Lighting Fixture Compact Axis Rotation

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting fixtures with directional adjustment capabilities face challenges in reducing thickness due to protrusions required for operator control, which limits their compactness and operability.

Innovation Solution

A lighting fixture design featuring a light source holder and a pair of position adjustors that rotate around two intersecting virtual axes, allowing the light source holder to be housed more compactly within the outer shell while maintaining adjustability through a unique arrangement of position adjustors and a housing structure that supports rotation around these axes.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the position adjustor protrudes from the front surface to allow finger operation, then ease of operation is improved, but the thickness of the lighting apparatus increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveease of operationVSAvoidthickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The patent repositions the first virtual axis from a protruding configuration to an intersecting axis located within or behind the opening plane. This dimensional reconfiguration allows the position adjustor to be operated through the opening without requiring forward protrusion, thereby reducing thickness while maintaining operability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of having the position adjustor protrude forward for operation, the patent inverts the arrangement by placing the rotation axis within or behind the opening plane, allowing the adjustor to be manipulated from the rear or through the opening without forward extension

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

2Length of stationary object

If the light source holder and position adjustors are housed entirely within the outer shell, then the thickness is reduced, but the operability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

ImprovethicknessVSAvoidoperability

Core Design Contradiction:

Length of stationary objectVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The opening in the outer shell serves multiple functions: it allows the light source holder and position adjustors to be housed within the shell for compactness, while simultaneously providing access for operating the position adjustors. The intersecting axis configuration enables both thickness reduction and maintained operability through this multi-functional design

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11674648B2Lighting fixture

Publication Date: 2023.06.13 PANASONIC INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY MANAGEMENT CO LTD

AI summary

A lighting fixture includes a light source holder, a pair of position adjustors, and an outer shell. The light source holder holds a light source. The position adjustors are arranged to face each other and interpose the light source holder between themselves and supports the light source holder to allow the light source holder to rotate around a first virtual axis defined as a virtual axis passing through the position adjustors. The outer shell has an opening in which the light source holder and the position adjustors are arranged and supports the position adjustors to allow the position adjustors to rotate around a second virtual axis defined by a normal to an opening plane of the opening. The first virtual axis intersects with the second virtual axis and is located either within or behind the opening plane.