LED Illuminator with Adjustable Singlet and Achromatic Doublet Lenses
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing LED illuminators for medical and dental professionals suffer from poor light uniformity and unacceptable color separation at the edge of the beam due to their reliance on reflecting optical elements or single lenses.
Innovation Solution
An LED illuminator design featuring an adjustable beam pattern with a housing, a light-emitting diode, a singlet lens, and an achromatic doublet lens, where the distances between the lenses are adjustable via threaded or sliding connections, and optionally includes a conical mirror to enhance light collection efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If reflecting optical elements or single lenses are used in LED illuminators, then the device complexity is reduced, but the light uniformity and beam quality deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system is segmented into multiple distinct optical elements: a singlet lens positioned close to the LED and an achromatic doublet lens positioned closer to the output. This segmentation allows each lens to perform specific optical functions, with the singlet lens handling initial light shaping and the achromatic doublet correcting chromatic aberrations and improving beam quality, thereby resolving the contradiction between simple device structure and high light uniformity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent employs a composite optical system combining different types of lenses (singlet and achromatic doublet) with different optical properties. The singlet lens provides basic focusing while the achromatic doublet, made from multiple glass types with different dispersion properties, corrects color separation and improves overall beam quality. This composite approach achieves superior light uniformity without excessive complexity
2Device complexity
If reflecting optical elements or single lenses are used in LED illuminators, then the device complexity is reduced, but the color separation at beam edge becomes unacceptable
Solution Approach 1:
The achromatic doublet lens acts as an intermediary optical element that mediates between the LED light source and the final output beam. It receives light from the singlet lens and performs chromatic correction, eliminating color separation at the beam edge. This intermediary element resolves the contradiction by introducing targeted complexity only where needed for color correction
Solution Approach 2:
The achromatic doublet is constructed from composite optical materials with different dispersion characteristics. By combining glass types with different Abbe numbers, the doublet corrects chromatic aberrations and eliminates color separation in the beam, achieving precise color control without requiring the entire optical system to be overly complex
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lenses with adjustable distances are used, then the beam pattern adaptability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system incorporates adjustable mounting mechanisms that allow the distances between the LED, singlet lens, and achromatic doublet to be dynamically modified. This dynamic adjustability enables optimization of beam patterns for different applications while maintaining a relatively simple two-lens structure, resolving the contradiction between adaptability and complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The compact two-lens design serves multiple functions: the singlet lens provides initial light shaping and focusing, while the achromatic doublet performs chromatic correction and further beam shaping. The adjustable spacing between elements allows the same optical system to produce different beam patterns, making it universally applicable to various medical and dental applications without requiring multiple specialized systems
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 design improves light uniformity and beam quality, providing a more efficient and uniform light distribution suitable for medical and dental applications by optimizing the placement and adjustment of optical elements.
Implementation Method 1
an achromatic doublet lens mounted in the opening in the housing, and a singlet lens disposed between the LED and the achromatic lens
Implementation Method 2
A conical mirror may optionally be disposed between the LED and the singlet lens to increase the light collection efficiency of the LED
Data Source
AI summary
An improved illuminator with an adjustable beam pattern to be worn by medical and dental professionals includes a housing, a light-emitting diode (LED) disposed in the housing outputting light through a distal opening in the housing, an achromatic doublet lens mounted in the opening in the housing, and a singlet lens disposed between the LED and the achromatic lens. The distance between the singlet lens and the doublet lens may be adjustable, and/or distance between the LED and the singlet lens may be adjustable, through a threaded connections, for example. In the preferred embodiment, the achromatic doublet lens, the singlet lens, or both the singlet and the doublet lens have a planar surface. A conical mirror may be disposed between the LED and the singlet lens to increase the light collection efficiency of the LED.