LED Light Engine With Broadened Off-Axis Angle
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
LED light engines used to illuminate channel letter signs with shallower can depths require LEDs to be spaced very close together, leading to inefficiencies and higher costs due to the need for more LEDs to achieve uniform illumination, as the viewing angle required for optimal overlap is narrower than for deeper signs.
Innovation Solution
A light engine comprising a plurality of LEDs and optical elements, where the LEDs are arranged in adjacent rows with a specific spacing, and the optical elements broaden the off-axis angle to ensure uniform illumination, allowing for a wider spacing and reducing the number of LEDs needed.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If LEDs are spaced close together to achieve uniform illumination in shallower channel letters, then illumination uniformity is improved, but the number of LEDs required increases leading to higher cost and energy consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the viewing angle parameter of the LED system. Specifically, it uses optical elements (lenses or reflectors) to change the beam spread angle of LEDs from typical values to wider angles (e.g., 60 degrees or more), allowing LEDs to be spaced farther apart while maintaining uniform illumination coverage in shallower channel letters.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces optical elements (lenses or reflectors) as intermediary components between the LEDs and the channel letter face. These intermediaries modify and redirect the light beams to achieve the desired wide coverage pattern, enabling fewer LEDs to illuminate the entire surface uniformly without requiring close spacing.
2Quantity of substance
If LEDs are spaced farther apart to reduce the number of LEDs, then cost and energy consumption are reduced, but dark spots appear and illumination uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the beam spread angle parameter to a wider value (60 degrees or more) using optical elements, which allows LEDs to be spaced farther apart while their light beams still overlap sufficiently to eliminate dark spots and maintain uniform illumination across the channel letter surface.
Solution Approach 2:
Optical elements serve as intermediaries that reshape and redirect the light beams from individually-spaced LEDs. These elements ensure that even when LEDs are spaced farther apart, their modified beam patterns overlap to provide continuous, uniform illumination without dark spots.
3Illumination intensity
If the viewing angle is narrowed to coincide 50% intensity boundaries for deeper channel letters, then uniformity is achieved, but the same LED spacing creates too narrow an angle for shallower channel letters resulting in insufficient coverage
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the viewing angle parameter from narrow (optimized for deep channel letters) to wide (60 degrees or more). This parameter change makes the system adaptable to shallower channel letters by allowing the same LED spacing to provide sufficient coverage and beam overlap, eliminating the need to redesign LED spacing for different depths.
Solution Approach 2:
By using optical elements to create a wide viewing angle, the patent makes the LED system universal for illuminating channel letters of various depths. The same LED spacing and configuration can be used for both deep and shallow channel letters, as the widened beam pattern adapts to provide uniform coverage across different can depths.
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 maintains uniform illumination while reducing the number of LEDs required, improving energy efficiency and lowering costs by allowing for a wider spacing of LEDs, which is particularly effective for shallower channel letter signs.
Implementation Method 1
optical elements each cooperating with a respective LED... the optical elements broaden the off-axis angle
Data Source
AI summary
A light engine comprises a plurality of LEDs and a plurality of optical elements each cooperating with a respective LED. The optical elements broaden the off-axis angle from the respective LEDs to provide a more uniform illumination at a target plane.