Flexible Lighting Chain With Rotary Joints For Parallel Emission
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting chains primarily provide 'seen' illumination rather than effective illumination, lacking the ability to direct light efficiently for decorative or contour illumination purposes.
Innovation Solution
A flexible lighting chain with interconnected LED lighting elements and rotary joints that allow for parallel emission directions and adjustable configurations, enabling efficient illumination by allowing the lighting elements to be connected and disconnected, and allowing for the distribution of power through the joints, allowing for flexible arrangement and extension of the lighting chain.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If lighting elements are connected in a fixed rigid structure, then structural stability is improved, but flexibility and adaptability of illumination direction deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting chain is divided into multiple modular lighting elements (12, 14a-14c) that can be connected in series. Each element is a separate unit with its own housing and lighting means, allowing the overall structure to be both stable in connection and flexible in configuration. The segmentation enables the chain to maintain structural integrity while adapting to different spatial arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
Rotary joints (15a-15c) are introduced between lighting elements to enable dynamic adjustment of each element's orientation. These joints allow rotational movement while maintaining electrical connection, providing adaptability in illumination direction without compromising the structural stability of the connected chain. The dynamic capability lets users adjust the lighting chain to various configurations as needed.
2Adaptability or versatility
If lighting elements are made flexible and adjustable, then adaptability of illumination configuration is improved, but structural stability and reliability deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The rotary joints (15a-15c) integrate multiple functions into a single component: mechanical connection between elements, electrical connection for power and signal transmission, and rotational adjustment capability. This merging ensures that flexibility and stability are achieved simultaneously through a unified structure rather than separate components that might compromise reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotary joints provide controlled dynamic adjustment while maintaining stable electrical connections. The joints allow rotational movement for configuration adaptability but are designed to maintain reliable electrical contact throughout the range of motion, ensuring that structural flexibility does not come at the cost of connection reliability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple lighting elements are connected in series, then versatility and coverage area are improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The lighting system is segmented into identical or similar modular elements (12, 14a-14c) with standardized interfaces. This segmentation allows multiple elements to be connected in series to increase coverage area and versatility without proportionally increasing complexity, as each element follows the same design pattern and connection protocol.
Solution Approach 2:
The lighting elements are designed with universal characteristics - identical housing structures, standardized rotary joint interfaces, and compatible electrical connections. This universality means that adding more elements to the chain does not require different designs or complex integration, thereby increasing versatility while keeping the incremental complexity manageable.
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 provides a flexible and efficient lighting system that can be configured to achieve effective illumination by allowing the lighting elements to maintain consistent emission direction, enabling the creation of focused illumination areas and the ability to extend or combine lighting chains for various applications.
Implementation Method 1
The lighting elements preferably have LED lighting means, such as e.g. B. RGB lighting means
Implementation Method 2
The joints are preferably rotary joints that limit, for example, 3, 4 or 5 degrees of freedom
Implementation Method 3
The joints can have means for conducting electricity... the means for conducting current are essentially realized by contact elements
Data Source
Figure 1a~1c
Figure 2a~2b
Figure 3
AI summary
A lighting chain (10, 10', 10") comprising the following features: a first lighting element (12, 12', 12"); and a multiplicity of further lighting elements (14a-14c, 14a', 14a"), wherein each further lighting element (14a-14c, 14a', 14a") is connected to the preceding lighting element (12, 12', 12", 14a-14c, 14a', 14a") via a joint (15a-15c) in each case; wherein each lighting element (12, 12', 12", 14a-14c, 14a', 14a") has an optical unit designed to emit light in an emission direction; and wherein each lighting element (12, 12', 12", 14a-14c, 14a', 14a") has an emission direction and wherein all of the emission directions of all of the lighting elements (12, 12', 12", 14a-14c, 14a', 14a") are oriented in the same way; wherein each lighting element (12, 12', 12", 14a-14c, 14a', 14a") has an LED lighting means (16).