Omnidirectional Lighting Device With Mesostructured Optical Body

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional lighting devices with optoelectronic light sources face challenges in achieving omnidirectional light emission due to the typical light intensity distribution characteristics of these components, which often result in non-uniform light distribution when rotated, especially when the light source is not rotationally symmetrical.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device featuring an optoelectronic light source combined with an optical body having a translucent structure with light entry and exit surfaces that include elevations and depressions, designed to increase and decrease in distance from the longitudinal axis in a wavy pattern, allowing for a larger solid angle emission beyond a half-space, ensuring uniform light distribution across a 360° rotation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Duration of action of stationary object

If optoelectronic light sources are used, then energy efficiency and service life are improved, but omnidirectional light emission is difficult to achieve due to non-uniform light intensity distribution

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveservice lifeVSAvoidomnidirectional emission uniformity
Core Design Contradiction:
Duration of action of stationary objectVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical body is segmented into multiple light passage surfaces (first light passage surface, second light passage surface, third light passage surface, fourth light passage surface) arranged at different orientations. Each surface segment directs light in specific directions to collectively achieve omnidirectional emission, breaking down the complex lighting task into manageable directional components.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from planar light distribution to three-dimensional omnidirectional emission by arranging light passage surfaces in multiple spatial dimensions. The optical body utilizes vertical and horizontal surface orientations to distribute light in all directions around the light source, achieving volumetric light distribution rather than planar distribution.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Illumination intensity

If light passage surfaces with elevations and depressions are used, then light mixing and homogenization are improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight distribution uniformityVSAvoidoptical body structure complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The optical body incorporates elevations and depressions specifically on certain light passage surfaces (first and third light passage surfaces) rather than uniformly across all surfaces. This localized structuring creates refraction effects in specific regions to enhance light mixing and homogenization where needed, while keeping other surfaces simpler in design.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The elevations and depressions on the light passage surfaces create curved and undulating geometries that refract light in multiple directions. These curved surface features scatter and mix light rays more effectively compared to flat surfaces, enhancing homogenization through geometric refraction patterns.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Illumination intensity

If multiple optoelectronic components are arranged three-dimensionally, then omnidirectional emission is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveomnidirectional emissionVSAvoidassembly complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple light directing functions into a single integrated optical body rather than using separate components for each direction. The optical body combines multiple light passage surfaces with different orientations and structural features (elevations, depressions) into one monolithic component, simplifying assembly while achieving omnidirectional emission.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The optical body serves multiple functions simultaneously: it directs light in multiple directions through different light passage surfaces, mixes and homogenizes light through elevations and depressions, and distributes light uniformly across all spatial dimensions. This multi-functional design replaces what would otherwise require multiple separate components.

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

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 achieves a significantly larger solid angle emission, ensuring consistent light intensity distribution across all directions, enhancing the homogenization of light emission and reducing deviations in light intensity when rotated, thereby improving the omnidirectional emission characteristic.

Implementation Method 1

an optoelectronic light source for emitting light in a solid angle range around a longitudinal axis

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectElectroluminescence: Electroluminescence

Implementation Method 2

the light is mixed by refraction at least one of the light passage surfaces is formed at least in regions with elevations and depressions

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3117139B1Lighting device comprising optoelectronic light source
Publication Date: 2018.06.06 LEDVANCE GMBH
  • EP3117139B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3117139B1 patent drawingFigure 3a~3d
  • EP3117139B1 patent drawingFigure 4~5

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device comprising an optoelectronic light source (21) for emitting light and an optical body (5) having a light entrance surface (6) and a light exit surface (7) for distributing the light toward the side about a longitudinal axis, wherein the emission surfaces of the light source are not rotationally symmetrical with respect to the longitudinal axis, and therefore for a homogenization of the emission characteristic downstream of the optical body, and specifically for a homogenization concerning the circulation direction around the longitudinal axis, the light entrance surface and/or the light exit surface are/is shaped with elevations and depressions as mesostructuring.