Dome-Shaped UV Lighting for Uniform Inspection of Fluorescent Features

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting devices fail to effectively illuminate and inspect UV features on luxury goods, such as UV inks and fibers, which are critical for verifying authenticity and integrity in the luxury goods market, especially in emerging markets where UV tax stamps are required.

Innovation Solution

A UV lighting device with a dome-shaped housing that reflects UV light uniformly, featuring multiple wavelengths, a control window, and a filter to enhance contrast, allowing for effective inspection of UV features using a camera.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If direct UV light sources are used to illuminate the object, then the illumination intensity is high, but the lighting uniformity is poor and shadowing occurs on complex surfaces

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination intensityVSAvoidlighting uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The housing is designed with a curved, dome-shaped structure that diffuses UV light uniformly across the illuminated surface. The curvature allows light to reflect and distribute evenly, eliminating shadowing on complex surfaces while maintaining high illumination intensity throughout the inspection area.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

2Adaptability or versatility

If multiple UV wavelengths are integrated into a single device, then the versatility for different UV features is improved, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveversatility for different UV featuresVSAvoiddevice complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Multiple UV light sources emitting at different wavelengths are integrated into a single housing structure. This merging approach allows the device to inspect various UV features (inks, fibers, security elements) using one unified system rather than requiring separate devices for each wavelength, thereby reducing overall system complexity while maintaining versatility.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Stability of the object's composition

If the housing reflects UV light to improve illumination distribution, then the lighting uniformity is improved, but UV radiation exposure to the user increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelighting uniformityVSAvoidUV radiation exposure
Core Design Contradiction:
Stability of the object's compositionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The housing incorporates selective reflectivity: internal surfaces are designed to reflect UV light toward the illumination area to achieve uniform lighting, while external surfaces and user-facing areas are treated to minimize UV radiation exposure. This localized differentiation of reflective properties allows the system to maintain lighting uniformity while protecting users from harmful UV exposure.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

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 device provides homogeneous and diffuse UV illumination, creating high contrast for UV features on various surfaces, ensuring accurate inspection and integration with Machine Vision or Automatic Identification software.

Implementation Method 1

said housing comprising an inner wall configured for reflecting the light emitted by said at least one light source toward the object to be illuminated

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

The lighting device of the invention uses UV illumination to fluoresce a feature of the object and to create contrast

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectFluorescence: Fluorescence

Data Source

PatentEP4195173B1UV lighting device
Publication Date: 2026.05.06 TPL VISION UK LTD
  • EP4195173B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP4195173B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP4195173B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

Lighting device (10) for illuminating an object (O) to be controlled, comprising: - at least one light source (20) for illuminating the object (O), said light source (20) being configured to emit at least one ultraviolet wavelength, - a housing (30) containing the at least one light source (20) and comprising a housing opening (32) for receiving the object to be illuminated, and a control window (34) for enabling the visualization of the object (O) illuminated by the at least one light source (20), said housing (30) comprising an inner wall (36) configured for reflecting the light emitted by said at least one light source (20) toward the object (O) to be illuminated.