GB2563058B

GB2563058B - Lamp

Info

Publication number: GB2563058B
Application number: GB1708776.8A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Alphence Cherry Isiah
Original assignee: Cherry I Entpr Ltd
Current assignee: Cherry I Entpr Ltd
Priority date: 2017-06-01
Filing date: 2017-06-01
Publication date: 2019-06-05
Anticipated expiration: 2037-06-01
Also published as: GB201708776D0; GB2563058A

Description

Lamp

The present invention relates to lighting systems, and more specifically to lamps such as may be used to illuminate rooms or desks in household environments and the like.

Lamps are often used to illuminate rooms in household environments, and before the widespread availability of electric lighting, were often the only source of lighting a house may have used. Back then, gas lamps were commonplace. Since the introduction of widespread electrification, gas lighting has gone out of favour, and electric light is ubiquitous. The lamps may be standalone lamps designed to sit on tables, or (with the use of a suitable stand) on floors. Alternatively, they may be connected in a permanent, or semi-permanent manner to a wall or ceiling. Modern lamps generally comprise of a bulb of some sort, along with a lampshade, that may act to direct the light from the bulb in particular desired directions, or may act to soften the harsh light given off directly from a bulb.

However, it is frequently the case that lampshades still allow harsh, direct light to be projected in certain directions, e.g. often towards the ceiling. Some lamps may have a bulb that is fully enclosed by a lampshade, but this may not be desired in all circumstances, due to thermal considerations, or aesthetic considerations.

Embodiments of the invention have the object of addressing one or more of the above shortcomings of the background art, or in providing an alternative thereto.

According to the present invention there is provided a lamp, for illuminating rooms, comprising an envelope formed to define an inner volume, with at least one aperture allowing egress of light from the inner volume, wherein the envelope further defines an outer volume, that, contained within it, has means for producing light, and directing a part of that light into the inner volume, and directing a part of the light away from the lamp. A lamp according to an embodiment of the invention therefore provides a light source that is directed outwards to illuminate the room or locale directly, whilst providing a secondary source of light that emanates from the one or more apertures through to the room or locale that provides a less harsh quality of light than typically found on prior art light sources.

The envelope itself has a thickness, and is formed to have a volume within the thickness, that does not itself form part of the inner volume. Thus, it is termed herein the envelope outer volume. It is within this envelope outer volume that the means for producing light sits.

The present invention is able to dispense with the traditional bulb and lampshade arrangement by incorporating the means for generating the light within what would be seen, in traditional lamps, as the lampshade itself. However, by also providing illumination into the inner volume created by the envelope, the secondary source of illumination through the aperture to the room or locale is produced, as if the bulb were present, but without the harshness of a bulb.

Advantageously, some embodiments of the invention may have the means for producing light comprising a first light source for providing the light directed to the inner volume, and a second light source for providing the light directed away from the lamp.

Preferably, at least one of the first and second light sources are distributed light sources. Advantageously, the first light source is a distributed light source that comprises a plurality of light producing elements that are spread about the envelope, and which direct their light into the inner volume. Thus, the light that escapes through the one or more apertures will also tend to be distributed, and hence will lead to a less direct light being emitted from the apertures. Advantageously, the second light source also comprises a plurality of light producing elements, spread about the envelope, and being arranged to direct their light away from the lamp (without first passing into the inner volume).

Conveniently, one or more illumination parameters, including brightness, colour, colour temperature, and/or saturation, may adjustable. Preferably, at least one of the parameters may be adjustable independently for the first and second light sources. Thus, for example, the brightness of the first and second light sources may be adjusted independently, to tailor the lighting pattern generated by the lamp according to practical or aesthetic preferences. Conveniently, the parameters may be arranged to be lockable together such that adjustment of a parameter causes both the first and second light sources to be adjusted together, e.g. in a proportional manner. This speeds up any adjustment where decoupling the first and second parameters is not required.

The means for allowing adjustment may comprise any convenient arrangement. It may, for example, comprise a control panel attached to the lamp, or may comprise a remote control, such as a wireless remote control. Such a remote control may conveniently use an established communication protocol such as a Bluetooth® link to a handset. The handset may be, for example, a smartphone or tablet, with an app running on the handset to provide an interface between the lamp and a user. Alternatively, the handset may be dedicated handset.

Advantageously, the means for producing light may comprise a plurality of elemental light sources, such as an array of light emitting diodes (LEDs). LEDs provide a relatively efficient means of generating light, and are beneficial in allowing a plurality thereof to be used to provide, through the use of a suitable diffuser, a soft, distributed light source, such as may be achieved with a traditional bulb and a lampshade. Advantageously therefore, the envelope is arranged to incorporate one or more diffusers, such as transmissive diffusers, that diffuse the light emanating therefrom, either into the inner volume or away from the lamp, or both, to a degree that the position of an individual LED behind the diffuser(s) is not perceptible to a viewer of the envelope. The separation between individual LEDs, in either a linear or lattice arrangement, is advantageously chosen, in conjunction with the diffuser, so that the lamp provides an even illumination across the diffuser, with no apparent changes in light intensity, from each individual LED, across the diffuser.

Advantageously, the LEDs are variable colour LEDs. Thus, changing the colour ofthe lamp light may be performed by suitable control of the LED colour.

In some embodiments, advantageously, separately controllable arrays of LEDs are used for the first light source and for the second light source. One or more strings of LEDs may be used for the first light source, and one or more used for the second light source.

Advantageously, the second light source may comprise of a greater number of LEDs than that used in the first light source. Thus, with equal illumination power per LED, the second light source will be brighter than the first light source. Thus, the light intensity given out directly from the lamp is greater than the light intensity directed into the inner volume. This provides a more practical balance of light than is often found in traditional bulb-lampshade lamps, where a great deal of the light is often sent upward to the ceiling directly from the bulb.

Advantageously, the brightness of the first and second light sources is controllable independently.

Some embodiments of the invention may have an envelope having a first aperture and a second aperture, and may further have a base arranged to support the envelope in an elevated position. The envelope may be formed into a generally cylindrical, or frusto-conical shape, with the first aperture generally at the top and the second aperture generally at the bottom, when oriented in an operative manner.

Conveniently, in some embodiments of the invention, the envelope may have opaque regions that prevent the egress of light in some directions, and translucent or transparent regions that allow the light to escape. Translucent regions of the envelope may be arranged to function as a diffuser, as described above, and, in collaboration with the spacing of individual LEDs, be used to reduce or substantially eliminate variations light across the diffuser.

Conveniently, in some embodiments, the base may have a power supply and light controller contained therein, and may further have a frame attached thereto for supporting the envelope. The frame may advantageously be arranged to pass through the second aperture and connect to the envelope within the inner volume, The frame may conveniently be used to provide a guide for a power connection, such as a power cable, between the envelope (and the light producing means therein) and the base. The light controller may have means for allowing a user to adjust the illumination settings of the lamp directly. Alternatively or as well, it may have means for interfacing with a remote control, as discussed above, to allow the illumination settings to be adjusted. The light controller may also have means for controlling, and driving a current to the LEDs, or other light producing elements used.

Some embodiments may have the power supply and LED controller within the envelope, and so may have no requirement for a separate base.

Embodiments of the invention are further described hereinafter, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 diagrammatically illustrates an embodiment of the invention;

Figure 2 diagrammatically illustrates a plan view of the embodiment of Figure 1.

Figure 3 shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 4 diagrammatically illustrates a partial cross-sectional view of an envelope of an embodiment of the invention;

As shown in Figures 1 and 2, a lamp 10 according to an embodiment of the invention comprises a base 12 and an envelope 14, with a support frame 16 holding the envelope 14 in an elevated position from the base. The envelope partially surrounds an inner volume 18, except for an upper aperture 20 and a lower aperture 22. The frame 16 comprises a shaft 21 that passes from the base up through the lower aperture 22 before splitting into three radial arms 24 that connect to an inner surface of the envelope.

The envelope has contained therein three strings of LEDs, that are powered by a power supply and LED controller in the base 12. Each string comprises of a plurality of multicolour LEDs coupled together so that each colour LED is in series with the rest of the LEDs of that colour in the string. A separate electrical connection to each colour within the string allows a colour of the string to be selected according to the level of drive current applied to each connection. Thus, each string may be driven to produce a particular colour within the gamut of the LEDs making up the strings.

The envelope 14 has translucent portions 26, 28, 30 that allow the passage of light therethrough, and opaque portions 32 that block the passage of light. The translucent portions also act as transmissive light diffusers. Two of the strings of LEDs are arranged within the envelope such that light emitted therefrom is directed away from the lamp through one or more translucent portions 26, 28, and is blocked from entering the inner volume by an opaque portion. A third LED string is arranged such that light therefrom is directed into the inner volume through a suitably placed translucent portion 30 of the envelope, and does not direct its light away from the lamp (except for light escaping through one or more of the apertures 20, 22 within the envelope).

The base 12 of the lamp houses a power supply, that is driven by a mains power connection. The power supply provides drive currents for the LED strings, and also provides power for an LED controller. The LED controller is arranged to control the flow of drive currents from the power supply to the LED strings dependent upon inputs from a control panel. The control panel comprises of a touch-screen interface allowing a user to select desired colour and brightness levels of the lamp, and also a mode of operation.

The modes of operation comprise: a. A standard mode, where the lamp is illuminated when activated, with a chosen colour and brightness, wherein the amount of light directed away from the lamp is approximately twice that of the light directed into the inner volume. b. A brightness variable mode, wherein the proportion of light directed into the inner volume as compared to directly away from the lamp, is adjustable. c. A colour variable mode, wherein the colours of either or both of the light sources supplying the inner volume, and directing light away from the lamp, are set to vary with time, according to a chosen pattern. d. A sleep timer mode, wherein the lamp is set to switch off after being used, in any of the above modes, after a predetermined time. e. An automatic switch-on mode, upon detection of movement in the room, or upon detection of a linked radio control device, such as a Bluetooth® device. The lamp may be arranged to stay illuminated for at least a preset time, which is restarted should continued detections of movement be made, or the Bluetooth® connection remain. The lamp may also be set to switch on at a given time of day, regardless of the detection of any movement.

Other modes of operation will be apparent to the normally skilled person.

Figure 3 shows a simplified block diagram of an embodiment of the invention. A power supply 40 takes a mains input (not shown), and produces outputs for driving multiple LED strings in multiple colours. Three LED strings, 42, 44 and 46, each comprise a series of LEDs as described previously. Each string has three drive current inputs, wherein the colour and brightness ofthe LEDs within each string is governed by the particular current levels being driven through each input. Note that each LED string may be driven independently, in colour or brightness, from the other strings. A control panel 48, as described above, provides inputs to an LED controller 50, which directs the power supply to provide the currents that drive each string to the desired brightness and colour.

The LED controller 50 is also arranged to take inputs from a remote control interface 52, which, when coupled to a corresponding remote control 54, is also able to direct the lamp to operate in the desired manner. The remote control interface has wireless Bluetooth® connection, and so is able to connect to suitably configured Bluetooth® devices, such as smartphones or tablets. Of course, other embodiments may use alternative connection means, such as infra-red, or Wi Fi®.

The remote controller 54 comprises of a smartphone or tablet that has an app that is arranged to send control codes to the remote control interface 52, when so commanded by a user. The app has a user interface allowing selection and variation of the desired colour and brightness of the light to be emitted by the lamp.

Figure 4 shows more detail of a part of the envelope of one embodiment of the invention, in cross-section. Envelope 60 is generally cylindrical in form, defining an inner volume 62, and has apertures 64 and 66. The envelope is made primarily from ABS, and has, within the envelope structure 68 (comprising the outer volume), three circumferentially mounted strings 70, 72, 74 of LEDs. Strings 70 and 74 are mounted in circumferential housings that have reflectors 78 arranged to direct light from the LEDs through white polycarbonate diffusers 80, 82 and out into the environment. String 72 is mounted in a circumferential housing that is arranged, along with its reflectors 84, to direct light through diffuser 86 into the inner volume 62. The light may then escape into the environment through apertures 64 and 66.

The diffuse effect of the light, particularly the light that is directed into the inner volume of the envelope, reduces the glare of the light that emanates through the aperture(s), so leading to a more even, and controllable lighting, as compared to that often provided by traditional bulb and lampshade arrangements, whilst still retaining the general appearance thereof.

The functions described herein as provided by individual components could, where appropriate, be provided by a combination of components instead. Similarly, functions described as provided by a combination of components could, where appropriate, be provided by a single component.

Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the words “comprise” and “contain” and variations of them mean “including but not limited to”, and they are not intended to (and do not) exclude other moieties, additives, components, integers or steps. Throughout the description and claims of this specification, the singular encompasses the plural unless the context otherwise requires. In particular, where the indefinite article is used, the specification is to be understood as contemplating plurality as well as singularity, unless the context requires otherwise.

Features, integers, characteristics, compounds, described in conjunction with a particular aspect, embodiment or example of the invention are to be understood to be applicable to any other aspect, embodiment or example described herein unless incompatible therewith. The invention is not restricted to the details of any foregoing embodiments.

Claims

1. A lamp, for illuminating rooms, comprising an envelope formed to define an inner volume, with at least one aperture allowing egress of light from the inner volume, wherein the envelope further defines an outer volume, that, contained within it, has means for producing light, and directing a part of that light into the inner volume, and directing a part of the light away from the lamp.

2. A lamp according to claim 1 wherein the means for producing light comprises a first light source for providing the light directed to the inner volume, and a second light source for providing the light directed away from the lamp.

3. A lamp according to claim 2 wherein at least one of the first and second light sources are distributed light sources.

4. A lamp according to claim 2 or claim 3 wherein the lamp further includes means for allowing adjustment of the brightness, colour, colour temperature or saturation of either or both the first and second light sources.

5. A lamp as claimed in claim 4 wherein the means for allowing adjustment comprises a wireless remote control.

6. A lamp as claimed in claim 5 wherein the wireless remote control comprises a smartphone or tablet, having an app executable thereon that is adapted to send suitable control codes to the means for allowing adjustment of the first and/or second light sources.

7. A lamp as claimed in any of claims 2 to 6 wherein the lamp is arranged to direct approximately a third of the light provided by the light source(s) into the inner volume, and approximately two thirds of the light away from the lamp.

8. A lamp according to any preceding claim wherein the means for producing light comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs).

9. A lamp according to claim 8 wherein the LEDs are variable colour LEDs.

10 A lamp as claimed in claim 8 or claim 9, when dependent upon claim 2, wherein separately controllable arrays of LEDS are used for the first light source and for the second light source.

11. A lamp as claimed in claim 2 or any claim dependent thereon, wherein the brightness of the first and second light sources is controllable independently.

12. A lamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the lamp has a first aperture and a second aperture, and further has a base arranged to support the envelope in an elevated position

13. A lamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the envelope is formed into a generally cylindrical, or frusto-conical shape, with the first aperture generally at the top and the second aperture generally at the bottom, when oriented in an operative manner.

14. A lamp as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the envelope has one or more opaque regions that prevent the egress of light in some directions, and one or more translucent or transparent regions that allow the light to escape from the outer volume.

15. A lamp as claimed in claim 14 wherein the region(s) allowing egress of light comprise a diffuser material that diffuses the light such that there is little or no spatial variability of light from multiple point light sources within the envelope behind a diffuser.

16. A lamp as claimed in claim 12, or claims dependent thereon, wherein the base has a power supply and light controller contained therein, and further has a frame attached thereto for supporting the envelope , the frame passing through the second aperture and connecting to the envelope within the inner volume, and wherein a power connection is provided between the envelope and the base via the frame.