Method of making a faceted reflector for a lighting unit

Claim 1

A method of making a faceted reflector for projecting a predetermined illumination pattern from a light source, comprising the steps of; dividing said reflector into a plurality of discrete facets; establishing initial light focusing reflecting surfaces for said facets; positioning each reflecting surface in light focusing relationship with respect to the light source whereby the facet projects an undistorted image of the light source and directing said undistorted image toward select portions of said illumination pattern such that the superposition of said undistorted images synthesizes the illumination pattern; and recurving a portion of the initial light focusing reflecting surfaces to the form of right circular cylinders approximating said initial light focusing reflecting surfaces.

Claim 2

A method of making a faceted reflector for projecting a predetermined illumination pattern from a light source, comprising the steps of; dividing said reflector into a plurality of discrete facets; establishing initial light focusing reflecting surfaces for said facets; positioning each reflecting surface in light focusing relationship with respect to the light source whereby the facet projects an undistorted image of the light source and directing said undistorted image toward select portions of said illumination pattern such that the superposition of said undistorted images synthesizes the illumination pattern; and recurving a portion of the initial light focusing reflecting surfaces to the form of right circular cylinders approximating said initial light focusing reflecting surfaces.

Claim 3

A method of making a reflector having optics entirely on its reflecting surface and vertically distributing a light beam from a light source in a desired illumination pattern, comprising the steps of: a. prescribing a frontal profile for the reflector of a generally desired height and width; b. establishing a focal length for said reflector to provide a generally desired depth; c. dividing said profile into discrete facets; d. establishing a light focusing reflecting surface for each facet having a curvature focused with respect to the source; e. dividing an idealized illumination pattern into varying intensity regions; f. establishing a reflecting area for a basic reflecting surface sufficient to produce an image covering the lowest considered intensity region; g. establishing areas for the remaining reflecting surfaces to produce images having image spreads and intensities contributing to the attainment of said desired illumination pattern in said varying intensity regions; h. individually orienting each reflecting surface with respect to the light source so as to project an undistorted image of the latter toward said select portions of said varying intensity regions whereby the projected image from each facet individually contributes to the attainment for the resultant lighting pattern; i. revising the orientation of individual facets by select rotative movement with respect to the light source so as to increase the degree of compliance with the desired illumination pattern; j. repositioning and recurving the individual facets subject to said revising to compensate for image distortion occasioned by said revising; k. and further repositioning the facets and reestablishing the curvatures with respect to contiguous facets and the light source so as to limit exposure of glare producing uncontrolled reflecting surfaces to the light source thereby reducing glare due to scattered illumination.

Claim 4

A method of making a reflector having optics entirely on its reflecting surface and vertically distributing a light beam from a light source in a desired illumination pattern, comprising the steps of: a. prescribing a frontal profile for the reflector of a generally desired height and width; b. establishing a focal length for said reflector to provide a generally desired depth; c. dividing said profile into discrete facets; d. establishing a light focusing reflecting surface for each facet having a curvature focused with respect to the source; e. dividing an idealized illumination pattern into varying intensity regions; f. establishing a reflecting area for a basic reflecting surface sufficient to produce an image covering the lowest considered intensity region; g. establishing areas for the remaining reflecting surfaces to produce images having image spreads and intensities contributing to the attainment of said desired illumination pattern in said varying intensity regions; h. individually orienting each reflecting surface with respect to the light source so as to project an undistorted image of the latter toward said select portions of said varying intensity regions whereby the projected image from each facet individually contributes to the attainment for the resultant lighting pattern; i. revising the orientation of individual facets by select rotative movement with respect to the light source so as to increase the degree of compliance with the desired illumination pattern; j. repositioning and recurving the individual facets subject to said revising to compensate for image distortion occasioned by said revising; k. and further repositioning the facets and reestablishing the curvatures with respect to contiguous facets and the light source so as to limit exposure of glare producing uncontrolled reflecting surfaces to the light source thereby reducing glare due to scattered illumination.

Claim 5

A method of making a faceted reflector for distributing illumination from a light source in a desired horizontal and vertical illumination pattern having varying intensity regions, comprising the steps of: a. prescribing a frontal profile of a given height and width for the reflector, said profile having sufficient area for project illumination of requisite intensity throughout the contemplated pattern; b. establishing a basic facet having a curvature in focused relationship with the source and a width and a height sufficient to provide a horizontal and vertical distribution of illumination throughout the lowest considered intensity region; c. establishing the curvatures, widths, and heights for the remaining facets to horizontally and vertically distribute illumination in select portions of said varying intensity regions in accordance with the desired resultant distribution; d. positioning each facet with respect to the light source so as to project an undistorted image of the light source towards select portions of said pattern; e. altering the individual facet positions by select rotative movement about the center of the facet with respect to the light source so as to increase the degree of compliance with the desired lighting pattern; f. repositioning and recurving the individual facets affected by said altering to return the projected images to undistorted reflections; g. further reposiTioning the facets and reestablishing curvatures with respect to contiguous facets and the light source so as to limit exposure to the light source of the glare producing uncontrolled surfaces connecting the facets thereby reducing glare due to scattered illumination; and h. further recurving said facets to the form of right circular cylinders which approximate the original light focusing curvatures.

Claim 6

A method of making a faceted reflector for distributing illumination from a light source in a desired horizontal and vertical illumination pattern having varying intensity regions, comprising the steps of: a. prescribing a frontal profile of a given height and width for the reflector, said profile having sufficient area for project illumination of requisite intensity throughout the contemplated pattern; b. establishing a basic facet having a curvature in focused relationship with the source and a width and a height sufficient to provide a horizontal and vertical distribution of illumination throughout the lowest considered intensity region; c. establishing the curvatures, widths, and heights for the remaining facets to horizontally and vertically distribute illumination in select portions of said varying intensity regions in accordance with the desired resultant distribution; d. positioning each facet with respect to the light source so as to project an undistorted image of the light source towards select portions of said pattern; e. altering the individual facet positions by select rotative movement about the center of the facet with respect to the light source so as to increase the degree of compliance with the desired lighting pattern; f. repositioning and recurving the individual facets affected by said altering to return the projected images to undistorted reflections; g. further reposiTioning the facets and reestablishing curvatures with respect to contiguous facets and the light source so as to limit exposure to the light source of the glare producing uncontrolled surfaces connecting the facets thereby reducing glare due to scattered illumination; and h. further recurving said facets to the form of right circular cylinders which approximate the original light focusing curvatures.