Interlocking LED Light Guide Tiles with Curved Edges
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED lighting technologies face challenges in creating a seamless and continuous luminous appearance when interlocking modules, as the physical characteristics of LEDs make it difficult to achieve uniform illumination and hide the LED packages from view.
Innovation Solution
The development of interlocking LED light guide tiles with shaped edge features that physically and optically mate, using curved or angled surfaces to obscure the LED packages and distribute light uniformly, creating a homogenized emission that appears as a single contiguous light source.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If LED packages are used as light sources, then power requirements are reduced and lighting flexibility is improved, but the physical characteristics of LED packages make it difficult to achieve uniform illumination and continuous luminous appearance
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide tile is introduced as an intermediary component between the LED package and the visible surface. The LED package couples light into the light guide tile, which then distributes the light uniformly across its surface, masking the discrete LED package and creating a continuous luminous appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system is segmented into modular light guide tiles with interlocking edge portions. Each tile contains an LED package coupled to its edge, and multiple tiles can be assembled together to form larger lighting panels while maintaining uniform illumination through the light guide distribution mechanism.
2Adaptability or versatility
If LED packages are used as light sources, then lighting flexibility is improved, but the LED packages become visible and disrupt the continuous luminous appearance
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide tile acts as a mediator that hides the LED package from view. Light is coupled into the light guide at the edge where the LED package is located, but the distributed emission from the tile's surface creates the illusion of a continuous light source without visible discrete packages.
Solution Approach 2:
The light distribution is transitioned from a point-source configuration (visible LED package) to a surface-source configuration (emissive light guide tile). By distributing light emission across the two-dimensional surface of the tile, the discrete nature of the LED package is concealed and a continuous luminous appearance is achieved.
3Ease of operation
If light guide tiles with interlocking edge portions are used, then ease of assembly is improved and continuous luminous appearance is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is divided into modular light guide tiles with standardized interlocking edge portions. This segmentation allows for simplified assembly through repetitive unit installation, while the standardized interfaces reduce the complexity of individual components through design regularity.
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple functional elements are merged into a single integrated light guide tile component: the light guide itself, the edge portion with interlocking features, and the LED package mounting structure. This integration reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall assembly process.
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 allows for the creation of slim, flat LED assemblies that can be easily combined into various shapes with little directional alignment, providing a seamless visual appearance both when lit and unlit, enhancing illumination uniformity and hiding the LED packages from view.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide receiving light from the edge portion including the LED package
Implementation Method 2
shaped edge features that physically and optically mate, using curved or angled surfaces to obscure the LED packages and distribute light uniformly
Implementation Method 3
curved or angled surfaces to obscure the LED packages and distribute light uniformly, creating a homogenized emission that appears as a single contiguous light source
Data Source
AI summary
Interlocking light emitting diode (“LED”) light guide tiles are disclosed. The tiles have interlocking edge features that provide physical interlock fitting between tiles and present a continuous appearance, both in an “on,” where LEDs are powered on and emitting light state and an “off” state, where LEDs are powered off and not emitting light. The LED light guide tiles interface with LEDs (housed in or embodied as integrated circuit LED packages) to output light through the surfaces of the light guide. The interlocking edge features of the light guide tiles are shaped to obscure or block an image of the LED packages from being seen by observers looking at the light guide tiles. Light guide tile assemblies or installations can be easily formed out of interchangeable tiles with little or no requirement for relative directional alignment of the tiles.