Flashlight Lens with Central Convex and Annular Concave Surfaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing flashlight lenses struggle to combine maximum intensity for a spot beam with substantial uniformity for a wide beam, often relying on central convex and additional convex surfaces for focusing, which limits their versatility and manufacturing complexity.
Innovation Solution
A lens system with a lens body featuring a central convex surface surrounded by an annular concave surface, a side surface that defines an elliptical curve, and a rear well with a concavely-curved void sidewall and base, allowing for adjustable light source positioning and beam variation between spot and wide beams, using Bezier curves or basis function derived curves for optimal light reflection and emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If prior art lenses use central convex and additional convex surfaces for focusing, then light focusing capability is improved, but beam uniformity and intensity combination deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lens is divided into multiple functional zones: a central convex surface for focusing and an annular concave surface for beam shaping. This segmentation allows each zone to perform its specific function optimally, resolving the contradiction between focusing capability and beam uniformity by distributing different optical tasks to different spatial regions of the lens.
Solution Approach 2:
Different surfaces of the lens are given different curvatures and optical properties tailored to their specific functions. The central region has convex curvature for focusing, while the annular region has concave curvature for beam uniformity control. This local differentiation of optical quality allows simultaneous achievement of high intensity focusing and uniform wide beam distribution.
2Ease of manufacture
If prior art lenses use flat surfaces for light receiving, reflecting, and emitting, then manufacturing simplicity is improved, but light focusing precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The lens employs curved surfaces (convex central surface and concave annular surface) instead of flat surfaces to achieve precise light focusing. The curved geometries are designed to control light ray paths accurately, providing the necessary focusing precision while remaining compatible with standard injection molding processes for manufacturing.
3Adaptability or versatility
If lens structure is made complex to achieve beam variation, then beam adaptability is improved, but device complexity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple beam control functions (focusing, beam widening, beam shaping) are merged into a single integrated lens component with multiple surfaces. This eliminates the need for separate optical elements or complex adjustment mechanisms, achieving high beam adaptability while maintaining relatively simple device structure through functional integration.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens is designed as a multi-functional optical element that can produce different beam patterns (spot beam, wide beam, and intermediate patterns) through its multiple surfaces working in combination. This universal lens replaces what would traditionally require multiple specialized optical components, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining versatility.
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 lens system achieves adjustable beam patterns from spot to wide, maintaining high intensity and uniformity, with the ability to vary beam distribution between +/- 20° and +/- 3°, and reduces diode image visibility during adjustments, enhancing operational characteristics.
Implementation Method 1
A lens system with a lens body featuring a central convex surface surrounded by an annular concave surface
Implementation Method 2
The side surface is typically a light-reflecting surface, reflecting the light that strikes it from within the lens body
Implementation Method 3
The lens body may be formed of solid, transparent material such as polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA), molded or otherwise formed as a single piece for total internal reflection (TIR)
Data Source
AI summary
A lens for a flashlight or other lighting unit provides for focusing light from a source, such as an LED, to provide a light beam adjustable between a spot beam and a wide beam. The lens includes a lens body with a front face, a rear LED-receiving well, and a side surface extending between the front face and the rear well. The front face includes a central surface surrounded by an annular concave surface. The rear well includes a space for the LED to be adjusted in position. The rear well space is defined by a concavely-curved sidewall and a concavely-curved base. The concave curvature of the sidewall and base may be Bezier curves