Light Mask Grating Structure for Glare Reduction and Luminance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light fixtures produce strong glare and existing glare-reducing solutions either fail to adequately address this issue or significantly diminish light luminance.
Innovation Solution
A light mask type optical device featuring a transparent plastic optical element with micro-scale grating structures on its outlet face, forming an inverted trapezoid shape, which enhances light concentration by combining direct and circulating light to reduce glare while increasing luminance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a light mask structure with light blocking powder coating is used to reduce glare, then glare is reduced, but luminance is significantly diminished
Solution Approach 1:
The light mask is divided into multiple grating structures with specific geometric patterns (inverted trapezoid shapes with defined angles and dimensions). This segmentation allows different portions of the mask to control light in specific ways, concentrating light to the center while reducing glare at edges, thus maintaining luminance while reducing glare.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent specifies precise parameter ranges for the grating structures (angle between 70-100 degrees, width W1: 0.15-0.85mm, width W2: 1-3mm, height H1: 0.35-1.05mm, height H2: 0.02-0.08mm). By optimizing these parameters, the device achieves the dual goal of glare reduction and luminance maintenance, resolving the contradiction between these two opposing requirements.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If a grating structure is used to shield the point light source, then glare is reduced, but low intensity glare still remains
Solution Approach 1:
The grating structures are designed with specific local geometric properties (inverted trapezoid shape with controlled angles and dimensions) that create localized light concentration effects. This local quality control ensures that light is directed precisely where needed while eliminating residual glare, achieving complete glare reduction.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a vertical dimension with specific height parameters (H1 and H2) to the grating structures. This three-dimensional configuration allows light to be controlled not only in the horizontal plane but also in the vertical dimension, enabling complete elimination of residual glare that two-dimensional patterns cannot achieve.
3Productivity
If conventional light fixtures use a small area light source, then lighting efficiency is high, but strong glare is produced
Solution Approach 1:
The grating structure light mask acts as an intermediary between the small area light source and the surrounding environment. It receives concentrated light from the efficient light source and redistributes it through its geometric patterns, maintaining the lighting efficiency benefit while eliminating the glare harm through controlled light concentration and 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
The device effectively reduces glare and increases luminance by concentrating incident light through the grating structure, achieving a 10% increase in luminance while maintaining high transmittance.
Implementation Method 1
the other part of the light is reflected by the first slant face and the second slant face, to form into a circulating light in the grating structure
Implementation Method 2
light is emitted from a light source right above the light inlet face, a part of the light is output from the light outlet face, while the other part of the light is reflected by the first slant face and the second slant face
Data Source
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AI summary
A light mask type optical device, that includes an optical element (10). The optical element (10) is formed by a light inlet face (100), a light outlet face (101) opposite to the light inlet face (100), and a plurality of grating structures (11) of micro meter (µm) scale disposed on the light outlet face (101). The grating structures (11) includes a first slant face (111), a second slant face (112), and a plane surface (113) between the first slant face (111) and the second slant face (112). In application, a direct downward light (21) emitted by a light source (20) is reflected by the first slant face (111) and the second slant face (112), to form a circulating light (22) in the grating structure, and that is combined with the direct downward light (21) to output from the light outlet face (101) in achieving reduced glare and increased lumen in application.