Light Guide With Dual-Group Conical Outcoupling Structures
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing light guides for suspended lighting devices require additional components like optical foils for collimating light, increasing complexity and cost, while also making the devices bulkier, to achieve desired upward and downward light distributions.
Innovation Solution
A light guide with conically shaped outcoupling surface structures, featuring at least two groups with different geometric characteristics, allows for efficient light distribution without the need for additional collimating components by using total internal reflection and varying cone shapes to control light output angles and intensity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If an optical foil is provided at a distance from the light guide for collimating light, then the desired light characteristics are achieved, but the device complexity, cost, and bulkiness increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the collimating function from the separate optical foil component and integrates it directly into the light guide structure through conically shaped outcoupling surface structures. This eliminates the need for the separate optical foil, reducing device complexity while maintaining the light collimating function.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the light guide and optical collimating functions into a single integrated component. The conically shaped outcoupling structures are formed directly on the light guide, combining what were previously separate elements (light guide + optical foil) into one unified structure, thereby reducing complexity and bulkiness.
2Illumination intensity
If an optical foil is provided for collimating light, then the desired light characteristics are achieved, but the manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the separate optical foil component from the manufacturing process and integrates its collimating function directly into the light guide through conically shaped structures, eliminating the need to source, purchase, and assemble an additional expensive component.
Solution Approach 2:
By combining the light guide and optical collimating functions into one integrated component with conically shaped outcoupling structures, the patent reduces the total component count and assembly steps, thereby lowering manufacturing costs.
3Illumination intensity
If an optical foil is provided at a distance from the light guide, then the desired light characteristics are achieved, but the device bulkiness increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the collimating function from the separate optical foil that required spacing distance from the light guide, and integrates it directly onto the light guide surface. This eliminates the need for the distance gap, thereby reducing the overall device bulkiness.
Solution Approach 2:
By merging the optical collimating function into the light guide itself through conically shaped outcoupling structures, the patent eliminates the need for additional space between components, significantly reducing device bulkiness while maintaining collimating performance.
4Illumination intensity
If multiple lighting devices are used to achieve both upward and downward light directions, then the lighting requirements are met, but the device quantity and complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the light guide with conically shaped outcoupling structures that can direct light in multiple directions (upward and downward) simultaneously. This multi-functional design allows a single device to replace what would traditionally require multiple separate lighting devices, reducing overall system complexity.
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 light guide achieves desired light distributions with reduced glare and complexity, enabling efficient emission of light in both upward and downward directions without additional collimating components, thus simplifying manufacturing and reducing bulkiness.
Implementation Method 1
using total internal reflection and varying cone shapes to control light output angles and intensity
Data Source
AI summary
A light guide (1) for a lighting device (8) is provided. The light guide (1) comprises an incoupling element (2) configured for receiving light and coupling the received light into the light guide (1). The light guide (1) is configured to convey the received light within the light guide (1). The light guide (1) comprises at least a first group and a second group of conically shaped outcoupling surface structures (3) distributed on, and recessed into or protruding from, a side (4) of the light guide (1). Each conically shaped outcoupling surface structure (3) is configured for coupling of light out of the light guide (1). Further, each conically shaped outcoupling surface structure (3) of the first group is geometrically characterized by a shape in accordance with a first cone or conical frustum (5) and each conically shaped outcoupling surface structure (3) of the second group is geometrically characterized by a shape in accordance with a second cone or conical frustum (6). The first cone or conical frustum (5) has (i) a height (1) different from a height (h2) of the second cone or conical frustum (6), and (ii) a base diameter (bd1) different from a base diameter (bd2) of the second cone or conical frustum (6). The first cone or conical frustum (5) has a height (h1) to base diameter (bd1) ratio in a range of 0.4 to 0.7. The second cone or conical frustum (6) has a height (h2) to base diameter (bd2) ratio in a range of 0.7 to 1.4.