Planar LED Lighting With Movable Optical Beam Shaping
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting devices face challenges in efficiently adjusting beam profiles without over-installing LEDs, which is costly and requires complex alignment, making it difficult to adapt to different lighting needs in industrial, office, and retail spaces.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device with a planar array of LEDs and an optical sheet featuring interleaved parallel optical and pass-through strips, allowing for relative movement between configurations to control beam width and glare, using a motorized or manual drive arrangement to adjust the optical sheet's position and orientation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If additional LEDs are installed to achieve dynamic beam control, then beam adaptability is improved, but device complexity and cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an optical sheet as an intermediary component between the LED array and the output environment. This optical sheet, with its movable optical features, mediates the light distribution to achieve dynamic beam control without requiring additional LEDs. The optical sheet acts as a mediator that transforms the fixed LED output into adaptable beam patterns.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical approach of adding more LED components with an optical-mechanical system. Instead of physically adding more light sources (mechanical multiplication), the system uses a movable optical sheet that redirects and shapes existing light to achieve the same effect of dynamic beam control.
2Adaptability or versatility
If additional LEDs are installed for beam control, then beam adaptability is improved, but the space required in the fixture increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the beam control function with the existing LED array structure by introducing a single optical sheet that works in conjunction with the existing LEDs. Instead of merging multiple separate LED arrays (which would require more space), the optical sheet is integrated over the existing array, achieving beam control within the same footprint.
Solution Approach 2:
The optical sheet serves multiple functions: it controls beam width, adjusts beam patterns, and enables dynamic adaptability all through a single component. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate additional LED arrays that would each handle specific beam control functions, thereby saving space.
3Device complexity
If optical plates are used to avoid over-installation of LEDs, then device complexity is reduced, but accurate alignment between LEDs and optical plate becomes critical
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a movable optical sheet that can be positioned at different locations relative to the LED array. This dynamic positioning capability allows the system to achieve proper alignment and optimal beam control without requiring precise fixed alignment during manufacturing. The optical sheet can be adjusted to compensate for manufacturing tolerances and achieve the desired alignment in operation.
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 flexible beam control with reduced hardware requirements, achieving a wide range of smooth beam widths and glare adjustments with minimal additional space, enhancing adaptability and efficiency in lighting applications.
Implementation Method 1
The optical features are for example shaped surface features which implement a refraction
Implementation Method 2
The optical features are for example shaped surface features which implement a refraction or total internal reflection
Data Source
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AI summary
A lighting device comprises a planar array of LEDs comprising a set of parallel LED strips and an optical sheet extending over and parallel to the plane of the array of LEDs. The optical sheet comprises an interleaved pattern of parallel optical strips and pass through strips and it is movable relative to the array of LEDs to create different output beam characteristics.