Stepped Thermal Mount for Boat Light Fixture
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing underwater lighting fixtures for boats require long, expensive, and heavy metal tubes that obstruct light and hinder heat management, leading to inefficient light emission and thermal issues.
Innovation Solution
A light fixture with a thermally conductive stepped formation and adjustable lenses for LEDs, allowing for flexible mounting and improved heat dissipation, eliminating the need for long tubes and enhancing light directionality and thermal conductivity.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If long metal tubes are used to mount light sources in the hull, then the light beam can be directed out of the hull in parallel to the water surface, but the tubes become prohibitively expensive and heavy
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the mounting structure into multiple segments: a flange mounted to the hull, a support structure extending from the flange, and multiple light source holders positioned at different locations. This segmentation eliminates the need for a single long metal tube while maintaining structural integrity and light direction control.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention transitions from a one-dimensional long tube structure to a three-dimensional distributed mounting system with multiple light sources positioned at different spatial coordinates relative to the flange, allowing flexible light direction control without requiring excessive tube length.
2Reliability
If long metal tubes are used to mount light sources, then the light can be directed parallel to the water surface, but the tubes obstruct light and cause light to be diverted in unintended directions
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the light sources from the interior of long obstructing tubes and positions them on a distributed support structure with multiple holders, eliminating the light-obstructing tube walls while maintaining directional control through strategic positioning and optical elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention incorporates adjustable light source holders that can be positioned and oriented to dynamically control light direction, replacing the static long tube approach with flexible, adjustable mounting positions that optimize light transmission without obstruction.
3Strength
If long metal tubes are used for mounting lights, then the lights can be secured to the hull, but the thermal path from the light source to the external environment becomes long and heat management becomes slow
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the light sources from the enclosed long tube environment and positions them on a distributed support structure with direct thermal pathways to the flange and surrounding structure, dramatically shortening the thermal path from light source to external environment for efficient heat dissipation.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention segments the thermal management system into multiple heat dissipation pathways from different light source holders to the flange and surrounding structure, providing redundant and efficient thermal conduction routes that reduce overall thermal resistance.
4Reliability
If long metal tubes are used to mount light sources, then the lights can be directed parallel to each other, but the tubes generate pockets of turbulence in the marine environment increasing fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces the single long tube structure with multiple short mounting segments distributed across the hull surface, each creating minimal hydrodynamic disturbance, thereby eliminating the large turbulence pockets generated by long tubes while maintaining light alignment through the flange mounting system.
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 reduces light loss, improves light directionality, and enhances thermal management by allowing for efficient heat dissipation, making the light fixture more cost-effective and efficient while maintaining a high level of underwater illumination.
Implementation Method 1
a light module having a thermally conductive mount adapted to mount the lighting fixture to a surface of a hull of a boat
Implementation Method 2
a plurality of lenses adjustable through an angle in the range 0 to 60 degrees are adapted to focus the light emitted from respective light sources
Data Source
AI summary
A light fixture (100) and lighting module comprising the light fixture (100) are provided. The light fixture (100) comprises a thermally conductive stepped formation comprising a plurality of steps (106) and a plurality of light sources (102), wherein each of the plurality of light sources (102) is mounted to a respective step (106) on the stepped formation. The lighting module may be used on a boat (110).