Imaging Lighting Lenses Balancing Low F/# and Image Quality
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lens designs for automotive headlights with LED arrays struggle to balance efficient light collection with high imaging performance, particularly at low F/#, while meeting regulatory requirements for glare reduction and resolution, and are not cost-effective for mass production.
Innovation Solution
A lens system comprising 4-6 elements with specific optical properties, including aspheric surfaces and optimized focal lengths, designed to achieve low F/#, high resolution, and compact size, suitable for both low and high resolution applications, while adhering to regulatory standards.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If the lens is designed with low F/# for efficient light collection, then light collection efficiency is improved, but image quality deteriorates due to increased spherical and coma aberrations
Solution Approach 1:
The lens system is divided into multiple lens elements (typically 3-6 elements) with different optical powers and functions. This segmentation allows each element to be optimized for specific aberration correction while maintaining overall low F/# for efficient light collection from LED arrays.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs composite lens designs combining elements with different refractive indices and Abbe numbers. This allows simultaneous correction of multiple aberrations (spherical, coma, chromatic) while maintaining the low F/# requirement for efficient light gathering.
2Measurement precision
If the lens design is optimized for high resolution imaging, then imaging performance is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the lens system are assigned different functional qualities. For example, certain lens elements are specifically designed to correct spherical aberration while others address coma or chromatic aberration. This localized optimization achieves high resolution imaging without requiring excessive complexity throughout the entire system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes aspheric surfaces in addition to spherical surfaces. The aspheric elements provide enhanced aberration correction capabilities, improving imaging resolution while actually reducing the total number of elements needed compared to purely spherical designs.
3Area of stationary object
If the lens system is designed to cover full horizontal field of view (20-40 degrees), then field coverage is improved, but aberration control becomes more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lens design incorporates elements that dynamically address different field angles. The optical configuration is optimized to maintain aberration control across the entire 20-40 degree horizontal field of view, with each element contributing to performance at different angular positions.
4Volume of moving object
If the lens is designed for compact size, then device size is reduced, but manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The lens elements are arranged in a compact nested configuration where each element is positioned to optimize space utilization. This nested arrangement achieves compact overall size while maintaining the necessary spacing between elements for effective aberration correction.
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 provides efficient light collection and high imaging performance, meeting regulatory requirements for automotive headlights, with reduced glare and improved resolution, while being cost-effective for mass production.
Implementation Method 1
Optical elements or lenses for traditional lighting applications such as vehicle headlights
Data Source
AI summary
A lens system design for an imaging projection lens is described. The system enables selection of performance requirements of a high or low resolution lens system as described through a set of examples meeting a set of parametric equations. A low resolution imaging lenses has a field angle between 15 and 20 degrees and effective focal lengths (EFL) between 18 and 25. The high resolution lens systems have an EFL between 30 and 38 source and field angles between 10 and 12 degrees. The examples all use a 12.8 mm light source (Ah). The lens system is scaled to other size light sources using the parametric equation for EFL/Ah. The lens system comprises two positive powered lens groups. There are 3 lens elements in a first group and 1 to 3 lens element in a second group, the second group is nearest the light source.