Grooved Lens Plate Layout for Flexible LED Board Compatibility
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED lighting systems require redesign of lens plates for different LED board configurations, leading to increased lead time, tooling costs, and numerous stock keeping units due to varying LED quantities and positions.
Innovation Solution
A lens plate design featuring a groove structure on one surface and cell structure on the other, allowing flexibility in LED placement and compatibility with various LED boards, achieved by using a circular array of concentric rings with straight segments and lenslets that can be packed tightly without needing LEDs beneath every lenslet.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If different lens plates are developed for successive LED board designs with different LED quantities and positions, then the optical performance is optimized for each specific design, but the lead time increases, tooling costs increase, and the number of stock keeping units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lens plate is designed with a universal structure that can accommodate multiple LED board configurations. The array of lenslets is arranged in a pattern that allows compatibility with different LED quantities and positions, enabling a single lens plate design to serve multiple applications without requiring redesign for each specific LED board configuration.
Solution Approach 2:
The lens plate is divided into multiple individual lenslets arranged in an array, where each lenslet can independently focus light from different LED positions. This segmentation allows the lens plate to maintain optical performance across various LED configurations, as each lenslet operates independently to optimize light distribution regardless of the specific LED arrangement underneath.
2Manufacturing precision
If different lens plates are developed for successive LED board designs, then the optical performance is optimized for each specific design, but the tooling costs increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens plate design provides a universal solution that works across multiple LED board configurations, eliminating the need for separate tooling for each design. By creating a single multi-functional lens plate that can accommodate different LED quantities and positions, the company avoids the recurring tooling costs associated with developing new lens plates for each successive LED board design.
3Manufacturing precision
If different lens plates are developed for successive LED board designs, then the optical performance is optimized for each specific design, but the number of stock keeping units increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention reduces the number of stock keeping units by creating a universal lens plate design that can be used across multiple LED board configurations. Instead of maintaining separate inventory for different lens plate designs, the company can stock a single universal lens plate that adapts to various LED arrangements, thereby simplifying inventory management and reducing the complexity associated with tracking multiple SKUs.
4Adaptability or versatility
If cells are tightly packed with small pitch between neighboring cells, then the number of lenslet positions increases providing flexibility in LED choice, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens plate is segmented into multiple individual lenslets with defined cells, where each cell can be precisely manufactured with controlled pitch. This segmentation allows for tight packing of cells while maintaining manufacturing precision through standardized cell designs and modular assembly processes, enabling flexibility in LED placement without compromising manufacturing feasibility.
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 design reduces lead time and tooling costs by enabling the same lens plate to be used with different LED boards, while maintaining optical performance and flexibility in beam shaping, including narrow, wide, and very wide beam functions.
Implementation Method 1
An optical lens is widely used to redirect the light emitted from a light source, such as a LED, to create a desired beam shape
Implementation Method 2
The cells of the first surface combine with the grooves of the second surface to define a desired function for the lenslet, such as a narrow beam, wide beam or very wide beam lens function
Data Source
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AI summary
A lens plate has an array of lenslets. A first surface comprises a plurality of individual cells, each cell delimiting one side of a respective lenslet of the array. A second opposite surface comprises a set of grooves, each groove delimiting a second, opposite side, of a sub-array of the lenslets of the array of lenslets. The array of lenslets is a circular array comprising a plurality of concentric rings. Each ring comprises a plurality of straight segments, and each segment comprises multiple said lenslets arranged in a row. The lens plate design thus combines grooves on one side which cover multiple lenslets and a cellular lens structure on the opposite side.