Flat Lamp Buffer Layer Thermal Expansion Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LED flat lamps face issues with light uniformity, material damage, heat-induced deformation, and manufacturing limitations, leading to reduced service life and high replacement costs, as well as poor aesthetic appearance due to light seams in large-scale production.
Innovation Solution
A flat lamp design featuring a wedge-shaped light guide layer with a buffer layer made of vacuum-formed plastic, a diffusion layer with varying hardness, and a spliced light guide structure, which includes a reflective layer and a backplane, allowing for improved heat management, reduced material usage, and enhanced light uniformity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the light guide layer and diffusion layer are tightly attached and made of the same hard material (PS/PMMA/PC/PET), then the flatness is improved, but the light-emitting surface of the light guide layer gets easily damaged
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different material properties to different layers: the light guide layer uses hard material (PS/PMMA/PC/PET) for flatness, while the diffusion layer uses soft material (PP/PE) for protection. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by assigning appropriate material characteristics to each layer's specific function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite structure by combining hard material for the light guide layer and soft material for the diffusion layer. This composite approach allows the system to simultaneously achieve the flatness provided by hard materials and the damage resistance provided by soft materials.
2Reliability
If softer material like PP/PE is adopted for the diffusion layer, then the light guide layer is protected, but the diffusion layer gets deformed easily and has poor flatness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns soft material (PP/PE) specifically to the diffusion layer where protection is needed, while keeping the light guide layer made of hard material for flatness. This localized material assignment allows each layer to optimize its own properties without compromising the other.
3Illumination intensity
If two LED lamp bars are oppositely arranged on opposite sides of the light guide layer, then the light distribution is improved, but heat causes the light guide layer to expand and extrude the LED lamp beads
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a buffer layer as an intermediary component between the light guide layer and the LED lamp bars. This buffer layer absorbs the thermal expansion of the light guide layer, preventing it from extruding the LED beads while maintaining the beneficial opposite arrangement for light distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffer layer is placed in advance between the light guide layer and LED beads to cushion against the harmful effect of thermal expansion before it can cause damage. This preventive measure protects the LED beads from extrusion during operation.
4Productivity
If the light guide layer is spliced for large-scale production, then the productivity is improved, but light seams appear due to light leakage and unevenness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the diffusion function to a separate diffusion layer, which is positioned away from the spliced joints of the light guide layer. This separation allows the diffusion layer to mask the light seams caused by splicing, maintaining light uniformity while enabling large-scale production through light guide layer segmentation.
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 extends the service life of LED flat lamps by preventing heat-induced damage, improving light uniformity, and simplifying maintenance and replacement, while also reducing production costs and enhancing aesthetic appeal.
Implementation Method 1
heat is generated while the LED lamp beads emit light after the flat lamp is turned on, and the light guide layer expands to the periphery when heated
Implementation Method 2
heat cushioning material capable of elastic deformation to absorb the expansion and deformation of the light guide plate
Implementation Method 3
the buffer layer is a vacuum-formed plastic product with functions of buffer and anti-deformation
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention disclosed a flat lamp, comprising a light guide layer, a reflective layer, a diffusion layer, a buffer layer, and a backplane, the light guide layer has two opposite faces including a back face and a light emitting face, the reflective layer is located on the back face of the light guide layer, the diffusion layer is located on the light emitting face of the light guide layer , the buffer layer is located between the backplane and the reflective layer, and several light guide points are provided between the reflective layer and the light guide layer, the flat lamp further comprises a light source and an outer frame, with incident points of the light source being located on a lateral side of the light guide layer, a stacked structure composed of the backplane, the light guide layer, the reflective layer, the buffer layer and the diffusion layer is in the shape of a flat plate. The buffer layer can be a plastic sucking product having the functions of buffering and anti-deformation, and unilateral light incidence of the wedge-shaped light guide layer and buffer materials can be used. In addition, the diffusion layer has the functions of changing color and protecting the light guide layer against being scratched. Moreover, with the spliced light guide layer, the invention is suitable for large flat lamps, and has the advantages of uniform light emission, low cost, scientific structure design and easy implementation.