Light-Emitting Device With Beam-Forming Structures For Glare Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting systems struggle to provide a flexible adjustment of direct and indirect light ratios while maintaining effective glare control, which is crucial for improving productivity and occupant satisfaction in professional indoor lighting applications.
Innovation Solution
A light-emitting device featuring a light guide with a first and second output surface portion, equipped with light-outcoupling elements and an array of beam-forming structures, where the light-outcoupling elements are optically coupled to the first surface and the beam-forming structures are adjacent to the second surface, allowing for precise control of light angles and glare management through the use of micro-prismatic optical elements and light-angle selective reflectors.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If lighting systems use optics with refraction and total internal reflection (TIR) for collimation of light, then glare control is improved, but the ability to flexibly adjust direct/indirect light ratio is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is divided into two distinct output surface portions: a first output surface portion for direct light and a second output surface portion for indirect light. This segmentation allows independent control of direct and indirect light paths, enabling flexible adjustment of the direct/indirect light ratio while maintaining glare control through the beam-forming structures on the second surface portion
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting system incorporates adjustable beam-forming structures including micro-prismatic optical elements and light-angle selective transflectors that can dynamically control the angular distribution of light. These dynamic optical elements enable real-time adjustment of collimation angles and light direction, providing both glare control and flexible direct/indirect light ratio adjustment
2Object-affected harmful factors
If lighting systems use metal collimators for light collimation, then glare control is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces traditional metal collimators with beam-forming structures consisting of micro-prismatic optical elements and light-angle selective transflectors integrated directly into the light guide. This substitution eliminates complex mechanical collimation systems while achieving equivalent or superior glare control through optical path management within the light guide itself
3Illumination intensity
If high-brightness LEDs are used for general illumination, then illumination intensity is improved, but temperature increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the third dimension by directing light to exit through the side surfaces of the light guide (first and second output surface portions) rather than only through the front face. This spatial distribution of light output allows high-brightness LEDs to operate at elevated temperatures while maintaining effective illumination, as the light is distributed across multiple surface areas rather than concentrated in one direction
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 enables a light-emitting device that can adjust the direct to indirect light ratio, enhance optical efficiency, and improve glare control properties, providing a visually pleasing and adaptable lighting solution for various applications.
Implementation Method 1
optics using refraction and total internal reflection (TIR) for collimation of the light
Implementation Method 2
optics using refraction and total internal reflection (TIR) for collimation of the light
Implementation Method 3
a light guide, comprising a first and a second output surface portion
Data Source
AI summary
It is disclosed a light-emitting device (100) comprising a light guide (101), comprising a first (101a) and a second (101b) output surface portion. The light-emitting device (100) further comprises a plurality of light-outcoupling elements (103) and an array of beam-forming structures (104). The light-outcoupling elements (103) are positionally arranged relatively to the beam-forming structures (104) such as to enable light that is impinging on at least one of the light-outcoupling elements (103) and subsequently being incident on a surface portion of a beam-forming structure (104) to be within a predetermined angle interval with respect to the surface portion. Each of the beam-forming structures (104) is adapted to enable light leaving a surface portion of the beam-forming structure (104) to be within a predetermined angle interval with respect to the surface portion. Both direct, functional light and indirect light may be provided, an increased optical efficiency may be achieved, glare control properties of the light outputted from the light-emitting device (100) may be improved and/or the ratio of light outputted from the first surface portion (101a) of the light guide (101) to light outputted from the second surface portion (101b) of the light guide (100) may be adjusted.