ES1066568U - Optical system of emission of light in luminous beacons and systems of aid to the navigation (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding) - Google Patents

Abstract

Optical light emission system in beacons and navigation aid systems that includes a light element and a Fresnel-type lens that covers it, the lens being made up of a diopter element with a spherical profile and two catadioptric elements, in the upper and lower part, as well as a spherical profile on its total reflection face, characterized in that said Fresnel lens has cylindrical symmetry with respect to the focal axis of the lens, so that the light element is positioned on the axis of symmetry of the Fresnel lens, and the lens focuses on the light element and collects the light emitted by it and redirects it, forming a beam of light of 120º in the horizontal plane, with an angle of between 3º and 8º in the vertical plane. (Machine-translation by Google Translate, not legally binding)

Description

Optical beacon light emission system luminous and navigation aid systems.

Object of the invention

An optical system consisting of three lenses with dioptric and catadioptric elements, arranged triangular shape so that each lens is focused on a light source, this being a light emitting diode (LED, OLED) or a LASER. This invention is applicable in the naval industry and the Maritime navigation.

The specially designed geometry of each lens results in a beam of light whose emission angle in the vertical plane varies between 3rd and 8th depending on the dimensions of the light source used, and in the 180º horizontal plane obtaining in this plane 50% of the maximum emission in 120º, by which, when arranged in a triangular shape, achieves a beam of light of 360º.

Background of the invention

Until a few years ago, in the systems lights of navigation aids (lighthouses and beacons), have employed Fresnel lens optical systems with sources Traditional lights such as incandescent and halogen lamps  to produce 360 degree beams of light on the horizon, and between 1st and 10th amplitude in the vertical plane.

With the emergence in the new market light sources consisting of solid state emitting diodes known as LEDS, the optical systems for this type of products within this market have had to adapt to these New light sources.

Technical problem to solve

The main problem lies in the fact that These LED light sources do not emit light at a solid angle \ Omega = 4 \ pi (spherical emission), as with lamps, but emit their luminous flux only and at most in a solid angle \ Omega = 2 \ pi. Because of this feature, the Traditional optical systems do not have adequate performance, because several luminous elements cannot be focused on a single focal point of a lens.

The optical systems that are on the market and that They have been developed so far, they are based on one or several lenses so that each of them does not have a focal point, but a focal axis, which also does not match its axis of symmetry usually cylindrical, and are focused on several diodes LED.

The symmetry of this type of lens or mirrors makes the focusing of the flow of each diode only correct on the axis perpendicular to the lens that passes through the LED, so the flow of it that affects the lens in others addresses are not used properly.

This problem implies that the performance energy of a beacon of this type is not optimal and, having keep in mind that these systems are mostly powered by energy solar, the cost in batteries and solar panels to reach a certain light range is very high.

Description of the invention

The invention described consists of a optical light emission system in beacons and aid systems to navigation comprising a light element and a lens of Fresnel type that covers it. The lens consists of an element  dioptric aspherical profile and two catadioptric elements, in the upper and lower part, as well as an aspherical profile in its Total reflection face. Fresnel lens has symmetry cylindrical with respect to the focal axis of the lens, so that the luminous element is positioned on the axis of symmetry of the Fresnel lens, and the lens focuses on the light element and picks up the light emitted by him, so that he redirects it, forming a beam of light of 120º in the horizontal plane, with an angle of between 3º and 8º in the vertical plane.

The light element can be an LED, an OLED or a laser and, in a preferred configuration, the system is constituted by three of said devices with their corresponding Fresnel lens and light source, so that said three devices are arranged in shape of equilateral triangle. In this way, the light beam obtained by the set of the three devices is 360º in the horizontal plane, with an angle between 3º and 8º in the plane
vertical.

Explanation of the drawings

Figure 1 represents a sectional view of the lens

Figure 2 is a side view of the lens.

Figure 3 is a rear view of the lens.

Figure 4 represents various front views from different angles.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the three lens system.

Figure 6 is a plan view of the assembly represented in figure 5.

Description of a preferred embodiment of the invention

The system that this invention describes comprises a Fresnel lens with cylindrical symmetry designed to focus on a single LED, OLED or LASER light element of so that the emission of the luminous flux is maximized at a solid angle \ Omega = 2 \ pi.

The lens collects the light emitted by the element luminous and redirects it forming a beam of light of 120º in the horizontal plane and, depending on the dimensions of the source of light (diode or laser), between 3º and 8º in the vertical plane. The emission angles in the different planes are understood at 50% of the maximum intensity

With these features, the configuration of the complete system would be the provision of three lenses of this type, each one with its corresponding light source, arranged in an equilateral triangular shape with what the beam of light obtained is 360º in the horizontal plane and between 3º and 8º in the vertical plane depending on the dimensions of the diode used. The system has an energy efficiency that exceeds 100% the best equipment that There are currently in the market, and at 250% to most of the Other equipment

Figure 1 allows us to understand a form preferred embodiment of the invention. The lens is constituted by a dioptric element of aspherical profile and two catadioptric elements, at the top and bottom, also with aspherical profile in its face of total reflection. He lens operation can be easily understood in sight of figure 1, which represents a section that passes through its axis focal. At a focal point (1) is an emitting element of light, preferably (as indicated), an LED, an OLED or a TO BE. The light beams (2) leave the focal point (1) and pass through the lens for different paths; the element (3) represents the lens in a section that passes through its axis of symmetry.

The lens incorporates a fixing system for be able to couple the light element (diode or laser) with the highest possible accuracy. It also incorporates a fixing system for can be anchored to an external support.

Figures 2, 3 and 4 represent different lens views, according to lateral, posterior and front from different angles respectively.

A special configuration is given when it presents a set of three lenses, as represented in Figures 5 and 6. The system is formed by a shaped support of an equilateral triangle to which the lenses that are already screwed The luminous element (LED, OLED or LASER) is incorporated. Of this mode, the set is compacted forming a single luminous element whose characteristics are the same as detailed previously.

In the world market for aid systems to navigation, the solar-powered LED beacons that they are the ones with the greatest energy restrictions, since their maximum range is around 5 nautical miles in the case of the most modern equipment. The normalized scopes for this Short-range signaling type is usually 3, 5 and 7 miles. Therefore, there are no beacons in the market kind. With the system described in the present invention, using the simplest solar panels used in the beacons that  now they have a range of 2 to 3 miles, can be reached amply at 5 miles and with those of a beacon that now doesn't reaches 5 miles, you can get a range of 7 miles. This Can give an idea of the effectiveness of the system.

Claims (3)

1. Optical light emission system in beacons and navigation aids systems comprising a luminous element and a Fresnel lens that covers it, the lens being constituted by a dioptric element with an aspherical profile and two catadioptric elements, in the upper and lower part, as well as an aspherical profile in its total reflection face, characterized in that said Fresnel lens has cylindrical symmetry with respect to the focal axis of the lens, so that the light element is positioned in the axis of symmetry of the lens. Fresnel lens, and the lens focuses the light element and collects the light emitted by it and redirects it, forming a beam of light of 120º in the horizontal plane, with an angle of between 3º and 8º in the vertical plane. 2. Optical light emission system in beacons and navigation aids systems according to claim 1 characterized in that the light element is an LED device, an OLED device or a laser. 3. Optical light emission system in beacons and navigation aids systems according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that it is constituted by three of the devices described in said claims with their corresponding Fresnel lenses and light sources, so that The three devices are arranged in the form of an equilateral triangle, and the beam of light obtained by the set of the three devices is 360º in the horizontal plane, with an angle between 3º and 8º in the vertical plane.