Surgical Lamp Light Deflection Element for Shadowless Illumination

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Solution Overview

Problem

Surgical lamps require multiple lighting units to achieve a shadowless effect, leading to increased weight, material cost, and installation complexity, as well as inefficiencies in light utilization due to high requirements on irradiation angles and positioning.

Innovation Solution

A light-emitting device with a reflective shade and a light deflection element that collects and adjusts lateral light from a single or multiple light sources, allowing for efficient light convergence into a predetermined spot without the need for multiple units, using a nested column cylinder structure with concave-convex surfaces to adjust the air gap and change the light spot size.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If multiple lighting units are distributed inside the lamp head to achieve shadowless effect, then the shadowless illumination is improved, but the weight, material cost and installation complexity are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveshadow zoneVSAvoidinstallation complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent merges multiple lighting units into a single integrated lighting unit that combines a light source, reflective shade, and light deflection element. This single unit performs the function previously requiring multiple separate units, thereby reducing installation complexity while maintaining shadowless illumination capability through the coordinated optical components

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent introduces a light deflection element as an intermediary component between the light source and reflective shade. This element redirects lateral light onto the reflective shade, enabling a single lighting unit to achieve the shadowless effect that previously required multiple units distributed throughout the lamp head

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Illumination intensity

If multiple lighting units are used with high requirements on irradiation angle, then the light intensity distribution is improved, but the positioning and installation structure requirements are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight intensity distributionVSAvoidpositioning precision
Core Design Contradiction:
Illumination intensityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent combines the light source, reflective shade, and light deflection element into a single pre-assembled lighting unit. This integration eliminates the need for precise positioning of multiple separate units, as the internal geometry of the combined unit inherently controls the irradiation angles and light intensity distribution without requiring high external positioning precision

Inventive Principle:
Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The patent uses the light deflection element to change the propagation direction parameter of lateral light, redirecting it onto the reflective shade. This parameter change enables the single integrated unit to achieve proper light intensity distribution without requiring precise positioning of multiple units, as the optical parameters are controlled internally by the deflection element's geometry

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

3Area of stationary object

If the size of light spot is adjusted by changing irradiation angle of lighting unit, then the light intensity distribution is changed, but the device complexity and installation requirements are increased

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvelight spot sizeVSAvoidadjustment mechanism complexity
Core Design Contradiction:
Area of stationary objectVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent makes the lighting unit adjustable by enabling rotation of the light deflection element relative to the light source. This dynamic adjustment allows the irradiation angle to be changed to vary the light spot size on the surgical region, providing flexibility without requiring complex external adjustment mechanisms or multiple fixed-position units

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

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

This solution enhances light utilization, reduces shadow zones, and simplifies installation by using a single optical system to create a shadowless effect, increasing the surgical lamp's light-emitting area and maintaining a shadowless illumination even with obstructions, while allowing for easy adjustment of light spot size.

Implementation Method 1

the light deflection element adjusts the light propagation direction of the lateral light projected on the light deflection element, such that the lateral light exited from the light deflection element is projected onto the reflector body

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight refraction and reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

the reflector body reflects the lateral light projected on the reflector body, and the lateral light exited from the reflector body converges into a light spot of a predetermined size

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectLight reflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 3

the first column cylinder is capable of moving relative to the second column cylinder, thereby changing the shape of the air gap

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectOptical refraction through varying air gap: Refraction

Data Source

PatentEP3597993B1Light-emitting device and surgical lamp
Publication Date: 2022.06.01 NANJING MINDRAY BIO MEDICAL ELECTRONICS
  • EP3597993B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3597993B1 patent drawingFigure 2~3A
  • EP3597993B1 patent drawingFigure 3B~3C

AI summary

A light-emitting device (100), comprising: a light source (1), a light deflection element (2) and a reflective shade (3); the reflective shade (3) comprises a top end (301), a bottom end (302) which is provided with an annular opening, and a reflector body (303) which gradually expands from the top end (301) to the bottom end (302), the reflector body (303) being symmetrical about a central axis; the light source (1) is located at the top end (301) of the reflective shade (3) and faces the bottom end (302) of the reflective shade (3), and may emit forward light and side light; the light deflection element (2) is located between the light source (1) and the reflective shade (3), and the light deflection element (2) is used for collecting the forward light and the side light, adjusting the deflection direction of the forward light and the side light such that the forward light and the side light which emerge from the light deflection element (2) are projected to an inner side of the reflector body (303) of the reflective shade (3); the reflective shade (3) then mixes and reflects a light beam, and finally light rays from different positions of the reflective shade (3) are superposed at a desired position to form a desired light spot. By using such the light-emitting device (100), a surgical lamp having no shadow effect may be made.