Thin Light Collimating Device Using Faceted Waveguide and Refractive Array
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current light collimation technologies, such as Compound Parabolic Collimators, require significant height for high collimation and existing compact solutions offer limited collimation efficiency, necessitating a more effective method for achieving both high collimation and compact structure.
Innovation Solution
A light collimation device featuring a wave guide plate with a faceted surface and corresponding collimating refractive elements, where each facet is angled non-right to the planar portions, allowing for high collimation with a thin structure by reflecting and focusing light towards collimating refractive elements, which can be lenses, Fresnel lenses, or holographic elements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If a Compound Parabolic Collimator is used to achieve high collimation, then the collimation degree is improved, but the device height increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The collimating optics is segmented into multiple discrete refractive elements arranged in an array, where each element corresponds to a specific facet on the waveguide surface. This segmentation allows the light path to be controlled in discrete steps through multiple reflections and refractions, achieving high collimation without requiring a single long optical path like the CPC
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from the CPC's one-dimensional conical path to a two-dimensional array of refractive elements working in conjunction with a faceted waveguide surface. The light undergoes multiple reflections off facets at different orientations and is redirected to corresponding refractive elements, creating a multi-dimensional light control mechanism that achieves collimation in a compact footprint
2Length of moving object
If a compact reflective light transformer is used to reduce structure size, then the device thickness is reduced, but the collimation efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
Each refractive element in the array is specifically designed and positioned to correspond to a particular facet on the waveguide surface. The local optical properties (refractive index, shape, position) of each element are optimized to handle the specific light angles and paths from its corresponding facet, ensuring high collimation efficiency for each local light path while maintaining overall compactness
Solution Approach 2:
The faceted waveguide surface acts as an intermediary between the light source and the refractive elements. The facets reflect and redirect light from the LED toward specific refractive elements, which then perform the final collimation. This intermediary mechanism enables compact light transformation while maintaining high collimation efficiency through precise optical path control
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 solution achieves a high degree of collimation with a compact structure, ensuring efficient light utilization and achieving collimation angles below 5°, preferably below 1.5°, while maintaining a thin profile, suitable for applications requiring precise light distribution.
Implementation Method 1
each facet corresponds to a separate collimating refractive element located in the beam path of at least the major part of light being reflected on the corresponding facet
Implementation Method 2
each collimating refractive element corresponds to a separate one of the plurality of facets... located in the beam path of at least the major part of light being reflected on the corresponding facet and extracted from said wave guide plate
Data Source
AI summary
A light collimation device comprising a wave guide plate (100) having a first surface (101), an opposing faceted second surface (102) comprising a plurality of essentially planar parallel portions (103) and a plurality of facets (104) connecting said planar parallel portions (103) and at least one surface (105) for receiving light is provided. Each facet (104) is formed at a non-right angle (β) to said planar parallel portions (103) and the device further comprises a plurality of collimating refractive elements (106), wherein each collimating refractive element (106) corresponds to a separate one of the plurality of facets (104), and is located in the beam path of at least the major part of light being reflected on the corresponding facet (104) and extracted from said wave guide plate (100).