Ring-Shaped LED Lens Using Internal Reflection

Solution Overview

Problem

Existing lighting systems, particularly those using LEDs, face challenges in efficiently distributing light energy into a ring-shaped output pattern required for regulated applications like vehicle and marine safety lighting, due to high costs and heat management issues, while also needing to maintain even intensity distribution and minimize material complexity for manufacturing.

Innovation Solution

A lens system utilizing internal reflection within a transparent material to redirect light from a hemispherical LED source into a ring-shaped distribution, featuring a non-linear inverted cone shape with facets of progressively smaller radii, allowing for efficient light concentration and reduced lens thickness, enabling standard injection molding and cost-effective production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Use of energy by moving object

If a hemispherical Lambertian LED source is used to create ring-shaped light distribution, then the light output efficiency is improved, but the lens thickness and material complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelight output efficiencyVSAvoidlens thickness

Core Design Contradiction:

Use of energy by moving objectVSLength of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The lens is divided into multiple discrete facets arranged in concentric rings rather than being a continuous smooth surface. This segmentation allows the lens to be manufactured using standard injection molding techniques while maintaining the complex light-redistributing geometry needed for high efficiency ring-shaped output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent transitions from traditional thick lens designs to a thin-film facet structure by utilizing the angular dimension more effectively. The facets are arranged in concentric rings at specific angles to redirect light, achieving the desired light distribution in a much thinner profile than conventional lenses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Ease of manufacture

If traditional lens designs are used to distribute light from LED sources, then manufacturing is simpler, but light distribution efficiency decreases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvemanufacturing simplicityVSAvoidlight distribution efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The lens is divided into multiple discrete facets arranged in concentric rings rather than being a continuous smooth surface. This segmentation allows the lens to be manufactured using standard injection molding techniques while maintaining the complex light-redistributing geometry needed for high efficiency ring-shaped output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The facets are arranged in concentric rings with specific curvatures that follow spherical geometry principles. This curved facet arrangement efficiently redirects light from the hemispherical LED source into the desired ring-shaped distribution pattern while being manufacturable through injection molding.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

3Reliability

If lens material thickness is increased to reduce beam attenuation, then heat management improves, but device complexity and cost increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebeam attenuation reductionVSAvoidlens structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The lens is divided into multiple discrete facets arranged in concentric rings rather than being a continuous smooth surface. This segmentation allows the lens to be manufactured using standard injection molding techniques while maintaining the complex light-redistributing geometry needed for high efficiency ring-shaped output.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The patent optimizes the facet geometry parameters including the number of facets per ring, the angular spacing between rings, and the facet surface angles to achieve maximum light redistribution efficiency in a thin profile. These parameter optimizations reduce the need for thick material while maintaining reliability.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

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 achieves high-efficiency, cost-effective ring-shaped light distribution with reduced material thickness, enhancing the performance and longevity of LED lamps by minimizing heat absorption and beam attenuation, while meeting regulatory illumination standards.

Implementation Method 1

A lens system utilizing internal reflection within a transparent material to redirect light from a hemispherical LED source into a ring-shaped distribution

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectTotal internal reflection: Total Internal Reflection

Data Source

PatentUS8506132B2Method and apparatus for creating high efficiency radial circular lighting distributions from a hemispherical lambertian source

Publication Date: 2013.08.13 DRAGONFISH TECH

AI summary

A ring generating LED lamp includes a lens section which employs internal reflection to direct the light energy from a hemispherical emitter into a ring shaped output distribution. The ring shaped distribution projects above and below the plane of the LED source. The lens has multiple internal surfaces that direct light from the LED source to provide a ring shaped output distribution.