Multizone Mixing Cup for LED Lighting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing LED lighting systems face challenges in providing white light with high efficiency, luminous flux, good color rendering, and color stability due to thermal degradation of phosphors and uneven illumination caused by specific LED reflector combinations.

Innovation Solution

The use of a common housing with domed luminescent converting appliances (DLCAs) over LED illumination sources to produce preselected spectral outputs for blue, red, yellow/green, and cyan channels, which are then blended to achieve a unified white light spectrum, while keeping phosphors remote from the LEDs to mitigate thermal issues.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If phosphors are placed at the chip level to be in the path of emitted light, then color rendering is improved, but thermal degradation increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecolor renderingVSAvoidthermal degradation

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent divides the lighting system into separate functional zones: LED chips in one region and phosphor layers in another region. This spatial segmentation allows the phosphors to be positioned away from the heat-generating LED chips while still receiving excitation light, thereby maintaining color rendering performance while reducing thermal degradation of the phosphor materials.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces an optical cavity or reflective structure as an intermediary between the LED chips and phosphors. This intermediary guides the emitted light from the LEDs to the phosphor layers, ensuring that phosphors remain in the light path for effective excitation while maintaining physical separation to minimize thermal exposure. The reflective surfaces ensure efficient light transfer despite the spatial separation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Productivity

If LED and reflector combinations are made specific with fixed distances and angles, then illumination efficiency is improved, but adaptability deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveillumination efficiencyVSAvoidadjustability

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

The patent employs adjustable and reconfigurable optical elements, including movable reflectors and adjustable phosphor positioning mechanisms. These dynamic components allow the system to optimize illumination efficiency for different applications by adjusting distances and angles, while maintaining the ability to adapt to various LED types and desired illumination patterns, thus resolving the contradiction between fixed optimization and flexibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Stability of the object's composition

If phosphors are separated from LEDs to reduce thermal degradation, then thermal stability is improved, but uneven illumination occurs

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvethermal stabilityVSAvoiduniformity

Core Design Contradiction:

Stability of the object's compositionVSIllumination intensity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent transitions from a one-dimensional proximity-based coupling (where phosphors are close to LEDs) to a three-dimensional optical cavity structure. This dimensional change allows phosphors to be positioned at optimal distances while using reflective surfaces and optical paths to ensure uniform light distribution. The spatial arrangement in the optical cavity enables both thermal separation and uniform illumination by controlling light reflection and scattering patterns.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

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 approach enhances color rendering performance by providing improved spectral power distribution across visible wavelengths, reducing thermal degradation, and achieving uniform illumination, thus addressing the limitations of traditional LED lighting systems.

Implementation Method 1

altering the illumination produced by a first LED illumination source by passing it through a first domed lumo converting appliance (DLCA) associated with the common housing to produce a blue channel preselected spectral output

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLuminescence conversion: Luminescence

Implementation Method 2

blending the blue, red, yellow/green, and cyan spectral outputs as they exit the common housing

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight blending:

Data Source

PatentUS10197226B2Illuminating with a multizone mixing cup

Publication Date: 2019.02.05 KORRUS INC

AI summary

An optical cup which mixes multiple channels of light to form a blended output, the device having discreet zones or channels including a plurality of reflective cavities each having a remote light converting appliance covering a cluster of LEDs providing a channel of light which is reflected upward. The predetermined blends of luminescence materials provide a predetermined range of illumination wavelengths in the output. The remote light converting appliances may be provided as frustoconical elements within frustoconical reflective cavities with a void between the light converting appliances and the associated LEDs.