Light Emitting Device With Spherical Optical Component
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current dynamic LED lighting systems for projecting beams onto target surfaces are complex, expensive, and require significant maintenance over their lifetime, as they necessitate multiple optical components to shape the beam.
Innovation Solution
A light emitting device with a simpler construction, using a light engine comprising a light source, a light mixing chamber with a light exit window, a spherical optical component with a curved light-receiving surface, and a diffuser, which acts as an extended light source, allowing for adjustable beams with minimal components and maintenance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical components (collector lenses, plano-convex lenses, diffuser films) are used to shape the beam, then the beam control capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple optical functions (beam shaping, collimation, diffusion) into a single integrated optical component with a specific freeform surface design. This single component replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate optical elements, thereby reducing device complexity while maintaining beam control capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical component features a segmented or zoned surface structure with different regions having different optical properties. This allows different portions of the beam to be controlled independently, enabling complex beam shaping patterns while using only one physical component.
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple optical components are used for dynamic LED lighting systems, then the lighting functionality is improved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By integrating multiple optical functions into a single manufactured component, the patent reduces the total number of parts that need to be procured, assembled, and quality-checked. This significantly lowers manufacturing costs while preserving dynamic lighting functionality through the component's integrated optical design.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical component uses parameter optimization in its freeform surface design to achieve multiple optical functions simultaneously. By carefully controlling surface curvature, refractive index distribution, and geometric parameters during manufacturing, the single component delivers complex lighting patterns that would otherwise require expensive multi-component assemblies.
3Reliability
If multiple optical components are assembled for beam shaping, then the optical performance is improved, but the maintenance requirement increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent consolidates multiple optical elements into one integrated component, eliminating the interfaces and alignment requirements between separate parts. This single-component approach maintains high optical performance while dramatically reducing maintenance needs, as there are no joints to degrade or alignments to recalibrate over time.
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated optical component is designed to be inherently stable and self-aligning, requiring no periodic maintenance or adjustment. Its monolithic structure ensures consistent optical performance throughout its service life without human intervention, effectively making the system self-maintaining.
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 enables a cost-effective, easy-to-construct light emitting device that requires little to no maintenance, capable of projecting well-defined images and allowing for dynamic lighting patterns through pixelated control.
Implementation Method 1
a light mixing chamber which is adapted to or capable of mixing light originating from one or more light sources and travelling through it to form an output being a mixture of the light from the one or more light sources
Implementation Method 2
an optical component having a spherical shape with a curved light-receiving surface... coincident with a focal surface of the optical component
Implementation Method 3
a diffuser, the light source being arranged to, in operation, emit light towards the light exit window of the light mixing chamber, the light exit window of the light mixing chamber thereby acting as an extended light source with a curved light-emitting surface
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2A~2C
Figure 3A
AI summary
A light emitting device (1) adapted for projecting a light beam (15) onto a target surface, the light emitting device (1) comprising a light engine (2) comprising a light source (3), a light mixing chamber (4), and an optical component (5) having a spherical shape with a curved light-receiving surface (51), where the light source (3) is arranged to, in operation, emit light towards a light exit window (41) of the at least one light mixing 5 chamber, the light exit window (41) of the at least one light mixing chamber (4) thereby acting as an extended light source with a curved light-emitting surface, where the optical component (5) is provided adjacent to the light exit window (41) of the light mixing chamber, and where the curved light emitting surface of the at least one light mixing chamber (4) is conformal to an the curved light-receiving surface (51) of the optical component (5) and 10 coincident with a focal surface (52) of the optical component (5).