LED light engine

1. A light engine for illuminating a target plane at a defined uniformity, the light engine spaced from the target plane a distance D and comprising:

a plurality of LEDs arranged in adjacent rows spaced from one another by a distance W, each of the LEDs having an off-axis angle β 1 defined by a half intensity boundary where luminous intensity of the LED on a plane is about half the luminous intensity on the plane at the direct on-axis view, wherein tan β 1 <(W/2)/D; and

a plurality of optical elements each cooperating with a respective LED to broaden the off-axis angle β 1 to an off-axis angle β 2 wherein the half intensity boundary of one row of LEDs is in close proximity to the half intensity boundary of the adjacent row of LEDs at the target plane.

2. The light engine of claim 1 , wherein the optical elements are refractive optical elements.

3. The light engine of claim 1 , wherein the distance D is less than 5 inches.

4. The light engine of claim 3 , wherein the distance D is less than 2 inches.

5. The light engine of claim 1 , wherein the optical elements each comprise a domed-shaped refractive element having a varying wall thickness wherein an on-axis wall thickness is less than a wall thickness at the off-axis angle β 2 .

6. The light engine of claim 1 wherein the optical elements each comprise a domed-shaped refractive element having a spherical outer profile and an ellipsoidal inner profile.

7. The light engine of claim 6 wherein a focal point of the ellipsoidal inner profile coincides with the LED.

8. The light engine of claim 1 wherein the target plane comprises the face of a sign.

9. The light engine of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of supports and a reflective coating disposed on a first surface of the supports, each LED being mounted on the first surface of a respective support.

10. The light engine of claim 9 , wherein the reflective coating is bounded by a refractive portion of a respective optical element.

11. A method for illuminating a sign comprising:

placing a plurality of electrically interconnected LED modules in a sign having a translucent cover, each LED module including an LED and an optical element cooperating the with LED, each LED having an off-axis angle β 1 where luminous intensity of light emanating from the respective LED that is not redirected by the respective optical element is about half the luminous intensity of on-axis luminous intensity for the respective LED;

spacing each LED a distance D from the translucent cover;

arranging the LED modules in adjacent rows such that adjacent LEDs are spaced from one another a distance W, wherein tan β 1 <(W/2)/D; and

illuminating the plurality of LEDs to generate a plurality of beam patterns on the translucent cover by redirecting light from each LED via the respective optical element to have off-axis angle β 2 where luminous intensity of light emanating from the respective LED that is redirected by the respective optical element is about half the luminous intensity of on-axis luminous intensity for the respective LED and the respective optical element, wherein a first beam pattern on the target plane generated by the first LED in combination with a first optical element in the first row and bounded by the off-axis angle β 2 overlaps or coincides with a second altered beam pattern on the target plane generated by the second LED in combination with a second optical element in the adjacent row and bounded by the off-axis angle β 2 .

12. The method of claim 11 , wherein spacing each LED includes spacing each LED less than 30 mm from the translucent cover.

13. The method of claim 11 , wherein illuminating the plurality of LEDs to generate a plurality of beam patterns includes refracting light generated by the LEDs.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein illuminating the plurality of LEDs to generate a plurality of beam patterns includes reflecting light generated by the LEDs.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein illuminating the plurality of LEDs to generate a plurality of beam patterns includes reflecting light generated by the LEDs.

16. A light engine comprising:

a plurality of electrically interconnected LED modules, the LED modules including

a support having circuitry on a first surface;

an LED on the first surface of the support and electrically connected to the circuitry, the LED having a primary viewing angle;

a substantially dome-shaped refractive optical element covering the LED, the optical element having a generally spherical outer profile and substantially ellipsoidal inner profile to increase the primary viewing angle of the LED to provide an altered viewing angle that is greater than the primary viewing angle; and

an overmolded housing substantially surrounding said support and contacting the optical element to seal the LED protecting the LED from ambient.

17. The light engine of claim 16 , wherein each LED module includes at least two LEDs mounted on the support and the optical element includes at least two refractive domes connected by an integrally formed position, said integrally formed position defining an opening, each refractive dome cooperating with a respective LED.

18. The light engine of claim 17 , wherein center to center spacing between the at least two LEDs is at least 25 mm.

19. The light engine of claim 17 , wherein the refractive domes are found on an integrally molded plastic or glass piece.

20. The light engine of claim 16 , wherein each LED module includes a reflective surface each disposed adjacent the LED.

21. A light engine for illuminating a target plane at a defined uniformity, said light engine spaced from the target plane a distance D and comprising:

a plurality of LEDs arranged in adjacent rows spaced from one another by a distance W, each of the LEDs having an off-axis angle β 1 defined by a boundary where the luminous intensity of the LED is about half the intensity at the direct on-axis view, wherein tan β 1 <(W/2)/D; and

a plurality of optical elements each cooperating with a respective LED to broaden the off-axis angle β 1 to an off-axis angle β 2 wherein tan β 1 is about (W/2)/D.