Array Illumination System Using Light Guide Plates
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light fixtures are often bulky and heavy, limiting their use in buildings with low ceiling height and causing glare issues due to the brightness of LEDs, which can be hazardous without proper diffusion.
Innovation Solution
The illumination system employs a support structure with light engines that include LEDs and light guides with varying thickness, allowing for controlled light distribution and direction, along with a heat sink and removably attachable light guides to manage heat and reduce glare.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Weight of stationary object
If conventional light fixtures use traditional light bulbs, then the fixtures are large and heavy requiring reinforcement, but the invention uses LEDs which are compact yet produce hazardous glare
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide plate is introduced as an intermediary component between the LED and the output aperture. The light guide plate receives light from the LED and redistributes it across a large surface area, preventing direct viewing of the bright LED while maintaining compact fixture dimensions and eliminating the need for structural reinforcement.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide plate transforms the point-source light emission from the LED into a two-dimensional surface emission. By spreading light across the entire output aperture area, the system converts concentrated brightness into distributed illumination, eliminating glare while keeping the fixture thin and lightweight.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If LEDs are hidden by directing light upwards into wall and ceiling surfaces, then direct view of LEDs is prevented, but the fixtures become bulky
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate serves as a mediator that allows LEDs to remain visible at the output aperture while preventing hazardous glare. The plate's optical properties redistribute light evenly across its surface, making the LED array visible as a diffuse light source rather than concentrated bright points, thus eliminating the need for bulky upward-lighting structures.
3Area of stationary object
If LED light is spread over a larger output aperture, then the fixture thickness increases, but the invention achieves large aperture with thin profile
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide plate is implemented as a thin planar component that achieves large-area light distribution without increasing fixture thickness. The plate's thin-film structure allows it to spread light across a large output aperture while maintaining a compact profile that reduces ceiling height requirements and eliminates the need for structural reinforcement.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If conventional light fixtures are made large to reduce glare, then the fixtures reduce effective ceiling height, but the invention achieves glare reduction with compact size
Solution Approach 1:
The system changes the optical parameters of light distribution by using a light guide plate with specific optical properties. The plate redistributes light intensity across the output aperture, transforming concentrated LED emission into uniform diffuse illumination. This parameter change allows glare reduction without increasing fixture dimensions, as the optical redistribution occurs within the thin plate structure rather than requiring spatial expansion.
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 solution provides a thin, efficient, and customizable lighting system that reduces glare and allows for tailored illumination patterns, improving lighting efficiency and aesthetics while being safe for viewing.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide optically coupled to the light emitting diode at a first portion. Each light engine can be configured to provide a range of output beam angular distributions. The brightness of each light emitting diode can be distributed over the light guide between the first portion and a second portion.
Implementation Method 2
The support structure can include a heat sink, a plurality of light emitting diode (LED) emitters, and electrical circuitry electrically connected to the plurality of LED emitters.
Data Source
AI summary
This disclosure provides systems, methods, and apparatuses for array illumination. In one aspect, an array of light engines is coupled to a support structure. Each light engine can be separately controlled to achieve a desired output beam. In another aspect, a support structure includes an array of LED emitters. The support structure is configured to removably receive a plurality of light guides over the array of LED emitters, thereby forming an array of light engines. The support structure can include an integrated heat sink in thermal communication with the array of LED emitters. Light from the LED emitters is distributed over the surface of the light guides to produce a desired output beam. The light engines can be configured to produce output beams of differing color, direction, shape and/or size.