Honeycomb Optical Component for Uniform Laser Illumination
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting apparatuses face challenges in simultaneously suppressing unevenness and controlling light distribution, limiting the design freedom of optical components.
Innovation Solution
A lighting apparatus using laser light as a source, incorporating a condenser lens, a focusing lens, and an optical component with small lenses arranged on virtual concentric circles, where adjacent lenses along the radial axis have different phases, to control light distribution and suppress unevenness.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a honeycomb-structured optical component with regularly arranged small lenses is used, then unevenness in the irradiation region is reduced, but the degree of freedom of light distribution control is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies asymmetry by arranging small lenses on virtual concentric circles with different phases along radial axes, breaking the symmetric honeycomb pattern. This asymmetric arrangement on concentric circles allows both uniform illumination suppression and flexible light distribution control to be achieved simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions from a two-dimensional honeycomb grid to a radial arrangement on concentric circles, adding a dimensional aspect of radial positioning with phase differences. This dimensional change enables independent control of illumination uniformity and light distribution patterns
2Adaptability or versatility
If an optical component with randomly arranged small lenses is used, then light distribution control freedom is improved, but unevenness suppression becomes difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by assigning different phases to small lenses at different radial positions and angular locations. Each lens can be independently phased to control local light distribution while collectively achieving uniform illumination suppression across the entire irradiation region
3Illumination intensity
If a honeycomb-structured optical component is attached as a cover, then unevenness is reduced while maintaining light transmissivity, but optical component design freedom is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces dynamics by making the optical component design adjustable and flexible rather than fixed. The radial arrangement on concentric circles with variable phase differences allows the optical component to be dynamically configured for different light distribution requirements while maintaining unevenness suppression
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 solution effectively reduces illumination and color unevenness, improving the appearance of the irradiation region while enhancing optical component design freedom and simplifying the design process.
Implementation Method 1
a condenser lens that condenses the laser light
Implementation Method 2
a focusing lens that focuses, onto the light emitter, the laser light that has passed through the condenser lens
Implementation Method 3
an optical component disposed between the condenser lens and the focusing lens, the optical component including a plurality of lenses disposed at a plurality of locations on circumferences of virtual concentric circles
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting apparatus which has a light emitter that emits light of a different wavelength from a laser light with which the lighting apparatus is irradiated is provided. The lighting apparatus includes a condenser lens that condenses the laser light, a focusing lens that focuses the laser light that has passed through the condenser lens, and an optical component disposed between the condenser lens and the focusing lens. The optical component includes a plurality of lenses disposed at a plurality of locations on circumferences of virtual concentric circles. The virtual concentric circles include a center which is an origin. Lenses which are adjacent along a radial axis passing through the origin, among the plurality of lenses, have different phases with respect to the radial axis.