U-Shaped Luminaire Diffuser With Internal Lips
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional diffusers for elongated lamps, particularly LED lamps, often result in inhomogeneous light distribution due to shading issues, which affect the desired light impression and require complex constructions to achieve optimal light distribution.
Innovation Solution
A U-shaped diffuser design with internal lips extending towards the roof section, creating additional optically effective diffuser wall sections that scatter and reflect light to soften shadows, allowing for improved light homogenization and flexibility in lamp construction without the need for additional optical elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a conventional diffuser design is used for LED lamps, then the construction is simple, but inhomogeneous light distribution occurs due to shading
Solution Approach 1:
The diffuser is segmented into multiple optically effective wall sections by forming lips on the side legs. These lips create additional light scattering surfaces that divide and redistribute light paths, preventing shadow formation while maintaining the simple U-shaped overall structure. The segmentation is achieved through integrally formed lips that extend inward from the side legs toward the roof section.
Solution Approach 2:
The lips extend in the longitudinal direction of the diffuser, creating additional optical paths along the length of the lamp. This longitudinal dimension allows light to be scattered and reflected multiple times before reaching the viewer, homogenizing the light distribution without adding complex multi-layer structures.
2Illumination intensity
If additional optical elements are added to improve light distribution, then light homogeneity improves, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical functions of light scattering, reflection, and shadow reduction are merged into the diffuser structure itself through the lips. Instead of adding separate optical elements, the diffuser's side legs are designed with integrated lips that perform multiple optical functions, eliminating the need for additional components while achieving homogeneous light distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The lips serve multiple functions simultaneously: they act as additional diffuser walls to scatter light, create reflection surfaces to redirect light paths, and reduce shadow formation by blocking direct line-of-sight to the LED sources. This multi-functionality is achieved within the single diffuser component without requiring separate specialized elements.
3Illumination intensity
If the diffuser structure is modified to reduce shading, then light distribution improves, but manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lips are formed only in specific locations on the side legs where shadow formation occurs, rather than modifying the entire diffuser structure. This localized modification approach targets the problematic areas (side leg regions) while leaving the rest of the simple U-shaped structure intact, maintaining ease of manufacture for the overall component.
Solution Approach 2:
The lip geometry parameters (extension distance, width, curvature) can be adjusted to optimize light distribution performance. By varying these parameters, the diffuser can be tuned for different LED configurations and mounting arrangements without fundamentally changing the manufacturing process or overall structure.
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 diffuser design enhances light distribution homogeneity, reduces shading, and provides flexibility in component arrangement, enabling a simpler construction of elongated lamps while maintaining or improving light distribution specifications.
Implementation Method 1
the diffuser is usually made of a highly scattering material, in particular a translucent material, in order to scatter the light emitted by the illuminant of the lamp when the light is transmitted through the diffuser
Implementation Method 2
in areas in which incident light is reflected or scattered, so that umbras that frequently occur in these sections are softened
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a diffuser (1, 1') for an elongated luminaire, in particular an LED luminaire with a series arrangement of LEDs, wherein the diffuser has a cross-section perpendicular to its longitudinal extent essentially U-shaped, with two side legs (2A, 2B) and a roof section (3) connecting the side legs. The diffuser according to the invention is characterized in that a lip (5a, 5b), located inwards towards the U-shape and extending towards the roof section, is integrally formed on each of the free ends of both side legs (2A, 2B). The invention further relates to an assembly for constructing an elongated luminaire and to such a luminaire, each comprising such a diffuser.