Variable LED Illumination for Surgical Microscopes
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surgical microscopes face challenges in achieving desired illumination angles and ensuring homogeneous illumination without the use of mechanical components, leading to potential heat influx and inefficient light distribution.
Innovation Solution
A surgical microscope illumination arrangement featuring a multichip emitter LED with independently activatable light-emitting areas, allowing for variable illumination angles without movable parts, and an imaging system that projects the illumination pupil within the mirror's longitudinal extent to achieve precise and homogeneous illumination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If a light source with variable light-emitting surface area is used to achieve different illumination angles, then illumination flexibility is improved, but mechanical components are required which increase device complexity and cause wear-and-tear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical components that physically adjust the light-emitting surface area with a light source whose effective emission area can be varied electronically or optically. This substitution eliminates moving parts, reduces device complexity, and prevents wear-and-tear while maintaining the ability to achieve different illumination angles (2° or 6°) for various surgical applications.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the parameter of light-emitting surface area dynamically without mechanical movement. By using a light source with variable emission characteristics (such as an array of LED elements that can be selectively activated), the system achieves different illumination angles and beam geometries through parameter control rather than physical adjustment, thereby reducing mechanical complexity.
2Illumination intensity
If conventional light sources are used, then illumination is provided, but heat influx increases which can affect surgical precision
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs LED technology which fundamentally changes the emission parameters compared to conventional incandescent or halogen light sources. LEDs convert electrical energy directly to light with much higher efficiency, producing significantly less heat for the same illumination intensity. This parameter change in the light source technology enables adequate surgical illumination while minimizing heat influx that could affect surgical precision or patient safety.
3Ease of manufacture
If the illumination pupil is not properly imaged within the mirror extent, then setup is simpler, but illumination homogeneity deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses optical imaging through the illumination optic to automatically position and focus the illumination pupil within the mirror's longitudinal extent. This optical solution replaces complex mechanical alignment systems, maintaining ease of manufacture and setup while ensuring precise positioning for homogeneous illumination across the object field.
Solution Approach 2:
The illumination optic acts as an intermediary element that images the illumination pupil onto the mirror surface. This intermediary optical system ensures that the pupil is properly positioned within the mirror extent, achieving homogeneous illumination without requiring direct mechanical positioning or complex alignment procedures.
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 the generation of desired illumination angles, such as 2° or 6°, with reduced heat influx and precise light distribution, enhancing surgical precision and reducing wear-and-tear by eliminating the need for mechanical components.
Implementation Method 1
a light source (2) for generating an illumination beam path (11) for illuminating an object field with the viewing beam path at a specific illumination angle
Implementation Method 2
a mirror (4) arranged in the illumination beam path (11) and being configured to deflect the light of the light source (2)
Implementation Method 3
the illumination optic (3) being configured to image an illumination pupil within the longitudinal extent of the mirror (4)
Data Source
AI summary
An illumination arrangement includes illumination optics defining an optical axis and a light source for generating at least one illumination beam path for illuminating an object field at a specific illumination angle with a viewing beam path. At least one mirror is provided in the illumination beam path for deflecting light from the light source and the mirror has a longitudinal extent along the optical axis. A light-emitting surface region of the light source is variable (x) perpendicular to the optical axis without movable components. The illumination optics are embodied in such a way for obtaining a desired illumination that an illumination pupil is imaged within the longitudinal extent of the mirror.