Rotating Reflector Optical Unit for LED Color Mixing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing automotive lamps using LEDs and phosphors suffer from reduced light efficiency and uneven color or brightness due to light absorption by phosphors, and combining multiple LEDs with different colors can result in inconsistent light distribution.
Innovation Solution
An optical unit featuring a rotating reflector with fan-shaped blades that superimpose light from multiple LEDs of different colors to create a desired light distribution pattern, allowing for efficient light use and adjustable color through current adjustment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If white light is achieved by combining an LED and a phosphor, then white light can be produced, but the efficiency in using the light emitted by the LED is decreased due to light absorption by the phosphor
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the phosphor component from the light generation system. Instead of using phosphor to convert LED light to white light, the patent uses multiple LEDs of different colors (blue, green, red) to directly generate white light, thereby eliminating the light absorption loss caused by phosphor and improving overall light efficiency
Solution Approach 2:
The invention uses a composite approach by combining multiple LED types with different emission colors (blue LED, green LED, red LED) to create white light. This composite light source approach replaces the single LED plus phosphor system, achieving white light with higher efficiency by avoiding phosphor absorption losses
2Illumination intensity
If white light is achieved with a lot of LEDs having different light colors, then white light can be produced, but the color or brightness is likely to be uneven within an irradiation range
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the white light generation into three distinct color components (blue, green, red) from separate LED sources. By controlling each color component independently and combining them through optical elements, the system achieves uniform white light distribution across the irradiation range, avoiding the color unevenness that would result from using many different colored LEDs
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple LEDs with different colors are combined, then white light can be achieved, but the color or brightness is likely to be uneven within an irradiation range
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces dynamic control of the multiple LED sources, allowing independent adjustment of each LED's emission intensity. This dynamic control capability enables the system to adaptively balance the color and brightness output, achieving uniform white light while maintaining the versatility to adjust color temperature and brightness levels as needed
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 optical unit achieves a desired light distribution pattern with improved efficiency and uniformity, enhancing luminance and color consistency across the irradiation range.
Implementation Method 1
a rotating reflector configured to be rotated in one direction around a rotational shaft, while reflecting the light having a first color and the light having a second color, which have been emitted from the light source
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4(a)~4(j)
AI summary
An optical unit 180 includes: a light source 172 having both a first light emitting element for emitting light having a first color and a second light emitting element for emitting light having a second color that is different from the first color; and a rotating reflector 26 configured to be rotated in one direction around a rotational shaft, while reflecting the light having the first color and the light having the second color, which have been emitted from the light source. In the rotating reflector 26, a reflecting surface is provided such that a predetermined light distribution pattern is formed with the light having the first color and the light having the second color, which have been reflected by the rotation of the rotating reflector, being superimposed one on another.