Sealed Light-Guide Exit Luminaire for Protected Pictogram Display
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing emergency exit signs require additional housing components for chemical and mechanical protection, complicating the manufacturing process and increasing costs.
Innovation Solution
An emergency exit sign design featuring a frame-like attachment of a pictogram film to a plate-shaped light guide element, sealing the emergency exit symbol between the film and the element, eliminating the need for additional components and enhancing chemical and mechanical resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If additional housing components are used to protect the emergency exit symbol from environmental influences, then chemical and mechanical resistance is improved, but device complexity and manufacturing process complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the protective housing function with the light guide element itself. The light guide element is designed with a protective housing that integrates both the light guiding function and the protective enclosure, eliminating the need for separate housing components. This integration achieves chemical and mechanical resistance while reducing device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide element serves multiple functions: it guides light from the LED, provides structural support, and acts as the protective housing for the emergency exit symbol. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for additional specialized housing components, resolving the contradiction between protection and complexity.
2Reliability
If additional housing components are used to seal the pictogram film, then protection from environmental influences is improved, but manufacturing process complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protective sealing function is merged into the light guide element structure. The light guide element includes an integrated sealing mechanism that seals the pictogram film without requiring separate housing components, simplifying the manufacturing process while maintaining protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide element is segmented into functional zones: the light guiding section, the sealing section that encloses the pictogram film, and the mounting section for the LED. This segmentation allows each function to be optimized independently while simplifying assembly, as the element is manufactured as an integrated component.
3Productivity
If the light guide element is made thin to reduce material usage, then productivity and material efficiency are improved, but light guiding performance may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the parameters of the light guide element by incorporating light-enhancing structures such as light scattering elements or light extraction structures. These structures optimize light distribution and extraction efficiency, allowing the element to be made thinner while maintaining or improving light guiding performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The light guide element may use composite material structures combining different transparent materials with optimized optical properties. This allows the element to achieve superior light guiding performance in a thinner configuration, balancing material efficiency with functional performance.
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 design provides robust protection against environmental influences while simplifying the manufacturing process and ensuring uniform light emission, with the symbol being fully sealed and the light guide element able to be made exceptionally thin.
Implementation Method 1
The light guide element (2) is designed to emit the light coupled through the light coupling side (23) via the flat side (21), which is arranged substantially perpendicular to the light coupling side (23)
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to an emergency exit luminaire (1), comprising: - a planar light-guiding element (2) and – illuminants (3) arranged on a narrow side of the light-guiding element (2) which forms a light input coupling side (23) of the light-guiding element (2), with the light-guiding element (2) being designed to emit the light output by the illuminants (3) and radiated in via the light input coupling side (23) via at least one flat side (21) arranged substantially perpendicular to the light input coupling side (23), and with an escape path symbol (6) being provided on the flat side (21) of the light-guiding element provided for light output, and the escape path symbol (6) being applied to, preferably printed on, a pictogram film (4) which is fastened to the light-guiding element (2) so as to face the light-guiding element (2) with its surface containing the escape path symbol (6) and fastened in such a frame-like manner that the escape path symbol (6) is accommodated sealed between the pictogram film (4) and the light-guiding element (2).