This invention relates to improvements in devices for reflecting light emitted by artificial sources.
Modern industrial requirements for artificial lighting are extensive, varied, and constantly expanding.
Many types of reflector devices associated with artificial illumination of industrial spaces are currently known, but these generally require that a fixed shape and/or a fixed lamp mounting position within that shape be precisely specified to create optimal light distribution for a particular purpose. For example, a xe2x80x98chinaman hatxe2x80x99 reflector might commonly be used in a situation where a wide, uniform spread of light is required. In this case, the spreading of light is largely dependent on the fixed internal angle of the cone shaped xe2x80x98chinahatxe2x80x99 reflector. The uniformity of light emitted is therefore largely dependent on the non-adjustable lamp positioning within that reflector. These known devices have the disadvantage that their rigid, non-adjustable, designs limit their efficient use to a relatively small range of applications.
The Applicant""s related U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,624 (and foreign equivalents) relates to a novel reflector having adjustable curvature, which overcomes such disadvantages of the prior art.
Horizontally mounted lamps coupled with appropriate reflectors, such as defined in the aforementioned patent, are popular and fulfill industrial requirements in most cases; however, their efficiency is limited. The closer these fitting can be placed to the xe2x80x98target areaxe2x80x99 the better the overall efficiency and the greater the intensity. However, there comes a point where the intensity and heat of the light beam directly below the lamp (focal hot spot) limits closer placement. In these conditions, addition of a xe2x80x98heat shieldxe2x80x99 (as outlined below) can help redistribute excess light and heat from the xe2x80x98hot spotxe2x80x99 to other areas below the reflector thereby, dramatically increasing uniformity, functionality and efficiency in these extreme applications. This heat shield is superior to the prior art because it relies only on direct reflection toward a target area below the lighting fixture. It does not reflect substantial quantities of radiation back towards the lamp and reflector for (inefficient) re-reflection. Hence, the function of the heat shield is totally separable from that of the reflector it is coupled with, not limiting it to use in conjunction with any specific reflector design.
The present invention seeks to provide an adjustable reflecting device which substantially or at least ameliorates the disadvantages of the prior art.
According to a first aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a light fitting comprising a lamp receiving fixture having first and second opposite sides, and a reflector means, the reflector means being mounted to said first side of the lamp receiving fixture to produce a beam of light from said light fitting when said lamp receiving fixture contains an illuminated lamp, wherein said light fitting also includes a heat shield mounted to said second side of said lamp receiving fixture and in said beam of light, said heat shield having at least one surface facing said reflector means and directly receiving light from said lamp incident on said surface, each said surface being angled relative to said lamp receiving fixture to prevent light from said lamp being reflected towards said lamp and reflector means, and also having a plurality of apertures therein through which some of the light emitted by said lamp can pass.
According to a second aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a method of shielding a beam generated from a light fitting comprising a lamp receiving fixture having first and second opposite sides and a reflector means, the reflector means being mounted to said first side of the lamp receiving fixture to produce said beam from said light fitting when said lamp receiving fixture contains an illuminated lamp, said method comprising the step of mounting a heat shield to said second side of said lamp receiving fixture and in said beam of light, said heat shield having at least one surface facing said reflector and directly receiving light from said lamp incident on said surface, each said surface being angled relative to said lamp receiving fixture to prevent light from said lamp being reflected towards said lamp and reflector means, and also having a plurality of apertures therein through which some of the light emitted by said lamp can pass.
USPTO Backgrounds
USPTO Backgrounds