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What are the existing solutions to get a variable beam product

The lighting products manufacturers are always looking for innovative solutions and a variable beam solution is a feature that has always been a ‘’nice too have’’. We identified a need for an affordable optical solution to create a variable beam from spot to flood. During last decades, several solutions have been developped to offer that option to their lighting products like interior lighting, stage lighting or flashlights :

Focal distance change

The use of moveable magnifier lens or a reflector with a vertical translation of the focal distance is a frequent solution used in flashlights, stage lighting lamps or automotive headlamps.

This solution is working for applications that do not require a steady efficiency whatever the beam is. It will necessary affect the beam efficiency when the lens or reflector location is outside of the optimum focal distance which can be an issue for products that needs to keep a high efficiency.

Focal distance change
Pièce mobile
Pièce mobile

Modify optical surface angles and location with a mechanical adjustment or electronic adjustment

This technology exists for different type of lamps. The goal here is to deviate all or a portion of the rays by mechanically changing location and angle of some optical surfaces.

System efficiency usually remains high but design and assembly cost are higher due to more components and precise mechanical features in those systems to adjust properly the critical surfaces. The use of a liquid crystal technology is also available but cost is still expensive and is only an option for high end products.

Of course additional components increase lamp weight and its CO2 emission during manufacturing..

Technologie de mise en forme dynamique du faisceau LensVector
Technologie de mise en forme dynamique du faisceau LensVector

Use a diffusing lens in front of the lamp

Lentille diffusante
Image provenant de site web de Soraa

With this solution you have to use different type of diffuser placed at the light exit location of the optical system.

It can be a film or solid piece with a texture or microstructure on it and you need to store different type of diffuser depending of the beam angle you need.

So the cons are:

  • the storage of the diffusers
  • a manual replacement of them that can be an issue if  access to the lamp is difficult
  • an extra layer to your optical system that generates extra losses
  • a limitation of the beam angle option

One diffuser = One beam angle

So we think outside the box to develop a new variable beam solution

  • DBM has developed a technology that allows to remove all the cons of the previous solutions. This technology is using a combination of a specific collimator and specific diffuser based on Texilit™ technology. A simple rotation of the diffuser over the collimator allow and infinite possibility of beam angle while keeping a high efficiency whatever is the selected beam and a nice beam appearance.
  • This DBM patented solution is offered to Lighting manufacturer

Our opticians used DBM capabilities in Light guides, TIR optics and Texture to come up with a brilliant solution.

Our technology is based on a bi-components optical system

  • Source: 1 x High power LEDs
  • Flux: 475 Lm
  • One collimator with a unique cross shape design
  • One rotating diffusive lens
bi-components optical system
bi-components optical system
Patent # US10330902B1

A unique evolutive texture technology

  • 100 microns scale range texture with a specular finish to minimize losses
  • Variable texture with a smooth gradient transition
  • Moldable texture with standard thermoplastic (PMMA, PC)
Narrow vs wide beam position
DBM REFLEX optical microstructure technology

A clean and smooth illumination

Spot Beam position

Position du faisceau Spot

Flood Beam position

Position du faisceau large
anythin-between

All the beams angle have a high efficiency ratio

faisceaux avec un rapport d'efficacité d'angle

Opportunities

Our unique cross optic and texture technologies will help our customers to offer innovative and efficient products according to new trends in lighting such as IOT, sensor integration, changing color solutions …

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Contact DBM Reflex or your local Rep to start the study of your next generation of lighting product using latest DBM technologies.

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