Lighting systems having edge-lit lightguide panels

Abstract

Lighting system including: two edge-lit lightguide panels; three visible-light sources; and total internal reflection lens or bowl reflector. Each edge-lit lightguide panel is extended along longitudinal axis, has pair of mutually-opposing panel surfaces, and has peripheral edge extended along and spaced transversely away from longitudinal axis. Panel surfaces include first and second light output interfaces. Two visible-light sources located along panel peripheral edges for directing light into panels. Lens or reflector has reflective side surface and central axis transverse to longitudinal axis for directing light to third light output interface located between the others. Output interfaces cooperatively define emission aperture forming shielding zone for redirecting combined light emissions.

1 . A lighting system, comprising:
 an edge-lit lightguide panel being extended along a longitudinal axis of the lighting system, the edge-lit lightguide panel having a pair of mutually-opposing panel surfaces and having a peripheral edge being extended along and spaced transversely away from the longitudinal axis, a one of the pair of panel surfaces including a first light output interface;   a visible-light source including a plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices, the visible-light source being configured for generating visible-light emissions from the plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices and being located along the peripheral edge for directing the visible-light emissions into the edge-lit lightguide panel;   another edge-lit lightguide panel being extended along the longitudinal axis, the another edge-lit lightguide panel having another pair of mutually-opposing panel surfaces and having another peripheral edge being extended along and spaced transversely away from the longitudinal axis, a one of the another pair of panel surfaces including a second light output interface;   another visible-light source including another plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices, the another visible-light source being configured for generating additional visible-light emissions from the another plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices and being located along the another peripheral edge for directing the additional visible-light emissions into the another edge-lit lightguide panel;   a total internal reflection lens, having a central light-emission axis being transverse to the longitudinal axis, the total internal reflection lens including a third light output interface being located between the first and second light output interfaces, the third light output interface being spaced apart from a central light input interface by a total internal reflection side surface, the total internal reflection side surface being extended along the central light-emission axis, the total internal reflection lens having a further visible-light source including a further plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices, the further visible-light source being configured for generating further visible-light emissions from the further plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices and being located at the central light input interface for directing the further visible-light emissions through the total internal reflection lens to the third light output interface;   wherein the first, second and third light output interfaces cooperatively define an emission aperture for forming combined visible-light emissions including the visible-light emissions, the additional visible-light emissions, and the further visible-light emissions; and   wherein the emission aperture forms a shielding zone for redirecting some of the combined visible-light emissions.   
     
     
         2 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the total internal reflection side surface is extended along the central light-emission axis and extended along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the central light input interface is extended along the longitudinal axis, and wherein the further visible-light source is extended along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         3 . The lighting system of  claim 2 , wherein the total internal reflection side surface has a frusto-conical cross-sectional profile in a direction being perpendicular to the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         4 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the total internal reflection lens is a converging lens being configured for causing convergence of the further visible-light emissions along the central light-emission axis. 
     
     
         5 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the total internal reflection lens is a converging lens being configured for causing convergence of the further visible-light emissions along the central light-emission axis as having a beam angle being within a range of between about thirty degrees (30°) and about ten degrees (10°). 
     
     
         6 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , including an additional total internal reflection lens having an additional central light-emission axis being transverse to the longitudinal axis, the additional total internal reflection lens including a fourth light output interface being spaced apart along the longitudinal axis away from the third light output interface and being located between the first and second light output interfaces, the fourth light output interface being spaced apart from an additional central light input interface by an additional total internal reflection side surface, the additional total internal reflection side surface being extended along the additional central light-emission axis, the additional total internal reflection lens having an additional visible-light source including an additional plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices, the additional visible-light source being configured for generating other visible-light emissions from the additional plurality of semiconductor light-emitting devices and being located at the additional central light input interface for directing the other visible-light emissions through the additional total internal reflection lens to the fourth light output interface;
 wherein the fourth light output interface, together with the first, second and third light output interfaces, cooperatively define the emission aperture for forming the combined visible-light emissions as further including the other visible-light emissions.   
     
     
         7 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel has a first pair of lateral edges being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel has a second pair of lateral edges being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and wherein each one of the lateral edges is curvilinear; and wherein the one of the pair of panel surfaces is concave; and wherein the one of the another pair of panel surfaces is concave. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel has a first pair of lateral edges being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel has a second pair of lateral edges being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and wherein each one of the lateral edges is linear. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel is configured for directing the visible-light emissions in first directions towards the longitudinal axis; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel is configured for directing the additional visible-light emissions in second directions, being symmetrically opposed to the first directions, towards the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         10 . The lighting system of  claim 9 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel is configured for further directing the visible-light emissions for emission from the first light output interface; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel is configured for further directing the additional visible-light emissions for emission from the second light output interface; and wherein the total internal reflection lens is configured for directing the further visible-light emissions for emission from the third light output interface. 
     
     
         11 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel and the another edge-lit lightguide panel are integrally formed together with the total internal reflection lens. 
     
     
         12 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel has a central edge being extended along the longitudinal axis and being spaced transversely away from the peripheral edge; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel has another central edge being extended along the longitudinal axis and being spaced transversely away from the another peripheral edge; and wherein the total internal reflection lens is located between the central edge and the another central edge. 
     
     
         13 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel includes internal light-dispersing features; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel includes additional internal light-dispersing features. 
     
     
         14 . The lighting system of  claim 13 , wherein the internal light-dispersing features have a gradually-increasing density in a direction from the peripheral edge towards the longitudinal axis; and wherein the additional internal light-dispersing features have a gradually-increasing density in another direction from the another peripheral edge towards the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         15 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the edge-lit lightguide panel includes external light-dispersing features on the one or the another one of the pair of panel surfaces; and wherein the another edge-lit lightguide panel includes additional external light-dispersing features on the one or the another one of the another pair of panel surfaces. 
     
     
         16 . The lighting system of  claim 15 , wherein the external light-dispersing features have a gradually-increasing density in a direction from the peripheral edge towards the longitudinal axis; and wherein the additional external light-dispersing features have a gradually-increasing density in another direction from the another peripheral edge towards the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         17 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the another one of the pair of panel surfaces has a light-reflective layer; and wherein the another one of the another pair of panel surfaces has another light-reflective layer. 
     
     
         18 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the another one of the pair of panel surfaces has a light-reflective layer; and wherein the another one of the another pair of panel surfaces has another light-reflective layer; and wherein each of the light-reflective layers has a minimum visible-light reflection value from any incident angle being at least about ninety percent (90%). 
     
     
         19 . The lighting system of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of the semiconductor light-emitting devices includes an array of the semiconductor light-emitting devices being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis; and wherein the another plurality of the semiconductor light-emitting devices includes another array of the semiconductor light-emitting devices being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         20 . The lighting system of  claim 19 , wherein the further plurality of the semiconductor light-emitting devices includes a further array of the semiconductor light-emitting devices being mutually spaced apart along the longitudinal axis. 
     
     
         21 - 111 . (canceled)