LED Lighting Grid Spacing for Glare Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional LED lighting systems experience discomfort glare due to high luminance gradients, which current models fail to adequately address, particularly in applications like road and industrial lighting, where high optical efficiency and uniform light distribution are essential.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system comprising a grid of at least 16 LED units with center-to-center distances between 4-16 mm, each equipped with an optical element to control the beam shape, providing a luminous flux of at least 50 lumens and an integrated luminous surface with intermediate regions between grids, configured to minimize glare by reducing the apparent total light emitting surface and average luminance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If LED pitch is increased to reduce luminance and glare, then discomfort glare is reduced, but optical efficiency and intensity are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system divides the illumination into multiple discrete LED units arranged in a grid pattern with specific spacing (4-16mm pitch). Each LED unit acts as an independent light source with its own optical element, creating a segmented luminous surface that reduces peak luminance while maintaining total light output through the collective contribution of multiple units.
Solution Approach 2:
The system optimizes the pitch parameter between LED units (4-16mm range) and controls the luminous flux of each unit (at least 50 lumens) to achieve the desired balance. By adjusting these parameters, the system reduces the apparent luminance of individual sources (thereby reducing glare) while maintaining sufficient total intensity for the lighting application.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If LED pitch is decreased to increase apparent light emitting surface area, then glare is reduced, but manufacturing precision and alignment become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system uses discrete, modular LED units that can be independently manufactured and assembled into a grid structure. This segmentation allows for standardized production of individual units with controlled tolerances, making it easier to achieve precise overall spacing (4-16mm pitch) compared to manufacturing a single continuous light source with fine features.
Solution Approach 2:
The LED units are designed as universal, interchangeable components that can be arranged in various grid configurations. Each unit contains its own optical element and light source, creating a standardized module that simplifies manufacturing and assembly while maintaining consistent spacing and alignment across the entire lighting array.
3Productivity
If multiple grids are placed close together to increase lighting coverage, then productivity is improved, but glare and luminance gradients increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses multiple separate grids of LED units spaced at least 35mm apart, with intermediate regions without lighting units between grids. This segmentation allows each grid to operate independently with optimized pitch (4-16mm) for low glare, while the collective arrangement of multiple grids provides comprehensive lighting coverage for the entire area.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system transitions from a single dense grid to multiple spaced-apart grids, utilizing the spatial dimension to distribute light sources. By arranging grids at least 35mm apart with intermediate regions, the system maintains low glare conditions in each local area while achieving broad overall coverage through the distributed arrangement of multiple grids.
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 significantly reduces discomfort glare while maintaining high optical efficiency, providing comfortable and safe lighting for both indoor and outdoor applications by homogenizing the light distribution and reducing visual discomfort.
Implementation Method 1
each lighting unit comprises a light source and an optical element especially configured to control a beam shape of light generated by the light source
Implementation Method 2
each lighting unit comprises a light source and an optical element especially configured to control a beam shape of light generated by the light source
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 2A~2B
Figure 2C~2D
AI summary
The invention provides a lighting system (1) comprising at least 16 lighting units (100) arranged in a grid (2) with in at least one direction center-to-center distances (d) between nearest neighbor lighting units (100) in the range of 4-16 mm, wherein each lighting unit (100) comprises a light source (110) and an optical element (20) configured to control a beam shape of light (101) generated by the light source (110), wherein each lighting unit (100) is conjured to generate said light (101) having a luminous flux of at least 100 lm and wherein the lighting system comprises as one luminous surface a plurality of grids (2), wherein between two nearest neighbor grids (2) an intermediate region (300) without a lighting unit (100) is configured, and with in at least one direction a shortest distance (d3) between nearest neighbor grids (2) of at least 35 mm.