Luminaire Light Guide Profile for Uniform Illumination

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative Solutions
Generate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional luminaires often fail to achieve uniformity in light emission and aesthetic appeal, particularly in transitioning light to the ceiling area, due to their complex structures and inadequate light distribution.

Innovation Solution

A luminaire design featuring a transparent intermediate light-collecting and guiding profile that branches off a partial luminous flux to create a circumferential light band, optically separated from the diffused light surface, using a combination of light guides and diffuser materials to ensure uniform illumination and soft light transitions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Illumination intensity

If a complex structure with multiple components is used to achieve light distribution, then light distribution capability is improved, but device complexity increases and manufacturing difficulty increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight distribution uniformityVSAvoidstructure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the light collection function and light guidance function into a single transparent intermediate element (profile 5). This element simultaneously collects light from the light sources (4) and guides it to create the circumferential light band (14), eliminating the need for separate light collection and guidance components. This merging approach maintains effective light distribution while significantly reducing structural complexity and manufacturing difficulty.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The transparent intermediate element (profile 5) serves multiple functions: it acts as a structural frame component, a light collection element, a light guidance element, and a support for the diffused light surface (3). By integrating these multiple functions into a single component, the patent achieves complex light distribution effects without proportionally increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

2Illumination intensity

If light sources are positioned close to the diffused light surface to improve illumination, then illumination intensity is improved, but glare control becomes difficult and uniformity is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveillumination uniformityVSAvoidglare
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent segments the light emission into two distinct components: a central diffused light surface (3) providing direct illumination and a circumferential light band (14) providing indirect illumination. The transparent intermediate element (profile 5) with its light guide function directs light to create this separate circumferential band, effectively separating the direct and indirect light paths. This segmentation allows the light sources to be positioned for optimal illumination while the light guide structure controls glare by redirecting excessive light into the circumferential band.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If a simple structural design is used to reduce manufacturing complexity, then ease of manufacture is improved, but light distribution uniformity and aesthetic quality deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructural simplicityVSAvoidlight emission uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the light collection and guidance functions into the transparent intermediate element (profile 5), which is a single integrally formed component. This merging approach achieves sophisticated light distribution (uniform illumination with controlled glare) while maintaining structural simplicity. The element can be manufactured as one piece using techniques like co-extrusion, avoiding the need for multiple separate components that would complicate assembly and manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The transparent intermediate element (profile 5) acts as an intermediary component between the light sources (4) and the diffused light surface (3). It mediates the light path by collecting light from the sources and guiding it to form the circumferential light band (14), thereby achieving uniform light distribution and aesthetic quality through a relatively simple structural element that simplifies rather than complicates the overall manufacturing process.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design achieves a high degree of uniformity in light emission, emphasizes the format contour, and provides a soft light transition to the ceiling, enhancing both functionality and aesthetics while maintaining a structurally simple construction.

Implementation Method 1

The partial luminous flux coupled into the light-collecting area is guided in this element, which is formed by a light guide with total internal reflection, in such a way that practically its entirety reaches the light-emitting area

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Implementation Method 2

The light guide and diffuser areas of the light collecting and guiding profile... The scattered light element assigned to the light guide element... exits there in the form of scattered light

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight scattering: Scattering

Data Source

PatentEP2518388B1Lamp
Publication Date: 2014.04.16 ENGEL HARTMUT S
  • EP2518388B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP2518388B1 patent drawingFigure 2a
  • EP2518388B1 patent drawingFigure 2b

AI summary

The lamp has a housing for holding several light sources (4), optionally required ballasts, drivers, and a micro-prismatic surface (3) which forms a room-side direct-light surface. The housing is subdivided into a main portion (1) associated with the light source and a frame portion (2) associated with the prismatic surface. An intermediate element (5) is embodied as transparent light collection and guidance profile, for creating a circumferential light band between the main portion and frame portion, at a preset distance from the prismatic surface. An independent claim is included for raster-type ceiling.