Modular Lighting Fixture with Independent Visor Aiming
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional lighting fixtures struggle to efficiently illuminate complex target areas using multiple smaller light sources like LEDs, often resulting in uneven illumination, shadowing effects, and glare, while also increasing the effective projected area and wind loading, which can be costly to address.
Innovation Solution
A compact modular lighting fixture design that allows independent adjustment of each light source and visor, enabling precise aiming and cutoff, with a three-axis pivoting mechanism to maintain low effective projected area and high lighting uniformity, using a reflective visor to redirect spill light effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If a single visor is used to provide cutoff for multiple light sources, then the device complexity is reduced, but the lighting uniformity deteriorates due to uneven illumination and shadowing effects
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the single visor into multiple individual visors, each corresponding to a specific light source. This segmentation allows each visor to be independently adjusted to control spill light from its associated LED, eliminating shadowing effects and improving lighting uniformity across the target area while maintaining manageable device complexity through modular design.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the fixture EPA is increased to improve aiming adjustment, then the adaptability improves, but the wind loading increases which worsens the structural requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability through independent visor and light source positioning mechanisms that allow the fixture to be aimed without increasing its overall EPA. The visors can be individually angled and the light sources positioned to optimize beam direction, providing adaptability while maintaining a compact fixture envelope that minimizes wind loading and structural requirements.
3Use of energy by moving object
If multiple smaller light sources are used to improve efficiency, then the energy efficiency improves, but the spill light control deteriorates when using a single visor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent assigns individual visors to each LED light source, enabling precise control of spill light from each source. This segmentation allows the system to maintain high energy efficiency through the use of multiple compact LEDs while effectively managing harmful spill light by directing each source's beam independently, eliminating the shadowing and uneven illumination problems that would result from using a single visor.
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
This solution provides increased flexibility and uniformity in lighting, reduces glare, and maintains a compact size and low effective projected area, improving the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of lighting systems for complex target areas.
Implementation Method 1
Some visors, such as those disclosed in U.S. Patent No. 7,789,540 are equipped with inner reflective surfaces so to both cut off light and redirect said light back onto target area 5 so it is not absorbed or otherwise wasted.
Data Source
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AI summary
A lighting fixture is presented comprising a plurality of modular apparatuses wherein each modular apparatus comprises one or more light sources and one or more light directing or light redirecting devices. Methods of adjusting one or more components of said lighting fixture about one, two, or three axes are presented whereby the lighting needs of a target area - even one of complex shape - may be addressed and in a manner that promotes compact fixture design with low effective projected area (EPA) without sacrificing transmission efficiency of the light sources.