. This is an adequate description of a particular lighting system that may be retrofitted in accordance with and benefit from aspects of the present disclosure, although additional background information is available in U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,250,596, 7,600,901, 8,163,993, 8,337,058, and 8,770,796, etc.

[0026] Fig. Figure 3 shows a quadruple optical element 82, so named because the rear cones 84 have cavities (not shown) for accommodating four LEDs. The front lens portion 86 is substantially parallel to the central plate portion 88. This increases the cost of the luminaire, as will be explained in more detail later.

[0027] The exemplary embodiments present systems, devices, and methods for upgrading lighting systems in a manner that provides adequate uplighting while reducing costs. These exemplary embodiments, which utilize aspects of the general examples previously described, are now described herein. SELF-CLOSED UNIT CONSISTING OF LUMINAIRE, DRIVE AND FASTENING

[0028] A self-contained unit comprising luminaire, drive and fastening 100, 100a, which is designed according to an embodiment of the present disclosure, will now be described, starting with the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 discussed.

[0029] Such a unit 100, 100a may include at least a first light 200, a mounting beam 102 defining a cavity for receiving the drive 104, and a drive unit 106 configured to fit into the cavity for receiving the drive 104. The first light 200 includes a single row of light-emitting diodes 202 (see Fig. 9) and at least a first set of optics (see optical element 300 in Fig. 6) configured to provide horizontal diffusion and vertical diffusion of at least a portion of the light emitted by the single row of light-emitting diodes 202 in a manner described in detail later herein.

[0030] As in the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5, the mounting beam 102 may be in the form of a vertical beam 102a defining an end face 108 that defines the cavity 104 for receiving the actuator. Other configurations are contemplated as being within the scope of the present disclosure. For example, the mounting beam may extend horizontally, and its top may define the receiving cavity for the actuator, etc. The unit 100 (may be referred to as a single, self-contained unit comprising the light, actuator, and fixture) may include a shorter cross arm 110 extending perpendicular to the end face 108, and the first light 200 may be a single light disposed in front of the end face 108.

[0031] For the unit 100a (which may be referred to as a double self-contained unit comprising light, drive, and fixture), a longer cross arm 110a may be provided, extending in a direction parallel to the end face 108 of the vertical beam 102a, past the end face 108 on a first side 112 and on a second side 112a. Other lengths and configurations are possible for the cross arms, such as diagonal, etc. The first light 200 may be disposed at a first end of the longer cross arm 110a, and a second light 200a (which may be configured similarly or identically to the first light 200) may be disposed at a second end of the longer cross arm 110a.

[0032] As in Fig. 6, an adjustable fitting 62 (e.g., a joint) may connect the first light 200 and / or the second light 200a to the shorter cross arm 110 and the longer cross arm 110a. The drive unit 106 may include a front mounting plate 114 configured to be mounted on the end face 108 (see Fig. 3) of the vertical beam 102a, a drive mounting plate 116 extending perpendicularly from a rear surface of the front mounting plate 114, and at least one first drive 118 secured to the drive mounting plate 116. The rear surface of the front mounting plate 114 may define a seal receiving groove 120 with a seal 122 disposed therein to create a watertight seal between the plate and the vertical beam.

[0033] Although two drives are shown for Unit 100, only one would actually be required since there is only one light. An example drive that could be used includes the INVENTRONICS model ESM-240S150DT (275 watts), etc. The various plates of the drive unit can be made of steel, aluminum, etc.

[0034] As in the Fig. 4 to 6, the unit 100, 100a may further comprise a top plate 124 covering the vertical beam 102a and a bottom cable access plate 126 disposed on the underside of the vertical beam 102a to access the lights in the manner previously described with reference to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 described in the manner described above.

[0035] Additionally, an upper mounting bracket assembly 128 and a lower mounting bracket assembly 128a may be attached to the vertical beam 102a to allow the self-contained luminaire, driver, and fixture assembly 100, 100a to be easily mounted to posts of on-site lighting systems. In some embodiments of the present disclosure, the upper mounting bracket assembly 128 and the lower mounting bracket assembly 128a are identical (within a reasonable manufacturing tolerance of + / - 0.010 inches), but not necessarily so.

[0036] Looking at the Fig. 5 and Fig. 6, the lower mounting bracket unit 128a may include an upper mounting plate 130 having a first mounting lug 132 and a second mounting lug 132a (the lugs may be symmetrical about a vertical plane). Similarly, a lower mounting plate 130a may be provided that is identical to the upper mounting plate 130.

[0037] A first lateral U-shaped bracket 134 may be provided connecting the upper mounting plate to the lower mounting plate at the first mounting lug, and a second lateral U-shaped bracket 134a connecting the upper mounting plate to the lower mounting plate at the second mounting lug. Although not shown, it is understood that the upper mounting bracket assembly 128 and the lower mounting bracket assembly 128a may be used with a pair of sheet metal straps provided with openings that align with the openings of the lateral U-shaped brackets. Fasteners and nuts secure the sheet metal straps to the lateral U-shaped brackets, which are rotated to loosen or tighten the sheet metal straps around the post to firmly hold the self-contained light, driver, and fixture assembly 100, 100a to the post. LIGHT

[0038] With a view to the Fig. 6 to 8, an LED luminaire 200 as previously discussed herein will now be discussed, which can replace the previous uplight luminaire (with many or all of the same features) described herein with respect to the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2. The LED lamp 200 may include a rear mounting plate 204 with a heat sink 205 connected to the rear mounting plate 204, an LED board 206 (see Fig. 8 and Fig. 9) which is designed to be connected to the rear mounting plate 204 (e.g., via holes for receiving fastening elements 207), at least one first optics holder 208, at least one first optical element 300 which is designed to be held by the first optics holder 208 next to the LED board 206, a window 210 (see Fig. 4) and a front frame 210 configured to enclose the window 210, the first optical element 300, the first optics mount 208, and the LED board 206 adjacent to the rear mounting plate 204.

[0039] If you look at Fig. 5 and Fig. 8, the LED board 206 may include a single row 212 of LEDs, and the heat sink 205 may include a predetermined number of heat sink fins 214. More specifically, the LED board 206 includes a predetermined number of LEDs 216, and the ratio between the predetermined number of LEDs 216 and the predetermined number of heat sink fins 214 is in the range of 2.0 to 3.0 (e.g., 2.5). Fig. 5 and Fig. In the specific embodiment shown in Figure 8, the LED board contains 50 LEDs (which may be the same type of LEDs previously discussed herein) or fewer, and the heatsink includes 20 heatsink fins or fewer. The optics briefly discussed here allow for the use of fewer LEDs, resulting in lower costs, and also requiring fewer heatsink fins because less heat needs to be dissipated, further reducing costs. Other ratios, numbers of LEDs, and heatsink fins may be used in other embodiments of the present disclosure, depending on the application, etc.

[0040] As in Fig. As best seen in Figure 9, the LED board 206 includes a plurality of paired LEDs 218 spaced apart by a minimum distance 220 of 0.60 inches, and each of the plurality of paired LEDs is spaced apart by a maximum distance 222 of 0.518 inches. These distances may be different in other embodiments of the present disclosure. These distances provide for appropriate optics and heat dissipation in various embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0041] If we now consider the Fig. 10, Fig. 19 and Fig. 20, it can be seen that the optics mount 208 includes a raised central portion 224 defining a plurality of lens-receiving openings 226 and a plurality of LED and optics surrounding ribs 229. The optics mount also includes a first lower portion 226 adapted to be secured to the rear mounting plate via holes for receiving fasteners 207. Two such lower portions 226, 226a may be provided. A plurality of pins 228 may extend forwardly from the raised central portion 224, fitting into the post-receiving openings 302 of the optical element 300 and holding it in position before the window and front frame are mounted thereon. The pins may, but are not necessarily, thermally conductive pins. The optics mount may be formed from a suitable thermoplastic. OPTICAL ELEMENT

[0042] Out of Fig. 11, it can be seen that the optical element 300 may include a plurality of front lens portions 304 disposed in front of each of the plurality of paired LEDs 218. Furthermore, the optical element 300 may include a plurality of rear cones 306, each defining an elongated cavity 308 (see also Fig. 14 and Fig. 15) configured to receive one of the plurality of paired LEDs 218. The periphery of the cones 306 can fit into the (complementarily shaped) lens-receiving openings 226.

[0043] The optical element 300, which can be supplied as a spare part, will now be described with reference to the Fig. discussed. The optical element 300 may include a central plate portion 310 and one or more front lens portions 304 defining an upper undulating boundary 312 and a lower undulating boundary 314.

[0044] As already indicated, a rear LED receiving part 315 may be provided, which includes a plurality of cones 306, each forming an elongated cavity 308 for receiving LEDs. Each of the plurality of cones 306 may be at least partially prismatic in shape (e.g., it may have angled surfaces 316 that are flat or nearly flat). Furthermore, the elongated cavity is at least partially defined by an elongated floor having a raised central portion 318 and two lower end portions 320 (see also Fig. 11). The transition point between the lower end section and the raised middle section can be aligned with the center of an LED.

[0045] As in the Fig. 13 and Fig. As best seen in Figure 17, the upper undulating boundary 312 and the lower undulating boundary 314 define a plurality of pinched portions 322 that define a pair of sides of a paired lens portion 304a disposed in front of one of the plurality of cones 306. This pattern is repeated.

[0046] In Fig. 16, the middle plate portion 310 may define a planar surface 324, and the front lens portion 304 may define a line 326 from a topmost point 328 to a bottommost point 330 of the front lens portion 304 in a plane that is perpendicular to the planar surface 324 (e.g., the plane of Fig. 16), forming an acute angle 332 with the planar surface 324 in this plane. In some embodiments, the acute angle 332 ranges from 5.0 degrees to 15.0 degrees (or more specifically, from 9.0 degrees to 11.0 degrees, or about 10.0 degrees in certain embodiments of the present disclosure).

[0047] With reference to the Fig. the front lens portion 304 includes a forward-facing undulating surface 334 (may be referred to as a ripple) that defines a higher frequency 336, while the upper undulating boundary 312 or the lower undulating boundary 314 defines a lower frequency 338 than the high frequency 336. As in Fig. As can best be seen, the forward-facing undulating surface consists of a series of convex surfaces 340 and a series of concave surfaces 342, which have a smaller angular extent and a smaller radius compared to the convex surfaces. As shown in Fig. As can be seen in Figure 16, the forward-facing corrugated surface 334 is convex in the plane perpendicular to the planar surface 324 of the central plate portion 310. Other configurations and dimensions are possible in other embodiments of the present disclosure.

[0048] It should be noted that the optical element or lens can also be used for applications other than upward lighting and can be made of various materials such as glass, acrylate, polystyrene, polycarbonate, silicone, etc. INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

[0049] In practice, one or more of the following components, units or sub-units may initially be provided at the first point of sale as original equipment manufacturer (OEM) or offered as a spare or replaceable part on the aftermarket: a self-contained unit comprising a luminaire, actuator and fixture, a printed circuit board and heatsink unit, a loose wiring end fixture, an LED luminaire and an optical element or lens, etc.

[0050] Several methods can be used for retrofitting or initial installation. For example, if the previous installation did not have an uplight, a self-contained unit consisting of the luminaire, motor, and fixture can be secured to a post or other structural member using metal straps, as previously described here. If the previous system already had an uplight, as described in the Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, the previous LED luminaire may be separated from the adjustable armature or the interface between the adjustable armature and a component, such as a crosshead (may be both electrically and mechanically separated), and a new LED luminaire constructed according to the embodiments described herein may be connected to the adjustable armature or the interface (may be both electrically and mechanically).

[0051] Alternatively or in addition to these steps, a self-contained unit comprising the luminaire, drive and fixture can be attached to a post or other component using sheet metal straps as previously described.

[0052] After installation, the LED luminaire according to an embodiment of the present disclosure can provide a suitable uplight (60% or more of the previous luminaire from Fig. 2) at half the wattage and at a lower cost to the user.

[0053] Fig. Figure 21 is a schematic side view showing an optical model of the new optical element and illustrating how it refracts the light downwards towards the reflecting aperture, which reflects the light upwards, while Fig. Figure 22 is a side view showing more generally how the new optical element reflects light from the reflective aperture to produce upward light.

[0054] Fig. Figure 23 shows various baseball trajectories, indicating that the maximum angle required for the upward beam of a directional light at 25 feet above the ground is approximately 45.0 degrees from the horizontal plane.

[0055] Because the new optical element refracts the light more effectively, so that it is bounced back by the reflective aperture, and the inventors have found that less incident light is needed, fewer LEDs are needed to achieve the desired incident light. As shown in Fig. As shown in Figure 24, the horizontal and vertical angles of the dual-tip or angled optics provide similar performance to the quadruple-tip optical element, with only a slight reduction in horizontal light intensity and a slight increase in vertical light intensity. As a result, fewer LEDs are required, reducing costs, and fewer cooling fins are required, further reducing costs.

[0056] It should be recognized that, depending on the specific example, certain acts or events of any of the techniques described herein may be performed in a different order, added, combined, or omitted entirely (e.g., not all of the described acts or events are required to apply the techniques). Furthermore, in certain examples, acts or events may be performed concurrently, for example, through multi-threaded processing, interrupt processing, or multiple processors, rather than sequentially.

[0057] Various examples of the disclosure have been described. Any combination of the described systems, acts, or functions is contemplated. These and other examples are within the scope of the following claims. QUOTES CONTAINED IN THE DESCRIPTION

[0000] This list of documents submitted by the applicant was generated automatically and is included solely for the convenience of the reader. This list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions. Cited patent literature

[0000] US 2024 / 0338011

[0001] US 63 / 578,481

[0001] US 10,267,491

[0003] US 6,250,596

[0025] US 7,600,901

[0025] US 8,163,993

[0025] US 8,337,058

[0025] US 8,770,796

[0025]

Claims

[1] A self-contained unit comprising a luminaire, drive and fixture (100) comprising: at least one first luminaire (200); a mounting beam (102) defining a cavity for receiving the drive (104); and a drive unit (106) configured to fit into the cavity for receiving the drive (104); wherein the first luminaire (200) comprises a single row of light-emitting diodes (202) and at least a first set of optics configured to provide horizontal scattering and vertical scattering of at least a portion of the light emitted by the single row of light-emitting diodes (202). [2] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 1, wherein the fixture beam (102) is a vertical beam defining an end face (108) defining the cavity for receiving the drive (104). [3] The self-contained unit comprising light, drive and fixture (100) according to claim 2, wherein the self-contained unit comprising light, drive and fixture (100) further comprises a cross arm (110) extending perpendicular to the end face (108), and the first light (200) is a single light arranged in front of the end face (108). [4] The self-contained unit comprising light, drive and fastening (100) according to claim 2 further comprises a transverse arm (110) extending along a direction parallel to the end face (108) behind the end face (108) on a first side (112) and on a second side (112a). [5] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture unit (100) of claim 4, wherein the first light (200) is disposed at a first end of the cross arm (110) and further comprises a second light (200a) disposed at a second end of the cross arm (112a). [6] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 2, wherein the self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) further comprises a cross arm (112) attached to the mounting beam (102) and an adjustable armature (62) connecting the first light (200) to the cross arm (112). [7] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture unit (100) of claim 2, wherein the drive unit comprises a front mounting plate (114) adapted to be mounted to the end face (108) of the vertical beam (102a), a drive mounting plate (116) extending perpendicularly from a rear face of the front mounting plate (114), and at least one first drive (118) secured to the drive mounting plate (116). [8] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 7, wherein the rear surface defines a seal receiving groove (120) and further comprises a seal (122) disposed in the seal receiving groove (120). [9] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 2, wherein the self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) further comprises a top plate (124) covering the vertical beam (102a) and a bottom cable access plate (126) disposed at the bottom of the vertical beam (102a). [10] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 2, wherein the self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) further comprises an upper mounting bracket assembly (128) and a lower mounting bracket assembly (128a) secured to the vertical beam (102a). [11] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 10, wherein the upper and lower mounting bracket assemblies (128, 128a) are identically configured. [12] The self-contained luminaire, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 10, wherein the lower mounting bracket assembly (128a) includes an upper mounting plate (130) having a first mounting lug (132) and a second mounting lug (132a), and a lower mounting plate (130a) configured identically to the upper mounting plate (130). [13] The self-contained light, drive, and fixture assembly (100) of claim 12, wherein the lower mounting bracket assembly (128a) comprises a first U-shaped bracket (134) connecting the upper mounting plate (130) to the lower mounting plate (130a) at the first mounting lug (132), and a second U-shaped bracket (134a) connecting the upper mounting plate (130) to the lower mounting plate (130a) at the second mounting lug (132a). [14] An LED light (200) with: a rear mounting plate (204) having a heat sink (205) connected to the rear mounting plate (204); an LED board (206) configured to be connected to the rear mounting plate (204); at least one first optics holder (208), at least one first optical element (300) configured to be held by the first optical mount (208) adjacent to the LED board (206); a window (210), and a front frame (210) configured to enclose the window (210), the first optical element (300), the first optical mount (208), and the LED board (206) adjacent the rear mounting plate (204); wherein the LED board (206) contains a single row of LEDs (212) and the heat sink (205) contains a predetermined number of heat sink fins (214), the LED board contains a predetermined number of LEDs (216), and a ratio of the predetermined number of LEDs (216) to the predetermined number of heat sink fins (214) is in the range of 2.0 to 3.

0. [15] The LED lamp (200) of claim 14, wherein the LED board (206) contains 50 LEDs or less and the heat sink (205) contains 20 or less heat sink fins (214). [16] The LED luminaire (200) of claim 14, wherein the LED board (206) includes a plurality of paired LEDs (218) spaced apart by a minimum distance of 0.060 inches, and each of the plurality of paired LEDs (218) is spaced apart by a maximum distance of 0.518 inches. [17] The LED luminaire (200) of claim 14, wherein the optics mount (208) has a raised central portion (224) defining a plurality of lens receiving openings and a plurality of LED board contacting ribs. [18] The LED light (200) of claim 17, wherein the LED light (200) further comprises at least a first lower portion (226) configured to be attached to the rear mounting plate (204). [19] The LED light (200) of claim 17 further comprises a plurality of pins (228) extending forwardly from the raised central portion (224). [20] The LED luminaire (200) of claim 16, wherein the optical element (300) comprises a plurality of front lens portions (304), and each plurality of front lens portions (304) is disposed in front of each of the plurality of paired LEDs (208). [21] The LED luminaire (200) of claim 20, wherein the optical element (300) comprises a plurality of rear cones (306) each defining an elongated cavity (308) configured to receive one of the plurality of paired LEDs (218). [22] An optical element (300) comprising: a central plate section (310); a front lens portion (304) defining an upper undulating boundary (312) and a lower undulating boundary (314); and a rear LED receiving part (315) having a plurality of cones (306) each forming an elongated cavity (308); wherein the front lens portion (304) is angled from the middle plate portion (310) to redirect the light upward relative to the plurality of cones. [23] The optical element (300) of claim 22, wherein the central plate portion (318) defines a plurality of holes for receiving pins. [24] The optical element (300) of claim 22, wherein each of the plurality of cones (306) is at least partially prismatically shaped. [25] The optical element (300) of claim 22, wherein the elongated cavity (308) is at least partially defined by an elongated floor having a raised central portion (318) and two lower end portions (320). [26] The optical element (300) of claim 22, wherein the upper undulating boundary (312) and the lower undulating boundary (314) define a plurality of pinched portions (322) defining a pair of sides of a paired LED lens portion (304) disposed in front of one of the plurality of cones (306). [27] The optical element (300) of claim 22, wherein the middle plate portion (318) defines a planar surface (324), the front lens portion (304) defines a top point (328), a bottom point (330), and a line connecting the top point (328) to the bottom point (330) in a plane that is perpendicular to the planar surface (324) and forms an acute angle (332) with the planar surface (324). [28] The optical element (300) of claim 27, wherein the acute angle (332) is between 5.0 degrees and 15.0 degrees. [29] The optical element (300) of claim 28, wherein the acute angle (332) is between 9.0 degrees and 11.0 degrees. 29a. The optical element (300) of claim 29, wherein the acute angle (332) is approximately 10.0 degrees + / - 0.25 degrees. [30] The optical element (300) of claim 27, wherein the front lens portion (304) has a forward-facing undulating surface (334) defining a higher frequency (336), and the upper undulating boundary (312) or the lower undulating boundary (314) defines a lower frequency (338) than the higher frequency (336). [31] The optical element (300) of claim 30, wherein the forward-facing corrugated surface (334) is convex in the plane perpendicular to the planar surface (324). [32] The optical element (300) of claim 30, wherein the forwardly facing corrugated surface (334) comprises a series of convex surfaces (340) and a series of concave surfaces (342) smaller than the convex surfaces (340).

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