Dichroic Mirror and Phosphor Element for Intrinsically Safe Laser Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing laser sourced headlight systems face safety concerns due to the potential for collimated laser light to escape and cause biological damage, particularly in failure modes such as phosphor coating issues, mirror misalignment, or sensor malfunction, which existing safety systems do not adequately address without additional sensors or control systems.
Innovation Solution
The implementation of a dichroic mirror and phosphor element configuration that disperses laser beams intrinsically, ensuring that laser energy does not exit the system even in failure scenarios, without the need for additional sensors or control systems, by using a dichroic mirror with an aperture to allow laser beams to pass through and reflective surfaces to redirect them back if the phosphor or laser diodes become dislocated or if the phosphor coating fails.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If laser sourced headlights are used to extend illumination distance, then driver visibility is improved, but safety risks increase due to potential laser light escape
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring the optical system with a dichroic mirror and phosphor element arrangement that passively prevents laser light escape before any failure can occur. The dichroic mirror is positioned to reflect laser wavelengths back toward the phosphor, and the phosphor element is configured to absorb and convert any escaped laser light, creating a built-in safety mechanism that operates without active sensing or control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent converts the potentially harmful laser light into beneficial illumination by using the phosphor element to absorb escaped laser wavelengths and convert them to visible light. This transforms what would be a safety hazard (unconverted laser light) into additional useful illumination, maintaining the extended range benefit while eliminating the biological damage risk.
2Reliability
If traditional safety systems with sensors and control units are added, then laser light monitoring is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by designing an optical system that automatically contains and converts laser light through its inherent physical properties. The dichroic mirror passively reflects laser wavelengths based on its optical coating characteristics, and the phosphor element automatically absorbs and converts the light energy without requiring external control. This eliminates the need for sensors, control units, and power management systems while maintaining reliable laser containment.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical/electronic safety system (sensors, relays, control units) with an optical/physical system based on dichroic reflection and phosphor conversion. Instead of using active electronic components to detect and respond to laser light, the system uses passive optical properties of materials to inherently prevent laser escape, substituting complex mechanical control with simpler physical principles.
3Illumination intensity
If laser sources are activated at low speeds, then illumination benefit is maximized, but safety risk increases due to potential exposure to stationary observers
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary anti-action by pre-configuring the optical path so that laser light cannot escape regardless of vehicle speed or operational conditions. The dichroic mirror and phosphor element arrangement creates a physical barrier that prevents laser wavelengths from reaching the front of the headlight assembly, eliminating the need for speed-based activation restrictions while maintaining safety.
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 configuration ensures the system remains intrinsically safe, preventing collimated laser light from escaping and enhancing safety by maintaining operation without additional safety systems, even in failure modes, thus reducing the risk of biological damage and increasing societal acceptance of laser sourced illumination technology.
Implementation Method 1
a dichroic mirror with an aperture to allow laser beams to pass through and reflective surfaces to redirect them back
Implementation Method 2
a phosphor element spaced from the dichroic mirror and coated with a substance to fluoresce when struck by the laser beams and configured to disperse the laser beams
Data Source
AI summary
Intrinsically safe laser sourced illumination. A system for illumination is disclosed, including a plurality of laser illumination sources configured to transmit laser beams; a dichroic mirror spaced from the plurality of laser illumination sources and having an aperture configured to allow the laser beams to pass through the dichroic mirror, the remaining surfaces of the dichroic mirror configured to reflect the laser beams; a phosphor element spaced from the dichroic mirror and coated with a substance to fluoresce when struck by the laser beams and configured to disperse the laser beams and to output combined light that includes fluorescent light and the dispersed laser beams; and an illumination output arranged to receive the combined light from the phosphor element and to output illuminating light containing both the fluorescent light and the dispersed laser beams. Methods are also disclosed.