Collimating Light Emitting Apparatus With Extended Reflector

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional light emitting devices face challenges in achieving a small volume and exit diameter while maintaining high focussing efficiency, as they often result in large beam divergence due to light rays exiting without interaction with the collimator, necessitating longer collimators that contradict market requirements for compact designs.

Innovation Solution

A light emitting apparatus featuring a ceramic body with a wavelength converting material and a reflector surface larger than the bottom surface, which reduces the solid angle of light emission, allowing for a shorter or more efficient collimator, and optionally incorporating oblique side surfaces and multiple light sources for enhanced control and collimation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If the collimator length is enlarged to improve focussing efficiency, then the light beam collimation improves, but the volume and exit diameter increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvefocussing efficiencyVSAvoidcollimator volume
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSVolume of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The reflector extends laterally beyond the ceramic body boundaries, utilizing the horizontal dimension to redirect light rays that would otherwise escape. This lateral extension allows the reflector to capture and redirect light from a wider angular range without increasing the vertical collimator length, thus improving focussing efficiency while maintaining compact volume.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

The reflector acts as an intermediary element between the light source and the collimator. By positioning the reflector to extend beyond the ceramic body, it mediates the light path by redirecting escaping light rays toward the collimator entrance, effectively improving collimation without requiring a longer collimator structure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Area of stationary object

If the collimator exit diameter is reduced to meet market requirements, then the device becomes more compact, but light rays exit without interacting with the collimator causing large beam divergence

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveexit diameterVSAvoidbeam divergence control
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The reflector's lateral extension beyond the ceramic body utilizes the horizontal dimension to capture and redirect light rays that would otherwise escape at wide angles. This allows the system to maintain a small exit diameter while improving beam divergence control through the reflector's extended light-redirection capability.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

3Reliability

If the reflector surface is made larger than the bottom surface of the ceramic body, then the solid angle of light emission is reduced improving collimation, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecollimation qualityVSAvoidreflector configuration
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reflector is integrated with the ceramic body structure, with the reflector surface extending beyond the body boundaries. This merging of components allows the reflector to perform its light-redirection function while being structurally combined with the existing ceramic body, minimizing additional device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

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

This design enables the creation of a highly collimated light beam with a smaller collimator volume and exit diameter, meeting market demands for compact, high-efficiency lighting systems, particularly benefiting applications requiring focused beams.

Implementation Method 1

a ceramic body comprising a wavelength converting material

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectWavelength conversion: Photoluminescence

Data Source

PatentEP2212930B1Collimating light emitting apparatus
Publication Date: 2018.02.21 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV
  • EP2212930B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP2212930B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP2212930B1 patent drawingFigure 5

AI summary

Proposed is a light emitting apparatus (1) comprising a light source (5) for emitting light and a collimator (40) for arranging the light emitted in an application specific distribution. The light source comprises (i) a semiconductor device (10) capable of emitting light, (ii) a body (20) having a bottom surface (21) adjacent to the semiconductor device (10) and an opposing top surface (22), and (iii) a reflector (30) positioned adjacent the top surface (22). The light emitting apparatus (1) is characterised in that the reflector (30) has a surface larger than the bottom surface (21) of the body (20). This is especially advantageous for creating a given light beam collimation with a smaller collimator or alternatively for creating a collimator producing a significantly narrower light beam.