Patents Assigned to Quarkstar LLC
  • Patent number: 10514149
    Abstract: A luminaire assembly includes: a substrate extending along a first direction comprising a first material having a first coefficient of thermal expansion; a plurality of light emitting elements (LEEs) secured to the substrate and arranged along the first direction; a light guide composed of a material having a second coefficient of thermal expansion different over an operating temperature range; a plurality of optical elements arranged along the first direction, each optical element being positioned to receive light emitted from a corresponding one or more of the LEEs and to direct the light to an edge of the light guide; a housing; and a heat coupling layer arranged between the substrate and the housing. The substrate and the heat coupling layer are constructed so that each of the plurality of LEEs, while secured to the substrate, remain registered with their corresponding optical element over the operating temperature range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: December 24, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Ingo Speier
  • Patent number: 10495807
    Abstract: An illumination device includes light-emitting elements (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end, the light guide being positioned to receive at the first end light emitted by the LEEs and to guide the received light to the second end; and an optical extractor coupled to the second end to receive the guided light. The optical extractor is formed from a transparent, solid material and includes a first output surface including a transmissive portion arranged and shaped to transmit a first portion of the guided light to the ambient in a forward angular range and a reflective portion arranged and shaped to reflect via TIR all the guided light incident on the reflective portion; and a second output surface arranged to transmit, to the ambient in a backward angular range, light reflected by the reflective portion of the first output surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 10473847
    Abstract: An illumination device includes one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs) arranged to provide light; a light guide includes a receiving end and an opposing end, the receiving end being arranged to receive the light provided by the LEEs. The light guide further includes a pair of opposing side surfaces extending along a length of the light guide between the receiving and opposing ends. The light guide is configured to guide the received light in a forward direction, along the length of the light guide toward the opposing end, and transmit a first portion of the guided light into ambient through one or more of the opposing side surfaces as sideways leaked light. The illumination device further includes an extractor located at the opposing end and configured to output into the ambient a remaining portion of the guided light—that reaches the opposing end—as output light in backward directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 2014
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Allan Brent York
  • Patent number: 10473292
    Abstract: A luminaire module delivers light with a beam angle of ?. The luminaire module includes a light emitting module and a reflector positioned symmetrically about an axis. Light produced by the light emitting module exits the light emitting module from one or more spatially-extended light emitting portions. The light emitting portion(s) is (are) fully contained within a spatially extended notional design envelope which is used to guide the design of reflector and its corresponding reflective surface, such that when any light exiting the light emitting portions through the design envelope strikes the reflective surface of the reflector, the light does not return to the source and escapes from the luminaire module within a beam angle ?, with no more than a single reflection from a reflector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2017
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10429034
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices are disclosed that are configured to manipulate light provided by one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs). In general, a light-emitting device includes one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs) disposed on a base surface that are configured to emit light, a first optical element having a first surface spaced apart from the LEEs and positioned to receive light from the LEEs, a transparent second optical coupled to the first optical element, and a reflector element adjacent the second optical element arranged to reflect a portion of light output from the second optical element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 31, 2017
    Date of Patent: October 1, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: John J. Uebbing, Roland H. Haitz
  • Patent number: 10408428
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices for general illumination utilizing solid state light sources (e.g., light emitting diodes) are disclosed. In general, the devices include a scattering element in combination with an extractor element. The scattering element, which may include elastic and/or inelastic scattering centers, is spaced apart from the light source element. Opposite sides of the scattering element have asymmetric optical interfaces, there being a larger refractive index mismatch at the interface facing the light emitting element than the interface between the scattering element and the extractor element. Such a structure favors forward scattering of light from the scattering element. In other words, the system favors scattering out of the scattering element into the extractor element over backscattering light towards the light source element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 8, 2018
    Date of Patent: September 10, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Roland H. Haitz, George E. Smith, Robert C. Gardner, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10393944
    Abstract: A solid-state luminaire module includes one or more light-emitting elements (LEEs) and a light guide. The light guide includes a receiving end and an opposing end, the receiving end being arranged to receive the light provided by the LEEs; a pair of opposing side surfaces, extending along a length of the light guide between the receiving end and the opposing end, to guide the received light in a forward direction; and a plurality of redirecting interfaces spaced apart from each other and distributed along a portion of the length of the light guide adjacent the opposing end. The redirecting interfaces are configured to reflect a portion of the guided light in a backward direction as return light, such that the return light can transmit through the pair of opposing side surfaces into the ambient as output light of the luminaire module, the output light to propagate in backward directions.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2017
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10386039
    Abstract: A luminaire assembly includes a substrate; light emitting elements (LEEs) secured to the substrate; optical couplers arranged along the substrate, each optical coupler being positioned to receive light emitting from a corresponding one of the LEEs and to direct the light in a forward direction orthogonal to the substrate; a redirecting surface spaced apart from the couplers along the forward direction to reflect the light from the optical couplers to an ambient environment in a backward angular range; a housing comprising a support structure and a layer of a heat conducting material disposed on the support structure, where a thermal conductivity of the layer of heat conducting material is greater than a thermal conductivity of a material forming the support structure; and a heat coupling layer arranged between the substrate and the housing, the heat coupling layer being adjacent to the heat conducting material of the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Charles R. McCreary, Jr., Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 10288798
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light source configured to emit, during operation, light with a prevalent direction of propagation different from a direction of an optical axis of the illumination device; and an optical coupler including a transparent material, the optical coupler having an input aperture, an exit aperture and a first side surface and a second side surface arranged between the input aperture and the exit aperture, the exit aperture being centered on the optical axis of the illumination device. The optical coupler receives the emitted light through the input aperture from the light source. Further, the first side surface and the second side surface redirect the received light via total internal reflection (TIR) to the exit aperture. Additionally, the redirected light is issued through the exit aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 30, 2016
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 10288229
    Abstract: In one embodiment, an LED lamp has a generally bulb shape. The LEDs are low power types and are encapsulated in thin, narrow, flexible strips. The LEDs are connected in series in the strips to drop a desired voltage. The strips are affixed to the outer surface of a bulb form to provide structure to the lamp. The strips are connected in parallel to a power supply, which may be housed in the lamp. Since many low power LEDs are used and are spread out over a large surface area, there is no need for a large metal heat sink. Further, the light emission is similar to that of an incandescent bulb. In other embodiment, there is no bulb form and the strips are bendable to have a variety of shapes. In another embodiment, a light sheet is bent to provide 360 degrees of light emission. Many other embodiments are described.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2017
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Robert V. Steele, Louis Lerman, Allan Brent York, Wilson Dau, Jacqueline Teng, George Lerman
  • Patent number: 10281096
    Abstract: A standing lamp includes a stand; first and second luminaire modules, each comprising a plurality of light emitting elements (LEEs) distributed along a first direction, a light guide and a housing configured to house at least the LEEs and to support the light guide; and a mount attaching the first and second luminaire modules to the stand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2015
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Hans Peter Stormberg, Ingo Speier
  • Patent number: 10274167
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices are disclosed that are configured to output light provided by a light-emitting element (LEE). In general, embodiments of the light-emitting devices feature two or more light-emitting elements, a scattering element that is spaced apart from the light-emitting elements, an extractor element coupled to the scattering element, and a reflective element that is configured and arranged to reflect light emitted from the light-emitting elements.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 12, 2018
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Roland H. Haitz, Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10267979
    Abstract: A light shaping article includes a solid optic having a cross-sectional profile including an input interface; a convex output surface opposite the input interface; a concave first side surface extending between the input interface and the convex output surface; and a second side surface opposite the concave first side surface extending from between input interface to the convex output surface. The concave first side surface and the convex output surface are configured such that, when the solid optic receives input light having an input angular range in a plane of the cross-sectional profile, the solid optic guides the light to and emits the light from the output surface in an output angular range in the plane. A prevalent propagation direction of output light in the output angular range is tilted toward the second side surface relative to a prevalent propagation direction of input light in the input angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: April 23, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Ingo Speier, Victor E. Isbrucker
  • Patent number: 10222008
    Abstract: A variety of illumination devices for general illumination utilizing solid state light sources (e.g., light-emitting diodes) are disclosed. In general, an illumination device can include multiple light sources that are disposed on a substrate, where at least some of the light sources include a light-emitting diode (LED) and a corresponding inelastic scattering element surrounding, at least in part, the LED. The inelastic scattering elements can have different light emission spectra. The illumination device can further include a light-mixing element adapted to receive light that is output by the light sources, where, during operation of the illumination device, each inelastic scattering element inelastically scatters light emitted from its corresponding LED, and the light-mixing element mixes the light received from the inelastic scattering elements to provide the output light.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2017
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Ferdinand Schinagl
  • Patent number: 10203446
    Abstract: An illumination device includes a light-emitting element (LEEs); a light guide extending in a forward direction from a first end to a second end to receive at the first end LEE light and to guide the light to the second end, such that divergence of the light received at the first end and divergence of the guided light that reaches the second end are substantially the same; a light divergence modifier optically coupled to the light guide at the second end to receive the guided light, to modify the divergence of the guided light, such that the light provided by the light divergence modifier has a modified divergence different from the divergence of the guided light; and an optical extractor optically coupled to the light divergence modifier, to output into the ambient environment light provided by the light divergence modifier as output light in one or more output angular ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 2016
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Allan Brent York, Louis Lerman, Ferdinand Schinagl, Wilson Dau, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 10190762
    Abstract: Devices used for workspace illumination include, for example, a panel and a solid-state based optical system arranged inside an enclosure of the panel. The panel can be a cubicle divider. In one aspect, an illumination device includes a mount; a panel including a first face and a second opposing face. The panel is vertically supported by the mount along a horizontal dimension of the first and second faces. Further, the panel forms an enclosure between the first and the second face. Additionally, the illumination device includes a first luminaire module arranged in the enclosure and configured to output light in a first output angular range. The light output in the first output angular range has a prevalent propagation direction with a vertical component towards a first target area.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 29, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Wilson Dau, Ingo Speier, Ferdinand Schinagl, Edgar R. Velasquez
  • Patent number: 10180240
    Abstract: Illumination devices with adjustable optical elements configured to provide a variable illumination pattern of an area are described. The adjustable optical elements of the illumination devices can be traversed relative to a surface (e.g., a ceiling of a room) to vary the light distribution and/or intensity to the surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 8, 2016
    Date of Patent: January 15, 2019
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Andrew Tien-Man Ng, Ingo Speier, Wilson Dau, Louis Lerman, Hans Peter Stormberg
  • Patent number: 10162098
    Abstract: A luminaire includes (i) light-emitting elements (LEEs), (ii) couplers to receive light from the LEEs and to redirect the received light, and (iii) a light guide including input and output ends and a pair of opposing surfaces both extending along an axis of the light guide. The light guide receives light from the couplers at the input end and guides light along the axis to the output end. The luminaire includes (iv) a diffuser adjacent the light guide to diffuse at least a portion of the light output by the light guide, and (v) a reflector to receive the light emitted from the output end of the light guide, such that light output by the light guide without impinging on the diffuser impinges on only one of the surfaces of the reflector. When operated, the luminaire outputs light within first and second output angular ranges.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 11, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 25, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventor: Louis Lerman
  • Patent number: 10151446
    Abstract: A variety of light-emitting devices are disclosed that are configured to output light provided by a light source. In general, embodiments of the light-emitting devices feature a light source and an extractor element coupled to the light source, where the extractor element includes, at least in part, a total internal reflection (TIR) surface. Luminaires incorporating light-emitting devices of this type are also disclosed.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2014
    Date of Patent: December 11, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Ingo Speier, Hans Peter Stormberg, Robert C. Gardner, Gregory A. Magel, Ferdinand Schinagl, Roland H. Haitz
  • Patent number: 10146005
    Abstract: A light shaping article includes a solid optic having a cross-sectional profile including an input interface; a convex output surface opposite the input interface; a concave first side surface extending between the input interface and the convex output surface; and a second side surface opposite the concave first side surface extending from between input interface to the convex output surface. The concave first side surface and the convex output surface are configured such that, when the solid optic receives input light having an input angular range in a plane of the cross-sectional profile, the solid optic guides the light to and emits the light from the output surface in an output angular range in the plane. A prevalent propagation direction of output light in the output angular range is tilted toward the second side surface relative to a prevalent propagation direction of input light in the input angular range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 23, 2016
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2018
    Assignee: Quarkstar LLC
    Inventors: Ingo Speier, Victor E. Isbrucker