Arched Marine Light Source With Segmented LEDs
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing marine vessel lighting lacks efficient, waterproof, and uniform accent lighting solutions that can be mounted post-manufacture, particularly for providing safer illumination inside and outside the vessel.
Innovation Solution
An arched light source with a base, arched support, and transparent lens housing discrete LEDs, allowing for adjustable color and indirect illumination over 180 degrees, which can be mounted to a marine vessel surface and powered via a cable, featuring an angle adapter for optimized light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional lighting is mounted flush to the surface during marine vessel manufacture, then the lighting is integrated into the vessel structure, but it cannot be easily added or modified after manufacture and lacks flexibility for accent lighting
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into separate modular components: a base unit that mounts to the vessel surface and an arched light source that attaches to the base. This segmentation allows the lighting to be installed independently after vessel manufacture without requiring integration into the vessel structure during construction.
Solution Approach 2:
The base unit is designed with a universal mounting interface that can accommodate different arched light sources and configurations. The angle adapter provides multiple mounting angles (0°, 45°, 90°), making the system versatile for various installation locations and lighting requirements on different vessel types.
2Illumination intensity
If discrete LEDs are used in the arched light source, then the light source can be segmented and spaced apart, but achieving uniform illumination across the entire arc becomes challenging
Solution Approach 1:
The light source follows an arched configuration that matches the curvature of the lens. This curved arrangement of discrete LEDs ensures that light is distributed uniformly across the entire arc, with each LED positioned to illuminate a specific segment of the arc, creating even illumination without dark spots or hot spots.
Solution Approach 2:
Each discrete LED is positioned at a specific location along the arc to provide localized illumination for that segment. The combination of multiple locally-optimized LEDs creates overall uniform illumination across the entire arched light source, with each LED contributing to the uniformity of its respective zone.
3Area of stationary object
If the light source is designed to provide indirect illumination over 180 degrees, then it can illuminate large areas including shadowed regions, but the light intensity at any single point may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The arched light source distributes light in three-dimensional space rather than directing it in a single plane. By arranging LEDs along an arc and using a curved lens, the system illuminates areas in multiple directions simultaneously, expanding the effective coverage area while maintaining adequate intensity through the geometric distribution of light sources.
Solution Approach 2:
The 180-degree illumination is achieved by dividing the light source into multiple discrete LED segments, each illuminating a specific portion of the arc. This segmentation allows the total light output to be distributed across a wide area while maintaining sufficient intensity at each location, as each LED contributes to its local zone without competing with others for the same space.
4Shape
If the arched support is made opaque to hide the light source components, then the aesthetic appearance is improved, but the structural integrity and heat dissipation may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The arched support is constructed as a composite structure with an opaque outer shell for aesthetic appearance and an internal framework or heat dissipation elements for structural integrity and thermal management. This composite design allows the opaque material to provide the desired appearance while internal components maintain structural and thermal performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The opaque arched support acts as an intermediary between the light source components and the external environment. It provides aesthetic coverage while incorporating heat sinks, ventilation channels, or thermal pathways that allow heat to escape, and includes structural reinforcement to maintain integrity despite the opaque material's limitations.
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 arched light source provides efficient, uniform, and adjustable illumination for both interior and exterior areas, enhancing safety and visibility in previously shadowed regions, while being waterproof and mountable post-manufacture.
Implementation Method 1
a transparent lens extending the length of the groove and sealing the light source within the groove
Implementation Method 2
The light source may be a plurality of discrete LEDs spaced a distance apart
Data Source
AI summary
An arched light source for illuminating an area comprising a base and an arched support extending from the base. The arched support has an upper edge corresponding to an arc having a center below the base and a lower edge meeting the base corresponding to a chord of the arc. The arched support includes a groove along the upper edge of the arched support. The arched light support includes a light source disposed in the groove and a transparent lens extending the length of the groove and sealing the light source within the groove. The light source may be a plurality of discrete LEDs spaced a distance apart, the plurality of LEDS extending substantially the entire length of the groove. The color emitted by the light source may be controllable by the user. The arched support may be opaque. The base may be mountable to a marine vessel.