Glare-Free Light Guide with Segmented Plastic and Spacer
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lamps with light guides suffer from light loss and imprecise light distribution due to light penetrating the material above LEDs, and they must comply with SELV directives, which complicates the design and glare reduction.
Innovation Solution
The light guide consists of clear plastic in the direct area for direct light passage and diffuse plastic in the indirect area for glare reduction, with a spacer element to maintain SELV compliance and an insert reflector for enhanced glare control, featuring light openings and a reflective layer for optimized light distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the light guide is made of diffuse plastic to reduce glare, then glare suppression is improved, but light loss increases and light distribution precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is divided into two distinct areas with different optical properties: a direct area made of clear plastic that allows direct light passage with minimal loss, and an indirect area made of diffuse plastic that provides glare reduction. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by applying the appropriate material property only where needed.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide is segmented into functionally distinct regions (direct area and indirect area) that can be manufactured separately and assembled together. This segmentation allows each region to be optimized for its specific function without compromising the other, thereby reducing overall light loss while maintaining glare suppression.
2Reliability
If the light guide covers the direct area in front of LEDs to ensure SELV compliance, then safety is improved, but light distribution precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
A transparent spacer element (thin film structure) is introduced between the light guide and the LEDs. This spacer maintains the required safety distance for SELV compliance while being optically transparent, thus not interfering with the precision light distribution from the LEDs through the clear direct area of the light guide.
3Productivity
If light openings are provided in the light guide for direct light passage, then light distribution is improved, but SELV compliance becomes more difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
The transparent spacer element acts as an intermediary component between the light openings in the light guide and the LEDs. It maintains the required safety distance to ensure SELV compliance while allowing light to pass through the openings undisturbed, thus preserving the improved light distribution and yield.
4Object-affected harmful factors
If the reflector is made of diffuse plastic for anti-glare properties, then glare suppression is improved, but light distribution precision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is designed with spatially varying optical properties: the central region has precise reflective characteristics for accurate light distribution, while the peripheral regions have diffuse anti-glare properties. This local differentiation allows the reflector to simultaneously achieve precise light distribution in the center and glare suppression at the edges.
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 configuration achieves improved light distribution with reduced glare and compliance with SELV directives, minimizing light loss and ensuring effective glare suppression while maintaining safety standards.
Implementation Method 1
the light guide to consist of a clear, i.e. particularly translucent plastic in the installed position in the direct area in the direction of radiation directly in front of the LEDs, which allows the light emitted by the LEDs to pass through directly and without diffusion
Implementation Method 2
the side The 'indirect area' located next to this direct area consists of or includes a plastic that produces diffuse light to achieve glare reduction
Implementation Method 3
This insert reflector can also be designed as a plastic injection molded part and is preferably provided with a reflective layer, in particular a highly reflective coating, e.g. a vapor-deposited metal layer to optimize the reflection and/or anti-glare properties
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3~4
Figure 5~6
AI summary
The invention relates to a luminaire with a luminaire housing 2 comprising a light-emitting surface, a light source comprising LEDs 10 for generating a luminous flux, control gear for operating the light source, and a light guide 4, 6 arranged in the direction of radiation in front of the LEDs 10, which distributes and/or glare-free the light over a portion of the light-emitting surface. To reduce light loss while simultaneously reducing glare, it is proposed that the light guide 4, 6 has light openings 41 associated with the LEDs 10, and that the light guide 4, 6 has a protective device on its surface that acts as a spacer.