阅读说明：本技术 混光杆和发光装置 (Mixed polish rod and light-emitting device ) 是由 F·施密德 M·科夫勒 M·瑞彻特 于 2019-09-12 设计创作，主要内容包括：一种发射对应于期望轮廓形状(8)的均匀光束(4)的混光杆(2),所述混光杆(2)从其第一纵向端(10a)沿纵向轴线(12)延伸至其第二纵向端(10b),第一纵向端具有入射面(14)以用于入射光(16)以形成光束(4),第二纵向端具有出射面(18),其具有用于发射光束(4)的轮廓形状(8),其中混光杆(2)的第一部分(20a)由第一材料(22a)制成且具有出射面(18)的第二部分(20b)由光学上更漫射的第二材料(22b)制成。一种发光装置(40),包括混光杆(2)和光学单元(36),光学单元在出射面(18)下游沿纵向轴线(12)的方向连接,用于光束(4)将出射面(18)成像在相对于出射面(18)位于可指定的相对位置(R)的目标面(38)上。(A light-mixing rod (2) emitting a uniform light beam (4) corresponding to a desired profile shape (8), the light-mixing rod (2) extending along a longitudinal axis (12) from a first longitudinal end (10a) thereof having an entrance face (14) for incident light (16) to form the light beam (4) to a second longitudinal end (10b) thereof having an exit face (18) with a profile shape (8) for emitting the light beam (4), wherein a first portion (20a) of the light-mixing rod (2) is made of a first material (22a) and a second portion (20b) having the exit face (18) is made of a second, optically more diffuse material (22 b). A light-emitting device (40) comprises a light-mixing rod (2) and an optical unit (36) which is connected downstream of an exit face (18) in the direction of a longitudinal axis (12) for a light beam (4) to image the exit face (18) onto a target surface (38) which is located in a specifiable relative position (R) with respect to the exit face (18).)

1. A light-mixing rod (2) for emitting a uniform light beam (4) corresponding to a desired profile shape (8),

-wherein the mixing rod (2) extends from a first longitudinal end (10a) thereof to a second longitudinal end (10b) thereof along a longitudinal axis (12),

-wherein the light-mixing rod (2) has an entrance face (14) at the first longitudinal end (10a) for incident light (16) for forming the light beam (4),

and the light-mixing rod has, at the second longitudinal end (10b), an exit face (18) for emitting the light beam (4),

-wherein the exit face (18) has the contour shape (8),

-wherein a first portion (20a) of the light mixing rod (2) is made of a first material (22a) and a second portion (20b) of the light mixing rod (2) is made of a second material (22b) which is optically more diffuse than the first material (22a),

-wherein the second portion (20b) has the exit face (18).

2. Light-mixing rod (2) according to claim 1,

it is characterized in that

The first material (22a) is an optically transparent material and the second material (22b) is an optically diffusive material.

3. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The first portion (20a) and the second portion (20b) together form the entire light-mixing rod (2).

4. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The volume share of the second part (20b) is 5% to 40% of the light-mixing rod (2).

5. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The first portion (20a) is a first longitudinal section of the light-mixing rod (2) comprising the entrance face (14).

6. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The first portion (20a) has a constant or conically extending cross section (24) along the longitudinal axis (12).

7. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The second portion (20b) is a second longitudinal section of the light mixing rod (2) comprising the exit face (18).

8. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The second part (20b) is provided with a light-absorbing and/or light-reflecting element (28) outside the exit face (18) in at least a partial region with respect to a surface (26) of the second part.

9. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The second portion (20b) is adjacent to the first portion (20a) in a continuous manner with respect to its contour shape (30).

10. Light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims,

it is characterized in that

The second portion (20b) has a profile shape (30) that varies continuously along the longitudinal axis (12) towards the exit face (18).

11. A light-emitting device (40) having a light-mixing rod (2) according to one of the preceding claims and having an optical unit (36) which is connected downstream of the exit face (18) in the direction of the longitudinal axis (12) for imaging the light beam (4) onto a target face (38) which is located at a specifiable relative position (R) with respect to the exit face (18).

12. Light-emitting device (40) according to claim 11,

it is characterized in that

The optical unit (36) is or comprises an imaging lens and/or a mirror.

13. Light-emitting device (40) according to claim 12,

it is characterized in that

The imaging plane of the optical unit (36) is located on the target surface (38) and/or the imaging plane of the optical unit is located at a specifiable distance in front of or behind the target surface in the direction of the longitudinal axis (12) and/or the optical unit (36) is placed parallel to the longitudinal axis (12) and/or inclined relative to the longitudinal axis.

14. Light emitting arrangement (40) according to any one of claims 11 to 13,

it is characterized in that

The light-emitting device comprises a light source (32) for radiating light (16) into the entrance face (14).

15. Light-emitting device (40) according to claim 14,

it is characterized in that

The light source (32) comprises at least two separate light sources (34a-d) spatially separated for radiating light (16) into the entrance face (14).

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a light-mixing rod and a light-emitting device.

Background

There are various methods for mixing light, such as using lenses near the light source in conjunction with a microlens array or by using a light mixing rod. Such a mixing rod for homogenizing a light beam is known, for example, from US 6,890,108B 2.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the invention is to mix and/or homogenize light in a better way.

This object is achieved by a light-mixing rod according to claim 1. Preferred or advantageous embodiments of the invention and of other inventive classes become apparent from the other claims and from the following description and the drawings. The mixing rod is used to emit a uniform light beam corresponding to a desired profile shape. The mixing rod extends from its first longitudinal end or a first longitudinal end to its second longitudinal end or a second longitudinal end along the longitudinal axis of the mixing rod. The light-mixing rod has an entrance face at a first longitudinal end for entering light to form a light beam. The entrance surface extends in particular transversely to the longitudinal axis. The light-mixing rod has an exit face at a second longitudinal end for emitting the light beam. The exit surface likewise extends in particular transversely to the longitudinal axis and in particular parallel to the entrance surface. The exit face has the contour shape.

A first portion of the mixing rod, in particular a first longitudinal section along the longitudinal axis, is made of a first material and a second portion of the mixing rod, in particular a second longitudinal section, is made of a second material. The second material is optically more diffuse than the first material. The second portion has an exit face.

The first material is thus an optically relatively transparent material compared to the second material. "a light beam corresponding to a desired contour shape" is understood to mean that the exit surface has said contour shape, so that the light beam has a desired target shape, which in particular corresponds to said contour shape, at least at a longitudinal position in the emission direction (in particular in the longitudinal direction), in particular at an entry point on the target surface or target surface. Alternatively or additionally, the longitudinal location may also be a location which is arranged at a distance from the exit face in another way. In particular, the longitudinal portion may be a focus portion of the optical unit if the light beam passes through the corresponding optical unit after exiting from the light-mixing rod. In particular, the light beam having the contour shape is not on the target surface, but only its image representation. In other words, the beam may be imaged such that it corresponds to a desired contour shape.

The first part of the light-mixing rod is thus used in particular primarily for light mixing or light homogenization. The second part is in particular mainly used for shaping the profile shape or spot geometry of the light beam, as will be explained further below. The second portion may also contribute to light mixing/homogenization.

According to the invention, the result is thus to create or utilize a diffuse portion (second portion) in the light-mixing rod for shaping any desired profile shape of the light beam and thus the spot geometry. For simplicity, the terms "profile shape" and "spot geometry" will be used synonymously in part below. A "spot" is obtained when the light beam is incident on the (scattering) surface in its entirety, in particular perpendicularly. According to the invention, this results in a combination of light homogenization or light mixing (in the case of separate, differently colored components in the incident light) and shaped spot geometry in the (single) component, in particular the light-mixing rod.

The result is a very small space requirement, in particular a combination of light homogenizing/mixing and spot-shaping geometry in one component. Another result is the creation of any desired spot geometry. This can be adjusted by the geometry of the exit face at the second (diffusing) part of the light-mixing rod. The light-mixing rod may be used with a (single or monochromatic) light source that generates incident light. This only provides shaping (including homogenization) of the spot geometry in the light-mixing rod. Alternatively, a plurality of differently colored light sources may be used to generate incident light. This produces mixing of the light of the individual colors to form shaping (including homogenization) of the combined color and spot geometry.

When white light is generated using an LED (light emitting diode), light of a blue LED is converted into white light using a specific substance, such as a yellow phosphor. When white light is guided through the beam shaping system, it is partially split into yellow light and blue light (the so-called "blue/yellow split halo effect"). This effect becomes more pronounced for each lens/reflector in the beam path. According to the invention, only one (single) component participates in the optical processing (e.g. light mixing), which reduces this effect. In addition, the second (diffuse) part in the light-mixing rod ensures a reduction of this effect.

According to the invention, the result is an optimized light mixing by combining a transparent (first) part or section and a diffusive (second) part or section in the light-mixing rod. The ratio can be optimized accordingly, for example by a specific ratio of the volume fractions of the parts relative to one another. The relation between the cross-section of the light-mixing rod and the extent/arrangement of the light sources generating the incident light can be additionally optimized.

The mixed polished rod is simple to manufacture: it is only necessary to manufacture one (single) component with a particularly simple or clear shape, for example, the portion in the first in cross section being configured accordingly and the second portion thereof developing into the desired contour shape, for example continuously tapering towards a circular cross section (exit face, contour shape).

In other words, according to the invention, the result is that the second (diffuse) part is connected to the transparent light-mixing rod (now, according to the invention, the first part).

In a preferred embodiment, the first material is an optically transparent material and the second material is an optically diffusive material. Corresponding materials are commercially available under the designation "optically transparent" or "(optical) diffuser", "volume diffuser", etc., which means that the mixing rod is easy to produce.

In a preferred embodiment, the first part and the second part together form the entire light-mixing rod. The mixing rod therefore has no further components and is therefore particularly simple to manufacture.

In a preferred embodiment, the volume fraction of the second portion is 5% to 40% of the light-mixing rod. In particular, the volume fraction is 10% to 30%, in particular 20%. In particular, tolerances expressed as a percentage of the single digit are allowed here. By optimizing the respective ratios, an optimized homogenization/light mixing and beam shaping can be achieved.

In a preferred embodiment, the first portion is a first longitudinal section of the light-mixing rod comprising the entrance face. Thus, the relatively transparent part of the light-mixing rod responsible for the light-mixing/homogenization of the incident light follows the entrance face. Thus, the light is already mixed/homogenized before entering the beam shaping part of the light-mixing rod.

In a preferred embodiment, the first portion has a constant or conically extending cross section along the longitudinal axis, in particular a constant or conically extending cross section/profile shape. The cross-sectional shape is in particular rectangular or square. Such a mixing rod has proven to be useful for light mixing/homogenizing. Thus, the cross-section need not be constant. For example, the cross section may also extend conically.

In a preferred embodiment, the second part is a second longitudinal section of the light-mixing rod comprising the exit face. The beam shaping thus represents the last section of the light-mixing rod in the beam trajectory, which is why there is still sufficient possibility for at least partial light mixing/homogenization to take place for the light to be shaped in the preceding beam trajectory.

In a preferred embodiment, the second part is provided with at least one light-absorbing element and/or light-reflecting element outside the exit face in at least partial regions with respect to the surface of the second part. The part of the outer surface of the second part not intended for the beam exit (exit face) (or at least a part thereof) is thus configured to be reflective and/or absorptive per se or in operative connection with a respective element, in particular to be covered or coated by such an element. This results in a particularly efficient beam shaping.

In a preferred embodiment, the second portion adjoins the first portion or its contour shape in a continuous manner with respect to its contour shape. That is, the second portion has the same or the contour shape of the first portion at the boundary with the first portion. This provides a seamless transition of light from the first portion to the second portion.

In a preferred embodiment, the profile shape of the second portion varies continuously along the longitudinal axis to the exit face. Resulting in a highly continuous and uniform beam shaping.

The object of the invention is also achieved by a light emitting device according to claim 11. The light-emitting device comprises a light-mixing rod according to the invention and an optical unit which is optically connected downstream of the exit face in the direction of the longitudinal axis in the emission direction of the light beam. The optical unit is used for transmitting or guiding the light beam. The optical unit is used here for imaging the exit surface on the target surface. The target surface is located at a specifiable relative position with respect to the exit surface. The target surface may be a real target surface or a virtual target surface. The target surface is in particular the surface to be irradiated using the light-emitting device. The target surface may be the target surface for which the light emitting device is designed as intended; the target surface may also be part of the light emitting device.

The light-emitting device offers the advantage that a light spot (incident or scattered light beam) is generated on the target surface according to or with the desired contour shape.

In a preferred embodiment, the optical unit is an imaging lens. Alternatively, the optical unit is a mirror. Alternatively, the optical unit comprises an imaging lens and/or a mirror. The corresponding optical unit can be manufactured particularly simply and cost-effectively.

In a preferred variant of this embodiment, the imaging plane of the optical unit is located on the target surface and/or at a specifiable distance in front of or behind the target surface in the direction of the longitudinal axis. Alternatively or additionally, the optical unit is placed parallel to the longitudinal axis and/or tilted to the longitudinal axis to produce a target effect on the spot, in particular on the target surface. In the first case, the spot is generated exactly according to the contour shape as a "sharp" imaging representation, and in the second case, a more or less unclear, imprecise, blurred spot (depending on the size of the distance) is generated with respect to the contour shape. Thus, depending on the individual taste, different optically appealing spots can be produced.

In a preferred embodiment, the light-emitting device comprises a light source for radiating light into the entrance face. Thus, as described above, this results in a complete illuminator for producing a corresponding beam or spot of light.

In a preferred embodiment, the light source comprises at least two separate light sources spatially separated for radiating light into the entrance face. During operation, the individual light sources in particular shine light into the entry face at different positions. In particular, the individual light sources have different light colors. In particular, the individual light sources are individually controllable in terms of brightness and/or amount of light. Thus, a light beam or light spot with a particularly large amount of deformation can be generated.

The present invention is based on the following findings, observations or considerations, and also includes the following embodiments. In this case, the embodiment is also referred to as "the invention" partly for the purpose of simplification. In this case, the embodiment may also include or correspond to part or combination of the above-described embodiments, and/or may further include embodiments that have not been mentioned yet.

The invention is based upon a basic idea underlying the concept of developing light homogenization/color mixing. Examples of use are in particular spotlights for the passenger cabin of an aircraft, which may emit light in different (commandable) colors.

According to the invention, a light-mixing rod is obtained, in particular with a diffusing portion (second portion), for generating any desired spot geometry. The invention describes in particular a rod-shaped optical unit (light-mixing rod/light-emitting device) for mixing light from at least two light sources emitting light of different colors or for generating a spot geometry of any desired shape from light from at least one light source. The rod-shaped optical unit used for this purpose contains or comprises transparent regions (for light mixing) and diffusing portions (for shaping the spot geometry).

The light-mixing rod or the light-emitting device is in particular part of a so-called "spotlight" for aircraft cabins. The invention therefore also relates in particular to a corresponding spotlight.

Drawings

Other features, effects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferred exemplary embodiment of the present invention and the accompanying drawings. In the figure, in each case in the schematic representation:

figure 1 shows a light-mixing rod which,

fig. 2 shows a light emitting device with an alternative light mixing rod.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 shows a light-mixing rod 2 which, in the operation shown, emits a homogeneous light beam 4 (indicated by a dashed line) in the direction of an arrow 6. The light beam 4 here has the desired contour shape 8, in this case circular.

Mixing rod 2 extends from its first longitudinal end 10a to its second longitudinal end 10b along longitudinal axis 12. The light-mixing rod 2 has at a first longitudinal end 10a an entrance face 14 for incident light 16 (indicated by four arrows). The light-mixing rod 2 has an exit face 18 at the second longitudinal end 10b for emitting the light beam 4. The exit surface 18 has a contour shape 8.

The first portion 20a of the light-mixing rod 2 is made of a first material 22a, in this case an optically transparent material. The second portion 20b of the light-mixing rod 2 is made of a second material 22b, in this case a volume-diffusing optical (volume-diffusing) material; thus, the second material is optically more diffuse than the first material 22 a. The second portion 20b of the light-mixing rod 2 has an exit face 18.

The first portion 20a and the second portion 20b together form the entire light-mixing rod 2. The second part 20b has a volume fraction of 20% of the light-mixing rod 2. Thus, the first portion 20a is a first longitudinal section along the longitudinal axis 12 of the light-mixing rod 2 comprising the entrance face 14; the second portion 20b is a second longitudinal section comprising the exit face 18.

The first portion 20a has a constant cross section 24 along the longitudinal axis 12, in the present case a constant profile shape, here square (indicated by dashed lines).

The second portion 20b is provided on its outer surface 26 with a light-absorbing element 28, which in the present case is a coating, not corresponding to the exit face 18. The second portion 20b has a contour shape 30 which adjoins the contour shape of the first portion 20a in a continuous manner (square in the present case). The contour shape 30 continuously tapers from a square to the contour shape 8 (in particular a circle) in the direction of the arrow 6.

Fig. 1 also shows a light source 32 for generating incident light 16 or for radiating incident light 16 into the entrance face 14. The light source 32 has four separate sources 34a-d that are spatially separated. Each individual source 34a-d emits a portion of incident light 16 into incident face 14, as indicated by the corresponding arrow. In this example, the individual sources 34a-d are LED sources of blue (34a), green (34b), white (34c) and red (34d), wherein the individual LEDs are only indicated as rectangles in each case for the actual light emission.

In the first portion 20a, the individual components of the light 16 are mixed to form a combined color and homogenized over the entire cross-section 24 and shaped in the second portion 20b into a light beam 4 having the desired contour shape 8. Thus, light 16 thus in the present case enters the transparent first portion 20a of the light-mixing rod 2 from four light sources (individual sources 34a-d), mixes there, enters the diffusive second portion 20b of the light-mixing rod 2, and exits at the exit face 18.

Fig. 2 shows an alternative light-mixing rod 2, which differs from the one in fig. 1 only in that the second portion 20b is of a different shape (in particular, has an exit face 18 with a square profile shape). Many of the same elements are not numbered again for clarity. The profile shape 8 is identical to the cross section 24 or its profile shape. The contour shape 30 is therefore constant and corresponds analogously to the contour shape of the contour shape 8 or the cross section 24.

Fig. 2 additionally shows an optical unit 36, in the present case an imaging lens, which is optically connected downstream of the exit face 18 along the longitudinal axis 12 and in the direction of the arrow 6. During operation, the optical unit 36 images the light beam 4 or the exit surface 18 on a target surface 38, which in the present case is a surface component of the aircraft passenger cabin to be illuminated (only indicated by dashed lines). The imaging process is represented by dots. The target surface 38 is here located in a specifiable relative position R with respect to the exit surface 18.

The light-mixing rod 2 together with the optical unit 36 is part of a light-emitting device 40, here a spotlight in the passenger cabin. The light source 32 is also part of the light emitting device 40. The imaging plane of the optical unit 36 is located on the target surface 38 such that a precisely and sharply focused imaged representation 42 of the exit surface 18 on the target surface 38 is shown in the form of a light spot.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the light source 32 in fig. 1 and 2 contains only two separate sources 34a, b, including a cool white LED on one side and a warm white LED on the other side.

List of reference numerals

2 light mixing rod

4 light beam

6 arrow head

8 profile shape

10a, b first and second longitudinal ends

12 longitudinal axis

14 incident plane

16 light (incident)

18 exit surface

20a, b first and second parts

22a, b first and second materials

24 cross section

26 surface of

28 element

30 profile shape

32 light source

34a-d separate sources

36 optical unit

38 target surface

40 light emitting device

42 image representation

Relative position of R