Electronic Candle Optical Fiber Surface Patterns
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing electronic candles lack design enhancements on their outer surfaces to create dynamic lighting effects, relying solely on internal lighting improvements and color changes without utilizing the light-guiding properties of optical fibers to create patterns or designs on the surface.
Innovation Solution
A novel electronic candle design incorporates a semitransparent housing with mounting apertures for optical fibers, connected to a super high brightness LED assembly and a candle flickering LED lighting tube, allowing for the formation of patterns like snowflakes, stars, or hearts through controlled flickering, with an integrated circuit chip managing current and pattern formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If optical fiber bundles are integrated into the candle housing with mounting apertures, then the decorative effect and visual appeal are enhanced, but the structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The candle housing is segmented into multiple sections with mounting apertures distributed across the surface. Optical fiber bundles are divided into multiple groups, each passing through separate apertures and connecting to different LED assemblies, allowing independent control and simplified manufacturing of each segment.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical fiber bundles are nested within the candle housing structure, with fibers passing through mounting apertures in the housing wall and extending into the internal cavity. The fibers are positioned within the housing without requiring external mounting structures, integrating the lighting system within the existing form factor.
2Illumination intensity
If multiple optical fibers are used to create patterns on the surface, then the visual effect is improved, but the manufacturing precision and alignment requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
Different groups of optical fibers are assigned to different functional zones on the candle surface. Each mounting aperture group corresponds to a specific LED assembly and control circuit, allowing localized manufacturing and assembly. The pattern formation is achieved through selective activation of fiber groups rather than precise physical positioning of individual fibers.
Solution Approach 2:
The pattern formation is achieved through electronic control of LED assemblies rather than physical arrangement of optical fibers. The control circuit creates digital patterns by selectively activating groups of fibers, allowing pattern changes without physical reconfiguration and reducing manufacturing precision requirements for fiber positioning.
3Adaptability or versatility
If LED assemblies and control circuits are integrated into the base, then the functionality and versatility are improved, but the device complexity and power management challenges increase
Solution Approach 1:
The base is designed as a universal control unit that houses power supply, control circuit, and multiple LED assemblies. The control circuit can manage different operational modes (flickering, steady, patterned lighting) and can be remotely controlled via infrared receiver, providing multiple functions within a single integrated structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The power supply, control circuit, infrared receiver, and LED assemblies are merged into a single base unit. This consolidation reduces the number of separate components and connections required, simplifying the overall system architecture while maintaining full functionality. The base acts as a centralized hub for all electronic subsystems.
4Illumination intensity
If the candle housing is made semitransparent to show internal lighting, then the aesthetic appeal is improved, but the structural strength and protection are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The candle housing is constructed from composite materials that combine translucency with structural reinforcement. The housing may use translucent plastic or glass panels supported by a rigid internal framework, or incorporate reinforcing fibers or layers within the translucent material itself, achieving both aesthetic transparency and mechanical strength.
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 electronic candle achieves a dynamic, flickering pattern on its surface, enhancing decorative appeal by using optical fibers to emit light from apertures, creating a neon-like effect that complements the internal lighting, offering customizable designs and a realistic candlelight simulation.
Implementation Method 1
The present invention utilizes the light guiding property of the optical fiber, and combines the optical fiber and the candle through improvement, and forms dots into a line, lines into a plane
Implementation Method 2
the cavity is provided internally with super high brightness LED assembly, optical fiber bundles formed from a plurality of optical fibers
Implementation Method 3
a candle flickering LED lighting tube... the integrated circuit control chip causes the super high brightness, low current lighting tube to flicker, so that the pattern formed by the distribution of the mounting apertures flickers
Data Source
AI summary
An electronic candle comprising: a candle housing having a top and defining a cavity, a through-hole at the top, and a plurality of mounting apertures in communication with the cavity; a base disposed at the bottom of the candle housing and comprising a power supply and a PCB integrated circuit board having a control chip; a candle shell disposed on the top and being connected to the through-hole; an LED assembly electrically coupled to the power supply and disposed in the cavity; a plurality of optical fibers connected to said LED assembly and formed into optical fiber bundles, the plurality of optical fibers having end sections disposed in the mounting apertures; and a candle flickering LED lighting tube connected to said LED assembly and disposed at least partially in the candle shell.