Variable Beam Source Mixing Chamber Uniform Illumination
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional light sources with adjustable beam angles suffer from non-uniform illumination due to the movement of LEDs, which degrades image quality and results in uneven light distribution.
Innovation Solution
A light device with a light source assembly, a mixing chamber, and a concave reflecting optic that allows for variable beam divergence by controlling drive currents to individually or grouped LEDs, ensuring uniform illumination without physical movement, achieved through a combination of LED arrangement, mixing chamber, and reflective optics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the light source is moved away from the focal point to vary beam angle, then the beam angle becomes wider, but the illumination uniformity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The light source assembly is divided into multiple individually controllable LED elements arranged in an array. Each LED can be controlled independently or in groups, allowing selective activation to create different beam patterns without physical movement, thereby maintaining illumination uniformity while achieving beam angle variability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of physically moving the light source with an optical/electrical system using individually controllable LEDs and a mixing chamber. Instead of mechanical displacement to change beam angle, the system uses electronic control of light emission from multiple LED elements combined with optical mixing to achieve variable beam angles while maintaining uniform illumination.
2Power
If larger LED die areas are used to increase light output, then the total luminous flux increases, but the device size increases
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of using a single large LED die, the patent employs multiple smaller LED elements arranged in an array. These segmented LED elements collectively produce the required light output while maintaining a compact overall device size, as the smaller individual elements can be densely packed without requiring proportionally more space.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent combines multiple smaller LED elements into a unified light source assembly with integrated mixing chamber and reflecting optic. By merging these components into a compact integrated structure, the system achieves high total light output from multiple LEDs while maintaining a small overall device footprint.
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
Enables adjustable beam angles with uniform illumination, enhancing the range of beam angles and maintaining image quality by effectively mixing light and redirecting it using a concave reflecting optic, thus addressing the issue of non-uniformity.
Implementation Method 1
a concave reflecting optic for redirecting light exiting the chamber and emitted onto the optic, the redirected light forming an output light beam
Implementation Method 2
a chamber for mixing light emitted from the light source assembly
Data Source
AI summary
A light device and method for producing an output light beam are disclosed. A light source assembly comprising a plurality of light sources is arranged at the first end of the light device and emits light towards the second end and parallel with the longitudinal axis of the device. The device also has a chamber for mixing light emitted from the light source assembly; and a concave reflecting optic for redirecting light exiting the chamber and emitted onto the optic. The redirected light forms an output light beam. The device also has driver circuitry for controlling drive currents to the plurality of light sources individually or in groups thereof to thereby variably control a divergence of the output light beam.