Lighting Assembly with LEDs and Optical Elements

Abstract

A lighting apparatus includes a circuit board and light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to the circuit board. The LEDs are arranged in an array of row and columns and are attached to the circuit board are arranged in a single plane. A support substrate supports the circuit board. Optical elements are configured to redirect light from the plurality of LEDs. Each optical element is substantially the same as all other optical elements. Each LED is associated with a single optical element and each optical element is associated with a single LED. The lighting apparatus is configured to direct light away from the circuit board so that the light is directed so as to illuminate a substantially rectangular area that is off-center relative to the light assembly. The substantially rectangular area has an edge that is at least 14 feet in length.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A lighting apparatus comprising:
 a circuit board;
 a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to the circuit board, the LEDs being arranged in an array of row and columns, wherein all of the LEDs attached to the circuit board are arranged in a single plane; 
 a support substrate supporting the circuit board, the support structure made of a thermally conductive material and configured to dissipate heat during operation of the LEDs; and 
 a plurality of optical elements configured to redirect light from the plurality of LEDs, each optical element being substantially the same as all other optical elements and configured to shape and direct light in a rectangular waveform, wherein each LED is associated with a single optical element and each optical element is associated with a single LED, wherein each optical element comprises a convex portion at least partially overlying the associated LED, and wherein the optical elements are part of an outer surface that forms an exposed surface of the lighting apparatus; 
 wherein the lighting apparatus is configured so that when all of the LEDs are operating a substantially rectangular surface is illuminated with an illumination level and a uniformity; and 
 wherein failure of one or more of the LEDs will cause the illumination level of light impinging the substantially rectangular surface to decrease while the uniformity of light impinging the substantially rectangular surface remains substantially the same. 
   
     
     
         2 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an adjustable mount connected to the support structure, the adjustable mount having an angle of tilt that ranges between 0 degrees and 45 degrees 
     
     
         3 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical elements and the support structure are sealed to protect the LEDs from rainwater. 
     
     
         4 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the support structure is directly exposed to the outside atmosphere 
     
     
         5 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical elements are integrated into a single substrate so that all LEDs attached to the circuit board are between the single substrate and the circuit board. 
     
     
         6 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the optical elements are integrated into a light panel that comprises a plurality of substrates. 
     
     
         7 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a 150 watt power supply electrically coupled to the LEDs. 
     
     
         8 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a 120 watt power supply electrically coupled to the LEDs. 
     
     
         9 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each optical element comprises a first portion, a second portion and a third portion. 
     
     
         10 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each optical element includes a first portion and a second portion, the second portion intersects with the first portion in a region between the first portion and the second portion, wherein the first portion and the second portion are shaped so that at least one surface normal of the first portion intersects with at least one surface normal of the second portion. 
     
     
         11 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 10 , wherein each optical element further includes a third portion that extends beyond the region between the first portion and the second portion in a direction away from the circuit board. 
     
     
         12 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein each optical element of the plurality of optical elements includes a first portion, a second portion, and a third portion;
 wherein the first portion of each optical element is configured to redirect light from the associated LED in the first lateral direction;   wherein the second portion of each optical element is configured to redirect light from the associated LED in the second lateral direction; and   wherein the third portion of each optical element is configured to redirect light from the first and second portions in the third direction so that the light is directed asymmetrically in the third direction so as to illuminate the rectangular surface off-center relative to the lighting apparatus.   
     
     
         13 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate the surface in a manner that does not create interference patterns or result in dead spots. 
     
     
         14 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate the surface in a manner that avoids light pollution. 
     
     
         15 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to evenly illuminate the surface. 
     
     
         16 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate the surface with a 3:1 ratio of average illumination to minimum illumination. 
     
     
         17 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein each LED is configured to illuminate the entire surface with a 3:1 ratio of average illumination to minimum illumination. 
     
     
         18 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate a surface parallel to the circuit board. 
     
     
         19 . A lighting apparatus comprising:
 a circuit board;   a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to the circuit board, the LEDs being arranged in an array of row and columns, wherein all of the LEDs attached to the circuit board are arranged in a single plane;   a heat sink thermally coupled to the circuit board, the heat sink made of a thermally conductive material and configured to dissipate heat during operation of the LEDs; and   a plurality of optical elements configured to redirect light from the plurality of LEDs, each optical element being substantially the same as all other optical elements and configured to shape and direct light in a rectangular waveform, wherein each LED is associated with a single optical element and each optical element is associated with a single LED and wherein each optical element is configured to direct light from each LED away from the circuit board so as to illuminate a same substantially rectangular surface that is off-center relative to the lighting apparatus, the substantially rectangular surface having an edge that is at least 14 feet in length.   
     
     
         20 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured so that when all of the LEDs are operating, the substantially rectangular surface is illuminated with an illumination level and a uniformity, and wherein failure of one or more of the LEDs will cause the illumination level of light impinging the substantially rectangular surface to decrease while the uniformity of light impinging the substantially rectangular surface remains substantially the same. 
     
     
         21 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the optical elements are part of an outer surface that forms an exposed surface of the lighting apparatus. 
     
     
         22 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the optical elements are integrated into a single substrate so that all LEDs attached to the circuit board are between the single substrate and the circuit board. 
     
     
         23 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate a surface parallel to the circuit board. 
     
     
         24 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate the surface in a manner that does not create interference patterns or result in dead spots and in a manner that avoids light pollution. 
     
     
         25 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the length of the edge of the substantially rectangular surface is at least 24 feet. 
     
     
         26 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 19 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to evenly illuminate the surface. 
     
     
         27 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 26 , wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to illuminate the surface with a 3:1 ratio of average illumination to minimum illumination. 
     
     
         28 . The lighting apparatus of  claim 27 , wherein each LED is configured to illuminate the entire surface with a 3:1 ratio of average illumination to minimum illumination. 
     
     
         29 . A lighting apparatus comprising:
 a circuit board;   a plurality of light emitting diodes (LEDs) attached to the circuit board, the LEDs being arranged in an array of row and columns, wherein all of the LEDs attached to the circuit board are arranged in a single plane;   a heat sink thermally coupled to the circuit board, the heat sink made of a thermally conductive material and configured to dissipate heat during operation of the LEDs; and   a plurality of optical elements configured to redirect light from the plurality of LEDs, each optical element being substantially the same as all other optical elements and configured to shape and direct light in a rectangular waveform;   wherein each LED is associated with a single optical element and each optical element is associated with a single LED;   wherein the lighting apparatus is configured so that when all of the LEDs are operating, a substantially rectangular surface is illuminated with an illumination level and a uniformity;   wherein failure of one or more of the LEDs will cause the illumination level of light impinging the substantially rectangular surface to decrease while the uniformity of light impinging the substantially rectangular surface remains substantially the same;   wherein the substantially rectangular surface has an edge that is at least 24 feet in length;   wherein the lighting apparatus is configured to direct light away from the circuit board so that the light is directed so as to illuminate a substantially rectangular surface that is off-center relative to the light assembly;   wherein the optical elements are part of an outer surface that forms an exposed surface of the lighting apparatus; and   wherein light assembly is configured to illuminate a surface parallel to the circuit board.