Sun-Sky Lighting System with Mirror-Enhanced Perceived Window
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional sun imitating lighting systems require significant space and do not effectively provide an enlarged sky perception, which limits their installation in rooms with standard heights and can result in inconsistent sunlight-like illumination.
Innovation Solution
A lighting system comprising a light transparent panel and a mirror unit with a reflective face, where the light transparent panel emits diffused light and the mirror unit reflects the direct light beam to create a sun-like beam, allowing for a compact installation that mimics a larger window area and maintains the expected sunlight directionality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a conventional sun imitating lighting system is installed to provide natural lighting, then the illumination quality is improved, but the space requirement increases and installation becomes difficult in rooms with standard heights
Solution Approach 1:
The patent utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning the light source above the ceiling and using a mirror unit on the ceiling surface to reflect light downward. This dimensional arrangement allows the system to function in rooms with standard heights without requiring additional vertical space, resolving the contradiction between providing quality natural lighting and maintaining compact installation.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror unit creates a virtual image of the light source, effectively copying its position and appearance. This allows the system to simulate a larger window area and enhanced sky perception without physically occupying additional space, thereby improving illumination quality while maintaining compact installation footprint.
2Volume of moving object
If the light transparent panel size is reduced for compact installation, then the space requirement is reduced, but the viewable area and sky perception are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror unit creates a virtual reflection of the light transparent panel, effectively doubling the perceived viewable area. This allows the physical panel to remain compact for easy installation while the reflected image provides an enlarged sky perception, resolving the contradiction between compact installation and large viewable area.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror unit utilizes the vertical dimension by positioning itself on the ceiling surface, allowing the light transparent panel to be smaller while still providing adequate sky perception through reflection. This dimensional arrangement enables compact physical installation without compromising the perceived window area.
3Area of stationary object
If the mirror unit size is increased to enhance sky perception, then the enlarged sky perception is improved, but the device complexity and installation difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mirror unit serves multiple functions: it reflects light from the light transparent panel to create a sun-like beam, creates a virtual image to enhance sky perception, and maintains a compact form factor for easy installation. This multi-functionality allows it to improve sky perception without proportionally increasing installation complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The mirror unit creates a virtual copy of the light transparent panel, effectively enlarging the perceived sky area without requiring a physically large component. This copying mechanism enhances sky perception while keeping the actual mirror unit size manageable and installation straightforward.
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 system provides an enlarged sky perception and maintains the natural sunlight-like illumination direction, reducing the feeling of constraint in rooms with standard heights while being easily accessible for maintenance, and avoids unnatural illumination patterns.
Implementation Method 1
the panel receives the light from the light source and acts in transmission as a so-called Rayleigh diffuser, namely it diffuses incident light similarly to the earth atmosphere in clear-sky conditions
Implementation Method 2
the mirror unit reflects the direct light beam to create a sun-like beam
Data Source
AI summary
A lighting system (1) for in particular forming a room edge (12) of a room comprises an enlarged sky-perception providing unit (2) with a light transparent panel (3) and a mirror unit (13) with a reflective face (13A) forming an inner edge (14), the lighting system further comprises a light source (41) configured to emit a direct light beam (43) through the light transparent panel (3) onto the mirror unit (13) such that the transmitted portion (9) of the light beam is reflected completely by the reflective face (13A), thereby creating a reflected direct light beam (17) in particular for imitating a sun beam.