LED Cluster Orientation for Color Mixing and Collimation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional color changing LED lighting systems face challenges in achieving well-mixed and collimated light beams without artifacts, as optimal color mixing often compromises optical control, and vice versa, due to the inherent limitations of LED layouts and optical designs.
Innovation Solution
The proposed solution involves arranging LED clusters on a substrate with angular displacements, such as 180 degrees or 60 degrees, and using optical elements like collimators and diffusers to improve color mixing while maintaining optical control, with each cluster positioned to occupy different quadrants or mirror images on the substrate, ensuring even color distribution across the beam.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If LED clusters are arranged with angular displacements and optical elements are used, then color mixing is significantly improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The LED lighting system is divided into multiple discrete LED clusters, each containing specific color combinations (e.g., red, green, blue, white LEDs). These clusters are spatially separated and angularly displaced on the substrate, allowing independent optimization of each cluster's color composition while achieving overall superior color mixing when viewed together from the front.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs asymmetric angular displacements of LED clusters relative to the optical axis and to each other. Specifically, clusters are positioned at different angles (e.g., ±30°, ±60°) rather than symmetrically, and mirror image orientations are used to create non-uniform spatial distributions that optimize color mixing while maintaining rotational symmetry in the overall pattern.
2Manufacturing precision
If LED clusters are angularly displaced to improve color mixing, then beam collimation is maintained, but light distribution uniformity may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
Each LED cluster is designed to serve multiple functions simultaneously: it contributes to beam collimation through its angular positioning, provides specific color components (red, green, blue, or white), and participates in overall color mixing when viewed from the front. The mirror image orientations and angular displacements ensure that all clusters collectively contribute to both collimation and uniform color distribution across the beam profile.
3Manufacturing precision
If multiple optical elements are added for color mixing, then color artifacts are reduced, but optical performance and intensity may decrease
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses multiple identical or mirror-image LED clusters positioned at different angular displacements. Each cluster is a copy of the basic design (containing red, green, blue, and/or white LEDs in specific configurations), and these copies are distributed angularly around the optical axis. This copying approach allows the system to achieve superior color mixing through spatial distribution rather than requiring complex optical mixing elements that would reduce intensity.
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 significantly improves color mixing by up to 87% and preserves optical performance, allowing for a well-mixed beam with minimal color artifacts, as measured by Macadam ellipses, and enables more efficient light distribution with higher intensity and narrower beam angles.
Implementation Method 1
The at least one optical element can include a collimator
Implementation Method 2
The at least one optical element can include a diffuser
Data Source
AI summary
A light-emitting diode (LED) lighting fixture includes a substrate and a plurality of LED clusters disposed on the substrate in a plane in which two orthogonal axes defining a two-dimension coordinate system is disposed. At least two of the LED clusters have orientations which are relatively angularly displaced and/or mirrored within the two-dimensional coordinate system.