Light emitting diode (LED) lighting systems including low absorption, controlled reflectance enclosures

1. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the enclosure comprises a microcellular layer having a mean cell diameter of less than about 10 μm.

2. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the enclosure comprises a microporous layer.

3. An LED lighting system according to claim 2 wherein the enclosure has less than about 10% total absorption of the light that is emitted by the at least one LED.

4. An LED lighting system according to claim 2 wherein the enclosure has less than about 4% total absorption of the light that is emitted by the at least one LED.

5. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the enclosure comprises a layer of microcellular polyethylene terephthalate (MCPET) and/or a layer of Diffuse Light Reflector (DLR) material.

6. An LED lighting system according to claim 5 wherein the layer of MCPET and/or DLR material is of variable thickness at different locations thereof to provide a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

7. An LED lighting system according to claim 5 wherein the layer of MCPET and/or DLR material includes a non-uniform array of holes extending therethrough to provide a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

8. An LED lighting system according to claim 5 wherein the enclosure further comprises a layer of variable thickness on the layer of MCPET and/or DLR material.

9. An LED lighting system according to claim 5 wherein the enclosure further comprises a patterned layer on the layer of MCPET and/or DLR material.

10. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the enclosure has a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

11. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the enclosure comprises an array of holes therein.

12. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the enclosure comprises a bulb-shaped enclosure and a base at the base of the bulb-shaped enclosure.

13. An LED lighting system according to claim 12 wherein the bulb-shaped enclosure has higher transmittance-to-reflectance ratio remote from the base than adjacent the base.

14. An LED lighting system according to claim 12 wherein the LED lighting system further conforms to the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Solid State Lighting Luminaires.

15. An LED lighting system according to claim 12 wherein the at least one LED comprises first and second LEDs of different colors.

16. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

an enclosure adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the enclosure, the enclosure having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that is configured to homogenize light that emerges from the enclosure directly from the at least one LED and after one or more reflections within the enclosure,

wherein the LED lighting system further conforms to the product requirements for light output, wattage, color rendering index, correlated color temperature, dimensions and base type of a 60-watt A19 or a PAR 38 Incandescent Replacement for the L Prize.

17. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof,

wherein the layer comprises a microcellular layer having a mean cell diameter of less than about 10μm.

18. An LED lighting system according to claim 17 wherein the layer has less than about 10% total absorption of the light that is emitted by the at least one LED.

19. An LED lighting system according to claim 18 wherein the layer comprises a bulb-shaped layer, the LED lighting system further comprising a screw-type base at the base of the bulb-shaped layer.

20. An LED lighting system according to claim 19 wherein the LED lighting system further conforms to the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Solid State Lighting Luminaires.

21. An LED lighting system according to claim 17 wherein the layer has less than about 4 % total absorption of the light that is emitted by the at least one LED.

22. An LED lighting system according to claim 17 wherein the LED lighting system further conforms to the product requirements for light output, wattage, color rendering index, correlated color temperature, dimensions and base type of a 60-watt A19 or a PAR 38 Incandescent Replacement for the L Prize.

23. An LED lighting system according to claim 17 wherein the at least one LED comprises first and second LEDs of different colors.

24. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof,

wherein the layer comprises a microporous layer.

25. An LED lighting system according to claim 24 wherein the layer is of variable thickness at different locations thereof to provide the transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

26. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof,

wherein the layer comprises microcellular polyethylene terephthalate (MCPET) and/or Diffuse Light Reflector (DLR) material.

27. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof,

wherein the layer includes a non-uniform array of holes extending therethrough to provide the transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

28. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer having a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof,

wherein the layer comprises a bulb-shaped layer, the LED lighting system further comprising a base at the base of the bulb-shaped layer, and

wherein the bulb-shaped layer has higher transmittance-to-reflectance ratio remote from the base than adjacent the base.

29. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer,

wherein the layer comprises a microcellular layer having a mean cell diameter of less than about 10μm.

30. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer,

wherein the layer comprises a microporous layer.

31. An LED lighting system according to claim 30 wherein the LED lighting system further conforms to the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Solid State Lighting Luminaires.

32. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer,

wherein the layer comprises microcellular polyethylene terephthalate (MCPET) and/or Diffuse Light Reflector (DLR) material.

33. An LED lighting system according to claim 32 wherein the layer of MCPET and/or DLR material is of variable thickness at different locations thereof to provide a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

34. An LED lighting system according to claim 32 wherein the layer of MCPET and/or DLR material includes a non-uniform array of holes extending therethrough to provide a transmittance-to-reflectance ratio that varies at different locations thereof.

35. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer comprising light diffusing material having less than about 4% total absorption of the light that is emitted by the at least one LED,

wherein the layer comprises a bulb-shaped layer, the LED lighting system further comprising a base at the base of the bulb-shaped layer.

36. An LED lighting system according to claim 35 wherein the bulb-shaped layer has higher transmittance-to-reflectance ratio remote from the base than adjacent the base.

37. An LED lighting system according to claim 35 wherein the at least one LED comprises first and second LEDs of different colors.

38. A light emitting diode (LED) lighting system comprising:

at least one LED; and

a layer adjacent the at least one LED and configured so that at least some light that is emitted by the at least one LED passes through the layer, the layer comprising light diffusing material having less than about 4% total absorption of the light that is emitted by the at least one LED,

wherein the LED lighting system further conforms to the product requirements for light output, wattage, color rendering index, correlated color temperature, dimensions and base type of a 60-watt A19 or a PAR 38 Incandescent Replacement for the L Prize.