Dual-Unit Illumination With Auxiliary Contrast Reduction

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing illumination devices and processes lack ergonomic design, particularly in medical settings, leading to high contrast that can cause eye strain and inadequate camera adjustments due to varying brightness levels.

Innovation Solution

An illumination device comprising a main and auxiliary illumination unit, where the auxiliary unit reduces contrast by emitting lower illuminance and a smaller light field diameter, allowing independent control of each unit to maintain a consistent overall illuminance ratio and reduce eye strain.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a single illumination unit is used to provide sufficient illuminance, then the maximum illuminance requirement is met, but the contrast becomes too high causing eye strain

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemaximum illuminanceVSAvoideye strain from high contrast

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination device is divided into two independent illumination units: a main illumination unit and an auxiliary illumination unit. The main unit provides high illuminance for the central surgical area, while the auxiliary unit provides lower illuminance for surrounding areas. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized for its specific function, resolving the contradiction between achieving high maximum illuminance and reducing harmful contrast effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the illuminated surface receive different illuminance levels tailored to their specific needs. The central surgical field receives high illuminance from the main illumination unit for detailed work, while peripheral areas receive lower illuminance from the auxiliary unit to reduce overall contrast. This local differentiation of illumination quality eliminates eye strain without compromising surgical visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Illumination intensity

If the illuminance level is increased to improve visibility, then visibility is enhanced, but camera adjustment becomes difficult due to brightness variations

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvevisibility enhancementVSAvoidcamera adjustment difficulty

Core Design Contradiction:

Illumination intensityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination is segmented into two distinct units with different illuminance levels. The main illumination unit provides high illuminance for the surgical field, while the auxiliary unit provides lower, more uniform illuminance for surrounding areas. This segmentation creates a more balanced overall illumination profile that is easier for cameras to adjust to, while still maintaining enhanced visibility where needed.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The illumination device changes the illuminance parameter across different spatial regions. By providing high illuminance centrally and lower illuminance peripherally, the device creates a graduated illumination profile that reduces the dynamic range challenge for camera systems, making automatic exposure adjustment easier while maintaining surgical visibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

3Manufacturing precision

If the light field diameter is reduced to focus on the surgical area, then illumination precision is improved, but the overall illuminance distribution becomes uneven

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination precisionVSAvoidilluminance distribution uniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The illumination task is segmented between two units with different light field characteristics. The main illumination unit has a smaller light field diameter optimized for precise surgical area illumination, while the auxiliary unit has a larger light field diameter that provides broader, more uniform coverage. Together, they achieve both precision and uniformity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The illumination patterns of the main and auxiliary units are merged to create a composite illumination distribution. The main unit's focused high-precision illumination is combined with the auxiliary unit's broader uniform illumination, resulting in an overall distribution that maintains both precision in the surgical area and uniformity across the entire field.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Data Source

PatentUS12446137B2Illumination device and illumination process with contrast variation

Publication Date: 2025.10.14 DRAGERWERK AG

AI summary

An illumination device (100) with a main illumination unit (1) and an auxiliary illumination unit (2). Each illumination unit (1, 2) includes a plurality of light source groups, respectively, which can be controlled individually. The maximum illuminance achieved by the main illumination unit (1) on an illuminated surface (Ob) is several times greater than the maximum illuminance achieved by the auxiliary illumination unit (2). The dx light field (light field diameter) of the main illumination unit (1) on the surface (Ob) has a significantly smaller area than the dx light field of the auxiliary illumination unit (2). The switched-on auxiliary illumination unit (2) is able to reduce the contrast of the illumination device (100).