Movable Lens Lighting Device with Radial Mixing Structure

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current lighting devices struggle to produce a beam width that can be varied from very narrow to wide while maintaining sharp intensity and uniform color distribution, particularly in applications like retail and museum lighting, where chromatic aberrations and imaging of the light source are issues.

Innovation Solution

A lighting device with a movable lens and a mixing structure on the optical axis, featuring a blurring strength that increases radially from the optical axis, which reduces chromatic aberrations and imaging effects by scattering light in a controlled manner, allowing for a variable beam width and uniform color distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Shape

If a convex positive lens is used to create narrow beams with good intensity distribution, then beam narrowness and intensity uniformity are improved, but chromatic aberrations and visible light source imaging occur

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam narrownessVSAvoidchromatic aberrations

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The lens surface is divided into zones with different optical properties: the central zone has a first curvature while the peripheral zone has a second curvature that is flatter than the first. This local differentiation allows the central region to provide strong focusing for narrow beam generation, while the peripheral region reduces chromatic aberrations and minimizes light source imaging effects.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The lens employs an asymmetric surface profile where the curvature changes radially from the center to the edges. This asymmetric design breaks the symmetry that causes chromatic aberrations in conventional spherical lenses, allowing for corrected color distribution while maintaining the narrow beam shape.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

2Loss of energy

If a TIR-collimator is used to achieve high optical efficiency and controlled light distribution, then optical efficiency and light distribution control are improved, but variable beam width capability is lost

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical efficiencyVSAvoidvariable beam width

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The lens system incorporates a movable element (such as a adjustable diaphragm or movable lens segment) that allows the beam width to be dynamically changed while maintaining high optical efficiency. The mechanical adjustment capability enables the system to adapt between narrow and wide beam configurations without sacrificing the TIR-collimator's efficiency advantages.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Loss of energy

If a reflector is used to achieve good optical efficiency for wider beams, then optical efficiency and beam width are improved, but direct light causes lack of clear cut-off in light distribution

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoptical efficiencyVSAvoidlight distribution sharpness

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The lens acts as an intermediary element between the light source and the final beam output. It processes the light from the reflector by refracting and focusing it, creating a clear cut-off in the light distribution pattern while preserving the optical efficiency gains from the reflector system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Shape

If the distance between lens and LED is adjusted to modify beam width, then beam width control is improved, but optical efficiency decreases due to light absorption in housing

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam widthVSAvoidoptical efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

ShapeVSLoss of energy

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of changing the distance parameter between lens and LED, the invention modifies the optical parameters of the lens itself (surface curvatures, material properties) to achieve beam width control. This parameter change approach allows for beam shaping without altering the critical distance parameter that affects optical efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 enables a lighting device that produces a beam with a variable width from 5°-90°, maintaining sharp intensity and uniform color distribution, effectively reducing chromatic aberrations and imaging of the light source, suitable for high-end retail and museum lighting applications.

Implementation Method 1

a mixing structure is provided on the optical axis having a bluffing strength FWHM being in a range of 3° to 15°, the bluffing strength of the mixing structure gradually and continuously increases with an increase in distance R in radial direction from the optical axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectScattering: Scattering

Implementation Method 2

a lens provided on the optical axis... the lens being movable with respect to the light source along the optical axis

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectRefraction: Refraction

Data Source

PatentUS10247385B2Lighting device, lens and method, having a mixing structure with a variable blurring strength

Publication Date: 2019.04.02 SIGNIFY HOLDING BV

AI summary

The invention relates to a lighting device for issuing a light beam in a main direction along an optical axis. The lighting device comprises a light source and a positive, refractive lens provided on the optical axis, the lens being movable with respect to the light source over the optical axis. The lighting device further comprises a mixing structure provided on the optical axis and having an added blurring strength FWHM, with FWHM being in a range of 3° to 15°.