Movable Light Guide for Wear-Free Lighting Configurations
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices lack the ability to seamlessly transition between room lighting and task lighting configurations without wear and inefficiency in light distribution, as they often require the light source to engage directly with the body, leading to engineering challenges and potential wear over time.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a moveable light guide that can shift between a stowed and deployed position to guide light into a light permeable body, allowing the light source to be longitudinally spaced and enabling easy configuration changes while maximizing light entry, using a support system with pivotable arms and magnetic attraction for automatic positioning.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If the light source is positioned to illuminate the interior of the body directly, then light entry into the body is maximized, but the light source engages directly with the body causing wear over time
Solution Approach 1:
A light guide is introduced as an intermediary component between the light source and the body. The light guide receives light from the light source and transmits it to the body, eliminating direct contact between the light source and body while maintaining effective light transmission. This resolves the contradiction by preserving light entry efficiency while preventing wear through the intermediary light guide.
2Ease of operation
If the light source is laterally spaced from the aperture, then direct task lighting is achieved, but light entry into the body is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is designed to be moveable relative to the body between a stowed position and a deployed position. When deployed, the light guide extends to receive light from the laterally spaced light source and channel it into the body. This dynamic positioning allows the system to achieve both direct task lighting (when light source is spaced) and effective light entry (when light guide is deployed), resolving the contradiction through movable adaptation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the light source is freely moveable between configurations, then configuration flexibility is improved, but light distribution efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide acts as a movable intermediary that maintains optimal light distribution regardless of the light source's configuration. Whether the light source is in the first configuration (illuminating body interior) or second configuration (laterally spaced), the light guide can be positioned to receive light and transmit it effectively to the body, thereby maintaining light distribution efficiency while allowing configuration flexibility.
4Productivity
If the light guide is positioned to maximize light entry, then light distribution efficiency is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The light guide is designed with movable positioning capability, allowing it to be adjusted between stowed and deployed positions to optimize light reception and transmission. This dynamic design enables the system to achieve maximum light distribution efficiency by positioning the light guide appropriately for different light source configurations, while the movability itself simplifies the overall system compared to fixed complex mechanisms.
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
Enables efficient light distribution by allowing the light source to be positioned for either room or task lighting configurations without direct engagement, reducing wear and enhancing light entry, while maintaining a uniform appearance and adjustable orientations for optimal illumination.
Implementation Method 1
a light guide moveable relative to the body between a stowed position and a deployed position to guide into the body light emitted from the light source
Implementation Method 2
a light permeable body. When the light source is positioned to illuminate the interior of the light permeable body
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting device includes a light permeable body which has an aperture through which light enters the body. A light source is moveable relative to the body to enable the lighting device to adopt selectively one of a first configuration and a second configuration. In the first configuration, the light source is positioned over the aperture so that light emitted by the light source passes through the body before illuminating the room. In the second configuration, the light source is spaced laterally from the aperture so that the room is illuminated directly by light emitted from the light source.