(19)Fresh off Patent
(45) Week of Oct 19, 2026 No. 7 3,667 lapsed 70 listed
Gadgets & electronics · lapsed Sep 4, 2026

LED luminaire with light guide passing through reflector slot

A compact LED luminaire that couples light from an LED into a light guide which extends through a slot in a reflector; the light guide terminates at an out‑coupling element located inside a partly enclosed reflector space while the LED remains outside that space. The reflector is oriented so light exiting it is angled relative to the propagation direction inside the light guide; intended for general lighting fixtures where compact form and controlled output are desired.

Sheet 1 of the patent drawingsSheet 2 of the patent drawingsSheet 3 of the patent drawings

(57) What the patent covered

This write-up was generated by AI from the patent's text and may contain mistakes, so check it against the original patent before relying on it.

The independent claim covers a luminaire having: an LED light source positioned completely outside a partly enclosed reflector space; a light guide extending through a slot in that reflector; a light out‑coupling element arranged completely within the partly enclosed reflector space; and the reflector arranged so light exiting the reflector has a nonzero angle relative to the propagation direction in the light guide.

Distinguishing feature: Placing the light out‑coupling element fully inside a partly enclosed reflector while the LED remains outside, with the light guide passing through a reflector slot and the reflector angled to give nonzero exit angle.

Novelty 3/5. Guiding LED light into a light guide and placing exit surfaces inside reflectors were known; the combination of a slot‑pass-through guide, a fully enclosed out‑coupler location and a reflector oriented to produce a nonzero exit angle was a practical improvement on familiar LED‑guide luminaires.

Manufacturing

Injection‑mold light guide (optical grade PMMA/PC), injection‑mold reflector body with slot and apply reflective coating, assemble LED on PCB outside reflector, insert light guide through slot and locate out‑coupler inside reflector, fasten via screws or clips; final optical alignment and potting as needed.

Materials: PMMA or polycarbonate light guide, Injection‑molded thermoplastic reflector (PC, ABS, or filled PC), GaN LED die or packaged LED on PCB, Reflective coating or metallization (aluminum or silverized paint).

Manufacturability 4/5. Several molded optical parts and a PCB LED assembly with straightforward mechanical assembly; reflector coating and optical tolerances require standard tooling and jigs but no microfabrication or complex electronics.

Market demand

Comparable products are on sale; this exact design was not found. One clear example is Prudential/Multi-branch Stream slot lighting aimed at clean architectural applications; two US-based trim/aperture accessories from USA Light & Electric are sold online with listed prices.

Demand check by web search, week of Oct 12, 2026. Listings change frequently.

Buyers: Commercial or residential lighting specifiers and installers.

Sourcing

Factories list related products that could be adapted, at about $0.65–$3.00 per unit with a typical minimum order of 500 units. Listings chiefly cover LED light channel/slot profiles and light-guide related components (e.g., PMMA/PC light guides, diffusion slots). No exact OEM-ready LED luminaire with a light-guide passing through a reflector slot was found; closest matches are modular profiles and light-guide plates that could be adapted for your concept (OEM/ODM possible, but verify datasheets and certifications).

Supplier prices are from public listings found by web search, quoted before customization, shipping and duties. Use them to decide whether to request a quotation.

Before manufacturing

No related continuation or divisional patents in force were found. Design patents, trademarks and unrelated patents may still cover the product.

Patent has lapsed; check prior art for similar light‑guide‑through‑reflector designs and verify optical tolerances; reflectivity and heat management are practical concerns.

About 1.5% of lapsed patents are later revived by their owners. This page is a research lead, not legal advice. Obtain a freedom-to-operate opinion before manufacturing.

Claim 1, as granted

1. A LED luminaire comprising: a LED light source arranged to emit light into a light guide, the light guide being arranged to guide the light from the LED light source to a light out-coupling element, and a reflector forming a partly enclosed space, the reflector comprising a slot, wherein the light guide extends through the slot, the light out-coupling element is arranged in the partly enclosed space of the reflector and the LED light source is arranged outside the partly enclosed space of the reflector, wherein the reflector is arranged such that light exiting the reflector has an angle different from zero with respect to a propagation direction of light in the light guide, wherein the light out-coupling element is arranged completely within the partly enclosed space of the reflector and the LED light source is arranged completely outside the partly enclosed space of the reflector.