Indicating Lamp Using Triangular LED Substrates and Columnar Lenses
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Indicating lamps, including simulated rotating lamps, face challenges of high manufacturing costs due to the use of numerous LEDs, which increases parts and assembly costs, while reducing the number of LEDs for cost reduction compromises visibility.
Innovation Solution
An indicating lamp design featuring three LED substrates forming an equilateral triangle around a central axis, with LEDs positioned to emit light radially and an optical system using columnar lenses to convert these emissions into parallel lights, enhancing visibility while minimizing the number of LEDs and parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Illumination intensity
If a large number of LEDs are used to improve visibility, then visibility is improved, but manufacturing cost increases due to increases in parts cost and assembly cost
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple LED substrates (first, second, and third LED substrates) into a single integrated structure arranged in an equilateral triangle configuration. This merging approach allows the system to achieve high visibility through coordinated operation of multiple substrates while reducing the total number of individual LED components needed compared to using separate LED assemblies for each function.
Solution Approach 2:
Each LED substrate serves multiple functions: they collectively provide the illumination for visibility, form the geometric pattern (equilateral triangle), and enable the simulated rotating effect through coordinated control. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function, thereby reducing overall parts count while maintaining high visibility.
2Device complexity
If the number of LEDs is reduced for cost reduction, then manufacturing cost decreases, but visibility decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent positions LEDs at specific locations on each substrate (first, second, and third LEDs on respective substrates) arranged in an equilateral triangle configuration. This localized positioning optimizes the light emission patterns to create the simulated rotating effect and maintain high visibility. The optical system with columnar lenses further concentrates and directs light from these specific positions, maximizing visibility impact while using fewer LEDs.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the spatial arrangement parameter by using an equilateral triangle configuration of LED substrates and positions LEDs at specific locations rather than distributing them uniformly. This parameter change, combined with the optical system, allows fewer LEDs to produce concentrated light patterns that maintain high visibility while reducing overall LED count for cost reduction.
3Illumination intensity
If three LED substrates forming an equilateral triangle are used with an optical system to convert radiated lights to parallel lights, then visibility is improved inexpensively using a small number of LED substrates and LEDs, but device complexity increases due to the optical system
Solution Approach 1:
The optical system acts as an intermediary between the LED substrates and the external environment. The columnar lenses convert the radiated light from the LEDs into parallel light beams, which enhances the visibility and creates the simulated rotating effect. This intermediary optical system allows the use of fewer LEDs while maintaining high visibility, as the parallel light beams are more concentrated and visible from greater distances.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces a mechanical approach (using many individual LEDs) with an optical approach (using fewer LEDs with columnar lenses to create parallel light beams). This substitution uses optical principles to achieve the same or better visibility effect with fewer components, reducing parts cost and assembly cost while maintaining high visibility.
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 design improves visibility at a lower cost by using fewer LEDs and parts, achieving effective light emission with a compact and efficient optical system.
Implementation Method 1
an optical system by which, when viewed in parallel to the central axis, radiated lights from the LEDs at the pair of placement positions of each LED substrate are converted to and emitted as emitted parallel lights
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
When viewed in parallel to a central axis (C1), three LED substrates (4) form an equilateral triangle (T) that surrounds the central axis (C1) and are disposed equidistantly with respect to the central axis (C1). When viewed in parallel to the central axis (C1), LEDs (8) are disposed on an outer surface (4a) of each LED substrate (4) at least one each at each of a pair of placement positions (Q1) at both sides sandwiching a reference normal (BN) being a normal to the outer surface (4a) and passing through the central axis (C1). The LEDs (8) each have an optical axis (8a) orthogonal to the outer surface (4a). When viewed in parallel to the central axis (C1), radiated lights from the LEDs (8) at the pair of placement positions (Q1) of each LED substrate (4) are, by an optical system (K), converted to and emitted as emitted parallel lights (RPL) that are respectively parallel to a pair of light emission reference lines (RB) passing through the central axis (C1) at both sides sandwiching the reference normal (BN) and respectively contain the corresponding light emission reference lines (RB).