Square LED Lens Member for Uniform Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
LED lighting fixtures require multiple bulbs to achieve uniform illumination, leading to non-uniform patterns with bright and dark areas due to circular light diversion, increasing manufacturing and energy costs.
Innovation Solution
A lens member with a bulbous, light-directing portion and a hollow recess, having a circular and square cross-sectional shape respectively, projects a square illumination pattern, allowing for minimal overlap when arranged in arrays, reducing intensity variations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If multiple LED bulbs are arranged in an array with circular light patterns, then the illuminated area can be expanded, but non-uniform illumination with bright and dark areas occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the symmetric circular light pattern to an asymmetric square light pattern. The lens member includes a circular recess and a square light-directing portion that transforms the circular LED light output into a square illumination pattern. This asymmetric square pattern allows adjacent light fixtures to be arranged in a grid with minimal overlap, eliminating the bright spots and dark areas caused by circular pattern overlap while providing uniform illumination across the illuminated area.
2Illumination intensity
If a plurality of LEDs are used to illuminate a large area, then the desired illumination level is achieved, but the number of LEDs and energy consumption increase
Solution Approach 1:
By transforming the light pattern from circular to square, the patent enables more efficient spatial arrangement of LED fixtures. The square pattern allows adjacent fixtures to be positioned closer together in a grid arrangement with edges abutting or nearly abutting, reducing the total number of LEDs needed to cover a given area compared to circular patterns that require significant overlap to eliminate dark areas.
3Ease of manufacture
If circular light patterns are used from LED fixtures, then the light is diverted in a conventional pattern, but overlapping areas create non-uniform illumination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent modifies the conventional circular lens design by incorporating a square light-directing portion over a circular recess. This asymmetric configuration transforms the conventional circular light output into a square pattern that eliminates overlapping issues while remaining manufacturable using standard molding techniques for the two-part lens structure.
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 efficient, uniform, and cost-effective illumination by minimizing overlapping areas and enhancing light distribution, resulting in improved lighting fixtures with reduced energy consumption and manufacturing costs.
Implementation Method 1
The bulbous, light-directing lens portion continuously tapers from the base portion to the relatively flat top surface of the bulbous, light-directing lens portion
Data Source
AI summary
A lens member for projecting light from an LED in a square pattern includes a body formed of a light transmissive material. The body includes a base portion and a bulbous-shaped, light-directing lens portion extending upwardly from the base portion. A recess extending upwardly from a lower surface of the base portion and into the bulbous-shaped, light-directing lens portion continuously tapers from the base to a flat, circular surface below a top surface of the bulbous-shaped, light-directing lens portion. The lens portion has a horizontal cross-sectional shape that is substantially square at elevations between the base and the top surface of the lens portion.