Compact Lighting Dome with Facetted Mirror for Variable Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing medical lighting devices are complex, heavy, and costly due to numerous optical elements, including elliptical reflectors, which complicate handling and increase weight, while struggling to provide uniform illumination with variable color temperature and spot size without creating shadows.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with an axial dome featuring a first and second ring of LEDs emitting different color temperatures, an annular facetted mirror for mixing light beams, and a total reflection annular mirror for deflecting collimated beams, reducing the number of optical parts and eliminating the need for lenses, allowing for variable color temperature and spot size modulation through electrical current control.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If multiple optical elements including elliptical reflectors and lenses are used to achieve uniform illumination and variable color temperature, then the illumination quality is improved, but the device complexity and weight increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical functions into a single facetted mirror component. This mirror simultaneously performs beam splitting, light mixing, and directional control that previously required separate optical elements including elliptical reflectors and lenses, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining uniform illumination quality
Solution Approach 2:
The facetted mirror is designed to perform multiple optical functions: it acts as a beam splitter to separate light paths, a mixing element to combine different color temperatures, and a directional controller to direct light toward the operative field. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for multiple specialized components
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical elements including elliptical reflectors are used to achieve variable color temperature and spot size, then the adaptability is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates variable color temperature and spot size control functions into the facetted mirror system combined with simple LED arrays. This eliminates the need for costly elliptical reflectors and multiple lenses, reducing manufacturing cost while maintaining adaptability through electronic control of LED intensities
Solution Approach 2:
The patent achieves variable color temperature and spot size by changing the electrical parameters (current intensity) of the LED light sources rather than using complex optical mechanisms. This electronic control method is more cost-effective to manufacture while providing the same adaptability
3Loss of energy
If lenses are installed between light sources and beam splitter to reduce beam divergence, then the optical efficiency is improved, but the device weight and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the lenses that were previously installed between the light sources and beam splitter. Instead, the facetted mirror itself is positioned and designed to efficiently capture and redirect light from the LED arrays, eliminating the need for separate collimating lenses and thereby reducing weight while maintaining optical efficiency
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 solution results in a more compact, lightweight, and cost-effective lighting device that provides uniform illumination with adjustable color temperature and spot size, improving handling and reducing structural complexity while maintaining high optical efficiency.
Implementation Method 1
an annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets and arranged about said axis for mixing the light beams emitted by the two rings of LEDs
Implementation Method 2
an annular optical system that surrounds the annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets so as to reflect the first resulting mixed light beam onto the operative field
Implementation Method 3
collimation optical systems are provided between each ring of LEDs and the annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device for illuminating an operative field comprises, in an axial lighting dome, a first ring of LEDs at a first color temperature, and a second ring of LEDs at a second color temperature different from said first color temperature, and an annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets and arranged about the same axis as said rings of LEDs. Collimation optical systems are provided between each ring of LEDs and the annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets. The annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets mixes the collimated light beams emitted by the two rings of LEDs coupled to the collimators, and forms first and second collimated resulting mixed light beams having the same intermediate color temperature. An annular facetted mirror having plane facets surrounds the annular facetted mirror having semi-reflective facets so as to reflect the first collimated resulting mixed light beam to combine it with said second collimated resulting mixed light beam in the operative field in a certain superposition configuration in a superposition plane in which an illumination spot is formed.