Translucent Object With 3D Optical Fiber Cage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing translucent building and furniture components made with embedded optical fibers suffer from limited light translucency and strength, restricting design flexibility and production simplicity.
Innovation Solution
A translucent object is created using a hardenable cast material with optical fibers arranged in a three-dimensional structural cage, providing high strength and flexible design options, where the cast material envelops the cage and optical fibers, allowing light to be transported from one surface point to another, and using ultra-high performance concrete for enhanced strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If optical fibers are embedded in cast material layers using conventional layer-by-layer construction, then the component achieves some level of translucency, but the light translucency and density of light guides remain limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from conventional layer-by-layer construction to a three-dimensional structural cage framework. Optical fibers are arranged in a 3D spatial configuration within the cage, allowing light to be transported across the component in multiple directions simultaneously, significantly enhancing light translucency while reducing construction complexity through integrated molding
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines optical fibers with cast material (such as concrete or polymer) to create a composite structure. The optical fibers are embedded within the cast material that forms the structural cage, creating a composite material system that provides both structural integrity and enhanced light transmission properties
2Adaptability or versatility
If optical fibers are arranged in ordered patterns in cast objects, then the component achieves structural integrity, but design flexibility and luminescence are limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies different arrangements of optical fibers within different regions of the structural cage. The fibers can be concentrated in certain areas for enhanced luminescence or arranged sparsely in other areas for structural considerations, allowing localized optimization of both design flexibility and structural integrity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables dynamic design configurations where optical fibers can be arranged in various patterns (ordered, random, concentrated, distributed) depending on the desired luminescence effect and structural requirements, providing adaptability in design while maintaining structural integrity through the cage framework
3Illumination intensity
If multiple layers of optical fibers and cast material are stacked to increase light guidance, then light translucency improves slightly, but the construction process becomes more complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent pre-arranges optical fibers in a three-dimensional structural cage framework before casting the surrounding material. This preliminary configuration of fibers in the desired 3D pattern eliminates the need for time-consuming layer-by-layer stacking and subsequent assembly operations, significantly improving production efficiency while achieving superior light translucency
Solution Approach 2:
The patent merges the optical fiber arrangement structure with the cast material forming process into a single integrated operation. The fibers are positioned in the structural cage, and the cast material is then poured to envelop both the cage and fibers simultaneously, combining what would otherwise be separate sequential steps into one efficient production process
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 achieves high light translucency and strength, enabling flexible design possibilities while maintaining production simplicity and cost-effectiveness, with light transmission of at least 75% and comparable mechanical properties to non-translucent objects.
Implementation Method 1
The optical fibers are arranged in a three-dimensional structural cage formed by a meshwork, wherein the optical fibers pass through mesh of the meshwork such that the ends of said optical fibers protrude sideways out of mesh of the cage and at different points of the object... In this way, the light may be transported from one point on the surface of the object to another point on the surface
Data Source
Figure 1~3
AI summary
A translucent object consisting of a hardenable cast material and a plurality of optical fibers (3) integrated in the cast material is proposed, as well as a production method for producing the object. The object has a three-dimensional structural cage (1), which is traversed by the plurality of optical fibers (3) in such a way that the ends of the optical fibers (3) protrude from the object at different points of the object. The cast material penetrates the structural cage (1) and envelops the plurality of optical fibers (3).