Reflector Assembly Eliminating Stray Light via Lens Reflection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing reflector assemblies for lighting devices suffer from unwanted stray lights due to light rays being reflected back from the lens, which cannot be effectively eliminated without increasing product costs through anti-reflective coatings that limit material choices for the lens.

Innovation Solution

A reflector assembly design featuring a parabolic reflector body with a focal point and a spherically concave lens, where the lens's curvature and focal point are optimized to reflect light rays back to the light source, eliminating stray lights without the need for anti-reflective coatings by leveraging the principle of a spherical concave mirror.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If anti-reflective coating is applied to the lens to eliminate unwanted stray lights, then stray light elimination is improved, but product cost increases and material choice for the lens is limited

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveunwanted stray lightsVSAvoidproduct cost and material choice

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Instead of preventing light reflection from the lens surface through anti-reflective coating, the patent inverts the approach by using a parabolic reflector body to actively redirect the reflected light rays back to the light source. This transforms the harmful reflected light into a useful component that enhances the overall lighting efficiency while eliminating stray lights without additional coatings or material restrictions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #13The other way round (Inversion)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent converts the harmful effect of light reflection from the lens into a beneficial effect by using the parabolic reflector body to redirect these reflected rays back to the light source. This not only eliminates stray lights but also improves overall lighting efficiency, turning what would be waste light into a useful resource

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

2Productivity

If a parabolic reflector body is used to reflect light rays in a forward direction, then lighting efficiency is improved, but unwanted stray lights are generated from light rays reflected by the lens

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelighting efficiencyVSAvoidunwanted stray lights

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges the functions of the reflector body and lens into a coordinated system where the parabolic reflector body and spherically concave lens work together. The reflector body reflects light in the forward direction while the lens, with its specific curvature and focal point, redirects reflected rays back to the light source, combining both functions to eliminate stray lights while maintaining lighting efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The spherically concave lens acts as an intermediary element between the light source and the parabolic reflector body. It receives light rays from the light source, reflects them according to its curvature, and directs them back to the light source or to the reflector body, serving as a mediator that controls the light path and eliminates stray lights

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

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 design effectively eliminates unwanted stray lights by reflecting them back to the light source, enhancing lighting efficiency without the cost and material limitations associated with anti-reflective coatings, while allowing for a wider range of lens materials.

Implementation Method 1

the reflector body is configured to reflect light rays emanating from the light source and striking on the reflector body towards a predetermined direction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

the lens has a substantially spherically concave curvature with respect to the light source with a lens reflective focal point overlapping with the reflector body focal point

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS9039250B2Reflector assembly for eliminating unwanted stray lights

Publication Date: 2015.05.26 KAPER INDAL

AI summary

A reflector assembly for eliminating unwanted stray lights comprising a reflector body having a reflector body focal point on a reflector body optical axis where a light source is positioned and a front opening for receiving a lens, wherein the lens is configured to reflect light rays which emanate from the light source to strike the lens to the reflector body which is configured to reflect the light rays reflected by the lens back to the light source, and to reflect light rays which emanate from the light source and reflected by the reflector body to strike the lens back to the light source.