IP Library Granted Patent US 11,940,643
Granted Patent B2
US 11,940,643 · App. 17/494,349 · Granted Mar 26, 2024

Lighting fixture with waveguide

Inventors: Ethan Creasman (Morrisville, NC); Randy Bernard (Durham, NC); Dana Deskiewicz (Raleigh, NC); Nathan Snell (Raleigh, NC); John W. Durkee (Raleigh, NC); Kurt S. Wilcox (Libertyville, IL); Eric J. Tarsa (Goleta, CA)
Assignee: Cree Lighting USA LLC
G02B6/0021G02B6/0035G02B6/0036G02B6/0046G02B6/0048G02B6/0063G02B6/0078F21S8/061F21V7/0008F21V17/10F21V21/005F21V23/001F21V23/06F21Y2101/00F21Y2103/10F21Y2103/33F21Y2115/10G02B6/0031
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 11,940,643
App. No.
17/494,349
Granted
Mar 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

Generally, embodiment(s) disclosed herein may include modular luminaires and customizable luminaire combinations to produce desired overall illumination patterns, modular luminaires interchangeable between one or more lighting systems/luminaires having differing configurations, and/or luminaires with portions thereof formed primarily by optical waveguides, e.g., a wall sconce where primarily only waveguides extend from the wall. Further, contemplated throughout this disclosure is modification of panel-style and/or blade-style waveguide(s) for use with luminaire configurations having different sizes, shapes, and structural elements including as modular luminaires for use in creating further customizable lighting systems/luminaires.

Claims (37)

1. A lighting fixture, comprising:

a housing configured to be suspended from a structure;

a waveguide body coupled to the housing and comprising:

concentric extraction features across a first dimension of the waveguide body,

wherein each extraction feature comprises a combined notch and step; and

a light source in the housing and configured to emit light into the waveguide body,

wherein the extraction features of the waveguide body are configured to direct the light outward from the lighting fixture.

2. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein each extraction feature extends along an entirety of a second dimension of the waveguide body.

3. The lighting fixture of claim 2 , wherein:

the first dimension is a radius of a curve; and

the second dimension is a length along the curve.

4. The lighting fixture of claim 3 , wherein the waveguide body comprises a partially circular shape.

5. The lighting fixture of claim 3 , wherein the waveguide body comprises a circular or elliptical shape.

6. The lighting fixture of claim 2 , wherein:

the first dimension is a width of the waveguide body; and

the second dimension is a length of the waveguide body.

7. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the concentric extraction features are irregularly spaced across the first dimension.

8. The lighting fixture of claim 7 , wherein the concentric extraction features are more narrowly spaced toward an edge of the waveguide body.

9. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the extraction features are configured to direct light in a collimated fashion.

10. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the extraction features are configured to direct light in a dispersed fashion.

11. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the thickness of the waveguide body is larger toward a center of the housing and smaller at an outer edge.

12. The lighting fixture of claim 11 , wherein the waveguide body comprises a plurality of stepped lateral sections that comprise different thicknesses and one of the extraction features.

13. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein a bottom of a notch of each extraction feature extends an outer surface of the waveguide body downward and a top of a step extends the outer surface upward into the housing.

14. The lighting fixture of claim 13 , wherein the waveguide body further comprises a coupling portion with a coupling cavity along a second dimension of the waveguide body.

15. The lighting fixture of claim 14 , wherein:

the notch is positioned in closer proximity to the coupling cavity than the step; and

a surface of the notch faces towards a back wall that separates the notch and the step.

16. The lighting fixture of claim 15 , wherein a depth of the notch is greater than a height of the step.

17. The lighting fixture of claim 15 , wherein:

the surface of the notch is a first curved surface; and

each of the extraction features further comprises a second curved surface that extends along the step.

18. The lighting fixture of claim 17 , wherein:

the first curved surface comprises a concave shape and extends along a majority of the notch;

the second curved surface comprises a concave shape and extends along a majority of the step; and

the first and second curved surfaces comprise different curvatures.

19. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein an outer surface of the waveguide body is textured.

20. The lighting fixture of claim 1 , wherein the extraction features cause asymmetric light distribution across the first dimension.

Assignments (5)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded May 22, 2026
From: LUMEN ACQUISITION HOLDINGS, LLC
To: LED-IP MANAGEMENT, LLC
Reel/Frame 075624/0358 →
CHANGE OF NAME Recorded Jan 25, 2024
From: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
To: CREE LIGHTING USA LLC
Reel/Frame 066369/0218 →
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 13, 2023
From: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
To: FGI WORLDWIDE LLC
Reel/Frame 064897/0413 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: CREASMAN, ETHAN; BERNARD, RANDY; DESKIEWICZ, DANA; SNELL, NATHAN; DURKEE, JOHN W.; WILCOX, KURT S.; TARSA, ERIC J.
To: CREE, INC.
Reel/Frame 063971/0035 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jun 16, 2023
From: CREE, INC.
To: IDEAL INDUSTRIES LIGHTING LLC
Reel/Frame 064007/0257 →