Annular Light System with Parabolic Reflectors
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing beacons for aircraft navigation are complex, expensive, and lack effective heat management, limiting their power and reliability, especially when installed on elevated structures.
Innovation Solution
A beacon design featuring a ring of LEDs between parabolic reflectors and a collimating lens that directs light omnidirectionally onto a horizontal plane, with integrated reflective surfaces and heat sinks within the covers to manage heat and simplify installation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If glass or clear plastic lenses and prisms are used to focus and redirect light, then light focusing capability is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the light focusing function from complex glass lenses and prisms, retaining only the essential refractive function through a simplified lens design that works in conjunction with reflectors, thereby reducing overall device complexity while maintaining illumination intensity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines the light focusing function with reflective surfaces into an integrated optical system where a simplified lens works together with parabolic or conic section reflectors to achieve the desired light concentration, reducing the need for multiple separate optical components
2Manufacturing precision
If complex optical systems with multiple lenses and prisms are used, then light direction control is improved, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the light direction control function into separate components: a simplified lens for initial light shaping and reflective surfaces for directional control, allowing each component to be manufactured independently with standard techniques rather than requiring complex integrated optical fabrication
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the optical design parameters by using reflective surfaces with specific geometric profiles (parabolic or conic sections) that inherently provide the desired light direction control, eliminating the need for complex multi-element lens systems and reducing manufacturing cost
3Illumination intensity
If high power is applied to light emitting devices, then illumination intensity is improved, but heat management becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful heat generated by high-power LEDs into a beneficial design feature by integrating heat sink structures directly into the optical housing, using the heat management requirement to drive the adoption of robust thermal management solutions that also serve as structural components
Solution Approach 2:
The patent makes the housing and mounting structures multi-functional, serving simultaneously as structural support, heat dissipation pathways, and optical component mounting surfaces, thereby addressing heat management needs without adding separate components that would increase complexity
4Reliability
If robust construction with integrated heat sinks is used, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the heat sink function with the optical housing and mounting structure into a single integrated component, achieving robust construction and improved reliability without increasing device complexity, as the same structural elements serve multiple functions including thermal management
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design provides a robust, efficient, and reliable beacon that emits a narrow, uniformly spread disk of light horizontally, improving visibility and heat management while being easy to install and maintain.
Implementation Method 1
a collimating lens circling around the ring of emitters to direct the central portion of the light onto the horizontal plane
Implementation Method 2
the remaining light that is above or below the collimating lens being directed by the upper and lower reflectors onto the horizontal plane
Implementation Method 3
focusing reflectors, in the form of a conic section, that direct the light from the LEDs onto the horizontal plane
Data Source
AI summary
A beacon or annular light generator assembly includes a top cover and an associated bottom cover centered on a vertical axis with a ring of light-emitting elements situated between the top and bottom covers. Upper and lower reflectors are integrated into the lower side of the top cover and into the upper side of the lower cover. These reflectors are surfaces of rotation, about the vertical axis, of a horizontal parabola whose focus lies substantially on the ring of light-emitting elements. A cylindrical collimating lens lies radially outside the ring of light-emitting elements, and concentrates the center portion of the light onto the horizontal plane. Light outside the center portion is redirected by the upper and lower reflectors parallel to the horizontal plane. A multiple array may be formed of two or more such annular light generator assemblies stacked upon one another.