Ceiling Grid Lighting with Rotatable Clips and Light Guide
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices for drop ceilings are limited by grid arrangement, resulting in aesthetically unappealing dark borders and uneven light distribution due to opaque heat sinks and LED strip configurations.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a housing, light guide panel, lens, and rotatable clips that allows for flexible mounting and orientation on ceiling tile grids, providing even light distribution and eliminating dark borders through the use of a light guide panel and a lens that emits light from multiple surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If lighting devices are coupled to ceiling tile support members following the grid arrangement, then structural support is ensured, but placement flexibility is limited and dark borders appear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs rotatable clips that can rotate between different orientations to accommodate ceiling tile support members at various angles and positions. This dynamic mounting mechanism allows the lighting device to be installed at different locations without being constrained by a fixed grid pattern, thereby improving placement flexibility while maintaining structural support.
2Temperature
If opaque heat sinks are used to support LED strips, then thermal management is improved, but light distribution becomes uneven and dark borders are created
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a light diffuser as an intermediary component between the LED light source and the surrounding environment. This diffuser scattersthe light emitted by the LED strips, creating more uniform light distribution and eliminating the dark borders that would otherwise be created by the opaque heat sink structure. The heat sink continues to provide thermal management while the diffuser resolves the light distribution issue.
3Volume of moving object
If LED strips are positioned close to the lens, then device size is reduced, but hot spots and dark spots appear on the lens
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a light diffuser positioned between the LED strips and the lens to act as an intermediary that scatters the light before it reaches the lens. This eliminates hot spots and dark spots on the lens surface while allowing the LED strips to remain positioned close to the lens, thus maintaining a compact device size without sacrificing light distribution uniformity.
4Area of stationary object
If lighting devices are positioned to abut each other, then space utilization is improved, but dark lines appear at the joints
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs light diffusers on adjacent lighting devices that extend toward each other's joint areas. These diffusers scatter light into the joint regions, eliminating the dark lines that would otherwise appear where devices abut each other. This allows the devices to be positioned closely together for optimal space utilization while maintaining uniform light distribution across all joint areas.
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 enables flexible placement and orientation of lighting devices on ceiling tile grids, improving light distribution and aesthetics by eliminating dark borders and hot spots, while maintaining structural support.
Implementation Method 1
The light guide panel is disposed within the internal cavity of the housing and is configured to diffuse light emitted by the one or more light sources
Implementation Method 2
light diffused by the light guide panel is emitted through the base, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the lens
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device includes a housing, a light source, a light guide panel, a lens, and a rotatable clip. The housing includes an internal cavity. The light guide panel is configured to diffuse light emitted by the one or more light sources. The lens includes a base, a first side wall, and a second side wall defining an internal cavity. The lens is coupled to the housing such that at least a portion of the housing is disposed within the internal cavity of the lens and at least a portion of the light diffused by the light guide panel is emitted through the base, the first side wall, and the second side wall of the lens. The rotatable clip is coupled to the housing and is configured to mount the lighting device to an external structure.