Reflector Cone Lighting Device for Camera Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing lighting solutions for cameras, such as those used in industrial applications, face challenges in achieving a balance between homogeneity and efficiency, with TIR lenses being large, expensive, and inflexible, while requiring different lighting variants for various camera properties.
Innovation Solution
A lighting device utilizing a reflector cone with a transmitting lens to shape the illumination field, allowing for compact and efficient lighting with adjustable illumination angles, achieved by using a ring arrangement of light transmitters, reflector cones, and transmitting lenses, which can be easily adapted for different lighting scenarios and angles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If TIR lenses are used to guide light from LED sources, then the illumination field can be achieved, but the device becomes too large, expensive, and inflexible
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination device is divided into multiple independent illumination units, each comprising an LED light source and an associated reflector. This segmentation allows each unit to be optimized independently and enables flexible arrangement to achieve the desired illumination field without requiring a single large complex TIR lens
Solution Approach 2:
Reflectors are introduced as intermediary optical elements to redirect and shape the light from LED sources. The reflectors serve as mediators between the light sources and the illumination field, achieving the desired light distribution without requiring complex TIR lens geometry
2Adaptability or versatility
If different lighting variants are created for various camera properties, then specific illumination requirements are met, but development and production effort increases
Solution Approach 1:
The illumination device uses standardized reflector geometries that can serve multiple camera types and applications. The reflectors are designed with universal optical characteristics that work across different camera properties, eliminating the need to create entirely new lighting variants for each camera type
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of creating different physical lighting variants, the system achieves adaptability by changing operational parameters such as which LEDs are activated and their intensity levels. This allows the same physical device to be configured for different camera properties through electronic control rather than physical modification
3Illumination intensity
If strong illumination is provided for good signal quality, then signal-to-noise ratio improves, but homogeneity becomes difficult to achieve
Solution Approach 1:
Different regions of the illumination field are illuminated by dedicated reflectors optimized for their specific requirements. Each reflector is positioned and shaped to provide appropriate illumination characteristics for its local area, allowing strong overall illumination while maintaining local homogeneity through distributed optimization
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 provides bright, powerful, and homogeneous lighting that is less susceptible to tolerances, allowing for a range of lighting variants with reduced development and production effort, while maintaining a compact design.
Implementation Method 1
A reflector cone assigned to the light transmitter directs the transmitted light, possibly originally emitted with a higher divergence, forwards. The light transmitter is preferably arranged in the cone apex or at an opening in the cone apex for this purpose, and transmitted light is reflected one or more times forwards towards the base of the cone by the reflector cone
Implementation Method 2
A transmitting lens arranged on the base surface of the reflector cone opposite the cone tip shapes the transmitted light to a predetermined illumination angle of the illumination field
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3a~5b
Figure 6a~8
AI summary
A lighting device (10) for generating an illumination field for a camera (100) is described, wherein the lighting device (10) has at least one light source (12) and a reflector cone (14) associated with the light source (12) with an internally mirrored surface. A transmitting lens (16) is arranged on the base of the reflector cone (14) to generate an illumination field with a predetermined illumination angle.