Modular LED Retrofit Glare Control and Beam Containment

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LED lighting system retrofits often fail to provide sufficient glare control and horizontal beam containment, especially in upgraded settings, and may lose or lack dimming functionality, necessitating improved solutions for enhanced playability and compatibility with third-party controls.

Innovation Solution

The development of modular, interchangeable apparatus for varying degrees of glare control and horizontal beam containment, along with mechanisms to permit dimming functionality through preexisting third-party controls, ensuring cost-effective LED lighting systems that meet current standards and enhance playability.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If conventional LED retrofit solutions are used, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but glare control and horizontal beam containment are insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost-effectivenessVSAvoidglare control

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system is segmented into modular components including separate LED modules, optical control elements (louvers, shields, lenses), and mounting structures. This allows independent optimization of each component for both cost-effectiveness and glare control performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Optical control elements such as louvers, shields, and lenses are introduced as intermediary components between the LED light source and the environment. These intermediaries redirect and control light distribution to achieve proper glare control and horizontal beam containment while maintaining system cost-effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Ease of manufacture

If conventional LED retrofit solutions are used, then cost-effectiveness is improved, but horizontal beam containment is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecost-effectivenessVSAvoidhorizontal beam containment

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The lighting system is segmented into modular components including separate LED modules, optical control elements (louvers, shields, lenses), and mounting structures. This allows independent optimization of each component for both cost-effectiveness and glare control performance.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Optical control elements such as louvers, shields, and lenses are introduced as intermediary components between the LED light source and the environment. These intermediaries redirect and control light distribution to achieve proper glare control and horizontal beam containment while maintaining system cost-effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Ease of operation

If retrofit is performed without control preservation mechanisms, then installation simplicity is improved, but control functionality is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation simplicityVSAvoidcontrol functionality

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The control interface is designed with universal compatibility to work with multiple existing control systems and protocols. The mounting structure incorporates universal electrical connections and control signal interfaces that maintain compatibility with prior control systems while supporting the new LED technology.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

Control functionality is preserved through preliminary design considerations including pre-configured electrical connections, pre-programmed control interfaces, and pre-established communication protocols during the retrofit planning stage, eliminating the need for complex re-wiring or reprogramming during installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Data Source

PatentUS10344948B1Glare control, horizontal beam containment, and controls in cost-effective LED lighting system retrofits and other applications

Publication Date: 2019.07.09 MUSCO CORP

AI summary

There is a category of situations which may have previously been considered direct replacement but in fact takes on many elements of a true retrofit; namely, replacing existing LED lighting systems (which they themselves were retrofits) with different LED lighting systems that (i) overcome a deficiency or inadequacy of the existing LED lighting system retrofit, (ii) adds a functionality to the existing LED lighting system retrofit, or (iii) reestablishes functionality that would otherwise be lost with the existing LED lighting system retrofit. Discussed herein are means to provide improved glare control, horizontal beam containment, playability and control functionality for interfacing with third party controls in these so-called retrofit-of-a-retrofit, or “upgrade” situations.