Light Emitting Assembly with Controllable Deflection Elements

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current lighting systems for general lighting lack flexibility in far-field distribution, efficiency, and the ability to create complex lighting scenarios, as they are either too rigid, noisy, or inefficient, especially in achieving high luminous flux in a small solid angle range.

Innovation Solution

A light-emitting assembly with controllable light deflection elements, such as electrically adjustable lenses or fluidic cells, that can dynamically adjust the far-field distribution without noise, allowing for high illuminance levels and precise redirection of light, enabling flexible and efficient light delivery with a single driver circuit.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Adaptability or versatility

If moving heads are used to change emission directions, then the direction of light can be dynamically adjusted, but the system produces significant noise, has short service life, and requires movement of significant masses

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedynamic adjustment of emission directionVSAvoidnoise and service life issues
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces mechanical moving head systems with an electro-optical system consisting of multiple LED modules with adjustable optics. Instead of physically moving heavy components, the system electronically controls light direction by adjusting the emission characteristics of individual LED modules, thereby eliminating noise and mechanical wear while maintaining dynamic adaptability

Inventive Principle:
Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

Solution Approach 2:

The lighting system is divided into multiple independently controllable LED modules, each with its own optics. This segmentation allows individual modules to be controlled for directional lighting without requiring movement of the entire assembly, enabling precise directional control through electronic means rather than mechanical movement

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

2Adaptability or versatility

If data projectors are used for changing lighting scenes, then visual information can be transmitted, but the efficiency is about an order of magnitude too low for general lighting

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvedynamic lighting scene creationVSAvoidlighting efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Adaptability or versatilityVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of background lighting and accent lighting with visual information transmission into a single integrated LED-based system. By combining multiple LED modules with controllable optics, the system simultaneously provides efficient general lighting, targeted accent lighting, and visual information display, eliminating the need for separate projection systems and achieving high efficiency across all functions

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Illumination intensity

If conventional projection systems are used for accent lighting, then background lighting can be implemented, but high luminous flux in narrow solid angle cannot be achieved efficiently

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebackground lighting levelVSAvoidluminous flux concentration in narrow solid angle
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs dynamically adjustable optics for each LED module, allowing the beam angle and light distribution to be changed in real-time. This dynamic control enables the system to concentrate luminous flux into narrow solid angles for accent lighting when needed, while maintaining the capability for broader background lighting, thereby achieving high productivity in both lighting modes

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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 enables a high luminous flux of up to 10,000 lumens in a small solid angle range with smooth transitions, supporting dynamic and efficient accent lighting while maintaining efficiency and compactness, suitable for general lighting applications.

Implementation Method 1

The focus point and/or the focal length of the fluid lenses can be adjusted by means of electrowetting

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectrowetting: Electrowetting

Implementation Method 2

By means of a first electrode arranged in the chamber and a second electrode arranged outside the chamber, an electric field can be generated in the chamber, which, depending on its direction, orientation and strength, changes the shape and position of the interface between the two liquids, thereby influencing the refraction of light at the interface

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectro-optic effect: Electro-Optic Effects

Data Source

PatentEP3190617B1Light emitting device and method of fabricating a light emitting device
Publication Date: 2021.03.24 SITECO GMBH
  • EP3190617B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3190617B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3190617B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

In various embodiments, a light-emitting assembly (20) is provided. The light-emitting assembly (20) comprises: several LEDs (26) arranged laterally spaced apart from one another on a carrier (22); several lenses (30) arranged in the beam paths of the LEDs (26), each assigned to at least one of the LEDs (26) and collimating and/or focusing the light from the corresponding LEDs (26); several light deflecting elements (34) arranged such that the light collimated and/or focused by means of the lenses (30) strikes the light deflecting elements (34), each of which deflects the incident light and which can be controlled so that the direction in which the light is deflected can be changed depending on the control; and several optical elements that deflect the light deflected by means of the light deflecting elements (34).